“Oh, how terrifying.”
“It’s not just about money—you really think I won’t—”
“Alright, alright, I get it. Stop glaring at me like you’re about to kill me. Even I, have feelings, you know?”
With a laugh, Louizar Canton raised both hands as if in surrender. I wanted to throw something at that smug face of his. He looked down at me with that sly grin, speaking in the smoothest, most gentlemanly voice imaginable. It was sickening—disgustingly fake enough to make my skin crawl.
“Hey, Amel. I was just saying hello, that’s all. A friendly little greeting. You looked like you were having a great time today—shopping with your brother, smiling, laughing… Life’s treating you well, huh?”
“Were you… following me again? Enough nonsense. Just tell me what you want. The payment deadline isn’t until next month.”
“Oh? So that’s how it is now? No more polite speech, huh?”
“I’ll pay what I owe. I will. Just please—”
“Hm. That’s strange.”
He tilted his head, the corner of his mouth twitching upward.
“Do I still have money left to collect from you?”
“…What?”
For a moment, my guard slipped. I could only stare, utterly dumbfounded. Of all the nonsense he’d spewed since the day I met him, that was the most absurd thing I’d ever heard.
What the hell is he talking about? Has he finally gone mad?
Louizar Canton smiled at my blank expression.
“Ha. Look at that face. You really don’t know, huh? Amel Kiselle, didn’t I tell you to listen better? You’ve been rambling this whole time without letting me get a word in.”
“Then explain it—so I can understand.”
What is he even talking about?
I barely managed to keep my voice steady. His polished shoes turned toward me, and though his lips were curved in amusement, his eyes were not. There was something strange—unsettling—in the way he looked at me.
“How should I put it so you understand?”
he murmured.
“Your father’s debt—the one you’re supposed to be paying off—was… let’s see… 8,828 Delun gold coins, wasn’t it?”
He began counting on his fingers, though there weren’t nearly enough to represent that staggering number. Then, shrugging as if it hardly mattered, he added,
“But unfortunately for you, there’s nothing left to pay. It’s all been cleared. Every last coin. So I don’t really know what more you think you can repay. Of course, if you insist on giving me more, I won’t complain.”
His sneering eyes locked onto mine.
It felt like someone had struck me hard across the head. My throat tightened; I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t speak. I just stood there, frozen, unable to process what he’d said.
What does that mean? Who—how—?
I stammered out a broken question.
“What… what are you talking about?”
“Amel,”
he said, his voice dripping with mock sympathy.
“You’re better at this than you let on. Landed yourself quite the lover, didn’t you?”
“…What?”
“Don’t play dumb. It’s annoying.”
“….”
“Well then, I guess we’re done here. If you’re still curious, go ask your lover about it.”
Before I could respond, he turned and began walking away, leaving me standing there like a statue in the narrow alleyway. For a few seconds, I couldn’t even move.
Then, realization struck.
He was already halfway down the street.
No—don’t let him go.
I didn’t understand a single word of what he’d just said, and I couldn’t just let it end like this.
“W-wait! We’re not finished! What do you mean it’s all been paid? Who paid my debt? I don’t— Did you tell someone? And what do you mean by lover—?”
I lunged forward and caught hold of the hem of his expensive coat, spilling out desperate, tangled words. But his hand shot out, gripping my wrist hard enough to make me wince.
“Ah! That hurts—let me go!”
“…”
He muttered a curse under his breath and released me. I stumbled back a few steps, rubbing my sore wrist. It surprised me that he actually let go—someone like him, who usually found excuses to be cruel, could have easily done worse.
But even after releasing me, he didn’t step far away. Instead, he took another step closer, forcing me back until my shoulders hit the cold wall behind me. I glared up at him, defiant despite the fear crawling up my spine.
“I told you,”
he said, irritation flickering in his expression.
“Your debt’s paid. You’re free now. It means I won’t be chasing after you anymore.”
“…What’s your angle?”
“My angle? Ouch. That hurts, Amel. You think I’m doing this out of kindness?”
“….”
“Isn’t it funny? I can’t even lay a finger on you anymore. How pathetic is that?”
