When You Turned Your Back On Me, We Became Strangers [EN]: Chapter 60

Turn Around and You’re a Stranger (59)

‘I’m hurt!’

Reilly saw Caver’s emotions clearly reflected in his face, and her gaze wavered.

“Something happened.”

“I figured. You used mana, so I didn’t think nothing would happen.”

Despite Caver’s somewhat sulky expression, he kindly escorted Reilly, his hand gently guiding her.

‘His words and actions are so different.’

Leta suppressed a laugh as she watched him.

“I don’t know what to do with myself, being escorted by Your Highness in person,” she joked, taking Caver’s hand as she stepped out of the carriage.

Caver gave an awkward smile at Leta’s words, unsure how to react.

‘I didn’t expect this.’

He had considered the possibility of her returning exhausted or with strange stories to tell. However, he never imagined she would return wearing clothes completely different from the dress she had left in.

‘What on earth happened at Princess Roanna’s mansion?’

He looked like he wanted to ask right away, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it, as if he wasn’t ready to hear the answer yet, and he groaned inwardly.

Reilly looked a little tired, so he didn’t want to keep her for long.

“You look very tired.”

Caver placed his coat over Reilly’s shoulders as she stood before him, her lips slightly parted.

“It’s still chilly, so it’s best to go inside quickly.”

Leta looked at them with a satisfied expression before hurriedly grabbing Reilly’s hand.

“Shall we go in now, Sister? You look tired.”

Reilly nodded at Leta’s words. As she walked towards the palace with Leta, Reilly stopped.

“Your Highness, I have something to discuss with you tomorrow. Could you spare some time?”

Caver’s eyes darted back and forth at Reilly’s sudden request.

‘W-What on earth is she going to say?’

His already uneasy heart began to pound.

“I will,” he managed to answer, trying to sound as if nothing was wrong, but he was worried about tomorrow.

* * *

“Did it look bad to you too?”

“……You know you’ve asked that question ten times already, right?”

Habahn shook his head, narrowing his eyes.

He had rushed out to meet Princess Reilly, but Caver’s mood was terrible.

“Did something happen?”

“Reilly came back wearing different clothes.”

They were too drab to be Princess Roanna’s clothes.

‘She didn’t meet Princess Adel, did she?’

He felt a prick of conscience as if he had done something wrong.

“Did something happen at the Princess’s visit today?”

Habahn replied to Caver nonchalantly.

He simply didn’t think Princess Reilly would have acted without a reason.

“You have great faith in the Princess.”

‘Not exactly, but…’

Habahn didn’t say what didn’t need to be said.

“Because Your Highness trusts her.”

It was just that Caver, whom he served, deeply trusted her. That was all.

“Won’t she tell you everything tomorrow?”

“She already asked me to make time for her.”

The atmosphere wasn’t too bad.

‘It’ll all be resolved tomorrow.’

Habahn was glad that this exhaustion wouldn’t last long. If Reilly hadn’t asked for time, he would have had to endure Caver’s endless questions.

“And you won’t get an answer even if you ask me about Princess Reilly’s intentions.”

“I know.”

“……Why do you keep asking me when you know?”

Habahn conspicuously tapped the stack of documents in front of him, as if to emphasize his workload.

“You are indeed a capable aide.”

“I don’t need to be capable; I just want to go home.”

Anyone would think I’m working overtime every day.

‘Is this why they say all bosses are the same?’

Habahn smiled and cursed at him with his eyes.

“Your Highness should finish your work quickly too if you want to meet Princess Reilly tomorrow.”

“……Is that a threat?”

“A threat? How dare I threaten the Crown Prince?”

Caver’s brow twitched. Nevertheless, Habahn calmly organized the documents and avoided his gaze.

“Then answer just this one thing.”

“Ask just one thing.”

“Are you going to be so stingy?”

Caver clicked his tongue at Habahn and put down his pen.

“Hmm.”

He tapped the desk with his fingers, seeming to ponder for a moment, before cautiously opening his mouth.

“Did the dress look bad?”

‘Again.’

‘Another repeat?’

Habahn covered his forehead with one hand at Caver’s words, which had returned to the beginning.

If he was so curious, why didn’t he just go and ask instead of waiting until tomorrow?

“……Wouldn’t it be better to ask her directly?”

‘You won’t get an answer even if you ask me.’ He couldn’t possibly not know that.

