Two carriages from the imperial palace sped toward the docks early in
the morning. The rendezvous point was a secluded spot behind a warehouse. The
carriages were guided by those who had been waiting and entered the empty
warehouse.
As soon as the carriage door opened, Sienna stepped out. Kuhn, who was
waiting in front of the carriage, took her hand to help her out.
“Aren’t we boarding the ship right away?”
“We will, but we need to make some preparations first.”
Behind Kuhn, the Kali brothers bowed their heads. The brothers also
exchanged a silent greeting with Gilbert, whom they were already acquainted
with.
Kuhn handed out dark blue cloaks, identical to those worn by him and the
Kali brothers. The cloaks were large and long. When Sienna wore hers, it came
down below her knees, while the maids’ cloaks covered their ankles.
“This is how you wear it.”
Kuhn pulled Sienna’s hood down from her forehead to just below her nose,
ensuring her face was completely hidden.
“Then, I can’t see in front…”
Sienna stopped mid-sentence. Although the hood covered her eyes, she
could still see ahead, albeit not very clearly, suggesting it was specially
made.
Sienna, Gilbert, and the four maids all wore identical cloaks.
“This is to prevent anyone from recognizing Your Highness as you board.”
The fact that Sienna was heading to the Marquis of Bless was an
unofficial schedule. Thus, the whereabouts of the Silver King would be unknown
for almost a month.
However, Sienna rarely engaged in external activities, and she had few
frequent contacts. As long as those around her kept quiet, hiding her absence
for a month or two wouldn’t be a problem.
“I appreciate the Marquis Raad’s consideration.”
“There are many people outside. Don’t be startled by the noise.”
“There are that many people at this hour?”
“Spectators have gathered.”
“Spectators? For what… Ah, White Chip?”
“Even though we set the departure time early, the ship stands out.”
As Sienna left the warehouse and approached the dock, she realized Kuhn
wasn’t exaggerating. People crowded around the white-hulled ship visible in the
distance, a spectacle enough to attract onlookers from early morning.
She hadn’t realized its fame until she saw it for herself. Hearing about
it from the Countess was one thing, but seeing it in person, the pristine white
ship shimmering in the morning sunlight was truly beautiful.
As they got closer, she was relieved they didn’t have to push through
the crowd to board the ship. Strong men stood guard, ensuring the path to the
ship remained clear. Sienna and her group simply walked along the secured path
to the ship.
Sienna glanced at the crowd of onlookers. Their attire suggested a mix
of commoners and nobles. It was surprising and somewhat amusing to see nobles,
who usually cared about appearances, mingling with commoners to gawk.
Everyone boarded smoothly. The crew promptly pulled up the gangway, and
the ship began preparations to depart.
Kuhn guided Sienna to the cabin.
“Please rest for a while.”
Hearing something from an approaching crew member, Kuhn left with him.
In his stead, a middle-aged woman gave a brief explanation of the interior
layout.
Several rooms were connected around a lounge area. One was Sienna’s
bedroom, while the room next to it was assigned to her maids.
Sienna looked around the bedroom she would use during the journey. She
now understood the meaning of a luxurious cruise ship.
Having been on a regular liner before, she could compare. The best room
on that liner couldn’t even be compared to this cabin. Staying inside the room,
she could almost forget she was on a ship.
After briefly looking around the bedroom, she entered the lounge. The
lounge was almost the same size as the bedroom.
“What are those rooms? Are they empty?”
Aside from the entrance, there were four doors in the lounge. Two of
them were used by Sienna and her maids. Sienna opened the door directly
opposite her bedroom.
It was another bedroom, with a similar layout, decorations, and size as
the one she was using.
“Ah… This must be a suite for couples.”
“This is my room.”
Sienna turned her head. Kuhn had already arrived. He had left the door
open when Sienna entered. Closing it, he leaned against it before approaching
Sienna.
“If you like this room better, you can use it.”
