Will the Contract Work?

 

 

“Um, Father. I have something I want to talk to Max about… can we go?” I asked.

He had agreed to wait and keep an eye on us, but was that because he had not allowed us to date yet? He stared at us bitterly and nodded once.

Well, my true goal wasn’t to get permission from him anyway. As far as I was concerned, my goal was to make sure Father gave up on trying to set me up on a blind date with the crown prince. Even if he opposed our relationship, this would be enough for me as long as I stayed as far away from the crown prince as I could.

“We’ll be upstairs then,” I said.

Father remained silent.

He must’ve been disappointed in me for what just happened. I sighed without realizing it. My current position meant that I should be grateful that I wasn't getting married off just yet. Inheriting any of Father’s property would be a stretch. The only solution I had left was to become independent. Until then, I had to hang in there. With this thought in mind, I walked to my room with Max.

When I arrived, I saw Sella and Mary tidying up. “Where’s Merilyn?” I asked them.

“Oh, she’s in the laundry room.”

I guess I had no choice. I was a little worried since Merilyn was usually in charge of preparing the tea, but I kept calm. “Please bring us tea and cookies for two. And use my favorite tea set,” I added.

“Yes, my lady!” the two maids said in unison, determined. After they left the room, I closed the door behind them and turned around.

Now, to have a serious discussion about our contract—wait. What on earth? He was lying comfortably on my couch. Just lounging there.

I understood that we were in a contractual relationship, but we were still supposed to be a couple. Would it hurt for him to properly play the part? I sighed for a moment, then took out a few sheets of paper and two quill pens.

“Hey, come here,” I said. Heeding my call, he made his way to the tea table. “Sit down.” I gestured to the seat across from me, and he took it. “Regarding our contract, I was thinking of writing down some terms and conditions. If you want anything from me, write it down here.”

At my prompting, he picked up a quill pen and began scribbling some things down. I stopped in the middle of my own writing and watched him curiously.

He was left-handed… and his handwriting was atrocious.

As I watched in amazement, he frowned slightly. “It got smudged,” he muttered. The notational system commonly favored right-handed people. No matter how carefully he wrote, he was bound to run into some problems.

I took a handkerchief out from my pocket and handed it to him. “Here you go.”

Without a word, he grabbed it and started wiping the ink off his hand. Then, he scratched out the smudged part and started writing again. Curious, I peeked at what he had written. It stated the following:

During the duration of this contract, Jubelian will not meet with any other men.

I started this whole deal because I don’t want to meet any other men in the first place… Unable to help it, I chuckled.

“Instead of laughing at someone else’s terms, why don’t you write out yours?” he asked, irritated.

His accusations were true, but I decided not to admit to them to spare my pride. “I was interested, so I was just taking a look,” I said.

“What’s so interesting?”

Usually, mercenary guilds provided lessons on literacy and penmanship to avoid training pushovers who couldn’t read requests and contracts. “Your script is rather freewheeling. Did you learn how to read and write from the guild?” I tactfully avoided directly insulting his terrible handwriting.

“I didn’t learn it in a guild. I learned from my mother,” he frowned. The moment I heard that, an overwhelming sense of embarrassment flooded me.

I made a mistake. He must have been offended by the snarky remark I made since this was something that he learned from his mother. I swallowed nervously and said, “Hey, about what I said just now—”

At that moment, the door opened. “We’re sorry for being late, my lady,” my maids announced.

I nodded at Mary and Sella to let them know it was okay. “It’s fine. Please set the table up for us.”

Soon the tea table was decorated with appetizing cookies. Ah, it looked delicious.

When I picked up the teapot and poured tea into the cups, the soft yet slightly bitter scent tickled my nose. Hm, I was concerned about how well the tea would turn out because Merilyn didn’t prepare it, but it seemed like they did a pretty good job…

I was about to give the maids a quick compliment but then I noticed the teacups they chose. They were pink and adorned with flowers, so I groaned.

But it should be fine, right? He wasn’t a nobleman, so he probably wouldn’t know what the cups meant, right?

With that thought in mind, I smiled at him.

 

✤ ✤ ✤

 

When he saw the teacups, Max doubted his eyes. Did she ask for them cups despite knowing what they meant?

Expensive teacups were a source of pride to be had, but they were also a measure of how the host or hostess thought of their guests. Costly and valuable teacups containing lots of gold were utilized amongst precious guests, and vibrant and feminine teacups were used amongst noblewomen. For male guests, tea was usually served in cups devoid of flowers or bright colors.

When negotiating over disputes at the border, Max had occasionally faced barbarian lords who expressed their hostility toward him with mockingly chosen teacups. Even so, they only used cups with crude monsters drawn on them to sarcastically and subtly remark on his brutal personality. They had never used colorful cups decorated with flowers like these.

To use cups like these… she was either trying to insult him, or she just didn’t know what they meant. Did he seem weak to her by any chance? When he thought about it, it wasn’t an unreasonable assumption since Jubelian had joked about protecting him before. Max inspected Jubelian suspiciously.

“Oh, these are my favorite teacups,” she said innocently. It really was as if she didn’t know anything. As he listened, Max studied the cups once again. Although he hated flowers, the gold rim of the cup looked luxurious and it had an adequate shape. The more he stared, the easier it was to tolerate. It wasn’t so bad.

“It’s decent,” he commented, coaxing a smile from Jubelian. It reached her eyes, and the sight of it brought a small smirk to Max’s lips as he took the teacup in hand.

 

✤ ✤ ✤

 

“Come on, try it,” I said. At my urging, Max lifted the teacup for a sip.

The sight of him doing so felt peculiar to me. His form was markedly elegant. That… that was a little weird. Tea was a luxury item that not everyone could easily access. In fact, they were so valuable that storage boxes withholding tea leaves were often locked. Therefore, as a simple mercenary, Max never should have had as many opportunities to enjoy drinks like these. It didn’t make sense for him to drink it so naturally and with such poise.

I couldn’t help but feel suspicious. What if… he was actually the young master of a noble family? What if he ran away from home? I was a little skeptical of his true identity.

He put down the cup. “I don’t know why people drink this,” he said coldly. I almost clicked my tongue in annoyance. It was the finest we had, and in my opinion, it was relatively well-brewed. He was just grumbling about it for the sake of it.

Right. Well, there was no way a nobleman wouldn’t understand the taste of tea.

At that moment, his voice interrupted my thoughts as he presented his writing to me. “Here, take a look.”

While looking through his terms, I frowned. This guy… he really wrote down whatever he wanted, didn’t he?

Written in his terrible handwriting, the terms were as follows:

1.      Jubelian will always trust what Max says and follow his every word.

2.      When Jubelian goes out, she will disclose to Max where she intends to go. When attending a banquet or a meeting, she is obligated to report her attendance to Max.

3.      During the duration of this contract, Jubelian will not meet with any other men.

4.      For four days every week, Jubelian will spend at least eight hours a day with Max.

I was astounded by his demands. They looked like something a grumpy, self-centered boss would write. Whenever I asked to know more about him, he was always telling me that none of it was any of my business. However, based on what he had written here, it seemed like he wanted to know everything about my private life. How unfair! I lamented for a moment, then opened my mouth to express my opinion. “Hey, do you happen to—”

“Add one more thing,” he interrupted. “‘Jubelian should call Max by his name.’”

I had only learned his name today so there was no way I would be familiar with it already. Even so, after looking back on it, I had been calling him by name this entire time. I didn’t expect to be criticized for a mistake I had only made once.

“Then will you—I mean… Then, Max, will you call me by my name from now on, as well?”

He paused. Then, he nodded gently. “Okay.”

I observed him for a moment. Then, I started revising his terms. It was so terrible that I didn’t know where to start. I scratched out some of his entries and wrote down my amendments on a clean sheet of paper.

1.      The employer is obligated to comply with the employee’s requests as much as possible.

2.      The employer and employee are to respect each other’s privacy.

3.      In the case of either party’s absence, the employer and employee are obligated to report their locations to each other.

4.      During the period of this contract, the employer and employee are not allowed to pursue a romantic relationship with another person.

5.      The employee will watch their words and actions in front of others.

6.      Date locations shall be determined after further discussion and confirmed upon agreement, but, if possible, dates shall occur in places with a large number of people.

The above terms and conditions specify that the contract may be terminated by mutual consent and may be subject to change depending on the circumstances.

The contract will be completed once Jubelian feels safe from the crown prince.

Employer: Jubelian Eloy Floyen

Employee: Max

After finishing the revisions, I pushed the paper toward him. “Here. Read this and tell me if anything needs to be reconsidered.”

He snatched the paper from me and squinted at it. “What is this?” he demanded.

“It’s all the revisions I made to what you wrote. Read it over carefully and tell me if you don’t li—”

“I can’t accept this,” he said. Then, he promptly tore up the contract.

I took a deep breath. Did he just rip apart everything I wrote? If he didn’t like it, he could’ve just told me!

