Their Way of Love - Chapter 1: Caught (17)

Kyle blinked as he looked at Hyle, who had rudely barged into the room. Hyle, who was covered in sweat and breathing heavily, was certainly not the usual sight. Kyle chuckled, as if he was amused by his disheveled appearance. But unlike Kyle, who seemed happy, Hyle’s expression was cold.

After catching his breath, Hyle approached Kyle threateningly. Then he grabbed him by the collar.

“Are you crazy?”

“…What?”

Suddenly barging in and asking if he was crazy. Kyle’s expression twisted in injustice. Then Hyle continued as if he had been waiting.

“What’s with the aura on sister’s wrist?”

“Ah, what, I thought it was something else… you’re doing this just because of that…”

“Just because of that?”

Hyle immediately cut off Kyle’s words. The hand gripping his collar tightened even more.

“Whoa, whoa, calm down. Brother.”

Unlike Hyle, who seemed angry, Kyle only chuckled. Kyle, who playfully called Hyle “brother,” didn’t even think about brushing off the grabbed collar. Hyle, even more enraged by that behavior, pushed him against the wall.

“You’re seriously out of your mind. You decided to go to the North… but if you give your aura to sister…!”

Hyle’s voice was quite agitated. Not the usual gentle, pleasant baritone, but a voice filled with emotion and cracking. It was an unfamiliar sight that even Tia had never seen.

“…Are you dying to die?”

At Hyle’s words, Kyle scoffed.

“What are you talking about? I won’t die just because I don’t have an aura.”

In fact, Kyle was right. There was no need for Hyle to make such a fuss and worry just because he didn’t have an aura.

In the first place, Kyle was the only aura holder in the Western Continent, and the knights currently in the North were all ordinary knights. In the North, where ordinary knights also return alive, there was no chance that Kyle, a Sword Master, would get hurt.

Despite knowing that fact, Hyle met Kyle with anxious eyes, as if he was worried about something.

“Even weaklings like you are still alive and breathing, why would I die?”

As if trying to ease Hyle’s anxiety, Kyle smiled and uttered a silly joke. Nevertheless, Hyle’s expression did not relax.

“What if something happens to you… then how much would sister…”

Kyle coughed, choking because of the grabbed collar.

“What if she blames herself…!”

“No, no, why do you keep assuming something will happen to me?”

Do you want something to happen to me? Kyle added the last words and lightly shook off Hyle’s hand. Kyle, who straightened his clothes, muttered with a somewhat low face.

“…Rather than losing sister in vain like before, this is much better.”

At Kyle’s words, Hyle bit his lip. His eyes wandered through the air like a lost person.

That day, the two looked completely opposite. Kyle was neat, and Hyle was disheveled.

“This time, I will never… let it be like before.”

***

In the end, Kyle’s Northern expedition was confirmed.

That day he went to see the Emperor. It seems he had finally discussed the Northern expedition. It wasn’t just me who was surprised by his Northern expedition. My mother felt the same way.

Kyle was to leave on an indefinite expedition as soon as the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet was over.

I felt strange. I felt somewhat sad, and rather than just sadness, a greater sense of depression washed over me.

After the expedition was confirmed, Kyle also seemed to be in a restless mood, constantly coming to me and making meaningless physical contact.

Not necessarily sexual intercourse, but simple kisses, hugs, or holding hands.

Moreover, he would sneak in at night, suppressing his presence, and hug me to sleep, but he didn’t try to have sex or subtly grope my body. He really just slept.

Kyle’s appearance was unfamiliar and embarrassing.

Hyle also seemed to know that he was leaving soon, so he didn’t stop him or show jealousy.

It was a series of somewhat gloomy days.

The day of the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet dawned. Despite being the start date of the original story, I didn’t feel any emotion.

As the banquet preparations were in full swing, Kazef approached me.

“Tia.”

“Ah, Brother.”

His neatly swept-back hair, straight eyes, and slender nose and jawline were the epitome of a handsome man. With the white uniform on top of that, I couldn’t help but wonder if he was an angel. I swallowed hard without realizing it at the face that I couldn’t get used to no matter how much I looked at it.

Kazef, unaware of what I was thinking inside, looked at me with eyes full of worry.

“Would it be okay to ride in the carriage with those children…?”

He carefully whispered in my ear, mindful of the eyes of the surrounding servants.

“It’s okay.”

“Really?”

“…Yes, they’re good kids usually.”

I raised the corners of my mouth as if to say it was really okay. Kazef’s eyes were full of worry and anxiety.

‘Well, he knows that I was sexually assaulted by them…’

The Argent family had as many as six members. It was impossible for six people to ride in one carriage to the Imperial Palace. Therefore, they always divided into three and three, and the eldest son, Kazef, always rode with his parents. Today, I would be riding in the carriage with Kyle and Hyle, so he seemed worried about that fact.

