TGW Chapter 21 Part 5

 

The night before the party, Levan reported with a grave expression. Kuhn, listening, also wore a serious look.

"I can't believe things turned out like this."

Kuhn roughly ran his hand through his hair.

"That guy really is unlucky."

"Indeed, he is."

Levi Morton had died. No, he was murdered. At the hands of Joseph Rouk.

It wasn’t a premeditated murder. Joseph had discovered that Levi was the source of rumors about his illegitimate child. Furious, Joseph rushed to the social club where noblemen frequently gathered, which was a place Levi often visited.

An argument broke out between Joseph and Levi. The argument grew increasingly heated, and soon they were pulling at each other's clothes. When they seemed on the verge of a physical fight, the onlookers intervened to break them up. It seemed the fight would end there.

But then Levi brushed off his clothes with his hand as if dusting off dirt, and sneered.

"From a loser like you."

In a fit of rage, Joseph lunged at Levi and shoved him with all his strength. Levi, struggling to keep his balance, hit the back of his head on the corner of a table. He collapsed and lost consciousness. A doctor was called immediately, but it was too late; Levi was already dead.

"So, how are the two families responding?"

"They haven't made any official statements yet. For now, they're keeping it quiet."

"With so many witnesses, it'll spread quickly."

It was an accident. But regardless, the Duke of Rouk's grandson had killed the Duke of Morton's son.

What Kuhn had hoped for was an endless exchange of accusations and exposes between Joseph and Levi. But this outcome wasn’t bad either.

"Make sure to clean it up well. Leave no trace of our involvement."

"Yes, Kuhn. I’ll be at the company then. If I happen to run into him around the mansion..."

"Hmm? Ah, right. You’ve done well."

"Tomorrow’s party will be a success."

Kouh chuckled and lightly patted Levan on the shoulder. Levan bowed his head and left.

Kuhn turned his head and gazed at the dark sky outside the window. The moon wasn’t visible tonight. Since the day he had visited her bedroom, his throat tingled with a yearning whenever he saw the moon. He looked at his hand and clenched it into a fist. The soft sensation that had filled his arms hadn’t been forgotten.

 

 ***

No matter how spacious the Ivy House was, it couldn’t accommodate all the carriages that kept arriving. Only a select few of the distinguished guests were directed to park in the inner courtyard.

The imperial carriage drew everyone’s attention the moment it entered the grounds of Ivy House. As the carriage door opened, Sienna stood up. Halfway out of the carriage, she saw a man reaching his hand out to her.

Kuhn smiled at her.

"Welcome, Your Highness."

Sienna took his hand and stepped down from the carriage. She noticed another imperial carriage parked beside them.

"It seems the Iron King has already arrived."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Once she was out of the carriage, Kuhn released her hand and stood by her side, extending his arm.

"Would it be improper for the host to escort his guest inside?"

Sienna smiled as she placed her hand on the back of his.

"It’s quite alright."

The two of them walked together, drawing the gazes of many.

At the mansion’s entrance, dozens of staff in tailored outfits lined up to welcome the guests. The spacious first-floor hall was already bustling with people.

As soon as Sienna entered the hall, she tried to withdraw her hand from his, but Kuhn pressed her hand down with his other hand.

"The party hasn’t officially started yet. I’d like to show you around the mansion."

At the end of Sienna’s hesitant gaze, Fatima appeared. Although she was still at a distance, Sienna could read the complex emotions in Fatima’s eyes. She wanted to show Fatima who was standing beside this man.

She looked at Kuhn and nodded.

"It would be an honor. This way."

People murmured as they watched the two ascend the grand staircase inside.

Ivy House was an architecturally unique building. Typically, noble estates used the first-floor hall as a banquet hall, preferring high ceilings to avoid a cramped feeling even with a large crowd.

To raise the ceiling of the hall, the ceiling would extend up to the second floor, sacrificing some of the usable space on the second floor. Therefore, when ascending to the second floor via the indoor staircase, the second floor was narrower than the first.

However, Ivy House was designed to be a multi-story structure from the start. The height of the first floor of the mansion was similar to the second floor of other houses.

The two ascended a considerable number of stairs and reached the second floor. Because the ceiling of the hall was the floor of the second floor, the noise from below was completely cut off. Although hundreds of people were gathered just below, it was as quiet as an empty house.

Sienna slightly furrowed her brow. It was her first time here, but it didn’t feel entirely unfamiliar.

"It’s somewhat like the Imperial Palace, isn’t it?"

"Hmm?"

Surprised by the sudden remark, Sienna looked at him.