He definitely wasn’t a normal person. Yes, thinking it over, he had always been like this. Even after I had taken care of him for a few days, he left without notice. Without answering me. He was frequently and easily irritated.

I supported living freely, but I still knew how to respect others, at least. That was what having common courtesy meant. I had been considerate to him so he wouldn’t feel uncomfortable around me, but he had been lacking in regard for me from the very beginning, his callousness persisting even now.

We would have to see each other more often from now on… I had overlooked his rude behavior in the past because I had assumed we weren’t going to see each other very much, but since we were now in a contractual relationship, that wouldn’t be the case anymore.

If we were hitting rough patches before we had ever even started, then the next step I had to take was an obvious one.

✤ ✤ ✤

 

“If you’re that against it, then I guess it can’t be helped,” Jubelian said. “Let’s end our contract here.”

Max couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “What do you mean? I thought you were trying to avoid becoming engaged to the crown prince.”

Jubelian leveled him with a frigid stare. “There’s nothing we can do. If we can’t work anything out at the start… it’ll just be exhausting to keep going.”

The desperation Max saw in her a few moments ago was now nowhere to be found. She had a distant look on her face, making it clear she had let go of everything. Max’s throat suddenly felt dry, like it was burning from the inside out. “Don’t be hasty,” he managed to say.

“What do you mean?” Jubelian sighed quietly. “You tore up the contract, which means you have no intention of compromising.”

“No, I…”

Max’s lips twitched. Throughout his time as the crown prince, he had torn apart every document that had displeased him in any way. Whenever he did so, his aides knew to write up a new one that was more to his liking. No one had ever pointed out that tearing up the papers was wrong; all they did was apologize for their inadequate writing.

Because of this, Max couldn’t understand Jubelian. Couldn’t she just compose another one and bring it to him? His thoughts swam in confusion.

“Do you feel good when someone ignores your opinion?” Jubelian asked suddenly. He didn’t respond, and she sighed at his silence. “It’s the same for other people,” she continued. “When someone ignores my opinion, it hurts my pride and makes me feel unpleasant.”

Was it because the environment around them was a quiet one? He could hear her voice exceptionally well.

Was that so? His aides and subordinates worked for him as if it was the most natural thing to do, and in turn, Max used them. It was the way things had always been since he was of a higher status.

“So, are you saying that you’re offended?” he asked dully.

Jubelian nodded sedately. “Yes. In all honesty, it didn’t feel good.”

She was the one in need of his help, but she still looked confident. For a reason unbeknownst to him, Max decided to keep his mouth shut.

“Since you didn’t like what I had written, I thought it would be best to call it quits before things got worse. Besides, I’m the one asking you for the favor in the first place.”

Her words were making him sulk. He knew that if he stayed stubborn here, he might never see her again.

Who would be afraid of something like that, though? It didn’t matter to…

It… it didn’t m…

Before he could finish that thought, his mouth betrayed him.

“I was at fault,” he admitted, apologizing.

 

✤ ✤ ✤

 

It felt weird to witness him apologize so meekly. Just a while ago, he was the same guy who refused to apologize to Father.

“Good. As long as you know,” I said.

Surprisingly, the negotiations went easily afterwards because most of his frustrations were because of trivial issues. I couldn’t believe he acted like that just because I didn’t include that thing he mentioned about calling him by his name…

I held back a sigh and showed him the newly recreated and revised contract. “Here. Is this what you wanted?”

“Yes,” he said. With his confirmation, I wrote up another copy and handed it to him.

“Sign here,” I instructed. He paused and swallowed nervously.

Did he not have a signature? His reluctance made me wonder, but soon enough, he picked up his quill, signing rather awkwardly. I let go of my ridiculous speculation. It seemed like he made one not too long ago. Maybe his awkwardness was because he didn’t have a lot of circumstances where he had to sign for anything before.

His voice disrupted my contemplation. “By the way, will you be… attending any banquets soon?”

“Ah, I plan to attend a tea party in the near future.”

He studied me for a while before nodding with a sigh. “I see. Do you know who will be attending the party?”

“Just some noblewomen who are acquaintances of an acquaintance I know.”

He had a serious look on his face. “Will it really only be noblewomen who are attending?” he asked.

“Yes. I’ve already told you. Why do you keep—oh!” Suddenly, a great idea crossed my mind. This was good. I could make sure everyone saw him with me sooner.

In the past, I troubled myself with rumors because I feared what Father thought of me, but now that he was trying to marry me off to the crazy crown prince, I no longer cared about whether or not I left a good impression on him. Having a bad public image would actually work more in my favor if I wanted to disqualify myself as a candidate for the crown prince’s bride.

“Max, could you take me there that day?”

He paused. “Why?”

“Ah, I just want to introduce you to others as my boyfriend. Is that okay?” I smiled at him. His eyebrows furrowed slightly and he wore a strange expression on his face. It looked like the idea didn’t please him very much, so I rushed to reassure him. “Of course, you can refuse if you don’t want to,” I said.

He nodded slowly. “Alright. I’ll come get you when it’s over.” I was about to nod in return but then I stopped. I didn’t know if he had any nice clothes.

Honestly, it would be enough for me to confirm the false rumors claiming I had started dating an unidentified man, so it shouldn’t really matter what he wore. However, there was a saying that went, ‘what looks good, tastes good,’ so I wanted to dress him up and show him off.

Since he was helping me… the least I could do was buy some clothes for him. I would buy him all the clothes he wanted. “Let’s go shopping tomorrow,” I said, making my decision.

His face scrunched up a bit at my words, but I smiled at him. Since I was going through the trouble of dressing him up, I should do a good job of it so everyone could discover how handsome he was.

 

✤ ✤ ✤

 

“Hey, Max. Could you turn around?”

Max let out a sigh. Having already tried on dozens of outfits, he was beginning to feel like a children’s doll.

The owner of the clothes shop fawned over him, beaming all the while. “This is the first time I’ve ever seen someone who suited the clothes so well,” she gushed. She probably meant to compliment him, but to Max, it just sounded like irritating nonsense.

How much longer did I have to put up with this? His face had twisted in annoyance until he looked over at Jubelian.

She was smiling, satisfied. “You’re right,” she agreed. “I’ve heard before that a good face makes for good fashion, but now I know precisely what that means.”

Although her words were clearly a product of her judging him, he found that they didn’t anger him. Instead, he felt an odd tickle in his heart and the corners of his mouth trended upwards. However, what she said next had his burgeoning smile flopping right back into a frown.

“Oh, do you have anything a little more colorful than this?” she asked.

Max’s closet was full of neutral colors. His casual clothes, dress suits, and even the armor he wore on the battlefield were all black, clearly conveying his stylistic preferences. He wasn’t looking forward to more colorful things.

Well, it was too early to jump to conclusions. Maybe the clothes wouldn’t look too bad. He decided to wait and see before making any judgments first.

However, after seeing what the seamstress presented to him, Max freaked out. What was that hideous thing?!

Before him was a red justacorps embroidered in gold. The outfit was even noticeable from a distance. It was far from his tastes. “I don’t like this…” he murmured, trying to refuse it, but he stopped when he saw Jubelian watching him with expectant, glistening eyes.

“Would you like to try it on?”

Even though it was only a suggestion, Max couldn’t bring himself to say no. After he put the clothes back on, the seamstress started to fawn over him again.

“Wow, it really suits you.”

Max frowned as he inspected himself in the mirror. Was this okay? After his mother’s death, Max had abandoned colorful styles. Maybe that was why his appearance seemed strange to him.

“What do you think? Do you like it?” Jubelian asked. Caught up in the confusion of the moment, he nodded. She smiled brightly. “That’s a relief. I was worried since it seemed to be more to my taste than yours.”

Max felt strange when he heard her say the word taste. He glanced at himself in the mirror again and found that he looked better than he had initially thought.

“Max,” Jubelian calmly called. Independent of his notice, she had approached him, and now she was gazing at him with her jewel-like eyes. Max could feel his heart pounding under her stare. “Let’s go.”

Max gently accepted the fine hand she held out for him to take. Once he did, she lowered her voice to a soft whisper. “The clothes are a gift from me,” she said.

Normally, he wouldn’t have accepted such a thing, gift or not. However, he remembered her words from before. “That’s a relief,” she had said. “I was worried since it seemed to be more to my taste than yours.”

He decided to exercise some magnanimity and accept her gift.

 

✤ ✤ ✤

 

I was worn out. Since I was visiting the various shops on Arcade Street with Max, I could feel multiple stares directed toward us. I turned to the main focus of all the attention.

He was handsome enough cloaked in a dark cape, but now that he was dressed up, he was really something else. Fine clothes were said to make the man, but in this case, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that it was the other way around. Those clothes benefited from being worn by him. How could a face like this not be mentioned in the original novel? My expression hardened as I blamed the author for choosing to set up the characters so strangely.

“Oh, who’s this? If it isn’t Lady Floyen!” a voice called out.

“Ah, long time no see, esteemed son of Viscount Droil,” I replied.

