RHFTY chapter 23

Chirp, chirp…

The sound of birds announcing the morning woke Chaeyi up. As usual, he sat up groggily, still shaking off the remnants of sleep.

‘…Another night passed without incident.’

A week ago.

After having a certain shameful dream he didn’t even want to think about, Chaeyi had gone to sleep tense, worried that he might have another inappropriate dream.

But, fortunately, he hadn’t had any such troubling dreams since that night.

‘Maybe it was because of the alcohol.’

That was the only difference. Though the drink had been truly delicious, after what happened, he had no desire to drink it again.

“Sir Chaeyi. I’m coming in.”

At that moment, a knock on the door was followed by Enoch’s voice. He entered the room with a few other servants, who promptly began the morning cleaning, as if they were accustomed to it.

“You woke up early today as well.”

Enoch approached Chaeyi with a bright smile, handing his a glass of fresh water. Since entering his service, he had always gathered the servants to clean the room and attend to his every morning.

Oh… Except for that one time.

The morning after he drank with Leonard, he hadn’t shown up for some reason.

“Thank you.”

Chaeyi gulped down the cool water that Enoch had brought his. he felt a bit more clear-headed afterward.

“Wow. The weather is really nice today.”

A day like this is perfect for going out….

“Shall we go out together, then?”

Enoch suddenly proposed, his voice full of enthusiasm. It was as if he had read his mind, and the suggestion was so timely that Chaeyi was taken aback.

He wasn’t aware that his thoughts were so transparent.

“Shall we?”

“Yes! How about a trip outside the mansion? If I tell Lord Leonard that I’m accompanying you, he won’t be too worried. You can decide where we should go.”

That’s right… Last time, he got so upset when I went out without telling anyone and said he was worried….

Remembering the previous incident, Chaeyi nodded.

With Enoch by his side, he felt at ease about going out.

“How about Blentz Square?”

“Sounds good. Oh! Come to think of it, there’s a festival happening at the square this afternoon.”

Chaeyi let out a satisfied sigh.

A festival… Though he wasn’t the type to seek out crowded places, it only seemed natural to enjoy it since the event coincided with his plans.

“Then please get ready. I have a few things to take care of, so I’ll be back in about ten minutes.”

“Alright.”

With that, Enoch left the room for a while, and the servants finished cleaning and quietly exited as well.

Only then did Chaeyi get up and change his clothes on his own.

Of course, the professional servants of the mansion wouldn’t have batted an eye even if Chaeyi had decided to do a striptease in the room, but…

As someone who had learned Korean manners in Korea, the idea of exposing his body in front of others was deeply embarrassing.

That’s why he had always refused to let anyone dress his.

Besides, there were hardly any outfits that were difficult to put on by himself.

“Sir Chaeyi! Are you ready?”

“Oh, yes. Just a moment. I’m coming out now.”

Hearing Enoch’s call from outside the door, Chaeyi quickly adjusted his attire and turned to leave.

His steps were light, as it had been a while since he last went out.

The sky was as clear and the sunlight as warm as it had appeared from the window. The season was nearing summer, so the days would only get warmer.

‘There are so many people here because of the festival.’

Chaeyi followed Enoch, who was leading the way down the main road towards the center of Blentz Square.

The streets of the square were bustling with people who had come out to enjoy the market. There were quite a few people who looked like they were from outside the territory.

And…

Lawrence, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, was carefully trailing behind the two. But Chaeyi had no idea.

Only Enoch, who had been tipped off by Leonard before they left, was aware of the situation.

Of course, it wasn’t because they were worried Chaeyi might run away…

With Enoch’s irregular abilities, there was no chance of losing Chaeyi, so Lawrence was merely there to protect his from any potential danger.

After all, crowded places were always prone to crime and incidents.

“Sir Chaeyi! Look over there.”

Just then, Enoch pointed straight ahead, having noticed something. Almost simultaneously, a wave of awe swept through the crowd. It was coming from the center of the square, where the fountain was.

People were throwing beautiful flower petals into the air, and those gathered around were enjoying the sight.

The petals, carried by the breeze, fluttered down gently like snow on a spring day, creating a scene so lovely that one couldn’t help but stop and watch.