"The architect of this mansion… I hear his mentor was one of the builders of the Imperial Palace."

"Ah..."

Now she understood the source of the vague familiarity. Sienna glanced around. The columns and walls were ornate. Slightly protruding bas-reliefs and half-protruding high-relief patterns were mixed together. The architectural style of the Imperial Palace was like this.

Recently, she had visited the Marquis of Merze's estate, where the walls were carved inward, below the surface, with simple, straight-line patterns. The bas-relief of the marquis's estate was of a more recent style.

"I heard this mansion was old, but I didn’t realize it was that old."

"It’s a house with a lot of stories. The first owner reportedly went bankrupt building this mansion. In the end, he couldn’t handle the debt and lost ownership. It’s changed hands many times since. The previous owner, the count, was able to hold onto it for a relatively long time since he managed to keep it throughout his life. But he left almost no inheritance for his descendants."

The two walked along the corridor. Behind them, Gilbert followed at a suitable distance.

The second floor wasn’t entirely empty. A servant, approaching from the other end of the hallway, spotted them and froze. He stared at the floor as they passed by, then hurriedly scurried away once they were gone.

"So, it’s a mansion with a cursed history?"

"The frequent change of owners is due to their inability to maintain it. The mansion is too large for any individual to own, and it requires constant maintenance due to the materials used. This room, for example."

Kuhn opened a door in the middle of the corridor. Stepping aside, he gestured for her to enter.

Sienna was about to enter but then looked back at Gilbert.

"Wait here, Sir."

Gilbert glanced between the princess and the marquis before bowing his head.

"Yes, Your Highness."

The two entered the room. Gilbert, watching the door close, looked puzzled but quickly reverted to a neutral expression. He turned his back to the door, almost like a sentinel.

Sienna glanced around the spacious room. The walls were lined with bookshelves reaching up to the ceiling.

"All the bookshelves are built-in. I imagine the Imperial Library has similar shelves."

Sienna nodded and approached a bookshelf. The dark, mahogany shelves looked similar to those she often saw in the Imperial Library.

"Are built-in bookshelves hard to maintain?"

"The problem lies in the materials used to make the shelves. They’re crafted from special wood treated with oil to absorb moisture, which helps preserve the books for a long time. But you need to regularly apply that oil to maintain them. The problem is that the oil is quite expensive. If you don’t oil them, they emit a foul odor and rot. Once the wood starts to rot, it’s difficult to replace. It’s a rare and expensive wood that’s hard to find."

Sienna ran her fingers over the glossy built-in bookshelf. It was smooth and polished. She had seen it often in the Imperial Library, but it felt different now. She found it interesting to hear about such details that she had never known or been curious about before.

"How expensive is it? The oil."

"To clean all the shelves in this room, it would cost at least thirty gold coins."

"And how often?"

"At least once a year."

"That is expensive..."

A low chuckle escaped, and Sienna turned her head.

"Why are you laughing?"

"It’s just amusing to hear you say thirty gold coins is expensive, Your Highness."

Sienna glared at him.

"Just because I’m wealthy doesn’t mean expensive things aren’t expensive. So, to you, since you’re rich, is thirty gold coins nothing?"

"It’s not nothing. As you said, no matter how wealthy I am, a large sum is still a large sum."

He had engaged in countless transactions involving large sums, but he rarely spent money on luxury goods or entertainment. He had never spent even one gold coin at once. The recent expenditure on the flowers he sent her every morning was the biggest expense he had ever made in his life.

"You’re that wealthy?"

Sienna hadn’t expected to hear someone else say "no matter how wealthy I am" as she just had. And to top it off, he immediately nodded, saying "Yes." She was taken aback.

"Then it seems the Ivy House won’t change owners anymore?"

"The Ivy House has finally found its rightful owner."

Sienna chuckled softly. His confident boasting didn’t come off as annoying at all. Well, considering that he had made ivy his family crest, it would indeed be problematic if the ownership changed.

"Show me another room."

"As you wish."

Kuhn showed her around every corner of the second floor. There was a reception room with a large fish tank for ornamental fish, a meeting room with a table carved from a single slab of black marble, and a room displaying various artworks like sculptures and paintings. Gilbert followed them like a shadow, always guarding the door.

They spent a lot of time together in places where no one could see them. By now, even someone as dense as Gilbert would have noticed. Yet, being a loyal knight, he showed no signs of it.

Sienna hurriedly left the room Kuhn had shown her, saying, "This is my office," and gave him a sidelong glance.

"There’s no need to show me your office."

