Chapter 30
Maia’s lavender-colored eyes widened.
But… thinking about it, it was a little strange that only one of them got to call the other by name so comfortably.
“All right. Um… Enoch.”
It was the first time she had ever said his name.
The unfamiliar sound made Maia’s expression turn a little awkward.
Enoch looked down at her and faintly smiled, the corners of his lips lifting gently.
The walk that followed was somewhat tense at moments, but overall, the mood remained calm.
Their soft, ongoing conversation slowly began to dissolve the emotional knots they had carried inside.
When they arrived in front of the grand, brightly lit ducal mansion—
“If it’s not too forward… may I ask if you’d be willing to exchange letters from time to time?”
Enoch asked her quietly.
Maia stopped in her tracks.
Letters, huh? Was that really necessary?
Still, there wasn’t any real reason to say no.
“All right. I’ll allow it.”
Maia accepted easily.
At her response, Enoch’s lips curled slightly into a small, quiet smile—just like him.
“…What exactly are you doing here?”
A low, angry voice suddenly rang in Maia’s ears.
“…Your Grace?”
Maia whipped her head around.
Sure enough, Duke Western was standing there.
His sea-blue eyes blazed furiously as he glared at them.
“Ah…”
What is this all of a sudden?
Maia turned to look at Enoch.
He too furrowed his brows slightly, as if unable to understand the Duke’s reaction.
“I asked what you two are doing out here in the middle of the night!”
Suddenly—
The Duke strode forward and grabbed Maia’s arm roughly, yanking her toward him.
“Western!”
Enoch shouted, visibly alarmed.
Maia shot a sharp glare at the Duke for such inappropriate behavior in front of others.
“Enoch Prissy Keppel.”
“…!”
The Duke growled Enoch’s name.
Enoch stiffened, meeting the Duke’s gaze.
“I didn’t know you had such a filthy hobby—chasing after another man’s wife. Especially the wife of your own friend.”
A tense silence followed.
Maia, horrified, shouted at the Duke.
“What nonsense are you spouting, Your Grace?!”
It was a blatant slander against Enoch’s honor.
Maia raised her trembling violet eyes to stare up at the Duke.
But he didn’t even look at her as he replied.
“…You remain silent. Regardless, I’m disappointed in you.”
“…Western.”
“I’d appreciate it if you left tomorrow.”
With that cold dismissal, Duke Western turned and dragged Maia toward the mansion.
He didn’t care who saw—despite the servants watching, his grip was violent and forceful.
Maia couldn’t resist and was pulled along helplessly, biting her lip until blood began to flow.
Bang—
The bedroom door slammed shut behind them.
Maia, unable to take it anymore, yanked her arm free from his grasp with all her strength.
“What do you think you’re doing?! Why are you acting like this?!”
“…If you were close to the Keppel Marquis, you could’ve at least warned me beforehand.”
The Duke’s voice was twisted with misery.
Maia’s eyes widened.
…I never said anything, so how did he…?
A familiar face suddenly flashed in Maia’s mind.
Ellis Keppel!
She clenched her jaw tightly.
“…I thought it was all just business between families… Forget it. Take this.”
The Duke bit his lip and pulled out a small box from his coat.
Maia frowned as he held out the opalescent case.
What was he trying to do?
When she didn’t take it, the Duke silently opened the case himself.
Maia’s eyes widened slightly at the sight inside.
In the small case, small enough to fit in one hand, was a gem as red as blood and as dazzling as the sun.
“A byproduct of a magical beast I hunted today.”
Maia recognized it instantly.
Having been trained for years as the heir of a merchant house, she knew exactly what it was at a glance.
It was the blood of the flying beast Recasa—one of the Twelve Great Beasts.
The blood that pooled in Recasa’s heart would, after death and time, harden and become a jewel unlike any other.
So beautiful it was called “Tears of an Angel.”
An ironically poetic name, for a jewel made of a beast’s blood.
It was incredibly rare—more difficult to obtain than stars in the sky.
But the part Maia couldn’t understand… was this:
Why is he giving it to me?
“You mentioned earlier I had something to give you. This is it.”
The Duke said softly as he looked down at Maia, who was staring at the jewel.
Why?
It was an incredibly rare gem. One she’d once wished to own long ago.
Yet strangely, she felt… nothing.
Maia looked up at the Duke, unable to read his intentions.
Perhaps displeased by her reaction, he firmly placed the case in her hand.
Maia inhaled shakily, and unable to bear the silence that pressed down like a weight, she finally spoke.
“…Recasa is a very dangerous beast. Did you really have to hunt it yourself?”
“Anything that ends up in your hands must be won solely by me. It has to be.”
His voice sounded like he was swallowing his own tongue.
Startled by his words, Maia slowly lifted her gaze.
“I will no longer invite the Keppel Marquis to this mansion. You won’t be seeing him again.”
In her eyes, the Duke’s face burned with a fierce, terrifying emotion.
Maia’s breathing quickened.
“…Why… why are you doing this? The Marquis and I… we’re not in the kind of relationship you think—”
“Do not mention the Keppel Marquis in my presence again.”
He cut her off like a blade. His voice was clearly threatening.
Maia choked, unable to respond.
“…Go upstairs. And don’t come down again.”
He hesitated a moment, eyes cast down, then coldly left the room.
Click.
The sound of the door opening and closing echoed.
“……”
Left alone, Maia looked down at the box in her hand.
A twisted pain surged in her chest.
She thought she understood, vaguely, why Duke Western was angry.
But—
“…Why should I be the one…?”
Why should she have to understand and console and explain herself to someone who won’t even listen to her side?
Maia’s face crumpled in anguish.
She didn’t want to keep hanging onto this relationship anymore—desperately trying to appease his moods.
With her heart in turmoil, she snapped the case shut.
Due to the Duke’s sudden command, everyone except the Keppel Marquis was already packed and gathered at the mansion entrance early that morning.
Marquis Bastilo and Count Reian, sensing the Duke’s foul mood, whispered to each other about what might’ve caused it.
Lady Ellis Keppel bit her lip and stared intently at the Duke.
For whatever reason, she seemed furious—her shoes digging constantly at the dirt.
“…You’re leaving quite quickly.”
Maia approached Enoch to say goodbye.
She hadn’t slept at all after what happened the night before, but she forced a smile.
Enoch’s melancholy face softened into a gentle smile.
“I wish you peace always.”
“I do too… You’ll still be in the capital, right? So we’ll surely meet again soon.”
Maia said cheerfully on purpose.
But Enoch’s expression shifted to one of hesitation.
Huh?
Maia blinked.
“I’m afraid that may not be possible anytime soon.”
Enoch said quietly, lowering his eyes.
“…What?”
Maia gasped.
“I’m leaving for the East in four days due to business with your family’s trading company, Mayus. Once I leave, it may be several months before I return.”
He explained calmly and matter-of-factly.
Maia parted her lips slightly and nodded.
She had been out of the loop with the family business for some time and hadn’t known her mother was planning such a venture.
“It’s not like we’re saying goodbye forever… When you come back, I think a lot of things will have changed.”
She forced her churning heart to calm down and smiled softly.
“Then until next time.”
Enoch smiled with her.
“……”
And watching them from afar—biting down hard on his teeth—was Lucas de Agnolis Western.
