How could he say something like that so casually?
I wanted to cover his mouth with my hand, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Instead, I just clenched my fists helplessly.
"Wh—what are you talking about?! When did I ever—"
"I saw it clearly."
"You're not even undressed! Everyone is wearing undergarments!"
Though they called them undergarments, the knights were wearing thick, sturdy layers designed to be worn beneath armor. They were modest enough to serve as outerwear in a pinch.
Callius smiled mischievously as he watched me protest.
"So you admit to peeking."
"I wasn't peeking! And your voice is too loud...!"
I had lowered my voice to a desperate whisper, but Callius made no effort to match my tone. If anything, he spoke even louder.
"It's no use trying to avoid it."
Then he turned around and called out to the entire room:
"Did you all hear that? My bride is quite the voyeur, so everyone—be careful!"
"Yes, my lord!"
The knights answered loudly in unison, their voices echoing through the ker.
I caught a glimpse of the Uttar chieftain and his family laughing quietly among themselves.
My face felt like it was on fire.
Unable to face anyone, I collapsed onto my blanket and used Callius's large frame as a wall to shield myself from their amused gazes. I pulled the fur blanket up over my head.
The blanket had a rough, leathery smell and was surprisingly heavy.
From outside the blanket, Callius asked:
"Aren't you going to take off your outer layers?"
"Absolutely not. Not happening."
I tugged my leather jacket tighter around myself.
I could feel Callius laughing quietly.
"You should sleep early. We'll need to wake at dawn."
When I didn't respond—still sulking—he spoke again after a moment's pause.
"Would you like me to give you an arm pillow?"
I shifted slightly toward Lamia as a silent refusal.
Suddenly, Callius pulled himself closer and lay down beside me.
I lowered the blanket just enough to glare at him with only my eyes visible.
"Why are you moving closer?"
"Brentian has terrible sleeping habits."
He nodded toward something over my shoulder.
Brentian, who was lying down with his blanket pulled up to his neck, said in an absent tone:
"I don't have any sleeping habits."
Callius lowered his voice and whispered conspiratorially:
"Actually, that man smells terrible."
"Even an aide has his pride, my lord."
Callius turned toward Brentian and spoke in a stern, authoritative tone:
"It is impolite to eavesdrop on a couple's private conversation, Viscount Creep."
"Gossiping loud enough for everyone to hear is hardly private... No—my apologies, my lord."
Brentian stopped his rebuttal mid-sentence and simply tucked his metaphorical tail between his legs.
Lamia, who had been listening to the exchange, let out a quiet chuckle.
Of course, everyone heard it.
Brentian let out a deep, weary sigh upon hearing Lamia's laughter—which triggered a cascade of barely suppressed laughter from everyone else in the ker.
As the room filled with laughter, the awkward tension caused by the unfamiliar sleeping arrangements melted away instantly.
This isn't as bad as I thought it would be.
I pulled the blanket down to my neck and stared up at the ceiling.
Large chunks of cured ham hung from ropes tied to the exposed wooden beams overhead.
The firewood in the brazier at our feet crackled and burned, spreading warmth throughout the space.
It was my first time sleeping anywhere other than a bed. Though my body felt a little uncomfortable, the atmosphere was cozy and strangely comforting.
"Have sweet dreams."
Callius whispered in my ear.
"You too, Callius."
After giving a brief reply, I closed my eyes.
Soon, the sounds of snoring and deep, rhythmic breathing filled the ker.
I waited patiently for everyone to fall asleep, concentrating on the various sounds around me.
I need to find Lhasa and ask her directly what she wanted to tell me.
When the ker finally grew quiet, I very carefully slipped out from under my blanket.
Perhaps exhausted from the arduous journey, Lamia and the other maids were sleeping soundly, completely oblivious.
I crawled toward the door on my hands and knees, moving as silently as possible.
As I pushed aside the thick cloth blocking the entrance and stepped outside, a sharp wind immediately stung my cheeks.
Ugh—it's freezing!
It had been so warm inside the ker that I hadn't realized just how cold it was outside.
