Chapter 13
Herwin’s lips slowly drooped.
“…Do you like me?”
Lucia couldn’t meet Herwin’s eyes and hesitated, moving her lips before nodding.
Thud!
Herwin’s heart sank. Seeing her appear as usual, he assumed she no longer liked him.
But if that wasn’t it… a creeping anxiety rose, the fear that what had happened six days ago in the hall might happen again.
Lucia, her heart pounding so hard she had to squeeze her eyes shut, realized how quiet it had become and peeked open her eyes.
Herwin’s face had turned completely pale.
Lucia suddenly recalled what Hyle had said and hurried to speak.
“Don’t worry. I won’t confess in front of anyone else.”
“…Huh?”
“I said, I won’t confess in front of other people.”
For a moment, Herwin, consumed by fear, couldn’t comprehend her words.
“You said you liked me, right?”
“Yes, I like you! Honestly, even more than Mom and Dad! But you don’t, do you?”
“…….”
“Mom said if there’s someone you like, you should never put them in a difficult position. You wouldn’t like it if I confessed in front of everyone, right?”
Herwin nodded, slightly confused.
“So, I won’t confess where there are other people.”
Proving her resolve, Lucia let out a sharp puff of air.
“But… it’s okay to say it when it’s just the two of us, right?”
She rested her head on his knee and gave him a bright smile.
Her flushed cheeks and soft, curved eyes made her even more adorable.
Though he had seen that smile before, it felt entirely different this time.
Through her curved eyes, her blue irises reflected her overflowing emotions entirely on Herwin.
It was overwhelming and heavy, yet it made a corner of his chest tingle.
Still, his anxiety thundering in his chest prevented him from noticing the flutter of excitement.
Herwin fully understood what Lucia wanted to say—and the sincerity behind her words.
That’s why he answered seriously.
“…I won’t fall in love with you.”
“Then I’ll confess again!”
“What?”
Though she said it, prepared for him to be hurt, Lucia responded with a freshness that made it feel almost playful.
“Didn’t you hear me? I said I won’t date you.”
“Yeah, I know. But I still like you.”
Herwin, utterly baffled, tried to reject her, but each time, like a skipping record, Lucia repeated that she liked him.
“Really! You’re so persistent…!”
Eventually, Herwin, frustrated by the repeating scenario, snapped first.
“No matter what you say, I won’t date you!”
Pouting, he stood up, only to soften when he saw her clear sky-blue eyes staring up at him.
“Do you really dislike me?”
“Of course! Well… not exactly dislike…”
He wished he could say he hated her outright, but he couldn’t bring himself to speak the truth that he didn’t actually dislike her.
Lucia’s mouth curved up into a big smile.
“So… do you like me?”
“Why does the conversation go like this?”
“Well, you said you don’t dislike me. I like you, Herwin.”
“Stop! Even if you say that, I won’t accept it.”
“No, it’s not that. I like you as a friend.”
Caught off guard, Herwin’s expression froze.
“I like you as a friend, and I like you enough to want to date. How about you? Do you like me as a friend?”
“…Yeah.”
Herwin pouted slightly but nodded. Though the answer came a bit late, it wasn’t reluctant.
“Then that’s enough!”
Satisfied with just that, Lucia stood up with a bright smile.
“Let’s be close friends! But I’ll still confess because I like you.”
“What is that….”
Though she said she liked him, wanting to remain close as friends confused him completely.
“Haha, weird.”
Though Herwin laughed incredulously, Lucia smiled along.
After laughing for a while, Herwin took her outstretched hand.
“Alright, let’s get along as friends from now on.”
The awkwardness lingering between them completely disappeared. It felt like they were closer than when they had lived in the same estate.
“I like you, Herwin!”
“We’ve only been friends for five minutes.”
Herwin no longer feared Lucia’s confession. She was even playful enough to joke about it.
Eight years old, in the middle of summer. Despite the blazing sun, they spent cool and comfortable days together.
Their bond, momentarily broken, had resumed in the North.
“Now that I think about it, it makes sense why Herwin was flustered.”
Unable to sleep that night, Lucia eventually asked a maid for wine.
She perched on the terrace, sipping wine while watching the dark scenery.
It had been 13 years since she first fell for Herwin.
