DBOFS 59

Chapter 59

When a servant leaned in and whispered, “Miss Jade, this is from the gentleman over there,” I honestly had my hopes up.

‘Ah, I know this trope.’

Sending a sweet drink to someone you fancy at a bar or restaurant!

‘As expected of Jade, the most beautiful girl in the whole universe!’

Ha, what can I say about this face? With my deadly charm added in, it’s no wonder people are going wild.

Of course, no one had officially acknowledged me as the most beautiful girl in the universe.

But really, what matters is not public recognition—it’s what I believe!

Ignoring the possibility that someone might argue otherwise, I turned my head with a smile.

It’s probably something romantic and sweet, like champagne, right? I’ve been parched, so perfect timing…

“…?”

But what the servant handed me wasn’t a drink—it was a note.

I grumbled inwardly, thinking it was some kind of “one free drink” coupon, but then I opened it… and it was a message straight from a sociopath.

‘Alukas, this lunatic’s really gone off the deep end.’

There was no name on it, but I knew immediately who it was from.

‘Who else but that guy would send me something this messed up and think it’s funny?’

And I was pretty sure I knew who Alukas was offering to “kill.”

‘Count Artu, or Penelope, or someone from the Artu family.’

Obvious.

If I were crazy enough to reply, “Sure! Go ahead and kill them!”, Alukas would absolutely take that as permission.

And honestly, the only people he could kill right now without causing a scandal were the Artu family.

Everyone except their son, the young viscount, had already been arrested. And they probably wouldn’t be released anytime soon.

‘But if that bastard dies, the one who’s screwed is me!’

Why? Because the entire ballroom probably heard us arguing today.

In other words, this is a deluxe, premium-level screw-over. I glared around, searching for Alukas.

‘There he is, that damned jerk…!’

Amazingly, I was able to spot him right away among the sea of people.

Maybe because we’d met up close once already, or maybe because my sense of mana core and energy flow had sharpened from regular training…

‘No, wait—he’s waving at me!’

That jerk’s really treating me like a complete idiot.

As soon as our eyes met, I glared fiercely.

“…!”

Alukas, on the other hand, looked genuinely surprised, as if he hadn’t expected me to actually find him. Good.

‘You better watch it, punk!’

I crumpled the note into a fist and flipped him off.

‘You eat this screw-you yourself!’

I even mouthed the words clearly for extra impact.

The most important part of any silent provocation is grabbing attention. If your target ignores you, you’re the only one left looking pathetic.

In that sense, I had executed the provocation perfectly—

“Pfft—hahaha!!”

—or so I thought.

But then Alukas, who had just been blinking at me in surprise, burst out laughing the moment he saw my middle finger.

‘What’s so funny, you jerk?’

My face twisted in annoyance. This was even more infuriating than being ignored.

Just laughing it off? Seriously?

‘I look like the one who lost. Dammit.’

Actually, no—I did lose. I forgot Alukas was the type who was shameless and slippery.

Now I just looked petty and pathetic. I stuffed the crumpled note back into my pocket with a heavy sigh.

“Jade.”

Thunk. A chin rested on the top of my head.

“What are you doing?”

That low, quiet voice. I looked up to find a blank face and crimson eyes glittering dangerously.

“Um… preemptively disposing of a potential threat to avoid false accusations?”

But I wasn’t nervous.

Because Harris had seen everything. He was standing so close it was obvious he’d witnessed the whole thing—there was nothing to hide.

“Disposing?”

“Yes. If someone finds this note later and someone ends up dead, I’ll be the prime suspect.”

I’d watched a ton of palace-intrigue dramas, okay? I’m no extra side character who gets killed off just because they got careless with a little note!

“Especially since that person over there is the infamous Mercenary King. The one I sold sedatives to. I could be framed for hiring an assassin—”

“Then destroy it.”

Harris cut me off coldly.

“Don’t just keep it.”

“Eh? Just tearing it isn’t enough~ What if someone pieces the shreds together? We need to burn it, leave no trace—”

“Give it to me.”

Without hesitation, Harris reached into my pocket and took the note.

Ssshh—The crumpled paper touched his hand, then turned to black dust and vanished without a trace.

“…!”

So efficient. I looked at him with awe, and Harris curled up his crimson lips slightly.

“Passing notes, are we?”

“No, it was one-sided. I didn’t send anything back.”

“Looks pretty chummy.”

“More like he pretends to be friendly. That’s just his personality—”

“So you know what kind of person he is. You must be pretty close with that bastard.”

“….”