"I want to show you everything."

Sienna paused for a moment, then smiled lightly.

"Not today. Maybe another time."

Kuhn stared at her as she turned to leave. He hadn’t expected her to react so seriously. He thought she would either take it as a joke or feign indifference.

What did she mean by her words just now? And why didn’t she let Gilbert in, keeping him outside the entire time? He had been feeling uneasy for a while.

"Si...!"

He was about to call her, but seeing Gilbert, he closed his mouth. He quickly caught up to her.

"I think we’ve seen enough? Shouldn’t we head back to the banquet hall?"

"There's one more place left."

Kuhn opened a door. He didn’t explain what the room was for, but Sienna entered without much thought. Gilbert watched the door close and clicked his tongue before turning around.

Sienna took a few steps inside, then stopped abruptly. A large bed occupied a prominent spot in the room.

"This room is..."

"My bedroom."

"....."

"I’ve been in your bedroom, so it’s only fair that you see mine."

He was nonchalant, just as he had been when showing her the reception room.

Sienna wasn’t sure if it was common for a man to show his bedroom to a woman. She didn’t know the pace or extent to which lovers usually permitted each other into their lives. She had no experience with other men and no friends to share such stories.

She guessed that their start was somewhat unconventional. Their relationship had been marked by physical contact before a shy romance could bloom. Their impulsive first kiss had definitely not been a sweet, innocent peck. Every kiss since then had been intense and passionate.

‘I was the first one to let Kuhn into my bedroom.’

Thinking this, it didn’t seem like something she should take too sensitively. Sienna took a look around the bedroom. It was neatly decorated.

"Who manages the household here?"

"The butler. A bit of a nag."

"Well, I've seen enough, so then..."

As she was heading to the door, Kuhn blocked her path.

"You’re leaving right after you come in?"

"We’ve been up here for quite a while. The host should be greeting his guests. You said you don’t have any parents or siblings, right? There’s no one to take your place in your absence."

"Don’t worry about that. Everything is set up to run smoothly. I have something to tell you."

When Kuhn clung to her, saying, "Just a moment, okay?" Sienna’s heart softened. Once they went back down to the banquet hall, they wouldn’t be able to talk comfortably like this. She walked over to the sofa in the center of the bedroom.

"Just for the conversation, then I’ll leave..."

As she approached the sofa, Sienna gasped and stepped back.

"What’s wrong?"

She waved her hand in the air in surprise, and as she did, her hand grabbed onto his body. Feeling his strong arm wrap tightly around her back, she felt relieved.

"What are you doing here?"

Sienna had buried her face into his chest, then looked back upon hearing his calm voice.

A large man stood awkwardly between the sofas. Sienna had been startled to see a man who had been lying flat under the sofa. The man was Russ.

"Taking a nap..."

"In my bedroom?"

"It’s busy today, so I thought no one would come in here..."

Russ had woken up from his nap when he heard the door open. Startled, he immediately lay flat on the floor under the sofa, holding his breath and not moving.

He had hoped that the two would leave again, but his desperate prayer had not been answered. Russ stared at his feet, utterly dispirited.

Kuhn clicked his tongue briefly but didn’t seem too angry.

"Get out."

"Yes, Kuhn."

Russ quickly fled like a prisoner freed from shackles.

Kuhn tightened his hold on Sienna and whispered in her ear.

"Are you alright? I’m sorry I startled you."

Russ was the one at fault. It was unseemly for a subordinate to nap in his master’s bedroom. How could a servant be so disrespectful? Yet, Kuhn didn’t seem too angry and even apologized.

Sienna suddenly remembered a scene she had seen in a dream. She felt that the King cherished the Kali brothers greatly.

‘To Kuhn, the Kali brothers aren’t just ordinary subordinates.’

She gently pushed his chest with both hands and looked up. Their eyes met.

"How did you not know Sir Russ Kali was there? You have such sharp hearing."

Kuhn smiled awkwardly.

"It’s not that my hearing is sharp. It’s more like a sense. Like detecting a presence or aura."

"Then you couldn’t sense Sir Russ Kali’s presence?"

"He was hiding his presence. And I wasn’t being vigilant."

"So you can’t find someone if they hide their presence?"

"Not if they’re not hostile to me. No one can stay on high alert all the time. You relax in safe places and let your guard down around safe people."

"Do knights have abilities like yours? I’ve never heard of it."

"Some may be naturally more sensitive. But it’s a special training passed down in my family. Russ can do it too. I’m just a bit more attuned."

Sienna was silent for a moment before mumbling, "I see..."

