HCGS 124

CHAPTER 124……………………………………………..

Music and laughter spilled from every corner of the banquet hall, and the orchestra members were busy clearing tables, likely preparing for the next dance.

“Adele, what are you still doing here?”

“Father.”

The count approached Adele, who was standing absentmindedly before a model display. Count Sergio quickly realized what his daughter had been looking at and let out a hollow laugh.

“You’re telling me you even brought these here?”

“Of course.”

When Adele lifted the triangular model modeled after the glass garden of the count’s estate, a set of adorable animal figurines appeared inside.

She had placed the order herself, but she hadn’t expected it to be recreated so perfectly.

“Isn’t it cute when you see it like this?”

“Well… squirrels would be fine, I suppose…”

“No. I mean our Balok.”

When Adele placed a tiny golden Balok in her palm, the count fell silent.

It was her day, so he wouldn’t complain—but no matter how he looked at it, his daughter’s aesthetic sense strayed far beyond the bounds of common sense.

“…You really need to choose your husband well. Three won’t be enough at this rate.”

“What are you saying on such a wonderful day?”

“On such a wonderful day, my child and heir is petting some unheard-of magical beast, that’s what. At this point, it might be better to lock you two on an island until you’re completely satisfied—”

“Oh, come on. I told you it’s not a magical beast.”

Cover your ears, Balok!

As if it were the real thing, she gently stroked the miniature Balok’s back.

Even the sharp triangular spikes along its spine had been perfectly recreated. She couldn’t have been more pleased.

The count stared at his daughter in troubled silence, then cleared his throat softly.

“…Ahem. About Noella.”

“Talking about a witch on a day like this?”

Do you think your own child will be safe if you badmouth someone else’s?

Without even lifting her gaze from her palm, Adele calmly returned his words exactly as she’d received them.

Speechless at his merciless eldest daughter, the count lifted his glass.

…Whose daughter is she, anyway?

And yet, the more he looked at her, the more undeniable it was—she took after him completely.

Caught between discomfort and satisfaction, he drained his wine in large gulps.

Why was there still so much alcohol left?

As the count frowned while setting his glass down, Adele gently placed the miniature Balok back inside the glass-garden model, signaling him to stop.

“All right? No matter what you say, Balok is my responsibility. If I have to, I’ll open a shelter or something. Then maybe he’ll find a mate someday.”

“More importantly, Adele… could it be that you—”

“Go on.”

Dear father—and former guildmaster.

Adele opened her fan with deliberate elegance, utterly unashamed of her irreverence.

So this is why people chase power.

She had no desire to overpower her father—but at the very least, she had no intention of being pushed aside.

“So if you’d acknowledge the guild’s traditions and respect me as its current master—”

“Then you’ll dance the first dance with me.”

“Ah…”

Adele froze when she noticed the musicians gathering at the corner.

With the stage prepared, tradition dictated that she—the host of the banquet—should dance the opening dance with her father.

But still…

“…Haha.”

“What’s this, Guildmaster? You look like you’re forcing that smile because you really don’t want to dance with me.”

“Father, I don’t know if I’ve ever said this, but I—”

“I don’t believe you.”

“……”

Her attempt was cut off by the count’s firm refusal.

She knew all too well the importance of dignity and authority as a guildmaster, yet she couldn’t help wanting just a little more.

She thought she had everything—except when it came to one person.

Whenever she thought of Killian, no matter how much she filled her heart, only thirst remained.

“Why aren’t you taking my hand? Everyone’s waiting for you to dance.”

“Noella is alive!”

“……”

“For now, at least.”

At Adele’s perfectly timed compromise, the count withdrew his hand.

“Come to think of it, I may have had a bit too much to drink to dance anyway.”

“…Father.”

“Go fetch him. It won’t do you any good for your husband to be absent from an event like this.”

The count smiled brightly and nudged her forward.

Seeing a genuine smile on Adele’s face—one he hadn’t seen even when she unveiled the architectural model or stroked the golden eagle—he rubbed his chin with a complicated expression.

Is she really that happy?

That his seemingly flawless daughter could no longer hide her emotions was both a relief and a cause for unease.

“You don’t need to worry,” Adele said.

“…What?”

After taking a few steps, she suddenly turned back and looked at him quietly.

“I’m only like this in front of you.”

“……”

“This is my guild. No matter what happens, I’ll take full responsibility—just like you always did.”

I know exactly what you’re worried about.

