Chapter 13
Chapter 013.
It was the third day since I started frequenting the Dukedom to get good grades.
The Duke's Residence's study was a great space optimized for learning, but I couldn't concentrate.
Because of someone with dazzling blonde hair who had been lingering around for days.
'You need to be aware of yourself.'
It wasn't the kind of presence that could be hidden by hiding.
I was annoyed by the owner of the blonde hair, who was busily circling around me, and I finally made a decision.
On that third day, I called his name.
"Orion."
"Huh?"
His eyes sparkled as he popped out from behind a pillar as if he had been waiting.
I raised my hand and pointed to the bookshelf farthest from where I was.
"Could you organize that bookshelf over there?"
"Huh?"
"Organize the materials. The materials aren't in order. It keeps confusing me."
Orion, who had been nodding obediently, paused.
Then he tilted his head and asked.
"Isn't organizing materials the librarian's job?"
"That's right."
"But why are you asking me..."
"Because it seems like you want to do something."
Orion quietly shut his mouth.
The librarian, who was already organizing the bookshelf in the distance, covered her mouth.
Lord Rune was watching the situation leisurely as if he was already used to it.
"Am I that much of a distraction?"
"Not seriously, but you could say you are a bit."
It was more surprising that he didn't know that.
He couldn't hide the shaking in his eyes as if he was shocked, and he pointed at Lord Rune with an effort.
"Ha, Vertein is over there too, isn't he."
"Lord Rune isn't a distraction."
If anything, he's helpful.
He stepped back with a resentful face.
His eyes were murderous as he looked at his best friend and confidant, the Vice Duke.
This wasn't a matter of winning or losing, but he looked extremely resentful.
He seemed to have quite a strong competitive spirit.
'I don't need this kind of information.'
Unnecessary information piled up day by day.
Nevertheless, the reason I frequented this place was because the study was excellent, and because of Lord Rune's rich experiences.
The value of hearing vivid accounts of practical experience that couldn't be found in papers or books was immeasurable.
Lord Rune, who saw Orion turn around and head to the end of the bookshelf, biting his lip as if he was resentful, approached me.
"Today is the last day, isn't it."
"Yes, the second exam is tomorrow."
I smiled and nodded with a mix of relief and regret.
Lord Rune looked at Orion, who was glancing at us while pretending to help the librarian, and asked.
"Don't you think you could be a little more lenient?"
"You told me to be honest."
In terms of status and position, it was an extremely rude act.
But Orion had never pointed that out to me.
Sometimes I even forgot that he was the Vice Duke.
Lord Rune shrugged as if he was disappointed.
"Now I have to find another excuse to invite you to the Duke's Residence."
"There isn't one, nothing like that."
I smiled brightly.
After entering the Academy, I should just dispose of the house altogether.
Mom had already gone down to the Duchy with the Duke to enjoy their honeymoon, so there was no excuse to visit this mansion.
He laughed.
"Orion will be quite sad."
"We can see each other again when there's a chance."
Before I knew it, Orion, who had been grumbling and organizing books, was nowhere to be seen.
He probably went to see the knights at the Training Grounds.
"Well, then."
I gathered the materials that were spread out on the desk and held them in my arms.
"I think I should go before Orion comes back."
If I didn't return home quickly, I would surely be caught by Orion, who would look at me with tearful eyes and say, 'Do you want to have dinner...?', 'Do you want to have tea?', 'I have snacks'.
Lord Rune, who had been staring at me intently, chuckled.
"Since you have an important exam tomorrow, I'll let you go for today."
"Thank you for your consideration."
When I arrived at the front of the door where the carriage was waiting, I gave a formal greeting to Lord Rune, who had followed me out to see me off.
"Thank you for the short time. It was very helpful."
"I told you, Miss. If you're grateful to me, be kind to Orion."
"You two are really true friends."
Lord Rune smiled.
I stared up at him and said bluntly.
"Actually, Lord Rune doesn't really like me, does he."
He had been consistently kind, but he never crossed the line.
Our conversations were mostly about learning topics unless they were in the form of mentioning Orion.
It meant that I had never looked into his private life in our conversations.
"So that's what you were thinking."
He smiled and didn't bother to deny it.
I wasn't particularly upset because I had been respected enough just by him showing this much courtesy.
"I'm sorry if I made you feel that way."
"It's okay. I was more comfortable with you because of that."
He gave a bitter smile.
"Oh dear. If our Captain hears that, he'll nag me again."
"Lord Rune won't tell him, so the Vice Duke won't know."
"That's true, but."
He lowered his eyes and paused for a moment before moving his lips as if muttering quietly.
"It's a bit of a blow to my pride that you're comfortable with me because you think I'm not interested."
Then, with a perfect posture that could only be found in textbooks, he bent down and pulled my hand closer to him.
It was the moment I looked at him with puzzled eyes.
He slowly lowered his eyes and brought his lips to the back of my hand.
