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~Chapter 16~
“What’s this?”
“Ahem, I was passing by a jewelry shop and the owner said I was so handsome he’d give me a present. I couldn’t refuse his sincerity, so I accepted it, but where am I supposed to wear something like this? You take it. It matches the outfit you’re wearing right now.”
Ares turned his head, a little embarrassed by how much he explained—even things no one had asked.
Still, he kept sneaking glances to see Aveline’s reaction.
While Aveline gazed at the bracelet and its thick band, she caught sight of something else.
‘A receipt?’
There was a slip of paper sticking out of Ares’s pants pocket, as if he’d shoved it there in a hurry.
On it, <Eira Jewelry Shop> was written.
Anyone could see this wasn’t a gift he received—it was something he bought himself.
‘No way…’
Did he buy it on purpose so she could hide the mark on her wrist?
‘He must’ve been really bothered by it.’
No wonder he’d been sneaking looks at her wrist all day. She never expected he’d be thinking about it this much.
Normally, she’d pull the receipt from his pocket and wave it in front of his face to tease him, but just for today, she decided to let it go.
“…Thanks.”
“What for.”
Ares clearly hadn’t expected Aveline to thank him so simply, and he quietly looked away.
As soon as he sat down, he was back to his usual gruff self.
“Where else could you find a little brother like me? I’m really a good guy.”
“Surprisingly thoughtful of you, Ares.”
When Logan chimed in, Ares put on an even more dignified expression.
“I’m a very considerate person. People must be jealous of you, right?”
“Huh.”
Aveline twitched her eyebrows, and Ares dropped his hand from his chin with a sigh.
Then he carefully fastened the bracelet on Aveline’s wrist.
“So if you ever have trouble, talk to me about it. Why would you bite yourself? You’re not a vampire or anything, right?”
At the word “vampire,” Aveline flinched for a moment, but quickly controlled her expression.
‘Does he think I did it because I’m upset about something? Like self-harm?’
That pitying look in his eyes.
His lips pressed tightly together, as if holding back more words.
It was the attitude of someone trying to help a person carrying a secret burden.
‘I feel kind of guilty now.’
She’d never thought Ares would care about her this much.
They’d always bickered and acted like they didn’t care. At least, that’s what she’d thought until now.
‘He’s got a surprisingly sensitive side.’
She looked down and the emerald in the bracelet—matching the twins’ eye color—shone transparently.
The jewel was so large that her wrist felt heavy with the bracelet on.
“Yeah. It feels reassuring.”
While the twins were sharing a rare warm moment, Logan suddenly cut in.
“Is that really a mark you made yourself, Aveline?”
Logan tilted his head, clearly unconvinced.
“Judging by the size, there’s no way your teeth could have made that mark—”
“Hey, Ares! Try this dessert!”
Aveline quickly shoved a spoonful of dessert at Ares before Logan could finish.
“Wait, Logan, what did you just say?”
But Ares had already heard, and turned to his friend.
‘Careless! I should’ve known Logan would notice something and get suspicious!’
“That mark on Aveline’s wrist is definitely from someone els—”
“Hmm. It’s a bit sweet for me.”
Someone suddenly interrupted their conversation as Logan kept talking.
Ares’s expression turned sour when he saw who it was.
“Duke Ribes?”
Theron, who had suddenly appeared, took the dessert Aveline offered and tasted it for himself.
He calmly gave his opinion.
“Did you follow us again?”
Ares asked, half-accusing. Theron shook his head.
“Follow you? I just happened to see you while passing by.”
“Then keep passing by.”
Ares shot back, but Theron just smiled slightly.
All the while, his gaze never left Aveline—as if he was trying to gauge her reaction to seeing him.
‘Why now, of all times?’
Aveline pulled her hat brim down even further, knowing it wouldn’t actually hide her face.
“Did you have a good dream last night?”
At those words, Aveline flinched in surprise.
Theron put his hand on the back of Aveline’s chair, leaning in as if to make eye contact.
