My body staggered and tilted, and I saw the blue sky. The dark face of a man that blocked half of my view. When my eyes met his faded grayish-blue pupils, I was startled and quickly tried to rise. Perhaps thinking I was about to fall again, the man grabbed me once more.

“Be careful. If you fall, it will be a big problem.”

His grip, despite being urgent, was soft and gentle, without any strength in it.

I pulled away from him and subtly examined him with my eyes.

‘… What is this?’

Although I was grateful for his help, something about the man made me suspicious.

He wore a black robe of high-quality silk, but with no embroidery. And the black veil that covered his face.

Anyone could tell he was hiding a secret. His appearance screamed, “I must not reveal my identity.”

Even if he had just walked by looking like this, I would have found him suspicious, but he deliberately chose the moment I was about to fall to grab me from behind.

There were no small marks on his sleeves, so he wasn’t a shadow who had secretly followed me.

‘An assassin?’

That thought came naturally. Although I had changed into the plain clothes of a commoner, merchants sometimes referred to me as a noble lady.

I had grown up learning royal etiquette, and there were things that had become second nature to me, which sometimes made me a target.

“Thank you so much for helping me. If I had fallen, I would have had a scar on my face.”

Mother. Another one today, I thought with a faint smile.

“They say even brushing shoulders is fate. How could I just let go of a benefactor? Please allow me to repay this kindness.”

As I spoke warmly, the man immediately nodded and spoke.

“Do as you wish.”

His voice was enigmatic. A deep, cavernous tone, but it didn’t feel rough.

Why was he doing this with such a pleasant voice? I clicked my tongue inwardly and led him onward.

“I have a place to stay. It may not suit your taste, but it’s rather beautiful, so please bear with me.”

As I spoke, walking through the marketplace toward the residential area, I heard his footsteps falter slightly.

“I am not a courtesan. I work as a maid in a tavern.”

I had expected this reaction, so I casually added, “I often say this when things like this happen.”

The reactions split into two categories: the first was when someone abruptly left, saying something urgent came up. In that case, I showed some leniency, as it meant they hadn’t killed me for no reason.

But in other cases…

I cut off my thoughts and kept walking. The man didn’t stop and quietly followed behind me. When we reached a place where there were no signs of anyone around, I sighed and turned my head.

The man was still standing there, all in black. I silently watched him, curious about how he would act, and he slowly brought his hand to his head. He removed the veil, revealing his face hidden underneath.

His dark ash-colored hair and his grayish-blue eyes, like the dawn sky. I had briefly met his gaze earlier, but now I could vaguely sense it; the man had a nostalgic aura.

Of course, his appearance and temperament were very different from Gawun’s, but he was still someone who could be considered handsome.

Unlike Gawun, who had delicate features, this man had strong, masculine features and a large frame.

But more than anything, he had no expression.

‘A typical trait of an assassin.’

Gawun, though not very expressive, had a variety of expressions. She smiled, pouted, blushed, and felt shy.

Ah, I miss Gawun. I suddenly suppressed my longing for her and focused on the situation. No matter how powerful the orders were, if my throat were slit in an instant, it would all be in vain.

However, after removing the veil, the man did nothing. He merely glanced around a couple of times with his cold, expressionless face and then asked me:

“Is this the tavern?”

His flat, expressionless voice made me think he was mocking me.

But there was no response, and the man looked at me as though he truly expected an answer.

“Of course…”

“……”

“Isn’t it?”

Why is he asking that? No, and why isn’t he saying anything?

“How did you follow me?”

“…I just followed the path you were taking.”

“So, what’s the reason?”

“You said you wanted to repay a favor.”

The man’s eyes were clear as he spoke.

“Wasn’t it… an assassin?”

“…No.”

The man answered even to my muttered words. Though his expression didn’t change, his gaze had deepened more than before, and I was left feeling speechless.

“No, seriously. Who follows someone they’ve just met today without any suspicion?”

“…”

The man didn’t answer me. I couldn’t exactly say “I followed you” either, and I admit it was a rather shameless question after I had asked him to follow me.

