Towards the Winter Cabin of Serenity and Madness, Cinderella Runs - Chapter 81
Roel was taken aback and hesitated before answering.
“I’m sorry, but we don’t offer bath attendants…”
“No attendants, huh? Interesting.”
The young knight eyed Roel up and down, clearly insinuating something.
Roel understood what he meant: he assumed that a woman working in a shabby inn, wearing a form-fitting dress, would be willing to earn extra money by attending baths.
Without saying another word, Roel bowed her head slightly and descended the stairs.
In the kitchen, she asked Hawk, who was tidying up, to place a folding bed in one of the rooms upstairs. Then she went straight to the bathhouse to prepare the bathwater, worried that the knight might insist on having her attend to him if she met again.
Refusing a knight’s request felt intimidating.
She had heard stories of commoners being dragged off by the guard for showing disrespect to nobles, facing severe punishment. In some regions, nobles wielded such power that they could even order executions or amputations at their whim.
As night fell, Roel, looking utterly exhausted as if she was going to collapse, began to tidy up the now-empty restaurant.
It hadn’t been an entirely dreadful day. With various customers visiting the inn’s restaurant, Roel had managed to fill her pockets a bit more.
One customer, who had earlier pestered her to smile, became generous after drinking and tipped her 1 silver. That amount was half her monthly salary. Though he barked at her to smile when she was shocked and wide-eyed at the generous tip…
The day was busy and chaotic.
Roel remained in the restaurant after Hawk told her to rest. She sat in a corner, organizing her thoughts.
She needed to go to Kyden’s room and talk to him. This was something she couldn’t delay any longer, for both their sakes.
‘Is he in his room….?’
She hadn’t seen Kyden all day. He seemed to have left the inn in the morning, and she hadn’t noticed him returning amidst the hustle and bustle of her work. Trusting that he would be back as they had agreed to talk at night, Roel headed to his room.
Standing in front of his door, Roel took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart.
Knock, knock, knock—
She knocked on the door gently and asked, “Kyden, can I come in?”
There was no response. Disheartened, she was about to turn away when—
Bang. The door swung open, and Kyden stepped aside, gesturing for her to come in. His hair was wet, suggesting he had just showered, and his yellow eyes focused on her with intense sharpness.
Roel placed a hand over her pounding heart and stepped inside.
“I was so busy today, I didn’t even notice Kyden came back. Where were you?”
“Let’s sit down and talk first.”
Kyden led her to the bed. It seemed to be the only place to sit, which made her blush slightly.
Roel sat on the edge of the bed, fiddling with her hands and staring at her knees.
“Kyden…”
As soon as Roel began speaking, Kyden immediately looked anxious.
“Do you want something to drink? Are you thirsty?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“Then let me massage your legs.”
“No, that’s not necessary!”
“You’ve been on your feet all day.”
Despite her protests, he insisted. Kyden gently pulled her ankle onto his lap. His touch was slightly ticklish, and she could feel his care in every movement.
Kyden had gone through an emotional rollercoaster all day. He was excited when he expected to hear Roel’s answer. But watching Roel work tirelessly, he felt frustrated and helpless. He didn’t want her to suffer like this. If she was with him, she wouldn’t have to endure such hardship.
Unable to bear seeing her struggle, he had left the inn earlier.
He kept telling himself that he only needed to endure one more day. He would take her back to his hometown and ensure she lived a happy and comfortable life. Just one more day.
“Ky, Kyden.”
“Go ahead.”
“….”
Despite the awkwardness of receiving a massage while discussing something so serious, Roel knew she couldn’t delay any longer.
“Please… even if I’m not good with words, try to understand.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll be completely honest with you, so please believe me… The decision is yours. Ow, Kyden, gently.”
“Sorry.”
Kyden eased his grip as he massaged her calf.
Roel rubbed her flushed cheeks, trying to gather her thoughts.
“Wait a second.”
Kyden suddenly stood up and took a jewelry box.
“Take this.”
“What is this?”
“Take it and answer.”
Roel opened the box and gasped at the sight. Inside were a pair of earrings and a necklace, each set with a blue gemstone as large as her eye.
“Why are you giving me this all of a sudden?”
