USML 23

Chapter 23

Forcing myself to stare straight ahead with a stiff expression, I could hear the nobles whispering.
“Could it be Lady Vanessa again?”
Among them were sharp voices from nobles who knew about the scandal. Cutting through the murmuring noise, the sound of his footsteps rang out clearly.

The footsteps, which had been drawing closer, suddenly stopped at a certain point. When I closed my eyes and opened them again, an elegant hand appeared in my field of vision.

There’s no helping it. Stepping outside to talk would be better to avoid rumors.

Thinking that what was meant to come had finally arrived, I raised the hand I had been hiding under the table.
“If it isn’t an inconvenience, may I be granted the honor of a conversation?”

Yes… it can’t be helped.

“Lady Sherry Feard.”

…What?

I slowly lifted my gaze and looked up at Evan. Glancing to either side, I saw Evan and Sherry standing with me between them, glaring intensely at each other.

Worried someone might see, I hurriedly gathered my hands, which had lost their way.
I wasn’t the only one surprised. Everyone who had been observing the situation turned their eyes—snap—to Sherry.

She’ll definitely refuse.

“I’d like that.”

…What?

Sherry whispered to me to wait just a moment, then took Evan’s hand and left their seats.

As Sherry and Evan exited the restaurant, a momentary silence fell over the interior. A few seconds later, an even bigger uproar broke out.

“What on earth is going on? Lady Sherry, of all people!”
“I know, right?!”

I let out a hollow laugh and looked at Donna, but she too wore an expression that said she had no idea what was happening.

Their relationship progressed this fast? Just a few days ago they looked like they were about to come to blows, and now suddenly they have romantic feelings?

“Well… that can happen. It really can.”

Human emotions are hard to understand.

I nodded, trying to organize my chaotic thoughts.

This is what I wanted, isn’t it? I’ve put things back the way they were, so now I can leave Centro without regret. I just need to cut ties with everyone and think about my own future now…

“Then why does it bother me so much?”

Donna cast me a puzzled look, clearly reading the emotions on my face.

Why? I don’t know either. I don’t know why I’m like this.

As I was boiling inside, a server approached our table and set down a teacup. Before I knew it, both my hands were resting on the table.

“Miss, your order—”

Bang!

“Ah! I-It’s here!”

I slammed the table as if my fist were a hammer. The server jumped in place like a startled cat. I hadn’t hit it that hard, but it was enough to make the people around us flinch.

“M-Miss…”

Donna’s flustered voice was followed by the voice of the ever-professional server.

“Y-Your black tea is here…”

It sounded like a voice on the verge of death. Hugging the tray to their chest, the server backed away and disappeared.

I picked up the cup placed beside the teacup and drained the water in one gulp.

Clack.

I set the cup down noisily and stared out the window. Beyond the clear glass, I could see Sherry smiling as she talked, and Evan focusing entirely on her.

If it was going to come together this easily, why did I suffer so much over it all this time?

“Hah… seriously. Hah!”

You pretended not to care about Sherry, and yet—if this was how it was going to be, why did you ask to eat that awful food together? As if you had any lingering feelings for me!

For even briefly misunderstanding, I felt like a fool, my face heating up.

I was his first…

Oh really? Since I was your first, you’re now moving on to your second love?

Bang!

When Dwen slammed his desk, Evan lifted his gaze from the documents he had been scanning. His eyes followed Dwen’s hand up naturally to his face.

“So you finally look at me.”

Dwen pouted deliberately, openly displaying his hurt feelings.

“What is this?”

Blue eyes swept over Dwen threateningly. Dwen felt a chill run through him, as if he had jumped naked into snow in the dead of winter.

He quickly pulled his protruding lips back in.

“Ahem.”

Clearing his throat to smooth things over, Dwen placed the documents he had brought onto the desk.

“Please sign these, Your Grace. Or rather, future Commander of the Imperial Knights.”

Evan leaned back languidly against the chair, tilted his head slightly, and interlaced his fingers.

Gulp. Dwen swallowed as if it were life-saving water. Though not a single sound escaped, Dwen felt like he knew exactly what Evan was saying.

Take it and get lost.

That was precisely what Evan’s eyes were telling him.

Well, it was only natural he’d be in a bad mood. Even His Majesty no longer mentioned the matter, yet Dwen was stepping in to deal with it himself. Still, Dwen had no choice.

After returning, Dwen had become the deputy commander and was fully absorbed in reorganizing the troops. His father had grown old and wished to retire, so everything had naturally fallen to Dwen.

Evan didn’t know this, of course. Rubbing his face with his hand, Dwen let out a deep sigh.

“Why on earth did you turn down the offer to become commander?”

