As soon as Kai mounted, Ben turned his head before Kai even took the reins, as if naturally heading towards Verudura. Kai stroked Ben’s rough mane while gripping the reins.

Now that she said she doesn’t feel lonely because of me, I thought it was just a matter of giving it a try.

Already worrying about what if she’s asleep, fortunately, Stella was in the garden. She seemed unusually busy alone, but when Kai approached, he saw her tightly holding a dagger in both hands and swinging it vigorously, just as Kai had taught her.

Kai observed Stella practicing, hiding his presence. There was no ulterior motive; he simply thought it was the duty of a mentor to watch if the disciple practiced properly.

“Hiyap!”

“Hap!”

“Eeyah!”

The sound of the moves varied.

“Hut!”

“Like this!”

“Pook!”

“When stabbing!”

“Forcefully!”

The dagger held tightly with both hands moved vigorously back and forth. Stella suddenly stopped her movements as if thinking about something. Then, looking at the dagger thoughtfully, she held it upside down, with the blade pointing towards her chest. Kai’s eyebrows furrowed menacingly.

Stella, as if gauging where the tip of the sharp blade should touch, repeatedly pressed the pointed end of the dagger against various parts of her chest before extending her arm fully.

The tip of the dagger aimed directly at where her heart would be. She slowly extended the arm holding the dagger. If she were to pull her arm with force, the sharp tip of the dagger would pierce the skin and tear into the heart.
Kai leaped off Ben’s back. The sword that Stella had been holding had somehow moved into Kai’s hands.

“What are you doing right now?”

“Huh? Why are you so upset?”

Stella asked with a puzzled expression. However, Kai didn’t seem to register Stella’s question at all.

“Is this what you practiced with the dagger for? Do you want to die?”

Kai’s face turned crimson with anger.

Stella couldn’t understand why Royce was so furious.

“Royce, why? Why should I die?”

“Just now, you—”

Only then did Kai realize that his expression, for someone who had just decided to die, was excessively cheerful.

“So, what were you doing?”

“Just poking, wondering how painful it would be if I were stabbed with that dagger. And if there’s a pain worse than death waiting, could I choose death myself?”

“So, you were trying to stab yourself?”

“No, not like that.”

Stella, earnestly answering Royce’s questioning, suddenly realized that he was not addressing her with respect.

“Royce.”

“What?”

He still hadn’t cooled down; his eyes and cheeks remained stiff. Unexpressed anger lingered in the cold, brown eyes.

“Why? Why treat me with contempt? Sir Royce Kyeong?”
Kai realized belatedly that he had spoken comfortably without realizing it and subtly turned his head. Despite pretending not to notice, he let out a sigh, but by then, the time he spent being angry was quite long.

Damn.

“Sorry. I’ll stop. It was too surprising.”

Although she questioned him about why he was treating her with contempt, Stella was not genuinely angry. Instead, the image of him running towards her with a pale face was vividly etched in her mind.

“You were worried about me, Sir Royce?”

“People shouldn’t die because of the sword I gave them.”

Kai tried to speak as calmly as possible.

“Is that the only reason?”

Stella’s large, warm eyes stared penetratingly at Kai. Facing the strangely intersecting green and brown irises, it felt like looking at the vast night sky full of stars.

“Then what else could there be?”

Kai, with a stubborn gaze, stared at Stella and coldly retorted.

“I see.”

After Stella gave a meek response, she turned her head away from Royce. Strangely, a feeling of disappointment lingered.

Ugh, if only he had spoken more politely. It seems I might as well die. Regrets surfaced about the moments when she thought she should’ve taken care of Royce while harvesting delicious crops.

When the round eyes that used to only look at her changed direction, Kai couldn’t shake off the feeling that something had gone terribly wrong. It was like the sensation of losing direction abruptly due to a sudden rush of clouds while navigating while earnestly looking at the stars.
Kai wanted to grab Stella’s shoulder and ask why she was turning her head.

“Why did you come here at this hour? It’s not a day for sword practice today.”

A voice, devoid of warmth and creaking, was heard. Kai became uneasy with strange impatience. He wondered why the voice had changed like that, and he was suddenly scared of what might happen if Stella continued to address him in such a manner.

Scared? Why?

Kai found Stella, who made him feel this way, annoying. But he couldn’t get angry with Stella.

Why? He was afraid Stella might keep turning her head like this.

Damn it.

Regardless of the reason, he eventually reached one conclusion. Why?

Confused, hurt pride, angry, unfair, fearful, and helpless. All the emotions that came to mind were unpleasant. They were emotions that didn’t suit an emperor like him.

Despite the complex emotions he couldn’t explain, his body moved on its own.