IAYA 21

chapter 21

I was speechless at Teansis’s completely unexpected words. I never imagined he would say something like that here.

Zer also looked at Teansis and me with a bewildered expression. Then, as if expecting an explanation, he looked at me and asked,

“What is the meaning of this?”

Somehow embarrassed by the situation, I squeezed my eyes shut and spoke.

“I-it’s true. I… I’ve admired you, Your Grace, for a long time.”

Even after I finished speaking, neither Teansis nor Zer responded, so I peeked at them.

The first thing I noticed was Teansis looking at me with a smile at the corner of his eyes.

Thump.

It was the first time I’d seen him with such an expression, and my heart somehow raced.

Teansis shifted his gaze from me to Zer and said,

“Then I will not tolerate such rudeness toward the lady in the future.”

Zer, who seemed briefly taken aback, soon hardened his expression and retorted.

“I don’t know why you feel the need to interfere. Do you know how many women in the Valcanus Empire have unrequited love for you? Are you going to treat all of them like this?”

Zer’s words weren’t wrong. I also looked at Teansis with a puzzled expression, unable to understand his true thoughts.

“Let’s just say that Lady Belia is the only one special to me.”

That answer was the most surprising thing that had happened so far. I stared at Teansis with my mouth slightly open, unable to comprehend it.

Then I realized I wasn’t the only one staring at him with such an expression. At some point, many students from the academy had gathered around, watching.

Since the commotion had started in the morning, it was the perfect situation for everyone to notice.

Zer, displeased at the sight of Teansis and me, reached out further and directly grabbed my wrist.

Startled by Zer’s sudden grip, I looked at him, and he said with a stiff expression,

“I think all that needed to be said has been said. Let’s go.”

“Ah… yes.”

As I walked with Zer, I unconsciously glanced at Teansis’s face. That’s when I realized he was glaring at my wrist, gripped by Zer, with a fierce look.

Anyway, lingering here while more people gathered wasn’t a good idea.

I quickly stood by Zer and said,

“I’ll be going then.”

Teansis nodded, seemingly resigned.

“You’ve had a hard time with the sudden rain. If the alchemy professor troubles you, tell me. I’ll come running immediately.”

Although he was speaking to me, somehow it felt like a warning aimed at Zer.

I nodded absentmindedly and replied,

“Understood. You’ve worked hard too, Your Grace.”

Zer said nothing, only shooting Teansis a glare.

As Zer turned while still holding my wrist, I followed him toward the apothecary.

Somehow, the back of my head felt prickly.

As soon as Zer arrived at his laboratory, he erupted in anger.

“Did you forget our contract? How could you disappear without saying a word to me?”

“W-well, it rained too heavily to return to Kamar Academy. I didn’t anticipate this situation, so I couldn’t inform you in advance.”

“You’re blaming last night’s downpour? Then how did you end up going out with Duke Acruse?”

Zer’s blazing eyes were intensely serious.

I swallowed nervously.

It was true that the sudden rain caused unavoidable circumstances, but I couldn’t honestly say I went to see the place where the monsters were buried.

Somehow, I was starting to have secrets I couldn’t share with anyone else.

“I… I followed His Grace because he said he would show me a nice place.”

I reluctantly left out the word “monsters.” I couldn’t speak honestly, but I had no other excuse.

If I lied and said I suggested the outing to Teansis, no one would have believed it. It didn’t make sense that he would go out just because I wanted to.

“He used his charm on you?”

“Huh?”

Zer’s reaction was completely unexpected, and I was taken aback.

“Charm? No, that wasn’t it.”

“Charm is using your good looks to attract women. What else could it be?”

“No, it wasn’t like that.”

“Are you defending him in front of me?”

“It’s not true. Your Grace isn’t that kind of person.”

When I strongly denied it, Zer looked at me in disbelief.

“He’s always known how to act to get people to react. What do women even see in such a cunning guy?”

I had many things to argue, and if I started listing Teansis’s virtues, it would take all night. But now wasn’t the time.

I remained silent, and Zer observed me with narrowed eyes.

“So you really like Teansis, huh?”

“Well…”

“Don’t get the wrong idea. He can’t possibly be sincere toward you. He only approached you to find out about my experiments.”

Perhaps Zer was right. Teansis began showing interest in me the day the monsters saved me in the warehouse.

Even if it wasn’t entirely what Zer guessed, he might have been interested in my abilities.

─Let’s just say Lady Belia is the only one special to me.

If that weren’t true, Teansis wouldn’t have said it.

It wouldn’t be a lie if I didn’t feel a pang of bitterness, but it was fine.

Until now, Teansis had been like a star in the night sky—untouchable. Even being entangled with him like this was enough.

I shouldn’t be greedy for more.

“I won’t delude myself. I know my place. You may have forgotten because of my face, but do you know how old I am, Professor?”

