Chapter 99
He asked me to be the axis of his life.
More like a prayer than a confession.
Honestly, I wanted to run away without answering—but Kai’s desperate gaze pinned me in place. In the end, my trembling voice barely managed to respond.
“W–wait, are you proposing to me right now?”
“No. I do want to be the reason you can’t sleep at night, but I’m not stupid enough to make you want to run away from the pressure.”
“…Just this much already makes me want to run away.”
“I wanted to do something even more than this, actually. For example—”
Regaining a faint smile, Kai took my left hand. His thumb and forefinger looped around my ring finger like a noose, and it hit me too late what that gesture meant.
He was measuring my ring size!
I hurriedly pulled my hand away. Kai chuckled, unfazed.
“I’ve memorized your size. If you ever want a ring, just say the word.”
“N–no way! What marriage at my age! It’s at least fifty years too early!”
“Fifty years? If you’d let me hang around, I could wait that long… But it doesn’t have to be marriage.”
“…”
“I’ll swear on the Lafrande territory itself. I want you not as a tranquilizer, but as my lover. If our relationship ever starts to creak, I’ll let you go at once.”
“…”
“Think it over slowly.”
At last, Kai released my hand.
My hand, finally back in my possession, was clammy with cold sweat. I rubbed it dry against my dress and said,
“I’ll answer now. Um…”
I meant to say that’s impossible, but when I met his earnest eyes, I couldn’t get the words out. I could feel a “It’s hard, but I’ll try!” threatening to pop out instead!
Avoiding his gaze, I forced myself to answer. I couldn’t give him false hope.
“…I don’t want to.”
“What part don’t you like? Is it something I can fix? If it’s my attitude, I’ll change right away. If it’s my body… just give me a little more time. I’ll grow fast.”
“You don’t need to grow more! You’re already handsome—really handsome—and as the future heir to the Lafrande estate, you’re basically the perfect husband material, but…”
Kai quickly covered his upward-curving lips with his hand.
“But…?”
“I don’t plan to date anyone.”
Maybe that would change once the spear tournament ended safely, but not right now.
At my clean, sharp answer, Kai’s expression drooped. Then he tried again, searching for another reason.
“Sol, do you… have someone you like?”
“No. If I did, would you give up?”
“Of course not. I’d be glad you’re capable of feeling that kind of love—and I’d wait for the day that love turns toward me.”
He smiled brightly, as if he truly meant it.
…Suddenly, I remembered a line from the original story.
When Seraphina confessed her love for Elber, Kai gave up on the saintess. Yet he didn’t despair completely.
“For someone who only ever gave of herself, to have a heart that belongs to just one person—it’s truly wonderful news. Please, be happy with that jewel of a heart.”
A textbook example of the tragic second male lead dying single.
And I… had made him say the same kind of line. A pang of guilt stabbed my chest.
If it’s a love that could never be, it would’ve been better if he’d fallen for someone good and honest like Seraphina—
not someone like me, who plays “family” out of necessity and can’t even fully trust them.
“Sol.”
Kai’s voice suddenly cut through my spiraling thoughts.
“Huh?”
“Let me ask again. Not about a man you like… but is there something that’s making you unhappy?”
…Myself, constantly messing everything up.
“No.”
“Really? I was planning to smash it right away if there was.”
“Don’t!”
My fierce reaction startled him.
“Did I say something wrong?”
“N–no. It’s just… if I have an obstacle, I have to break it myself! That’s how you grow, right?”
“So there is an obstacle, huh.”
Ack. I just told on myself.
What if he misunderstood and thought the Duke was bullying me?
But instead, Kai smiled softly.
“If it’s for your growth, then I’ll trust you and wait.”
“…”
“In the meantime… can I collect the things you like while I wait?”
Why does that sound like I’m being dragged into something?
But that smile of his—so bright, so beautiful—
that for a brief moment, I imagined him waiting for me at the end of my journey of “growth.”
* * *
Rejecting a confession and still feeling like this—ugh! I wanted to shout, “This meeting’s over!” and bolt.
But since Seraphina and Elber had both taken time out of their busy schedules to help me, I couldn’t just end it abruptly.
We had dinner at the restaurant next to the art museum. Like the museum, the restaurant’s design was beautiful—and the food was delicious too!
“Sol, does it suit your taste?”
Kai’s sparkling eyes across from me were… a little too much.
“Nothing happened at the museum, right, Sol?”
Elber’s sharp, blade-like gaze was terrifying.
Uh… nothing bad happened, but I did hear a confession that could “keep me up all night,” like Kai said.
Maybe my expression gave it away, because Elber glared at Kai.
“You didn’t take advantage of a blind spot in the museum to do anything indecent, did you?”
“What exactly do you mean by indecent? Could you give me an example?”
“Talking to Sol.”
I kicked Elber lightly in the shin. What kind of fatherly line was that supposed to be?
Kai gave a wry smile.
“I’m under no obligation to report to you—but suppose I did something even beyond what you imagine. Then what would you do?”
“Oh my, what exactly did you do in public?”
Seraphina, who’d been quiet, lifted her fork. Holy power shimmered faintly around it.
Kai shut his mouth. Elber also stopped prying into what had happened at the museum.
“Lady Tillon, I’ve heard that holy power is an incredibly rare gift, but you handle it so naturally… perhaps a bit recklessly.”