Still, it was rather absurd. He acted as if he was in danger but then showed such innocence.

‘Anyone who sees him might think he’s been living in the mountains for the last ten years.’

I clicked my tongue softly, thinking it was a bit of a shame to send him off like this, even though I felt like I might have gotten the wrong person.

“Could you wait here for a moment?”

* * *

After briefly sitting the man on a stone wall, I went back to the marketplace and bought two pieces of *dangho-ro* (a type of traditional snack). It wasn’t much, but I had no choice.

I couldn’t take him to a restaurant; there were too many people, and I couldn’t just say, “I’m the crown prince, and I’ll cleanse myself of this rudeness in the palace.”

Luckily, the man accepted the *dangho-ro* without any complaint. It was one of my favorite snacks, but I didn’t eat any myself; instead, I watched him carefully.

It may look simple, but it’s quite tasty.

There was a crunching sound as he bit into it. The man managed to eat without spilling any, elegantly placing the *dangho-ro* in his mouth. He chewed a few times before swallowing it quickly.

“Is it to your liking?”

“…Yes.”

Ah, that’s a relief. I was worried he might not like sweet things.

“I’m sorry. Sometimes I make assumptions due to past experiences, and I got confused.”

I felt guilty for apologizing with food, but as I said it, the man, his cheek puffed out from the snack, shook his head.

“It was my mistake for not realizing sooner, so please don’t worry.”

Oh, he’s a decent person.

I felt reassured and took a bite myself, but as I chewed, I caught his gaze.

Those eyes really are similar to Gawun’s. It’s been so long, I’m not sure if I even remember it correctly, but it felt like the same person.

The letter I received not long ago didn’t have any special content, so he shouldn’t have been able to come up here yet.

“Are you from the Mahou family by any chance?”

I asked as I watched his eyes closely, and the man, who had been chewing on his *dangho-ro*, froze. He then nodded.

My face lit up instantly. It was more exciting to find out that the man before me was from Gawun’s hometown than to discover that Gawun’s eye color was inherited.

“Then, did you come up to the capital from the Mahou estate?”

After I bombarded him with questions, the man swallowed the fruit in his mouth and answered.

“Yes.”

“Just recently?”

“Yes.”

“Then, do you know someone named Gawun?”

The man, who had answered quickly to the previous questions, hesitated at that one. I soon realized my mistake.

“Ah, she wouldn’t be a child anymore, would she?”

Gawun must be over twenty by now.

“Yes. I know her.”

The man replied to my comment, and I immediately asked again.

“How is she doing? Oh, sorry.”

I’d called her a child because I had known her when she was young, so the title just stuck.

“Do you have a close relationship with her?”

The man, who had been silent, asked as he looked at me intently. I nodded.

“She’s an old friend… It’s been quite a while since I last saw her.”

It’s been a really long time. But she was still a dear person.

“Do you know when her training will be finished?”

I asked what had been on my mind. I felt a little guilty for only talking about Gawun, but when would I get this opportunity again?

“You’ll hear good news soon enough.”

His words made it hard for me to hide my expression. I was glad I had asked boldly.

“Thank you!”

I’ll be able to see her soon. How much has she grown?

Would she still remember me?

I couldn’t hold back a soft laugh as I finished the remaining dangho-ro, and at the same time, I felt a slight sting on one side of my face.

Why does he keep looking at me?

I looked up and met his gaze. He didn’t avert his eyes.

He’s such an unusual person. He answers so briefly, his tone so blunt, yet it doesn’t feel like he dislikes this conversation.

“Ah, come to think of it, we haven’t even introduced ourselves.”

I cheerfully initiated the conversation. Even if I go back to the palace, he was someone I would want to meet again.

“I am Sanghi of the Ihwa family. May I ask your name, noble sir?”

I gave the name I had prepared for outings. The man continued to watch me with that same inscrutable look in his eyes, then quietly murmured.

“Ban-ya. My name is Ban-ya.”