Lowering her voice so no one else could hear, she smiled before quickly heading off again.

How could she not understand her father’s thoughts? They’d shared too many years together.

Now, even the faintest flutter of his eyelashes told her everything.

Perhaps it was a connection that went beyond father and daughter—a bond between two guildmasters.

For a brief moment, she tasted what it felt like to stand at the very top of such an immense organization. But unlike her father, who had to watch over many places, her gaze was fixed on just one.

The one person she could look at without restraint.

Her steps quickened as she headed toward where Killian had been standing.

Despite the awkward distance between them over the past few days, walking together here made it all dissolve like mist.

And then—

He definitely looked like he wanted to say something to me.

Thump.

Her heart beat visibly beneath her palm.

She remembered Killian reaching for her hand at the moment they’d parted here before.

He was always kind to her, but that moment had seemed especially regretful.

Perhaps he had something to say to her.

The thought left her breathless beneath the quiet moonlight.

“If it’s what you wish, I’ll do anything for you.”

“Haa…”

Maybe—just maybe—today.

A flicker of desperate hope crossed Adele’s crimson eyes.

Right. Who am I, after all?

Wasn’t it a waste to be born into wealth and spend her life hesitating like this?

There was no guarantee she’d be born like this again. She couldn’t keep suppressing her feelings and staying distant from him forever.

So just for today, she decided to entrust herself fully to her emotions.

“Commander?”

Having stepped into the rose bushes where they’d last parted, Adele looked around anxiously.

He’d definitely been here when he stood at the podium earlier. She wasn’t mistaken.

Even from afar, she could never mistake Killian’s presence—not even the faint shimmer of him in the darkness.

“…Killian?”

But now, only the heavy scent of roses filled the air. The man whose gaze always changed the moment she spoke his name didn’t respond no matter how many times she called.

Her anxiety surged. She stepped deeper in—and suddenly clutched her chest.

“Ah…”

“Oh dear. You seem startled.”

At the sound behind her, Adele closed her eyes and steadied her breathing.

For a place left unattended so long, she might have suspected a ghost—but this was someone she’d rather face even less than one.

“Startled? Hardly, Lady Chloe.”

What are you doing here?

Adele calmly watched Chloe as she adjusted the hem of her robe.

Surprisingly, her gaze was emotionless—neither shocked nor flustered.

“Ah, so this is how you must have felt when I appeared at the marquis’s estate that day.”

“Madam, you may be surprised that I’m still in the south, but—”

“Surprised isn’t the word. ‘Disgusted’ would be more accurate.”

Adele raised an eyebrow and offered a polite smile.

Let’s not waste time pretending—we both know better.

“I thought you’d flee without looking back to protect whatever little you had left.”

“How rude!”

“I prefer rude to shameless.”

“……”

“So let’s keep this brief.”

Shaking her head as if this were unnecessary, Adele glanced at Chloe’s partially hidden cheek beneath her hood.

The fact that she’d come all this way, hood pulled low, meant she clearly had business here.

“Where’s my husband?”

“…Your husband?”

“Lady, are we close enough to exchange pleasantries?”

As Chloe faltered, Adele removed her glove.

The hand-embroidered lace was valuable enough that no explanation was needed.

Chloe, who’d had every piece of clothing and jewelry confiscated in the south, scowled—but Adele met her gaze calmly.

“You didn’t come to congratulate someone you can’t stand. And if you had the money to pressure me, that wouldn’t work either—I’ve already marked everything as mine.”

“……”

“So that leaves only one thing: my husband, who was standing here just moments ago. For a duke’s daughter to get so excited over another woman’s husband—it breaks my heart.”

“Madam!”

“Raising your voice won’t help. This is my land, and all I have to do is wave my hand to summon my adorable younger brother.”

Ah—right. We’ve met before, haven’t we?

At her casual reminder, Chloe’s cheek visibly trembled.

Even under the hood, the memory was clearly vivid.

Well… he was pretty excited that day.

Adele recalled Kaiden smiling faintly as he smashed the statues in the marquis’s estate.

He’d swung his sword with the hand freed from its restraints—and eventually tossed even that aside.

He was the type who only felt satisfied after destroying things with his own hands.

“He was pretty disappointed he didn’t get to cut your tongue out. Imagine how happy he’d be to see you today.”

“H-how could you threaten me like that?!”

“Anything I say about my siblings would count as modesty, not a threat.”