Chapter 65
“Yes, thank you for the invitation.”
I smiled politely, and Nanael did the same.
“Good. Since you’ve accepted, I’ll let this incident slide.”
She tilted her head slightly, then turned away.
‘So if I had refused, she would’ve reported us!’
I felt a chill down my spine. We’d almost lost all our coins.
“Are you really going?” Alperen asked.
“Well, what’s the point of openly staying enemies? You’ll come with me, right?”
“Of course. How could I let you go there alone?”
His eyes crinkled warmly, as if to say you weren’t seriously planning to go without me, were you?
***
Because of the commotion, the booth event was shut down early, and in the end, Zenus took first place.
On Julia’s chest gleamed three badges—this year’s, last year’s, and the year before.
Magia, which had hoped for second place, ended up seventh.
Still, considering how many powerful clubs there were, getting into the top ten as a new club was impressive enough.
After the uproar faded, daily life resumed.
Then, a letter arrived from Summer.
She was finally leaving for the capital.
Judging by the date at the end, she and Winter would arrive next Friday.
[For the time being, I’ll be staying at Baron Riverton’s estate as a live-in tutor with my little brother.
I had been worrying about finding housing near the Mage Tower, but luckily a good job opened up.
Winter is so excited—he kept packing and unpacking his things before we even left.
I look forward to seeing you soon.
Yours truly,
Summer Clophen]
Housing prices in Barnard’s capital were far too high for someone like Summer, who supported her family.
She could have stayed in the Mage Tower dorms, but those were only for the mage herself—not her younger brother. That’s probably why she scrambled to find a tutor position.
‘This is another variable I created, isn’t it?’
Originally, Winter was supposed to die last year.
That loss would’ve driven Summer into despair, leading her to flee to the capital.
But thanks to the doctor I sponsored, Winter was still alive.
And from her letter, he was even healthy enough to live normally again. One shadow in Summer’s life had lifted.
“She’ll be happy if I go meet her, won’t she?”
Summer had written down her train details, arrival time, and even the Riverton estate’s address—almost like she was hoping I’d come fetch her.
It was natural. I hadn’t given her a firm promise to meet yet, and she’d even gone to the trouble of bringing Winter with her.
‘But of all days… it’s the same day as Nanael’s tea party.’
Too bad. I’d have to send a reply saying I couldn’t come meet her.
‘Still… what will she think when she learns I’m a Ferris?’
Everyone in the Empire knew the Four Ducal Houses. For someone like Summer, it might be shocking enough to faint.
Originally, I’d planned to keep hiding it.
I didn’t want her favoring me just because my brother was the male lead.
And since she’d inevitably see Alperen at the Tower, I figured she’d have a better chance with him than with Adrian.
Winter coming along was unexpected, but still—their workplace would overlap anyway.
‘So the fake dating will last until next week, right?’
From the beginning, I’d planned to step aside once Summer arrived.
Adrian already had a living family and a cute little sister.
Alperen, with only one unconscious loved one left, needed Summer far more.
But something was strange.
Every time I tried to say, Let’s stop after next week, the words stuck in my throat.
‘Since when was I this indecisive?’
I’d tried, really—I had.
But whenever we were alone, the atmosphere always shifted into something dangerously tender, and the moment slipped away.
Now, as I sat watching Alperen row the boat across the estate’s artificial lake, the sunlight glimmered off the water, and the breeze teased my cheeks.
It was the perfect picture of peace—yet my heart beat wildly.
The boat drifted to the center of the lake, slowing to a gentle stop.
Above us, white clouds trailed lazily across the clear sky.
Alperen tied the canopy to the post and pointed across the water.
“Look, Deli.”
Following his finger, I saw a family of ducks: a mother gliding smoothly, five little ducklings toddling behind her in a line.
Watching him gaze at the scene, serene and beautiful, I thought—
I’m in trouble.
My lips twisted in a bitter smile.
I could list a hundred excuses for not ending this fake relationship.
It’s raining today.
It’s sunny tomorrow.
But all those “reasons” were just flimsy pretexts. The truth was simple.
I didn’t want to stop.
Maybe I’d gotten too immersed.
But really—how could any woman resist a man like Alperen, who looked at her as if he’d give up his very heart?
Like being caught in a drizzle that slowly soaks you, I hadn’t even realized it.
And now, before I knew it, my feelings were far too deep.
‘I let my guard down too much.’
If this continued, I’d end up like the original Rodelia—helplessly obsessed with him.
I had gone out of my way to change the story, only to risk ruining it myself.
The reason I hesitated, when the smart choice was to endure a little pain and step back, was painfully obvious.
I liked Alperen.
That single truth toppled all my flimsy resolve, as easily as waves erasing a sandcastle.
How ridiculous, to betray even my own determination.
And yet, here I was.
Unaware of my turmoil, Alperen sat close beside me on the narrow bench.
Side by side, like a real couple on a romantic date.
His hand gently brushed my hair back into place.
That touch had become too familiar.
But what unraveled me most was his gaze.
Those deep blue eyes, brimming with affection and longing—how could I think straight under that kind of stare?
‘It’s those eyes. That’s why I keep forgetting this is fake.’
I knew it wasn’t real.
He was only playing his part.
But compared to when I was just his friend’s little sister, being his “fake lover” felt far more intimate.
This was supposed to be pretense, yet too much of it felt true.
Even this date.
If it was just for show, wouldn’t he have chosen a crowded, public place?
Instead, here we were, on a quiet lake in his own estate.
‘Why go this far, making it so hard for me to keep my distance?’
I felt a surge of annoyance, as if everything was his fault.
From the very start—when he’d suddenly kissed me under the guise of “practice”—we had crossed a line.
Ever since, it was impossible to see this as just fake.
And the most frustrating part?
Since that kiss, he hadn’t brought it up again. Not once.
Whenever the mood turned intimate, he was the one to pull back. Almost like he was waiting for me to make the next move.
Yet at the same time, he couldn’t seem to resist kissing everywhere but my lips.
‘What kind of man teases like this? So indecisive!’
And worse—I was the one getting more desperate.
The constant little touches and fleeting kisses drove me insane.
I wanted to snap and force the issue myself.
As I stared at him, Alperen smiled faintly.
His hand cupped my cheek, warm and gentle.
Then he brushed a feather-light kiss along the bridge of my nose and whispered softly—
“Why are you staring at me like that?”
