HTNSA 101

Chapter 101

Her firm tone made it clear she wasn’t going to leave any room for negotiation.

Kadin looked stunned, opening his mouth as if to say something, only to close it again.

Maybe he’d thought:
“If I beg desperately enough, she’ll have no choice but to take me back.”

That if he sincerely apologized, she’d end up pretending nothing happened — just like always.

But in the end, he couldn’t say a word in protest.

‘Of course he can’t — there’s nothing left to say.’

Eila turned her back coldly and added one final line.

“Thanks for the warning, but I’ll handle my own business.”

To graduate early, she needed to build up as many achievements as possible, and the easiest way to stand out was through the Subjugation Festival.

Whatever Rosia and Freya were planning, she had no choice but to participate.

‘I just can’t let my guard down.’

If she used everything she’d built up until now, facing them wouldn’t be all that difficult.

‘In fact, I might be able to corner Rosia for good because of this.’

Thinking that made her heart pound with a mix of tension and anticipation.

Kadin, left alone, stood there blankly, repeating Eila’s words in his mind.

“No — you’ve already lost all my trust. You had so many chances to hold on to me, but you never did.”

It was like she was driving a nail into the coffin of their relationship, saying it had ended long ago.

No matter how much he begged, there was no coming back.

…Where had it all gone wrong?

Kadin thought back to the first time he met Eila.

Back then, she’d been timid and shy — nothing like the woman she was now.

At their first meeting, she’d even hidden behind Gerat, too scared to show her face properly.

“Hi, I’m Kadin Reit.”
“…H-hi.”

Such a sight might have seemed cute to the adults, but to young Kadin, it made no impression at all.

A noble young lady raised with so much care couldn’t even be a decent playmate.

What’s more, Eila would only get more flustered in front of him.

Her awkward face, stammering voice, slow movements — it all just frustrated him as a child.

“Hey, Kadin! Isn’t that your fiancée?”
“Fiancée? With that plain, boring girl? No way I’m marrying her.”
“Can you say that? She’s right there listening. Haha.”

He still vividly remembered how the young girl had stopped in her tracks, looking so startled, and then turned away, on the verge of tears.

At that moment, even his young mind had realized he’d gone too far, but his pride kept him from apologizing.

Back then, getting recognition from his friends mattered far more than his fiancée’s feelings.

Even as he got older, nothing changed.

Kadin always put Eila second, and she never once complained.

No, she did more than that — she always looked at him with those sorrowful eyes.

As if she truly believed he’d come back to her someday.

That must have been why he never realized how precious she was.

Honestly, he’d never once thought she was ugly.

In his eyes, Eila was always beautiful — elegant and noble, just like a noble lady should be.

But sometimes that grace felt stifling and dull to him.

So he would deliberately flaunt himself with other women right in front of her.

When her normally calm face would twist with jealousy, it gave him an odd thrill.

In those moments, he could feel so clearly that she loved him.

On the other hand, seeing other men approach her made him uncontrollably furious.

Yet he never let that pathetic emotion show — he’d ignored it, buried it.

He believed getting swept up in feelings like love was shameful.

Kadin quietly placed his hand over his heart.

Thump, thump — just thinking of Eila made his heart race wildly. He’d run from it for so long, but now he couldn’t deny it.

A sudden thought struck him.

Maybe… if I’d just been honest from the start, would she have stayed with me?

If he begged desperately now, laying everything bare — would she look at him again?

But when he recalled that cold, cutting look in her eyes, he couldn’t summon the courage.

“I’ll say this one last time. Stay out of my business.”

He still couldn’t believe it.

That Eila could speak to him so coldly — that she could cut him off like that.

Maybe this was the price for underestimating her, thinking he could push her around just because she’d become a commoner.

Back then, he’d truly believed she’d love him forever… that she’d always be there.

He never realized how precious she was until it was too late.

But words and actions once spoken couldn’t be taken back.

“Damn it…”

Suppressing the rising wave of regret, Kadin staggered off.

The single thought that Eila might never come back to him was enough to drag him endlessly down.

Isabel’s Boutique, in the capital of the Empire.

On a rare free weekend, Eila and Pioni were there to get fitted for dresses.

On the surface, it looked like a carefree outing — but it was actually part of Eila’s plan to recruit the cosmetics creator.

‘I’m glad I still have plenty of money from the palace.’

After hatching Piyo and being acknowledged as its owner, the royal family had granted her a large sum for “maintaining her dignity.”

Thanks to that, she could visit high-end boutiques that supplied the Imperial Palace without worry.

Pioni eyed Eila’s dress with the sharp gaze of a hawk.

“Hm, I think this’ll do. It’s flashy enough.”

“Really? It seems a bit too revealing to me.”

“You said you have to look arrogant and extravagant, right? Then this is perfect.”

At Pioni’s remark, Isabel, the boutique’s owner, nodded.

“Of course! These days, many ladies wear dresses even more daring than this. And it looks so good on you.”

Pioni agreed enthusiastically.

“Right? I didn’t expect it, but this style really suits you. You look gorgeous, Eila.”

“I was worried you’d feel awkward since you usually wear simpler styles, but I guess I worried for nothing.”

“Of course — our Eila looks good in anything.”

While Pioni looked on proudly, Eila turned and examined herself in the mirror.

She’d gotten so used to wearing her school uniform that putting on an extravagant dress felt terribly uncomfortable.

The deep purple velvet clung snugly to her petite figure, showing off every curve.

The low neckline was embroidered with elaborate gold thread that glittered like starlight.

With shimmering eye makeup added, she looked every bit the elegant and haughty noble lady.

Her appearance was flawless, but Pioni’s face still held a trace of concern.

“But… can you pull this off? You’ll have to act like someone completely different.”

“…”

“Throwing your weight around like an arrogant brat relying on Prince Azenta’s name… I can’t even picture it.”

Eila just gave her a faint, amused smile.

“I’m more worried about whether Felix will play along with me properly.”

“Did you tell Felix about your plan?”

Eila frowned slightly.

“I told him the gist of it — that he should pick up on what I’m trying to do and play along.”

A few days ago, Eila had mustered her courage and sought out Felix right after class.

It was her first time seeing him again since his confession — and she’d been incredibly nervous. Countless worries had weighed on her.

‘What if Felix asks for an answer to his confession right now…?’

Even if she’d admitted her feelings for him, Eila didn’t have the space in her life to accept him just yet.

With Rosia to deal with and the hidden villain still at large, there was no room for romance.

So Eila had braced herself to gently turn him down if he demanded an answer on the spot.

But her fears had been needless — Felix had greeted her warmly and happily.