TGW Chapter 22 Part 1

 

Hearts in Sync

The handmaidens saw off the Silver King as she left the palace clad in her light armor. Her sword practice was a daily ritual, and the sight of the King leaving alone in armor was a familiar one.

She had a sword hanging from the belt at her waist, but she also carried another in her hand. The practice ground was a place Sienna had favored for a long time. The closer she got to her destination, the faster her heart began to race.

And when she saw Kuhn standing at the agreed-upon spot...

"Ah..."

A shiver ran through her. The frantic beating of her heart suddenly halted, and the hot blood coursing from her heart spread warmth throughout her body. She felt a surge of joy; just seeing that man lifted her spirits.

Unlike her in armor, he was impeccably dressed. His tall, well-built frame was perfectly balanced. Without anyone to compare him to, he looked incredibly sleek.

He was unarmed. As a marquis, not a knight, it would cause a scandal if Rad entered the palace with a weapon, so he had no choice.

There were widespread rumors that Raad owned the Raad Merchant Guild, but few knew about the Kaligo Mercenaries. After all, the nobility was more interested in money than martial prowess. As a result, the Marquis’s exceptional swordsmanship skills were hardly known.

When their eyes met, he smiled. Sienna approached him without taking her eyes off him. With each step closer, he seemed to grow larger and larger until she could no longer take him in with a single glance. She felt it every time they met—he was truly a large man.

Sienna beamed as she looked at Kuhn. She couldn't hold back the smile that came naturally.

His eyes seemed to darken. In a blink, he was suddenly right in front of her. His lips pressed down on hers.

At first, he hurriedly pressed their lips together. Then, after a brief pause, as if finding some composure, he gently cupped her face with both hands. He tilted his head further, and their lips parted wider.

Their tongues entwined fiercely, the sound of them sucking each other's depths resonating. Their kisses were always intense. Every time she kissed him, Sienna felt like she was swallowing a blazing fire. The sensation was sharp, almost scorching.

"Does he feel my mouth is cold?"

It seemed like their body temperatures were slightly different. As the kiss grew longer and the temperature difference gradually faded, Sienna felt a sense of euphoria as if she were sharing his warmth.

He peppered light kisses on Sienna's lips persistently, reluctantly pulling away.

Sienna opened her eyes. His face was right in front of her. He smiled slyly and gave her a few more short kisses before finally releasing his reluctant hands that had been cupping her face.

He always seemed unsatisfied every time their kisses ended. She had never seen him with a look of contentment. Would there ever be a day when his insatiable desire was fulfilled?

Sienna hoped that day would never come. She wanted him to desire her endlessly. She smiled warmly at him.

Kuhn let out a small sigh. Her unguarded smile left him breathless, the world spinning. The thought of another man seeing that smile made a violent urge well up in him, wanting to tear that person apart.

"I'm getting crazier by the day."

Kuhn tried hard not to reveal his dark thoughts. He acted like a gentle puppy in front of her. But he didn't know how much longer he could keep up the gentlemanly act.

Now that he felt her heart slowly opening to him, it was still okay. But if her heart ever changed, if she stepped back or turned away, could he respect her decision?

"...No, I can't. I can never let you go."

Kuhn grasped the hilt of Sienna's sword and gently pressed down, causing her tightly gripped hand to loosen.

It was cumbersome, but with some minor trickery, he could bring a weapon. However, Sienna had taken it upon herself to bring a practice sword, saying, "Let's not do anything that might cause trouble." He liked that she went out of her way for him, so he quietly followed her lead.

"This sword is different from the one two days ago."

Sienna glanced sideways at him as he inspected the sword. She was still lingering in the afterglow of the kiss, but his expression was completely composed.

"Not all men are like this, right?"

Sometimes she felt he was too adept. It seemed to be part of his natural character. Without anyone to compare to, she couldn't pinpoint it precisely. He sensed her scrutinizing gaze and looked up.

"What?"

"You resemble someone I know."

"Me?"

"Yes."

Kuhn furrowed his brow.

"Who?"

"Someone I know."

You in my dreams, Sienna muttered inwardly.

"I thought it was the sword you always bring... What's different about it?"

Kuhn suppressed the urge to ask, "Who the hell is it? Who is this person?" He answered with a displeased expression.

"It's lighter."

"Is lighter bad?"

"It has pros and cons. If you're not strong enough, a lighter sword is easier to wield. A heavier sword has more attack power."

"Then isn't a heavier one better?"

"If you can't even lift it properly, what good is its attack power?"

"Is the sword I use for practice light?"

"It's not light. You're strong enough that you could handle a heavier sword."

"I'm strong? Me? When I practice with you, I feel like a child fighting an adult."

Kuhn laughed.

"Your Highness, don't compare yourself to me. For a woman, you're strong."

"Oh, for a woman."

Sienna, who had never felt limited by being a woman, was irritated.

"So, are you strong for a man?"

"Me? I'm pretty amazing for a human."

"...I think I get it now. This is how people around me must feel."

Seeing his playful smile, Sienna couldn't help but laugh along.

"Then, your sword, that one I saw before..."

Kuhn smiled, watching her hesitation.

"What are you curious about?"

"...The one with both the handle and blade black. The famous black sword, right?"

"Not famous for good reasons, but it's pretty well known."

"......"

"And? Sienna. Whatever it is, feel free to ask."

Sienna hesitated before speaking.

"If it's an awkward question, you don't have to answer."

He nodded, his expression curious.

