CH 91

Blush!

Selena was surprised as the others. Thanks to Selena’s reaction, people who were hardened started to move as if they had just been released from hypnosis.

“I thought you hear this every day, so why are you still embarrassed?”

“I hear it every day, but since the Duke is talking so openly in a crowded place like this….”

She tried to say her lines, but her heated face was sincere. She knew that Kalcion recognized her beauty, and it was not the first time she heard him say that she was pretty, but the red blush on her face didn’t go away. It seemed like the alcohol she had consumed all her life so far accumulated and then burst at once.

There was a big problem with her face, which had never turned red in front of hundreds of cameras. She felt like she couldn’t control herself.

“I need to go to the washroom.” Selena rose from her seat like she wanted to run away. But Kalcion stood up as well. “Are you going to follow me to the washroom?!”

Selena freaked out. She was going to stay away for a while because of him, but it’d be of no use if he followed her. The man, unaware of Selena’s thoughts, was serious.

“Did you forget about the International Party?”

The fact that Selena met the crown prince on her way back from the bathroom was Kalcion’s nightmare. The nightmare lasted until the tea party. Who knew if it was going to continue this far?

“He’s not going to show up here again. There are a lot of eyes.”

“That doesn’t change the risk factor.”

Kalcion was stubborn. It was true that there were frequent unintended meetings with the crown prince, but he did not take out his sword and fight. From Selena’s point of view, it was only seen that Kalcion was being too thorny.

If the reason was clear, she would’ve persuaded him, but all the reasons for Kalcion’s approach were nonsense. It was as blind as a child’s tantrum.

Sighing, Selena gave up going to the bathroom and tried to sit down, but a powerful voice intervened.

“I can’t believe I’m seeing the love affair of Duke Renbird with my own eyes.”

She was a middle-aged lady who sat at a different table with whom Selena didn’t have a chance to talk. She wore a non-fancy dress and minimal accessories, but Selena kept looking at the strong energy radiating from the person.

“I’m a bit late to say hello, aren’t I? The gossip at this table was so interesting that I wanted to talk to you. I couldn’t stop myself.”

“Oh…. yes….”

“I understand the Duke’s affection, it is so strong that he cannot even send you to the washroom alone, but I can’t wait to see you invade Lady’s privacy. I’ll accompany you to the washroom.”

She looked like a knight who fought with her bare hands and was as strong as Kalcion. Perhaps that’s why Selena felt like she received an application for an escort from the knight, not “Let’s hold hands and go to the bathroom together.”

However, it was not enough to suppress Kalcion’s worries. Many of the enemies who had ever attacked him were powerful men who could not be dealt with only by the noble Lady.

“I think that’s enough to relieve your concern,” the lady said as if she had read Selena’s thoughts.

“You didn’t bring a weapon with you.”

“I could hide one or two out of sight. If you’re nervous, you can lend me your sword. Or are you doubting my abilities now, Duke of Renbird?”

The lady sharply opened her eyes to Kalcion’s lukewarm attitude.

“There’s no way I can.”

“Then why can’t you let her go?”

“Worry isn’t that easy to shake off.”

“Doesn’t holding onto your worries mean doubting my skills?”

The illusion of rain and lightning suddenly hit the peaceful garden where the pleasant wind was blowing. The eyes of Kalcion and the Noble Lady were engaged in an invisible battle. Selena intervened before it turned into a physical battle.

“Excuse me, but who are you?”

The lady, who was looking at Kalcion like a beast invaded her territory, became soft when she turned toward Selena.

“Pardon me for the late introduction. I’m Count Orlen.”

“Oh….!” So, she was Count Orlen. A hero who was said to have walked on the battlefield. She was also the one who sent Selena a tea party invitation. Selena couldn’t attend her party because of Lirel’s party at the same time, but if she had chosen personally, she would have gone to Count Orlen’s athletic meeting. Meeting someone skillful like this suddenly made her feel both joy and embarrassment.

