The foolish bride was nowhere to be seen.
Assad frowned as he searched everywhere—the Crown Princess’s bedroom, balcony, adjoining bathroom and dressing room, and even threw open every door on the second floor of the west wing. He was in Amun’s form.
It was strange that the man, who typically stayed confined to his bedroom unless something special occurred, had disappeared somewhere despite knowing Assad would be coming.
It was peculiar. Even more so because Cayden hadn’t received news about leaving the palace. The guards had also left their posts, leaving only one clueless man in front of the bedroom.
Sighing, Amun had no choice but to head toward the servants’ quarters—a space where attendants waited for their master’s call or took breaks.
Fortunately, a male servant lounging on a large red cushion knew Cayden’s whereabouts.
“He went to the reception room on the first floor? Not the east wing, but here in the west wing.”
Why would he suddenly go to the reception room? And the first floor reception room, not even the second floor. Amun grumbled to himself as he hurriedly descended the stairs.
Although he hadn’t received any reports about visitors coming to see Cayden… he worried that Cayden might be meeting with those insufferable relatives he didn’t even want to acknowledge. That bastard Mat might be forcing conversation on his linguistically challenged bride. The more he thought about it, the faster Amun’s pace became.
The first-floor reception room, shouldering the splendid garden view, was immersed in solitary silence.
Cayden wasn’t there. Neither were the guards who should have accompanied him. It was a thoroughly unpleasant situation for Amun, who was searching for Cayden.
‘Did he go to the garden?’
Cayden, who had not a speck of magical talent, couldn’t have vanished like smoke. He likely went to the garden connected to the reception room. Being someone uncomfortable around people working for him, he probably found a way to ditch his servants and guards. Amun figured the guards would be waiting for Cayden at the garden entrance.
Sighing inwardly, Amun headed toward the balcony, intending to enter the garden.
The Garden of Light was situated in the center of the square-shaped palace annex, a kind of secret garden embracing a natural pond and large fountain. The beauty of the pond glistening in the afternoon sunlight was particularly magnificent.
Amun couldn’t predict why Cayden, who hadn’t shown any interest in garden strolls, had come here, even forgetting their appointment.
Listening intently to every small sound, Amun moved deeper into the garden. His hand habitually rested on the dagger at his waist. Soon, Amun caught a busy sound—something a large animal or human might make.
With a disgruntled face, Amun changed direction and walked between the trees, irritably pushing aside branches that tried to block his path.
Then, he stopped under light not fully obscured by trees.
“What… are you doing here?” Amun asked with a frown.
The foolish man he’d been searching for was crouched on the rough dirt ground. He was with familiar-looking dogs.
Two black dogs and Cayden with his dazed expression. It was such a strange combination it felt unreal.
Cayden’s surprised expression upon hearing his voice was quite a sight—no different from someone caught doing something wrong.
‘What on earth was he doing?’
The already peculiar scene felt even more absurd.
“I…”
“…”
“I guess you came looking for me because I wasn’t visible. I’m sorry. I lost track of time.”
Cayden hurriedly stood up and subtly positioned himself to shield the dogs. In his urgency, he naturally slipped into the kingdom’s language.
Cayden appeared like someone trying to hide the dogs’ existence. But because the ill-tempered dogs were so massive, Cayden’s merely tall frame couldn’t properly conceal them. Amun wondered if the man knew this fact.
The insolent dogs glared at him. Stupid creatures unable to recognize a person just because his appearance had changed. Seeing bread crumbs stuck to their mouths, it seemed they had received something to eat from his bride.
“Did you give food to the dogs?”
“…Yes.”
Cayden tried an awkward smile. It was a smile with a desperate quality to it, like when he had tried to shield the dogs. He was watching Amun’s reaction. His handsome face gave that desperate impression—otherwise, he would have simply looked servile.
“Cayden, these are dogs you don’t need to look after.”
Cayden fell silent at Amun’s words. Deep anxiety spread across his pale face.
What was he so worried about? He was always a man whose inner thoughts were difficult to guess, but now he was even harder to understand.
