Chapter 75
Ever since Senika left for the Hwangryong (Yellow Dragon) household, an eeriness had settled over the White Dragon manor. The slackened tension that had been tolerated while Senika was there had suddenly been pulled taut.
Perhaps because of that, the manor was unbearably quiet, as if no one existed there at all. Everyone was careful not even to let their breathing be heard. It felt like a strange phenomenon—as if everyone had agreed to it.
There was a reason the household had changed like this. Two factions at the heart of the Evienne family had revealed their true colors.
To be precise, the beast that had been hiding its sharp teeth until now had bared them.
All because Senika had left the manor.
It was only natural that the precarious peace that had been holding would begin to crack.
“Master of the House!”
Hale, who had been planning how and when to tear into the elders, glared toward the suddenly opened door.
Seeing Teo’s urgency, Hale thought perhaps the elders had launched an attack.
But the energy coming from outside the office made him quickly realize it wasn’t from the elders.
“Father, mother.”
At Hale’s low call, Rosalyn and Villard appeared in turn.
“Look at this. Darling, I told you you’d get caught!” Rosalyn scolded.
Villard, wearing a wronged look, said nothing—apparently he had been the one to suggest hiding first.
The couple sat naturally on the sofa. After sending Teo out of the office, Hale sat opposite them.
“What brings you here this time?”
“Couldn’t you at least welcome us properly?”
“You probably know already, but there’s a bad atmosphere in the household right now.”
“Tsk, tsk.” Villard averted his gaze from Hale and turned his head to the side.
Rosalyn gave Villard a sharp look, then smiled at Hale and said, “Son, your father’s sulking because he came worrying about you and you didn’t greet him properly. Understand?”
“Yes. I know.”
“Good, I’m glad you know.”
Whether Hale truly understood or was just lying to avoid the awkwardness didn’t matter.
What was far more important was why Rosalyn and Villard had come to the manor.
“So, what brings you here this time?”
“We came to help you.”
Hale couldn’t understand Rosalyn’s words.
He furrowed his brow and tilted his head toward Rosalyn, but she continued without any change in expression.
“I heard you’re about to have a bloody fight with the elders.”
“Oh.” Hale gave a short exclamation and nodded.
Then a question popped into his head.
Hale knew Rosalyn disliked being bothered and never involved herself even a little in politics.
So the way she had just spoken felt out of character.
He asked in surprise, “Mother, you’re going to help me?”
“Huh? Me? Why would I have any power to do that?” Rosalyn’s gaze shifted to the man sitting beside her.
“Ahem, ahem!”
Villard, receiving both their looks at once, looked embarrassed and covered his mouth with a fist as he cleared his throat.
Even after Hale learned who would be helping him, he remained puzzled.
The conflict with the elders revolved around Senika being half-human, half-dragon, so it was hard to understand why Villard would offer help.
‘Even if he got closer to Senika the last time she visited…’
Long-ingrained values don’t change easily.
Hale assumed his father Villard still held strong pureblood beliefs. But even if Villard was shrewd, there was one thing Hale hadn’t realized.
There was an exception—even for the uncompromising, staunch pureblood Villard.
“Your father was the first to say he wanted to help. I suspect there are other reasons, though.” Rosalyn’s gaze narrowed as she looked at Villard.
It seemed only Rosalyn knew that Senika’s charms and sweetness had somehow managed to soften Villard, whose defenses had been as solid as a fortress.
“When did I—” Villard stammered, embarrassed at being caught, glancing around.
His pheromones—so to speak—seemed to scan the manor, as if searching for someone.
But failing to find whoever he sought, he soon frowned.
“Ahem. So where is Senika now? Her grandfather is here and she hasn’t even shown her face.”
Although his words sounded like a scolding, his tone wasn’t sharp at all. He sounded fidgety, almost anxious that Senika might not be in the manor.
Unfortunately for him, his worry was justified.
“I sent her somewhere safe for the time being.”
“What? Why would you do something like that—!”
“No need to put her in a situation where she has to show an unpleasant side.”
“That may be so…”
Villard, who could already guess roughly what might happen at the manor, reluctantly nodded his head despite his disappointment.
Then he closed his eyes for a moment and opened them again. His gaze instantly turned icy.
“So, what plan did you come up with?”
“I plan to set an example.”
“Hmm, given the circumstances, that might be the best option.”
Villard, who had come wanting to help, didn’t really have many options.