“They’re similar, so it doesn’t matter. Then, who uses the room next to
this bedroom?”
“It’s for the hired help, but I don’t need it, so it’s empty.”
“What about Sir Gilbert?”
“He was assigned a separate cabin.”
“Can’t he use the room next to yours?”
Kuhn frowned.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“You see, it’s all one space here. Do you want to share the same space
with a man?”
“Aren’t you a man?”
“…”
Seeing his disgruntled expression, Sienna laughed. She stepped closer
and lightly embraced him. When their eyes met, his hands gently wrapped around
her waist.
“What’s your real reason for giving me one of the couple’s cabins?”
“I gave you this room because it’s the best. There’s no ulterior
motive.”
“Then you can use another room.”
“…”
Unable to withstand Sienna’s demanding gaze, Kuhn replied slowly.
“...In case anything happens, I can respond quickly.”
“But you sent away my guards?”
“…”
Once again, he was at a loss for words.
“To sneak into my room at night?”
“Absolutely not.”
Sienna murmured, “Really?” while watching his expression closely. Kuhn
tried to look innocent. Sienna pushed him away and turned to leave. Just before
opening the door, she looked back and said,
“You can sneak in.”
Kuhn’s dumbfounded expression amused her. Sienna chuckled and went out
into the lounge.
“Si…!”
Kuhn hurriedly followed but stopped speaking when he saw the maids.
Feigning ignorance, Sienna sat on the sofa and picked up a book from the
table. Kuhn’s frustration was palpable. He needed to explain and ask if he
could interpret her words literally, but before he could, there was a knock on
the door.
A man entered and reported.
“Reinspection complete, we’re ready to set sail.”
“Well done.”
Shortly after the man left, another man came in and said,
“Kuhn, I have something to discuss with you.”
Kuhn glanced at Sienna, sighed once, and followed the man outside.
As soon as he left, Sienna put down the book. She had only pretended to
read and hadn’t absorbed a single word. Her face felt warm, and she fanned
herself with her hand.
Her body suddenly shook. It wasn’t a big tremor, so she wasn’t startled.
“We must be setting off.”
She only felt the movement when the ship started, but soon after, it
didn’t even feel like she was on a river. Sienna said to the maid standing at a
distance.
“Go inside and rest. There’s no need to stay outside unless I call you.
We’re not at the palace, so don’t worry about the rules.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Sienna picked up the book again and opened it. It was a travelogue by an
unknown author. Kuhn didn’t return by the time she finished reading the entire
book. Looking around the lounge, she noticed there were no other books.
She entered the bedroom. There were no books there, either. She searched
every corner of the room, inspected the hanging paintings, and opened every
drawer. She quickly finished her inspection.
Standing in the middle of the room, she slowly looked around. Her gaze
fell on a chair with a peculiar design. It was placed in the corner, separate
from the sofas paired with the table.
Sienna approached the chair and examined it from different angles. It
was made of wood and was quite large for a single-person chair. Judging by how
its four legs were firmly fixed to the floor, it wasn’t a rocking chair.
Sienna cautiously sat down, resting her arms on the armrests. As soon as
she shifted her weight backward, her body suddenly tilted back.
Startled, Sienna let out a short scream. Her legs lifted into the air.
She braced herself for the inevitable fall.
“What?”
Nothing happened. She blinked at the ceiling. It wasn’t quite sitting,
nor was it completely lying down, but it was incredibly comfortable. She felt
as though her body’s weight had disappeared as if she were floating in the
air, even though the chair was supporting her.
“Not bad.”
She liked the chair. She thought about asking Kuhn to get one for her.
“We set off safely.”
She had been concerned about the movements at the palace for days after
informing her mother of her trip to the Marquis of Bless. Surprisingly, her
mother had been quiet.
“Could it be that my words had a strong effect?”
The one casual remark she made, suggesting she had taken a liking to
Marquis Raad, might have been a significant shock to her mother.
“Or perhaps she’s plotting something.”
