* * *

Standing before Sehir was a young man with a boyish appearance.

He had silvery hair and pale silver eyes—features so rare in the kingdom that they naturally drew attention.

In fact, “rare” felt like an understatement; “nonexistent” might have been more accurate.

That was why he stood out so much, Kaindel mused.

The young man’s slender frame was surprising given his considerable height.

He looked as if he could barely lift a bow, let alone wield a sword.

Yet his well-proportioned physique hinted that with some training, he could easily gain strength.

Kaindel’s gaze swept over the man from head to toe, finally settling on his face.

It wasn’t intentional—his eyes just lingered there instinctively.

Pure.

That was Kaindel’s first impression upon seeing the man’s face.

The man’s alabaster skin and long hair falling just past his ears created a harmonious look.

His small, delicate features were strikingly vivid.

His large, expressive eyes resembled spheres of night sky studded with countless stars.

Though their light was faint now, they seemed poised to shine like the Milky Way at their fullest.

Kaindel, who had been staring into those eyes for some time, belatedly snapped back to reality.

It was only the second time in his life that he had been so captivated by someone that he momentarily forgot how to speak.

‘Am I just tired’

Irritated by the dull ache creeping into his head, Kaindel clicked his tongue and glanced sideways at Sehir.

“This isn’t the place for this conversation.”

The fact that Duke Schudergarten was on the brink of death wasn’t something to discuss in the middle of a dining hall.

Reminding Sehir of this, Kaindel watched as he let out a sigh, perhaps overwhelmed by the shock of the unexpected news.

As Sehir nodded silently in agreement, Kaindel turned his gaze back to the staff member.

For some reason, he found himself curious about the man’s identity.

Although it was obvious he worked at the inn, Kaindel wanted to know more about him.

Such curiosity was unusual for Kaindel, who rarely took an interest in others.

“And this one?”

“Oh, he’s a staff member here. I was just asking if there were any available seats.”

“I see.”

Kaindel’s response was curt.

Dissatisfied for reasons he couldn’t pinpoint, he frowned slightly before smoothing his expression upon noticing the staff member looking at him.

He let a leisurely smile curl his lips and narrowed his eyes slightly.

Then, he slowly removed his hood.

“Do you have any seats available for us?”

“Well… uh…”

With the hood no longer obscuring his view, the staff member’s face became more distinct.

His face, already as red as a beet, now seemed even more flushed.

Beneath his beautiful eyes, his cheeks were tinged with a rosy hue, as if he had been crying.

His tightly clasped hands trembled faintly.

Seeing the redness spread down to his collarbones, Kaindel suppressed a laugh as a sudden tightness stirred in his abdomen.

Is it possible he recognized me as the Hero?

No, it seemed more likely that the man had been enchanted by Kaindel’s appearance.

Kaindel was used to people openly admiring his looks.

However, the pure, guileless admiration radiating from this staff member was a first.

It wasn’t laden with ulterior motives or desires—it was simply awe.

That unadulterated gaze, with no intent to possess or exploit, was something Kaindel had never encountered before.

Foolish thing.

After observing the staff member for a moment longer, Kaindel came to a conclusion.

Someone clumsy at hiding their emotions but still self-conscious enough to feel embarrassed—a foolish thing.

Kaindel preferred people who were honest about their desires.

It was easier to deal with those who openly showed what they wanted.

Perhaps that’s why he found those who feigned indifference while blatantly revealing their feelings utterly detestable.

In that sense, the silver-haired employee irked him.

“Have I inconvenienced you?”

“No, it’s just… the seating arrangement.”

Look at him now—stammering, unable to meet his gaze, and his face red to the tips of his ears.

For those who desired a kiss, he gave them a kiss.

For those who wanted money, he gave them money.

For those who craved honor, he granted it.

But someone like this employee, whose intentions were as clear as day yet remained undefined, was perplexing.

…He should have been perplexed.

Yet, as Kaindel looked down at the flustered employee, he bit the inside of his cheek.

Until a moment ago, he had no problem meeting his gaze, but now, the employee seemed desperate to avoid him.

It annoyed him to no end.

He wanted to force the man to look at him.