‘Is this a new way to torment me, perhaps?’

Habahn racked his brains, thinking this and that. But the conclusion was one.

“Please don’t do this and just go ask her.”

“How can I do that? She looked tired.”

‘Ah. That’s it.’

How could I not have understood this at once, with all the years of experience I’ve had?

“I’ll go ask her quickly.”

Habahn quickly approached the door.

“Reilly’s not in her room right now.”

Habahn was startled and stuck to the door because of Ren, who suddenly appeared in front of him. How could this human, no, this sword, not know how to make a sound?

“P-Please, can’t you make some noise?!”

It wasn’t enough that he went in and out of the Crown Prince’s office as if it were his own home, but the way he came in wasn’t normal either.

“And come in through the door!”

“He knows anyway.”

Ren plopped down on the sofa and gestured towards Caver.

“Well, I can feel your presence.”

“……Your Highness knew too, but you didn’t tell me?”

“There was no need to, let’s just say.”

Caver smiled at Habahn.

“So, what brings you here again in the middle of the night?”

He asked indifferently, looking at Ren, who was sitting in an impudent posture. Had he found out why Reilly used mana?

“I just came because it’s comfortable here.”

Ren closed his eyes, leaned back comfortably, and relaxed his body. He had many questions as well, but he couldn’t bring himself to ask.

“……Isn’t it a sword’s duty to check on the contractor’s condition?”

Caver lowered his voice and hardened his expression as he looked at Ren. It didn’t matter that he came and went in his room.

However, he couldn’t forgive him for not fulfilling his duty properly.

“I guess I can go ask Reilly right now, as she’s relaxing in the water and relieving her fatigue.”

Ren slowly opened his eyes and straightened his head.

Seeing Caver looking at him with flickering eyes, he chuckled.

“Such a passionate gaze, it’s making me flutter.”

Caver shuddered as if the hairs on his body were standing on end. Habahn was equally horrified.

‘That human is the only one who can tease Your Highness.’

Habahn wanted to applaud Ren’s somewhat bold attitude. Would it be too honest to say that he secretly felt relieved?

“Then, Your Highness, I’ll come again tomorrow morning.”

Seeing Caver’s eyes, it seemed better for him to get out of here quickly. Habahn quickly grabbed the doorknob and left.

“If you’re thinking of saying crazy things, why don’t you leave too?”

Caver said to Ren after Habahn left the office. Ren was the type to really go to Reilly if he told him to.

“No, I’d rather stay up all night with you.”

“Should I be grateful that you like me so much?”

Mana flickered around Caver’s body at Ren’s words. Ren’s lips curled up even more at the murderous mana that seemed to swallow him whole.

“Even hot-tempered.”

“Stop it; it’s disgusting, okay?”

“Don’t worry. I won’t go to Reilly.”

It was just a joke he threw out because he found it fun to tease him.

There was something about teasing him, you could say?

“Blue isn’t Reilly’s taste anyway.”

Ren chuckled and provoked Caver again. In fact, it was a dress that suited Reilly better than anyone else. That made Ren feel even worse.

‘Because I didn’t want to lose her to anyone else.’

He didn’t like Reilly’s shy smile or the fact that the two of them had gotten so close.

Frankly speaking, he had recently wanted to deny the fact that he was a sword.

“After being together for so long, you haven’t seen the smile that contains her sincerity, have you?”

Caver smiled leisurely and fixed his gaze on the documents.

There was no reason to fall for Ren’s provocation. It was probably because he was having fun with his reaction.

“I saw it. I saw it before you.”

Ren slowly continued, at Caver’s words. He had been by her side longer than anyone else.

He could tell what Reilly was thinking and how she was feeling without her saying anything.

“Sorry, but you’re wrong this time.”

Caver put down the documents and drew an even thicker smile on his face.

“I saw it before you. Long before you were by her side.”

He could be sure of this much.

He had seen her smile as a child. He had seen her happy smile filled with sincerity.

“So there’s no room for you to interfere.”

Ren shrugged at Caver’s confident words.

“A gap is something you talk about when you’re close to each other in the first place, like the trust between Reilly and me.”

Reilly still trusted him more than anyone else. That’s probably because he wasn’t human.

‘I’m glad I’m a sword at times like this.’

Ren smacked his lips at the bitterness he felt without realizing it.