ATPE 15

Chapter 15

After the Discovery Was Over

The score that came out of her mouth made Ain’s eyes widen.

“What? No, this is only in the eighty-point range?!”

If this had been a real test score, he looked ready to go argue with the professor himself. But Serenia answered without blinking an eye.

“Your latissimus muscles are a little lacking. And your external obliques should be more defined. The balance between your forearm and upper arm muscles isn’t bad, but compared to your shoulder frame, the overall thickness is a bit thin.”

It was not bad at all, but because of her knight father, Serenia had spent her childhood constantly seeing huge, heavily built men. By her standards, there were still many lacking points.

“……”

Ain quietly took out a new shirt and slipped his arms into it.

After buttoning it neatly all the way to the top of his neck, he sat down properly again. Only then did Serenia show a satisfied expression.

Thanks to Ain suddenly becoming as obedient as a shy bride, the rest of the photo shoot went very smoothly.

They changed clothes twenty whole times, and each time the café props and seating arrangements were also changed. Yet even after all that, the shoot finished by three in the afternoon.

And the next day—

The two of them went to a professional studio and produced all kinds of staged couple photos almost like machines.

From the library, to the art museum, aquarium, glass greenhouse, general store, and even a dice game hall…

During the small breaks between changing backgrounds and outfits, Ain kept his mouth tightly shut while lifting dumbbells with only his arms moving.

It seemed he was trying to improve the forearm and upper arm muscles she had criticized yesterday.

Seeing that made Serenia feel a little sorry for him. She almost told him that the only person she had ever given more than ninety points to was her father, Carlos Barishart.

But she decided not to.

If he heard that, he would definitely become full of confidence again and start bothering her like yesterday.

While Serenia and Ain were working very hard, something else was happening in another part of Shedron.

Nelson Galut let out a deep sigh and blew cigar smoke into the air.

The second-in-command and actual boss of the Galut Family, who ruled the First District of Pledis like a king.

A giant criminal organization involved in everything from alcohol and drugs to illegal loan sharking and human trafficking.

In front of him, a woman was forced to kneel.

A black wig hung loosely on her head, half pulled off.

After confirming the red hair hidden underneath, he muttered a curse and threw his barely used cigar onto the floor.

“How exactly does our VIP manage their household?”

Bianca Admancanon, kneeling before him with a worn-out face, angrily shouted at his words.

“How dare a filthy thug like you speak such nonsense to a member of the great Admancanon Ducal Family?!”

Nelson ignored her completely and continued muttering to himself.

“What a complete mess. One side tells me to find and bring the woman back, while another side runs around pretending to be her.”

“W-What? You bastard! Do you want to be thrown into prison for insulting nobility?! How dare you say such things in front of me—!”

But the moment a blade was pointed before her eyes, Bianca shut her mouth.

Nelson used the blade to lift off the half-removed wig and grabbed it in his hand.

As he stroked the wig like a pet animal, he spoke.

“Lady. There’s a saying in this world. The law is far away, but fists are close.”

It sounded like he was fully prepared to bury her alive in some mountain if things went wrong.

Completely crushed by his pressure, Bianca quickly nodded her head obediently.

Seeing that she understood words fairly well, Nelson looked slightly pleased.

But that mood did not last long.

His face darkened again as he lit a new cigar.

Ever since Rascal’s request late two nights ago, his head had hurt so badly that he felt like he would die if he did not keep burning something.

“……Is he trying to tame her now or something?”

He grumbled as he recalled that night.

The moment Rascal saw Nelson arrive with Joshua, he immediately stated his demand.

“Find Serenia Barishart and make her return home peacefully.”

“Within three days.”

That was the order from the noble Duke himself.

Of all things, the request made to Nelson Galut was not to beat the woman up, nor to kidnap her—

But to send her home.

Wasn’t searching for a runaway woman and returning her home supposed to be the Capital Guard’s job rather than the Galut Family’s?

He found it ridiculous, but there was no way he could oppose an important VIP customer, so he simply answered, “Understood,” and left.

From that night until now, he had spread his men all over Shedron searching for women with long black hair.

But somehow, for two entire days, there had not been even the slightest sign of the Count’s daughter.

