Chapter 12. Do What You’re Good At
Kylo paused his hand as he was about to set down his teacup and looked at Razel.
Had her words been presumptuous for someone like her?
‘Still, I won’t back down on this. I’ll find something—anything—where I can be of help.’
Under his steady gaze, she swallowed dryly but didn’t avert her eyes from his.
As she waited for his lips to part, he suddenly moved.
He smoothly returned the teacup he had held suspended in midair to its place, then, with an impassive expression, refilled her now-empty plate with snacks.
“Eat more.”
“Huh…?”
“And make sure to take frequent walks around the castle. That’s what you can do right now.”
As if that concluded his response, Kylo leisurely sipped his tea again.
Despite the considerable time he had spent as a slave and the years surviving life-and-death battles on the warfront, his etiquette remained remarkably dignified.
‘Take walks?’
Razel felt a wave of bewilderment at Kylo’s answer.
Was this his roundabout way of saying there was nothing worth assigning to her?
‘But it’s strange for Kylo to use such indirect phrasing with me…’
She wouldn’t have questioned it if he had been blunt.
More than anything, he had clearly told her that once they arrived at Windmore Castle, he would assign her ‘grueling work.’
She had hoped he would elaborate on that, but soon Kylo mentioned he had to leave the castle again and sent Razel away.
Back in her bedroom alone, Razel stared blankly out the window. The sky was filled with clouds, as if intent on dumping snow again in the night.
Below, she could see the carriage carrying Kylo descending the hill.
As she watched his departing figure, Razel thought.
‘He said to take walks, so maybe I should just do as he says for now…’
Otherwise, with Kylo away, she had nothing to do anyway.
Even after that day, Kylo was busy every single day.
As he had instructed, Razel dutifully went outside as soon as dawn broke.
She didn’t stop there; she also carefully examined various parts of the castle interior. Even though she surveyed the same places daily, a sigh inevitably escaped her lips.
‘That chandelier definitely needs replacing. It’s so old, it could fall and cause a major accident. The doors here are too worn, making too much noise…’
Although Kylo hadn’t made any requests regarding this, Razel thought she should at least organize the castle’s issues and tell him.
If she didn’t have the authority to change the castle, perhaps he could use it as reference to improve it himself. Of course, he might ignore her words entirely.
After surveying the castle, Razel requested the servants to prepare her for going out.
After inspecting the interior, it was time to take the walk as Kylo had ordered.
“It’s a relief that the weather seems less cold today than yesterday.”
“But it’s precisely on days like this that you need to be extra careful, so we’ll bundle you up even more!”
Hoping they might dress her in something a bit more breathable today, Razel was disappointed as the servants refused to relent and wrapped her tightly in layers once again.
‘At this rate, I could roll around…’
The clothes were uncomfortably restrictive, but Razel went outside without complaint.
Gazing at the expanse of pure white before her, Razel immersed herself in the unfamiliarity.
‘It feels like I’ve been here for quite a while already.’
She had thought that following Kylo would inevitably lead to some form of suffering, but contrary to her expectations, the environment surrounding Razel was surprisingly peaceful.
Almost to the point where she wondered if it was all a dream.
Watching her footprints dot the snow, Razel took one step after another.
At the end, she stopped at a hill overlooking the barren Windmore territory in its entirety.
The snow-blanketed landscape was dazzling, as if reflecting a pale light.
Despite its infamous reputation, it somehow felt calm and comforting.
As she stood there in a daze, absorbing the tranquility and gazing into the distance.
“It’s surprisingly decent here.”
Startled by the low voice from behind, Razel whirled around in surprise.
The man she hadn’t seen for days due to his busy schedule since their tea together stood behind her as if by magic.
Kylo’s gaze skipped over the landscape spread out behind Razel and settled on her. Meeting his eyes, Razel flinched.
“Wh-When did you get here? I thought you’d be busy today too…”
Whenever she encountered him after a long absence, Razel couldn’t help but startle as if seeing a hallucination.
“I’m not as busy as before now.”
After his brief reply, he reached out and adjusted her already tightly fastened outer coat even more securely.
Uncomfortable with his inexplicable consideration, Razel averted her gaze and said.
“You don’t need to tend to my clothes anymore…”
“It would be troublesome if you froze to death just days after our marriage.”
“What? No one’s going to freeze dressed like this.”
Razel replied pertly, incredulous. Kylo paid her no heed.
