TOOCM 46

Chapter 46

“What?”

Ben turned, startled, and saw Reina approaching the training grounds. He hurried to greet her.

“Your Grace, what brings you here?”

“I heard Kaiden’s here.”

“Yes, His Grace is sparring. If you wait over there, I’ll inform him…”

“I’ll tell him!”

Andy, excited, dashed off to the training area.

Reina waited quietly at the rest area with Ben. Soon, Andy returned alone, tilting his head.

Ben asked, “Why alone?”

“Well… His Grace disappeared.”

“What?”

“He left during sparring…”

Andy glanced at Reina. It was obvious Kaiden was avoiding her. Even leaving Ben behind suggested urgency.

Andy awkwardly excused it. “…Maybe he had a stomachache. I get that during sparring sometimes. Haha.”

The excuse was flimsy.

“I’ll go.”

As the mood chilled, Andy backed away and vanished. Ben was left to handle it. Rubbing his neck, he said, “Sorry. He’s always been a bit silly.”

“It’s fine. Can you tell Kaiden I need to talk to him? Ask him to join me for lunch. I’ll wait in the dining hall.”

“Understood. I’ll relay it immediately.”

Bowing, Ben hurried off to find the Duke.

Kaiden didn’t come to the dining hall.

Reina sat alone at the long table, lost in thought. Ben wouldn’t have failed to deliver her message, so Kaiden was deliberately avoiding her.

‘Is he that busy?’

He was always busy, but he’d never ignored her requests silently. She couldn’t guess why he was suddenly avoiding her.

Finishing lunch alone, Reina looked crestfallen. The clock already read 2 p.m.

She kept searching for Kaiden, but narrowly missed him each time. It felt like hide-and-seek.

‘Today’s my last day…’

After today, she wouldn’t see his face again.

She wanted to etch him in her mind, eyes, and heart, but failed.

Half-giving up, Reina walked gloomily. She was starting to get annoyed.

Lily spoke up, indignant.

“His Grace is so thoughtless. Knowing it’s your birthday…”

Reina wasn’t the only one noticing his avoidance. As Lily grumbled, Rose stayed silent.

Kaiden rarely avoided people so blatantly. He preferred directness, only dodging when guilty.

It reminded Rose of when he’d broken the former Duchess’s prized vase as a child and hid.

Cautiously, Rose asked, “Did something happen with His Grace yesterday?”

The couple had entered the terrace together but left separately.

Reina flinched at the mention of yesterday.

“Huh? …No, nothing happened.”

Her obvious denial, flushed cheeks, and lip-touching screamed otherwise—something good.

Rose let out a dry laugh.

‘Running away.’

It seemed like Kaiden’s ridiculous flight from romance.

‘Hmph. Bet he kissed her or something.’

Rose snorted.

Once, she’d have been jealous, but now she felt calm. After everything, she knew there was no room between them.

Kaiden’s knack for escaping made him hard to catch.

To find a determinedly hiding Kaiden, gentle methods wouldn’t work.

Realizing it was her moment, Rose asked seriously, “Your Grace, do you absolutely need to see His Grace today?”

Her morning-long search suggested it was important.

Reina’s anxious expression confirmed it.

As expected, she murmured uncertainly, “I do, but…”

“Then leave it to me.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll make His Grace come to you.”

Rose spoke confidently, leaving Reina and Lily staring blankly.

‘Running away—what’s the point?’

Kaiden glared at his papers.

Idiot, fool, moron.

A pest worse than a mutant beast.

He cursed himself, radiating menace.

That morning, unprepared, he’d fled the bedroom. Hearing Reina’s voice at the training grounds, he’d left instinctively.

His runaway legs kept burning him up.

By now, Reina must’ve noticed he was avoiding her.

Approaching her now felt embarrassing and shameless.

Crunch.

The pen snapped, ink staining the paper.

Ben sighed at another ruined document.

Chasing Kaiden’s erratic escapes had exhausted him.

“If you’re so restless, why not go to her?”

“Who’s restless?”

“That’s your fifth pen.”

“…”

“Why are you avoiding her?”

Ben asked irritably, and Kaiden feigned ignorance.

“Who’s avoiding?”

“Everyone can see it. Did you wrong Her Grace?”

Wrong.

Kaiden flinched.

His guilty reaction prompted Ben to snatch the paper.

“Then you should apologize sooner.”

“Apologize?”

Kaiden bristled.

Say he’s sorry for the kiss and won’t do it again—words he didn’t mean and couldn’t keep?

He growled, swallowing the rest.

A single kiss making him act like this felt pathetic.

He wasn’t blind to his feelings anymore.

Reina was a woman to him.

Not that she wasn’t before, but realizing his feelings made casual interaction impossible.

Why? Since when? For what reason?

Her eyes drew him in, her small ears were adorable, her moving lips…

Crack.

The poor pen broke into three.

Ben hesitated under Kaiden’s menacing aura.

A rushed sound approached, and the door burst open without a knock.

Recognizing Reina’s maid, Kaiden shot up.

About to escape through the window, Lily shouted.

“Emergency! Her Grace is missing!”

“What’s that mean?”

Kaiden’s face hardened, urging her on. Lily looked tearful.

“She wanted to be alone… said she’d stay in the castle, so we let her go, but she’s nowhere!”

“You let someone unfamiliar with the castle go alone?”

“Well…”

Lily glanced at him, continuing.

“I heard her crying and couldn’t refuse.”

Thud.

Kaiden’s heart stopped. Ignoring Ben and Lily, he stormed out of the study.