He had heard she did not even have money, so he thought it was very strange.

Then he received a report from one of his subordinates.

A woman with long black hair had appeared at Salon Galut, the host bar operated by the Galut Family.

Thinking that the old saying about darkness beneath the lamp was true after all, he rushed there and caught her—

Only to discover she was fake.

“Lady, you have no idea how heartbroken I am right now.”

As heavy sighs poured out together with thick cigarette smoke, Bianca could only cough repeatedly and think to herself:

‘What the hell is this crazy bastard talking about?’

The 4th, 14th, and 24th of every month were regular holidays for the Capital Grand Theater.

To enjoy the precious holiday of December 4th, Ain planned an outdoor photo shoot.

First was the Pruhen River.

Then the countryside market in a quiet rural village nearby.

After that, the sunset at Bellaeska Forest, famous for its snowy scenery.

And lastly, the capital’s night view from the clock tower.

It was a very tight schedule for a single day.

To solve that problem, Serenia and Ain decided to start moving much earlier than usual.

That was how the two of them arrived at the Pruhen River at three in the morning.

Of course, fully disguised.

“Then shall we go?”

“Let’s.”

The two began walking slowly along the riverside trail beside the Pruhen River.

Slowly enough for the hidden photographer somewhere nearby to capture good moments.

The Pruhen River was a fairly large river crossing east and west through Shedron, and the walking trail along it was famous as a romantic dating course because of its beautiful scenery and atmosphere.

But that only applied during pleasant spring or autumn weather, or at least summer.

Right now, it was early December.

Undeniably winter.

“……”

Only after seeing the endless scenery before him did Ain realize he had chosen the wrong place and time.

The grass had all turned yellow, and the trees stood bare with only dry branches shaking in the wind. The whole place looked terribly bleak and lonely.

On top of that, it was currently three in the morning.

The gloomy atmosphere unique to dawn, together with the orange gas lamps flickering occasionally like something from a horror story, made the barren winter scenery even more desolate.

It had its own kind of charm, but it was definitely not the atmosphere ordinary couples preferred.

Whoooosh.

A cold river wind blew past, freezing the already awkward atmosphere even more.

Just as Ain was beginning to give up on getting good pictures here, Serenia—unable to endure the silence any longer—suddenly spoke.

“But you know.”

“……Yes?”

“I keep thinking about it, and it feels unfair.”

“What… do you mean?”

Tilting his head slightly, he asked back.

Even at this dark dawn hour, he still wore tinted glasses.

Staring directly into those eyes whose color and thoughts she could not read at all, Serenia spoke.

“Your name.”

“……Ah.”

His expression instantly looked slightly exhausted.

It was obvious what he was thinking.

“Lady. Didn’t we already finish talking about this before?”

But this time, Serenia had no intention of backing down so easily.

“What do you mean finished? I still don’t even know the family name of the man I’m supposed to marry.”

“But it’s something that will disappear soon anyway. Why are you so obsessed with it?”

Serenia quietly looked at him as he answered in a tired voice.

Then she slowly spoke.

“Because it’s something that’ll disappear soon… that’s exactly why I should remember it.”

“……”

Ain bit his lip shut with an expression as if he had just been struck in the back of the head.

Watching him roll his eyes around in obvious discomfort, Serenia intentionally brightened her voice even more.

“So, Mr. Ain Whatever. Will you finally tell me your family name now? And if hearing it requires another price, I’ll pay whatever you want.”

She expected him to smile as if he had been waiting for this and present another ridiculous condition.

But strangely, instead of teasing her, he quietly avoided her gaze.

Serenia narrowed her eyes sharply.

“Huh? Is there really something special about your name?”

Still, he stubbornly remained silent.

“What, is it covered in gold or something?”

“……”

“Or what? Are you secretly the prince of some hidden kingdom?”

“That’s… not it.”

“Well obviously it’s not!”

Serenia shouted before glaring fiercely at him.

Ain avoided her eyes with a troubled expression.

There was a reason he could not reveal his surname here.

Behind Serenia, who stood before him angrily with both hands on her waist, he could see red posters plastered beneath the bridge.

They were clearly posters for the play The Young Duke Razkal.