Two figures fell into Kael's line of sight—both of them female.
One of them, a girl he didn't recognize, was in the stream, with only her head and upper chest visible above the water.
The other was seated on a rock facing the girl in the stream, her back turned to Kael.
He couldn't see her face—not like he'd ever seen it before—but he was sure it was Night.
Her lower face was usually concealed by a black mask, while her hair and upper face were hidden beneath a black cloak, revealing only the area around her eyes. Almost nothing of her body was ever shown.
But now, with no cloak on, her arms were exposed under the sleeveless shirt she wore, and her straight, glossy black hair fell freely down her back.
What confirmed it for him were the short swords placed beside her.
They had been pointed at him not too long ago—he recognized them very well.
What surprised him was seeing another girl with her. All this while, he thought Night was the only one.
The other young lady looked about the same age as him—maybe slightly younger—with long brown hair.
Before he could observe any further, it hit him.
He was watching two girls bathing.
He hadn't meant to—it wasn't intentional—but that didn't change how it looked.
This was very embarrassing... and easily misinterpreted.
'I have to get out of here!'
He quickly turned around to leave, but it was too late. That familiar feeling washed over him—killing intent. A dangerous one at that.
He could feel it directly behind him.
"What are you doing here?"
Kael felt like punching himself. Everything just kept working against him.
He turned to face her. Without the hood, more of her face was visible—but that wasn't important right now.
"I followed a series of glowing blue materials to get here. I don't know if you saw them. I decided to check it out without raising any false alarms. I wasn't expecting to see you both here," Kael explained quickly. His tone remained calm despite the tension.
Night stared at him for several seconds before turning away. "You better leave here—and don't say a word about this if you value your life. Next time something like this happens, I'll kill you on the spot."
She walked back toward the girl in the stream, who was still watching them.
Kael didn't waste a second. He left immediately, deciding to keep a much lower profile from now on.
"Who was that?" the young lady asked.
"It's nothing—just someone who got lost," Night replied, sitting back down on the rock.
"He's quite handsome. I didn't see him when you guys arrived. Was he the one you found the other day?" she asked as she stepped out of the stream.
Night simply nodded.
"You should get dressed. We'll be leaving soon."
Kael used the markings to find his way back to camp.
He arrived just in time as they were preparing to move out.
"You gathered quite a lot. Are you sure you'll be okay carrying all that? I don't think we'll stop until we reach our territory—roughly fourteen hours of walking," the black-haired soldier he'd spoken with earlier asked.
Kael's eyes drifted to the bag on his back. He hadn't known that. Had he known, he wouldn't have carried so much.
"Also, there'll be lots of beasts near the territory borders. So stay alert," another soldier with brown hair added.
Kael nodded, and soon after, they set out.
It took them about four hours to leave the forested region.
During that time, Night said nothing about the incident—which Kael was very relieved about.
Still, he couldn't help but look around for the girl he had seen with her. He was certain she saw him too. But now, she was nowhere to be found.
Soldiers were not allowed to cover their faces with helmets or hoods. It was a rule intended to make identifying intruders easier. So he didn't understand why he couldn't detect her among them.
"There aren't many females in this army," he muttered aloud, more to himself than anyone else.
"What do you mean? This is an all-male special unit," the black-haired soldier responded.
Kael's brows furrowed in confusion. "Then what about Night?"
"You sure are getting familiar, huh? Do you think we're your buddies now? Even calling her by name?" Another soldier growled.
He stood at least seven feet tall, one of the biggest among them, and his expression was filled with disgust and irritation. He was one of those clearly displeased by Kael's presence.
Most of the soldiers had been harshly trained to become elite warriors—and many carried a superiority complex toward outsiders.
If not for the Supreme Inquisitor's backing, who knew what might've happened to him by now?
"Come on, his curiosity's harmless. It's not like we sit around sharing stories every day. He's more entertaining than the rest of you stiff-necked lot," another soldier, a middle-aged man, chuckled.
"Night isn't one of us," the black-haired soldier clarified. "Her identity is classified. We're not supposed to get too close. You should avoid her. And if you ever see blue ribbons—walk away. That's her private space."
It was too late for this information.
Given how her face was covered—unlike everyone else's—it made sense. But one thing still bothered him.
"So... no other female is with the group?" he asked again, just to be sure.
"No," the black-haired soldier replied.
'Then who was she?' Kael wondered. But maybe it was for the best if she wasn't traveling with them. Perhaps she had a secret meeting with Night. He decided not to dwell on it any longer.
"Well... actually, there is one other female," the black-haired soldier recalled. "She's in the carriage we're escorting."
"Huh?" Kael's eyes shifted toward the carriage being drawn by the horses.
It took a moment... but then he realized just how much of a mess this might turn into.
----
Meanwhile, within the carriage—
The interior of the carriage was nothing short of noble and luxurious to behold.
Thin drapes of velvet gold lined each arched window, muffling the outside world while allowing rays of filtered light to seep in. Golden patterns adorned the cushions within, shimmering in the light, and a sapphire carpet covered the floor beneath. A small ornate lantern hanging from its ceiling swayed gently upon each bump of its path, casting soft flickers of warmth.
At the far end of the carriage was a young woman. She was seated on one side of the plush seat—the same one Kael had unknowingly stumbled upon in the forest stream.
Her long brown hair, now neatly combed and then tied back using a silver clasp, framed a face which carried both elegance and also quiet fire. Her eyes, of deep hazel, held some hint of exhaustion as she stared from out of the window, lost within thought. She had changed herself into a fitted royal travel tunic, one burgundy with silver trim, adorned with a crest at her shoulder—a crest that marked her as a highborn. The cloak beside her, lined with white fur, was clearly for colder climates, though she didn't seem to mind the heat now.
Sitting across from her, wearing an impassive expression with one leg crossing one leg over the other, was a young man just a few years older. His gaze was unusually sharp for someone his age.
"At most three more days, and we'll be at our destination," he said, watching his sister's expression.
"Did Father really have to send both of us?" she sighed, clearly annoyed.
"He didn't explain much, but I'm sure he has his reasons," he replied calmly.
It turned out they were siblings.
A brief silence passed before the young man sat up and leaned closer to his sister.
"Say... were you able to get a look at Night's face?"
His sister frowned. She wasn't used to seeing her brother so intrigued—especially about someone.
"No. She still had most of her face covered," she replied. "Why are you so interested in her?"
A smile crept onto his face. "I don't know why… but I'm going to find out soon enough."
She withdrew closer to the carriage walls. Taking her mind off her brother.
Her fingers tapped against the window of the carriage.
"I need to talk to someone other than you. I'm going to die of boredom at this rate. And these soldiers aren't even trained to hold a casual conversation with people like us!" she groaned, leaning her head against the window. Her gaze drifted until it landed on Night, her face covered as usual.
Night wasn't much of a talker. Trying to have a normal conversation with her was pointless.
Her eyes wandered again, scanning the surroundings—until they landed on another familiar face.
"Oh! That's him," she muttered unconsciously.
"That's who?" her brother asked.
"The guy who stumbled upon Night and me while we were at the stream," she replied casually, still curious about what kind of person he was.
Her brother's face darkened when he heard this.
"...What did you just say?"