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Chapter 08………………………………….
The way she placed her hand on the sword looked so ominous that Luvellia asked with trembling eyes.
At this rate, she might even be accused of manipulating Hasedian into assassinating the Crown Prince.
“If the young lady wishes it… though it is a difficult choice, I will gladly kill—”
“No! Absolutely not! You can’t do that! Murder is wrong!”
Luvellia spoke in a hurry.
“I knew a kind young lady like you would say that.”
‘That’s not kindness… isn’t that just common sense?’
Luvellia thought with a slightly detached expression.
“That’s right. So I’ll compromise—just break his arms and legs so he can’t attend the ball.”
Aria smiled gracefully as she spoke.
Luvellia was rendered speechless.
Since when was the Crown Prince someone you could just casually cripple like that?
And more importantly—were they really going to be fine after that?
No matter how Hasedian was the Crown Prince’s close friend, and Aria was a duke’s daughter, there was no way they could seriously injure the Crown Prince and get away with it.
“Then, young lady, please wait a moment.”
Hasedian said with a determined expression.
“No, no. Please don’t. Don’t do it.”
Luvellia quickly spoke, genuinely panicked at the thought that they might storm the palace right now and break the Crown Prince’s limbs.
“But, young lady…”
“Violence is bad.”
Her tone was very firm.
“Tch, how ignorant. Don’t worry, young lady. I’ll just use poison so he can’t stay conscious for a few days.”
‘Wasn’t that the same person who just said she’d break his limbs?’
Luvellia looked at her in disbelief. But only for a moment.
“No, that’s bad too. Don’t do it.”
How many times had she already said “no, don’t do that” after meeting these two?
Even training a dog would be easier than this.
“Then what should we…?”
“I…”
“Yes, young lady.”
Aria and Hasedian focused intently on Luvellia.
“…I, um—let’s go with celibacy. Yes, celibacy.”
With no better explanation coming to mind, Luvellia blurted it out.
The Crown Prince had already been framed in their minds as someone in love with her. Even if she denied it, she wouldn’t be able to convince them.
So the best option was to firmly convince them that she would never accept his proposal.
“What?”
“I mean… even if I receive a proposal, I will never get married.”
With an anxious expression, Luvellia watched their reactions, wondering if even this wouldn’t work.
“Ah, I see.”
Aria nodded as if she understood.
“Still, just in case, please tell me if His Highness proposes to you. I will immediately—”
Hasedian’s eyes turned cold.
“Yes, I will.”
Since the Crown Prince would never propose to her anyway, Luvellia nodded lightly.
“Then, have you two finished your business?”
She asked, hoping desperately that they were done.
“No. We haven’t yet properly filled our eyes with the noble form of the young lady.”
“How pathetic.”
Hasedian replied to Aria’s words.
“What did you just say…?”
“How could our humble eyes possibly take in the noble body of Lady Stein?”
“…That was my mistake.”
Aria conceded reluctantly.
Luvellia stared into the invisible distance.
How exactly did their minds become so twisted?
“I have business to attend to, so I’ll be going!”
Unable to endure their conversation any longer, Luvellia left quickly.
The two seemed about to say something, but she pretended not to notice and walked away.
“Child.”
“Yes?”
Not long after, Luvellia encountered the Marquis.
“I support your celibacy.”
The Marquis said with a very pleased expression.
He had recently been anxious, unable to bear the thought of his precious daughter being taken away by anyone.
Luvellia was at a loss for words.
At this rate, it felt like she would be forced into celibacy.
Though, she didn’t have the leisure to think about that right now anyway.
Ignoring him as best she could, she continued on her way.
Jerden looked surprised at Luvellia’s unexpected visit. He had never imagined she would come to his ducal estate herself.
“What is it?”
In a way, she was the first guest of the ducal house—aside from a few relatives seeking favor, all of whom were turned away by Jerden.
Yet Luvellia’s visit felt strangely… slightly welcome.
“I came to repay the money!”
She said proudly, feeling the coins safely tucked in her pocket.
“I didn’t expect you to come personally.”
Especially all the way here.
“I don’t ever skip out on debts. And I did say I’d repay you yesterday.”
Trust was important between friends. Even small promises mattered.
They weren’t friends yet, but they would be soon.
And for that, establishing trust early was important.
“Is that so.”
“Of course. When it comes to trust, it’s Luvellia, right?”
She emphasized confidently.
“I accept what is given.”
The two silver coins meant little to Jerden, but he didn’t refuse them.
“Of course.”
Happily, Luvellia handed them over.
“But… do I have to leave right away?”
“….”
Jerden stared at her silently.
“Even if I came just to repay you, isn’t it a bit cold to send me away immediately?”
She looked up at him with pleading eyes.
“…I happen to be somewhat free. A cup of tea would be acceptable.”
In truth, he was rarely ever free, but he said it anyway.
For her, a little more time didn’t seem like a problem.
And it wasn’t as if he couldn’t spare time for tea.
He called a maid to prepare it.
Soon, tea was brought in. The maid briefly looked shocked to see Luvellia there but quickly composed herself.
“It’s hot, be careful.”
“Yes.”
Remembering his warning, Luvellia blew on the tea and took a cautious sip.
Then her face twisted instantly.
“…The tea… the tea.”
“What is wrong?”
Jerden, thinking something might be wrong with it, took a sip as well.
There was nothing wrong with it.
“Why is it so bitter?”
Her expression looked utterly devastated.
Jerden said nothing.
He hadn’t expected such a reaction to bitterness.
“Bitter things are bad for the body. There’s a saying: swallow the sweet, spit out the bitter.”
“I’ve never heard that.”
“Then you know it now.”
“I’ll have it replaced.”
Although unfamiliar, Jerden understood she simply disliked bitterness.
“Do you just drink it like that?”
“Mm. This is just right.”
He drank calmly.
For him, it was the perfect level of bitterness.
“Wow, Your Grace is amazing.”
Luvellia looked genuinely impressed.
Jerden looked slightly stunned.
No one had ever praised him for liking bitter tea before.
“…It’s nothing.”
“You’d be great at taking medicine too, right?”
She gave a thumbs-up, remembering how she once couldn’t swallow bitter powdered medicine as a child.
“Come to think of it, I rarely need medicine.”
“Truly blessed.”
She nodded again in admiration.
Jerden quietly watched her.
She was strange—every time he saw her, she seemed like a bright light.
A light that rescued him from the nightmares that tormented him.
“Oh, right.”
Luvellia, now sipping newly brought tea, suddenly remembered something.
“Actually, since I came to repay you, there’s something I wanted to say.”
“What is it?”
Jerden’s expression stiffened slightly.
It felt like she might be about to ask for something, just like every noble he had ever met.
“Us…”
Jerden waited quietly.
“Won’t you be my friend?”
She looked at him anxiously, eyes sparkling.
“…Friends?”
Jerden seemed genuinely taken aback.
“Yes, friends.”
She nodded quickly.
“Do I really need to?”
He spoke calmly.
“First of all…”
Luvellia became serious.
“This is important. Depending on how I say this, it will decide whether we become friends or not.”
She took a deep breath.
“First, if you become my friend—first of all, you can become friends with Luvellia.”