"Are you... the leader of Kaligo?"

"Yes."

He answered so straightforwardly that Sienna was taken aback.

"I heard the Kaligo mercenaries carry black swords. But the leader's sword is even more special..."

"The black swords are crafted using a special smelting process. They add parts of a desert ghost's body during production, creating a very strong yet flexible black-bladed sword. My sword is different. It's been passed down through generations. It's a unique sword, one of a kind in the world."

"Is the material different?"

"I'm not sure since it's inherited. The uniqueness of the sword is... how should I put it? It feels alive. It chooses its owner."

"In what way?"

"It's hard to explain. I'll show you sometime if I get the chance."

"They say Kaligo is a private force of the Rad Merchant Guild. Since you're the owner of the Rad Merchant Guild, does that make you the leader?"

"It's not unrelated, but that's not the only reason. To become the leader..."

Sienna, who had been listening intently, shook her head.

"That's enough. I don't want to hear more."

Kuhn's smile turned crooked, sharp in some way.

"You're always like this. Just when I think I'm getting closer, you put up a wall again."

Sienna found his impatient expression unfamiliar. She didn't want him to misunderstand her as rejecting him.

"It's not that. It's just not fair."

He tilted his head slightly as if asking what she meant.

"I have nothing to tell you. But if I'm the only one listening to your stories, that's not fair."

"Fairness... Fairness, huh?"

He muttered to himself and chuckled.

"Why do you have nothing to tell? There are so many things I want to know. Like, who is that woman in your palace who's not a maid?"

"Emma?"

"I've seen her several times with the countess. Judging by her attire, she doesn't seem to be a maid brought by the countess."

"Emma is my guest staying in the palace at my request. She's very good at brewing tea. You've had tea she brewed a few times."

"Ah, there were days when the tea had an exceptionally good fragrance. Was she introduced?"

"Yes. She's a relative of the countess."

Kuhn continued to ask light questions. They were all things that didn't require much thought. When she woke up and slept, if her meal times were regular, what she usually ate, and so on. Sienna could answer without feeling burdened.

As the conversation lengthened, they sat side by side under a tall tree.

"...So the marriage proposal for Emma arranged by the countess has been postponed. It turns out her family is related to Duke Morton. That family isn’t in a position to talk about marriage now. You know about Duke Morton's son’s death, right?"

"Ah..."

"I only heard bits and pieces from the countess."

It had been revealed that Levi spread rumors about Joseph’s illegitimate child, which was tied to the murder involving the two ducal families, causing an uproar.

"How do you feel about the current atmosphere?"

"It's noisy."

"What punishment do you think Sir Rouk will receive?"

"It was an accident. They might settle it appropriately."

"In any case, there’s bound to be a rift between the two ducal families."

In the dream’s future, Sienna wasn’t sure if Levi Morton was dead. Such details were not provided. Joseph would likely not be severely punished. In the dream, he married someone and became a count.

Lost in thought, Sienna’s chin was gently turned to the side.

“You don’t spend much time with me. When you’re with me, focus on me.”

His expression was gentle, but his tone was firm. She felt a strength she couldn’t resist. Sienna’s head nodded on its own.

“Levi was your second betrothal candidate, right?”

“Yes.”

“Is there a third?”

“If there is?”

“I’ll deal with him too.”

Sienna blinked. Was he joking? It must be a joke, right? If not, there were many things in that statement to take issue with.

Seeing his calm expression, Sienna began to doubt her ears. Did she hear wrong? While she hesitated for a moment, Kuhn stood up and extended his hand.

Sienna took his hand. With a slight tug, her body was lifted up effortlessly.

“If we linger any longer, the handmaidens will come looking for you. You’re punctual with your schedule.”

Kuhn held up his pocket watch in front of her to show her the time.

“Ah…”

The time set aside for sword practice had already passed. Sienna was lightly shocked. To think she’d been chatting away, not even realizing the time. It wasn’t an important conversation either. It was just a jumble of topics, with nothing particularly memorable.

“…I didn’t get to practice at all.”

“Sometimes, it’s okay to do things like this.”

Kuhn leaned down and kissed her lips. It was a light kiss, just a brief press of lips.

“See you in two days.”

Anyone who saw the two of them would recognize their farewell as very natural.

Today was their seventh meeting since the party at the Marquis’s manor. Sienna had grown accustomed to the goodbye kiss they shared each time they parted.

The chance of someone catching them was low, but you could never be too sure. She wasn’t afraid of people finding out. She was only worried that her mother might cause him trouble.

“Kuhn, if my mother calls you again using me as an excuse, just act. You’re good at that, right?”

“What kind of act?”

“Act like you’re the victim. Complain that I’m bothering you and that dealing with me is such a hassle.”

He looked at her with a bewildered expression, then murmured something incomprehensible.

“Are you telling me to hide behind you? I’ve lived my life wrong. Am I that unreliable?”

“You need to know how to be cautious if necessary. There’s nothing shameful about that.”

“Sienna, I’m not someone who cares much about appearances. But I feel like I have to look good in front of you.”

Sienna frowned.

“Why?”

“Hmm... A man’s pride?”

“Pointless.”

“Men would risk their lives for something pointless. Meanwhile, the diligent handmaidens of the Silver King’s Palace are coming to find you. You’d better go.”

There was no time to counter his logic and point out the flaws, so Sienna had no choice but to turn away.

‘That man doesn’t take my warnings seriously at all.’

She made up her mind firmly to protect him from her mother’s clutches.

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