Chapter 55
“That’s not a good idea, Leader. If we just let him loose, he’ll definitely cause serious harm to society.”
Glaster, unusually firm for once, spoke with conviction. Sierra grew even more uneasy, her eyes darting nervously.
“Now that I think about it, the timing of his disappearance is way too suspicious. Don’t tell me he’s cooking up some kind of explosive fireworks for a grand ‘welcome prank’ at the new hideout?”
Their gazes met.
Without another word, the two immediately began sketching protective magic circles all over the hideout.
They were so focused and serious about it that I couldn’t even bring myself to interrupt.
What is this, a trap? Do they think this is the Magic Tower or something?
By the time their “Edwin-repelling barrier” was almost finished—
Knock knock.
A crisp knock sounded. A maid I didn’t recognize entered and presented us with an invitation.
“Zenus extends its congratulations to Magia on your new hideout, and cordially invites you to tea time.”
“Z–Zenus?”
Sierra dropped her chalk mid-stroke and snatched the card, eyes wide.
Beside her, Glaster rubbed his eyes, staring at the golden seal stamped on the invitation.
“It’s real…? That’s really the Zenus crest!”
Zenus was the prestigious club that even the highest-born heirs scrambled to join.
The invitation was as luxurious as their reputation—embossed in gold foil, practically dripping with wealth.
Meanwhile, I felt a chill crawl down my spine.
Congratulations on our new hideout? That’s not even a thing!
The invitation had clearly been whipped up on the spot.
Remembering the stunt Julia had pulled at the real estate office, I didn’t hesitate.
“I’m sorry, but many of our members couldn’t come today. And since it’s our first day in the new hideout, we still have a lot to set up…”
I politely declined. Sierra and Glaster froze like statues.
“R–Rodelia!”
Their faces screamed: How could you refuse such a golden opportunity?!
True, for a new club like Magia, associating with Zenus would be a huge advantage.
But something about it felt off.
The more enticing, glamorous, and beneficial something seemed… the more dangerous it usually was.
“I’m afraid we’ll have to decline—”
“Oh, the club president asked me to be sure to mention this,” the maid interrupted smoothly. “They’ve prepared special desserts just for the tea time—Winif’s latest release. She thought Lady Rodelia would especially appreciate them…”
Before she even finished, I blurted out:
“Refusing would be rude. Where should we go?”
Sierra and Glaster stared at me in shock at my sudden reversal.
But I couldn’t help it.
They said Winif’s newest desserts.
The very same treats I had just missed out on earlier.
It’s just one visit. What’s the harm in that?
I grabbed my frozen clubmates by the hands.
“Come on, let’s go!”
Dangerous things are always the tastiest!
***
Back to the present.
Only after arriving at Zenus’s hideout did I realize that the “big spender” who had swept up all the desserts in front of me earlier… was Julia herself.
“How fortunate that I bought plenty. It seems I must have known I’d be meeting Lady Rodelia today.”
No wonder I thought she looked beautiful even from behind!
Her smile said it all—this entire performance had been orchestrated because she knew it was our first day in the new hideout.
In the end, I’d walked right into Julia’s bait and willingly set foot into the very lair of the original story.
But I didn’t regret it.
These are too delicious!
Laid out before me were eclairs in shimmering colors, each a different flavor.
Winif’s latest creations melted sweetly on my tongue.
Completely bewitched by the desserts, I let my guard down completely.
At that moment, Alperen slid a cup of peppermint tea toward me.
“Drink this while you eat, Deli.”
“Ah, mm!”
I obediently took it, sipping without complaint. Across the room, Aslan muttered under his breath, “What the—why is she acting like that?” Julia’s eyes sparkled with interest.
It felt like I was being observed like a specimen, but the atmosphere was more comfortable than I expected.
As befitted the top club in the Barnard capital, the Zenus hideout’s reception hall was lavish to the extreme.
Even the maids had their own trays of desserts, which left May staring at me as if I were carved from stone.
Meanwhile, Sierra and Glaster sat stiffly, awestruck by the overwhelming grandeur.
Breaking the silence, Sierra spoke up hesitantly.
“Th–thank you for celebrating our move like this. I’m Sierra Breeze, president of Magia.”
“A pleasure to meet you, Lady Breeze. You resemble Countess Breeze very much.”
“You know my mother?”
“Of course. I’ve heard she’s been struggling quite a bit with club management.”
“Ah…”
“Running a club takes far more money than one would think, doesn’t it?”
“Erk…”
Sierra winced, unable to hide her grief at the reminder. She recalled all too clearly how she’d nearly lost her allowance and the club itself after getting caught using household funds.
Seeing my poor leader completely cowed, I felt guilty for focusing so much on the desserts.
Julia, however, only smiled warmly.
“If you ever need help with club operations, please don’t hesitate to come to me.”
“R–really? You wouldn’t mind?”
“Of course not. We’re neighbors now. Clubs should help each other.”
She spoke sweetly behind her fan.
Lies. She’s not the type to help anyone without expecting something in return.
The more kindly Julia acted, the more unnerved I became. There had to be something she wanted from all this.
Yet Sierra was already exchanging business cards with her, laughing as if they were lifelong friends.
On the surface, it was a flawless picture of friendship between clubs.
I slipped an eclair into Glaster’s hand, noticing how frozen he looked.
“Eat. You’ll regret it if you don’t—it’s that good.”
Trying to take care of him a little, since he was so shy.
“Ah, thank y—huh?”
Just as he reached for the pastry, it vanished.
When I looked up, it was already in Adrian’s hand.
I’d thought he was too busy glaring at Aslan Chester to care, but his voice came out low and sharp.
“So. Our Deli, who swore she had no friends… turns out she has a male one after all.”
His eyes swept over Glaster with an icy chill.
Poor Glaster practically whimpered, scurrying behind Sierra like a terrified little animal before a predator.
Adrian was like a lion tormenting a mouse.
“You always tell me to make friends.”
“Friends, yes—but not that kind. Didn’t I tell you? There’s no such thing as friendship between men and women.”
Ever since learning I was “dating” Alperen, his belief had only hardened.
Adrian pointed straight at Alperen, grinning coldly.
“I broke that unshakable truth once, let that bastard stay by your side—and the very next moment, he stole you away.”
Alperen, however, wasn’t rattled in the least.
Instead, he leaned gently against my shoulder, gazing up at me with clear blue eyes filled with pitiful sorrow.
His soft voice trembled.
“Oh dear, how frightening.”
His silvery lashes quivered delicately, pulling at every protective instinct I had.
To him, it must feel utterly unfair to be treated like this.
Sigh. Ren oppa has his reasons, but why does he treat his best friend this way?
Wrapping an arm around Alperen, I glared at Adrian.
“…Why are you picking on someone who’s done nothing?”
“That deceitful bastard—!”
“Deceitful? Don’t you think you’re going too far?”
I shielded Alperen’s downcast face from Adrian’s glare.
Adrian, looking desperate, protested.
“Deli, he’s doing this on purpose! Normally words like this wouldn’t even faze him!”
“So you’re admitting you talk to him like this often? You told me you made up with him already!”
“N–no, I…”
His eyes wavered, lost for words. He glanced toward Alperen behind me as if begging for help.
But then he exploded again, his face twisting.
“Hey, you! Don’t you dare look at me like that! You think you own the world just because Deli’s taking your side?!”
Adrian’s furious shout echoed through the grand hall.