Grinning, he slyly approached, greeting me with a bow. “My noble lady is beautiful today, as always.”

“Thank you.”

We were exchanging casual greetings when he suddenly said, “But the person next to you… is someone I’ve never seen before.”

Since he attended many parties, it was obvious that he would know most of the public figures who lived in the capital. It wasn’t unreasonable for him to be curious about someone he didn’t recognize.

Well, I guess it didn’t matter anymore if rumors would spread. My goal was to avoid the crown prince. Meeting a talkative person like Radian was a pretty lucky move, all things considering.

“This is my boyfriend, Max,” I said.

A strange glow manifested within Radian’s eyes. “Oh, if you don’t mind, could you tell me which family he’s from?”

I readied a vague answer, but Max spoke up before I had the chance to give it. “That’s none of your business,” he spat.

I sighed at his harsh tone of voice. Ah… this guy was going to cause me some trouble, after all.

 

✤ ✤ ✤

 

The greedy gaze looking Jubelian up and down was not an unfamiliar one to Max. As someone who grew up in the palace and roamed the battlefield, he recognized the look of greed and the desire to conquer. He became inexplicably angry as soon as he realized what he was seeing.

How dare someone like this man look upon Jubelian in such a way. He didn’t know why, but he wanted to twist the insolent fool’s neck. Nevertheless, he held himself back because something in Jubelian’s eyes seemed to urge him to be patient. Meeting her gaze strangely calmed the overwhelming feelings within him, suffusing him with the same sense of peace he felt when he first fell asleep in her room. Max clenched his fists and suppressed his murderous intentions.

Why on earth was he holding himself back? While he questioned himself about his unexplainable actions, Jubelian was speaking.

“Ah, my boyfriend is from the countryside far away from here, so he’s not well versed on our manners,” she said. “I hope you understand.”

Max narrowed his eyes at her calm voice. He learned all manners he needed to back when he was nine years old. For the royal family, etiquette and manners were only a means of determining if one person was treating another person improperly. By the way Radian seemed to act, Max could tell that he was being rude.

How dare the son of a mere viscount talk to the daughter of a duke in such a way. Max gripped his fists even harder, the blue veins on the back of his hand becoming more and more prominent. He sent Radian a warning glare, but the snake-eyed man didn’t look the least bit intimidated.

“I see. Now that the lady has a new lover, a lot of gentlemen in the capital will be heartbroken.” The conniving man winked and laughed. “Should I mention that I, of course, will also be one of them?” Max could tell Radian was looking down on him by the way he eyed him, smiling crookedly.

How amusing. When Max had participated in the war at the age of sixteen, there had been many times where he had been ignored for being a rookie. However, that stopped being the case after he decapitated an enemy commander and displayed the head in the square for all to see. From the start, he was the kind of person who never avoided a fight.

Would the son of Viscount Droil still be able to look at Max the same way after his tongue was cut off? His mind began to fill itself with brutal thoughts, but when Jubelian suddenly locked arms with him, his anger started to fade. What was she doing? As if to answer Max’s question, Jubelian parted her red lips to speak.

“We’ll be going, then,” she said. “We’re running out of time for our date.”

Max’s expression relaxed at her words. A date...? Although he had unwillingly taken part in her dress-up game, her words confirmed for him who she was spending time with. When he realized this, an unfamiliar warmth began bubbling within his chest, tickling him.

“I hope you’ll allow me some time as well the next we meet,” Radian said. Max smirked at how he kept his act up until the end.

The Son of Viscount Droil, huh? As he watched Radian walk away, Max vowed to place Viscount Droil’s family on his hit list for when the day of the rebellion came around. The first thing he would do was rip off the mouth that dared to laugh at him.

Max’s eyes were shining with bloodthirst.

Suddenly, Jubelian asked him a question. “Do you want to get something sweet to eat?”

Clearing the savagery from his eyes, Max glanced over at her inquiringly.

“I’m just stressed out from having to see that irritating guy,” she explained.

He wasn’t sure what she meant by stressed out, but he did understand that she was speaking ill of Radian. “Then, we can get rid of him, right? As the daughter of a duke, it will be a simple feat to exterminate a viscount’s family.”

At his words, Jubelian let out a sigh, her face turning serious. “I really hate him, but I don’t want to get rid of him.”

“Why?”

Jubelian sighed once more at Max’s obliviousness. “It’s like… I hate rats, but I don’t want to go through the trouble of killing them just to see their dead bodies,” she explained. “Do you know what I mean?”

Max learned something important just then. So, she didn’t like killing… for some reason, that thought depressed him. Was this why she was afraid of the crown prince?

Her lively voice brought him back to reality. “Let’s stop talking about unpleasant things and get some sweets. I know a good place,” she said.

Max stared at her in return. He hated sweet things.

Mistaking his silence for affirmation, she began pulling on his arm. “I’m sure you’ll like it,” she enthused.

If he wanted to, he could have refused, but he didn't. Instead, Max allowed himself to be helplessly dragged along.

Soon, they arrived at an indescribably glamorous tearoom. Jubelian looked over at Max, expecting some sort of reaction, but he seemed largely apathetic. It was rather average, he thought. No matter how colorfully the interior was decorated, it was mediocre in the eyes of someone who grew up in a palace lined with gold.

“Hello, my lady,” greeted a clerk carrying a menu. “What would you like to order?”

Jubelian glanced at Max. “What do you like? I like strawberry cake.”

To be honest, he hated sweets, but he felt that if he told her the truth then her smile would disappear. “I want the same thing,” he said instead.

“I think you and I have similar tastes.”

Max furrowed his brows at her words. Their tastes were completely different. Cucumbers, showy clothes, and sweets were all things he hated. He had been molding himself to fit her interests of his own accord, but she hadn’t noticed at all. It was amazing how dense she was.

He sighed in frustration.

 

✤ ✤ ✤

 

Mikhail’s expression twisted into one of irritation when he laid his eyes on the face of someone whom he didn’t want to see. “What brings you here again?” he asked.

Radian lifted a glass at his question. “Let’s sit down first. Then, we’ll talk.”

He was extremely displeased to see that Radian used the excuse of being his cousin to drink his expensive alcohol. Instead of sitting down, Mikhail lifted a glass of liquor up off the table.

He didn’t want to talk to Radian face to face, did he? Radian smirked at his cousin’s obvious behavior. “Did you know?” he prompted.

“What?” Whatever his vile cousin had to say, Mikhail was determined to not be shaken up this time. With this pledge in mind, he began to bring his glass to his mouth.

“Lady Floyen. I saw her with a man today.”

As soon as he heard that absurd claim, the glass slipped from Mikhail’s hand.

Clang!

There was a loud crash followed by pieces of glass skittering across the floor. Radian opened his mouth to say something but closed it when he noticed the look in his cousin’s eyes.

Mikhail’s bleak voice cut through the ensuing silence. “I dare you to say something like that again.”

 

✤ ✤ ✤

 

Mikhail paused while wiping at his dripping face with a towel, deep in thought.

“I definitely saw it,” Radian had said. “She was with some handsome guy.”

God… there was no way that woman would do something like that.

Suddenly, he heard a knock on the door.

“Young master, you’re scheduled to attend the Terence family’s tea party today—”

“I’m aware,” he interrupted. “I’ll be ready on time, so you can leave.”

Mikhail gritted his teeth after sending his servant away. A new lover? That didn’t make sense. Radian had to be talking nonsense like he did last time.

Thinking back on the time Radian spread those false rumors about the cufflinks, Mikhail observed himself in the mirror. His face had become thinner, but he was still attractive. If she saw him today, he was certain she would… would…

Mikhail clenched his fists, unable to finish the thought.

 

✤ ✤ ✤

 

On the morning of the tea tasting party, I spun around in front of a mirror. I was wearing the new dress I ordered from a boutique. Maybe it was because I had the cumbersome frill sleeves replaced with some short puff sleeves, but it was easier to move my arms around. I also had the top of the dress’ stomacher changed to expose less of my upper body since I had always been concerned about that.

Hm. This was okay, right?

The fashion trends in the novel significantly changed after Princess Beatrice showed up to her coming-of-age ceremony in a dress that had a pannier that was much larger than usual. Unlike the splendor that the princess sought, the dress I was currently wearing was completely different. The whalebone pannier was replaced with a petticoat made of several layers of cloth and the long sleeves were replaced with short puff sleeves. These were only slight improvements to the uncomfortable Rococo style clothing, but I quite liked them.

If I could, I would like to wear something more comfortable, but I would become an eyesore if I stuck out too much… wearing whatever I wanted was reserved for after I became independent.

Then, I heard Merilyn’s voice. “My lady, there’s a guest waiting,” she reported. Knowing that she was talking about Max, I nodded at her.

“Okay,” I said. “I’ll be right down.” I glanced at the clock. He was an hour earlier than expected… I admired his diligence.

Merilyn spoke up again. “And this is your allowance from the master.”