“I did.”
When their eyes met, Aveline unconsciously took a deep breath.
She’d always thought he was a lunatic, but now that they were face to face, she couldn’t help but think,
‘If someone looked this good, maybe it’s okay to be a little crazy.’
A beauty beyond anyone’s ability to handle. Something like that.
No one’s perfect, after all.
If you looked in the mirror with that face and lost your mind, you couldn’t be blamed.
‘So that’s what “logical beauty” means.’
She’d always seen her twin—one of the Empire’s three handsomest men—but this was a whole new level.
“Oh, a jewel?”
A voice snapped Aveline out of her thoughts from behind Theron.
“Barom.”
“Ah, sorry. Didn’t mean to disrespect your jewel.”
Theron frowned at his companion, who playfully raised his hands.
“But I didn’t see her face thanks to that giant hat, so relax.”
Barom was the one who’d grabbed Ares by the carriage last time.
‘Are they close?’
The easy banter made it seem so. It was surprising that someone as eccentric as Theron had a friend.
“…A jewel?”
Logan, who had been listening, interjected. He clearly didn’t understand why Duke Ribes was here.
‘Well, that makes sense. Normally, the Herolds family and the head of the noble faction would never meet.’
“So Young Lord Casey is here, too.”
Theron finally acknowledged him, turning his head just enough for Aveline to see the scratch on his cheek.
Theron grinned sideways at her, watching for her reaction.
‘Did he come here because of this? To confront me?’
Aveline tried to figure out Theron’s intentions, her thoughts spinning—
“We’re all running into each other again.”
A familiar voice interrupted.
Ares’s face twisted in annoyance as he turned toward the sound.
“Serbell. Why don’t you keep going?”
Ares snapped, seeing Aveline trying to hide her face.
“Oh my, Ares. This is exactly where I’m going—to eat dessert with the young ladies.”
Serbell pointed at a group of noble ladies standing to the side.
The ladies gazed at Ares, Duke Ribes, and Logan with sparkling eyes.
“To think we get to see two of the Empire’s top three handsome men in one place!”
“And Young Lord Casey, too! They really should make it the top four. But who’s that red-haired man? I love that wild vibe!”
The ladies’ whispers reached Aveline’s ears.
‘They must have all heard that.’
Everyone was working hard to keep a straight face and pretend they hadn’t heard.
Logan looked a little embarrassed, his ears turning red. Ares looked smug.
Barom waved playfully at the ladies, while Theron…
“I’ll sit down.”
He ignored all the stares and sat right next to Aveline.
“Why are you sitting? Please move!”
Ares protested, but Barom forced himself into a chair with a cheeky grin.
“Don’t be like that. Let’s share the good stuff.”
“Ahem, you all get along so well. I’ll take my leave, then.”
Serbell, who had been watching the scene with sparkling eyes, quickly turned away.
Her red ears betrayed her imagination running wild.
‘This is uncomfortable.’
Aveline peeked out from under her hat to glance at Serbell’s group.
The young ladies were all from noble faction families.
They were just as curious about Aveline as she was about them—wondering who this girl sitting with all the famous men could be.
“But who’s the young lady in that strange hat?”
“Can’t see her face, so it’s hard to tell.”
“And I can’t see her hair either. Maybe she’s bald?”
As the attention shifted to her, Aveline became even more restless.
“Are you okay?”
Just then, Logan gently took Aveline’s hand.
He’d realized what was making her nervous and was trying to comfort her.
“Gasp.”
The ladies’ eyes went wide at the sight.
Young Lord Casey, the Empire’s most eligible bachelor, being so gentle—was that girl his secret lover?
Their faces clearly said as much.
And then—
“Young Lord Casey.”
Theron, watching the whole scene, frowned.
“That hand you’re holding,”
He pointed a long finger at Logan, and everyone’s gaze followed.
“That’s my jewel.”
Clatter! Crash!
All around, the sound of forks and glasses dropping to the floor rang out.