The wind was relentless. Despite my heavy clothing, the fierce snowstorm made every step a struggle. I kept slipping and falling, then getting back up again.
The ker where Lhasa had taken Callius earlier wasn't far. It had to be hers.
As I trudged toward it, someone suddenly tapped me on the shoulder.
"Where are you going?"
"...!"
I whirled around in shock and found Callius looking down at me.
He was definitely asleep just now...?
When had he woken up?
Still, I was relieved it was Callius who had followed me, and no one else.
I spoke honestly:
"Lhasa..."
My voice was muffled by the howling wind. I cleared my throat and spoke louder:
"I want to see Lhasa!"
"At this hour?"
Callius grabbed my arm firmly—perhaps worried I might be blown away by the wind.
It was a blessing. I had already been on the verge of being carried off like a fallen leaf.
I squinted against the wind and looked up at him.
"Lhasa gave me a prophecy!"
"Is that so?"
"She said she would show me something through her actions, but I'm not sure if I interpreted it correctly. I want to confirm it privately!"
"I see. So it's a secret, then—since you've waited until this hour."
"Yes! But I don't need to keep it secret from you, Callius."
As long as I kept Kavala's spies from knowing, there was no reason to hide anything from Callius. We were on the same side.
I gripped his arm with both hands and held on tightly—just like last time.
"Will you come with me? As you can see, it's... a bit difficult to do alone."
"Please call me next time. It's dangerous to wander alone in many ways."
I held his arm even tighter and smiled up at him as brightly as I could—though I could barely keep one eye open against the wind.
"Thank you."
"You say 'thank you' so often."
Do I?
Callius's observation caught me off guard.
I'd heard Andrea say things like, "Stop apologizing all the time, you sound like a broken record," but this was the first time anyone had ever said I thanked people too much.
"I suppose the Marquis gives me a lot to be thankful for."
My quiet murmur was carried away by the wind.
I was certain my voice had been drowned out completely—but by chance or design, Callius smiled, and I could have sworn I heard a kind reply whispered back.
With his support, I made my way toward Lhasa's ker.
I'd heard that Uttar families usually shared a single ker, with multiple generations living together—but Lhasa had her own dwelling all to herself.
Callius carefully opened the entrance and called inside:
"Lhasa? Are you sleeping?"
Smoke drifted out from within.
Callius looked around inside, then said as he let me in:
"I don't see Lhasa."
As he said, the ker was empty.
Judging by the embers still glowing in the brazier, Lhasa hadn't been gone for long.
At the entrance, we shook the snow from our clothes and sat down on cushions near the brazier to wait.
Callius pointed toward the innermost seat.
"It looks like she went out for a while."
A golden rope lay coiled on Lhasa's seat—a cord strung with colorful polished stones.
"The fact that this is here means the ker's owner stepped out temporarily."
"She went out alone in this freezing weather? Where could she have gone?"
"I'm not certain, but Lhasa is a prophet with mystical powers. I don't think there's any need to worry about her."
"That's reassuring."
"Let's wait here for a moment."
I was still shivering from the drop in body temperature after being outside, so Callius suggested I move closer to the brazier.
I didn't refuse. I sat down directly in front of the fire and held my hands out toward the flames.
Because I was wearing clothes structured so that my hands were covered, the heat didn't reach my skin directly. I kept leaning closer and closer to the fire, until I started to smell the faint scent of burning leather.
"Be careful."
Callius, noticing that my clothes were starting to singe, gently pulled my arm back from the flames.
"Oh—thank you."
Callius smiled meaningfully. It was a mischievous expression.
I smiled back, realizing what he was hinting at.
"You're right. I'm doing it again."
Saying 'thank you' so soon after the last time.
I stared at Callius's face without thinking.
The firelight in the brazier cast deep shadows across his features, making his already handsome face even more striking.
The orange glow reflecting in his eyes made his gaze feel incredibly warm.
My eyes were drawn to him as if pulled by a magnet.
I stared at him blankly, not even realizing what I was doing.
Then, as if in a trance, I confessed:
"Do you know, Callius... that Kavala sent me to you as a spy?"
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