I took a deep breath, pleasantly surprised by Father’s unexpected present. That was a relief. I was worried about losing my allowance. But… in a situation like the one I created, it probably wasn’t enough of a punishment for Father to withhold my allowance and kick me out. Honestly, I didn’t understand why he was acting this way.

I decided to think about this later. I had other things to do today. Pushing my concerns away, I sighed and left the room.

That man, Max. He didn’t dress weirdly, did he? With that question in mind, I went downstairs, and the sight that greeted me at the foot of the steps impressed me.

His black hair was usually messy, but it looked neat today as if he took more care into styling it. On top of that, he was wearing the clothes I bought for him along with some matching accessories. Everything fit perfectly.

He was a stunning person, but now that he was all dressed up… he was no joke. He was handsome enough to capture anyone’s eye.

As I gawked at him, I realized something strange. Why was he staring at me like that? The thought popped into my head after I noticed his piercing gaze. Did he think I looked weird?

“Let’s go,” he suddenly said, his voice as cold as ice. He turned around without waiting for a response from me.

Well, I didn’t expect anything much in the first place.

 

✤ ✤ ✤

 

Although her dress was simpler than usual, it greatly accentuated her pure and innocent aura. Like the servants in the mansion catching sight of her, Max couldn’t tear his eyes off of her.

She looked different today. Whenever Max glanced at her, his face would heat up and his heart would begin pounding uncontrollably. Afraid that she might notice, he kept his gaze fixed resolutely out the window after boarding the carriage.

Soon after, he heard Jubelian’s breathing even out. He frowned, glancing sideways to peek at her.

Was she… asleep? He noticed this before, but she was the very definition of defenseless. She didn’t do this in front of anyone else, did she? After a while, a sliver of a smile threatened his lips. She was a sight to behold.

Seeing Jubelian nodding off as she slept was somehow really funny despite how precarious it was. It would be worth seeing if she ended up falling forwards or not.

At that moment, a big jolt rattled through the carriage, causing her to jerk in place. Max’s eyes widened in surprise. Before he could even really think about it, his body had moved for him, rushing to support her head with his hands so she wouldn’t tumble down.

Why was he doing this? His face scrunched up as he mulled over his actions. Then, he laid her head on his shoulder, trying to rationalize his behavior all the while. Well, it was pretty annoying having to watch her nod off like that. Unlike before when her head was dangerously swaying back and forth, she looked more stable leaning against him, resting peacefully with her eyes still closed. Max recalled Fresia’s report as he felt Jubelian’s warmth seep into him.

“I heard that Lady Terence invited Sir Mikhail on her own accord. She didn’t notify the other ladies about this.”

Mikhail. For seemingly no reason, an unpleasant feeling would begin to rise within him whenever that name came to mind. Until the misunderstandings were cleared, he couldn’t let that bugger bother Jubelian. Max scowled.

She began to wake. “Mm, huh…?” she murmured, puzzled. Looking up at him, her bewildered gaze met his, and an inexplicable rush of heat began to creep up the back of his neck. She looked so defenseless…

“Keep sleeping,” he said, turning back to look out the window. It was better for him when he couldn’t see her face.

“Alright, thank you,” she replied pleasantly.

At that, a faint smile made its way onto Max’s face.

 

✤ ✤ ✤

 

Lady Terence’s drawing room, where the tea tasting party was scheduled to take place, had a chilly atmosphere.

“It seems like we have an uninvited guest,” Rose began. “I would like to know what’s going on, Veronica.”

“I was only following one of our meeting rules,” Veronica sarcastically replied. “Whoever provides the party’s venue is free to invite whomever they please.”

Rose raised her voice. “The other day, I clearly mentioned that one needed to obtain a unanimous agreement before issuing such a decision. I’d like to ask you why you did this without our combined permission.”

Instead of Veronica, another voice quietly interjected. “If that’s the case, I was told that you, Lady Rose, had also broken the rules. Strictly enforcing regulations upon others while making yourself the sole exception to them doesn’t look very good, does it?”

With a hint of spite radiating from her purple eyes, Rose glared at Mikhail. She had no idea why he came here, but she knew it wasn’t for a good reason. Before Rose could properly refute him, however, another voice chimed in.

“Sir Mikhail certainly has a point,” one of the other ladies said.

“It doesn’t make much of a difference, does it? Now we just have two additional exceptional guests,” another agreed. The ladies’ eyes were focused on Mikhail’s handsome face. Realizing what they were thinking, Rose’s face twisted in annoyance.

What? They ended up falling for his looks! Those traitors! She quivered with anger she couldn’t conceal.

Just then, the door to the drawing room opened. The arguments suddenly came to a stop, every member of the tea party startled by a certain someone’s arrival.

“Oh, I’m here on time, but… all of you came early, it seems,” Jubelian noted.

Rose couldn’t bring herself to say hello. Jubelian was dressed in a white dress that had puff sleeves instead of long sleeves, which were the norm. She looked pure and thin like a small, fragile white bird.

What really made her shine, however, was the man entering next to her. He had chilling crimson eyes and his ink-black hair contrasted perfectly with her alabaster skin. Overall, he had a handsome appearance, but his fierce, sharp aura made it difficult to approach him. One could say that they gave each other a complementary effect. Having a man beside her who differed with her so strongly only served to emphasize the purity of her pale, fragile aura.

Rose, recalling a romance novel she had read in the past, thought Jubelian looked like a princess while her partner looked like the evil, handsome king who kidnapped her.

Noticing she had been blankly staring at them, Rose came to her senses. “Excuse my manners, Lady Floyen, but who might the person next to you be…?” she carefully asked.

Jubelian smiled. “Oh, this is my boyfriend, Max.”

The ladies at the tea party were instantly surprised. They began whispering amongst themselves. “Wait a minute, did she say boyfriend?” one asked.

“I thought the rumors about you having a lover were false…” another trailed off.

Suddenly, everyone’s gaze shifted to Mikhail. His beautiful face, once relaxed, was now pinched in a look of irritation. Was the crap that Radian had discussed with him actually true? A bitter smile tainted his lips as he clenched his fists tightly. No, this was probably a trick to make him jealous.

He studied the man next to Jubelian. Max had a decent face, but judging from how she introduced him using only his first name, he either had to be from a lowly family or… he was a commoner.

Mikhail wanted to take that unpleasant man away from her and trample on him. However, as an aristocrat, he had no reason to deal with someone of lowly birth. She was just trying to provoke him with some guy from a family of nobodies… but that wasn’t going to work. He scowled, coming to a decision.

He was going to run her patience ragged today.

 

✤ ✤ ✤

 

With all the attention he attracted, I knew Max was a handsome guy. I, on the other hand, was lucky enough not to look too incomparable. I was wearing such simple clothing, after all.

Well, it couldn’t be helped. I chose convenience over beauty and offered him the contract. I resigned myself to my fate.

Suddenly, a member of the tea party addressed me. “Um, Lady Floyen, about your dress…”

Ugh, was she going to point out how shabby it was? Since my attire was neither trendy nor fancy, I was afraid she might’ve perceived it as having lowered the tea party’s class.

“You look so elegant and pretty in it!” She finished with a blush.

The lady next to her nodded in agreement. “If you don’t mind, could you tell me which dress shop you ordered it from?”

Huh?

At first, I was embarrassed by their unexpected praise, but then the truth of their intentions suddenly occurred to me. Oh, were they afraid of embarrassing me for wearing such inadequate clothing?

Feeling a bit grateful toward them, I replied gladly. “It’s from Lily Muge’s dress shop.”

“Oh my goodness, thank you!”

I was relieved by their hospitality. Then, I noticed a familiar face.

Wait, how was that person here? Seeing this person here of all places made me flustered.

“I just don’t think these dresses will suit you very well because of your slender figure, Lady Floyen. If fashion trends weren’t so important, you wouldn’t have to wear such uncomfortable, unflattering dresses. You could actually wear something that looked good on you. It’s simply… a shame,” she had said.

The lady I met back at the dress shop…! She was here! I couldn’t believe it. What a wonderful coincidence!

Maybe it was because I felt a bit closer to her now, but I was somehow glad to see her. I nodded at her, but she tilted her head away from me as if she hadn’t seen me, moving to whisper to the person sitting next to her. Reflexively, I looked over to check who it was and almost narrowed my eyes at the sight.

Why was Mikhail here?

If someone were to ask me to describe how I felt after diligently dressing myself up only to encounter my ex-boyfriend at a meeting with my friends, I would simply say, “Hm. I don’t really feel anything.”

Was it because I didn’t leave with any regrets? Honestly, I was caught a bit off-guard since no one had informed me that he would be here, but that was about it. I felt fine even after looking directly at his face.

He could be uncomfortable around me, though. Turning my attention elsewhere, I figured that I should stay quiet so we don’t bump into each other.

Contrary to my expectations, however, Mikhail greeted me with a gentle voice. “Long time no see, Jubelian,” he said. Maybe it was because it had been a while now since we had broken up. Maybe it was because freeing himself from me had made him joyous. Either way, Mikhail had a relaxed expression on his face. He looked a bit thinner than before, though.

