Chapter 58
‘So this is what he hated.’
He, who had been laughing like a completely insane person, lowered his hand and turned toward the window.
‘Wanting someone who doesn’t want me… all by myself…’
Through the window, the grandiose mansion of the Christener family could be seen, almost as magnificent as his own family estate.
Rixion thought of one person somewhere in that mansion—someone with eyes that shone like pure gold, who was currently avoiding him as much as possible.
‘It was terrifying.’
Rixion, wearing a bitter smile, tore his gaze away from the clear glass.
A moment later, the carriage he was in began to move.
The carriage started at a steady pace and soon left the Christener Marquis’ estate behind.
Is he not coming today? Has he finally given up? Or did something happen? Surely he hasn’t collapsed again, has he?
I, waiting for Rixion Luhanes, who hadn’t shown himself all day even though Michael was about to finish work, thought these things.
No, “waiting” isn’t exactly right. More accurately, I was worried about Rixion Luhanes, whose arrival was unpredictable.
For the past five days, he had come without missing a single day, requesting to meet me, which left me feeling unpleasant the whole time.
He had been quiet for the first three days, as if he had completely forgotten about me, but after that, his sudden, almost terrifying persistence made me even more uneasy.
Claiming to be sick, I had avoided meeting Rixion Luhanes for five days straight.
It wasn’t like Rixion wouldn’t notice. He wasn’t stupid.
Even knowing I was deliberately avoiding him, he continued coming every day. Refusing him outright didn’t feel right either.
Every time he came, bringing flowers, sweets, and cakes he thought I’d like, it made my feelings uncomfortable as well.
Even the butler, who usually represented the household to greet Rixion, had started suggesting, almost teasingly, that I could just meet him briefly.
The only relief was that Michael, who had always shown great interest in my relationship with Rixion, surprisingly hadn’t reacted at all.
Even though Michael must have already been informed by the butler, he didn’t say anything to me—no “Did you fight?” or “If you did, resolve it through conversation,” or any meddling he normally would have.
Still, with my heart full of unease, I worried about when Rixion would come again today.
On the sixth day, I silently prayed that he would finally give up and stop coming.
It truly seemed that Rixion Luhanes’ visits had stopped.
From morning through lunch and dinner, even until Michael returned from work, there was no sign of him.
I went to bed with a sense of relief, though some unease lingered.
The next day, and the day after that, Rixion did not appear.
And yet, worry crept back in.
Had he collapsed somewhere again from the contract’s side effects? I scoured the gossip papers, but there was no mention of him canceling any schedules.
Still, I invited Reina over to discuss it, just in case, but she shook her head, saying she hadn’t heard anything either.
“Liz, did you fight with the Duke?”
Through Reina, I heard something I hadn’t even heard from Michael.
I answered with a tired, indifferent face:
“No, I was just asking.”
“Actually, I heard everything. Didn’t you break up with the Duke?”
I looked at Reina as if she had just said the most ridiculous thing.
Leaning close to me as if revealing a great secret, Reina whispered:
“The Duke has been visiting the Christener mansion every day, but gets chased away at the door! There’s a lot of gossip about it!”
Hearing her whisper so excitedly, I quickly raised my hand to stop her.
“Wait, wait a minute.”
“Huh? Why?”
“This story is already circulating in high society?”
“Yep!”
While I was too flustered to respond properly, Reina answered cheerfully.
Seriously… are there paparazzi following Rixion and me now? Why is the information spreading so fast?
It was true that Rixion had been turned away from our mansion for five consecutive days, but how had this been so quickly distorted into gossip? My head hurt just thinking about it.
“Wait, Liz, why did you break up with the Duke?”
Pressing my temples with my hands, wishing I could grab and scold them all, Reina asked impatiently.
I swallowed a sigh and looked at her.
I wanted to explain properly that I had never dated him in the first place and had never broken up.
But it was obvious they wouldn’t believe me, so I stayed silent.
“Ah, I have to go now to prepare for tomorrow’s banquet!”
Wondering how to change the topic again, Reina clapped her hands and said:
“I’m sad we couldn’t talk longer, even though Liz finally called me.”
Though she sounded disappointed, I was secretly relieved as I saw her off.
After sending Reina back in her carriage, I collapsed on my bed and stared at the ceiling.
‘Does Rixion know these rumors are circulating about him in high society? He must, right? Does he just let it be for fun? Or does he enjoy seeing me tremble at the gossip?’
Lost in thought, I was interrupted by a knock on the door.
I assumed it was Melissa or Anne bringing my snack as usual, but it was the butler who opened the door.
“Why?”
Seeing his serious expression, I instinctively sat up. Could it be that Rixion had come again? My face tensed.
“A visitor has arrived at the mansion, wishing to see you, Miss… but we need to confirm something first.”
“Huh? Who is it?”
If it were Rixion, the butler would have said so immediately, but his reaction suggested otherwise.
Approaching in confusion, I asked:
“He didn’t reveal his identity properly and said you’d recognize him if he told you his name.”
“Me?”
The only people I knew well enough in this world to recognize were extremely few. Besides Reina and Rixion, no one had such access. Surely, the Setra Guild Master wouldn’t have come all the way here.
‘What crazy person would pretend to be someone I know?’
Frowning suspiciously, I asked:
“What’s his name?”
“He said his name is Jade.”
Hearing that name, one I would never expect, I nearly jumped out of my skin.
“What?”
Instinctively, I asked again. The butler noticed my reaction and answered solemnly:
“He said if he told you his name was Jade, you would know him.”
As soon as he said that, I bolted from the room.
From behind me, I heard the butler calling, “Miss!” but I ignored him and ran down the stairs.
Seeing no Jade at the entrance, I ran outside the mansion.
Crossing the garden, I saw two men wearing hooded cloaks beyond the soldiers standing like a wall near the entrance.
Assuming one of them was Jade, I ran toward him excitedly.
“Jade!”
As I shouted his name, I saw the man standing slightly behind turn toward me.
He threw back his hood, revealing a familiar, beautiful face.
“Liz.”
I was so shocked that I couldn’t even close my mouth and rushed toward him.
“Jade, is it really you? Is it really you?”
Seeing my confusion, Jade smiled kindly.
“It’s really me, Liz.”
“How? How did you get out?”
I had never imagined seeing Jade anywhere other than the temple.
Although a cleric wasn’t strictly confined to the temple, I had never seen him outside it during all the time I had known him.
Even though my question was rude, as if he had been trapped there, Jade answered with a smile:
“I can go anywhere if I want. I just didn’t have time before, and I hadn’t thought of coming out.”
“I see… Why did I assume that Jade couldn’t leave the temple? Maybe because I always met him there?”
His unexpected presence left me slightly dazed, speaking nonsense as I stared at him.
Then I noticed him suddenly looking to the side, glancing slightly left as if staring at something far away.
“Why? Is something there?”
As I tried to follow his gaze, a large hand blocked my view.
“No, there’s nothing.”
He smiled pleasantly and gently turned me back toward the mansion.
