Chapter 64

Lian, no, Callian tried to say something to Erita, but she pretended not to notice his attempt.

I thought I wouldn’t be able to control my facial expression if I talked to him.

So after I left those words, I immediately used the teleport magic.

It was also rude to leave without the permission of the royal family, but I did not have the strength to question him at the moment.

“…”

The surrounding area, which was bright a while ago, turned into my room where the lights were off.

“Hahaha.”

In the middle of the darkened room, I laughed in vain.

The fact that the male protagonist I have been keeping an eye on turned out to be Lian.

The fact that Lian, the knight I met, was Callian Ruín Elbert. I still couldn’t believe it.

Still, my head was blank, and I didn’t want to believe the clear truth.

I stood blankly in the middle of my dark room for a while.

✿

“Please forgive me for the rudeness I’ve committed, Erita please turn your back.”

It wasn’t long before my back was surrounded by a swarm of white lights.

“Wait, wait, wait!”

Looking like it was about to disappear, Callian stretched out his arms, but his hand, which was one step late, broke the air in vain.

Just a while ago, the portrait standing in front of me disappeared without even leaving a trace.

There was no time to explain, no opportunity to explain either.

“Damn it.”

Callian, who was left alone, bit his lower lip. It was a fact he had tried to confess his name before their official meeting.

His real name was not Lian, but Callian Ruin Elbert, and they’ve met before.

He apologized for hiding his identity until now.

So will you forgive me? I missed the opportunity repeatedly, so I thought I couldn’t say it before the debutante unless it was today.

It’s a fact that I’m talking about when I hid and approached the Holy Sacrament, but I didn’t want it to be cleared up with this delusion of sin.

“…If that’s all possible,”

It was an outrageous coincidence.

Callian rolled his fists as he recalled the missing ring with Erita.

As long as she turned her back on me, there was nothing I could do.

All I have to do is wait for the day we can meet again.

Her face, which had turned white from hearing everything, and the two steps she took back were far away.

Fortunately, there were only three days left until the debutante.

But nevertheless, his anxious heart did not subside easily.

‘After three days, I can still explain everything.’

Callian thought so, and tried to ignore the fluttering anxiety.

✿

I ended up staying all night because of last night’s work.

“Oh my God, miss! You didn’t sleep last night?”

“I haven’t slept a bit, but I’m not that tired.”

At Mary’s worrying fuss, I smiled awkwardly and lowered my gaze to the floor.

But my face was so messed up that anyone could tell I was lying.

Rough skin and red bloodshot eyes.

Looking at the carriage passing by, it looks like the face of someone that has stayed up all night.

Mary’s eyes welled up as she looked at my face. I just smiled apologetically at Mary’s response.

“Would you like to take a nap for a little while? Do you want me to tell the master and the young master that you can’t have lunch together because you’re not feeling well?”

“No, it’s okay.” I shook my head immediately and answered.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep even if I lie down more. If I don’t go, my father and my brother will be worried about me.”

“I think they’ll be worried if they see you right now…”

I heard Mary’s murmur, but I tried to pretend I didn’t hear it. It would be better for me to be with my father and Aaron for now.

Then I’ll think about him later.

Mary sighed, dissatisfied with my neat appearance, and brought me a change of clothes.

After changing clothes with Mary’s help, I sat down in front of the dressing table.

“Mary, can you cover my face so that it wouldn’t be obvious that I stayed up all night?”

Of course, I meant to cover my face that looked tired to anyone who sees it.

I wanted to eat with my father and Aaron, but as Mary said, if I went now, they’d be worried.

At my words, Mary took another deep breath.

I smiled shyly at the eyes I met through the mirror.

“…Please close your eyes as I do your make-up.”

“Yes, I got it.”

“I can’t live because of you, really…”

It was a harsh word, but it sounded like she was worried, so I just laughed.

Mary’s touch was slower and softer than usual, perhaps because she cared for me especially when I was tired.

‘…What should I do?’

Thoughts broke through the stillness where the voices of me and Mary had disappeared.

That’s what kept me awake all night last night.

I’ve been thinking about it all night, so fortunately, I’m a little confused right now

‘…To be acquainted with Callian.’

I bet it’s never going to be a plus for my future.

‘Thus, what a bummer. That’s a minus. That’s a hundred percent.’

In a novel, it was rare to see a good thing between a male and female protagonist.

Besides, unlike me, Callian already knew who I was. I couldn’t even guess what the intention he had was.

‘Oh, I’m going crazy!’

I couldn’t show it on the outside, so I sighed deeply inside.

