An Unexpected Proposal

April 20, 2020

"By the way, you’re learning to read and write properly with Gajev, right?"

"Ah, yes. Sir Gajev is an excellent teacher."

"It’s good to be diligent, but don’t push yourself too hard. You haven’t been out of bed for long. If you strain yourself too soon and your body weakens again, it’ll only make things more troublesome."

"But I feel anxious."

"There’s plenty of time, so take it slow. I’ll be satisfied as long as you master the basics."

Cabelenus often repeated that there was plenty of time, but the words never truly reached Alicia.

She smiled in response, but her gaze lowered.

No matter how hard she tried to ignore it, every time time was mentioned, a deep melancholy crept into her heart.

It had been nearly half a year since Cabelenus and his forces had taken residence in Neuschwein.

Everyone knew that the time for them to leave was drawing near.

"What will happen to me once he’s gone?"

Alicia exhaled quietly.

When she had first met Cabelenus, he had been nothing but a terrifying figure.

But now, things were different.

She was still afraid of him, but his presence had become familiar.

Sleeping beside him, waking up to find him there—it had become part of her daily life.

"I think… I’ll be lonelier than I expected."

The more she reflected on her daily routine, the more she realized how deeply Cabelenus had woven himself into it.

And that realization only made her feel even more desolate.

"What exactly are you thinking about? Your expressions keep changing by the second."

"Huh?"

"You must be quite comfortable with me now if you can get so lost in thought while I’m sitting right in front of you."

Was it just her imagination, or did his voice carry a hint of petulance?

Alicia quickly snapped out of her thoughts and shook her head in denial.

"N-No, of course not!"

"If it’s not, then why do you look so flustered?"

"That’s because… Your Highness is a very special person."

"Special? How so?"

Cabelenus rested his chin on his hand, tilting his head slightly as he looked at her.

He didn’t particularly care about what she thought of him.

What mattered was that in order to form an opinion, she had to think about him.

And that alone was enough.

"Well… You are the Lord of Schwarhan."

"Is that all?"

"And the Crown Prince of the Blanche Empire."

"Anything else? Tell me something real, not just well-known facts."

His sharp gaze pinned her in place, as if searching for something deeper.

Under the intensity of his stare, Alicia frantically searched for an answer that would satisfy him.

"…I think you’re kind."

"Kind? Me?"

Cabelenus let out a dry laugh.

"Of course, your kindness is different from what people typically imagine… but that’s how it feels to me."

Alicia knew better than anyone that kindness and The Wolf of Schwarhan didn’t belong in the same sentence.

In truth, she wasn’t even sure what kindness really meant.

But when she thought about the way Cabelenus looked at her sometimes—if she had to put it into words—kindness was the only thing that made sense.

Otherwise, how else could she explain the way he, despite his cold and indifferent demeanor, frowned at even the smallest of her wounds?

"To be honest, I don’t particularly like being called kind."

"Oh, then I—"

"But… I don’t dislike hearing it from you."

He had always equated kindness with weakness, so he had never cared for the word.

But somehow, her perception of him didn’t sound unpleasant.

No, considering how everything about her affected him, perhaps it was inevitable.

"That’s a relief, then."

"Anything else?"

Cabelenus tilted his head again, his expression still indifferent, but his gaze noticeably softer than before.

"Well, I… not yet…"

"That’s fine. I’ll ask again later. Take your time and think about it."

"Think about… what?"

"Anything."

A small smile played on Cabelenus’s lips.

***

Cabelenus sat at his desk, reading documents.

Or at least, that was what it looked like.

In reality, his attention was entirely focused on the two people seated at the other end of the room.

"Maliona."

"No. It should be Mariauna. Repeat after me."

"Mariauna?"

"No. Mariauna."

Gajev, his expression as stoic as ever, calmly corrected Alicia’s pronunciation.

Alicia’s cheeks flushed, and she hung her head.

"I’m sorry."

"What are you apologizing for?"

"You’re taking the time to teach me, but I’m not catching on fast enough."

Her shoulders slumped.

"It’s fine. It’s natural to struggle with pronunciation at first. You’re actually doing quite well."

"…Really?"

Alicia’s shoulders lifted slightly.

"Yes. You’re doing well."

A faint smile tugged at Gajev’s lips.

At first, he had been surprised when Cabelenus ordered him to teach Alicia the etiquette and language of Blanche, but he had grown to enjoy it.

Alicia lacked knowledge—not just about Blanche, but even about her own kingdom.

Yet, she had a strong willingness to learn.

When he had first started teaching her, she had been so timid that she couldn’t even ask questions.

But she had never been negligent in her efforts.

Gajev had no doubt that soon, she would master today’s lesson as well.

"If it’s alright, may I try again?"

"Of course. Repeating the words aloud will help you remember them better."

With his approval, Alicia immediately tried pronouncing the word again.

Her pronunciation was still rough, but it was noticeably better than before.

"You’re improving. You’ll get used to it soon."

"Thank you for saying that."

"No need to thank me. I’m simply stating the truth. You have a natural talent for this."

"Talent? I’m still clumsy."

"The greatest talent in learning is perseverance. And you have that in abundance."

Hearing his praise, Alicia’s cheeks grew even redder.

Gajev’s smile deepened.

He wasn’t the type to compliment people easily, but he never hesitated to encourage Alicia.

Had he not become Cabelenus’s lieutenant, Gajev likely would have been a professor at an academy.

