Farewell to the hero! chapter 62

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The next morning.

When I opened my eyes, I was alone in bed.

The empty space beside me was as cool as snow fallen overnight.

Judging by its tidiness, it seemed Kaindel had left some time ago.

I vaguely recalled hearing him whisper he’d be leaving.

He’s already gone.

The familiar sight only brought a smile.

There was a time when seeing that empty spot would have stung, but now, I could face it with a surprising calm.

“Time to get up.”

Running my fingers through my disheveled hair, I got out of bed.

I straightened the sheets according to Kaindel’s meticulous standards, fluffed the pillows, and restored everything to its original state.

I stood there for a moment, staring at the cold, lifeless bed, then slowly made my way to the window.

The curtains Kaindel had drawn were still closed.

I gently lifted the fabric with the back of my hand, letting a warm ray of sunshine spill in.

It was a pleasant warmth.

I closed my eyes, savoring the sunlight, then reopened them to see the wall clock pointing to eleven.

Already eleven?

I was surprised at waking up later than usual.

Despite the late start, it didn’t bother me.

I had an arrangement to meet Sehir at the back gate during the servants’ lunch break, which meant I had less idle time to kill.

“Should I pack my things?”

Or maybe set out the letter first.

Leaning against the window frame, I pondered briefly, then closed the curtain and began moving.

I had to stay busy. If I didn’t want to be consumed by a dreadful lethargy.

First, I found the clothes and robe I had prepared days ago, dressed, adjusted my attire in front of the mirror, and retrieved my bags from under the bed.

I fastened the buckles, ensuring everything was tightly secured for the journey.

Losing anything in a hired carriage would make recovery nearly impossible.

Finally, I tucked the letter, hidden under the table last night, into the drawer.

What should I do now?

Having completed all necessary tasks before leaving the estate, my steps slowed, my bustling limbs came to a halt.

I sank onto the bed, shoulders slumping.

Stroking the soft sheets, I glanced up at the clock.

Though time flowed like a river, it felt oddly stagnant.

Despite my efforts to busy myself, I still had plenty of time before my meeting with Sehir.

Why did he leave so early for a banquet scheduled for late afternoon?

Tick, tick, the second hand moved as thoughts of Kaindel surfaced.

Even if he was preparing for the banquet, he could have done so at the Duke’s mansion.

There was no need to rush to the palace at dawn.

Was it because of me? Did he think I would notice if he prepared here?

Shaking my head, I dismissed the thought.

Staying still led me into a bottomless pit of overthinking.

Despite knowing it was a bad habit, I couldn’t help myself.

I rubbed my face, trying to shake off the unnecessary thoughts.

“…Flowers.”

Suddenly, I remembered the white baby’s breath bouquet I had bought in town.

I had impulsively purchased it from a girl troubled by a pickpocket, then left it to dry in a corner of the room.

The bouquet was too beautiful to discard but too fragile to survive the journey.

I decided to leave it behind with the letter.

With that conclusion, I stood up and carefully placed the brittle bouquet next to the letter.

Despite my bold claim to Sehir that I hadn’t bought it for Kaindel, it ended up being for him.

It was almost funny.

“Isa, do you like flowers?”

“This…”

“I thought of you when I saw it.”

A distant memory slipped in through the cracks of silence.

Kaindel, handing me flowers on a rainy autumn day, his figure blurred in my mind.

The past left a fleeting trace before vanishing.

Though indoors, I felt as if rain was pouring over me.

Fighting to suppress the grimace twisting my face, I gripped the bouquet tightly.

I had to be careful not to crush it, but at that moment, I couldn’t focus on such details.

I pulled the hood of my robe over my ash-colored hair, curling up as shallow breaths escaped my lips.

…Now that I think about it, Alice once taught me the meanings of baby’s breath.

What were they again?

Only when my grip on the bouquet loosened, allowing me to breathe freely, did I recall them.

With a deep sigh, I dusted off my wrinkled trousers and stood.

My eyes drifted from the letter and bouquet to the door.

“Pure heart, successful love, earnest joy, bright heart, promise…”

Death.

I whispered the negative meanings to myself.

“All such beautiful meanings.”

I let out a soft chuckle and picked up the bags.

The meaning behind those flowers wasn’t suitable for a farewell, but somehow, it fit perfectly.

“I’ll love you forever.”

Because today, I’m leaving that promise behind. I’ll walk away from love, from all the fervent joy we shared.

Click.

As I opened the door, the empty hallway greeted me.

It seemed everyone had gone to the dining hall for lunch.

Satisfied the hallway was deserted, I cautiously stepped out of the bedroom.

I hurried down the long corridor, anxious to avoid any servants, and took the right-hand staircase down to the back door.

The back door, opposite the main entrance, was designed for the servants to access the laundry room.

I had never used it before.

Most servants preferred the main entrance, making the back door the perfect escape route.

I pushed open the unlocked door and stepped outside.

“It’s warm.”

As I left the Duke of Schudelgarten’s residence, the clear sky and bright sunlight welcomed me.

Spring’s lingering chill had finally given way to something gentler.

I tilted my head up, basking briefly in the sunlight, then quickly moved toward the back gate.

Usually locked, today the back gate was surprisingly open.

Casting a wary glance around, I noticed a knight slumped against the wall, fast asleep.

Judging by his post at this hour, it was clear he was assigned to guard the back gate.

Why is he sleeping?

If I had encountered him, I planned to use the excuse of meeting Sehir.

But this unexpected turn worked in my favor—no need for lies.

Still, it was appalling to see a guard neglect his duty so carelessly.

Just as I was about to step forward, a hand settled on my shoulder.

“I gave him a little sleeping powder. He should be out for an hour or two.”

The sudden touch made my heart jolt. I spun around to find Sehir, his amber eyes gleaming under drooping eyelids, as if he had just stepped out of a grand event.

“Sehir?”

Relief washed over me as I realized it was him.

“You’re out early.”

“Yeah, the hall was empty, so I made a quick escape.”

Even during the servants’ lunch hour, I couldn’t afford to be careless.

I waited for the perfect moment when the corridor was deserted.

“Well done,” Sehir praised, his eyes crinkling into a smile.

Watching him, I bit my lip.

There was a question I had been meaning to ask, but I hesitated.

Finally, I spoke up after a long pause.

“Sehir, about… Kaindel. He returned yesterday.”

“What?”

Sehir’s expression hardened at the mention of Kaindel, his face gradually losing color.

His cheerful demeanor vanished, replaced by suspicion and unease.

His reaction was more intense than I had expected.

Clearly, Kaindel’s early return was unforeseen, even for Sehir, known for his sharp insight.

Was this sudden return really necessary?

I let out a bitter laugh.

“I was going to ask if you knew about Kaindel’s early return. Judging by your reaction, it seems you didn’t.”

“Kaindel’s already back?”

Sehir muttered, rubbing his temples.

His eyes flickered with frustration.

“Damn it.”

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