I was momentarily frozen by the sensation of his lips touching the bare back of my hand without gloves, and I couldn't say anything.
He glanced at me, who was flustered, and raised his head.
I quickly pulled my hand away and took a step back, and he lowered his hand as if he was sorry.
"Looking at your wary eyes, I think I've lost the points I barely gained over the past few days."
"Excuse me. It's because you were too unguarded, Miss."
He raised his index finger to his lips with a smiling face, as if he had already achieved his purpose.
"I trust that our taciturn Miss will not say anything to Orion."
Instead of talking to him any further, I quietly turned around and got into the carriage.
The door closed carefully, and Lord Rune's voice, instructing the coachman, faintly flowed in.
'I was surprised.'
I just thought he was a decent person with a bit too much love for his friend.
You can't let your guard down around the people of the Dukedom.
The sensation of his lips lightly touching the back of my hand didn't disappear and tickled me.
I rubbed the back of my hand repeatedly as I listened to the snorting of the excited horse pulling the carriage.
* * *
When I arrived home, it was so dark that I couldn't see my surroundings well.
It was the moment I got out of the carriage and carefully took a step.
Small lights bloomed with each step under my feet as I began to walk hesitantly.
The sparkling little lights fluttered and illuminated the way.
Another step.
Another step.
The path I was walking on became brighter.
Grains of light, like fireflies, enveloped me.
There was only one person who could do this.
"Jen."
Someone was sitting on a large tree that had grown up to the window, illuminated by the faint moonlight.
His body, which had jumped down after seeing me, slowly descended in the air.
"How long have you been here?"
"A while."
"Have you eaten?"
"Yeah."
"That can't be true."
Otherwise, he wouldn't be the kind of brazen guy who would suddenly come to someone else's house at this hour.
Was he embarrassed to ask for food because he was late?
"What do you want to eat? I'll make it for you."
At this hour, the Academy's cafeteria would already be closed, and the restaurants in the downtown area would be too crowded and noisy.
"I owe you from last time, so I'll be generous."
"I'm not hungry."
The lights that had been sparkling under my feet gathered in spots and disappeared under his palm.
As I opened the door and entered, he suddenly said that he wasn't hungry.
"If you're going to make something, make it meat."
"Oh, we got some good seafood this time."
"I said I want meat."
"Did you know? Octopus has a component called taurine, which is very effective in relieving fatigue."
"Why are you asking when you're going to do whatever you want anyway."
I smiled awkwardly at his words.
'Sorry. But I bought that octopus for you.'
According to the usual pattern, he should have already broken into the house three days ago.
Because he hadn't come for a long time, the octopus had been in the freezer for quite a while.
I couldn't leave the poor octopus there any longer.
"Make it meat. I'll eat the octopus too."
"I have to buy the meat?"
"I'll buy it."
"Oh, then when you buy it, a few more things."
"What."
"Stop by the fruit store and get tangerines and apples, and mini tomatoes and asparagus to eat with the meat, and red onions. Oh, and can you buy some tofu too?"
Jen stared at me intently.
"You don't have to buy it if it's too much."
Because it would be over if you didn't eat meat.
* * *
The meal was prepared very simply.
A moderately appetizing steak and octopus salad were placed in front of Jen.
"What about you?"
"I ate."
"Where?"
"At the Duke's Residence."
He didn't ask any further and lowered his head.
I watched Jen, who was picking up the octopus with a fork and chewing it.
"I'm glad you're eating well."
"Why, couldn't that guy eat well?"
"Don't tell me that 'that guy' is referring to Orion?"
For some reason, there was a sense of competition in his eyes.
'Orion is a burden, Lord Rune is absurd, and why is he like this again.'
I felt sad again as I thought of the people around me who had been making me tired lately.
"How I get along with my remarried partner's son is my business. You should enjoy your meal."
"Don't let your guard down. How do you know what kind of ulterior motive he has for eating with you."
"What about you."
What about you, who suddenly came at this late hour and demanded a meal.
Jen cut the meat and put it in his mouth, saying nonchalantly.
"I have temperance."
I stared at my friend, who was claiming to have temperance that I had never seen before, for a long time, and realized again that he wasn't normal either.
Who is the normal friend around me?
Vertein briefly flashed through my mind, but he was Jen's best friend.
'There must be a reason why the two of them hang out together.'
I picked up an octopus from his plate as I watched him chewing.
The sweet and sour seasoning and the moderately chewy texture lingered in my mouth.
"You said you ate."
"I was wondering if it was delicious."
"It's not delicious."
The guy who said that had already emptied half of his plate.
It seemed like the rebellious spirit of a green frog who never said what others wanted to hear had risen again.
I rested my chin on my hand and looked at him, and laughed for no reason.
"Why?"
"Just because."
Because I felt relieved in this quiet moment.
Surprisingly, I felt more relaxed now, with only one plate of simple food, than at the Duke's Residence's table full of fancy and beautiful dishes.
It was a strange thing.