For reasons he couldn’t explain, he longed to feel again the tight thrill in his lower stomach when the employee’s flushed face turned his way.

It neither felt unpleasant nor distasteful.

And that was strange.

“…Please wait here for a moment.”

Was he so exhausted that even his mind was playing tricks on him?

Kaindel watched as the employee checked the remaining tables in the restaurant.

He pressed his fingers to his temples.

Today alone, he’d traveled long distances without sleep, and on top of that, he’d received news of his father’s critical condition. It was only natural to feel drained.

Blaming his erratic emotions on fatigue, Kaindel finally looked away as the employee guided them to their table.

---

That strange feeling he thought would end with just one encounter lingered far longer.

The problem was that the only decent restaurant in Luther belonged to the Alice Inn, meaning Kaindel inevitably ran into the silver-haired employee frequently.

“…”

Kaindel’s gaze fixated on the employee reflected in the window.

His calm, penetrating eyes consumed the man from head to toe.

For reasons unknown, the employee had been sweeping the floor for over an hour.

On an already spotless surface, it seemed miraculous that he kept finding dust.

Perhaps the owner of this place was unusually strict about cleanliness.

As Kaindel entertained such idle thoughts, the employee glanced at him secretly, only to quickly avert his gaze, as if terrified of making eye contact.

Over and over, the employee would sneak peeks at Kaindel, only to hurriedly look away just before their eyes met.

Clearly unaware that his every move was visible in the window, he likely thought avoiding direct eye contact was enough to hide his feelings.

How naïve.

Kaindel watched as the employee’s ears flushed as red as ripe tomatoes, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

Every time Kaindel visited the restaurant, the silver-haired employee grew increasingly anxious, unable to hide his attraction.

While he spoke easily with others, he fumbled his words and made frequent mistakes in Kaindel’s presence.

Just yesterday, he had dropped a glass.

In truth, Kaindel would normally be annoyed by an incompetent restaurant worker disrupting his personal dining time.

But the silver-haired employee was different.

Unlike others, Kaindel found himself amused and even exhilarated by the man’s nervous mistakes.

The way he clearly harbored feelings yet pretended otherwise—it was utterly ridiculous and oddly endearing.

“That’s why we should move during the day. Mother will be active at night.”

“Moving only during the day might be…”

Lost in his musings, Kaindel snapped back to reality as his companions discussed strategies against Mother, the monster they would face.

Day or night, wouldn’t it be simpler to just kill Mother?

After all, leaving the region without any confrontation with a high-level monster like her was unlikely.

Kaindel tapped the table with his fingers, trying to stave off his growing boredom.

He didn’t care how many of his companions died during this journey—or even if he died himself.

He had embarked on this hunt earlier than planned, tired of the politics and suffocating support parties in the capital.

Tap. Tap.

The rhythm of his fingers against the table grew faster, until suddenly, the employee cleaning the floor spoke up.

“I heard that Mother is active during the day as well. And as long as you don’t provoke her offspring, she rarely attacks first, regardless of the time of day.”

“…”

Tap.

Kaindel’s rhythmic tapping abruptly stopped.

The unexpected comment made him raise an eyebrow.

It was the first time he’d heard the employee speak clearly without stammering or hesitation.

So, he could be like this.

It was… intriguing.

However, when another of his companions, Ruen, snapped at him, the employee seemed to falter.

He added nervously, “I mean, it’s just something I overheard. I’m not entirely sure.”

When Ruen pressed him further, the man shrank back, clearly scared.

The silver eyes, wide with fear, glanced at Kaindel briefly before falling away.

He seemed to be seeking reassurance.

Now he’ll retreat with an apology.

Kaindel leaned back in his chair, watching as the employee reverted to his usual timid demeanor.

It was predictable to the point of boredom.

The man was naive, clumsy, and entirely too earnest.

That had been Kaindel’s impression of him thus far.

But.

“I’m sorry if I came off rude. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. It’s just that I was concerned.”

“You have no reason to be concerned—”

“And I’m not a child,” the employee interrupted, countering Ruen’s remark.

At that moment, Kaindel barely suppressed a smile.

His assessment of the silver-haired employee shifted from simple-minded to… something far more intriguing.

* * *