Towards the Winter Cabin of Serenity and Madness, Cinderella Runs - Chapter 87
The gentle morning sunlight streamed through the window. Kyden’s complexion was excellent as he woke up. His vibrant and healthy expression made it seem as though he took a short nap while holding Roel.
Kyden shook Roel awake.
“Roel, Roel.”
“Mmm, Kyden.”
“Stay in bed. Don’t come out of the room.”
“But… I need to work.”
Despite her swollen eyes making it hard to open fully, and her limbs flailing as she insisted on working, Kyden tapped Roel’s nose and patted her back.
“I’ll bring someone to cover for you, so just stay here and rest.”
“Is there someone kind enough to do that…?”
“Yes. So don’t come out.”
Roel, who believed Kyden’s words implicitly, let her head droop in sleep. Even though she claimed she needed to wake up, it seemed she was too exhausted.
Roel quickly fell back into a deep sleep. Observing Roel’s defenseless face as she slept, Kyden felt a sinister and unsettling sensation.
He wanted to move to a hotel with a comfortable bed today. Although there would probably be no rooms available in the city center due to the Founding Day, he hoped he might find a decent room in the outskirts.
Kyden reluctantly moved away from the room. Before leaving, he took one last look at the sleeping Roel, double-checked to make sure the door was securely locked, and then left.
As Kyden stepped into the corridor, he noticed someone glaring at him. The man stood in the hallway, looking haggard and sleepless, his nose twitching in irritation.
The man was clearly intent on starting trouble.
“…”
Kyden, feeling the hostile gaze, stared back at him.
Judging from the body and hands, the man seemed to be someone accustomed to handling a sword, but his demeanor was intense.
If he had more time, Kyden might have dealt with him, but not now.
He needed to bring in Ace and move Roel to a better room. They needed to find a room with a bathtub for a bath and enjoy their time in a comfortable bed. With so many tasks at hand, he had no time to deal with a petty knight.
As Kyden brushed past him without paying attention, he heard the man’s derisive laughter behind him.
“Ha, I guess you’re feeling insecure?”
The man was clearly itching for a thrashing, Kyden nonchalantly dug at his ears and snorted in disdain. He wasn’t the type to get worked up over petty provocations.
During his mercenary days, he had dealt with far worse and more humiliating insults—remarks about his parents, his relationships, and even his manhood. Such trivial disputes were nothing more than the lowest form of irritation.
Kyden left the irate man behind and headed down the stairs, eager to find Ace so he could spend enjoyable and happy moments with Roel. He was in a hurry.
“Running away, are we? Scared, huh?!”
The sound of a chihuahua barking from upstairs reached his ears, but Kyden ignored it and spoke to Hawk.
“From today, Roel is off-duty. Don’t assign her any tasks.”
“W-What? Why all of a sudden…”
“Don’t worry too much. I’ll find a replacement.”
Hawk stared blankly, unable to form a response. Seeing Kyden’s satisfied expression, it was clear he had to comply. Any further objections would only provoke Kyden’s anger.
Meanwhile, the young knight, realizing he had been completely disregarded, rushed down the stairs. However, Kyden had already left the inn by that time.
“Damn it!!”
The young knight had been the one to throw a tantrum, but he was also the one left most affected.
* * *
Shortly after Kyden left, Roel woke up. Her lower body felt as if it was going to collapse, and her entire body ached. She groaned in discomfort.
“Ah, oh…”
It took a long while for her to lift herself up. Once she managed to get out of bed, she looked around. Where had Kyden gone? The conversation they had while she was half-asleep came back to her.
He had said he would bring someone to replace her. Normally, she would insist that it wasn’t necessary and that she could handle the work herself. But…
‘Walking is so hard…’
The burning pain and muscle soreness made each step a struggle. The thought of working at the inn was overwhelming. She felt sorry for Hawk, but she was in no condition to work.
The previous night was a blur—fainting and regaining consciousness repeatedly. When she was briefly awake, fragments of the situation came back to her.
‘Ha, Roel… so good. So very good.’
She remembered Kyden’s intense heat and breath, the weight of his body pressing down on her, and his relentless and obsessive actions. His piercing gaze seemed to follow her relentlessly, making her feel as if her heart was being pierced.
His large hands had held her arms and waist firmly, gripping with a force so strong that it felt as though she was bound to him forever, unable to escape.
As the events of the previous night replayed in her mind, Roel’s cheeks flushed bright red. Her heart raced so quickly that she even let out a small hiccup.
‘Really… it was too much.’
He was probably so pleased because it was the day they were supposed to meet again, but the intensity had been overwhelming. What was she supposed to do if he made it so hard to get up the next day?
