Chapter 71
Recently, Raylenne had been feeling oddly uneasy about Caverion’s attitude. It was as if he had something to say, but then would close his mouth. She usually let it pass quietly, not wanting to pry into matters he chose not to discuss, but she couldn’t help feeling concerned.
However, these thoughts vanished as Raylenne stood in front of the prison cell. She had an important task at hand.
With a solemn expression, Raylenne held a sharp implement in her hand. She entered the cell, gripping the tool firmly.
As Raylenne entered, Aiden’s eyes briefly lit up. Though he tried to compose his expression, he couldn’t hide the sparkle in his eyes.
‘How cute,’ Raylenne thought, suppressing a smile as she approached Aiden.
Soon, Aiden’s gaze fell to Raylenne’s right hand.
“What is that…?” he asked.
Raylenne held up the tool and said, “Scissors.”
Indeed, what Raylenne held was a pair of scissors. The well-honed blades looked capable of cutting through anything effortlessly.
“…I can see that,” Aiden replied, seemingly exasperated.
This time, Raylenne couldn’t hold back her laughter, her eyes crinkling slightly.
“I brought them to cut your hair.”
Aiden hesitated before asking, “My… hair?”
“Yes. Hasn’t it grown too long?”
Yesterday, when Raylenne visited the cell, she realized Aiden’s hair had grown quite long. It was just barely covering his ears, but it seemed like it would grow even longer soon.
Thinking that long hair would only be a nuisance in this unclean environment, Raylenne decided to cut Aiden’s hair.
She had already informed Haele about her intention to cut Aiden’s hair.
[Long hair in such a dusty pit is too unhygienic. You know I can’t stand filthy sights.]
Haele had nodded without much thought. Having successfully won him over before, it seemed Haele now assumed there must be a reason for whatever she did.
‘It was a good decision to gift him that cow,’ Raylenne thought.
She had rewarded Haele with a cow for his role in the assassin incident. Haele had been very pleased with the gift. Knowing he had many dependents, this one cow would allow them to spend the winter comfortably. Even if sold at the market, it would fetch several months’ worth of Haele’s salary.
This made it easy to deceive Haele this time as well. Although she had told him that Aiden would cut his own hair, in reality, she intended to do it herself. It would be difficult for Aiden to manage on his own.
As Raylenne brandished the gleaming scissors, Aiden took a step back.
“…You don’t have to cut it.”
“Don’t you trust me?”
“…”
Aiden remained silent.
‘This guy,’ Raylenne thought, but she wasn’t about to give up.
“It’s time to cut your hair. With the limited water provided daily, it’ll be hard to wash if it gets too long.”
She knew Haele provided water for washing through the cell window every day. Naturally, it wouldn’t be plentiful—just enough to wipe down with a wet cloth and barely wash the hair.
Despite this, surprisingly, Aiden had never smelled unkempt. Rather, he had a scent reminiscent of cold winter.
‘Perhaps it’s because he’s always in this icy cold place,’ she mused.
Whatever the reason, Raylenne assumed Aiden was simply making efficient use of the limited water to keep clean.
But wouldn’t even that become difficult if his hair grew too long?
Raylenne tried persuading him again.
“I won’t cut too much.”
“…”
“Just a trim?”
Distrust still lingered in Aiden’s eyes. However, as Raylenne’s pleading blue eyes met his, he seemed to gradually resign himself.
Finally, with a sigh, he spoke.
“…Alright.”
Success! The scissors in Raylenne’s hand quivered with joy.
“But promise me you won’t make me look any more unsightly than I already do.”
At Aiden’s words, Raylenne’s arm holding the scissors dropped as if she’d been doused with cold water.
“What do you mean?”
Aiden awkwardly touched his hair.
“Don’t I look unsightly enough as it is?”
How on earth…?
If anything, his appearance was becoming more striking day by day, to the point where Raylenne had to constantly remind herself that Aiden was just a prisoner who would soon leave.
Yet why did he speak as if completely unaware of this fact?
Swallowing her discomfort, Raylenne asked, “Why do you think that?”
“I’m wearing these shabby prisoner’s clothes every day, and my hair is always a mess, isn’t it?”
