[Manor – Study]
Several days had passed since that night.
Noel sat in the study, the thick family ledger spread open before him. The familiar columns of numbers now looked like a swarm of chaotic insects, impossible to focus on.
Under the moonlight, two images kept overlapping in his mind—
the hands that had twisted roses apart,
and the flawless smile from earlier that day.
Which one was real?
He rubbed his temples and finally closed the ledger. Perhaps seeing his mother and sister in the drawing room might ease the unease lingering in his chest.
[Manor – Drawing Room]
But when he reached the door, he stopped.
Laughter drifted through the small gap in the door.
When he pushed it open, a warm scene greeted him.
His mother and Alice were seated beside the fireplace. Elio sat between them as the three of them enthusiastically flipped through a large book of maps.
The orange glow of the setting sun streamed through the tall windows, bathing the entire room in gentle golden light.
The feeling of a family made Noel's heart tighten sharply.
"Brother!"
Alice ran over like a cheerful little bird, pulling him into their circle.
"Look! Brother Elio said he once saw glowing fish by the southern sea! And he promised he'll take me there someday!"
Noel lowered his eyes to the map she was pointing at.
His fingertips felt slightly cold.
The role that once belonged to him—
telling stories, showing his sister the world—
had been effortlessly replaced.
Their mother sat nearby, her eyes shining with a liveliness Noel had not seen in five years.
She gently patted Elio's hand.
"Noel, you spend all your time buried in the study calculating those cold numbers. It's made you gloomy and dull. You should learn from Elio—smile more. The house could use some warmth."
Each word pierced Noel's chest like tiny thorns.
He had worked tirelessly outside to maintain the household, staying up late in the study until his eyes burned red—
yet he was now described as gloomy and dull.
Noel looked toward Elio.
The boy thoughtfully refilled their mother's teacup. His movements were so graceful it was as if he had lived here for years.
He smiled modestly.
"The young master works very hard. I only wish to help share a little of the burden."
That smile—
It was exactly the same as the one Noel had seen in the garden that night.
Noel said nothing.
A strange feeling slowly rose within him.
This home… this role…
seemed to have been quietly taken over.
"I feel a little stifled. I'm going for a walk," he said softly.
Without waiting for his mother's response, he turned and left.
He didn't look back.
Only when the door closed behind him did his hand pause on the frame for a brief second before letting go.
[Forest]
The forest was Noel's only refuge.
It was quiet enough to escape the forced laughter, the suffocating ledgers, and the unfamiliar feeling in his own home.
He walked aimlessly, letting the cool air calm the restless thoughts inside him.
Suddenly—
a shout shattered the silence.
"Help! Can someone help me!"
Noel stopped.
Following the sound, he walked deeper into the woods.
Then he saw him.
A man was standing on a thick tree branch, wearing the uniform of a royal guard. His tall figure was framed by sunlight filtering through the leaves, casting scattered shadows across him.
Noel couldn't help but laugh.
Clearly, it was a trap.
Anyone chosen as a royal guard would hardly be incapable of climbing down from a tree.
The man in the tree made no real effort to climb down.
Instead, he crossed his arms and stood comfortably on the branch.
"Hey! You down there!" he called, swinging one long leg exaggeratedly.
"Mind giving me a hand? I really can't get down!"
Noel raised an eyebrow.
"You can get down yourself. Why ask me?"
The man blinked, briefly startled, then put on an innocent expression.
"The tree's too high. I really can't get down."
"You're wearing a guard's uniform. Your skills should be good. If your fellow guards heard you couldn't climb down a tree, they'd laugh at you."
Silence fell.
The man stared at Noel for a few seconds.
Then he laughed.
Unlike Elio's perfectly measured smile, this laugh burst freely from his chest—wild, bright, and unrestrained.
The sound echoed through the quiet forest, startling a few birds into flight.
With one hand braced against the trunk, he leapt down like a hunting leopard.
He landed almost silently before walking toward Noel.
Now Noel could see him clearly.
Sharp brows.
Bright eyes.
Strong, defined features.
A faint trace of laughter still lingered at the corner of his mouth.
His whole presence radiated a bold, vibrant energy.
The pressure he gave off was open and passionate—not cold and distant like Elio's.
He stopped two steps away from Noel and tilted his head, studying him.
His gaze was like that of a hunter discovering prey—
yet also like someone finding an interesting opponent.
"You're quite interesting."
"Did you sneak out of the palace?" Noel asked.
The man blinked.
He neither denied nor answered directly.
"Just came out to get some air."
Then he extended a hand.
His fingers were long and strong, the pads rough with calluses from years of training.
The hand remained suspended in the air, waiting for Noel to take it.
"Hello. I'm Adrian Ward."
He smiled.
His voice was open and lighthearted.
The forest fell silent.
Wind rustled through the leaves.
Sunlight filtered through the branches, scattering shifting patterns of light between them.
Noel lowered his gaze to the offered hand.
His heartbeat quickened slightly.
After a moment, he slowly reached out his own hand.