Home/I confined you, but I have no ill will/ch 15

15.

Kite, his upper body bare and dripping water, was leaning against the doorframe, watching Ibelin. Realizing this, a chill ran down her spine.

Ibelin slowly hid the shard she was holding behind her back.

Kite, seeing her, slowly lowered his gaze.

The beauty of his appearance—so different from his violent nature—shone even in this moment. But no matter how beautiful he was, his nickname was the Mad Dog.

"You were washing."

"I was."

How long had Kite been watching?

"But then a little mouse came in and started rustling around. It was distracting—how could I keep washing?"

"I'm sorry. I just stopped by in case you needed anything."

"It seems you're the one who needs something, not me."

He had been watching from the start.

She had moved quietly enough, but the problem was that her opponent was far from ordinary.

"The room was messy, so I came to clean."

"And while cleaning, you also found the shard I hid?"

At this point, there was no point in hiding it further. Ibelin let out a small sigh and brought her hand back around.

"I found it while tidying the blanket."

"You went straight for the pillow, though—as if you knew exactly where I'd hidden something."

"I just checked the pillow first."

Ibelin said that as she slowly backed away. There was still distance between her and Kite, but relying on that would be foolish.

He was a combat specialist, and she was an ordinary noblewoman. If Kite lunged, she would be the one in trouble.

She had taken only a few steps back when goosebumps suddenly erupted all over her body.

Sensing the danger, Ibelin tried to dodge—but Kite grabbed her robe first.

"Ah!"

Fortunately, he hadn't caught her body, but the robe tore as she pulled away.

My face!

She hurriedly tried to cover her face—but this time, Kite was faster.

Thud.

The two of them fell to the floor just like that. Ibelin on the bottom, Kite on top.

Before Ibelin could cover her face with her hands, Kite grabbed her wrists.

"Let me see the kidnapper's face, shall I?"

Her flickering green eyes met Kite's. Frightened, Ibelin involuntarily let out a sharp breath.

For a moment, silence hung between them. Kite confirmed her face, then made a peculiar expression.

"You—"

At that moment, Ibelin belatedly realized one thing: the Kite now on top of her was wearing nothing above the waist.

His well-trained, muscular body was fully in her view.

"P-pe—pervert!"

Ibelin jerked her head up and headbutted Kite.

"Agh!"

It only took a moment's opening to slip free. Rolling away, Ibelin was already at the door.

"Wait—pervert?!"

Kite's voice came belatedly, sounding wronged.

"You—you were undressed, so you're a pervert!"

"You came in while I was washing in the first place!"

Ibelin went out and slammed the door shut. Leaning her back against the closed door, she slid down to the floor.

Thump, thump.

Her heart was still pounding violently. It felt like it might leap out of her mouth.

"Ugh."

Ibelin covered her face with both hands, then slapped her own cheeks.

Get a grip.

A naked man's body—it was her first time seeing one.

First time, right.

After all, what man would walk around undressed in front of a noble lady? Her flushed face was red as an apple.

This was no time for that. What she needed to recall wasn't Kite's bare body.

He had seen her face. She should have worn a mask. She had let herself feel safe just by pulling up her hood. Originally, she had planned to leave the capital once she confirmed Kite's safety, then go live in the North as her grandfather had often mentioned. So she had been sloppy in some ways.

"What now?"

Was there a way to make Kite forget? There were such drugs, but most of them harmed the body. Right now, she was trying to save Kite—not kill him.

Leaning against the wall, she slowly raised her head.

"It's over now."

Ibelin murmured lowly. The maid disguise was useless now.

Since he's seen my face.

Perhaps the very plan of safely confining Kite until the Emperor's birthday had been impossible from the start. But she couldn't just stand by while her grandfather's benefactor was in danger. That was why she had thrown herself into this risky venture.

If so, there was only one option left.

Persuade the Archduke—Kite.

Ibelin touched the torn hem of her robe and composed her thoughts. Kite had already figured out she was connected to the Northern Army. And now he had seen her face—so a frontal approach might be better.

Ibelin pressed her lips together and stared at the wall opposite.

Could she persuade Kite with words? He wasn't just any noble—he was a man who had survived battlefields. It might not be easy.

"Fine."

Kidnapping him in the first place hadn't been easy either. There was no point in worrying now. Ibelin steeled herself and stood up.

It was time to confront him head-on.

---

Struck in the face by Ibelin, Kite froze for a moment. He had lived a rough life, but no one had ever hit him in the face before.

"Hah."

His nose, having collided with her forehead, hurt quite a bit.

"This woman."

She hits someone and runs away? And calls him a pervert? Who would like such a scrawny woman? She wasn't even his type.

Kite rubbed his throbbing nose and gritted his teeth. But his indignation didn't last long. Despite his nickname, he was a fairly rational man.

Mary—that woman had easily found the plate shard he had hidden. As if someone had told her.

The age of magic had ended, but not all the marvels of that time had vanished. His own subordinate Seren, for instance, had inherited sharp instincts through his bloodline.

Kite closed his eyes and ran through the abilities he knew.

"Prophecy."

It didn't take long to grasp the thread.

"Or clairvoyance."

Otherwise, there was no way she could have known what he had done.

"Still, her face looks familiar."

Kite searched his memory. It wasn't a face he had seen in the capital. So he must have seen her in the North. Brown hair and strange green eyes like a forest. And then he remembered someone he had long buried.

Baron Frillie. For a man who had drifted through battlefields, he had a rather refined appearance. Despite being middle-aged, he looked young and was often mistaken for being younger.

He was also excessively meddlesome. He constantly tried to look after the young boy sent to the Northern army. At first, Kite couldn't fully trust anyone's goodwill and had been suspicious.

"Why do you go this far for me?"

What had Baron Frillie answered then?

"I have a young granddaughter. When she was born, my heart raced as if I had received a gift. Newborn life is so precious."

"That's not a fitting answer to my question."

"No, hear me out. My granddaughter's name is Ibelin."

After that, Baron Frillie went on for a long time boasting about his granddaughter. He added commentary to even the most trivial actions, and Kite watched him with curiosity.

Only after all that boasting did Baron Frillie give his answer.

"Therefore, every child is precious. That includes you, Lord Kite."

When Kite first heard that, he had twisted his face in displeasure. If every child truly was precious, he wouldn't have ended up here.

Back   Next