Hm, was it okay for him to see me like this now? I wondered for a brief second before quickly denying this speculation. He was probably behaving as he was because of how others might perceive him. He had a very good image just like a novel’s male lead should. He was gentle, kind, and well-mannered. That was probably why he couldn’t draw a strict line between us.

I would just have to draw it for him, then. Since my image had already been ruined by my past and Father was already upset with me, I didn’t care if the public’s opinion about me got worse at this point. To be honest, I didn’t really feel like being nice to him.

“Yes, it’s been a while,” I replied indifferently. My voice came out so emotionlessly robotic that I couldn’t believe I had spoken. I didn’t want to look at him any longer, so I turned to Max, who was sitting right next to me.

He didn’t look very happy. I studied his expression. He seemed displeased with something, and I decided that he must’ve been uncomfortable with the situation at hand.

“I’ll see you in a little while,” I said to Max, implying that he should go back to the carriage and get some rest. He gazed at me vacantly in return, however, and when he opened his mouth to speak, I became anxious, worried that he was going to start complaining to me in front of all the others.

“Have a good time… my lady,” he replied with low, pleasant tones.

My eyes widened. Although I could tell he almost spoke informally out of habit, he had nevertheless gifted me an unexpected courtesy, managing to rein himself in. I couldn’t hold back my laughter, tickled by his praiseworthy behavior.

“Oh yes, thank you,” I said as he began to leave.

“Um, wait a minute!” a voice suddenly called out. Everyone’s attention turned to Rose and she blushed in embarrassment after having stopped Max from leaving. “I’d like to make a suggestion,” she continued. “Since we already have another unexpected guest with us today, I think it should be fine to add one more…” She trailed off.

I was surprised at Rose’s sudden suggestion. Oh, I didn’t think that was really okay… even though he had done a great job just now, I honestly couldn’t trust him with much more. He was like a ticking time bomb and I had no way of knowing when he was going to explode. Moreover, small gatherings like this tended to avoid collecting uninvited guests. I could tell that the idea wasn’t going to be a welcome one, and I had no need to earn others’ criticism at the moment.

I decided to reject Rose’s proposal. “Oh, thank you for your consideration, but—”

“Yes, I agree,” one lady interrupted.

“I agree as well,” another spoke up.

The unexpected flow of events had me scrunching my nose in confusion. Was it okay even though he was an outsider? I was amazed. I wasn’t expecting the aristocratic people gathered here to be so inclusive and tolerant!

Well, if they were nice enough to say that the dress that Max had frowned at after seeing was pretty… it wouldn’t be much of a stretch.

I was trying to come up with a way to avoid this sudden turn of events when someone spoke up and saved me. “I disagree,” Mikhail said. It was ironic that he was the one to stubbornly refuse like this. “Don’t you already have an exception on your side?”

He stared at me coldly. It was true that I was technically an exception, too, but it was absurd for him to make such an accusation. Nevertheless, instead of retorting, I stayed quiet, welcoming his opinion.

“Isn’t that different, though? In Lady Floyen’s case, I had received everyone’s consent in advance,” Rose objected. Even though I appreciated her willingness to take my side, I was frustrated since I wanted Max gone.

Oh, what should I do? I sighed. Three people have already said it was okay for Max to stay. Mikhail seemed to be the only person in opposition. At this rate, I would have to watch over Max throughout the entirety of the tea party.

Then, someone who had been silent from the beginning opened her mouth. “I disagree as well,” the noblewoman I met at the dress shop said. I didn’t know her name. “Displays of favoritism would just oppose fairness and put Lady Floyen in an awkward position. Please refrain from acting in such a way, Rose.”

Although this lady’s motivation behind opposing Rose was unknown to me, things turned out well again thanks to her.

I honestly believed we could have similar personalities. Her impression on me was growing rather favorable. “It’s as the two of them said. I’m simply thrilled to have been invited to this place,” I said.

At my euphemistic refusal, Rose glanced at me with disappointment in her eyes. “But…” she began, trailing off.

Worried that I might’ve hurt her feelings, I decided to express my gratitude with greater emphasis. “Thank you for treating my boyfriend so considerately. Since he used to live in the countryside, however, he isn’t used to attending meetings like this,” I explained.

“Oh, is that so?”

“Yes. For that reason, I think it would be best if he left to rest in our carriage, isn’t that right?” I glanced at Max, but he was glaring at me with dissatisfaction. Did something set him off again? What was wrong with him? I was doing my best to hint my intentions at him despite how much of a rebellious child he was acting.

The lady whose name I didn’t know spoke up once more. “Well, since he’s Lady Floyen’s partner and I have plenty of empty rooms… I’ll lend him a place to stay while he waits,” she said.

Upon her display of kindness, I was finally able to figure out who she was.

“Thank you, Lady Terence,” I replied.

Her face looked blank. “Don’t mention it.”

Her cool personality only made me like her even more.

 

✤ ✤ ✤

 

Recalling what had happened, Veronica pulled a face. What was the big deal about some decent-looking guy? Everyone kept hinting at her because of him. What for? She didn’t want to lend the man a room when his status was so unclear, but there was no helping it. She was afraid Lady Floyen would get angry if she didn’t at least do that much.

He was just some petty commoner. How stupid.

However, upon recalling Max’s visage, her cheeks grew hot. She hurriedly turned back to Mikhail. Even though he looked a little fatigued, that minor flaw only served to highlight his beautiful features. Just as she had expected, Max wasn’t as good-looking as Sir Mikhail. However…

Veronica’s eyes narrowed when she saw who Mikhail was staring at. She knew it. Lady Floyen was making Sir Mikhail uncomfortable.

At that moment, she heard a gentle voice free her from her thoughts. “Lady Veronica, the tea smells wonderful,” Mikhail said, smiling at her.

She blushed. “Oh, I’m glad you like it.”

Mikhail, still smiling at Veronica, peeked at Jubelian for a reaction. She had to have been envying Veronica by now, right?

Sure enough, he caught Jubelian sighing as she looked at them. Mikhail smirked at the sight. He knew it. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t escape from his grasp.

 

✤ ✤ ✤

 

I unconsciously sighed after witnessing Lady Terence blush. Out of everyone, why did she have to end up liking Mikhail? I wanted to stop her from falling prey to his evil influence. Since he was destined to love the princess, he wasn’t being the slightest bit genuine toward her at the moment. In the end, the only thing that would await Lady Terence was destruction.

Yes, just like what happened to Jubelian in the original novel. As I sympathized with the woman who seemed to be following in my past self’s footsteps, I took a sip of tea and almost frowned.

Um… this tea probably hadn’t been brewed correctly… Judging from its scent and color, I could tell it was white tea, but it had grown slightly bitter through the overuse of hot water.

I thought about saying something but decided to keep my mouth shut in the end. I would only hurt her feelings if I tried anything. Just as I had done in the past, I knew she wouldn’t listen to others. The only thing left for me to do now was to pray for her.

“Please do not walk on the path to becoming a villainess,” I silently pleaded, wishing for a safe breakup between her and Mikhail as I drank the bitter tea.

 

✤ ✤ ✤

 

“You can wait here,” the servant said. Max had been led to another drawing room in the count’s house.

To ask a member of the royal family to stay in such a shabby place… Max silently complained to himself. Then, he stopped after realizing the room was filled with luxurious furniture and interior accessories.

However, when he recalled Mikhail, who had annoyed him from the start, he became furious.

“Long time no see, Jubelian,” Mikhail had said.

Contrary to the rumors that claimed Mikhail considered Jubelian a bothersome pest, his eyes were filled with an immense obsession as he beheld her, turning cold when it reached Max. It was as if he was warning Max to stay away from what was his.

Max seethed. How dare Mikhail look at him like that. Recalling what Fresia had told him, he grew even more furious.

“I heard that Lady Floyen really liked Sir Mikhail,” Fresia had mused. “People say that she chased him around without caring about her reputation… in some ways, it’s fortunate that they separated.”

Max started pacing back and forth in the room as irritation and restlessness suddenly began to mount within him. At that moment, a window fell into his line of sight. It looked large enough for a person to enter and exit out of.

“Don’t cause any trouble and wait there quietly, okay?” Jubelian had whispered to him, but he ignored her command. He opened the window.

He couldn’t just sit here and do nothing.

 

✤ ✤ ✤

 

“Lady Veronica, would you like to go out with me sometime?” Mikhail asked.

“Oh my, yes! I would love to!” Veronica happily exclaimed. “When should we?”

“Let’s decide after checking when we both have time.”

Mikhail, still conversing with Veronica, glanced over toward Jubelian. Now then, it was about time for her to react…

But, strangely enough, Jubelian was no longer looking at him. She was just quietly drinking her tea.

“Veronica, you have something here,” he added.

“Ah, yes. Th-thank you…” Veronica flushed as Mikhail smiled at her. Then, he turned to Jubelian again and squinted slightly.

