“Let’s … go back up. Brother must have been surprised.”

“He must have been. I’ve been through it, so I know it’s quite shocking.”

With my face buried in Aiden’s chest, I rolled my eyes up to look above. His neat jawline blocked and caught my view.

Oh my, it left me speechless.

Still, this time it was unavoidable. Even if I were to go back in time, I would make the same choice.

“Yes, sorry for surprising you.”

“….You promised to listen to my story.”

“Yes, I did. I’ll listen to everything. I’ll listen to your story intently.”

Nestled in Aiden’s embrace, I answered. I was the one who had faced danger, yet I felt like I was the one comforting Aiden. But it wasn’t a bad feeling.

Aiden gently floated in mid-air. I cautiously lifted my head to look at the ground receding below.

“The High Priest… he’s dead, isn’t he?”

I recalled the loud noise next to me just before my back was about to touch the ground. It was probably the High Priest’s voice.

“… he’s dead. But he was still alive after he hit the ground. I made sure of that before finishing him off.”

I clenched my fists at the resolute voice coming from above. I glanced at him briefly, then turned my gaze back to the ground.

Aiden. He came straight to me, so was there a chance for him to do that? Was he afraid I would feel guilty if he said that I killed the High Priest?

The question rose in the back of my throat, but I didn’t speak. Right now, I just wanted to silently accept this affectionate gesture.

Soon, we reached the top of the tower.

As we entered the tower through the window from which the High Priest and I had departed, the faces of the crowd standing there changed from gazing blankly to filled with astonishment and relief.

And there was Brother… Brother was lying on the floor, trembling in defeat.

He was crying out deep sobs as if he were the one at fault.

The knight standing behind him called out to my brother multiple times, and only then did my brother lift his face. The tears streaming down his cheeks were so sad that I tightly closed my mouth.

“The Lady has returned.”

“…What?”

With his head still hanging, Brother swallowed his tears and slowly raised his head.

Eventually, his tear-filled eyes turned toward us, then shook uncontrollably, and he covered his face with both hands.

The sound of his deep, heavy breathing could be heard all the way to where I was standing.

“Selena.”

Was it so pleasant to hear my family call my name? If I were dead, I wouldn’t hear that voice again.

I lifted the corners of my mouth. I really wanted to smile. I missed that tear-streaked face so much.

Even as I fell, I had missed my family’s faces so much.

“Brother.”

And with that thought, my vision faded to black.

I felt someone’s warmth at my fingertips. Fumbling my fingers, a warm palm grasped my hand tightly.

Who was it? Slowly opening my eyes, it was a dim dawn. The blue light seeped through the window, casting the room in shades of blue and red.

… Mother. The warmth was Mother’s. Mother was sitting in a chair next to the bed, sleeping in an uncomfortable position. Her hand was firmly clasping mine.

As if she wouldn’t let me go anywhere.

Beside her, Brother was asleep, leaning in a chair. There must have been a lot to handle, why was he like this?

I gazed at the two silently before slowly turning my head to look out the window. Someone was standing in front of the window. Bathed in the blue light, a man stood with his back to the light.

“… Aiden?”

At my murmur, Aiden slowly turned toward me. His face wasn’t clearly visible due to the backlight. All I could discern was his movement.

“Miss.”

The only thing I could make out was the voice calling me, filled with extreme sorrow. We stood there silently, gazing at each other.

It was a silence that befitted the boundary between morning and night.

Aiden took a step closer, then another, as he approached me.

As he got closer, his face became clearer. It seemed contorted, it seemed smiling, with reddened eyes.

Eventually, Aiden stopped right in front of my bed and slowly knelt down.

I quietly watched him.

The sequence of actions felt like a painting, I was unable to speak.

Aiden cautiously reached out and took my empty hand. Holding my hand with both of his, he bowed his head and buried his face in it.

His hair brushing against the back of my hand tickled.

“…I think… I’ll return as your servant.”

“Why?”

“…I might be closer that way.”

What a foolish thing to say. I wanted to say that.

However, his shoulders, which were holding my hand, were trembling slightly… so I decided to remain silent.

I opened my eyes slowly, then closed them.

The sound of breathing filled the room. Gazing at Aiden’s golden hair, I quietly opened my mouth.

“…I’ll guard you by your side sufficiently. You can come to my room every day. I’ll greet you…. Did you sleep well, goodnight…..”

“Every day?”

“Yes, every day. Let’s have snacks together every day. The cake you like, the black tea I like.”

“….Am I a kid?”

“If you were a kid, I wouldn’t say this. Let’s take walks together. Since it’s cold, when the sun is out.”

Aiden slowly lifted his head.

There was moisture in his reddened eyes.

If someone saw, they’d think I was dead.

“…Yes. It’s a promise. I’ll… have to keep it all.”

I slowly raised my hand to gently wipe under his eyes, reassuring him.

My fingers were damp. The skin I touched was unusually warm.

“I promise. I’ll keep everything.”

We stared into each other’s eyes for a long time afterward.

There were no words, but my mind was louder than ever. It was a silent commotion, of a kind I couldn’t quite comprehend.

__