“Oh, this couldn’t possibly be holy power. It’s just that the Lord seems to be supporting my intentions.”
“And what intentions might those be?”
“I wish everyone looking at Sol could have minds as clean as a hospital ceiling!”
“…”
…That definitely sounded like “or you’ll be seeing the hospital ceiling yourselves.”
Still, it was just barely within the range of “playful banter.”
But on the day of the Summer Solstice Festival, when she’s recognized as the Saintess, her holy power will grow even stronger…
I quickly changed the subject.
“The solstice is next month. It’s going to get hot soon.”
“Right. Are you managing, Elber?”
“Ah, I’ve been in the capital for two years now—used to it. What about you, Sol?”
“I’m fine so far.”
Then something brushed my forehead—a handkerchief. Kai’s hand.
“Really? You’ve got sweat on your forehead.”
“Oh? I’ll wipe it.”
“It’s fine, I’m already wiping it.”
Elber looked ready to explode. If the table were any narrower, he probably would’ve snapped Kai’s arm in half.
Luckily, the waiter arrived just in time.
“Dessert is served.”
Early summer—of course the dessert was sherbet, a soft peach color glistening temptingly.
I took a bite right away.
“Mmm, delicious!”
“Yeah. Tastes like the kind we have at home.”
“Oh my, I’ve never had sherbet this good before!”
Everyone gave their compliments—except Kai, who seemed to be… fighting with his sherbet.
No matter how he tried, his spoon wouldn’t pierce the rock-solid surface.
“What’s wrong? Did the kitchen mess up?”
“There’s no way they accidentally froze just one like that. It’s really not budging?”
“I’m not joking!”
Seraphina asked to try. She poked the sherbet with her spoon—tang!—a clear metallic ring sounded.
Elber, not to be outdone, tried too. His attack also failed.
The sherbet was frozen like a rock.
…That reminded me of someone.
I glanced around.
“…”
Large build. Silver hair that shone like light itself. The kind of person who’d stand out anywhere—
But the restaurant was full of blinds and potted plants for privacy, so it was hard to see.
Then, finally, there was a faint crack.
“Ah, there! Maybe the sugar around the edges froze.”
“Wait, Kai! Don’t eat—”
“Cough!”
The moment the sherbet entered his mouth, it must’ve frozen solid again. Kai hastily grabbed his tea to thaw it out.
Thankfully, the tea didn’t freeze.
After the meal and dessert, I thought we could finally go home. But I underestimated how much energy these people had. The moment we left the restaurant, Kai said,
“How about we ride bikes to help digestion?”
Shouldn’t we be lying down after eating?
But the others’ eyes sparkled with excitement, and I couldn’t bring myself to ruin their weekend mood.
The bikes were borrowed from one of the Lafrande family’s business partners.
They looked similar to the ones I used back in Korea—just with bigger wheels and no gears.
“Sol, can you ride?”
Kai’s eyes gleamed, clearly hoping for a “no.” Too bad.
“I can. What about Seraphina?”
“I’ll be fine after just two falls!”
A very specific prediction.
Riding in a skirt felt awkward at first, but surprisingly, it worked.
It was that shimmering season right before the real heat began, when the leaves gleam brightest. I’d planned to head straight home after lunch, but that resolve melted away instantly.
Even Elber was smiling as he pedaled. And true to her word, Seraphina fell exactly twice before mastering her bike.
…There was just one thing that caught my eye.
“Sol, you’re riding well—huh? What the—?”
Every time Kai tried to come closer, his wheels slipped, like he was biking on ice.
So, in the end, the person riding beside me most of the time was Seraphina.
Still, it was a lot of fun.
When we were all exhausted, we returned the bikes and prepared to part ways.
Seraphina beamed.
“Who knew four men and women could have such a wholesome outing together! This was wonderful, you two.”
She was the first to head back to the dorms.
As soon as her figure disappeared, Elber grabbed my shoulder tightly and glared at Kai.
“That’s the last time I have to see you, right?”
“That depends on Sol’s answer. She might suddenly decide she wants to marry me.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Let’s go, Sol.”
Elber tugged my shoulder.
But looking at Kai’s faintly hopeful eyes again, I had to deliver the cruel truth once more.
“Kai. Today was fun—but I can’t give you the answer you want.”
I’m just a minor character who might die soon. No matter how kind he is, no matter how much I want to see his smile again…
I can’t recklessly reach into his life. I can’t even be a side character in it. All I can offer is support.
“You’ll become a strong person, even without me.”
“…”
“I promise. No one will be able to break you. You’re truly… truly a good person.”
In the original story, even after losing his love, he remained a steadfast knight. This time, too—he’ll be the same.
He seemed about to say something, but I turned away before he could.
“Sol, I’ll—”
His voice faded behind me, and I didn’t listen to the rest.
Please… just give up like this.
We managed to get home before sunset. Elber said he needed to prep for work on Monday and headed to the armory.
I was greeted by my personal maid at the townhouse—but she looked terribly gloomy.
“M–my lady, I’m so sorry. I told His Grace everything…”
“…What?”
Did she tell the Duke I went on a date? Were all the strange incidents today his doing?!
A chill ran down my spine—then the maid said something unexpected.
“He kept asking and asking, so I accidentally mentioned that you were looking into summer resorts.”
Ah. I forgot I’d been researching family vacation spots.
