RHFTY chapter 4

The day was still quite cold, so Chaeyi put on several layers of thick clothing and lit the fireplace in the living room early in the morning.

“Brrr, it’s freezing.”

Thanks to Chaeyi’s consistent efforts, his once frail body had changed significantly.

Though it wasn’t immediately obvious, his compact internal muscles had become quite solid, and his slender, well-balanced physique was now quite pleasing to the eye.

Of course, compared to his past self as Kwon Chaeyi, he still found himself lacking.

In his previous life, he had been 188cm tall with broad shoulders, not only large but also densely packed with muscles, making his upper body feel as solid as steel.

While his close friends and colleagues used to call his a clumsy bear, those who didn’t know him were always intimidated by his first impression.

This was especially true because he had been a natural talent, recognized as a genius even within the secret special forces unit.

In contrast, the current Chaeyi had stopped growing taller at 178cm, and it had only been a little over a year since he started exercising.

Though he occasionally hunted monsters in the forest while foraging for herbs, it wasn’t enough to build the same kind of combat-ready muscles.

As a result, there were times when his mind remembered the combat techniques from his previous life, but his body couldn’t keep up.

It was a natural source of frustration.

Chaeyi glanced out the window.

Since winter had begun, it had snowed frequently in the area, but fortunately, it seemed like it would be quiet today.

By the time the warmth from the fireplace had gently heated the living room, Leonard, with his messy hair, emerged from his room.

Over the past year, thanks to good food, good sleep, and proper care, Leonard had transformed from a scruffy boy into someone who exuded the aura of a young noble.

The once scrappy, feral cat-like child had now relaxed and become a gentle, docile lamb.

“Chaeyi…”

“Did you wake up?”

Leonard nodded in response to Chaeyi’s question.

As Chaeyi tidied Leonard’s messy hair, he spoke.

“Sit tight. I’ll brew you some tea.”

“Okay.”

A short while later, Chaeyi brought a freshly brewed cup of herbal tea to Leonard, who was sitting on the sofa, wiggling his toes and warming himself up.

As the steam from the tea softly wafted up, it warmed his face.

Glancing at Leonard, who was slowly sipping his tea, Chaeyi began preparing to go out.

At some point, Leonard, who had been quietly watching her, opened his mouth to speak.

“…You’re heading out already, even though the sun hasn’t fully risen yet?”

He fidgeted with the cup in his hands, as if reluctant to let his go.

Finding his behavior endearing, Chaeyi gently patted Leonard on the head.

“I’ve been busy lately, so I haven’t had much time to spend with you. I’m sorry, Leo.”

But it couldn’t be helped. There were winter herbs that only appeared during this season.

Since they were rare and expensive, he had to spend more time outside than usual to earn money.

“Alright, I’m off.”

Leonard felt the reassuring weight of Chaeyi’s hand on his head as he looked down at his trembling teacup.

Then, he suddenly called out to his as he was about to leave.

“Chaeyi.”

He turned around, his shoes halfway on.

“…”

Leonard hesitated as if he had something he wanted to say.

He hesitated and hesitated again, but in the end, he kept his thoughts to himself and shook his head.

“No, it’s nothing. Have a good trip.”

With that, Chaeyi gave Leonard a brief smile and left the house.

His steps toward the depths of the forest to gather winter herbs were not light.

‘These days, he often acts like he has something to say but then doesn’t.’

Chaeyi wondered what might be the cause of Leonard’s strange behavior.

‘I can’t think of anything obvious… Could it be that he’s dealing with some worries I’m not aware of?’

He thought about asking him directly why he was acting that way, but at the same time, he considered waiting until he was ready to talk about it himself.

He wasn’t sure which approach would be better.

‘Dealing with a child is really difficult.’

As he wandered through the forest, Chaeyi gathered a large amount of winter herbs.

By evening, he went down to the market and sold everything he had collected.

After buying food for dinner, he returned home to find that it was already late at night.

Leonard was sitting on the sofa, quietly reading a book, seemingly spending his time peacefully.

When Chaeyi opened the front door and walked in, he quickly closed the book and came over.

“Welcome back. Is that meat?”

“Yeah. When I went to the market, there was a piece of fresh meat left, surprisingly.”

