Like the butler said, they truly kept the mansion clean despite the young master’s absence.

  Karel cpped his hands following a certain cpping pattern and the whole mansion lit up. While the interior never cked in decoration, the simplicity it exuded remained pleasant to the eyes.

  Karel showed him the lower floor and the small gss room attached to the main building had a clear view of the sky and the nearby manmade pond.

  “Young master, dinner is served.”

  Karel led them to the dining hall and asked the servants to leave. “You can just come back in an hour to clean things up.”

  “Yes, young master.”

  “I feel like a noble right now.”

  “But aren’t you one?” Karel tilted his head.

  “Well… right. My paternal grandmother’s roots are in Astadvran.” He huffed. “My grandfather was also a noble elf but was exiled for reasons he wished for us not to know. My mother was a noble elf too, abducted and nearly sold to svery if it weren’t for my grandfather.”

  “Does that mean…”

  Kani smiled sadly. “Mother married my father because she owed his life to my paternal grandfather. While they argued about it, my mother insisted. In the end…”

  He gestured for him to stop talking. “Alright, don’t talk about it. I get the gist.”

  Kani nervously looked away then resumed eating.

  “How are you feeling by the way? The Gateways have side effects for some travelers.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “I see. We can rest after the meal. Let’s tour my mansion tomorrow instead.”

  Only a few hours ter, the morning sun had already risen. Kani washed his face, changed his clothes and went downstairs. He arrived at the dining room and found no one there.

  “Hm? This actually tastes great!”

  Kani followed the muffled voice and found himself standing inside the kitchen.

  With sleeves rolled up to his elbows and donning an apron, Karel fussed over the meal cooking itself on a stove.

  “Good morning, master.”

  Kani nearly jumped at the cheerful greeting and nervously held onto the door sill. “Good morning.”

  He turned around and smiled at him. “I’m nearly finished cooking. Wait for me in the gss room, will you?”

  “I can help.”

  “No, you’re my guest. Just wait for me there.”

  Kani took his time walking towards the said room and only then he noticed the morning sun hid behind those stratus clouds as he sat down on the empty chair. His thoughts drifted off and pondered about his current circumstance.

  After employing Karel, the longest time he stayed in Norn was two months at most. He traveled around more because of his new companion.

  The brunet looked down at the flowers near his position and saw the roses behind it. Red—like Karel’s eyes.

  He sighed again at the thought of him.

  A turning wheel sounded from the corridor snapped him out of his thoughts and a serving cart appeared by the door being pushed by Karel. The blond quietly served them breakfast and the cozy atmosphere of the space turned their meal more pleasant.

  “Living like this is so comfortable.”

  Karel chuckled. “I might have also missed it a bit. But this adventurous soul wanted to see the world and I rarely got the opportunity to return home and indulge myself.”

  “Is it really alright?”

  “What is?” he asked, serving some of the food.

  “Having someone over?”

  Karel chuckled as he sat down. “It’s fine.”

  “When the regime changed, I had them build this mansion so I could come home if I wanted to. I cannot stay in the Imperial Castle anymore since my cousin, whom I served, died.”

  Kani looked at the main hall and noticed the gss ceiling. “It’s still bigger than my home in Norn though.”

  Karel chuckled. “I believe so.”

  They started from the main hall towards the other facilities and ter arrived in the library.

  Karel hummed as he opened the door. “Just a personal collection of stuff you might find boring. I collect manuals and how-tos. Stuff for creations from Elder Orazio. You know, he’s my mentor.” He hummed. “Oh, my cousins’ books are there at that side, you might want to see them.”

  Kani marveled at his cheerful demeanor while they moved towards the shelves he talked about.

  At first, Karel only gave his name and told him where he came from. The brunet learned of his true nature as a Ramayan—how overprotective he got even over a stranger, how he fought well despite not using magic and how he mourned silently over his precious cousins.

  The man now standing before him might seem a stranger but those smiles showed his genuine emotions.

  Smiling truly suits him.

  Kani quietly skimmed over the books while his thoughts scattered over the pce.

  Ramayans might be magical beings but they acted like other beings. They know emotions better than us and it intrigues me why.

  “Master?”

  “Mm?”

  He leaned back onto the shelf, scanning Kani’s face. “You’re distracted. If there’s something wrong, we can—”

  “It’s not that. It’s just…” He gnced at him then sighed. He closed the book and returned it to the shelf. “You looked so cheerful. It’s a… sight to see.”

  Karel looked at him for a few seconds then ughed, unrestrained and loud.

  “You… You’re making me embarrassed if you suddenly ugh like that!”

  “I didn’t mean to, master! I’m just excited to let you see my abode. A change of view, right?” He stood to his stature and looked him in the eyes. “Besides, I owe you an apology for what I’ve done and said a little while ago. I just… didn’t have the chance to do it in Norn.”

  Kani’s face flushed, stuttering, “What… you…”

  He held his hand, slotting his fingers against it, csping them together. Karel smiled a little, tilting his head to the side to see his face clearly. “I’m sorry, Kani, for what I did. If doing such a thing scares you, I won’t do it again but promise me to look after yourself too.”

  Stop it, my heart.

  “Master?” he called worriedly when he received no response.

  “I…” Kani covered his flushed face with his free hand. “I understand. I forgive you, Karel. If anything, tell me if something is amiss beforehand so I’ll know.”

  He grinned. “Yes, Master.”

  Karel let go of his hand and assisted him sit on the nearby divan, seeing how he suddenly lost his composure and fetched water from the kitchen.

  “You really have no maids?” he asked while receiving the cup.

  “I can do things by myself.”

  Kani huffed. “This is really the first time I witnessed a noble doing all the things by himself.”

