🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 23
What on earth was this combination supposed to be?
Of all times, why did Laon El Canox have to show up as a guest at a moment like this? Seres, who had just been thinking that even God must be cruel, stiffened.
This situation didn’t feel unfamiliar. It definitely felt like something similar had happened before.
The moment Isel arrived at the art studio, Laon would appear as if he had been waiting for her.
Seres let out a silent sigh. This was no coincidence.
That bastard Laon…
But leaving that aside, why did he always have to turn her workplace into such chaos?!
It felt like she was nothing more than a chess piece being used on a board. Seres couldn’t hide her anger and glared at Laon.
But there was someone who was glaring at Laon even more intensely than Seres—Leo Blisha.
The moment he saw the Grand Duke of Canox walk into the small art studio in casual clothes, Leo frowned as if he was seeing something unbelievable.
But no matter how many times he blinked, the man standing at the doorway was indeed the Grand Duke of Canox. And worse, he was casually calling Isel by her name.
Leo’s mind immediately recalled the memory of the Grand Duke kissing the back of his sister’s hand.
How dare he…
Leo stepped forward, placing himself in front of Isel to shield her from Laon’s gaze. Despite the obvious hostility, Laon did not seem flustered at all.
However, the moment Isel’s view was blocked, Laon’s gentle smile instantly turned cold and artificial. Leo, who noticed that immediately, stiffened.
“I didn’t expect to meet you in a place like this,” Laon said, expression unchanged.
Seres couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh at his blatant lie.
But at that moment, Laon’s sharp gaze shot toward her. It clearly meant: keep your mouth shut if you want to live.
Meanwhile, Sir Leo looked between Seres, Laon, and Isel, trying to understand the situation.
His confusion was obvious, and Seres felt a twinge of pity.
“Umm… Grand Duke… no, La—”
Isel tried to speak, but her face was already pale.
She seemed extremely anxious that Laon might call Leo “Sir Leo” and expose everything.
Her eyes darted nervously as she struggled to decide what to call him.
She had come to the art studio today to sell her sculptures and earn money, yet things had turned into this mess…
And with her brother here too, she couldn’t even bring up the sculptures anymore.
Unable to do anything, she finally grabbed Leo’s sleeve in a hurry.
“Isel?”
“Brother, didn’t you say earlier that you were very hungry?”
That was her escape plan—to get out of this suffocating situation.
“Huh? No, I wasn’t—”
Before Leo could finish, Isel firmly pressed his sleeve, ignoring his clueless denial.
She then turned to Seres.
“Master… I’m sorry, but may I come back a little later?”
“Ah… alright…”
Seres nodded blankly.
As soon as permission was granted, Isel hurried toward the door. Laon, standing by the entrance, even opened the door for them.
Once the three of them left, the studio fell into silence as if a storm had passed. Seres sighed deeply.
He knew exactly why Isel had rushed out so quickly.
She was hiding her identity from him. If that confrontation had continued, her identity would have been exposed sooner or later.
But what she didn’t know was that Seres had already figured out a long time ago that she was a noble.
Maybe I should have told her sooner…
Shaking his head at the tangled situation, Seres sighed again. All of this was Laon El Canox’s fault.
Outside the Art Studio
Dragged out by Isel, Leo looked confused.
“Isel? Are you hungry?”
“Ah, no… it’s just…”
There were many excuses she could have used, so why did she say something like that? Isel mentally scolded herself.
“Did you skip lunch, Isel?”
She flinched and turned around.
Standing there was Laon, as composed and gentle as ever. It seemed he had followed them out.
Leo’s cold gaze locked onto him.
From the banquet hall to the carriage ride, his brother clearly hated the Grand Duke.
Isel hesitated before speaking in a calmer tone.
“I was planning to go to a restaurant with my brother, so I should say goodbye here, Your Grace.”
