Chapter 20
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The Male and Female Leads Broke Up - Episode 20
"The children are doing well. The Orphanage is located in a small village called Hemoa, situated to the northeast of the Capital. If you ever visit the Capital later, you'll be able to meet those children."
"Northeast of Hemoa...."
I repeated the location of the Orphanage in my mind so I wouldn't forget it.
"Shall we go? I'll escort you back to your Inn."
"No, that's not necessary. I can find my way alone."
"I insist. Please allow me to do this for my own peace of mind."
His earnest words made it difficult to refuse any further.
I nodded in acceptance of his kindness, then took the first step forward, and Aiden walked alongside me.
As we strolled along the Coastline, the rhythmic crash of waves, the briny scent of the Sea permeating the air, and the refreshing ocean breeze lifted my spirits considerably.
Normally I would have walked in silence, but I couldn't resist the impulse to speak to Aiden in that moment.
"You recognized me right away, didn't you?"
Since I had disguised myself in men's clothing, I had assumed Aiden wouldn't recognize me.
Yet he had seen through my disguise immediately.
At my words, he suddenly fixed his gaze upon me, then broke into a slight smile.
"Why are you smiling?"
It wasn't an unkind laugh, but I was curious about what amused him.
"Ladies of your caliber are rare. Besides, even with the disguise, it's quite apparent."
"Ah, is that so?"
Despite my best efforts at disguise, hearing that it was obvious made me feel somewhat embarrassed.
So I shifted the conversation awkwardly and quickly.
"Did you come all the way here from near the Capital?"
"Yes, I did."
"That's quite a distance. I've been traveling all across the Continent. That's how I ended up in Ulita."
And I found myself speaking unnecessarily to Aiden.
"I've been traveling for a year, but this is my first time in a coastal city. So I'm planning to stay here a bit longer."
"Is this your first time seeing the Sea?"
"What? Oh, yes."
When asked if I was seeing the Sea for the first time, I almost said no, but answered yes instead.
While 'I' had seen the Sea many times, 'Belita' would never have had that opportunity until now.
"Are you enjoying your travels?"
"Well, it's quite pleasant in its own way. There's something thrilling about visiting places you've never been before, isn't there? If not now, there's a good chance I'd spend my entire life confined to one place."
My answer seemed unexpected, as Aiden stared at me intently.
"Of course, such a life isn't inherently bad, but it's somewhat... tedious, unavoidably so. In that sense, you seem quite free."
"Do I appear that way?"
Aiden's smile as he spoke seemed tinged with bitterness.
"I have something I'd like to ask you."
"You wish to ask me?"
"Yes. But you don't have to answer if you'd rather not."
I had preemptively told him that if answering was difficult, he could simply refrain. Aiden nodded in acknowledgment.
"Is it truly only to rescue the children that you're doing this?"
"What do you mean?"
My question seemed to displease him, for his voice suddenly sharpened.
"Oh, I'm not doubting your compassion for the children. I know you're doing good work. It's just that Peorat is only a day's journey from the Capital, but this place isn't like that. It takes several days of travel from the Capital to reach here, so it seems remarkable that you'd come all this way just to rescue children. It's quite... impressive, really."
He was right about that.
Given that the Orphanage was located in a Village near the Capital, Aiden was undoubtedly a nobleman from that region.
Yet Ulita was positioned quite far from the Capital.
If Aiden were truly so devoted to justice, I had nothing to say, but it was difficult not to find it somewhat strange that he would come all this distance motivated solely by righteousness.
Of course, I had no right to ask him such a question.
I was simply curious, which is why I had told him beforehand that he didn't need to answer.
Aiden fell silent for a moment.
He might have been considering what answer to give, or perhaps he was choosing silence because he thought the question didn't deserve a response.
I suddenly reproached myself inwardly for asking such an unnecessary question that had frozen the atmosphere.
Yet contrary to my expectation that I would hear no answer from Aiden, his lips soon parted and an unexpected confession spilled forth.
"You're certainly not an ordinary person. The truth is, I'm searching for someone."
"You're searching for someone?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"Ah... So you thought that person might be with the Circus Troupe, and that's why you've been tracking them?"
"That's right."
"Then..."
So my earlier impression that his eyes looked sorrowful had been correct.
It was clear he had been disappointed because he hadn't found the person he was searching for this time either.
"Didn't you find them this time?"
"No. I didn't find them."
Aiden's expression suddenly darkened.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up."
I hastily apologized to Aiden, feeling as though I had carelessly reopened an old wound.
"No, it's fine."
But he didn't look fine at all.
Seeing his vulnerable side left me with an uncomfortable feeling.
So when a thought suddenly occurred to me—something I could do to help him—I immediately spoke.
"If you'd tell me who you're looking for, I'd like to help you..."
It might have been overstepping, and I couldn't know what consequences might come from getting involved with a man I'd only seen twice, but in this moment, that's what I felt.
In this moment, I wanted to help Aiden.
"I travel to many places, after all. So if I encounter the Circus Troupe again, I'll search for them too."
But Aiden's violet eyes suddenly fixed on me.
That gaze seemed to pierce through my intentions, trying to see what lay beneath my words.
"As I thought...."
After a long moment, Aiden finally spoke, and the eye contact between us dispersed.
"You are a kind and compassionate person."
Aiden was bringing up that compliment he'd given me earlier.
"That's not true."
It really wasn't.
I wasn't nearly as kind or compassionate as he seemed to think.
If there was an exception, perhaps due to my circumstances, it was only that I became sensitive when it came to matters concerning children.
In everything else, I was much like anyone else.
"I'm not nearly as kind or compassionate as you seem to believe."
In truth, it wouldn't have mattered if I'd simply let him misunderstand me, but I found I didn't want that.
Upon seeing my denial, he lifted the corners of his mouth in a smile.
I'd seen him smile several times today.
And it was enough to stir something within my heart.
'It's because he's handsome.'
Why did I want to help this man? Why did his smile make my heart race? Why did he occupy my thoughts?
I attributed all of it to Aiden's striking appearance.
From the moment I first saw him, his beauty was remarkable enough to draw an involuntary gasp.
'Especially those eyes.'
The gaze emanating from those violet irises held a peculiar enchantment, as though it could captivate anyone.
Though they appeared firm and resolute, there was an inexplicable emptiness and loneliness that radiated from his eyes and across his entire face.
So then, the reason I found myself so drawn to him, why I couldn't help but take interest in him—it was all because of Aiden's exceptional beauty.
As I rationalized it to myself this way, the necklace around his neck caught my eye with unusual prominence.
"That's a beautiful necklace you're wearing."
Among all the men I'd seen since arriving here, not a single one wore a necklace.
Perhaps because of that, the necklace sitting in such an unfamiliar place stirred a sense of incongruity.
Of course, the thin necklace in a pale violet shade—similar to Aiden's eye color—suited him quite well.
"Your necklace is truly beautiful."
When Aiden didn't respond, I mentioned the necklace once more.
His hand then moved toward the necklace, and he gently caressed it along its length.
"It is beautiful, but equally dangerous. It holds my life in its grasp."
"I beg your pardon?"
At his words, I looked at him with eyes full of questions.
But he seemed unwilling to tell me more, pressing his lips firmly shut.
Aiden apparently had little need for my help, offering no further comment on the kindness I'd shown him.
I considered asking him again but decided to hold my tongue.
We weren't close enough for me to pester him with baseless goodwill.
So after that, we walked forward in silence toward our destination, eyes fixed ahead.
And shortly after, we arrived at the Inn where I was staying.
"This is it."
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