She hadn’t crossed a mountain. She couldn’t predict what would happen
after returning from the trip.
“I’ll think about the future later.”
Her body and mind felt completely relaxed. It was strange that the
unfamiliar ship, which she boarded for the first time after leaving the palace
where she was born and raised, felt so comfortable.
Drowsiness began to set in. Lost in her thoughts, she eventually fell
asleep. As she enjoyed her pleasant slumber, a strong discomfort roused her.
Someone was touching her. Her body held up, was being lifted. Instinctively
defensive, her consciousness awoke quickly.
“It’s me, Sienna. I’m just moving you to a more comfortable place.”
The low, gentle voice whispering in her ear was familiar.
“Kuhn…”
He wouldn’t harm me. All sense of resistance faded away. Her
consciousness, which had started to rise, sank back down. The deep furrow in
her brow gradually smoothed out.
Kuhn held her in his arms. His steps toward the bed were very cautious.
He laid her down, taking care not to shake the bed, and sat on the edge. He
gazed at her sleeping face for a long time.
A smile naturally formed on his lips. He found her endearing, falling
asleep again like a good child after a few whispered words. Her face was soft,
with delicate peach fuzz. Her gentle, sleepy breathing made her look even
younger.
Kuhn’s hand, reaching toward Sienna’s face, paused. He didn’t want to
wake her. On the other hand, he longed to see her golden eyes. The overwhelming
feeling of seeing himself reflected solely in her eyes was indescribable. His
hand, hovering over her forehead, eventually lowered.
Kuhn Raad, the head of the Raad family, was considered by some to be a
fortunate man walking a golden path in life. He was born into wealth and power.
Other royals or nobles in similar positions had to fight fiercely to emerge as
the final victor, but Kuhn Raad seemed to obtain everything too easily.
However, they didn’t know what they were talking about. Other people’s
treasures always seemed more precious.
His life had been a series of ups and downs. He lost his father, who
could have been a mentor, early. His father’s absence was significant. Only Kuhn
could teach Kuhn how to think and act.
He faced challenges head-on, learning through trial and error. Every
success was underpinned by the lessons learned from ten failures.
Of course, he didn’t deny his luck. The ability to learn from failure
and the talent to grasp two things from one were unique gifts to him.
Many people fail to achieve even the results of their efforts. He
frequently achieved more than his efforts warranted, so he was certainly lucky.
But recently, he seriously wondered if he was truly blessed by the gods.
He felt as though the goddess of fortune was smiling at him alone.
Everything was going smoothly. Even the most carefully laid plans could
go awry. But when things that went wrong started fitting together like puzzle
pieces, Kuhn became uneasy. What if this incredible luck suddenly vanished?
The woman asleep before him was the pinnacle of his good fortune. There
was a time when he just wanted to see her smile. There was a time when he
lingered, hoping to share a few more words. After holding her hand, he wanted
to embrace her, and while holding her, he yearned for her heart.
Even after gaining her affection, why did his desires continue to grow?
He knew he had to be patient. He also knew he couldn’t rush her. But he felt
increasingly anxious. He wanted to bring her to his side as soon as possible.
He feared losing the treasure in his palm. He wanted to clench his fist
tightly so no one could see it. He envied Dian, who, having married, had
finally formed his family.
“It took a year just to get your answer. If I propose, how much longer
will I have to wait?”
His eyes darkened with deep thought.
“...Will I even get an answer?”
There were too many tangled knots between them. She wasn’t someone who
would make a decision solely based on their happiness, disregarding all other
circumstances. He fell for her because of this trait, but he also found it
frustrating.
Kuhn stared at her, oblivious to the passing of time.
“No, this won’t do. I need to clear my head.”
He shook his head and stood up. The more he looked at her, the thirstier
he felt, rather than satisfied. To avoid disturbing her sleep, he left only a
small lamp on and turned off all the others. The cabin, which had no windows,
was enveloped in darkness.
.png)
0 Comments