That was strange. Although he had done more than enough to entice Jubelian into causing a great fuss, she didn’t react in any way. Why? Why wasn’t she looking at him? Mikhail felt anger bubble violently inside of him at her apathy. She lavished her attention onto mere commoners like that man from earlier, but wasn’t…

Mikhail started resenting her.

“Ah, I would like to suggest one more thing,” Rose said. Then, she blushed from the attention she got as the members of the tea party looked toward her in unison. “It’s nothing much, but I wanted to invite Lady Floyen to be a permanent new member of our tea tasting parties. I’d like to ask for everyone’s opinions on this. What does everyone think?”

As soon as she finished speaking, the other two ladies spoke up excitedly.

“Oh my goodness, I would love to have her!” one said.

“Me too!” the other exclaimed.

Since Jubelian had told them which dress shop she had ordered her white dress from, they had started viewing her in a much more positive light. After hearing their responses, Jubelian’s expression changed slightly despite having remained still up until then.

“Oh, I…” she began, uncertain as to how to respond.

Mikhail, who had seen this expression several times before, could tell precisely what she was thinking. Although it was a face that conveyed shy embarrassment, it was filled with joy. It was a face that Mikhail had so badly wanted to see again.

How come she made it for women like them… but not for him? Overwhelmed by devastation, Mikhail blankly gasped at her.

“I disagree,” Veronica said. The faint smile on Jubelian’s face began to disappear. Mikhail, having witnessed the change, felt his heart ache. That always happened when he was cold to her as well.

Upon realizing this, Mikhail felt upset at Veronica for voting against her. This good-for-nothing woman…

However, Veronica continued talking, ignorant of his reproachful gaze. “I’m not against it without reason,” she said. “We have requirements that must first be met before someone could join!”

Convinced, the members nodded their heads.

“Well, that’s an undeniable fact.”

“You’re right. We decided on that when we first formed the group.”

Rose let out a sigh. “Lady Floyen, there are some conditions you must satisfy before you can join,” she acquiesced.

At that, Jubelian replied as if nothing was wrong. “Oh, yes,” she agreed. “It can’t be helped if I don’t qualify. You don’t have to worry.”

Her calm words had Mikhail enduring a sense of déjà vu. “Oh, I guess it can’t be helped if you have to train. You don’t have to worry about it,” she had once said.

Fueled by this memory, Mikhail thoughtlessly opened his mouth. “I think it’s better if you listen to the requirements first before making a decision.”

Jubelian’s gaze trembled faintly after hearing him speak. Witnessing her expression, Mikhail smiled, satisfied.

 

✤ ✤ ✤

 

Feeling extremely flustered, I glared at Mikhail. Why was this guy interfering in other people’s business? Of course, I was excited when I was invited to join the group since it was the first time girls my age showed me any goodwill in this life, but I couldn’t completely enjoy their kindness due to my current circumstances. As I was right now, it wouldn’t have been odd if I ended up getting thrown out of the group at any moment.

Having decided to reject the offer, I waited for Rose to speak up when something caught my eye. I inhaled sharply.

When did he get out?

I had asked Max to quietly wait for me, but now he was staring out at me from atop a tree. I felt suffocated by the sight. If the people around me noticed him as well… that would be the end of my life.

Max was currently posing as my lover. If others discovered that he was climbing trees to eavesdrop on a tea party, Father would surely have something to say about it. “Are you going to continue dating that ill-mannered guy?” he would surely tell me. “It would be better for you to marry the crown prince.”

Thinking about how my life might end, I took a deep breath.

“Lady Floyen, did you hear what I had said just now?” Rose asked

I nodded thoughtlessly at her question. “Of course.”

“Oh, so you’re alright with the requirements?”

“Ah, yes.”

Rose and the other noblewomen smiled brightly at my answer.

“Wow, I’ll be looking forward to it.”

“Likewise. I wonder what kind of special tea you’ll prepare…”

Huh? What tea? I was dumbfounded when I registered what they said.

Rose, who was sitting next to me, smiled sweetly. “I’ll be looking forward to it,” she whispered.

“Huh? Looking forward to what?” I asked without a second thought.

“The tea party with your special tea,” she answered with a laugh. She must’ve thought I was joking. I sighed then glared back at the tree that hid Max. I wasn’t sure if I was fortunate or not, but he had disappeared.

I would speak to him later, I decided.

At that moment, Mikhail rose from his seat. “I’m going to get some fresh air,” he announced. Lady Terence stood up to follow him.

“Oh, me too—” she started, but Rose called out to her.

“Veronica, shouldn’t you set the date for our next tea party?”

Frowning, Lady Terence sat back down. “Darn it! Alright.”

I was relieved that things had gone smoothly but then I sighed when I thought about Max again.

This contract… would be okay, right?

 

✤ ✤ ✤

 

“Um, Lady Floyen,” a grumpy voice called out. “Why did you sigh after looking at me?”

I glanced up and saw Lady Terence giving me a look. “Oh, I…” I wasn’t a nosy person. My safety came first, and it was a principle of mine that everyone should take care of themselves. But seeing as the face she wore was similar to the ones I’ve made in the past, I couldn’t leave her be. “I’m angry,” I admitted.

“What?” she asked, sounding as if I had said something ridiculous. There was no backing down now.

“I was often ignored as well,” I elaborated.

She stood up from her seat, trembling. “Who are you saying was ignored?”

It was understandable that she didn’t want to admit it. I acknowledged her feelings because I was once like her. “I’m sorry for making you uncomfortable. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad.” She continued to glare at me as I apologized. I stood up from my seat. If I stayed here any longer, I was only going to hurt her more. “As promised, I’ll host the next tea party. However, if it will distress you to take part, you don’t have to come. I’ll be going now.”

With these parting words, I left the room.

 

✤ ✤ ✤

 

Meanwhile, Mikhail was wearing a dark expression as he stomped out of the drawing room. How dare that shallow man…!

It was irritating that the man next to Jubelian had scowled at him, but he chose to ignore it because it was ridiculous. He would only end up looking foolish if he vented his anger out on a petty commoner. But after finding out that Jubelian’s attention had been riveted on that man, her face shifting into a myriad of different subtle expressions as she gazed out at him, he felt like his heart had been burnt black.

It couldn’t be true! Mikhail didn’t want to admit to the fact that such a lowlife was able to coax so much feeling out of her. That was why Mikhail glared daggers at Max whenever Jubelian looked away. However, the arrogant commoner only smiled back at him, crudely mimicking a cut to his neck. He was threatening to kill him.

He was going to massacre that conceited bastard! Mikhail left the mansion in search of Max. Upon passing by a deserted area, he heard a low voice speak up, vulgar words dripping from a commoner’s tongue.

“Crawling out of there pretty late, aren’t you?” Max taunted, staring at Mikhail with those vicious red eyes of his. He was standing in a dim spot. He had just insulted a nobleman.

That egotist must’ve lost his sense of fear. Mikhail scowled. One of the virtues the Imperial Knights had to uphold was for them to refrain from boasting about their strength. However, Mikhail had no intention of affording that kind of generosity to the commoner who had just committed mutiny against him.

It would be okay if he just broke the guy’s arm, right? He needed punishment, after all, and now Mikhail had a good reason for it. He readied himself to make a move.

Suddenly, a powerful blow swept him aside. In an instant, Max had grabbed him by the collar. It had happened before he could even comprehend it.

Wh-what? What did he just do? His face contorted with effort as he tried to grasp what was happening. Then, Max slammed him to the ground, and he cried out in pain.

He tried his best to lift himself up from the sudden shock when a long shadow descended over him.

“Just as I thought. Crawling suits petty scum,” Max spat. There was something akin to madness looming within his crimson curved gaze. Mikhail could only gape in shock.

He had assumed that Max was just a good-looking playboy because of the disinterested expression he wore, but the quick movements he had just demonstrated and the overwhelming pressure from his stare felt completely different from how he did a short while ago.

This man… what on earth was he?

Mikhail’s stinging flesh was a constant reminder that the man before him was dangerous. Nevertheless, he didn’t want to back down. Jubelian was a woman who used to follow him blindly, unaware of the dangers that surrounded her. He couldn’t tell if she was slow-witted or stupid, but the way she would smile at him even after he had made it obvious he didn’t like her made his stomach churn.

He couldn’t allow such a dangerous man to remain by that dense woman’s side. Although she might’ve proved lacking in many aspects, she still belonged to him. Mikhail couldn’t help but be bothered by the fact that a parasite like Max had attached himself to her.

Mikhail hurriedly scrambled to his feet and glared at him. “You,” he began. “Who are you and what makes you think you can stay by Jubelian’s side?”

“That’s none of your business,” Max replied, furrowing his brows slightly.

At Max’s unyielding tone, Mikhail drew his sword. He didn’t hesitate, immediately pointing the tip at Max’s neck. “Tell me!” he demanded, the silver blade in his hand unwavering. He was determined to cut his opponent down mercilessly if the fool chose to keep speaking nonsense.