Alukas hadn’t even properly spoken with Harris yet, and already he was “that bastard.”

Not that I cared how Harris referred to him.

‘I thought I said multiple times we’re not close.’

Yet, seeing Harris stare at me like that, a question popped out of my mouth.

“Are you… jealous, by chance?”

“Jealous?”

Harris scoffed.

“Why would I be jealous? You’re my bonded guide, and that guy’s just some scummy mercenary.”

The chill in his voice made me embarrassed for asking.

“Ah, right… Of course. You’re absolutely right.”

Okay, Alukas might be more than just “some scummy mercenary,” but I wasn’t about to correct him and drag this out.

‘Still… ouch.’

Excuse me, I just fought a full-on, blood-boiling battle with him at the ball today, and now you’re calling him scum? That stings.

“So I guess it’s fine if I kill him right now and erase him from the world.”

“…Excuse me?!”

Forget the sting—I was wide awake now. What kind of leap in logic was that?!

“Why? You don’t want me to?”

Harris’s smile deepened.

“You said you weren’t close. So why the objection?”

“….”

So if I’m not close to someone, it’s okay for them to die? Welcome to my sixth month in this fantasy world, where my basic morals and values are constantly under siege.

I struggled to pull my mind together and replied.

“B-because I don’t want to.”

“Why.”

His tone turned cold fast.

I looked into those frosty eyes and tried a tailored form of persuasion.

“Because… I’m exhausted.”

“…?”

“You may be fine, Harris, but I’m so worn out I can barely stay standing. I’m seriously dying here.”

“What does that have to do with this?”

“If you fight that guy, I’ll have to stick close and watch your back. That means debris flying everywhere, and I won’t even have the energy to dodge it…”

“….”

Thankfully, he went quiet—maybe my logic worked.

“Then I’ll take you home first—”

“And come back to fight? No! How could I, your bonded guide, rest easy knowing you’re out there fighting? I’ll be up all night worrying you’ll get hurt and—”

“You sleep just fine.”

“….”

“Don’t lie to me.”

Harris squinted. Caught red-handed. Damn it—I was doing so well.

“Okay, not well. I’ll have nightmares, then!”

“Sure you will.”

“Seriously, Harris. If you keep ignoring my guide instincts like this, society will crumble, families will break apart—Ack!”

“Quit the nonsense.”

He picked me up.

Only then did I realize I was so tired I’d started rambling nonsense without noticing.

“You say you’re tired, but your mouth keeps running.”

He held me in a princess carry. His deep eyes stared down at me. Lips slightly curled in a smile—maybe.

“….”

My tongue, which had been chattering away, fell silent. Suddenly I felt unbearably thirsty.

A terrace reserved only for the heir of House Godwin.

Harris entered and gently set Jade down, her body limp with fatigue.

His face, as usual, was expressionless, but inside, his mind was in turmoil.

Why was he like this?

It was because of the fight at the banquet.

No—to be precise, it was because of Jade, who had fought for him.

‘Harris didn’t kill her!’

Shockingly, she genuinely believed in him.

Jade had heard about the maid Bona’s death that afternoon. Harris, who had gone to escort her, had been waiting.

Waiting for the moment she would ask—

Why? How did she die?

But Jade didn’t ask anything.

‘…?’

At first, Harris was confused. Then he thought he understood.

She probably already knows he did it and doesn’t want to know the details. That kind of emotional distance.

That’s what he assumed—

‘From Harris’s perspective, it’s better if Bona were alive than dead!’

…She said that.

Not because they were on the same side, but because she understood him. Because she believed in him.

A wave of shock crashed over him. Swept away, he could only stare at Jade in a daze.

The Jade who stood before him, attacking and defending in her own colorful way, trying to protect him.

“…Jade.”

Harris, locking the crashing emotions in his eyes, asked,

“What are you thinking?”

Why? For what reason?

He stared at her, slumped across the terrace.

Her half-lidded eyes. The slight movements of her lips. He didn’t miss a thing.

He had to know.

What Jade was thinking right now. What she wanted. Why she did all this—for him…

“I’m thinking… I’m really thirsty…”

“…?”

What did I just hear?

Jade, mistaking his silence for confusion, repeated herself.

“Seriously, I’m dying of thirst. Isn’t there anything to drink here?”

“….”

“Even just water?”

“….”

“No water either?!”

How could this be?

Jade’s desperate expression made Harris bow his head, shoulders shaking slightly like he was holding back laughter.

‘…No way. My thirst can’t be that funny.’

Jade blinked slowly, refusing to accept reality.