Chapter – 85
Then Dii asked with an unfair expression,
“Then if we’re not friends, what are we?”
“I’m not sure, but I don’t believe in friendship between a man and a woman.”
“What? Then what about Amilla?”
“That one is… like a daughter-subordinate. No, a subordinate-daughter… Ah, that’s not right either.”
Kyle seriously thought about it, and Dii couldn’t help but laugh a little. Then she said with dissatisfaction,
“Then are we just work partners?”
“I don’t like that either.”
Kyle answered calmly and said nothing more. Dii decided to change the topic.
“Wow, the school is really pretty.”
Roidon School truly looked like the best prestigious school in the country. The beautifully shaped stone buildings showed tradition and wealth, and the garden was wide and wonderful.
Dii continued,
“The students here must feel like they’re on a date just walking around the campus.”
“Probably.”
“Where do you usually go on dates?”
“Date… I don’t think I’ve ever properly dated.”
“Why?”
“I sometimes had meals with someone, but it never went as far as a relationship… It sounds strange to say this, but like you said, I had a first love, like someone from a book.”
Dii looked slightly flustered.
“Then when I first said you had great stamina, how did you know?”
“You did say that.”
“And?”
“I never checked.”
“W-What?”
As she was shocked, Kyle—who had looked expressionless from the heat all day—smiled slyly.
“Well, that’s how I knew you were a fraud.”
“…What?”
He just laughed and didn’t answer further, so Dii’s face quickly turned red.
“You really said anything back then.”
“Wait… If I had said anything at that time, you weren’t going to kill me anyway, right?”
“Yeah. I wasn’t going to kill you. I wasn’t even planning to kill that Rita guy.”
Dii blinked, and Kyle couldn’t hold back his laughter and started walking ahead. He didn’t slow down, so Dii half-ran after him, complaining.
“This is ridiculous! So unfair! I was completely fooled!”
“What’s ridiculous?”
“When you asked how I knew, I thought you were some cruel tyrant with too much pride and a playboy!”
“Was my first impression really that bad?”
“I had just fallen into this world and met the strongest person alive. How could I think about first impressions? I was so scared you’d kill me! I had nightmares after meeting you!”
“I didn’t kill you, so say thank you, fraud.”
“Who are you calling a fraud? Compared to you, I’m not even one. At least I tell people right after I trick them!”
“Fine, fine. Sorry for letting you live while you were tricking me. Happy?”
“That’s… not what I meant, but thanks anyway.”
While thanking him awkwardly, Dii saw Kyle hold out his hand to help her onto the horse first.
“By the way.”
Instead of taking his hand, Dii put both hands on her waist.
“You didn’t date because of that first love?”
“Yeah.”
“Helena said she searched the archive, and Roxand definitely turned back time. The papers can prove it. So.”
“So?”
“You know your first love was me, right?”
After saying that, she puffed her lips and looked at him as if asking what he would do now.
Kyle wasn’t very social, but he wasn’t shy either. He just took time thinking about how to answer in a way she would like.
When he didn’t answer right away, impatient Dii urged him.
“Answer me.”
She tried to look mischievous, but in Kyle’s eyes, she only looked lovable.
“Yeah. There’s a high chance you’re the Holy Woman Diana from that book.”
“It’s not ‘high chance,’ it’s certain. Helena said so. Anyway, so? How do you feel? Disappointed?”
Kyle even shook his head as if it was nonsense.
“Of course not. I like you more than the story written in the book. How can I compare you to words?”
“…Huh?”
Dii stared at him in surprise, then quickly smiled teasingly.
“If someone hears you say that, they’ll misunderstand and think you like me.”
“Why would that be a misunderstanding? That’s true.”
At his calm reply, Dii frowned slightly.
What did he just say? Are my ears strange, or is he talking strangely?
While she was confused, Kyle helped her onto the horse and got on behind her.
On the way back to the Imperial Palace, Dii—who usually talked nonstop—was quiet. Only when they tied the horse and arrived in front of her room did she speak again.
“Kyle, I’m confused. You mean you like me as a companion, right?”
“Ah.”
Kyle, who had been nervous about her silence, realized there had been a misunderstanding. As Dii opened the locked door, he spoke confidently.
“I mean I like you as someone I want to marry.”
“Oh. That’s what you meant. I thought… Huh?”
She nodded absentmindedly, then froze and turned sharply.
“Huh? Huhhh?”
When she finally understood what “marry” meant, she was shocked, quickly turned around, opened the door, and rushed inside. Then she shouted at the door.
“A-Are you crazy? Why would you suddenly say that!”
“What?”
“What do you mean marry!”
“Did I ask you to marry me? Why are you so shocked? You said you were confused about how I liked you, so I explained.”