He hoped that if he—backed by some of the elders’ support—took Hale’s side, a few of the elders might be persuaded to side with his son.
Even if only one or two moved, that would strengthen Hale’s position.
If he could achieve that much, Villard figured he would have fulfilled his role.
“Then I will speak first.”
Hearing Villard’s proposal, Hale simply nodded.
If they wanted to minimize bloodshed, they should try everything possible.
“Teo.”
At the succinct call, Teo opened the door, entered, and bowed his head.
“Convene the elders in two days’ time.”
“Ugh, my stomach still feels awful.”
As soon as the late lunch they were forced to eat ended, I ran back to my room.
My stomach felt bloated. Not just me—Rita and Joshua seemed the same.
Oh, excluding Roel, who—insensitive as ever—kept praising how good the food was while walking me to my room.
‘Thinking about how clueless he is makes me worried. Will he manage to stay unnoticed?’
Normally servants and I don’t share a room, so while I was at the Hwangryong household, Roel was staying with Joshua.
Roel was so oblivious it already made me nervous.
Rattle—
At that moment, there was a knock. I didn’t think it was Joshua’s group—if it had been Joshua, he would have knocked and then just opened the door.
Tilting my head in puzzlement, I went to the door.
“Who is it?”
“It’s me. Rizli.”
Rizli? Why Rizli?
It hadn’t even been an hour since lunch. And he’d come again?
I opened the door. It would be rude to keep someone waiting when I knew who they were.
“Oh, what’s up?”
“Well… um… uh…”
Rizli had come as if he had something to say, but he looked as though he really had to go to the bathroom—fidgety and awkward.
“Is something wrong?”
He shook his head, so that didn’t seem to be it. Then what had brought him here?
Rizli hemmed and hawed in a way that felt intended to frustrate me.
I’d been kind enough to wait because of a small debt I owed him, but five minutes of the same silent stalling was a bit much.
Honestly, it would be better if he just came in and sat down—my legs were getting sore.
“Did you come to see my face?”
“That too! Uh… I wanted to see if you were uncomfortable about anything. …Was lunch okay? Do you like seafood?”
His skin, slightly sun-kissed by the sunlight, flushed red.
Watching Rizli rapidly fire questions—odd for someone so quiet—I suddenly remembered something I’d forgotten.
‘Right, Rizli likes me, doesn’t he?’
I hadn’t considered his feelings current or serious.
I assumed his youth meant he’d mistaken friendship for something more. But seeing his face now, I realized I had been wrong.
Still, I didn’t want to give any sign that I’d noticed—no reason to toy with his hopes.
Besides, I already liked someone else.
‘…I like Jaes.’
I wanted Rizli to remain a good friend.
With my usual smile, I replied, “The room’s comfortable—no problems. Lunch was tasty.”
“Oh… really? Then what do you need?”
“Hmm… nothing comes to mind right now. If I think of something I’ll tell the servant.”
“Right, the servant… there is a servant…”
This time Rizli looked thoroughly deflated.
He seemed pitiful, but I had no intention to comfort him.
I’d pretend not to know and—if he kept making a scene—cut it off coldly.
“Is that it?”
“Huh?”
“Is that all you came for?”
“Uh… uh…”
Compared to when I had last seen him at the White Dragon house, Rizli’s behavior had changed. He’d grown physically, but his personality seemed the same as when he was little.
No—if anything he’d become more timid. I wondered how someone so shy had gotten this far.
“Aren’t you busy? I heard you’re going to inherit the position of master of the house.”
At my question, Rizli’s gloomy face brightened.
It annoyed me that the person who was to be the next head of the household showed his intentions so plainly.
“Yeah, I suppose so… but I’m not really busy right now.”
Since he had come this far, I decided it was best to make things clear before he left.
“Where’s Erisen?”
“I’m here!”
As soon as I said his name, Erisen popped up from somewhere.
He hadn’t been visible at first, but his presence could be felt nearby—so I wasn’t surprised.
“If you’re not busy either, how about we go eat something delicious together?”
“Deal!”
I suggested first, intending to create a situation where only the two of us would be alone. A setting romantic enough that Rizli might be inclined to confess.
It would be cruel and something he would want to forget later, but I was sure it was better than leaving the relationship ambiguous.
“Rizli, you’re—?”
“M-me too! I like you!”
“Good. Then tonight we’re eating out!”
To make the situation happen the way I wanted, I’d need to bother Joshua and Rita a little.