Honestly, she only remembered why she liked him and the moments she confessed. She didn’t remember the other details clearly.
She could barely recall what happened a year ago—so 13 years ago was even fuzzier.
“Good grief, I’m ridiculous. Even after being rejected so many times, I can’t let go.”
If she could easily suppress her feelings like others, it would be great, but it never worked, and she felt foolish.
“Is this the 99th confession?”
Just one chance left.
“I wish I could’ve made it a full 100, but oh well.”
Whether joking or serious, the words slipped out.
Giggling, Lucia skimmed through her diary.
A confession diary she had kept since she started liking Herwin at age eight.
There were days she was happy, thinking Herwin might accept her confession, and days she suffered from rejection.
All her emotions, raw and unfiltered, were recorded in the diary.
While reading, she paused at around the 60th confession.
“Was this when I started attending the Academy?”
At 16, she entered the Academy and spent three years living alongside Herwin.
“…So much happened then, too.”
While being with Herwin was wonderful, she also endured jealousy and hardship.
Lucia recalled the time she first entered the Academy.
The Academy was bustling with returning students and new freshmen.
Among the carriages, one with the emblem of the Agnes family opened, revealing a young man.
Several girls around him blushed and whispered.
The young man, turning 18 this year, was Lucas.
Standing close to 180 cm with a fit, muscular frame, chocolate-brown hair, and sky-blue eyes, he was handsome enough to catch every girl’s attention.
“Lucia, be careful.”
Lucas reached out his hand to escort Lucia into the carriage.
“Wow, this really is the Academy.”
“Congratulations on entering, little sister.”
Lucas smiled sincerely, thrilled by his sister’s excitement.
“Your uniform suits you well, as I said before.”
“Really? Does it look strange?”
“No, not at all. I just worry that pests will swarm around you.”
Lucia playfully smacked her brother’s arm, embarrassed by his words.
“Lucas! Overprotective! Look at yourself!”
“What about me…? I’m cute and lovable, so how could guys not fall for me!”
Though she protested, Lucas’s concern was completely reasonable.
Her wavy brown hair, fair face, delicate features, gentle blue eyes—all resembled Lucas but were even cuter. Her height, barely above 150 cm, made her even more endearing.
She insisted she would grow taller, though probably not beyond 160 cm.
Lucas’s loud praise drew stares from everyone. Lucia blushed and moved away.
“I’ll go by myself.”
“Wait, Lucia!”
Lucas hurried to chase his fleeing sister.
It took some time to calm down his pouting little sister.
The Agnes siblings deposited their luggage and began exploring the Academy.
Lucas, familiar with the Academy, explained the locations of important buildings and the rules while walking beside Lucia.
Many students were already wandering the grounds. Those who knew Lucas approached him to speak.
“Lucas, how was your vacation?”
“Oh, Ares. Long time no see. You’ve been well, right?”
“Of course.”
Lucia kept a step behind, watching the interactions between Lucas and his friends.
Unlike casual acquaintances, this friend engaged in long conversations.
With soft golden hair and violet eyes, he appeared delicate yet exuded a strong, unapproachable aura.
‘Violet eyes…’
“Oh, is this your younger sister?”
“Yes. This is my closest friend, Ares Lydia.”
As expected, he had violet eyes, a trait of the Lydia family. Lucas’s friendship with such an important figure surprised Lucia, and she respectfully lifted her skirt slightly.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Lucia Agnes.”
“No need for formalities.”
Ares awkwardly smiled and waved.
“By the way, you said you have a sibling? Same age as Lucia, right?”
“Yes. Arista, my sister.”
“Where is your sister now?”
“Don’t know. She’s probably fine wherever she is.”
“What? That’s what an older brother says?”
“You’re the weird one. I’m just amazed at how you care for your sibling… Ah, sorry, sister, not meant for you to hear.”
Ares, puzzled by Lucas’s extreme attachment to his sister, paused briefly, noticing Lucia’s smile, which resembled Lucas yet was subtly different.
“…I see why you dote on your sister so much.”
“Hey, don’t look at me like that! Step back!”
“Brother! To Lord Lydia…!”
“Haha, it’s fine, it’s fine. My fault anyway.”
Lucas embraced Lucia, while Ares stepped back slightly.