“Okay, it’s done.”

It was Mary’s voice that lifted me from the height of my thoughts.

When I looked in the mirror, I could see where my tired face had gone and changed into a lively look.

Even if I thought about that, it was only about ten minutes at most.

“…Did you use magic?”

Mary burst into laughter when I said so without realizing the dramatic change.

“You’re so sweet. You talk in a funny way.”

My expression was serious, but Mary seemed to take it as a joke.

Anyway, that’s enough to prevent my father and Aaron from recognizing it.

I was relieved at that point, and after checking the time, I left the room and went to the dining room.

“Oh, you look tired.”

“…What?”

While eating warm soup, I asked back a little later at my father’s words.

“Your face isn’t as good as usual. Did you have trouble sleeping?”

Without realizing it, I touched my cheek.

Obviously, in the mirror I had seen before coming out, my face was the same as usual.

Mary’s makeup was so perfect that I couldn’t even recognize myself.

‘Does being a Sword Master have extraordinary eyesight?’

My father’s expression changed to worry about what he thought of me blinking without saying anything.

“…I’m fine. I’m just a little tired.”

Then I gently shook my head and smiled, as if to say, ‘I’m fine’ repeatedly.

Deep down, I was convinced that my face looks like that of a ghost.

‘Isn’t it true that a ghost isn’t a bad thing?’

“If you’re tired, don’t push yourself too hard and take a break.”

“Yeah. As our father said, take a break. Don’t worry too much about the debutante.”

As expected, Father and Aaron didn’t seem to believe it, but they didn’t say much except a few words of concern.

After the meal was over, I was surprised by my father’s sharp eyes.

I didn’t want to stay still in the room, so what I chose was the glass greenhouse.

In the moderately cold air and warm sunlight, the steam that was rising from the teacup under it, unaware that it had cooled down, struck me.

My head was fuzzy as the effects of not being able to sleep began to take effect.

“…”

My slow gaze landed on the blue flowers, blue leaves, and, at the very least, the green flowerpot.

I didn’t even notice that the unfocused gaze was limited to all blue-colored things.

Click—

A small ring rolled out of my commanding hand.

To be more specific, I came home in a hurry yesterday and didn’t return it without realizing it.

Click, click—

Then I moved my hand in the air. I may look like a person that has lost my mind by doing it.

It was true. My body seemed to float in the air, and my mind felt calm.

“Well, miss…”

“Uh, huh?”

“The tea is cold. May I refill it?”

“Ugh, thank you for that…”

In my affirmation, the young maid took out the cold tea and refilled the cup with hot tea.

The maid, who smiled bashfully at the slow thank you words, disappeared from my view with a gentle step.

I lifted the teacup with a trembling hand.

Then I sipped and drank the tea. The fact that I had just poured the tea had not occurred to me.

“Oh, it’s hot.”

I murmured softly at the hot tea in my mouth.

Actually, it wasn’t very hot.

Fortunately, the tea that the maid poured w

has cooled down, and thanks to that, my tongue was safe.

After looking at the hot tea cup for a while, I slowly rubbed the tea cup holder.

“Sigh…”

‘I just need to let go of my confused dazed thoughts.’

I let out a sigh of relief. It was ridiculous that I just drank the hot tea without cooling it down

When I think of the reality that complicates my head right now, I can understand why I am so absent-minded.

“How can I not be surprised? He’s not someone else but Callian…”

I rested my cheek against the cool glass table and murmured helplessly.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel betrayed.

Callian knew from the beginning that I was Erita Krovachatz, and I didn’t know that Lian was Callian.

If it weren’t for the rings, I might not have known until now.

But I quickly pushed that thought away.

‘But is it worth it?’

Lian and I are so close to each other.

We’ve only met twice… No, it was only three times until yesterday.

Are we close enough to feel betrayed by him?

“It’s not like that.”

To be fair, I thought it was…

If I had to define my relationship with him, it would only be a person with whom I could talk well.

It was that thought that pushed the sense of betrayal I felt far away.

The thought that I shouldn’t get involved with him any more.

I still didn’t know why he approached me.

We didn’t really talk much in the first place, so that’s fine.

“Calm down.”

I patted my cheek a couple of times trying to think so.

After all, didn’t I know that he was hiding something from the beginning?

It was my decision not to ask even though I knew it.

So there was no reason for me to feel betrayed, and there was no need to feel sorry for him.

‘…If I see Callian next time, I’ll treat him as if I saw him for the first time. We don’t know each other anyway.’

I’m sure he would do the same.