He was familiar with education and knew how to draw out a person’s potential.

And Alicia needed praise.

"Sir Gajev, you are quite kind."

"In Schwarhan, I was considered one of the most desirable bachelors."

"Yes… I can see that."

"It’s not just a guess. It’s a fact. You’ll see for yourself when we go to Schwarhan."

Gajev casually flipped through the pages of a book as he spoke, deliberately making a lighthearted remark. Compliments and small jokes were useful tools—effective in putting Alicia at ease.

At first, she had been so timid that she hadn’t even dared to ask questions. But now, she had grown enough to seek out answers on her own.

To Alicia, Gajev had become an excellent teacher.

But that excellent teacher had failed to account for the sharp gaze of a man who had been watching them the entire time.

"Gajev."

"Yes, Your Highness. You called for me?"

"This official document seems incorrect."

"My apologies. There must have been a mistake."

Gajev immediately rose from his seat.

If Cabelenus was furrowing his brow at a document, it meant the issue was serious.

Delays were not an option.

"Go and confirm it personally, then report back to me."

"Understood. Then, what should I do about the Lady—"

"I’ll watch over her. If she has questions, she can ask me."

Cabelenus interrupted swiftly.

Though his eyes remained fixed on the papers, his tone left no room for argument.

"Oh, um… I’ll be fine on my own. I’ve already covered most of today’s lessons, so I can just review."

"……."

Alicia smiled shyly as she ran her fingers along the pages of her book.

Simply having the chance to study was something she was grateful for.

She had no intention of being a burden to Cabelenus.

Besides…

Alicia’s lips curved into an awkward smile as she recalled the past.

Strictly speaking, her first teacher had been Cabelenus himself.

But teaching had never been one of his talents.

Even if he could instantly see the solution to a problem, he lacked the ability to explain it.

For someone like Alicia, who had barely known how to read at the time, he had been a terrible teacher.

She would anxiously stare at the book while Cabelenus scowled at the pages—until finally, Gajev had been assigned as her tutor, allowing her to make real progress.

Naturally, there was no point in asking Cabelenus for help now.

It wasn’t as if she’d get a proper explanation.

"You seem to be enjoying your lessons with Gajev quite a bit."

"Yes, I do. He’s very kind and intelligent. He explains things so well."

"Kind?"

A faint crease appeared on Cabelenus’s otherwise smooth forehead.

He had never considered Gajev kind.

A capable lieutenant, yes—but kind?

Gajev was his second-in-command, his strategist—the same man who helped devise ruthless battle plans.

And yet…

"I think you’re kind."

Alicia had said the same thing to him.

Cabelenus’s frown deepened.

"Yes, very much. He even mentioned that if he hadn’t joined the military, he might have become a professor. I think that would have suited him well."

"What's so special about being a professor?"

"It’s the most prestigious academy in the empire! And if he had pursued that path, he would have been the youngest—"

Alicia had been happily chattering away when she suddenly noticed Cabelenus’s expression.

She trailed off.

He was no longer looking at the documents.

Instead, he rested his chin on one hand, watching her with an unreadable gaze.

"I told you to study, not to chatter."

Alicia stiffened.

She had observed him long enough to know—his mood had shifted.

And it wasn’t for the better.

"I was studying. It’s just that…"

"Just what?"

"Sir Gajev tells me stories now and then to help me relax… and I suppose I got carried away and kept asking for more."

As she spoke, a soft blush spread across her cheeks.

Cabelenus’s brow twitched.

The way she smiled while talking about another man—that was unfair.

"You never ask anything of me."

"Pardon?"

"Never mind. That’s just how you’ve always been with me."

A quiet sigh slipped through Cabelenus’s lips.

He had already noticed the changes in Alicia—the way she was gradually regaining her confidence.

The more she accomplished, the more she began to believe in herself.

Watching her absorb knowledge like a sponge was gratifying, almost endearing.

The shadow of death that had once loomed over her was nearly gone.

And yet…

That expression.

It annoyed him.

What had Gajev done to earn such an affectionate gaze?

Until recently, Alicia had barely spoken to the man.

And now she looked at him as if he were some cherished figure?

"Do you like Gajev?"

The words left his mouth before he could stop them.

He immediately regretted it.

But he did not take it back.

Alicia had claimed before that she had never harbored feelings for any man.

But emotions could change faster than a swaying reed.

"Sir Gajev is a good person."

"No. I meant as a man."

"A man? You mean…"

Alicia clenched her fists under the table.

Cabelenus had never touched her.

He had stopped showering her with gifts.@@novelbin@@

Now, the only thing he did was encourage her to study with Gajev.

Was he trying to pass her on to him?

Slaves were possessions.

It was common for commanders to gift their slaves to their subordinates.

The thought made her blood run cold.

"Gajev is not an option."

Cabelenus’s voice dropped to a low growl.

He had never considered handing her over to Gajev.

If he had intended something so foolish, he wouldn’t have gone this far in the first place.

"…Not an option?"

"For now, I’ve let him oversee your education. But once we leave for Schwarhan, that arrangement ends."

"Yes. I understand."

Alicia’s grip tightened.

His words alone could drag her between heaven and hell.

"You don’t seem particularly disappointed."

Was there not even a trace of attachment?

Cabelenus’s gaze sharpened.

"I already prepared myself for this."

"Prepared?"

"You’ll have to return to Schwarhan eventually. So I need to be ready for the time when you’re not here."

"…Not here?"

His eyes narrowed.