Ch 5.3
There were several people who called me Belita, but over the past month, whenever I started to forget, one specific person would drift back into my mind.
That unforgettable voice felt like a savior who would rescue me from this place.
So, I wore the prettiest smile I could muster and turned around to look at him.
And I called his name.
Remembering the promise we made before he left.
“Eden.”
Eden strode over to where Kane and I were standing and approached in a single breath.
“You’re back?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Did you finish your business well?”
“Yes, I’ve returned after finishing it well.”
“I see. But what brings you to the Imperial Palace?”
“I came to see His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince for a moment on family business.”
“I also came to see His Imperial Highness briefly and was on my way back.”
“Is that so.”
We conversed while focusing only on each other, as if Kane weren’t standing right beside us.
“Lord Bayon, it has been a while.”
At that moment, Kane cleared his throat slightly to announce his presence and offered a greeting to Eden.
“It has been a while, Duke Maxius.”
However, that was the end of the conversation between the two.
This was because after greeting Kane, Eden immediately spoke to me again, looking only at me.
“I will be back from seeing the Crown Prince shortly, so would you wait for a moment?”
“Pardon? Why?”
Eden sent me a warm smile and spoke to me.
“I will escort you back to the Ducal residence.”
Just as I was about to answer, Kane suddenly cut in.
“I will escort the Lady, so it would be best for the Young Lord to hurry along. You wouldn’t want to keep His Imperial Highness waiting, would you?”
“Yes, go quickly and come back. I’ll wait here.”
And I, without even pretending to hear Kane’s words, replied to Eden with a smiling face.
“Lady!”
At my words saying I would return with Eden, Kane called out to me in a displeased voice.
When Eden stopped his stride and looked at me, I gestured for him to ignore it and go.
Then, Eden moved away from us quickly with a swift pace.
“I shall escort the Lady.”
“No, Eden will take me home.”
“You two have been calling each other by name since a moment ago; since when did you become so close?”
Kane’s voice grew slightly lower.
As Eden and I treated each other with such familiarity, Kane did not hide his look of annoyance as he asked.
“Surely not with the Young Lord of Bayon…”
He cut himself off, as if he couldn’t believe what he was saying even as he spoke.
However, once a suspicion begins, it will follow tail to tail and grow in size until it is hard to stop.
I felt like I already knew what kind of thoughts were filling his head.
And as if my thoughts were correct, Kane’s face was becoming stained with shock.
‘Just like with Kane and Adela, is another person indeed the best way to make someone give up?’
I had no intention of using Eden for something like this.
However, seeing Kane’s expression, the thought suddenly occurred to me that I didn’t necessarily need to correct his misunderstanding.
Moreover, it seemed it would be fine if I just took enough action to amplify the misunderstanding a bit more so that he would truly give up on me.
“Do I really need to tell the Duke that?”
So, I said just one thing.
Vaguely, so he might think it could be so, but also think it might not be.
“Stop crossing the line. I have never given the Duke any opening, and I can assure you I never will in the future. If you continue to harass me in this manner, I will not stay still either. You know well how persistent and tenacious I can be, don’t you?”
Additionally, I vented my unpleasant feelings without hiding them behind his words and attitude.
“But the House of Bayon… Duke Hates will never allow it.”
Kane had already concluded that Eden and I had become some kind of special relationship.
But listening to this, he’s really talking nonsense.
“Then, do you think my father would allow Duke Maxius?”
Which father would stand by and watch the person who demanded a breakup from his beloved daughter because he loved someone else?
Furthermore, my father was a man of fiery temperament and a long memory for grudges.
According to my mother, even now, if he hears the name ‘Kane’, my father will jump up from his sleep in an explosion of rage.
“For that, I will see Duke Hates personally and beg for forgiveness. So, if the Lady would show me your heart, I will resolve everything.”
His brazenness truly goes too far.
How can a person think only of himself like this?
The man right in front of my eyes was a selfish human being who believed he was the center of the world and had to have whatever he wanted no matter what.
‘Is this the obsessive male lead I’ve only heard about?’
When I saw the setting of an obsessive male lead in novels other than this one, I used to read them with a fluttering heart.
But actually experiencing it firsthand was to a level that was goosebump-inducing and horrifying.