He simply pressed her bonnet further down and brought up something else.
“Have you looked around the castle inside and out enough by now? I think I told you to take frequent walks.”
“…Yes.”
“As you’ve seen, it’s not exactly clean. It’s full of things needing repair. The territory is desolate, with nothing but piles of snow.”
Razel looked up at him intently. Fortunately, he seemed aware of the place’s condition.
It was just puzzling that he had chosen this territory himself.
As she pondered whether to ask about it, Kylo finished tying her bonnet snugly and met her eyes.
Then, with his unchanging stoic expression, he said.
“So, do what you’re good at.”
“…Huh?”
“Tidying up the surroundings. You’ve studied it and you’re good at it.”
Razel’s eyes widened in shock. Unable to believe the words he had uttered, she doubted her ears several times.
Back when Razel, thirsty for praise, had fallen for her stepmother’s coaxing and started managing Ephor County Castle, Kylo had been by her side too.
At that time, Razel had done her best, proudly fulfilling her duties in hopes of catching her parents’ eye, but what always came back was…
“You idiot! Living cooped up in that villa has made even your work as rustic as a bumpkin—how embarrassing! This is why sickly ones are useless. Redo it right now!”
Always scolding, nothing more.
Razel’s lips parted as she stared at him, unable to shake her bewilderment. Kylo spoke as if assigning her this task was only natural.
“Turn this place into somewhere livable.”
He inhaled the cold air, then continued without waiting for her response.
“And since you seem curious, I’ll tell you one thing.”
His voice turned as coldly indifferent as the frosty air here.
“The Ephor County family is being tracked.”
“…What?”
Razel’s heart plummeted suddenly. The shock made her completely forget her earlier surprise at being granted authority over the castle’s management.
Ephor County.
A sudden dizziness seemed to surge up in Razel.
“They’ve done a fine job of abandoning you to your fate and escaping.”
Kylo sneered, curling his lips mockingly.
“When asked about the Ephor Count’s second daughter, Vertia’s king first pleaded to spare the family and show mercy. Somehow sensing something, the count’s household cunningly fled, leaving only you behind.”
“…”
“I received you—who deserved to die at the soldiers’ hands—as a gift from Crombel’s king. For a small price.”
Thus, she had fallen into Kylo’s hands.
Learning the full story, Razel’s eyes shook with a sense of betrayal toward her family.
“So, I hope you don’t concern yourself with your homeland even in the slightest. I paid the price to Crombel’s king, but the ones who truly sold you out were Vertia’s king and your family.”
With those words, Kylo turned on his heel. He always left abruptly without farewells once his business was done.
It seemed he would do the same this time.
Distracted by his story, Razel suddenly grabbed hold of Kylo.
“Wh-Where are you going?”
Grasping his hem was an action she took without thinking. Kylo’s gaze briefly dropped to her hand holding him.
“I’m planning to tour the territory. It’s cold, so you can’t come along.”
Looking again, his attire was for going out. When he said he wasn’t busy anymore, it apparently didn’t mean he was idle.
Even after hearing his firm addition, Razel didn’t release her grip on his hem.
Instead, she brought her other hand into play, grasping the fur-lined collar of his cloak with both hands.
Her violet eyes, tinged with reluctance, met his before dropping to the cloak.
Then, with slightly trembling hands, she clumsily fastened his clothes, just as he had done for her moments ago.
“Like you said, it’s cold out…”
Razel added the words like an excuse, then lowered her hands a moment later.
Kylo’s outer coat was meticulously fastened, leaving no room for wind.
It was the result of spending several minutes on what would take him less than one.
After a long silence, Kylo let out a snort. He seemed incredulous.
‘My actions must have displeased him.’
Razel stepped back with an awkward expression.
But she didn’t regret her behavior. It was done out of concern that his body might suffer.
“…Come back safely.”
She even added a clumsy farewell after her awkward actions.
As she waited for him to leave, suddenly something heavy pressed down on the top of her head.
It was Kylo’s hand.
Since it withdrew quickly, Razel couldn’t grasp what he had done.
Had he pressed her bonnet down further? Or was it a press to tell her not to do unnecessary things?
Puzzled, but Kylo left only an unrelated remark before turning away.
“That task I mentioned earlier—making this place better—you’ll have to do it properly. That’s the grueling work I said I’d assign you.”
Razel watched his large back as he departed without lingering.
Footprints dotted the snowy path where he had passed.