“This festival is held every year around this time. It’s a way of bidding farewell to spring and celebrating it by scattering flowers that only bloom during the season. Isn’t it beautiful?”

“Yeah, it’s quite a sight.”

Chaeyi looked around. As the petals danced in the air, a bard sitting on a bench was showcasing his talents, and people were enjoying the charming melody along with the scenery.

It was a perfect day to indulge in one’s emotions.

“Right? It’s a festival unique to Combest, so many people from outside the territory come to see it at this time of year.”

“Do they not do it in other seasons?”

“No. It’s only held in spring, partly as a celebration of surviving the new year….”

Just then, a commotion broke out behind them, out of place with the festive atmosphere.

There were shouts and screams, and the people around were panicking.

It looked like a fight had broken out.

‘What’s going on?’

Chaeyi frowned, annoyed that the rare moment of enjoyment was being ruined by an unexpected brawl.

Enoch also puckered his lips in displeasure and muttered.

“What could be happening?”

“Who knows.”

The crowd was surrounding the scene, making it hard to see what was happening from where they stood.

“…Shall we go see what’s going on?”

Chaeyi glanced at Enoch. He met his gaze and nodded in agreement.

After all, humans are naturally curious about distant fires.

“Don’t you understand what I’m saying?”

As they approached the source of the commotion, a sharp male voice rang out from within the surrounding crowd.

The voice belonged to a young man with flowing red wine-colored hair, who looked to be in his early twenties.

He was standing tall, while an older man lay flat on the ground before him, sweating profusely.

“What’s going on here?”

Enoch asked a nearby onlooker. The man glanced back at him with a pitiful expression and lowered his voice.

“The shop owner accidentally bumped into that man’s shoulder while arranging some goods… and then suddenly, a quarrel broke out. The shop owner is just lying there, while the other man is causing a scene, so it’s not exactly a fight.”

It was a situation that was hard to understand at first glance. Judging by the way the man was dressed, he seemed to be some sort of noble.

“Where is this uncouth person, acting like a hooligan in someone else’s territory?”

At that moment, Enoch’s usually gentle demeanor cracked, and he spat out words that were surprisingly rough for someone of his status.

Chaeyi’s eyes widened as he witnessed this rare side of him.

“Huh? Who just called me uncouth?”

The man snapped his head around, scowling. His amber eyes glared in their direction.

Though Enoch hadn’t spoken loudly, the man had somehow heard him.

Perhaps he had sharp ears, or maybe he was just sensitive to any criticism.

But Enoch, who had shown no signs of backing down until that point, suddenly gasped and covered his mouth when he recognized the man’s face.

His complexion turned pale, as if he were about to faint. Judging by his reaction and his muttering about why it had to be that person, it seemed like he knew the man.

“Enoch? Are you….”

“There. You. Aren’t you going to step forward?”

Chaeyi’s question was cut off as the man, seemingly intent on shifting his target, called out.

Now, he turned his body towards the crowd and stood, glaring sharply at the two people.

At that moment, it seemed he not only heard the insults directed at him but also assessed their exact location.

Moreover, since Enoch was bowing his head deeply as if he was the only one at fault, it seemed he was convinced that the person who insulted him was indeed Enoch, even without seeing their face.

“……”

“……”

Some people looked at Chaeyi and Enoch with anxious glances, while others gave them uncomfortable stares.

‘Hmm. What should I do?’

While Chaeyi was pondering, the reckless one, who had given a slight nod, took an impatient step toward Chaeyi and Enoch.

“Then let me come and greet you.”

It was a form of pressure.

Enoch let out a small sigh and lifted his head. He intended to resolve everything on his own terms.

However, before he could act, Chaeyi stepped forward, gently pressing down on Enoch’s shoulder to calm him.

This was because he was irritated by the sight of someone shouting at a younger man who was clearly younger than him.

“Enough with intimidating people.”

“Ah, no! Chaeyi ! Don’t!”

Enoch, who was even more panicked and distressed upon seeing Chaeyi ’s sudden action, cried out desperately from behind.

Of course, Chaeyi pretended not to hear… and things took a turn for the worse.

“I feel like I’ve seen that somewhere.”

The reckless one raised an eyebrow in curiosity as he looked at the pale-faced Enoch. However, his attention quickly shifted to Chaeyi .

“Enough. And who are you?”