Chapter 82
“I was… happy. Hearing that you’d been doing all that for my sake.”
“…”
“I started wondering — maybe you feel the same way I do. Of course, even if you don’t, that’s fine. I already prepared myself for that possibility.”
He said it so calmly, so freely, that I froze in confusion.
“…Huh? W-what do you mean by that?”
The same way he does?
What was that supposed to mean?
But before I could ask, the carriage came to a stop.
There was a knock, and the door opened from outside.
We couldn’t continue the conversation now.
“Ah…”
“Shall we go?”
Alperen smiled faintly and stepped out first.
For a moment, I just stared blankly at his outstretched hand — then placed mine on top of it silently.
My thoughts were an absolute mess.
***
Meanwhile, Adrian stood nervously in front of the mansion where Summer Klophen was staying.
He had learned from Alperen that she’d be attending the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet.
“She’s from a rural noble family — this is practically her debutante ball.”
“Wait, you mean she’s going without a chaperone or a partner?”
“Looks like it.”
For small-country nobles, it wasn’t unusual to attend banquets without a chaperone.
Most people from outside the capital’s social circles did their debut that way — half-heartedly and on their own.
But without a partner? That was basically walking straight into the lion’s den of high society.
That was when Alperen had quietly added,
“She’s still having trouble finding a partner. You know she doesn’t have any connections here.”
He’d emphasized the words having trouble, and that single phrase had stayed with Adrian.
He could have helped her. He should’ve.
So, when he “accidentally” ran into her at the Magic Tower a few days later, he couldn’t stop himself from asking—
“I heard you’re attending the Crown Prince’s banquet. Have you found a partner yet?”
“Ah… not yet…”
Summer looked flustered, hesitating as if unsure what to say.
Adrian, already on edge, rushed to speak — only for them both to start at the same time.
“Uh…”
“Um…”
After a brief pause, he gestured for her to go first.
“You probably already have a partner, right, Lord Ferris?”
At that, only one thought filled Adrian’s mind —
That he had to be her partner.
For a second, he remembered his sister, Rodelia — but knowing Alperen would be escorting her made it easier to push the thought aside.
“No, I don’t.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Would you like me to be yours?”
His tone was calm, even casual — as though offering help to someone in need —
but his heart was pounding so hard he could barely breathe.
Summer’s eyes widened in surprise.
“I’d be grateful, of course… I just can’t believe someone like you doesn’t already have a partner.”
“I’m not as popular as I look.”
That was a lie.
Adrian received enough partnership invitations every year to fill an entire tower of letters.
But if he said that now, she’d definitely turn him down — so he shamelessly lied through his teeth.
To his relief, Summer relaxed.
“Then I’m lucky. Thank you, truly — may I rely on you?”
And just like that, Adrian Ferris became Summer Klophen’s official escort.
He’d been waiting for this night ever since.
As for Alperen — he’d agreed to escort Rodelia without hesitation, as if he’d been expecting the request.
If this also helped those two reconcile, then as an older brother, Adrian couldn’t have asked for a better outcome.
Right on cue, Summer emerged from the mansion.
Adrian’s breath caught.
Her usual modest attire had been replaced with a radiant yellow gown —
bright as a field of blooming freesias, perfectly complementing her golden hair.
Her hairstyle emphasized the graceful line of her neck, with a few loose strands falling naturally around her face.
It made her look elegant, pure — almost ethereal.
When Adrian didn’t say anything for a while, she fidgeted, eyes darting around.
Truthfully, the dress she was wearing had been a gift from the Tall Lady.
The Crown Prince’s banquet was open to all nobles — but Summer hadn’t planned on attending.
That was, until she received a letter.
[Since you’re in the capital anyway, you should make your debut properly.
I’ve sent a dress that I think will suit you well — I’d be happy if you wore it.
— The Tall Lady]
After discovering the true identity of the Tall Lady, she hadn’t written back.
She’d been too shy — unsure how to start the conversation again.
But this gift had made her heart race.
To think that she would wear a dress he had given her —
and make her debut escorted by him.
“Good evening, Lord Ferris.”
“Ah. Yes.”
Adrian snapped out of his daze and held out his hand.
His hand was larger than she expected, steady and warm.
Her heart thumped as she placed hers in his.
And then — he held on. Firmly.
As he helped her into the carriage, he murmured—
“You look beautiful.”
“…What?”
“The dress suits you. Very much.”
It sounded like an offhand comment, but it made her face heat up instantly.
“Th-thank you.”
She meant to thank him for the dress —
but Adrian thought she was thanking him for agreeing to be her escort.
“You don’t have to thank me. I only did what anyone would do.”
The carriage started moving. For a while, silence filled the space between them.
Then suddenly—
“Hold still for a second.”
Adrian took something from his coat and carefully placed it in her hair.
“Ah!”
Startled, Summer flinched, and Adrian hurried to explain.
“It’s just… your hair looked a bit plain. I happened to have a hairpin — it was supposed to be for my sister, but…”
In truth, he’d bought it specifically for her — but he didn’t say that part.
Summer took out a small hand mirror and gasped softly when she saw it.
“Th-thank you… I’ll use it carefully and return it later.”
“No need. I’ll just buy another one for my sister.”
“But—”
“Think of it as a debut gift from your partner. It’s only proper.”
“…Thank you.”
With both the dress and now a hairpin, Summer didn’t know how to feel.
It seemed like she was only ever receiving things from him.
Part of her wanted to confess that she already knew who the Tall Lady really was — Adrian Ferris himself —
but since he seemed intent on keeping it secret, she held her tongue.
Instead, she calmed her racing heart by lightly touching the cool metal of the hairpin.
Its chill steadied her more than she expected.
****
The Crown Prince’s birthday banquet was held at the royal palace’s secondary hall.
It was one of the most public events of the year — open even to lesser nobles —
so the crowd was massive, full of faces I’d never seen before.
I sat quietly with Alperen in a seat near the center.
‘Adrian Ferris, I’m not going to forgive you for this.’
He’d ditched his own sister to escort another woman — and that woman was Summer Klophen!
That betrayal stung even more.
I scowled without realizing it, and Alperen slid a glass of juice toward me.
“Here. Drink this while we wait.”
He looked far too cheerful, while I, in contrast, was sulking hard.
“I’m an adult now, you know.”
“If you drink wine, you’ll get hungover.”
He was clearly referring to the infamous wine-drinking contest I’d once had with Princess Nanael.
That was ages ago!
Feeling stubborn, I grabbed a glass of wine from a passing waiter’s tray.
“Every kind of alcohol gives you a hangover if you drink too much.”
“Just don’t overdo it.”
Sighing, Alperen set his untouched juice on the table.
When we entered the hall together — despite being on rather cold terms lately —
I could feel all the eyes turning toward us.
All my careful efforts to keep things quiet? Completely wasted.
‘This is all my brother’s fault.’
No wonder he’d been so suspiciously quiet lately.
Turns out, he’d been too busy following Summer around!
‘Ugh, I should’ve known the moment Summer said she’d been seeing Adrian often at the Tower.’
All my irritation, all my pent-up frustration — it all pointed straight at one man:
Adrian Ferris.