He was truly a considerate and kind person.

“Young Master, Madam has finished all the preparations for departure.”

“Ah…”

He seemed to be reluctant to leave me among his beast-like brothers. I smiled once more and said.

“Really, it’s really okay.”

“…Tia.”

“That day… it was a mistake. Both Kyle and Hyle.”

A mistake, my ass.

Swallowing my true feelings, I bit my lip like a wounded, sentimental girl and forced tears to well up in my eyes. Then Kazef’s expression furrowed even more.

“You promised to tell me if anything happened.”

“…”

“Don’t worry. You’re the only one I trust and rely on.”

As I put on a faint smile like a sickly, terminally ill female protagonist, Kazef lowered his head.

He seemed to hesitate for a moment, then rummaged through his pocket. Then he handed me something. It was a magic tool with a small button.

“…It’s a self-defense magic device.”

A magic device, it looked expensive and like it hadn’t been bought long ago. He must have bought it for me after witnessing that day. I felt strange at the thought that Kazef was really worried about me.

“If anything happens, be sure, be sure to press this button.”

He had a determined expression, as if he would protect me. But in reality, as long as the opponent was Kyle, it would be a relief if he didn’t get knocked out in a second, let alone protect me.

‘Of course, Kyle wouldn’t do that to his family…’

If he was determined and drew his sword, there would be no one in the Empire who could beat Kyle.

That’s how it was in the original story I knew. Kyle would later become the strongest man in the Western Continent, to the point where even the Imperial Family would be wary of him, and Kazef would become an ordinary Marquis and lead the family.

Sadly, that was the difference between the two.

Kazef seemed to be forcibly taking his reluctant steps, worrying about me until the end. I waved my hand slightly and gave him a sentimental smile, as if to say that he really didn’t need to worry.

Only then did he turn around with difficulty.

‘Phew.’

He won’t worry about this much, right?

***

As soon as the carriage carrying Kazef and the Marquis couple left the mansion, Kyle and Hyle burst in.

“Sis, are you ready?”

“Yeah.”

Kyle, dressed in a flamboyant knight’s uniform, and Hyle, in a neat formal dress, stood in front of the door to escort me.

Kyle, having been knighted, had to wear his knight’s uniform to the banquet, but Hyle, who hadn’t, wore formal attire.

The two looked strikingly contrasting yet well-matched.

Hyle wore a dark navy coat, a neat vest, a white dress shirt, and a sapphire brooch. He looked neat yet cold. It was a moderately dignified appearance, neither too much nor too little.

In contrast, Kyle, who had been jumping around since earlier…

“Sis, don’t I look super cool today?”

Quite… quite flashy. It seemed to be because of the medals on his knight’s uniform.

The gold epaulets fluttering on his shoulders, the flamboyant cape draped on one side, and the countless medals on his chest…

The word “overload” was a perfect fit.

I forced the corners of my lips up and uttered the words Kyle wanted to hear.

“Y-yeah. Cool…”

I felt like I was going blind from the glittering gold. How many medals are there, for goodness’ sake?

As the only Sword Master, he seemed to have at least six or seven medals on his chest.

‘Maybe he’ll get another medal after this northern expedition…’

The thought of him leaving soon didn’t make me feel good. Then, a pudding was held out in front of me.

“Huh? Pudding?”

I tilted my head and asked, and Hyle smiled and said,

“Weren’t you too busy preparing for the banquet since morning to have a proper meal?”

He scooped up the soft pudding with a small spoon and held it out to me.

“I’ll feed you so you don’t spill, sister.”

He said with a pleasant smile. I couldn’t help but chuckle. The first thing he does in his pretty formal dress is feed his sister pudding.

“Thank you, then I won’t refuse…”

As soon as I put a spoonful in my mouth, the soft caramel cream melted in my mouth. Ah, as expected, sweets are the best.

“Delicious.”

As I smiled brightly and took another bite, Kyle, who was next to me, poked his head out and said,

“Sis, if you want to eat a lot of melon at the Imperial Palace, eat moderately.”

“Kyle! When did I ever eat that much melon…!”

“You did when you were twelve. You said the most delicious food in the world was Imperial Palace melon.”

“Aah…”

Since it was true, I couldn’t argue and just pouted my lips. Hyle watched us and fed me every last spoonful.

“Young masters, young lady. The carriage is ready.”

Just as I swallowed the last pudding, the maid informed us that we were ready to depart.

Because Kyle had my left arm and Hyle had my right arm, my posture was ridiculous.

“No, this looks like you’re escorting a criminal…”

I complained, but they pretended not to hear me and took me to the carriage. Moreover, because they were both tall, my feet kept dangling in the air.

‘I wore a pretty dress for this…’

I grumbled for no reason, but strangely, I didn’t feel too bad.

***