Even though his life was being threatened, Max remained calm. “Didn’t Jubelian already tell you?” he asked. “We’re lovers.”

The moment he heard those words, Mikhail felt fury crash through him. He wanted to slice through the arrogant man’s neck immediately, but he refrained from doing so because he was unsure of how Jubelian would react. He held onto what little patience he had left and raised his voice.

“Bullshit! There’s no way she’d love something like you!” he shouted. “Who are you? What purpose—”

A cold, ruthless voice shut him up.

“Mikhail Albert Hessen. Put that sword down,” Jubelian demanded.

Mikhail flinched. He never thought he would hear her call his name in such a way.

“Put that sword down right now,” she repeated, sharp and commanding.

Mikhail’s sword hand fell helplessly to his side. “Jubelian,” he called remorsefully.

Despite his regret, all she offered him was a frigid stare. “It’s not Jubelian. It’s Lady Floyen. Please refrain from disrespecting me, Lord Hessen,” she said.

Even though their statuses only differed by one rank, the gap in power between a duke’s family and a marquis’ family was far from negligible. While dating Jubelian, however, Mikhail had never felt this difference. “Call me Jubelian, Mikhail,” she had said.

The woman he knew had always treated him kindly without holding back, but now he could clearly see the distinction between their statuses. She drew a strict line between them.

“I’m sorry, Lady Floyen,” Mikhail said. Deep down, he hoped she would admit that she had made a mistake. He hoped she would hurriedly correct her actions and apologize, but reality differed from his hopes. He received a cold-hearted interrogation instead.

“Why were you pointing your sword at my boyfriend?” she asked, observing him calmly. Her eyes were as blue as the sky and as still as a lake. Even though he had considered her bothersome, Mikhail had always thought her eyes were rather pleasant. “Answer me,” she ordered.

Now, however, he couldn’t help but be taken aback by the hostility in her gaze, by the lack of sympathy in her eyes.

“My lady, I—” Mikhail opened his mouth to make an excuse, but Jubelian cut him off sharply.

“An Imperial Knight drawing his sword so easily? If Father found out about this, he would be displeased,” she said, walking past him toward Max.

“Are you okay?” The tone she used on Max was so warm Mikhail could hardly believe that she was the same person who had just spoken so harshly to him. Looking at her, he could see the gentle care in her eyes. “I told you to wait for me quietly, Max,” she continued.

“I felt cramped in there because the room was so small,” Max complained. She sighed and refrained from making any comments about Max’s informal speech.

“I guess you must have felt rather confined. I’m sorry.”

Mikhail frowned when he heard Jubelian apologize instead of Max. Why was she apologizing when she did nothing wrong…?

Then, upon that thought, he recalled a moment from the past that paralleled the event playing out before him. It was on a day he was irritated at her because she visited him after his training had finished. “Oh, you must be tired. I’m sorry,” she had said.

He wasn’t irritated because he was actually tired. He reacted that way because he knew she would accept him no matter what he did. For Mikhail, Jubelian was the most comfortable person to be around. Someone he could always vent his anger on.

It was only now that he realized how terrible he had treated her.

Why did he do that? He watched Jubelian sorrowfully. She held her small, thin hand out to Max.

“Let’s go,” she said.

Mikhail clenched his fists. Her warm, kind eyes; her calm, pleasant voice; and even her small, thin hands had originally been his. He couldn’t lose her to this dangerous man of unknown origins.

Before he could think about his actions, Mikhail angrily stomped toward Jubelian and snatched her wrist away. “Jubelian, we need to talk,” he declared. Gripping onto her slender wrist, he tried to drag her away, but something took hold of his own wrist, stopping him with a rough grab.

“Let go,” Max said, his eyes rife with bloodlust. The force of his gaze suffocated Mikhail. The strength of his grip—almost strong enough to break his forearm—was like that of an angered beast rather than a human.

How dare a mere commoner…!

Mikhail tried to shake Max’s hand off, but oddly enough, it didn’t move an inch. He was about to lash out in fury when Jubelian spoke.

“Stop it, Max.”

At her discouragement, Max almost immediately released his grip, and he asked himself why he would do such a thing. He was doubting his sanity when he recalled the words he once defiantly declared to his master.

“I think I’ve found it. My weakness.”

Denial washed over him. Him? Having a weakness? There was no way. Max had never been defeated in war. Therefore, he considered himself thoroughly flawless and perfect in every way. It was only natural for him to feel repulsed by such a concept.

“I don’t want to,” he said.

“Please, Max. If you keep acting like this…” Jubelian sighed, trailing off.

Looking into her gaze felt oddly relaxing. “Okay,” he said, finally loosening his crushing grip.

Jubelian smiled at him. “Thank you.”

Mistaking her smile for having been inspired by himself, the corners of Mikhail’s mouth lifted. Yes. This was how it was supposed to be. No matter what he did, Jubelian was always meant to be on his side. Mikhail’s smile widened into a grin as he regained his confidence, his faltering faith returning anew.

That was when Jubelian, who had been facing Max the whole time, turned toward him. Was she finally going to look at him? He joyfully awaited the next moment. However, his happiness was soon crushed when he heard what she said next.

“Get your hand off of me, Mikhail Albert Hessen.”

Her ruthlessness made Mikhail feel as if his heart had been cut into a thousand pieces.

 

✤ ✤ ✤

 

I could see the look of shock on Mikhail’s face as soon as I finished speaking. It was natural for him to react that way since I had always respected him in the past. This was the first time I had ever exercised my authority on him.

Even so, he should have had an attitude like this toward me from the beginning. I had personally lowered my standards for a man of an inferior status, after all. Now, there was no longer any reason for me to continue showing him the same generosity I used to afford him since I had a higher social status as the daughter of a duke.

“Didn’t I tell you to let go? Can you not hear me?” I questioned Mikhail. Eventually, he released my hand without any objections. I scowled at him as I felt my tender wrist. Judging from the red mark he left on me, I was going to end up with a bruise.

He was really annoying me. Since I felt guilty for how I pestered him in the past, I was being as considerate as I could, but I had no reason to continue if he was just going to treat me callously.

“Forcefully touching others without their consent is an act of violence. I hope you haven’t done this to anyone else,” I scolded courageously. Then, I remembered that Max had grabbed Mikhail’s wrist as if to damage it a few moments ago. Since Max had hurt him in return, I could call us even.

“However, because of what my boyfriend has done, I will forgive your rudeness,” I continued with a sigh. At the word forgive, he raised his head.

“What’s your reason for ignoring me after you used to tell me that you loved me so much?” he asked somberly.

I was somewhat puzzled by this question, so I frowned at him. Wait, wouldn’t pretending not to know him be better? At this point, I really wasn’t sure if replying to his illogical yammering was worth it.

Mikhail smirked at my dumbfounded expression, taking it for something other than it was. “By any chance, are you trying to get my attention?”

What kind of shift in attitude was this? You couldn’t even call this ridiculous anymore; he had just gone crazy. I had no idea why he was doing this to me again. His strange behavior was starting to give me a headache, but I regained my sense of reason when I finally divided his motivations.

Ah, I got it. He was probably paranoid because I stalked him for the past two years... it was a bit unfortunate, but if I left things as they were, then he might keep coming up with bizarre explanations for my behavior in the future.

“I’ll make this clearer for you: I’m no longer interested in you,” I explained. I spoke politely to him out of pity, but I clearly stated my disinterest. This should be good enough, right?

I thought I had resolved the misunderstanding, but contrary to my expectations, he began to shout, his face contorted in pain. “You said you loved me!”

What he said was an undeniable fact, so I nodded. “Yes, I did.”

He looked at me with a peculiar expression nestled on his face. He was wondering if I was going to change my mind. I could see it in the slight flush on his cheeks and the tremor in his violet eyes. If I thought about it, I probably could’ve figured out exactly what he was thinking, and if I had been who I used to be, I probably would’ve gotten my hopes up. None of that mattered now, however. I had already ended my relationship with him.

“But I don’t anymore,” I finished.

I approached Max, who had been watching us with a scowl. “Let’s go,” I said, but he didn’t budge an inch.

He was probably sulking because I told him to let go of Mikhail’s wrist. I locked my arm around his and spoke gently as if to sooth a small child. “I’ll buy you cake, so please stop being mad at me, okay?”

At that moment, he flinched, moved his arm so that it would be easier for us to link together. Did he want cake that much? What a simple guy. I rewarded him with a smile before glancing back at Mikhail and addressing him one last time.

“From now on, don’t talk to me anymore. I don’t want to get involved with you ever again,” I said sincerely. Then, I began walking to my carriage.

What kind of cake should we eat today?

 

✤ ✤ ✤

 

Long after the two had disappeared from sight, Mikhail continued to stand there absentmindedly.

She didn’t love him anymore? His body shook with anger and betrayal when he recalled her shocking remark.

“From now on, don’t talk to me anymore. I don’t want to get involved with you ever again.”

