Snow continued falling across the northern city through the long winter night.
The small inn stood quietly beneath silver moonlight while cold wind brushed softly against frost-covered windows and sleeping streets.
Inside—
Warm lantern light illuminated wooden corridors where Rosenfeld escort knights silently maintained watch positions.
The atmosphere felt calm.
Peaceful.
Yet beneath that quietness—
Thoughts moved restlessly inside many hearts tonight.
Warmth.
That was the first thing Aria noticed when consciousness slowly returned.
Not fully awake.
Just drifting between sleep and awareness.
The blankets felt warm.
Soft.
The room carried the faint scent of burning pinewood from the fireplace nearby while distant winter wind brushed lightly against the inn windows.
Aria slowly opened her eyes halfway.
For several moments—
She simply stared blankly toward the dim ceiling illuminated by soft lantern glow.
Then gradually—
Fragments of the journey returned.
The banquet.
The carriage.
The monster.
Kel.
And immediately afterward—
A strange realization surfaced inside her mind.
"…He carried me."
Her silver eyes blinked slowly.
Then she quietly looked around the room.
The room itself appeared calm and carefully prepared.
The blanket had been adjusted properly around her.
A glass of warm water rested near the bedside table.
Even the fireplace burned at controlled temperature.
Someone had clearly arranged everything carefully after placing her here.
Inside the corridor beyond her room—
Faint armored footsteps occasionally became audible.
Guard rotations.
At first—
Aria thought little of it.
But then—
She noticed something unusual.
There were too many footsteps.
Too consistent.
Quietly curious—
She slowly rose from bed afterward and walked toward the door.
The wooden floor felt warm beneath her bare feet due to heating enchantments spread subtly through the room.
Then softly—
She opened the door slightly.
Immediately—
Two Rosenfeld knights standing outside straightened.
"My lady."
Aria blinked once.
Then glanced down the corridor.
More knights.
Several stationed at different angles surrounding the area.
Her silver eyes widened slightly afterward.
"All of you are stationed here?"
One knight respectfully lowered his head.
"Yes, my lady."
Another added carefully:
"These were Young Master Kel's orders."
Silence.
Aria quietly processed the answer.
Then slowly—
She closed the door again.
The room became silent afterward.
Only the fireplace crackled softly nearby.
Aria sat at the edge of the bed quietly.
And for some reason—
Her chest felt strangely warm.
Because honestly—
Kel himself didn't keep guards near his own room.
Yet he stationed all escorts near hers.
Inside her mind—
A soft thought emerged unconsciously.
"He prioritizes others too naturally…"
Then another memory surfaced.
The carriage.
The way he steadied her each time she lost balance.
The way he quietly cooled her drink earlier at the banquet.
The way he noticed every discomfort without needing words.
And most dangerously—
The way he did all those things naturally.
Without trying to impress anyone.
Aria slowly lowered her eyes afterward.
A faint blush quietly appeared across her face beneath the warm firelight.
"…Idiot."
Yet despite the insult—
Her voice sounded strangely soft.
Then quietly—
She lay back against the bed once more.
And this time—
The warmth surrounding her no longer came only from blankets or fireplace.
Downstairs—
Near the inn's common hall—
Several Rosenfeld knights quietly rested while maintaining partial rotation duty.
Armor pieces rested beside chairs.
Weapons remained within arm's reach.
Even while resting—
Northern knights never truly relaxed completely.
The fireplace crackled softly while snow continued falling beyond the windows.
Meanwhile—
The lead knight sat silently near one corner polishing frost from part of his gauntlet.
Another younger knight quietly spoke afterward.
"…Our young master is strange."
Several nearby knights glanced toward him briefly.
Not offended.
Because honestly—
They all thought similar things.
The younger knight quickly corrected himself.
"I mean… strange in a good way."
A veteran knight sitting nearby softly laughed.
"We understood."
Another knight leaned back against his chair afterward.
"Honestly…"
A pause followed.
"…I thought noble heirs only cared about appearances."
Several others quietly nodded.
Because most of them had served nobles before joining House Rosenfeld's direct forces.
They understood the difference.
One older knight finally spoke afterward.
"But Young Master Kel notices everything."
Another added:
"He asked whether we ate first before asking about readiness."
The younger knight quietly muttered:
"And gave us proper rooms."
Silence followed briefly.
Because that detail affected them more deeply than expected.
Not because of luxury.
But because of acknowledgment.
Meanwhile—
The lead knight finally spoke calmly.
"He observes people carefully."
Another knight nodded.
"When we suggested resting at an inn earlier…"
A pause followed.
"…he actually listened."
The younger knight softly laughed afterward.
"And when that monster appeared…"
His expression became complicated.
"He disappeared alone and came back carrying the core like it was nothing."
Several knights quietly remembered the scene.
The blood.
The silence afterward.
The absurd calmness.
One veteran knight finally muttered:
"That wasn't the strength of a normal fifteen-year-old."
Silence spread again.
Because none of them disagreed.
Meanwhile—
Another knight softly spoke afterward.
"Did you notice something?"
The others looked toward him.
The knight quietly continued.
"Even after killing that monster…"
Another pause.
"…the young master apologized to Lady Aria for disturbing her sleep."
Several knights visibly blinked.
Then slowly—
A few laughed quietly.
Not mockingly.
More like disbelief.
The younger knight shook his head afterward.
"That honestly shocked me more than the monster."
The lead knight finally leaned slightly backward afterward.
His gaze shifted toward the ceiling above where the rooms rested.
Then quietly—
He spoke.
"He's dangerous."
The younger knight stiffened slightly hearing that.
But the lead knight calmly continued.
"Not because of strength alone."
Another pause followed.
"But because people naturally begin trusting him."
Silence.
Heavy silence.
Because once spoken aloud—
Everyone realized it was true.
Kel never demanded loyalty openly.
Yet somehow—
People willingly moved closer toward him anyway.
The lead knight quietly looked toward the fireplace flames afterward.
"I've escorted many nobles."
Another pause.
"Most inspire obedience."
His expression hardened slightly.
"But Young Master Kel…"
The veteran knight completed the sentence softly.
"…inspires devotion."
No one argued afterward.
Because tonight alone—
Every knight present already understood something clearly.
If Kel someday became Duke of the North—
The Rosenfeld forces would likely follow him without hesitation.
Not out of fear.
Not merely duty.
But because he treated them like people instead of disposable tools.
Meanwhile—
Above them—
The future heir of House Rosenfeld slept quietly beneath warm lantern light completely unaware of the thoughts spreading among those around him.
Inside his mind—
Sairen silently observed everything.
The sleeping inn.
The guarded corridors.
The escort knights.
Aria's warm emotions.
And most importantly—
Kel himself.
The boy who claimed humanity was selfish.
Yet continued caring for others instinctively.
The ancient spirit of scarder lake softly smiled within the darkness afterward.
"…You really are contradictory, Kel."
Outside—
Snow continued falling endlessly across the North while the future ruler of House Rosenfeld unknowingly gathered loyalty simply by existing beside those who walked with him.