Chapter – 32
She took a sip of the tea and winced. For a while, the bitter taste would probably not cross her mind at all.
“You know I’ve lost everything. Money, family, honor… everything. So I don’t want to lose even the one friend I have left.”
“Eva. So—”
“Kyrion. If the only way I can stay by your side is through marriage… nothing could be sadder than that.”
“……”
“I no longer want to be someone who bears responsibility for another through marriage.”
She shook her head slowly. Being a burden to someone, having to live with eyes and ears closed—it was an experience she never wanted to repeat. And making someone else give up their dreams because of her? Impossible.
“Kyrion, when you said you were going to leave the military, my father collapsed. He said he intended to marry you soon. If that actually happens, our family is finished.”
The cold voice of Kyrion’s older brother, the next Count of Lebel, echoed in her mind from earlier. She realized for the first time that someone could leave such a deep wound without shouting or anger.
Just by being close, she could harm someone’s life—it was terrifying. Yet even losing the friend she thought was her only comfort hurt less than that.
“Kyrion, next time, I hope we can talk about something other than Adis. I’d rather hear about how you became such a remarkable navy officer, how you achieved your dream.”
“Eva. My real dream, no matter what anyone says, is to—”
“I don’t love you.”
“……”
Finally, after she forced out words she didn’t want to say, Kyrion’s hand went limp. Seeing the pain reflected in his blue eyes, Eva bit her lip.
Every time she thought she could finally breathe, there was still something left to endure—it was exhausting. When Kyrion slowly raised his head, his eyes were as empty as hers had been when she met his brother a while ago.
“So, what about Duke Teze? What made him different?”
“……”
Kyrion, having finally let his feelings pour out, hesitated when he met Eva’s lonely gaze. He got up too late, but Eva had already gathered her things. Friends who had decided not to dwell on the past could only talk about limited things. And one couldn’t reveal feelings unknown even to themselves.
“Who knows.”
After hesitating a few times, she smiled and picked up the bill.
“…Thank you for coming to see my father that day, Captain.”
◇ ◆ ◇
Unlike the bustling clubs scattered throughout the commercial district, the white marble clubhouse in the very center was relatively quiet. That didn’t mean it was inferior—its facilities, size, and the games and drinks enjoyed by gentlemen rivaled any other club. Yet it was so empty simply because it was exclusively for navy officers.
“Wow, this grips your hand perfectly.”
At the shooting range, Phylon marveled at the feel of the pistol. He seemed impressed with the newly upgraded facilities that had appeared while he was away.
“When did they even set this up? A new pistol must’ve cost a fortune!”
“……”
“Well, Duke Teze surely took care of that.”
Phylon looked at Decarno, who was holding a glass of liquor in the VIP room. Even though he acted indifferent, the entire clubhouse had been made possible by the support of the Teze family. Outsiders might think it was just a former navy duke indulging his love for the navy, but they didn’t know the whole story.
“The scale is incredible. He built all this just for fun.”
“So… you don’t like it?”
“Of course not.”
Bang!
Phylon fired at the target, a wooden human-shaped board, and laughed as a perfect hole appeared in its forehead. A hit.
“It works out for both sides. You get to relax quietly in a club most can’t enter, and we get to enjoy some perks off you.”
“……”
“Want to make a game out of it? Let’s use 8mm. Aim for the vital spots—what do you say?”
Spinning the gun between his fingers, Phylon suggested it to Decarno. Even with such facilities, Decarno kept drinking. His affluent sense of amusement allowed them to be left to play freely.
“Well, with that much drinking, any match would be unfair. I’m also a navy man; fair play counts.”
Phylon frowned at Decarno lighting a cigar without paying attention. The simple act of drinking quietly could make one appear unnervingly ominous. If met outside, Phylon might have avoided him even from a hundred meters away.
“……”
Yet he could somewhat understand Decarno’s feelings. A couple admired by all of high society had suddenly broken off their engagement. In a world driven by society’s interests, a broken engagement wasn’t shocking—but he knew Teze.
Everyone had excessively high expectations of Decarno, yet he had never once faltered. No one could have imagined Decarno falling into this scandal. Among them, Phylon was the most astonished—and understandably so.
“See you at the wedding.”
Marriage—he had clearly said marriage.
Not long ago, he heard something he never thought he’d hear from Decarno. And yet, overnight, a broken engagement. His own engagement might not have surprised him this much.
“…Why?”
“Nothing. It’s nothing.”
Phylon raised his glass nervously, meeting Decarno’s piercing gaze. Normally, he might offer comfort, but to Teze, that would have been ridiculous.
‘Who’s comforting whom now…’
As Phylon finished his own drink, the entrance filled with chatter. Navy officers who had finally returned to port were filling the hall with lively conversation.
“Did you hear? Kyrion met that woman at the hotel.”
“That woman? Oh! That one?”
“Apparently, they were involved from the start. Some say he broke off the engagement with the duke because of her.”
“…Those bastards.”
Phylon’s expression darkened as snippets of gossip trickled in. Listening to people casually call Eva “that woman” showed how her social standing had dropped; laughter and ridicule were mixed in.
“So, what did they talk about at the hotel?”
“They couldn’t hear everything—it was far away—but Kyrion’s eyes were dripping honey. He didn’t propose, but it was like he almost did.”
“Really? Didn’t seem like him, but he’s quick!”
“Anyway, she seemed to reject him… but how long will that last? A woman with no engagement is fair game. At least the Lebel family is still prestigious…”
As the gossip muddled with drunken voices, Phylon’s expression grew grim. He was about to discipline his unruly subordinates when he noticed Decarno across the room.
“……”
Did he really not hear?
Decarno remained calm enough to make him doubt. When the latter finished his last drink and abruptly rose, Phylon flinched.
“Ah… leaving? Good call!”
“……”
“We’ve stayed here too long. I’ll handle them and make our affiliations clear. Let’s move somewhere else… Decarno! What are you doing?!”
“Game.”
Decarno, stepping forward as if to leave, rested his gun on the table. Phylon froze. Did he intend to shoot them? But no—Decarno simply approached the target with the gun.
“Hey, stop it. You’re not sober, and you’ve been drinking. That won’t work!”
“Let’s treat it like a real fight. This is nothing compared to seasickness.”