It was hard to believe that the same mouth that had once whispered words of love and praise in his ears had begun to spout nonsense. Mikhail’s eyes gleamed dangerously as he clenched his fists. Don’t be ridiculous. I never agreed to your request, he swore silently.

Suddenly, a set of slender fingers wrapped around his wrist. Assuming they belonged to Jubelian, Mikhail eagerly turned, but his expression hardened when he saw who it was.

“Are you okay, Sir Mikhail?” Veronica asked.

Irritation surged within him at Veronica’s appearance. “Don’t touch me. You’re a nuisance,” he hissed, roughly pushing her away.

Veronica gaped after Mikhail in disbelief. How could he have done that to her? She was on the verge of tears when a dreadfully bleak voice came to mind.

“I was often ignored as well,” Jubelian had said earlier.

Veronica had misunderstood because she thought Jubelian was laughing at her. Now she knew what the lady had meant when she had spoken with those eyes full of sympathy.

Oh, she had been through the same thing… Veronica laughed dejectedly as tears rolled down her cheeks.

 

✤ ✤ ✤

 

“Do you like it?”

Max nodded at my question. “Yes,” he said. He was attractive and pleasant to look at even while eating, which I had expected from a handsome man like him. The descriptor of being stunning, which people used to describe celebrities they spotted in person, was the perfect label for him.

If the Internet existed in this world, then he could’ve made a lot of money with a cake eating show or something like it. I was deeply entrenched in my ridiculous thoughts when I noticed he was glaring at me.

“Why do you keep staring at me?” he questioned.

“Oh, I just have something to say.”

With some cake cream on his lips, he finished all of his attention on me. “What is it?”

I sighed. Would this headstrong guy ever listen to me? Just a while ago, he was climbing into a tree one second and confronting Mikhail in the next. I had considered ending the contract because of this reckless and impulsive behavior, but since he viewed me in a positive light and was helping me, I decided to try persuading him instead.

“I want you to be more careful in front of others in the future,” I started.

“That’s why I spoke formally to you,” he responded calmly.

“No, not that… I’m talking about things like what had happened with Mikhail.”

He squinted as if he couldn’t understand what I was saying. “What about it?”

“If you’re not careful, you can get in big trouble,” I said, expressing my concern.

However, he only continued to stare at me skeptically. “Do you really think I’d lose against someone as weak as him?”

His triumphant expression was full of groundless confidence. I let out another sigh. “No, that’s not what I’m saying.”

Rather than a democratic society, this novel’s setting was based on a strict absolute monarchy. Since it was a place where people were firmly divided into classes, the reality was that commoners couldn’t protest even if they were subjected to horribly unfair things.

“If you get into a conflict with a noble—” I tried to explain to him that it would be legally disadvantageous for a commoner to clash against a noble, but he cut me off and dismissed me as if he didn’t want to hear it.

“I can take on ten of those weaklings with no problem.”

Winning and losing wasn’t the important thing about all this, but I gave up on trying to explain when I realized he just couldn’t comprehend the essence of the issue. It didn’t matter how skilled he was if his opponent was a noble.

I sighed. Although I had saved Max from Baron Gordon and angrily shut Mikhail down, the only reason they couldn’t retaliate was because of my status. Usually, conflicts about inequality were only resolved between nobles. If a commoner confronted a nobleman and they weren't particularly lucky, they could be beaten or even killed. This was why most commoners chose to live with the injustice rather than raise a fuss.

I didn’t know if it was because I had grown attached to Father’s disciple in the short span of time we had known each other, but I wanted this naïve man to live a life unburdened by troubles.

“Still, you never know when you might get hurt,” I said.

“I won’t,” he replied.

My voice rose from frustration. “I’m only saying this because I’ve been worried! So—” I was about to tell him to stay quiet and avoid causing conflict when I froze, noticing the strange expression on his face.

“You were worried that I’d get hurt?” he asked.

“Oh, um… well, yes...”

It was true that I was worried about him getting hurt, but I was more worried that he would cause a big problem and end up being sentenced to death. However, I decided against telling him that.

An awkward silence followed, and he furrowed his eyebrows. “Why?” he eventually asked, confused.

“Because I don’t want anyone—including myself—to get hurt,” I said.

“I already told you that I won’t.”

He seemed to be pretty confident in his combat skills since he was Father’s disciple. I locked eyes with him.

“No matter how strong you are and how high of a position you’re in, you can still be defeated.”

It had happened to me in the original novel. Father was a hero and I had a grand status as the daughter of a duke, but everyone had turned their backs on me during a crucial moment. In the end, the only option left for me in that crisis was death.

I smiled bitterly. “No matter how strong and remarkable you are, you shouldn’t be overconfident about your situation or abilities. The moment the majority becomes your enemy, they will wait for the day you are weakened.”

When I thought about my future, I became overwhelmed with hopelessness. I guess it was easier said than done.

“I don’t understand,” Max said, looking at me with a serious expression.

I was dumbfounded by his ignorant response to my earnest words. I knew it. It was too much for a person who talked down to me to understand in the first place. Differences in power meant nothing to him. I gave up on trying to explain it to him and decided to get straight to the point.

“That’s not what matters now. What I mean—”

“You’re telling me to refrain from creating conflict with nobles while I’m with you,” he cut in, displeased.

My expression hardened. I didn’t think he would just blurt the answer out like that after how he had been answering this entire time. I froze in astonishment but then frowned. I thought he couldn’t understand, but he knew what I was talking about all along?

Even though he seemed to get it, I regarded him with suspicion because there was still a chance he would disagree with me. “So, are you willing to accept my request?” I asked carefully.

“Okay. I won’t fight with others while I’m with you,” he immediately answered. It wasn’t a very reliably-made statement, but the problem was resolved for now. Alright, now I had to…

I took out a handkerchief and handed it to him.

“What’s this for?” he asked, taking it from me.

“Wipe the cream off your lips.” It had been bothering me throughout our entire conversation.

He scrunched his nose and did as I asked.

 

✤ ✤ ✤

 

When he got back to his residence, Max scowled. Did she think he would lose to someone like Mikhail? Max hated it when anyone looked down on him. He normally wouldn’t have allowed for an assumption like that to be made.

Then, he recalled what Jubelian had said to him in the past: “You told me you owe someone, right? Take this and help that person out.”

It was arrogant of his master’s daughter to look down on him and try to take care of him. Except for his master, he had never lost a fight against anyone. He didn’t need her charity. Max fumed, frustrated, before remembering what she had said earlier.

“I’m only saying this because I’m worried! So—”

He loosened his clenched fists. He really didn’t understand. Despite his determination to resolve her misconceptions, he wasn’t really upset anymore. It was strange. What he wanted instead was to never miss a single word that fell from her lips.

Just… why? He had thought hard about this problem before, but no matter how long he pondered over it, he couldn’t come up with an answer for it. Max looked at the cake box he received from Jubelian and glowered.

“Even though I hate sweets, she still gave me this useless gift.” Unlike his displeased murmur, however, his eyes were soft.

At that moment, the door opened and Fresia stepped in. “Lord Maximillian, I have a report on something you asked me to investigate… oh my!” she exclaimed. “What’s with the cake?”

Max straightened his face. “It’s nothing,” he said, but his eyes were still fixed on the cake box.

Her instincts were warning her; Fresia knew if she touched that cake, she would be in big trouble. “Oh, alright,” she continued awkwardly. “I’ll just give you the report first, then—”

“This cake is expensive.”

Fresia flinched at Max’s sudden statement. What did he want her to say to that? She was flustered, but she managed to answer with a smile. “Ah, I see.”

As if unsatisfied, Max’s eyes sharpened at her response. “Apparently, it’s from the best tearoom in the capital,” he added.

Although it was only a fake identity, Fresia was still the owner of the largest salon in the capital. She could instantly guess what Max’s intentions were with this cake talk. Was he telling her to praise it? This was some rather unusual behavior from her lord because he usually hated sweets, but she decided to compliment the cake anyway. Just in case.

“The decorations are certainly lovely. The strawberries seem fresh, as well.”

“Yes. Because it’s a cake boasted by the best tearoom in the capital.”

Although they were just flattering remarks to please him, she could tell Max was smiling. Narrowing her eyes slightly, she came to a conclusion: it must’ve been a gift from Lady Floyen.

“Fresia,” Max called her.

“Ah, yes, my lord.” She donned a serious air as she waited for Max to continue in case he was about to give an order.

After a short pause, he resumed speaking. “Since you’ve worked so hard all this time… I’ll give you this cake as a special gift.”

Fresia couldn’t believe her ears. Did the lord just offer to share his precious cake with her? With her wealth, she could buy as many cakes as she wanted, but this was the first time Maximillian ever personally gifted her anything, so she knew that this cake must’ve been very special.

“Thank you, my lord,” she said. “I’ll make sure to savor every bite I take.”

Max nodded at her display of emotion. “Don’t eat it all. Half of it is mine.”

Fresia knitted her brows. If he was going to give it to her, wouldn’t it have been better to give her all of it? He didn’t even like sweets…

 

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