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Chapter 109
My chest felt tight.
Why did I have to meet this person at a matchmaking meeting? Why did he have to like me of all people?
This encounter with him should have been just a brief episode before the original story’s heroine appeared. That’s all it should have been.
“Why… why, of all times…?”
I even thought, maybe I should just be honest and say everything.
I wasn’t originally from this world, and soon I would return to my real world. So, I wanted him to find someone better than me—preferably to build a good relationship with the saint, Jieunha.
Maybe if I said that, I’d feel some relief.
Or maybe I could tell him that I was suffering from an incurable disease, and I might die anytime. Since I had coughed up blood before, maybe that would work…
As I turned over the idea in my head, a sudden thought made me pause. I hesitated for a moment, then lifted my head and looked at him again.
“I have something to confess.”
I knew saying this could hurt someone who liked me. I knew my words might seem trashy in the current situation.
But I thought this was the most peaceful way to end things.
I closed my eyes tightly, worried that Rixion Luhaness might see through my lie, and shouted:
“Actually, there’s someone I like—someone other than you!”
I had made up my mind and said it, but there was no immediate reaction from him.
I kept my gaze on my hands, which he was holding, and awkwardly continued:
“So… um, I’m really sorry…”
“Someone you like.”
I noticed him squeezing my hands a little tighter, though not painfully. Still, there was a strange pressure.
“Who? That damn priest?”
The icy voice made me lift my head carefully.
His blue eyes met mine. He was smiling—but it didn’t feel like he was really smiling.
Even though his expression didn’t look angry, I somehow felt he was angrier than ever.
“Wait… the priest… ah!”
I stared at him, startled, then my eyes widened.
“Jade!”
I suddenly thought of my friend, whose life I didn’t even know the status of, and my concern made me serious. I pressed his hand tightly in mine and said urgently:
“Could you contact Jade for me? He’s a friend I met at the temple when we went together! Ever since that day we were attacked by those masked people, I haven’t been able to reach him…”
“If it’s that man, he’s safe. You don’t need to worry.”
He answered matter-of-factly, expressionless, as if he hadn’t been disturbed at all by me pressing close. His calm reply left me stunned, and I stammered:
“Uh… r-really?”
I instinctively reached to touch the back of my neck but realized he was still holding my hand, so I gave up.
I tried pulling my hand away for a moment, but he showed no intention of letting go.
“Then I guess I can’t meet him directly in this situation… Could you send a single letter to the temple for me?”
I carefully spoke, feeling sorry for bothering him again.
This time, he didn’t answer immediately. Rixion Luhaness looked down as if thinking, then, still expressionless, asked back:
“What if I refuse?”
I reflexively said, “Huh?” with a dumbfounded face.
Beeeeeep—.
A familiar sound suddenly interrupted us.
As I looked around, Rixion Luhaness pulled a communicator from the inner pocket of his jacket. It lit up red and beeped loudly, making me frown automatically.
“Could he really be calling someone at this hour?”
I was shocked. I couldn’t imagine a company or even a royal household behaving like this.
As I frowned at the communicator, he smashed it in his hand. Even I would want to destroy a phone if called out in the middle of the night—but I’d be too cheap to do it like that.
“And I don’t care.”
He released my hand, got up from the bed, and spoke in a calm voice.
I had been daydreaming and didn’t catch what he said properly, so I looked up at him in confusion.
“…Excuse me?”
“As long as Liz stays by my side, I don’t care who you like.”
His expression returned to its usual calmness, with a gentle smile directed at me.
Though the atmosphere still felt slightly tense, it was much better than before.
“I should be going now.”
As I relaxed along with him, Rixion Luhaness lowered his body and lightly kissed my cheek. It was like a greeting newlyweds might give.
“You must be tired. Rest now.”
I had no time to react. After kissing my cheek, he left the room in an instant, looking completely satisfied.
“Huh…”
I let out a hollow laugh, still feeling defeated by the surprise attack.
The next morning, I sent a letter to the temple under Jade’s name as soon as I woke up. I asked the butler to deliver it, and he did so without any comment.
But a day, two days… by the third day, there was still no reply.
Had the letter not reached the temple? Or had the butler intercepted it under Rixion Luhaness’s orders?
Or maybe Jade was just upset with me and chose not to respond.
While I waited for Jade’s reply, I couldn’t see Rixion Luhaness at all.
The last time I saw him, he had been urgently summoned late at night. He seemed very busy, though… or maybe he was deliberately avoiding me. I remembered the atmosphere had been awkward at the end.
Normally, when I asked him for something, he rarely refused.
But ever since, whenever Jade was involved, Rixion Luhaness would show clear displeasure. His expression always looked irritated, and I couldn’t help but feel self-conscious.
“Could it be that ‘that damn priest’ he mentioned before… was actually Jade?”
Even though I had insisted from the start that Jade and I weren’t like that, he didn’t seem to believe me.
I sighed briefly and looked at my right wrist. Seeing the artifact bracelet proudly resting there made me sigh again.
Rixion Luhaness had gone through so much just for me. On top of his busy schedule, he had worried about me, lent me his private quarters, increased the estate’s guards, surrounded the building with shields, and even entrusted me with a precious artifact.
I felt grateful, but also uneasy.
It was uncomfortable knowing he liked me, not accepting his feelings, and yet using him unilaterally.
“Why do you always win, oppa? That’s unfair!”
“I’m just better at this game. If you’re jealous, try practicing, Lin.”
“Rowin, can you teach me your secret to winning? I’ll pay you!”
“Lady Rachel, why are you so serious?”
“Actually, I used to play this game with the knights in the royal order, but I always lost and got frustrated.”
“Then I’ll teach you a special technique, just for you!”
“Ugh, that’s unfair! Teach me too, Lin!”
Even while spending leisurely time with Rowin, Lin, and Lady Rachel—the people I liked—the uneasy feeling stayed in my chest.
I kept glancing at the window, wondering if Rixion Luhaness would return to the Luhaness estate today, or come find me late at night. Not that I was exactly waiting—just worried because he seemed so busy.
[Young Lady Crystanner!]
That evening, Jieunha contacted me through a magic communication orb.
The Luhaness estate’s butler said the royal family had sent word, bringing the orb.
I worried it might be Emperor Alexis again, but thankfully—or not—it was Jieunha who contacted me.
It was too dangerous for me to leave the Luhaness estate to go to the royal palace, and it was also difficult for Jieunha, who was under the world’s scrutiny, to come to the estate.
So she opted to contact me through the magic orb.