“As I thought, you are someone with whom conversation is completely impossible. Therefore, I have nothing more to say to the Duke.”
Now, conversation between us was meaningless.
We were only putting forward our own claims and opinions, and neither of us had any intention of backing down.
I turned my back on him just like that.
It meant I didn’t even want to see his face.
“Lady.”
Kane called me from behind.
But I never answered.
“Lady, please.”
Kane’s voice, which continued to call me in a pleading tone, became horribly unpleasant to hear.
So, thinking I should stop waiting for Eden and leave first, I tried to walk toward the carriage.
But just then, I saw Eden emerging from the entrance of the Crown Prince’s Palace.
Our eyes met even from a distance.
And he approached my side quickly.
“Belita, I am sorry for making you wait so
long.”
“No, let’s go quickly.”
“Yes. Duke Maxius, I shall see you next time.”
Since I didn’t even want to exchange words with Kane, I replaced my farewell with a casual bow of my head.
“Take care… both of you.”
Kane’s voice was eerie.
I could tell just by his voice how much he was holding back his anger.
But that was none of my concern.
This was because I was also in a state of being incredibly angry, no less than him.
In that way, Eden and I walked together to where our family carriage was located.
I felt a burning gaze watching me from behind, but I intentionally looked at Eden and gave a bright smile.
“Didn’t you come by carriage, Eden?”
Perhaps he found it strange that I was smiling so broadly, as he wore a slightly puzzled expression.
“Ah, I came on horseback because I had to arrive quickly.”
“I see.”
“My Lady.”
The carriage was not far away.
After walking while sharing a few words, we arrived in front of the carriage shortly, and Lian, who was waiting in front of the carriage, called out to me as he approached.
“Lian, let’s go back.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Lian recognized Eden, glanced at me once, and then bowed his head toward him.
“This child seems to follow Belita
everywhere.”
“He is my guard knight. And Lian has sworn to follow me to the end. Right?”
I asked Lian with a satisfied smile.
“Yes, that is correct. I am my Lady’s knight for life.”
He was originally serious beyond his years, but today Lian’s voice sounded particularly resolute.
“…Is that so.”
“Then, let’s go now.”
“Yes, please hold onto me and board the carriage.”
Lian reached out his hand to me.
Since it was something Lian always did whenever I boarded the carriage, I instinctively tried to take his hand.
“I will do it.”
“Pardon?”
But suddenly, Eden stepped forward to escort me.
“It’s alright.”
“No. Step back, I will do it.”
Lian glanced at me once, then stepped back with a stiff expression.
And Eden took that spot and extended his hand to me.
The hand, as large as his physique, was urging me to take it.
I slowly placed my hand lightly upon his.
His large hand wrapped warmly around mine.
“Please get in.”
“…Yes.”
For a moment, as I felt a sensation I hadn’t experienced before, my reply came a beat late.
Scanning his expression quickly, it seemed he hadn’t noticed that change in me.
Relieved, as soon as I boarded the carriage, Eden followed immediately behind me into the carriage.
Then the door closed.
Since I was only visiting the Imperial Palace briefly today, I hadn’t brought Mary.
Therefore, it was just the two of us inside the carriage.
Once Eden took his seat opposite me, the carriage started with a jolt.
And we resumed the conversation that had been interrupted earlier.
“I think you also returned on horseback last time; you must like riding horses?”
“I do like it.”
“I like riding horses too. When I ride a horse and run, it feels like my chest is opening up and I feel a sense of freedom I don’t normally feel.”
“I feel the same way. If it’s alright, would you like to go riding together sometime soon?”
“Together?”
“Yes, since a riding competition is being held soon, it could be for practice. I think I will be staying in the capital for quite a while this time to participate in the riding competition.”
‘Ah, the riding competition is coming up.’
The riding competition was the Empire’s largest festival, held every autumn along with the Harvest Festival.
When the Harvest Festival and the riding competition were held, many nobles of the Empire flocked to the capital.
That was to be expected, as the winner of the riding competition became the most honored person in the Empire and monopolized a massive prize.
Especially if that year was a bountiful one, the prize money was enormous beyond imagination.
The competition was held in a tournament format and, as many people participated, it proceeded over several days.
And coinciding with that, for a whole week, the streets of the capital were bustling with the Harvest Festival and various small celebrations.
‘It’s already autumn.’
