Chapter – 26
“…There are many things I want to ask you, Young Lady.”
“Math problems, perhaps? If it’s not that, ask me later. I don’t have the passion to answer anything right now.”
At my words, Avian answered immediately.
“Then later, would it be alright if I personally visit the Prellai Ducal House? I will send a letter.”
“Come to think of it, if it’s not about math, then even later there’s no real need for us to meet. It sounds troublesome.”
“But I still need to properly thank you, Young Lady…”
“Ah, of course you must repay this favor.”
I said with a serious face.
“You even became the captain of the guard, yet you blindly followed orders from above out of useless loyalty. You almost spent your whole life failing to catch your enemy while he stood right in front of you.”
“T-th-that’s true.”
Anyway, Avian was worrying about how to thank me… so I kindly lightened the burden on his heart.
“I’ll collect the debt myself at the proper time, so wait devoutly with the mindset that you’ll work like an ox no matter what I ask.”
“…Yes.”
In the end, Avian nodded in confusion.
“I understand. However…”
He searched his pocket and took out a handkerchief. Then he firmly tied it around my right wrist like a bandage.
“You have a small scratch. Please make sure to apply medicine later.”
It was the wrist that middle-aged man had grabbed earlier. Before I knew it, there really was a tiny scratch there.
When did he even notice such a small wound?
I frowned and muttered seriously.
“No, when did that bastard violently butcher my delicate wrist like this?”
“……”
At my usual exaggeration, Avian could no longer even say words of concern.
After wrapping my wrist, he slightly turned his head toward Cesare and greeted him.
“Then please take good care of the Young Lady.”
He was clearly following some very polite procedure… yet strangely, it felt like he was being chased away.
That was entirely Cesare’s fault.
He gave off such an overwhelming, commanding presence.
“Then I shall leave.”
And with that, Avian disappeared.
Of course, chaos had already broken out everywhere.
The employees, sensing the atmosphere was dangerous, started stuffing valuable things into their pockets first.
Drunk people hurriedly moved around, picking up scattered chips.
When the capital guards appeared, many screamed and ran toward the entrance in panic.
Then, in the distance, I saw the spy maid running toward me with a pouch of gold coins.
She succeeded!
Money had not been the goal, of course, but there was no reason to reject money that came along with it.
I smiled at the spy maid more warmly than ever before.
And she ran toward me with a proud expression greater than ever before.
The bond we felt in that moment could not be compared to anything else.
“Yooouuung Laaadyyyy! I did it! Even in that battlefield, I exchanged everything into gold coins!”
“Well done, Spy!”
I tightly hugged the gold sack… no, the spy maid.
Between us, Ppiyak got squeezed and squeaked desperately.
Watching us, Cesare smiled like a painting and slowly spoke.
“Now then, the one we were waiting for has arrived, so shall we be going?”
The background behind him was complete chaos.
Yet standing in the middle of it, Cesare looked elegant, as if he belonged to another world.
“‘No, I’ll be leaving now,’ is not acceptable. It is dangerous here alone.”
He extended his hand, and I lightly took it.
“Yes.”
Just then, a huge man with a fierce face approached from behind and whispered,
“You must… leave quickly…”
Seeing the giant rough-looking man, the spy maid flinched.
He seemed to be one of Cesare’s close aides, but as if used to such reactions, he kept his lips tightly shut.
“Then let us go quickly.”
Cesare smiled deeply and held my hand as if nothing were wrong.
We slowly climbed the stairs together.
In that noisy atmosphere, he was so relaxed that he looked like someone attending a ballroom rather than escaping chaos.
Because of that, even I felt as if I were walking through a dream.
“But Marquis.”
As we climbed the stairs toward the exit, I suddenly asked him,
“Why did you go out of your way to acknowledge me?”
“…Pardon?”
“I mean, this isn’t exactly a nice place. You could have just pretended not to know me and passed by.”
“Well.”
Cesare smiled leisurely.
His dark brows curved softly.
He looked as if he were about to play a mischievous prank.
“Perhaps because I wanted to impress you.”
“What?”
“Because there is something I want from you, Young Lady.”
As expected, he was someone with a purpose and did not even bother hiding it.
Now I could understand why he had acknowledged me at the general store last time too.
This kind of clean give-and-take was wonderful.
“You mean a magic tool request, right?”
Cesare’s brows rose slightly.
I continued excitedly.
“You always request magic tool research from the Academy, don’t you? Nearly most of the Academy’s papers pass through me, so you wanted to request directly from me, didn’t you?”
“Ah.”
Cesare smiled.
“You are clever, Young Lady. You immediately understand the intentions of someone you have just met.”
“I’ve seen your name on request forms many times.”
For a moment, we exchanged businesslike smiles.
Then I carefully changed the subject while watching his reaction.
“But saying we are somewhat acquainted was not a wise statement. I have no acquaintances, so a scandal will break out instantly.”
Even at my very serious opinion, he smiled leisurely as if he did not care at all.
“Is that so?”
Rather, he sounded amused.
It was an arrogant sort of reaction that said no situation in the world could embarrass him.
Yet strangely, that careless pride suited him very well and even felt charming.
I added with pretend concern,
“Besides, I heard Marquis Levin does not step into the capital’s social circles. If bad rumors spread, you’ll be defenseless.”
“To think the Young Lady is so earnestly worried about my reputation…”
As he carefully guided my hand, he answered leisurely,
“This is truly an honor.”
“Well, I wouldn’t say I was that worried…”
“Either way, I am fine, Young Lady.”
His tone carried not even a speck of concern.
Hmm. As expected of a man who showed not the slightest interest even in Melissa, who seduced every man she brushed past.
“…Are you really fine?”
“Yes.”
Cesare answered calmly, as if everything in the world were a joke and could never affect him.
“I truly do not care about such nonsense.”
The stairs upward were steep.
Yet his footsteps did not falter even once.
“It seems Marquis Levin is truly only interested in developing magic tools.”
After receiving his firm answer, my voice trembled with emotion.
“So you are a shortsighted and foolish man who cares about nothing else at all. I like that very much.”
“…Pardon?”
I hurriedly continued.
“Then would you like to date me?”
“……”
Even in the darkness, Cesare’s graceful foot slipped at that moment.
“Ah, are you alright?”
Then Ppiyak, who had been sitting on top of my head, cried out sadly.
“Oh my, I think he hates it! He wasn’t that much of an idiot! Kiana’s dirty trick has failed!”
Ppiyak had remained silent until now, but it seemed he could no longer endure it.
“He may live a ruined life hanging around club houses, but it seems he still doesn’t live carelessly enough to date Kiana!”
I caught Cesare’s staggering body.
Then, sounding regretful, I quickly corrected myself.
“T-if you dislike that, then how about a contract relationship?”
“Ack! What is that?! Retreating immediately makes you look pathetic, Kiana!”
“Th-then if you dislike that too, how about just pretending to date?”
“Good heavens! Retreating even further makes you look so pitiful, Kiana!”
Cesare did not even have room to interrupt.
This was the same Cesare who had not lost his composure even in the chaos of the club house, yet now he shouted in a shaken voice.
“W-wait a moment!”
Ppiyak and I instantly fell silent, and Cesare staggered as he barely spoke.
“Let us go to my house first… and talk calmly there.”