“Hello, pardon me for greeting you late. Thank you for sending me the invitation today. I couldn’t make it, but….”

“I thought you were embarrassed by the sudden invitation. I only wanted to build up our friendship, so don’t worry too much. Instead, I hope you’ll come next time.”

“If you invite me again, I’d be happy to.”

They exchanged short words, but Selena’s heart was already thumping against her chest. Count Orlen seemed like a wonderful person just by listening to her, and Selena liked her personality.

“I’m glad to hear that. We’ll be having another gathering soon, so please come.”

“I’ll be glad to visit!”

“Well, now that I’ve introduced myself, shall we?” Count Orlen reached out to Selena.

“It’s okay to go with a strong person, right? Well, I’ll be back.”

Selena took the hand lightly and left Kalcion behind. Kalcion’s gaze, which followed her walking away, stabbed him quite sharply in the heart. Out of his sight, Count Orlen chuckled.

“I didn’t know he was so obsessed. Or is he special only to Selena?”

“Maybe he’s the only one who’s special to me, but I’m not sure if I’m special or if the situation is special.”

Kalcion had been really strange today. However, I thought it could be because these situations were full of unpredictable variables. As he said, it was true that he became a half-crazy person. When she remembered it, her hot face did not sink easily. She wrapped her hands around her warm face. The heat from her hot cheeks was prominent on her palms.

“I didn’t expect to see Duke Renbird’s flushed face like that, but to think his lover would be blushing like this.”

She froze. She felt like she was hit by a stone hidden in a soft snowball. Selena lowered her hands and looked back at Count Orlen.

“What do you mean by that?”

“That’s literally it. His Excellency, the Duke of Renbird, is not a man who can be bothered by women, but it is bothering him. I thought a woman who could grab his heart would have been extremely spiteful, but she’s blushing again.”

“….”

Count Orlen moved again, as Selena rubbed the tips of her frozen fingers.

“I’m not saying it’s bad. You look good together.”

“….Yes….”

It was a compliment, but Selena was more concerned than other people’s insults. If what others had was at best a fish-thorn-like bone, Count Orlen had an elephant ivory bone in her eyes.

Count Orlen smiled at the stiff figure of Selena. But even when a tiger laughs, it shows off its teeth.

“I didn’t mean to scare you. It was just a surprise, though.”

“Yes….”

“It’s true that I enjoyed watching it all at the last party. Lady Selena is interested in Duke Renbird, even if she’s not his lover. You have to meet people up close to see what they really are, it seems.”

The repeated words did not seem to be hiding me. Count Orlen was just a teller.

“Thank you for saying that. Usually, some people start to hate each other even before they see each other, they hate each other even more when they meet each other, and they hate each other even more when they talk.”

“Hahaha. That’s the way it is. If I’m pretty, I curse because I’m pretty. If I’m ugly, I curse because I’m ugly. If you have a better family than them, you’ll be proud of yourself.”

“Curses, and ignores if you can’t.”

“The last is not cursing, but ignoring?”

“It includes cursing of poverty, honor, rusticity, and ignorance.”

Selena’s eyes widened to the perfectly correct notion. She thought Count Orlen was a person who stayed like a complete outsider in society, but surprisingly, she knew everything about society.

“I thought you had no idea.”

“That’s the part I don’t want to see. That’s why I avoid it.”

“You’re out here.”

“Aren’t you feeling a little different here?”

“That’s true. I’d like to participate often with a pure heart if I have a chance.”

Selena didn’t know how long that opportunity would be given.

“You’ve been here once, which means you’ll always get invited here.”

“As long as I’m by your side, right?”

“You’re already talking out of confidence? I think Lady Selena will be able to establish herself as a guest of another man, even if she can’t promise the Duke the future.”

Selena laughed aloud at the honest words of Count Orlen, who seemed to be upset from the outside.

How could you say that you’d overlook someone who had been burning inside for a long time?