Towards the Winter Cabin of Serenity and Madness, Cinderella Runs - Chapter 97
Kyden quickly brushed aside his doubts, realizing that Roel’s embarrassed expressions were irresistibly cute and sexy, making it impossible not to enjoy them.
“Roel, let’s go to bed.”
He lifted her effortlessly and carried her to the bedroom. She obediently wrapped her arms around his neck, making him smile as he kissed her forehead.
Once they were back in bed, time seemed to slip away as they continued for a while longer.
Eventually, Kyden found himself holding Roel’s limp body close, rubbing his cheek against hers, feeling the bittersweet tug of knowing it was time for him to leave.
“Roel, I have to go.”
“Mm, go ahead.”
Her eyes fluttered open briefly as she weakly pushed him away. She didn’t seem too disappointed, which contrasted with how he felt—like he could die from not wanting to part from her.
“If you get hungry, order room service.”
“Okay…”
“I’ll be back soon.”
He said it, but knew returning soon might be difficult. Roel lifted her head and met his gaze, her long lashes framing tear-brightened eyes that shimmered like moonlight.
“I’ll wait for you.”
“If I’m late, don’t wait up. Just sleep.”
“…But I’ll still wait.”
Kyden frowned slightly at her stubbornness but couldn’t help smiling.
A strange warmth welled up in his chest, a feeling that was different from the pleasure or satisfaction he was used to. His fingertips tingled, his chest fluttered, his mouth felt dry, and a warm contentment spread through him, leaving him feeling incredibly fulfilled.
With some effort, he nodded and stood up. Roel tried to sit up to see him off, but her legs were too weak to support her.
“Take care.”
Her voice was soft and drowsy behind him. He didn’t dare look back, knowing that if he did, he might never leave. Instead, he simply replied in a subdued tone.
As Roel watched him go, she finally collapsed back onto the bed, sinking into its soft embrace.
‘So soft… Is it possible for a bed to be this comfortable?’
It was an unbelievable soft and fluffy bed. Wealthy people must sleep on beds like this, she thought, feeling the luxury of it all.
The clean, spacious hotel room, the opulent decor, the plush bed—it was all so extravagant, things she had never even dared to dream of. The sense of reality felt distant, as if she was in a dream.
‘Is this all really just a dream?’
Startled by the thought, Roel clutched the blanket tightly, inhaling Kyden’s lingering scent to calm her uneasy heart.
Staying in a nice hotel could be a dream, and she wouldn’t mind. But the thought of being with him also being just a dream made her feel like the world was crumbling around her.
As she breathed in his scent, she felt a sense of calm wash over her. Roel hugged the blanket tightly, as if it could take Kyden’s place, and closed her eyes.
She planned to take a quick nap before he returned. She had been exhausted from being with him late into the night, and today had been another chaotic day. From hastily leaving the Double Axe Inn and riding in the carriage to arriving at the hotel, she had barely had a moment to collect herself before finding herself entangled with him once more.
‘I hope the inn is doing alright… Kyden should be fine too, right?’
Even though she had quit her job, she couldn’t shake the guilt of leaving the Double Axe Inn so abruptly. At the same time, she was worried about Kyden, who had gone to meet Count Serley.
Would they really hold him accountable for something he did long ago? She worried that his lack of eloquence might lead to misunderstandings.
But she soon eased her worries.
Anyone who spent time with Kyden would naturally come to see that, despite his outward appearance, he had a warm and gentle nature. Those who had known him for a long time likely understood him better than she did. They would surely know that, even though he seemed aloof, that wasn’t his true nature.
Feeling much more reassured, Roel’s face softened as she slowly drifted into sleep. It had been a long time since she felt so at peace before falling asleep. Since her father’s death, she has rarely slept soundly.
Tonight, past wounds didn’t torment her, and nightmares didn’t come. The people who had hurt her, the burdensome weight of life, and the fears of an uncertain future—all of it was forgotten for now.
She fell into a deep, restful sleep, as if floating on a calm lake, free from loneliness, fear, and old wounds.
* * *
Kyden walked through the city streets at sunset with a look of irritation on his face. Meeting Serley after so long wasn’t something he was looking forward to.
‘He’s probably going to start by criticizing my appearance.’
Serley, who was highly sensitive to aesthetics, loved to find fault with everything. Kyden was sure that his own appearance would be no exception.
Even though they were distant relatives and had known each other since childhood, Serley was not someone Kyden felt comfortable around.
Their positions were not equal, after all. Serley was the direct heir to the count’s title, while Kyden was from a collateral branch.
Worse still, Kyden had only become a page under Serley’s service due to his father’s pressure, who hoped to curry favor with the main branch of the family. Because of this, there was no way he and Serley could ever truly be friends.