He placed a hand against the wall beside my head, leaning in just enough for his voice to drop. His eyes burned—not with amusement anymore, but with something dark and furious.
“So do yourself a favor,”
he murmured, tapping the wall with a knuckle.
“Stay out of my sight before I stop thinking straight. I can be smart—but not always. I’m only human, after all.”
Each word was heavy with threat.
I couldn’t move until he was completely gone—until his figure had vanished from the mouth of the alley. Only then did my legs give out, and I sank to the ground.
Everything was a blur. My head spun; my chest hurt.
His mocking voice replayed in my ears like a broken record:
‘If you’re still curious, go ask your lover about it.’
There was only one person he could have meant. I wasn’t stupid—I knew exactly who it was.
I wanted to chase after him, to grab him and force the truth out, but deep down, I already understood. I just didn’t want to believe it.
It would have been easier to dismiss it as Louizar Canton’s nonsense. But the truth was, the debt had been enormous—far too large for any coincidence. And the look in his eyes when he told me to stay away had been too real to be a lie.
It should have been good news. The debt that had bound me like a shackle—gone, overnight.
It should have made me happy.
But somehow, I couldn’t be.
I tilted my head back and looked up at the sky. The small square of blue above me remained as clear and distant as ever.
________✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧𓉞___________
“…What did you just say?”
Lylaina’s voice trembled with disbelief. None of it made sense. It felt as though everyone in the room were conspiring to make a fool of her.
But she wasn’t the only one unable to grasp the situation. Rabian, seated beside Hazel, looked pale as flour, stunned into silence.
She must have lost her mind, she thought.
Hazel bowed her head deeply before the princess.
“Your Highness, allow me to explain. That day, at Lady Dianther’s estate, His Lordship Callinan—Lady Dianther’s fiancé—”
“Enough. Stop right there.”
Lylaina’s sharp voice cut through the air. Hazel closed her mouth and lowered her gaze, her expression solemn and cautious.
“…Your Highness,” Hazel said softly,
“as I mentioned before, I am not saying this to slander Lady Dianther.”
“Then what is this supposed to be?”
“I discovered the scandal by accident. I struggled with whether to speak of it. To be frank, I hardly know Lady Dianther personally, and I doubted a letter to the Grand Duke’s house would reach the right ears without causing more rumors.
Since both Your Highness and Lady Rabian care deeply for Lady Dianther, I thought this gathering would be the safest place to speak. It was the only way to prevent worse rumors from spreading.”
“….”
“I may not be close to Lady Dianther,” Hazel continued,
“but surely it is better for her to know of a scandal herself rather than learn of it secondhand. I acted according to my conscience, even if my manners have been lacking. I only hope my sincerity is not misunderstood.”
“How reckless,” Lylaina said coldly.
“Do you have any proof for such a claim?”
“My maid witnessed it with her own eyes, Your Highness. That day, at the Aspania estate.”
Lylaina’s breath caught. Hazel Luxan clearly had something—or believed she did. No one could stand before a princess with such confidence otherwise.
Lylaina’s gaze flicked toward the maid standing behind Hazel. The woman, composed and silent, bore the same unflinching dignity as her mistress.
Whether Hazel spoke truth or lies, Lylaina couldn’t yet tell. But one thing was certain—what mattered most right now wasn’t Hazel’s accusation. It was Dianther’s reaction.
Oddly enough, Dianther hadn’t responded at all. She had remained utterly silent throughout Hazel’s speech. Hazel’s gaze finally found her, perhaps believing that the silence was from shock.
“Lady Dianther,” she said gently,
“I know this must be difficult, but you should believe me. I swear on my honor, this is the truth. Of course, I understand that you wish to trust your fiancé, but—”
“Lady Hazel.”
Dianther’s voice cut through the air like frost.
“That’s strange.”
Though she had been there the entire time, she somehow felt apart from them—calm, composed, and unreachable. Her voice carried no tremor. The breeze lifted her silvery hair, soft and ethereal in the spring light.
She smiled.
“If you’re asking me to distrust my fiancé,”
she said, her tone as gentle as it was cold,
“why should I believe you instead?”
It was a smile so serene, so beautiful, that it was terrifying.
