The Knight Commander of the Second Male Lead [Novel] Chapter 78

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 78

Chapter Title: Midnight Rendezvous

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Nina flung open the shutters before the sound of knocking on the window could even begin.

Her eyes met exactly with Adrian's, his hand raised to knock.

Nina's eyes widened round, and Adrian glanced once at the sky before speaking.

"Isn't it time you were asleep by now?"

"How could I sleep, knowing you're heading out alone?"

"So you were keeping watch on my presence?"

"My bad."

Nina bowed her head, and he smiled faintly, gesturing for her to open the window.

Nina quickly unlatched it and tried to climb out, but he stopped her.

Adrian politely pointed out her attire, and Nina let out an "oh" before hurrying to the wardrobe.

Adrian slipped smoothly through the window and asked,

"Mind if I braid your hair?"

"Sure, make it pretty—like a jeweled coronet."

Nina quickly slipped on a bright tunic and cinched her waist belt as she spoke.

She plopped onto the stool and handed him the ribbons. Adrian held one in his hand and draped the other over his wrist.

He began parting her hair into thin sections, braiding it with delicate care.

"Where'd you learn to do this, Adrian?"

"When I was little."

His words paused for a moment. Their gazes crossed in the dull mirror.

The ducal family's mirror was old, spotted with age like liver spots, its surface overall hazy.

Even through that mirror, they could easily read each other's faces.

A flicker of worry crossed Nina's expression.

Adrian smiled faintly and continued.

"I watched my mother and the others do their hair back then."

Luxuriant golden-brown waves, piled high and dusted with pearl or gold powder.

His beautiful mother, adorned with delicate ornaments, rising gracefully— she was his pride.

Though he had never once called her by name aloud.

Sometimes, he even wondered if she might not truly be his mother.

Gaudy stage decorations.

Dazzling lights.

A clamor of people.

Heavy velvet curtains opening and closing.

Songs and smoke that drew everyone in.

Showering confetti and cheers.

Amid all that brilliance, he was always lonely.

Always, always, always.

The people in the waiting room were beautiful and kind, offering the sort of gentle affection one gives to someone else's pet.

Words like "how cute," stroking hands, occasional hugs.

At first, he thought that was love, that he could cling to it.

But they all uniformly brushed off his clinging hands with cold detachment or troubled faces and left.

Their affection was for the people they loved, not for him.

When the lights went out, he was left alone behind the empty, dark stage.

His share was nothing but the hanging shadows.

Until Nina found him.

Adrian tied off the ribbon, finishing her hair, then stepped back to admire his work.

Nina ran her fingertips over the braid at the back of her head and nodded in satisfaction.

"I could never do it like this. So..."

Still seated on the stool, she twisted her waist and turned her head.

"Where are we going?"

"I'll tell you on the way. Fair warning—I'm not here as your escort."

"Got it."

Nina jumped up from her seat. Adrian went out the window first.

There was hardly any footing outside the townhouse window.

Adrian stood atop a gargoyle-shaped drain spout, helping Nina out.

With only her toes on the ledge, fully held tight by Adrian, Nina giggled softly.

"Feels like we're doing something naughty. Kinda thrilling."

Slipping out of the mansion together without anyone knowing made her heart race.

Adrian chuckled.

"Then we're dropping."

"Wheee!"

She buried her face in his chest and let out a small cheer.

Riding the shadows, the two plummeted downward. The darkness of the shrubbery below cushioned them softly.

The odd sensation of the impact absorbing into her soles and vanishing.

"I always think it's amazing. Shadows can do so many things."

"Your spirits are the same."

As he said that, he offered his hand with a "Let's go," and Nina grabbed it promptly.

They walked midnight alleys as dark and deep as a shadow forest.

Walking together—how intimate that was.

Standing close enough to feel each other's warmth, matching strides and pace, moving in sync.

Nina gazed at him walking ahead and smiled.

'I'm usually the one in front.'

It was shortly after she had entered the Rubaenu Ducal Family as a maid.

Nina had seized a chance to sneak into Adrian's bedroom in the dead of night.

It hadn't been hard to slip in. The end room where he stayed was empty of people.

She thought she'd have to wake him, but he was awake.

With dark, resigned eyes, he asked, "Here to kill me?" Nina held out her hand. "Adrian, the moon's so pretty. Let's go on a picnic."

'Looking back now, I have no idea why he followed.'

Adrian had taken her hand without protest and come out to the garden. She was shocked.

In one corner of the garden, she had prepared a feast from the kitchen scraps—the best, intact ones she could gather.

Bread crusts with plenty of the white butter-soaked parts left.

On top, finely chopped ham rolled up, scraped from the huge bones the cook had discarded.

She'd even made a salad from fruit peels beautifully carved and vegetable scraps.

It was the best banquet she could manage.

Adrian ate it without complaint and played with her in the garden all night.

From that day, whenever their times aligned, Nina would tap on the window, and Adrian always followed her out.

But now...

She tugged his hand firmly to walk side by side. Adrian glanced at her and smiled faintly.

Black hair softly gleaming even in the dark.

Rose-quartz eyes.

She loved the delicate tenderness in those eyes and wanted to act spoiled endlessly.

The only one who let her get away with it.

Nina smiled and voiced what came to mind.

"Walking like this reminds me of that time we went to the garden."

They'd gone more than once or twice, but Adrian instantly knew what she meant.

"Yeah."

"I still don't get what made you follow me. You asked if I was there to kill you right when we met, then just came along."

"I'd never been on a picnic. The word drew me in."

"Really?"

Nina turned to him in surprise, and Adrian nodded lightly. She let out a deep sigh.

"But what I prepared was kinda iffy..."

"No."

Adrian squeezed her hand and said,

"It was more than enough."

"Really?"

"Really."

"It was my best effort anyway. And it tasted good, so all good."

Nina bounced back quickly, nodding, and Adrian affirmed it.

She had given him the very best she could offer.

No one else had ever done that for him. Even if it was something good, what he received was always what was left at the end.

Nina was the only one who prepared the best for him.

That was enough—more than enough, overflowing.

Nina looked up at him and asked,

"So, what's up today? Where are we investigating?"

"How'd you know?"

"I know all your tells. If it's not something needing an escort, you're taking me as a partner. Means there's investigating to do together. Plus, with all the suspicious stuff happening in the capital."

Nina explained at length, thrilled that she naturally filled that partner role.

"There's a sages' gathering nearby."

Adrian said that and stopped. Traveling via shadow spirit felt strange.

Like peeking at a color world from a black-and-white one.

Adrian dismissed the spirit, and the world sharpened vividly in an instant.

"Come to think of it, I think I saw Randell today."

She briefly recounted the plaza incident and peered down the narrow alley.

"But a sages' meeting in a place like this? At this hour?"