CHAPTER 50…..
There was no way he was doing that on purpose.
In Xerox’s eyes, Killian’s gaze was filled with a displeasure so raw it couldn’t be hidden, and Xerox, clueless as to why, let out a dry cough.
“Ahem… Adele, if this is an important guest…”
“Important… Mm, yes, you could say that.”
If “important” meant anything, there wasn’t a man more important than him—but with the alcohol spreading through her, Adele’s tongue was slow to find the right words.
When she didn’t deny it, Xerox’s expression grew slightly tense.
“I don’t recall seeing him at any of the trading companies or merchant guild meetings… Who exactly is he?”
“I’m Killian Setian. Adele’s fiancé.”
With that clear and utterly unexpected self-introduction from Killian, the air froze for a moment.
Even while seated, his presence seemed to spill outward and fill the space; the moment he rose to his feet, it became overwhelming.
As if he had never touched a drop, not a single hair out of place, he extended his hand to Xerox.
“A pleasure to meet you.”
“…”
No, no, that’s not where you should be looking.
Right next to him was a lovely young lady who had clearly been waiting for his attention.
Noella, ready to greet Killian, now stood like a sack of barley dumped in the middle of the room. The sparkle in her usually shy eyes had dulled.
Well, it’s not like she’d ever been hit with a no-look pass before.
She’d probably been mentally shattered from the moment the words Adele’s fiancé came out of his mouth.
“F–fiancé? To my sister?”
“Is that really so shocking?”
“That’s absurd. Not a word about it, and now suddenly?”
Flustered by the attention now on her, Noella quickly lowered her gaze. She slipped on a worried expression and moved to stand beside Adele, as though playing the part of a younger sister shocked by a sudden engagement.
“Ah… I was just so surprised. I hadn’t heard a thing.”
“I also hadn’t heard that you and Xerox had become that sort of relationship.”
“That’s… still, an engagement after just two weeks—”
“When fate ties two people together, what does time matter?”
Right?
Adele curved her lips in a smile at Killian.
And unless she was imagining it, Killian was looking back at her with an equally deep, intent gaze.
“…Is that so.”
What the hell. Why’s this man so good at this?
His words, his eyes—enough to make her heart drop. The heat rising up her neck and face was far quicker than usual.
Why did I drink so much?!
For the first time, Adele regretted accepting every pour without a second thought.
“But still…”
Noella murmured under her breath, clinging tightly to Xerox’s arm.
She seemed to be passing the situation off to him, but Xerox was just as at a loss as she was.
His eyes on Adele were filled with complicated emotion.
“Adele, maybe Noella’s just startled. She’s always been so fond of you. And… I suppose I’m a little—”
“What exactly are you implying?”
Killian’s heavy voice cut in, his gaze sharp.
It was as if he were drawing a clear line between Adele and Xerox—and even that didn’t seem enough for him.
“I’m surprised myself. I’d never heard that Adele had a male friend she was close enough with to call by name so easily.”
“T–that’s… Adele is—”
“She’s my fiancée.”
With that concise declaration, Xerox couldn’t bring himself to speak her name so freely again.
For all his experience running one of the largest merchant guilds, he was no match for a man like Killian, who had wielded a sword and shed blood on the battlefield.
“Adele—uh, Adelaide—no, um…”
“Sister, are you really all right?”
Perhaps embarrassed at Xerox’s floundering, Noella stepped in again.
And as expected of a veteran manipulator, her angelic face was painted only with concern.
And just what are you trying now?
Adele narrowed one eye. She suddenly missed Priestess Rebecca—so blunt and straightforward in her anger. She hadn’t thought she’d long for that fiery honesty.
“What do you mean?”
“Before you left, you weren’t sleeping well. Even at the party, you seemed off.”
“…”
“And after you suddenly left, I was so worried that Brother Mertel said you might be struggling with thoughts of marriage. He was even worried he might have said something to upset you.”
“…I’m sorry, who?”
Don’t tell me she means that vulture.
The idea that her cousin Mertel had been worried for her made Adele let out a laugh.
He’d been circling this household for a chance to grab a slice of it, and in her absence, it seemed he’d attached himself firmly to Noella.
When Adele smiled knowingly, Noella shook her head, biting her lip in a pitiful pout.
“It wasn’t Brother Mertel’s fault. I was just worrying so much about you that it came up…”
“…”
“I don’t want him getting in trouble like last time. After all, we’re all family. For my sake, please don’t hold it against him, all right?”
“Noella.”
Right now, Noella was employing three tactics at once.
First, she’d subtly hinted—right in front of Killian—that Adele had been in a position where she needed to hurry into marriage.