"I thought you could eavesdrop on all the conversations in the world if you wanted to."

"I can’t do that."

Kuhn chuckled. He walked them both over to the sofa, still holding her waist with one arm. They sat side by side on the sofa.

"Are the Kali brothers different for you?"

"In what way?"

"When I asked about your relationship before, Sir Martin Kali said you were his master."

"Master..."

Kuhn’s expression briefly turned odd before he chuckled.

"Is Sir Russ Kali also your subordinate?"

"Outwardly, yes, for both of them."

"Internally, it’s different?"

"Our relationship isn’t like the usual subordination. We’re as close as family. But you seem quite interested in those guys. Are you more curious about them or me?"

Sienna answered with an incredulous look.

"You, of course."

Kuhn looked highly satisfied as he kissed her palm. He resisted the urge to kiss her lips. He felt he wouldn’t be able to stop with just a light kiss. It was also a risky location.

"What’s intriguing about my relationship with them?"

"Why does Sir Russ Kali call you by your name?"

Kuhn's eyes briefly flickered, making Sienna wonder. She hadn’t thought it was such a sensitive question.

"My name is a bit..."

"You don’t have to say if it’s difficult."

"No, I’ll tell you. I want to. My name isn’t common. It’s a name and a title used among my people."

Kuhn pondered how to explain.

"My father was Kuhn."

"You were named after your father?"

"My grandfather was also Kuhn. So was his father, and his father before him. When my son is born to succeed me, he will inherit the name Kuhn."

Sienna’s eyes widened as she listened to him.

That was almost like...

"…Like how everyone calls the Emperor ‘Your Majesty’?"

"Similar."

Sienna heard the sound of thunder rumbling in her mind.

‘You are... a king.’

This man was already a king. If he had followers who considered him a king, then he was a king. The title acknowledged by the Emperor was just a formality.

Sienna had guessed that he had a grand ambition to become a king. As she got to know him, however, she found that many things didn’t quite fit.

He had never shown the greed typical of those with great ambition. She couldn’t understand why he maintained a "friend" relationship with the Iron King.

It seemed that becoming a king wasn’t his ultimate goal. If it was just a disguise to hide his ambition for power, then he was extremely cunning.

But as far as Sienna could tell, he was straightforward. Of course, there were things he kept hidden and didn’t say. Everyone had such secrets.

‘He’s not someone who would deceive me.’

Not because she trusted her judgment, but because she had seen Kuhn’s future in a dream. In her dream, her sly uncle and King Kong were in stark contrast. She thought she understood what it meant for an older face to reveal a person’s character.

‘If his goal isn’t to become a king, then why is he helping the Iron King...’

He already had immense wealth. He had people who regarded him as a king. She heard that he had several titles from different kingdoms across the continent before he became a marquis.

There didn’t seem to be any reason for him to be fixated on obtaining a title acknowledged by the Emperor.

‘He said he had many secrets.’

That’s what he had said.

The only person who could know all his secrets...

‘Family...’

If she became his family, would she know everything? It was a highly tempting proposition. Sienna was suddenly startled by her own thoughts. She met his curious gaze with a hint of amusement.

"Your expression is amusing, watching you think. Did my name give you that much to ponder?"

Sienna, embarrassed, retorted.

"Don’t stare. It’s rude."

"It’s not often I get to see you. I have to take a good look while I can. Anything else you’re curious about?"

Sienna glanced at him, still grinning, and then said.

"Then what’s your real name? Would your son be called ‘son of Kuhn’?"

"Shaka. It means ‘little Kuhn.’"

"What if you have two heirs? Big Shaka, little Shaka?"

Kuhn burst into laughter.

"I don’t have any siblings, so I wouldn’t know. My father didn’t have any siblings either. Hmm... When I was young, they called me Shaka, but my mother sometimes used another name for me. She told me she chose it when I was born."

He hesitated for a moment.

"Edward."

He immediately frowned.

"I don’t like it very much."

"Why?"

"It sounds like a gentleman’s name."

Sienna couldn’t help but chuckle.

"Edward Roxanne. That’s your alias. If you really hated it, why did you use it?"

"I needed a role that suited a gentleman’s name, and it was perfect. Also, I have bad memories associated with that name. Whenever I did something wrong, my mother would..."

Kuhn pressed his fingers to his brow.

"She’d frown deeply and call me in a gloomy voice. ‘Eddy, come here.’ Ah, it was so frightening."

Sienna burst out laughing. She could imagine Kuhn as a mischievous boy. She envied him for having warm memories with his mother and felt happy to hear about his childhood.