At the title “Your Grace,” Laon’s eyebrows twitched slightly before returning to normal. His gaze lingered on Isel’s hand, which was still holding Leo’s sleeve.
Then Laon said to Leo:
“If it’s not inconvenient… may I join you?”
“Huh?”
Leo responded with a ridiculous sound.
Laon smiled faintly, his eyes resembling Isel’s.
Leo’s eyes widened slightly.
“I was planning to have a meal anyway.”
Leo inhaled sharply.
The Grand Duke’s eyes looked gentle on the surface—but they were anything but.
A cold pressure hidden beneath his smile tightened around Leo’s throat.
It was a silent threat.
Eventually, Leo reluctantly nodded.
“…Understood.”
Isel looked at her brother in surprise.
She had expected him to refuse immediately, yet he had agreed without much resistance.
Before she could think further, Laon reached out.
Startled, Leo tried to stop him—but it was too late.
Laon gently pulled up Isel’s hood, covering her face completely.
Just like the day they first met.
Inside the shadow of the hood, Isel held her breath.
“T-thank you…”
“It’s nothing. And…”
Laon leaned slightly closer.
“Please call me Laon, Isel.”
Thankfully, her hood hid her face, otherwise her flushed expression would have been obvious.
She only nodded slightly instead of answering properly.
Meanwhile, Leo stood frozen, watching them.
His mind slowly began forming a disturbing realization.
No way… is this…?
Even with his limited experience in romance, the situation was obvious.
Laon’s expression as he looked at Isel…
It was soft. Fond. Almost affectionate.
Not a tyrant, not a killer—just a man in love.
At the Restaurant
They arrived at a nearby restaurant not far from the art studio.
Since they were dressed as commoners, they couldn’t enter noble establishments.
Even though Laon could have revealed his identity, he chose not to. The same was true for Isel and Leo.
Following a waiter, they entered a busy restaurant filled with travelers and commoners.
Isel, who had never been in a place like this before, looked around before sitting across from Laon and Leo.
They ordered the recommended lamb steak.
While waiting, Isel glanced between the two men. Leo seemed strange.
She had expected him to strongly refuse Laon joining them—but he had gone strangely silent.
Instead, he was sitting stiffly, staring at Laon like he had seen something unnatural.
Isel nervously fidgeted her fingers.
Soon, the food arrived.
“Here is your order,” the waiter said quickly before leaving.
Steam rose from the lamb steak.
The smell made Isel unexpectedly hungry.
She picked up her fork—but suddenly, her plate slid away.
She blinked.
Laon had taken her plate.
“Eh…?”
Laon paused, noticing her confused expression.
“It’s not that I’m taking it,” he said softly. “I’ll cut it for you.”
He began cutting the meat carefully, reducing it into small, easy-to-eat pieces.
Then he placed the plate back in front of her.
Isel lowered her head slightly, embarrassed.
Meanwhile, Leo’s confusion only deepened.
Too many questions, not enough courage to ask.
How did Laon even know about the art studio?
Why was he acting so familiar with Isel?
Was it possible they had already met before the banquet?
And worse…
Leo’s worst suspicion was becoming reality.
Laon El Canox was interested in Isel.
And he wasn’t hiding it at all.
While he acted polite in front of her, Leo knew his true nature too well.
Once this meal was over, he would reveal the truth about the Grand Duke to Isel.
He could not allow his innocent sister to be deceived.
He began mentally listing all of Laon’s past crimes:
Expelling a knight for disliking his name.
Pushing away a noble lady at a banquet without apology.
Cutting down allies and enemies alike on the battlefield…
Insulting the Crown Prince after a duel…
And so on—numbering beyond seventy incidents without end.
He didn’t even touch his food, glaring at Laon instead.
Then Laon turned toward him and smiled faintly.
“Shall I cut yours as well?”
The blade in his hand flashed sharply.
A primal instinct of danger surged through Leo.
He quickly lowered his gaze.