Second, she’d invoked “last time” to emphasize Adele’s cold-heartedness.
And third, she’d neatly stepped out of the line of fire, pretending to be a messenger of peace.
This child…
For Adele, that third part was the most irritating.
“I’m sorry. I just didn’t want you to misunderstand. This isn’t something I should be bringing up here…”
“Are you talking about when Brother Mertel took a bribe three months ago to change suppliers?”
“…Sister.”
“Or the time in January when he took a commission to replace all the shop’s designers?”
Adele looked at her as if unsure where to even begin.
She sighed softly, her expression faintly clouded.
“Come to think of it, I might have been too harsh on him. No… just saying I was angry doesn’t quite cover it.”
“I suppose you lost your temper then.”
“No. That was me finding my temper. I only stopped short of killing him.”
“…”
“Well, thanks to that, we got the best designer in the South back, and now you get to have a beautiful engagement dress made. I’m looking forward to seeing how well it suits you.”
When Adele smiled and patted Noella’s hand, the girl’s pale cheek twitched.
Suppressing a laugh, Adele turned to look at Killian, but he was still busy glaring at Xerox.
Given the expression on his face, as though ready to burn someone alive, he wasn’t going to care that his fiancée had been “just a little” violent before.
“Sister, I’m sorry. I only meant—”
“No. I’m the one who should apologize.”
“…For what?”
“For making it so you’ll have to wear that engagement dress some other day.”
“…What do you mean?”
It was obvious the thought hadn’t crossed her mind.
Adele wore a rare expression of gentle regret.
“It’s lucky you’re not the type to be sad over something like that, Noella.”
“Sister, that’s…”
“I know. We’re family, aren’t we?”
So let’s only say things we can both take responsibility for.
Adele brushed her cheek lightly against Noella’s in parting.
She would have stayed longer, but her legs were starting to weaken. She wasn’t about to ruin things now by stumbling at the end.
“…Haa.”
Noella’s lips trembled noticeably from the sudden sisterly gesture.
She might have missed it in the moment, but she was far too perceptive to overlook Adele briefly pressing her temple in what looked like a headache.
“Sister, you’re drunk, aren’t you?”
“Me?”
“What’s there to hide between family? I thought it was unlike you—you’re not usually so impulsive. Right, Brother?”
“Uh… well, yes.”
Not really understanding anything but feeling the need to agree, Xerox nodded. And indeed, Adele was not the impulsive type.
From disappearing for two weeks, to returning with a stranger of such stature—it all felt like a dream.
Looking at the table crowded with bottles, Xerox’s eyes grew worried.
“Adele… you are all right, aren’t you?”
“What about me?”
“Like Noella said, you’re not the impulsive type—”
“You needn’t worry. My fiancée isn’t someone so reckless.”
The heavy voice came from right behind her, and Adele didn’t even need to turn to know who it was.
Before her hand on the table could waver, his large hand covered hers from behind.
“Captain?”
“If anything, I’m the impulsive one.”
“…”
His other hand settled naturally at her waist, and Adele froze.
This was not in the plan.
Even if she wanted to push him away and insist she was fine, she couldn’t muster the strength—or perhaps, she couldn’t tell if she truly couldn’t or simply didn’t want to.
“…Let’s go, Adele.”
“Captain.”
“You seem to have let your guard down, drinking so freely because I’m here.”
With him standing behind her like this, his low voice poured directly into her ear.
Just from the frozen expressions of Noella and Xerox, it was obvious how this looked from the outside.
No, this is too much!
It wasn’t as if Adele was immune to embarrassment.
Her lips parted to say she was fine, but before she could, Noella grabbed her arm.
“Then let me take her. This is my house and my sister—”
“Thank you, but I’ll decline, sister-in-law.”
Killian’s refusal was crisp, and he waited for Adele’s response.
Even now, his gaze was unfailingly polite—and her heart skipped more than once.
It was only natural to think she needed to put some distance between herself and this man if she wanted to clear her head.
But she also couldn’t help noticing how firmly resolved someone as straight-laced as Killian must have been to act like this at all.
“What’s the matter?”
“No, I just…”
Adele swayed slightly on one knee—not so much stumbled as deliberately bent.
Somehow, she was confident that this man would fall for it.
“If you were feeling dizzy, you should have told me sooner.”
As if waiting for the cue, Killian easily swept her into his arms.
Looking at the gaping Noella, Adele let her forehead rest gently against his chest.
From the safety of his solid embrace, her low voice was nothing short of reckless.
“…Yes. I’ll do that from now on.”