"But even if everyone calls His Majesty ‘Your Majesty,’ he still has a personal name. If your grandfather and father both used the name Kuhn, it’s not just yours, is it?"

"I’m the only Kuhn of this era. So it’s mine."

Sometimes, he seemed almost arrogantly confident. He could bow as needed, but since he never truly submitted in his heart, he never appeared servile.

‘That’s what I liked about him.’

She was drawn to his confidence. Her feelings for him probably started there.

‘I now understand why the me in the dream disliked King Kuhn.’

Depending on the viewer’s mindset, the same person could appear very different. To see it positively was confidence; to see it negatively was arrogance.

The Sienna in the dream likely held a grudge against the Iron King. Having been robbed of the throne, she would have had nothing but bad feelings toward him and the conniving merchant who supported him.

A mere merchant? She would have thought he was incredibly rude. And her resentment toward the Iron King, who humiliated her by forcing her to marry a vulgar merchant, would have grown.

‘I can be quite stubborn.’

She could easily imagine two strong-willed people constantly clashing from the start.

‘In reality, can we create a different future than the ones in our dreams?’

"You said you had something to tell me?"

"Is that all? Nothing else you’re curious about?"

"No."

"Wow. You really are merciless."

His aggrieved expression almost made her laugh. Sienna pretended to scoff.

"If you have nothing to say, I’m getting up."

"Wait, alright."

He tightened his arm around her shoulder, pulling her back into the seat.

"First, I want to say thank you. I heard you worked hard for today’s party."

Dian had boasted to Kuhn that it was all thanks to him.

"Iron King misunderstood that I was just watching the situation unfold. That’s why he was angry and felt sorry for you. The Iron King intervened mainly because of me. So, when you meet the Iron King, speak well of me. Clear up the misunderstanding. Got it?"

Whether he owed Dian or not, Kuhn had no intention of clearing up her emotional misunderstandings. There was no reason to encourage them to grow closer.

He thought it was best for the siblings to keep an appropriate distance, just like now. He couldn’t stand seeing her get close to anyone else. No exceptions, not even a half-brother.

‘Ah, she’s blushing.’

Her eyes widened before she lowered her gaze. Her ears were flushed red.

So adorable, it was killing him. His fingers itched like blood was rushing to them. He wanted to hold her tight and kiss her pale cheeks and soft lips over and over.

"I didn’t do much. His Majesty handled everything. Besides, my mother’s actions weren’t proper..."

He was so mesmerized by her red lips parting as she spoke. Kuhn barely managed to regain his composure.

"I would have been happy even if the mansion was empty today, as long as you were here."

Her lips closed into a straight line. Kuhn’s heart dropped at the sudden change.

"You didn’t believe me when I said I’d come today, did you?"

"Huh?"

"The Iron King said you thought I’d attend my mother’s party."

Kuhn silently cursed Dian.

"Of course not. I believed you’d come."

Sienna made a skeptical sound.

"Really. You said you’d be here."

Seeing her expression relax, Kouh breathed a sigh of relief. He had yet to realize how much he was struggling with her subtle expressions.

"You told me to listen to you first, no matter what others say. I’m the same. Believe what I say."

Kuhn nodded enthusiastically like an obedient child.

Sienna smiled faintly. Every time this big man looked cute, she couldn’t help but smile.

"It’s time to go back down. The Countess of Pope should be here by now."

"I thought she wasn’t attending today when she didn’t come with you earlier."

"She insisted on attending to me at the palace and then returned to the Count’s estate."

This time, when Sienna stood up, Kuhn followed suit without stopping her. In truth, he had no important matters to discuss. He simply wanted to keep her there and spend as much time as possible alone with her.

Kuhn moved ahead of her, blocking the way to the exit.

"Do you still practice swordsmanship?"

"Yes."

"Like before, lessons and practice every other day?"

"Yes."

"I’m a good teacher, right? There’s no one like me as a sparring partner. Would you like to learn more?"

His intentions were obvious. Sienna smirked.

"Tomorrow is a practice day. Don’t be late."

He turned around, looking at her back, clearly surprised. He had expected rejection and had thrown it out there anyway. More eyes were watching him than before, and no matter how careful they were, if they met frequently in the palace, someone would eventually see them together. She must know that.

‘…Is it a change of heart? Why?’

It was as if she didn’t care if anyone knew about their relationship now. It was different from when she had kept her distance. His heart raced. He quickly followed her out the door.

<PREVIOUS | NEXT>

Previous

Next