“I’m busy.”

Dwen laughed as if letting the wind escape his lungs.

Yeah, right. Busy chasing after Lady Vanessa.

Dwen couldn’t understand his friend’s behavior. No—ever since Evan returned from leave, he hadn’t been able to understand him at all.

Evan had changed after visiting Sent.

He’d never cared about flowers, yet now he smiled at ones blooming by the roadside.
“I should take care of the estate garden.”
He’d say things like that.

And at times, he would look at the knights and at Dwen with a warm gaze.
“You’ve worked hard.”
He’d say things like that too.

Every time, Dwen found him eerily unfamiliar.

Dwen had even put his heads together with Kayan, worrying about Evan. People changed when they were about to die, they said—was something wrong with Evan?

“How do you propose?”

That question he’d once been shocked to hear suddenly came back to him. Only then did Dwen realize it.

Ah… Evan had finally found someone he could open his heart to. Kayan had cried out in despair, but Dwen, having watched the kind of life his friend had lived and the feelings he had carried all this time, congratulated him on his happiness.

A few years ago, Dwen had become the captain of the Third Imperial Guard and reunited with Evan on the battlefield.

Excited at the reunion with his longtime friend, Dwen had felt a chill when he faced Evan’s face stained with enemy blood and his eyes glowing with killing intent. It was as if Evan’s sword was drinking in the blood of their foes.

“Dwen.”

Dwen had stepped back from Evan as he approached. Evan stopped, his face empty. It was a mistake Dwen would regret for the rest of his life.

Perhaps that was why he felt relieved now that Evan finally had someone to be his partner.

“It’s because of Lady Vanessa, isn’t it?”

But of all people, the one he intended to propose to was Vanessa Feard. Why did it have to be a womanizer like her, of all people?

When Dwen mentioned the familiar name, Evan—who had been reading the documents—froze like stone. A storm churned in his once-calm blue eyes.

“They say you ignored the vassals’ opinions and sent the proposal. And you haven’t even gotten a reply.”

“Incompetent fools sure like to talk.”

Evan recalled the vassals who had turned a blind eye to his uncle Willian’s debauchery while Evan had been away.

Willian had sold diamonds mined from the family’s mines at illegal auctions to line his own pockets.

For a member of the Duke Dustin family to commit embezzlement and illegal dealings was clearly an act that sullied the family’s honor.

“P-Please, spare me for my brother’s sake!”

He had intended to show mercy and put him on trial, but Willian fled with his family. In the end, Evan had no choice but to stain his own hands with blood.

Next were the vassals.

“It seems they were preparing for the possibility that Your Grace might not return alive.”

The report Evan received through Alto, his butler and vassal, tested his patience from start to finish.

“But they’re trying now, aren’t they?”

Evan was pulled out of his memories by Dwen’s voice.

Only now had the vassals realized their position and begun to carry out their duties properly.

One such matter was Evan’s proposal. Afraid the news might leak, they had even sworn oaths of silence among themselves. Some of the vassals were favorably disposed toward House Feard, but the problem was that the intended bride was Vanessa.

“Do you really want to get married?”

Evan turned his gaze away as if the question wasn’t worth answering. The blue eyes staring out the office window looked like they had on the battlefield when he gazed at flowers.

He must be thinking of Vanessa.

“I don’t know.”

Dwen decided to wait and see. Gathering the documents scattered across the desk, he prepared to leave.

He couldn’t force work onto Evan. All he could do was hope that Evan would put an end to his wandering life of being infatuated with one woman and return.

“I’m leaving, I’m going!”

Turning to exit the office, Dwen abruptly stopped, as if someone had grabbed his ankle.

Ah, right. I almost forgot something important.

Tilting his head, Dwen spoke.

“Evan! That guy’s supposed to get his imperial residency permit soon and come to the capital.”

“That guy?”

Evan turned his gaze, wearing a rare expression of confusion. Dwen felt a bitter twist in his chest. He wondered if Evan might even forget someone once they were out of sight.

“Seriously, that’s cold. It’s Kayan—you know, the one who follows you around so devotedly.”

“Oh. Kayan.”

As if the image had finally surfaced, Evan spoke the name emotionlessly.

“I don’t care. Let him come and do whatever he wants!”

Dwen waved his hand dismissively and turned away. He wasn’t any better than Evan—if anything, he was worse—so Lady Vanessa would probably have a hard time. Clicking his tongue, Dwen left the office.

When the noise faded, Evan rose from his seat and walked toward the window.

The entire wall was made of glass, offering a clear view of the garden. When Evan lowered his gaze, he saw flowerbeds filled with every shade of purple blossoms.