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Chapter 19
“……”
Felix was silent for the first time at my words.
What’s with that reaction? Why is he suddenly quiet? His expression changed so noticeably that I was more startled than him.
‘No way.’
Did he… fall for me?
Maybe all that grumbling was actually some kind of twisted affection—
“Because it’s annoying.”
Ah. Never mind, definitely not that.
It was a relief, sure, but for some reason my toes curled in embarrassment.
I bit my tongue lightly to suppress the shame bubbling up and sighed inwardly.
But wait a second, that still doesn’t make sense.
“Annoying?”
Who? Me?
“Yeah.”
Felix’s reply was curt, like he didn’t want me to ask any more questions.
Wow, seriously? Out of nowhere?
Left speechless, I glanced instinctively at Maytal.
‘Don’t look at me, I’ve got no idea either……’
He seemed just as confused by his master’s mood swings.
Unable to hold it in any longer, I asked,
“If I annoy you that much, then why… did you call me here?”
It’s not like he’s got nothing better to do—he’s a Viscount’s heir, for crying out loud.
He’s got to be busy. And judging from his personality, he’s definitely the type who hates wasting time.
Yet here he was, holding me hostage for thirty minutes with nothing but coffee.
Honestly, this was starting to feel like torture.
“So… can I go now?”
Felix lifted his long lashes, and for a moment, the violet in his eyes caught mine.
That strange look made me feel like my feet were suddenly stuck to the floor.
The tension made my lips stumble awkwardly.
“I mean, I’ve got work to do—and I’m sure you have things to attend to as well.”
“……”
“And, well, it doesn’t seem like you have anything else to say.”
The more I talked, the less sense this all made.
There was absolutely no reason for me to still be here.
But just as I began to rise from my seat, Felix set his cup down.
“No.”
Each syllable was firm, deliberate.
“Stay here and shut up. You’re annoying me.”
Excuse me, what kind of logic is that?!
An hour later, Maytal finally asked the question Amelia had been dying to ask earlier.
“What exactly were you thinking, my lord?”
Felix, who had just gotten up, shot back,
“What?”
“…Do you really not know what I mean?”
He’d been acting weird all day.
Granted, Felix was always strange—but today was on a whole new level.
Normally, Felix couldn’t care less about other people.
He’d only ever pick fights or lose his temper if something affected him directly.
If someone dropped dead next to him, he probably wouldn’t even blink.
But today?
He talked to a lady he’d barely met. Invited her for tea, of all things.
In ten years of serving him, Maytal had never seen such a thing.
“Don’t tell me… you’ve fallen for her?”
“?”
Felix turned back with a look that said, What the hell are you talking about?
Maytal frowned, feeling unfairly accused.
“Think about it! You’ve turned down every tea party invitation for years! Even at royal events, you’d run off just to avoid people!”
“……”
He couldn’t exactly deny that, so Felix pressed his lips together and started walking again.
“If you’ve really fallen for her, I could meet with Lord Rotten and—”
“Don’t waste your time.”
“Then why are you acting like this?”
“You don’t need to know.”
“My lord!”
“Just walk faster. We’re already late.”
That’s because you were flirting with the lady, my lord…!
Maytal glared daggers at the back of his master’s head, but Felix ignored the burning stare completely.
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
‘Strange.’
Maytal’s talk of “love” was nonsense. That wasn’t what this was.
‘Though… she was pretty.’
It was more like a peculiar pull—something he’d never experienced before.
Not attraction, but rather…
‘Stability.’
A sense of calm, like his turbulent magic was finally at rest.
That’s the closest he could describe it.
But that was exactly the problem.
Why on earth would he feel something like that toward a woman he’d just met?
Especially when he hated change.
Change never made him better—it always made things worse.
So this whole situation was confusing, and above all, infuriating.
When he’d said she was “annoying,” he’d meant it.
He’d nearly gone crazy from how agitated she made him feel.
It was like his own body wasn’t his anymore—and that was intolerable.
But one thing was certain.
“Maytal.”
“…Yes, my lord?”
“Investigate that woman we met earlier.”
“Ah… understood.”
Maytal sighed in defeat and trudged away.
Felix pressed a hand to his chest, feeling the strange tightness ease just a little.
‘Can I go now?’
She’d said go up, so her workshop must be above the fourth floor.
People’s casual speech could reveal so much.
‘Above the fourth floor, huh?’
That meant the fifth or sixth.
But access to those levels was highly restricted.
Only a handful of people could move about freely there.
‘Gilbert brought her in.’
And secretly, at that—so she must be a highly valuable recruit.
“Interesting.”
Who was this woman who could stir up such a cursed feeling in him?
“Maytal.”
“Yes, Your Grace. Do you have further orders—”
“You were right.”
“…Sir?”
Maytal froze mid-step, startled.
Felix, still walking, brushed a hand along his lips.
“I keep finding myself… curious about her.”
“Ugh, damn it.”
Yeah, I think my life’s officially over.
“Are you all right, my lady?”
Roten set a slice of cake down in front of me.
Dragging the plate closer, I groaned.
“Do you think… I’ve been marked?”
He understood even without a subject. His awkward smile said everything.
He couldn’t even deny it, which honestly told me all I needed to know.
‘Crap.’
Maybe I should cancel the contract and run for it…
No, too much money on the line!
“Don’t worry too much, my lady. He’s a bit… touchy, but he’s not actually a bad person.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because he’s very, very rich.”
“…That’s not him being nice—that’s his money being nice.”
“Ah.”
Roten sighed, defeated.
“Haa…”
I stabbed my cake with a fork, pouting.
‘Ugh, I couldn’t even concentrate earlier because of him.’
Sure, I was working faster than before—but my focus was completely shot.
‘What on earth was he thinking?’
He made me sit there for over an hour, didn’t say much, just watched me eat cake…
Then suddenly told me to leave.
‘Unbelievable.’
It didn’t feel like attraction, though.
If anything… it felt like discomfort.
