HRNGDS 31

~Chapter 31~

Kasen always said the same things to Delphina:

“Apologize on Ivelina’s behalf.”
“Can’t you make a small sacrifice for Ivelina?”
“Delphina, you’re the kind older sister. You can put up with Ivelina being selfish, right?”

In the end…

Delphina lost her fiancé to Ivelina and was sent off to the North.

‘Why did I ever like him?’

It used to be that just seeing Kasen made her heart race. She once believed he was the only one who truly cared about her.

But now? Her heart felt still.

Looking at Kasen’s handsome but smug face just made her feel uncomfortable.

And just as expected—

“Help Ivelina,” Kasen said. “I think Sir Calyx likes you. If you speak up, he might forgive her.”

Delphina quietly raised her middle finger.

Kasen blinked in confusion. “Delphina, what does that mean?”

“It’s a polite way of saying no.”

Kasen didn’t understand her rejection. She used to always look at him with such devotion. And she had genuinely cared about Ivelina, too.

So to him, her refusal felt impossible.

“Ivelina is your younger sister. You’re supposed to protect her…”

“I’m supposed to protect Ivelina?”

Delphina smirked.

“Shouldn’t you be protecting her now? She’s your fiancée. Why are you dumping that responsibility on me?”

Her voice was cold. Kasen stumbled back, unsure.

‘This isn’t right. The Delphina I knew wasn’t like this!’

He had thought she’d always come back to him.

Even when he let her go for political reasons, he assumed he’d win her back eventually.

Because he still loved her.

“Kasen, I don’t want to talk to you.”

“If we meet again, it’ll be in court. I’m going to testify about everything you and Ivelina did to me.”

“Testify…? Delphina, we weren’t like this. You’re doing this because of the Grand Duke, aren’t you?”

Alex’s expression sharpened.

“You’re being threatened by that monster, right? What did he do to you?”

“No. His Grace has been kind to me.”
Unlike you.

“That can’t be. You’re satisfied with him? The Grand Duke is ugly! You’ve always had good taste in looks!”

Delphina finally understood what he meant.

‘So he’s asking how I could go from someone “as handsome as him” to someone ugly.’

She sighed.

‘Looks don’t matter. What matters is someone’s heart.’

Sure, Kasen was considered the Empire’s most handsome man. That’s likely why Ivelina shifted her ambitions to him.

But his confidence in his looks was massive.

“Kasen, you’re fake. You knew I was being bullied at the academy.”

“And yet you did nothing. You knew Ivelina liked you. You knew she bullied me more because of it—and you still acted kind to me. You did it on purpose, didn’t you?”

“Delphina, I—”

“Why are you even talking to me now? You chose Ivelina.”

“Please, listen. It’s not that I chose her. I just didn’t have a choice.”

He stepped toward her, as if he might grab her wrist.

But someone grabbed his wrist first—hard.

Delphina looked up, surprised.

‘Elcayan?’

Nearby, Alex and Sana gave each other a high-five, mouthing curses at Kasen.

<Alex and Sana’s thoughts translated>

Alex: That pretty-faced fool dares try something with Lady Delphina?
Sana: One punch and he’d be down. He tried to grab her wrist? Unbelievable.
Alex: Nice timing, Sana. We’re in sync.
Sana: Always, for Lady Delphina.

Delphina admired the system.

‘This thing is like a perfect assistant.’

She quickly figured out what happened.

Sana must’ve brought Elcayan.

But Elcayan’s face was stone cold.

‘Wow. His acting is amazing. He really looks mad because he loves me.’

Kasen backed away.

“What are you doing, Lord Huart?”

“Y-Your Grace…”

“Do you have business with my fiancée?”

Kasen’s expression twisted.

“C-could you let go?”

Elcayan looked at Delphina, then shoved Kasen’s arm away.

Kasen was now convinced Delphina was only acting this way because she was scared of Elcayan.

He thought: ‘She’s scared of this savage Northern man. Poor Delphina…’

Elcayan’s tone was sharp:

“What were you talking about alone with someone else’s fiancée?”

“I was just worried about her. Your rumors aren’t exactly flattering…”

Elcayan laughed.

They were political enemies—but Elcayan outranked Kasen, so Kasen couldn’t say much more.

Elcayan’s smile was clearly mocking.

Delphina was impressed.

‘How does he make someone so mad with just one smile? That’s a talent!’

Elcayan ran his fingers through his hair.

Kasen watched him, almost hypnotized.

Then Kasen said, “Delphina has a refined eye. I had to worry. We’ve known each other since we were kids.”

Delphina looked like she wanted to protest.

‘I really don’t care about appearances.’

To her, Elcayan—no matter what he looked like—was better than Kasen.

Elcayan laughed in disbelief.

“Oh, that’s what you’re worried about?”

Then he took off his mask.

Kasen froze in shock.

So did Delphina.

Because Elcayan’s face looked like it belonged to a god of beauty.

Delphina couldn’t even put it into words.

‘If I tried to describe that with human words, I’d be punished by the art god himself…’

She glanced at Kasen.

‘Huh…?’

Suddenly, Kasen didn’t seem as dazzling anymore. She rubbed her eyes in disbelief.