  “I prefer my own company even before and only allow close retives to visit me. And since I’m trained as a Ryhtier, I’ve been on my own since.”

  “What’s a Ryhtier?”

  “A knight who also serves as a handservant. The maids attend to the pace, while a Ryhtier attends to an imperial as a personal knight and servant.”

  “That’s… interesting. Nobles in different parts of the world have their own maids and knights separately.”

  “That’s true and that’s why it’s entrusted to the higher noble houses. They need to send someone very capable.”

  “But, you’re the crown princess’ distant cousin, right?”

  “Yes. I think my mother promised something to them. I really haven’t asked, not when I get to have a younger sister.”

  Kani looked down on the cup in his hands and pondered more. There’s really something more about them but I cannot determine what.

  “Would you like to see the gallery?”

  He looked at the blond, puzzled. “Gallery?”

  Karel nodded and assisted him to stand. “I have a small gallery in the mansion housing some of my younger cousins’ belongings. I cimed them after the war.”

  “Can you tell me about the war?”

  Karel stopped on his tracks. “War is an ugly thing.”

  “You fought in it?”

  “I did. I was one of the powerhouses of the royal faction since I held a great mastery over my powers.”

  “Who really are you?”

  Karel smiled at him then continued walking. “I am Karel Marles, just a Ryhtier who served the former crown princess.”

  They entered the gallery quietly and the sight astonished Kani. Large portrait and ndscape paintings hung on the walls, life-size sculptures stood and some musical instruments on dispy he had never seen before.

  “This is…”

  “A collection?” Karel looked around, mencholy in his eyes.

  Kani looked at his profile before walking forward. “It’s as if you’re commemorating everyone you held dear.”

  Karel stared at the brunet’s back, hearing his words.

  Maybe, I am…

  “Is this painted by your cousin?” Kani asked while pointing at a portrait.

  “Yes, Elise did. She can paint from memory.”

  “That’s interesting.”

  They moved to the other paintings and saw another woman painted by the said princess. “And this person is?”

  “It’s Reiwen, the younger sister of the current Emperor.”

  “Ramayan beauty is too otherworldly,” Kani remarked, taking in the said princess’ raven hair and lic eyes.

  But our real forms are really grotesque—Karel didn’t say it aloud.

  Kani toured around, asking the stories behind every artform and Karel indulged him.

  And by the end of it—

  “Well, since we’re already this close…” Kani muttered and Karel raised an amused eyebrow at his words. “Can I get to see your bedroom?”

  Karel chuckled. “Of course! Come, follow me!”

  They arrived in his room after a few minutes of walking and Kani gaped in awe. It looked like a room furnished to accommodate a prince.

  “Wait, shouldn’t you be a prince?”

  Karel smiled. “Perhaps.”

  “You’re still a member of the Marles1Marles is originally one of Ramayan Queen Raise’s closest subjects alongside Liu, Sol and Nikhovia. They ter on became the four major families serving the royal family. Cn.” Kani’s thoughts swirled. “Even if your uncle is the duke, that still makes you a prince.”

  “If I’m a prince, will your attitude towards me change?”

  Kani looked at those crimson eyes and an emotion rose in them—apprehension and fear. He smiled instead, seeing how concerned the other man was for how he treated him.

  “We have a contract, dear prince. I’m your master and you’re still my bodyguard. Until the contract ends, we’re bound by it.”

  He smiled widely, the brunet taken aback by the suddenness of it.

  The blond let him be while he sat near the window. Kani, on the other hand, was drawn in by the framed photos standing on the dispy cabinet on the other wall. There, he saw numerous framed pictures, and the most eye-catching yet was Karel adorned with a flower crown. The red roses stood out when put on his head.

  He moved his attention to the other frames and noticed the five people posing together. Sitting in the middle was definitely the most beautiful woman he had seen in his entire life. Mind you, he already met a lot of people but the beauty he saw was too otherworldly.

  “This is…” he swiped a thumb over the gss. “The woman sitting in the middle… is it…”

  “Yep, that’s Elise,” replied Karel who’s already standing behind him, overlooking the picture from behind him.

  “She’s… beautiful.”

  “Isn’t she?” Karel smiled in mencholy. “A lovely one at that.”

  “And you had longer hair before.”

  “Elise always practiced her braiding skills with my hair back then. It was a fond memory.”

  “And the reason why you know housework despite your status is because you served her personally.”

  “Kind of. Despite our statuses and me being Ryhtier, we were taught the basic skills to survive and should not only rely on magic.”

  “How I wished I could meet her.”

  “Unfortunately.”

  The curtains swayed as the cold breeze blew towards the window. Karel hummed. “Your clothes are fine, however, it’s nearly autumn here now and it’s unlike the autumn elsewhere. It’s cold.”

  He put down the framed picture carefully. “I can feel it.”

  “I can have someone tailor clothes for you but it will take some time. Do you mind me lending you some clothes?”

  “You have a bulkier figure.”

  Karel shrugged and went to his walk-in closet instead with Kani trailing behind him. They transferred all of his belongings from the castle to the Marles’ Estate when the regime changed.

  Kani gaped at the amount of clothes hanged in there and the house clothes folded on the other closet.

  The blond pointed at one side, telling him he outgrown those robes. Kani chose for himself and the military uniforms piqued his interest. He might also be from a prominent family, but not as noble as the Marles and didn’t have the luxury to wear clothes like these.

  Seeing how the colors matched Kani, it stirred something in him. “You can wear them while we travel around Ramaya.”

  “Can I?”

  “Of course.”

  Karel left him inside to change and the blond clutched onto his chest once he stood in the bedroom again. He calmed his ragged breaths and fought back the rising heat on his face.

  What is this feeling?