Leonard’s eyes sparkled at the sight of the meat.

Others might have thought he had a stoic expression, but Chaeyi, who had spent a long time with him, could quickly sense his subtle emotions.

“I’m going to wash up, so could you put this in the kitchen?”

“Sure.”

Taking the meat from Chaeyi, Leonard turned back, looking somehow pleased.

That evening’s meal was quite satisfying.

Chaeyi, who had always been a good cook, seemed to have recently become even better.

Leonard, who had initially misunderstood Chaeyi as an unreliable person, no longer doubted his ability to take care of things.

After dinner, it was time to measure Leonard’s height.

They had been doing this once a week for a few months now, and Leonard, who had been shorter than average for his age, still had a lot of growing to do.

‘But he’s growing steadily.’

One day, he would become as imposing as the “Leonard in the novel” that a friend had once mentioned.

As he was lost in thought, looking at the marks on the pillar, Leonard, who had been quietly watching her, suddenly called out to his in a soft voice.

“Chaeyi.”

“Yes, what is it?”

Chaeyi snapped out of his thoughts and looked down at him.

As their eyes met, Leonard quickly looked away and fell silent again.

It must have been frustrating, but Chaeyi patiently waited without pressuring him.

Maybe that’s why.

Leonard finally seemed to gather his courage, opening his tightly sealed lips.

“The truth is… there’s something I haven’t told you yet.”

His shoulders were tense with nerves, and his uneasy gaze remained fixed on the floor, unable to meet his eyes.

Chaeyi calmly looked down at Leonard, who seemed more timid than usual.

‘It looks like he’s about to say something important.’

She didn’t know what it was yet. Chaeyi squatted down quietly to meet his gaze and smiled gently to help him relax.

“What is it?”

His eyes, deep like a serene lake, were filled with his image.

Leonard stared at his in silence for a moment before slowly beginning to speak.

“…My name… my real name is Leonard de Lancaster.”

At that moment, Chaeyi didn’t know what expression to make.

The reason was that Lancaster was the name of a grand ducal family that ruled over the Duchy of Combest within the Astarius Empire, a name that carried great power.

The problem wasn’t that he didn’t know this.

The real problem was that he already knew.

‘How should I react to this?’

If someone who knew nothing had heard this, they would have been shocked beyond belief.

Most people wouldn’t believe it, or if they did, their attitude would change completely.

Even if they didn’t, they would at least be stunned by the revelation…

If handled poorly, it could ruin the relationship they had built so far.

Clearly, Leonard trusted Chaeyi, believing that “this person won’t hurt or use me, so I can trust them,” which is why he had gathered the courage to reveal his identity.

But it was complicated because Chaeyi already knew who he was.

Since he had no excuse if Leonard felt betrayed, Chaeyi found himself at a loss.

“…Why?”

As the silence stretched on, Leonard, unable to hide his anxiety, glanced around nervously.

From his perspective, Chaeyi appeared to be wearing a serious expression, which made him even more nervous.

Finally, Chaeyi, who had decided to be honest in return for Leonard’s trust, looked him in the eyes.

“I have something to tell you too, Leo.”

“Okay.”

“The truth is, I already knew your identity.”

“…Since when?”

“Since the first time I met you.”

“…”

Leonard, apparently too shocked to speak, opened and closed his mouth several times without saying anything.

Seeing this, Chaeyi felt uneasy as well. he didn’t want him to be disappointed in him.

Soon, a shadow fell over Leonard’s face as he looked down.

“Then… why were you so kind to me?”

It was a question similar to one he had asked not long after they first met.

The difference now was that back then, he had asked out of suspicion, but now he asked because he wanted to believe in his again.

Leonard’s emotions were just as complicated as Chaeyi’s.

The reason he had revealed his true identity to his was that he believed, “Even if Chaeyi knows who I am, he will treat me the same.”

But now that he knew he had known all along, it was only natural for him to question whether he had approached him with impure intentions from the start.

“Leo.”

And Chaeyi, fully aware of this concern, continued speaking softly, meeting his gaze.

“Please understand this one thing: you, just as you are, are the most precious person to me.”

He spoke with as much sincerity as he could muster.

“And even if you weren’t a Lancaster, I would have said the same thing.”