“San and Ran. Both are Princess Mat’s dogs. Many servants are taking care of them in place of the Princess, who is studying abroad.”
Amun didn’t drag it out and got straight to the point. He did so because he disliked seeing Cayden so tense.
The surprised Cayden looked once at the dogs behind him, then turned to look at Amun. Amun could pretty much guess what Cayden wanted to say: ‘The Princess’s dogs? Well cared for? But they’re so thin?’ He was surely thinking something like that.
“Their skinny bodies are characteristic of desert native dogs. It’s not because they haven’t eaten or have been desperately running away.”
“I thought they were strays.”
Cayden looked betrayed, as if he’d been wronged. It was the first time Amun had seen such an expression on the man.
“I heard dogs crying, so I came to check, and I found these dogs with nothing but bones, lying weakly… I’ve been feeding them since then…”
So the man is naïve enough to be scammed even by dogs. If it weren’t for me, he would have been deceived by them for quite some time. Tsk tsk. Amun clicked his tongue inwardly.
“They’re good at pretending to be pitiful. Their specialty is collapsing dramatically as if bearing all the world’s misfortunes. They’re especially good at this in front of strangers.”
Amun shook his head at the black dogs that were subtly hiding behind Cayden.
“Still… I’m glad they have an owner.”
Cayden smiled as if relieved. It was a smile containing relief instead of emptiness.
“You could have asked the servants to look after the dogs. Instead of coming here alone to feed them.”
“I thought I shouldn’t.”
“Why?”
“I was afraid that if I mentioned them… they might get chased away. Or perhaps they’d get hurt, so I couldn’t say anything.”
Cayden said with an embarrassed face.
The dogs, reading the atmosphere, nuzzled their heads against Cayden’s hand. The sight of them half-closing their eyes in pleasure while being petted by Cayden was detestable.
“Where I used to work, many stray dogs would visit. Like these, they were skinny and injured all over, which made me feel sorry for them, so I took care of them…”
His softly flowing words trailed off. Seeing him close his mouth and give a perfunctory smile, it seemed he had no intention of continuing.
“Why did you stop speaking?”
Before the already faded words completely unraveled beyond recognition, Amun caught them.
It wouldn’t have mattered if the conversation ended here. But for some reason, he wanted to hear what Cayden was hiding. It was because his bride’s stupid smile felt somehow unsettling.
“…I think the dogs caused trouble when I wasn’t around. The young master, the son of the owner, shot and killed them.”
“…What?”
Amun stopped thinking as he took in Cayden’s much quieter voice. The content carried in that monotone voice was shocking.
“It was my fault for letting the dogs roam around the farm. It was also my mistake for taking care of them, making them feel friendly toward people.”
“…”
“After that, I ignored the dogs that came to the farm. I thought I shouldn’t do that here either… but I guess I’ve been living too comfortably. It won’t happen again.”
Cayden said, glancing at Amun.
The man’s demeanor seemed like he was bowing and pleading: pretend you didn’t see my mistake, let it slide just this once.
It felt strange. No, it felt bad. It was because that foolish man seemed to be considering the feelings of some “young master” who didn’t even exist here.
“Cayden, you are the Crown Prince’s one and only companion. Who would dare criticize the Crown Princess’s compassion toward those living in the shadows?”
Amun spoke after a pause.
“In this palace, no one will suddenly brandish swords or guns just because they see stray dogs. It’s not like fierce desert wild dogs have come to devour humans…”
“…”
“So, even if real stray dogs appear, you don’t need to forcibly pretend not to see them. Well, if you want to keep a dog… talk to the Crown Prince. He will grant your request.”
“No.”
Cayden, whose face had brightened, flatly rejected Amun’s suggestion.
Looking at him, Amun felt annoyed for no reason. He had only suggested talking to his husband about what he wanted. Was that something to reject with such disgust?
“I suggested it because you seem to like dogs.”
“I can’t keep them. No matter how much I like them… if I can’t stay by their side forever, it shouldn’t be. We might suddenly part ways. The dog would be hurt.”
Cayden smiled and gently stroked the heads of the annoying dogs.