Kyle was completely inexperienced in romance and kept surprising Dii in every way.
Honestly.
Dii had secretly thought maybe—just maybe—that he liked her.
It was true he was especially soft toward her.
But when he suddenly talked about marriage, her mind went blank. Her face felt hot. She looked in the mirror—both cheeks were bright red.
“I can’t go out like this…”
she muttered tearfully. If Kyle saw her face like this, he would tease her. One hundred percent.
When she locked the door, Kyle said in disbelief,
“Open the door.”
“No! Not until I figure out what you’re trying to do!”
“You said you can read minds. Read mine and you’ll know.”
“Oh right, I have divine power! Fine, let me concentrate… What? There’s another woman in your heart!”
As she spoke nonsense in panic, Kyle suddenly got annoyed.
“I’ve been thinking about you all day. Where would another woman come from?”
“…Did I brainwash you or something? Why do you like me? Are you crazy?”
“Come out so I can see your face. Don’t make me anxious.”
Dii thought they still needed to talk, so she opened the door slightly and stuck her head out.
Kyle had confidently asked to see her face, but when he saw her red cheeks, his heart felt like it stopped.
“Anyway… I like you.”
“….”
“Diana.”
When he called her name, she looked up at him.
It felt unfair. His dark skin and serious face didn’t show if he was embarrassed or not, but her feelings were written all over her flushed face. And why was such a handsome man saying these things to her?
She remembered many things. Him running into the mountains to stay in the well with her. Him laughing, saying she smelled like the sea after returning from Hwiril Island.
Buying her lots of candy.
Smiling when she teased him.
Blushing but still calling her pretty when she asked him to.
She liked him more and more.
Finally, she made up her mind and answered shyly.
“Yeah. I like you.”
Kyle, staring at her blushing face, lost his words again.
When he didn’t answer, Dii grabbed his arm and shook it.
“I said I like you.”
“…So?”
“What do you mean ‘so’?”
“You said ‘yeah.’ What do you mean by that? And what do you mean you like me?”
Kyle’s mind stopped working for a moment, so he asked honestly. Dii pushed him lightly.
“What do you think it means?”
“I don’t know.”
“You really don’t know?”
“You have to say it clearly.”
Dii glared at him, pushed him again, and slammed the door shut. Then, holding back laughter, she pretended to be angry.
“Think about it all night.”
The Next Morning
At breakfast, with Hwilria back from Hwiril Island, all four of the Emperor’s children gathered at the Imperial Palace.
Watching them, William sighed deeply.
People say when children grow up, you feel full just watching them eat. Then why do I only sigh?
William said calmly,
“Don’t fight. Jin, if there’s a fight, run first.”
“Yes, sir. I know.”
“How did the thief become the most normal one among you…”
The handsome trash eldest son, the atheist second son, the daughter who only beats one person, and the thief youngest…
Well. My wife was a loan shark and a fanatic.
William looked up in resignation and left.
The four started eating in silence. Jin forced himself to speak.
“Wow, with the whole family here, I feel full even without eating!”
Hwilria said,
“I don’t care who becomes Emperor. I only care about Hwiril Island.”
“There’s already the Balam family there,” Kyle said.
Hwilria looked at Sian.
“Sian. If you become Emperor, can you kick out the Balam family?”
“Do whatever you want.”
“Then I vote for Sian.”
Kyle felt relieved. Sian answered seriously,
“I’m not thankful, but I’ll decline, Hwilria.”
“…Is it that bad?”
She grumbled, then asked Kyle,
“How’s Dii? She helped a lot. She put talismans on the new school building on Hwiril South Island. There was a fire nearby a few days ago, but not even a spark touched it. The Holy Woman is scary…”
“Speaking of that, I want to talk about her.”
Jin, who had been planning to escape, quickly turned to Kyle. He felt something interesting was coming.
Kyle said seriously,
“I told Diana I like her. But she got angry at me.”
“…What on earth did you do to make Dii angry?”
Jin asked in confusion. Kyle looked even more confused.
“I said I like her, and she made a very cute face and said, ‘Yeah, I like it.’”
Jin clicked his tongue.
Kyle continued,
“So I asked what she meant by that, and she asked what else it could mean. When I still didn’t understand, she went into her room.”
“K-Kyle… In this situation, what do you think it means?”
Jin asked helplessly. Hwilria frowned.
“Why is Kyle the idiot here? Why did Dii say something unclear and get mad? She’s not like that.”
“Ah, I’m so frustrated. Sian, say something.”
Jin looked at Sian, who was known for charming countless women. Sian, who had been stirring his teacup absentmindedly, looked up and said seriously,
“It seems the Holy Woman Diana politely rejected you.”
