AOL 10

Chapter 10

As the tea leaves steeped, a gentle aroma filled the flower workshop.

Isel held the steaming teacup with both hands. The warmth of the tea transmitted through the porcelain seeped into her palms, and her unsettled heart seemed to gradually calm.

She glanced toward the opposite side of the table. The black-haired man was watching only Isel, without even touching his tea.

He said he was a friend of her master…

Come to think of it, she had received great help from him, yet she didn’t even know the name of her benefactor.

“If we meet again, I will tell you my name then. Iseul.”

That was what he had said when she previously asked for his name.

She had thought it was a strange thing to say, but perhaps he had already known that Isel was Seres’s disciple.

Was that why he saved her…?

Breaking the silence that had lingered between them as if it were a shared agreement, the man spoke.

“Lahan.”

Isel’s eyes widened and her lips parted. For a moment, it felt as if he had read her thoughts.

Seeing her honest reaction, Lahan let out a small laugh. His slightly sharp eyes curved, and his expression softened in an instant.

It was a face that naturally made others smile in return. Isel repeated his name softly in her mind and nodded.

The warm atmosphere between them settled even further. After watching him for a moment, Isel asked,

“…Is Master alright?”

“You mean Seres?”

“Yes. He didn’t look well.”

She recalled Seres quickly leaving the flower shop after telling her to watch the place for a moment.

His face had looked uneasy when he asked her to look after the shop.

He had hesitated for a long time while looking at Isel, then sighed deeply before leaving.

“He’s fine. I heard it’s nothing serious.”

Nothing serious—Seres was probably just spending his time cursing Lahan in his head.

Lahan spoke calmly, as if to reassure her. Isel nodded, but concern still lingered on her face.

Lahan frowned slightly. He had assumed they were only master and disciple, but it seemed Isel and Seres were quite close.

Of course, Isel probably didn’t even know that Seres was a man—or that he was a noble.

Lahan quietly looked at Isel’s hands holding the teacup.

Her small, pale fingers wrapped around the cup, fidgeting slightly. Compared to his large hands, hers looked tiny. On her little finger was a silver ring.

Isel took a sip of tea and set the cup down with a soft clink.

Even then, Lahan’s gaze did not leave her fingers.

“…More importantly,” he said.

“Yes?”

“Did something happen? Like last time…”

“Oh—no.”

Isel shook her head quickly. The bruises from being grabbed by a mercenary not long ago had almost faded now.

Although she often had bruises and cuts from carving, her wounds strangely healed quickly.

Her father and brother often joked that she must be blessed by the god Enix.

Unconsciously, she touched the faint marks on her slender wrist.

Seeing this, Lahan asked again.

“The bruises from then?”

“Yes. They’re gone now, and it doesn’t hurt anymore.”

She smiled lightly.

Lahan looked between her face and her wrist, then muttered under his breath:

“Maybe I should have cut off both her arms and legs instead…”

Isel, who didn’t catch it clearly, blinked.

“…Pardon?”

Lahan shook his head, his expression softening as if nothing had happened.

“Nothing, Isel.”

After a moment, Isel suddenly seemed to remember something.

“Um… I really wanted to thank you properly for last time. If there’s anything I can do to repay you…”

“It’s alright.”

“No, it’s not alright for me!”

Her desperate protest made her look like a small animal. Lahan spoke again.

“If you feel uncomfortable, then I have one request.”

Isel nodded eagerly.

“What is it?”

“Could you carve something?”

“Carving?”

“Yes.”

Isel blinked in surprise.

“Even something small is fine.”

“But I’m not that skilled yet… it takes a lot of time…”

Lahan replied calmly:

“I like it.”

“…Pardon?”

“I like your work. I can wait as long as it takes.”

His clear eyes fixed gently on hers. His voice carried sincere intent.

Isel’s ears turned slightly red. It felt different from compliments she had heard before. Her heart began to beat faster.

He likely knew she carved because he had seen her holding carving tools before.

But there was something strangely familiar in his tone, as if he had been watching her work for a very long time.

Isel asked hesitantly,

“Have you seen my carvings before? Or… did Master show you?”

Lahan smiled meaningfully.

“Something like that.”

It was an ambiguous answer, but Isel simply accepted it.

“I understand.”

She went into Seres’s workshop and soon returned with a small block of wood and carving tools.

Since Seres would not be back soon, she had nothing else to do anyway.

Lahan had already cleared the table for her. Isel bowed her head in thanks and sat down.

“What would you like?”

“Anything is fine. Anything that is yours.”

At his words, her ears turned red again.

She awkwardly touched her ear and laid out the carving tools. The smooth wood felt unfamiliar in her hands.

This was the first time she had carved in front of someone who wasn’t her master or her family.

Lahan’s eyes followed her fingers as she picked up the carving knife.

Feeling his gaze, Isel inhaled slightly.

She looked around the flower shop. Since she wasn’t confident with animals or people yet, maybe flowers would be best…

She looked at the daffodils in a vase on the shelf.

Taking a deep breath, she pressed the knife toward the wood.

Just before the blade touched the surface—

She stopped.

She remembered why she had come to the shop. She had come to sell her carvings.

To earn money…

Her gaze fell on the silver ring on her finger. Perhaps she would even have to sell it.

A voice echoed in her memory.

“Even if it means betraying His Majesty, I will protect Isel with my life.”

Her father’s voice, low and resolute.

Isel understood what that meant. It meant abandoning a path he had walked his entire life.

There was no perfect solution.

If she chose her family’s safety, she would have to accept marriage with Count Cesare Lesian.

But…

She imagined herself standing beside Cesare Lesian.

Her hand began to tremble violently.

The wooden form distorted in her grip.

She couldn’t move her hand anymore.

The knife slipped from her fingers and fell with a dull sound onto the floor.

“Isel?”

Lahan called her name in alarm.

Isel looked at him with unfocused eyes, then quickly picked up the fallen knife.

“Isel, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing… nothing at all.”

But her pale face betrayed her.

She tried again to carve, but her hand shook too much.

At last, she exhaled sharply and lowered her head.

“I’m sorry.”

Lahan widened his eyes at her sudden apology.

Isel set the knife down.

“I don’t think I can carve today… I’m sorry. I’ll make it for you next time, I promise.”

“It’s alright.”

Lahan spoke gently.

But his gaze lingered on her trembling hand.

Looking at her unnaturally pale fingers, he finally spoke.

“Would you tell me what’s wrong?”

“….”

His voice was calm, not forceful.

But Isel couldn’t easily say “it’s nothing” like she usually did.

Her lips trembled without forming words.

I’m fine. It’s nothing. I’m okay.

She had said those words countless times to her worried family.

But now, she couldn’t say them.

Lahan’s gaze remained steady on her. His golden eyes held her completely.

As if bewitched, Isel stared back at him for a long time.

Then, without realizing it, she spoke.

“…I…”

Her throat was dry.

She swallowed hard.

And finally, in a faint voice, she said:

“…I think I might be getting married…”

“…!”

At her words, Lahan’s eyes widened sharply.

A fierce light surged instantly into his golden gaze.