Chapter 133

Keith spotted me and, for a moment, looked startled. His wide violet eyes wavered as they caught me—then quickly turned cold. He shoved Blake off his arm and turned away.

I panicked and stood up.

“Wait, hold on, what about the money—”

Blake scrambled to grab Keith’s foot, but I was too shocked to care. What hit me was not Blake’s pathetic appearance, but the fact that Keith had seen me, recognized me, and yet still tried to walk away without a word.

“Keith!”

Maybe he thought Blake had set up some scam with a girl who just looked like me. I quickly called his name. He paused for the briefest moment, but then walked straight out of the shop.

Before I could think, my legs moved. I only knew I had to stop him. Luckily, just before he left, I caught his wrist.

“Keith? It’s really me.”
“…”
“The real Florence…”

I only wanted to say I wasn’t a fake, but the words felt like an excuse—that I wasn’t Jang Hyunji.

Keith didn’t shake me off. He stood still, letting me hold his wrist. Unfortunately, we were right at the shop’s entrance, so the customer walking in stared at us strangely. Flustered, I stepped aside.

“Let’s not stand here. Can we sit and talk?”

“…”

“Keith?”

At last, reluctantly, he turned his head toward me. His face was expressionless, cold—like I was nothing but a nuisance. My heart sank. I loosened my grip, and he immediately shook me off.

I lowered my gaze. Keith sighed, glancing between the customers coming in, Blake hovering nearby, and me. Then he took my hand and pulled me back to the table.

But still, he said nothing.

I sat across from him. Blake kept peeking at our faces nervously. Finally, Keith ruffled his hair in frustration and snapped at Blake.

“You. Leave. Just this once, I’ll overlook it. Got it?”
“Thanks. Please thank Enoch too—”
“Thank him my ass. If he finds out, neither of us will hear the end of it. Now get lost.”

Blake grinned, stuffed his bag, and stood. He looked like he wanted to say something to me, but seeing Keith’s foul mood, he left silently. Moments ago, he had apologized to me—but when money was involved, he grinned like a fool.

How had the heir of the Seymour family, once part of the Royal Mage Association, fallen this low?

Maybe the Seymours hadn’t had as much money as I thought. Father had dealt only in fine goods, but he wasn’t especially extravagant. Even after my curse, he had built up businesses—especially with Linus’s help once Hyunji took my body.

Ah. That must be it.
They grew greedy, expanded too far, and collapsed like dominoes.

Blake had said he broke ties with Father and Grace. That must have meant debts big enough to force him to give up his title.

After he slunk away, silence returned. I couldn’t bring myself to speak either.

I had thought Keith, the cheerful one, would scold me the moment he saw me. He’d yell, nag, then—reluctantly—welcome me back.

But instead, he had gone cold, turned away, as if I were someone he couldn’t bear to look at. Even now, the air was so heavy I could hardly speak. Finally, I couldn’t stand it anymore.

“I just got here. Only about two hours ago.”
“…”
“I even went by the Baldwin mansion—well, the house that was Baldwin mansion. And then the Seymour place, but it has new owners now.”
“…”
“Looks like Father’s business collapsed too. Blake must’ve been living nearby, since he found me and talked to me…”

The words tumbled out, messy, pointless. I stopped myself before I blurted out why I had really come to Redamas.

“Why are you here?”
“…To buy sausages.”
“…”
“Laila was sick of eating the same food.”

Why had I said that aloud? Keith’s expression only grew colder. Terrified he’d walk out again, I quickly grabbed his hand.

“Don’t go!”
“…”
“That’s not what I meant. I just… I’m okay now, so…”

I was never good with words. Laila wasn’t either, and most of my conversations the past years had been with her. My ability to talk had withered. Not that I’d ever been eloquent.

Keith stared at me, nostrils flaring, like he was holding back tears.

“You said you’d come back.”

His voice was strained.

“And that takes four years?”
“It just… happened…”
“You—!”

He almost shouted, then stopped, watching my face. As if remembering the old days, when I had been fragile. I wasn’t someone who scared easily, but Keith and Marie had always treated me like I was.

His voice cracked as he spoke again.

“Four years, Florence. Four years.”

“…I’m sorry.”
“I told you not to apologize. Damn it, why is that all you ever do? What did you do for four years?”

I blinked, unable to put it simply. Keith, frustrated, pushed on.

“Why are you apologizing again? Well… maybe to me, it fits. But you shouldn’t—don’t you get that?”
“…I guess. But can’t I still say sorry?”
“No. Explain. Where were you hiding all that time?”
“…With Laila.”
“Ha. And you abandoned us?”

Abandoned. The word stung. I wanted to argue, but he’d only snap harder. I had learned some caution over the years. So I nodded quietly, to show I was listening.

Keith exploded.
“What, so you admit it? You really did abandon us?”
“No, that’s not it…”
“Then what is it? Why nod? No—damn it, it’s true, isn’t it?”
“Keith.”
“Don’t say my name like that, like it changes anything. Do you know what it was like? At first, I thought, she’ll be back in a month. Then, three months. Then a year. After two years, I thought you must be dead. Did you ever even think about the people worrying over you?”

“I…”

In the end, there was only one word I could say. I bowed my head.

“…I’m sorry.”

“…”

“It’s not that I didn’t think of you. I just… needed time.”

I had thought they would wait. I had believed that.

Keith let out a bitter laugh.

“What a joke. Really… what a joke.”

“…”
“Empty. It all feels empty.”

He covered his face with a big hand. Should I comfort him? Maybe not. But I couldn’t just sit still either. So I reached out and patted his shoulder.

Keith glared at me.
“What, am I some animal you’re trying to soothe? Can’t you do better than that?”
“I’m trying my best.”

Keith had grown harsher over the years. Again, I was reminded he really was Enoch’s cousin.

“I didn’t even want to acknowledge you.”
“That was still too cruel…”
“You have the nerve to say cruel? Who abandoned her partner and ran?”
“…That was me.”
“Then keep comforting me. It’s still not enough. Damn it… empty.”

So I patted his shoulder again, over and over, until my arm ached.

If Keith was this angry…

What about Enoch?

The thought alone already frightened me.