Raylenne slowly looked Aiden over from head to toe. Indeed, he wore unsightly prisoner’s garb, and his hair had grown out haphazardly.
Compared to Caverion, who was always neat and well-groomed, one could say Aiden looked unkempt.
But the problem was…
‘Why doesn’t he look unsightly at all to me…?’
Was this the power of a handsome face? Recently, Aiden’s body had been filling out with muscle, creating an impressive figure.
Raylenne briefly considered whether she should install a mirror in the cell, then struggled to speak.
“Don’t worry about such things. You’re not unsightly at all.”
“Really…?”
“Yes. Messing up your hair a bit won’t make you unsightly.”
Hesitantly, Aiden responded to Raylenne’s firm answer.
“Every time you visit, I worry. The contrast between your clean, well-groomed appearance and mine is too stark.”
His earlobes turned red, seemingly embarrassed to admit this.
Raylenne, admiring the blush spreading across Aiden’s skin, thought there might be some truth to his words. But such a comparison was inherently flawed.
‘I have two maids just to brush my long hair.’
Except when she had to get ready quickly, that was usually the case. Comparing her polished appearance, the result of multiple people’s efforts, to Aiden confined in a cell was nonsensical.
“I… felt self-conscious every time you saw me,” Aiden added.
“You worried needlessly,” Raylenne replied. After a moment’s consideration, she added, “You look perfectly fine as you are.”
She had carefully chosen “fine” as a more neutral way of saying “handsome” or “attractive.” Raylenne was quite satisfied with her choice of words. It was an appropriate compliment without revealing too much of her personal feelings.
“If you think so… then that’s alright,” Aiden said, seemingly content with her response. The redness spread to his nape.
Watching him, Raylenne felt a tingling in her chest.
‘No, focus,’ she told herself. Though Aiden’s bashful face, which she hadn’t seen in a while, was affecting her mood, she had a task to complete today.
“Then, may I cut your hair?”
Aiden nodded, his hair swaying gently with the movement. The soft-looking strands moving quietly created a pleasing image, making Raylenne briefly regret having to cut them.
However, this was more about practicality than aesthetics, so she couldn’t waver in her decision.
“Sit here,” Raylenne said, pulling over a blanket for Aiden to sit on.
Before bringing the scissors to his hair, Raylenne gently stroked it.
“I’m just trimming the length, so it shouldn’t look odd.”
“Alright…” Aiden replied, his voice detached, as if he’d already resigned himself to the situation.
Raylenne began carefully cutting Aiden’s hair bit by bit. As she worked, she remembered cutting her younger brother’s hair in her past life, which hadn’t turned out badly. She believed—no, she needed to believe—that this time would be the same.
Raylenne concentrated, determined not to disappoint Aiden, who had trusted her with his hair.
Snip, snip. The hair fell away little by little. Watching the silver strands float gently to the ground, they almost resembled soft down.
“I’m glad the situation with Harbian was resolved well,” Aiden said, his gaze fixed ahead.
Raylenne, her eyes on Aiden’s hair, replied, “Yes, it’s fortunate.”
“I knew you would manage it.”
His calm voice carried an implicit trust.
Aiden often spoke like this. Sometimes it made Raylenne feel awkward, as if he believed her to be more extraordinary than she was.
She wasn’t that remarkable. While this situation had worked out well, it would have been difficult on her own. It was the combination of Aiden’s information and Caverion’s resources that had led to a smooth resolution.
Raylenne decided to express a brief thanks to Aiden.
“It’s thanks to you. That’s why I’m personally cutting your hair, isn’t it?”
“…Yes.”
His response was delayed. Raylenne glanced down at Aiden’s face. He looked somewhat disgruntled.
“You don’t seem to consider this much of a reward,” she observed.
“…I do enjoy you touching my hair.”
Wondering if he was trying to change the subject, Raylenne paused her cutting and looked at him.
Sensing her gaze, Aiden offered a faint smile. With his eyes gently closed, he looked remarkably peaceful and serene.
“Really, I do,” he affirmed.
So much so that it was hard to believe they were in a dark, gloomy cell.
