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chapter 25
At the sight of Elion, the three girls with ribboned hair widened their eyes in shock, their mouths falling open helplessly.
It was almost a reflexive reaction.
“I-I’m sorry. Please, go ahead.”
The young ladies, squeaking like broken machinery, made way for Elion.
As Elion passed by them, the blonde girl timidly moved her lips with a shy smile.
“Um… could you be… Duke Klitzman?”
At her question, both Elion and Rubiana’s eyes flickered simultaneously.
A man walking through the bustling midday streets with Rubiana—Elion Klitzman, Duke! A pink-tinged air born from the life-saving favor?!
The headline that would appear in tomorrow’s gossip column flashed through Rubiana’s mind.
“No… no way. Absolutely not!”
Rubiana subtly shook her head at Elion, signaling him.
Whether or not he understood the signal, Elion shook his head with an expressionless face.
“You’ve got the wrong person.”
Rubiana exhaled in relief as Elion feigned ignorance.
However, the three ribboned girls were, as she had felt earlier, quite persistent.
This time, not only the blonde but also the brown-haired and red-haired girls joined in.
Like a chorus, they clasped their hands tightly to their chests and raised their voices.
“Jet-black hair like the night sky and deep blue eyes like the ocean!”
“A perfectly proportioned, muscular body exuding intense energy!”
“Are you really not Duke Klitzman? The armor you’re wearing looks just like what His Grace wore at the victory ceremony!”
Elion’s face turned red at their fervent praise.
Even a Swordmaster who could easily defeat any enemy seemed unable to handle this mindless flattery.
If Rubiana stayed idle, Elion might get swept up in the girls’ interrogation.
‘I can’t just let that happen!’
Rubiana waved her hands at Elion, shouting,
“Alex, brother! We don’t have time. Let’s go.”
“Huh? Ah… yeah.”
Elion was bewildered by the sudden new name.
Fortunately, the three girls’ surprised gazes were directed at Rubiana, not him.
Rubiana gave Elion a reassuring look, silently saying, “It’s okay. Just trust me.”
The blonde girl asked Rubiana in a soft voice,
“Rubiana, do you know him?”
“Yes. He’s our cousin, Alex Duray. He’s been living in the countryside but came to the capital briefly this time.”
Rubiana lightly tapped Elion’s chest as she looked up at him.
“Alex is so lucky! Even mistaken for the empire’s most handsome Duke Klitzman.”
Rubiana herself chuckled at the exaggerated remark.
Thinking of her real cousin Alex, diligently studying to succeed his family in the provincial territories, she silently gave thanks.
Upon hearing that Rubiana’s cousin was a dazzlingly handsome man, the three girls’ gazes softened, warm as spring sunlight.
“Oh my! We didn’t even know that.”
“Your cousin is really impressive. He could even rival Duke Klitzman, the empire’s most handsome man.”
“Yeah, Rubiana, you’re lucky to have such a wonderful cousin.”
The girls’ mouths dropped open.
Rubiana was exasperated.
‘They were ready to pounce on me, and now they flip so quickly just because a handsome cousin appeared? Huh… seriously!’
These insufferable people clearly had no shame.
Prepared to counterattack, Rubiana lifted her chin, wearing an arrogant smile.
“Oh, dears. Don’t drool. Our Alex can’t be bothered with you. Looks flashy, but that’s all he’s got.”
Rubiana’s red eyes held an exaggerated sense of pity for Elion.
“Even though my brother was born into a prestigious spirit family like me, he hasn’t contracted with a spirit yet. It’s a bit embarrassing.”
“Ah…”
The three ribboned girls’ faces began to pale.
They nervously exchanged glances, occasionally sneaking peeks at Elion, utterly flustered.
Undeterred, Rubiana continued.
“Alex is the same age as Stephanie. Compared to her, who became a spirit master eight years ago, he’s… incomplete. But don’t worry. He’s pure-minded like me, so he’s gradually adapting.”
Those were the very words they had spoken behind her back earlier.
Rubiana had heard them perfectly.
She was hurt.
Violence isn’t just hitting or kicking.
Words that deliberately strike someone’s weak spot are also violence.
It was absurd that these ugly people, who could casually wound others with their words, would dare to praise beauty.
‘Ah… but this attack hurts me more. I’ll never do this again.’
Though seeing the three girls flustered was satisfying, Rubiana still felt uneasy.
After all, she was speaking words that ultimately belittled herself.
The blonde girl let out an awkward smile and a sweet voice.
“Wow… why say that? Just because he’s from a spirit family doesn’t mean he has to become a spirit master. That’s… so unlike you.”
The brown-haired and red-haired girls chimed in.
“Right. Even if he doesn’t become a spirit master, he could train in swordsmanship, become a knight, study to be a bureaucrat, or succeed his family as heir.”
“Only a select few become spirit masters, so your words were a bit harsh, Rubiana.”
Truly, they had no sense of shame.
Rubiana clicked her tongue at the three girls, smiling as they flirted with Elion.
Did they really think she would ignore them just because they smiled while slinking away?
No. Wrong.
Absolutely not.
“Oh my! Look at them changing their tune! Just now, they were gossiping about me as if I had no shame? But now, in front of a handsome man, they’ve forgotten everything they said?”
The three girls’ faces drained completely of color.
Yet, they kept stealing glances at Elion, which was comical.
Could these be the same people who mercilessly gossiped behind Rubiana’s back?
What was it about a handsome man that made them tremble like this?
The very people who had casually spoken hurtful words to Rubiana were now flustered by someone she had just met—and might never meet again.
Excuses spilled from the three girls’ lips.
“No, we… didn’t mean it like that…”
“Rubiana, I think you misunderstood.”
“Yes. We wouldn’t have said that.”
Oh? If you’re going to lie, at least try a bit.
Rubiana glared at the three girls and suddenly extended her wrist with the communication bracelet.
“Ah… then we can check this. My top-of-the-line communication bracelet has a recording function, you see. It automatically records every 24 hours. Isn’t that nifty? Let’s all see here together if I heard correctly or if it’s a misunderstanding. What do you say?”
It was a lie.
The bracelet had teleportation, not recording.
As far as she knew, no magical device in this world had recording functionality.
But Rubiana said it loudly anyway.
In an argument, the most important thing is unyielding confidence.
The girls’ expressions crumbled.
They looked like they were about to cry.
The blonde girl’s eyes darted back and forth in panic.
‘A communication bracelet that records automatically? 24 hours straight? I’ve never heard of such a thing… when did the world advance so much?’
The other two girls thought similarly.
Best to leave immediately.
“Oh… right! I forgot I reserved a table at the restaurant.”
“Y-yeah, we need to hurry!”
“Right, let’s go quickly.”
The three girls rushed down the stairs without looking back.
Descending quickly in long flowing dresses was almost suicidal.
“Oh my!”
“Eek!”
“Be careful!”
After a moment, the sound of crashing and the girls’ screams echoed.