The age difference between Teansis and me was over ten years.

I had dreamed about him, but never once desired him in reality.

Perhaps sensing my sincerity, Zer finally nodded in understanding.

“That reassures me a bit. We can uphold our contract properly, right?”

“Yes.”

Like keeping quiet about the warehouse incident with Teansis, I also didn’t intend to reveal that I had become younger thanks to Zer’s experiments.

Zer spoke, a slightly satisfied look on his face.

“Alright, I’ll trust you for now. It’s almost time for apothecary duty. Remember, today’s experiment will proceed as scheduled.”

“Yes.”

Watching me get up, Zer added,

“This is the only time I’ll forgive you for skipping an experiment, like yesterday.”

“…Yes.”

It was because of my contract with Zer that I could remain at Kamar Academy, so I didn’t take our agreement lightly.

I bowed and left Zer’s laboratory.

I returned to my dorm to change out of my messy clothes and hurried to the staff cafeteria.

Though there wasn’t much time, I could manage a simple breakfast.

If I didn’t eat something now, I’d be hungry all day, and since my finances were tight, it was better to eat something.

I hurriedly presented my Kamar Academy staff ID and started filling my plate.

“I thought you’d be here.”

Turning to the now-familiar voice, I couldn’t believe my eyes—Teansis was standing beside me, receiving his food.

I opened my mouth in surprise.

“Your Grace!”

“Should I take that as a look of pleasure to see me?”

Of course, it wasn’t that Teansis disliked seeing me. He always pleased me, no matter the place or angle.

“That’s true, but…”

“Indeed.”

Teansis tilted his head slightly toward me. His warm breath brushed my ear as he whispered in a low, husky voice:

“You said you liked me, Lady.”

My face instantly burned. His closeness, his voice—all thrilling, yet embarrassing, as if he were teasing me.

It felt like a child receiving a gift, repeatedly checking if it was really theirs.

“P-please don’t say such things anywhere.”

When I scolded him, Teansis smiled cheerfully.

“Alright, teacher.”

His smile made me freeze. I wasn’t the only one surprised—everyone around us seemed taken aback by Teansis’s smile.

He smiled at me brightly.

Seeing my confused expression, he gestured to a seat in the cafeteria.

“Shall we sit there?”

“Ah, yes.”

I went to the seat he indicated. Feeling awkward, I scratched my cheek as I was about to eat salad with my fork.

Someone approached our table.

“So you’re here after all.”

I looked up at the voice—it was Zer, in a white coat, standing before us.

He looked remarkably neat compared to his usual exhausted research look.

“Professor, what brings you to the staff cafeteria?”

Zer casually sat beside Teansis and replied,

“To eat. I heard the cafeteria food has been delicious lately. Is it because Your Grace comes every day?”

That meant Zer knew Teansis had eaten here before and anticipated his arrival.

Teansis frowned and asked Zer,

“There are plenty of other seats. Why sit here specifically?”

“I want to eat beside our adorable staff. If you’re uncomfortable, Your Grace, you can move.”

“I sat first, though.”

“Seats aren’t owned. Just because you sit here doesn’t mean you can claim the next seat too.”

Zer smiled brazenly. Teansis’s expression turned colder.

Cough.

I choked on my salad from the tension. Both men’s gazes fell on me.

“Are you alright?”

“Drink some water.”

I drank the water Teansis handed me. He had saved me with milk before, and again, I was thankful.

Zer watched me drink with a displeased expression.

After finishing, I stood with my untouched plate.

“I think I’ll be late for apothecary duty, so I’ll be going.”

In truth, I just couldn’t eat comfortably with both Teansis and Zer nearby. Eating now would have surely upset me.

As I rose, both men also stood, almost in sync.

Teansis walked to the right, saying,

“I should be going too.”

Zer glanced at him oddly and said to me,

“I’ll go too. See you later.”

Like a prearranged plan, Zer went the opposite way from Teansis.

Both exited at opposite ends of the cafeteria, as if avoiding each other entirely.

I looked on, bewildered, as they disappeared.

Left alone, I could feel the eyes of other staff on me.

Murmurs.

With little time before apothecary duty, I made my way to another cafeteria exit.

Tap, tap.

Time was tighter than expected. I rushed to the apothecary. As I grabbed the door handle, I noticed a strange box at the entrance.

Though the apothecary had many deliveries, this box’s size and design seemed unusual.

Normal medicine boxes were large and made of cheap material, but this one was small, elegant, and could barely hold a few books—like a wrapped gift.

I tilted my head, curious.

“What’s inside?”

I cautiously untied the string and checked the contents.

“Ah!”

I dropped the box in shock.

Inside was a bloodied dead bird, accompanied by a note:

[You disobeyed my warning.
You’ll have to pay the price.]