Chapter 13

However, there was no benefit in provoking Kadin too much right now, so Ayla decided to add a little acting to the situation.

“Kadin, why are you suddenly getting angry—?”

“Was the reason you asked to break off our engagement really because of that guy? Was it because you wanted to fool around with that commoner?”

At his aggressive questioning, Ayla put on a startled expression before finally speaking.

“Fool around? I have no idea what you’re talking about. Felix was injured while helping me, so I was only treating his wounds.”

The rage filling Kadin’s mind paused for a moment.

Was it… just a misunderstanding?

Looking at her confused expression, reason gradually returned to him.

When he thought about it calmly, it really was strange.

Ayla had once been a noble lady of high status.

There was no way she would suddenly become interested in some insignificant commoner.

That’s right. There’s no way Ayla would be interested in another man besides me.

Just as Kadin was barely managing to reassure himself—

“Still…”

A single word from Ayla made his heart sink again.

“Didn’t we already agree to break off our engagement? As far as I know, the discussions between our families are practically finished.”

Ayla looked at him as if she genuinely didn’t understand.

“Who I choose to see now isn’t any of your concern, is it?”

Kadin’s eyes wavered.

“……”

She wasn’t wrong.

Whatever she did now had nothing to do with him anymore.

He knew that.

And yet, Kadin couldn’t remain calm.

Why does this bother me so much?

He didn’t love Ayla.

But the thought that someone else might take her away was enough to cloud his judgment.

It felt as though a mere commoner like Felix was stealing something that belonged to him.

“No. I still have the right to interfere.”

He strode forward and grabbed Ayla by the wrist.

Ayla immediately frowned in pain from the force.

Even then, Kadin refused to let go.

“I clearly told you to stay by my side. I never ordered you to escape from me like this.”

A weak commoner.

Someone who couldn’t surpass him in strength or status.

Kadin didn’t voice those thoughts aloud.

But he believed Ayla would understand the warning hidden in his gaze.

She wasn’t so oblivious that she wouldn’t.

Just then—

“Let go of her hand.”

Felix, who had been silently watching the exchange, forcibly pulled Kadin away from Ayla.

Then he stepped in front of her, shielding her behind his back.

Kadin’s face twisted.

“How are you this strong…?”

He glared at Felix in irritation.

The way Felix protected Ayla as though she belonged to him made Kadin’s stomach churn.

At the same time, the fact that he had been physically overpowered by a commoner made his face burn with embarrassment.

“Can’t you see she doesn’t want this?”

“She doesn’t want it?”

Only then did Kadin properly look at Ayla.

She was rubbing her sore wrist, staring at him with tears glistening in her eyes.

The sight of her looking so fragile made Kadin’s heart sink heavily.

For a moment, he felt like a complete scoundrel.

And the look she was giving him felt unfamiliar and cold.

The girl who had always gazed at him with eyes full of love was now looking at him as though she had been deeply hurt.

His expression stiffened.

“Do you really… hate me now?”

Without thinking, Kadin reached out as if to caress her cheek.

But he never touched her.

Ayla ignored his hand and stepped completely behind Felix’s back.

Kadin could only stare blankly at the scene.

“……”

To be fair, Ayla was just as bewildered by the situation.

What’s wrong with this guy now? I thought he’d finally give up if I explained things clearly. Why is he being so persistent?

Kadin had often flirted with other girls right in front of her.

Whenever Ayla complained about it, he would always react the same way.

“Are you seriously doubting me right now? This is getting tiresome.”

“If you’re so dissatisfied, why don’t you go meet someone else yourself?”

A tiresome woman.

Wasn’t that the phrase Kadin constantly threw at her?

Then why is he acting like this?

Just because she had been with another man, he looked as though he had suffered a devastating betrayal from someone he loved.

The sight of Kadin staring at her in shock almost made her laugh.

Still, Ayla forced herself to think sad thoughts and continued her act.

“I already told you before, Kadin. We can’t be together anymore. Unless you become a commoner too.”

Of course, even if Kadin became a commoner, she had absolutely no intention of being with him.

Though there’s no way he’d ever give up his status.

Fortunately, he seemed to understand at least part of what she meant.

Kadin, who had stood frozen until now, finally came back to his senses and staggered backward.

The issue of status was not something he could solve immediately.

“We’ll talk later.”

“No. There’s nothing left to talk about.”

Ayla rejected him firmly, but Kadin didn’t even respond.

Unlike the confident way he had barged into the infirmary earlier, he now left in a dazed state, clearly shaken.

After Kadin left, Ayla let out a long sigh.

Whew. Dealing with him is exhausting… No, maybe this actually worked out for the best. Now I don’t have to explain everything to Felix in detail.

Ayla felt an urgent need to get Kadin out of her life as quickly as possible.

Along with Rosia, people like Freya and Kadin were major obstacles to her academy life.

And to deal with them, she needed Felix’s help—a person who lacked nothing in either strength or status.

Felix looked at her with concern and spoke first.

“Are you alright?”

Fortunately, her acting seemed to have worked.

At this point in time, Felix was fundamentally a righteous person who easily sympathized with those who appeared weak.

Just as she had expected, he looked at her with worried eyes.

“I was startled, but I’m okay.”

Ayla gave him a gentle smile.

“Thank you for helping me, Felix.”

“What exactly are you?”

“I told you already. I’m Ayla.”

“Why did you ask me for something so strange earlier?”

His blue eyes narrowed behind his glasses.

“What exactly do you mean by a contract relationship?”

Ayla awkwardly scratched her cheek.

“Well… after what you just saw, you understand how much my former fiancé harasses me.”

After a brief pause, Felix nodded.

“I know you probably think I’m strange, but I’m in a desperate situation too.”

Felix nodded with a serious expression.

“He really was pretty pathetic…”

Ayla quickly covered her mouth to stop herself from laughing.

Right now, gaining Felix’s sympathy and help was her priority.

Putting on her most pitiful expression, she continued.

“As you know, Kadin was my fiancé. But when it was revealed that I wasn’t actually the daughter of House Blanche, he told me I should become his mistress instead.”

“……”

“When I refused, he started following me around like that. I… don’t want to become his mistress.”

Felix’s expression immediately turned grave.

As someone aspiring to become a knight, he couldn’t simply ignore a woman who appeared to be in danger.

Ayla continued.

“Even if I asked other nobles for help, they wouldn’t listen. Most of them are on Kadin’s side.”

“…I don’t think I’d be much help either. I’m just a commoner, and I can’t even use mana.”

Ayla felt a pang of guilt.

After all, she had approached Felix precisely because she knew how useful he would become.

In the future, you won’t be a commoner… and you’ll be able to use mana, too.