Claisey seemed exhausted, resting her chin on her hand and staring blankly at her plate. Even when someone approached, she didn’t look up.
Dernic placed the flower basket on top of Claisey’s plate.
“May I sit?”
As the flowers bloomed into view and a soft voice reached her ears, Claisey finally lifted her head, her eyes wide.
The surprise on Claisey’s face as she recognized Dernic quickly soured into a frown.
“Why are you here?”
Claisey asked sharply, then glanced at the bouquet. The white and yellow flowers filling the basket were lush and beautiful.
To procure this many fresh flowers in the middle of winter must have cost a considerable sum.
Claisey wanted to ask about the basket, but her need to know why this lunatic was here took precedence, so she waited for his answer with forced patience.
Dernic sat down, gestured for a waiter, and replied.
“Kishin isn’t coming. That’s why I’m here.”
Claisey knitted her brows. She didn’t trust this silver-haired man at all. From the moment they first met, there had been nothing but lies between them.
“I don’t believe you.”
Claisey muttered in a sulky voice.
Ignoring her, Dernic received the menu from the approaching waiter.
“I’ll have the chef’s recommendation.”
Dernic handed the menu back immediately. The waiter glanced back and forth between Claisey, Dernic, and the flower basket before walking toward the kitchen.
Once the waiter was out of earshot, Dernic held out his hand.
“I’m Dernic. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I couldn’t tell you my name before due to certain circumstances. My apologies.”
“You did tell me your name. You just lied.”
“Exactly. So, I didn’t tell you my *real* name, did I?”
Dernic winked, then clapped his hands as he looked at her overflowing plate.
“Miss Claisey, you’re quite a big eater.”
Claisey felt like grabbing her bag and leaving the table right then and there. Was Kishin Hiard really not planning to come?
“Is Lord Kishin… really not coming?”
But instead of leaving, Claisey asked dejectedly. Dernic might have been a lunatic, but he seemed close to Kishin, so she asked anyway.
“Uh-huh. Yep.”
“Why?”
“He’s always like that. He doesn’t like women.”
“!”
As Claisey’s eyes widened, Dernic burst into laughter.
“What are you thinking? It’s not the reason you’re assuming.”
“Then what is it?”
“That guy has zero interest in dating or marriage.”
Claisey blinked. Kishin Hiard looked to be around her age. But having no interest in dating or marriage meant… did he have no property or titles to inherit?
If one’s relationship with their family was strained and they weren’t an heir, there was no need to obsess over a political marriage. The same went for someone who was self-made. Was Kishin Hiard that type?
“Then, is Lord Kishin… perhaps interested in someone else?”
“No. He has no interest in that sort of thing at all. He’s a workaholic. If he ever gets married, his partner will probably be a famous sword.”
Claisey felt disheartened. It didn’t matter if Kishin Hiard was a self-made soldier or an estranged son; he had no interest in her at all.
The waiter brought the food.
“Would you like some more?”
Dernic moved half of the food from his plate to Claisey’s.
Claisey shook her head. The yellow, flat egg looked delicious, but she had been full for a long time. She had only kept ordering because she was waiting for Kishin.
Dernic began to eat alone, unfazed. He spoke like a lunatic and acted like a swindler, yet his table manners were unexpectedly perfect.
Until Dernic had finished about half his meal, Claisey sat limply, lost in thought. What part of her did Kishin dislike?
Suddenly, she realized Dernic had stopped eating and was staring straight at her. He was resting his chin on his hand, openly observing her.
“Why?”
When she asked, annoyed by his amused gaze, Dernic grinned.
“You’re regretting it, aren’t you?”
“Regretting what?”
“That you wrote that letter for nothing. That you only hurt your pride by writing to Kishin.”
“No.”
Claisey answered bluntly and stared limply at the flower basket.
“Liar. You’re regretting it, aren’t you?”
Dernic, like a hyena enjoying its catch, pushed again.
Claisey, too drained to fight, finally answered.
“It’s not like it’s the first time I’ve been rejected. I would have regretted it more if I had let it pass when I liked him. It’s better to get rejected outright.”
Claisey left out the part where she thought, *‘It’s a hundred times better than being rejected just to have him stolen by Merran.’*
Surprisingly, that thought improved her mood.
That was right. Being rejected by Kishin Hiard himself was better than Merran stepping in with that angelic smile and snatching him away.
Her improved mood made even the lunatic sitting opposite her seem a little more tolerable.
Dernic had stopped smiling and was looking at Claisey seriously.
Claisey fingered the flowers and, with an awkward smile, offered a late greeting.
“Did you come in his place because Lord Kishin dumped me without a word? To offer comfort? Thank you.”
“I didn’t come to comfort you.”
Her gratitude was swept away the moment she saw Dernic’s meaningful smirk.
“Then what? Did you just come to tell me because you were bored?”
“No.”
As Dernic winked, Claisey briefly wondered, *Is this guy really a complete lunatic?*
“Then what?”
Still, she endured it, and Dernic pushed the bouquet toward her.
“You’re Merran’s aunt, aren’t you?”
“…….”
“Give this to your niece.”
Claisey’s heart felt hollowed out. She had thought it was fortunate that she was rejected by Kishin without getting tangled up with Merran. Yet, the moment she was rejected, Merran was receiving a courtship right in front of her.
Claisey rubbed her temples and stood up.
“Give it to her yourself. You know where she lives.”
“Aw. I’d be too shy.”
“Merran is popular and receives a lot of flowers. She won’t be shy. Give it to her yourself.”
Claisey spoke coldly, then flinched. Dernic was cupping his face with both hands, bowing his head as if he were embarrassed.
*What is that?* As she stared in bewilderment, Dernic whispered, peeking at her coyly.
“I’m shy.”
Claisey felt like hitting him with the flower basket. Was he trying to provoke her?
“Get over it!”
Claisey shouted, grabbed her bag, and walked toward the counter to pay.
The clerk, who must have overheard the entire conversation, looked at Claisey with pity.
“The owner says they’ll give you a discount on your meal. Because you ate so much.”
Was it really a discount because she ate a lot? Did the owner hear the conversation too?
Claisey was suspicious, but she thanked them, paid, and walked out without looking back.
A corner of her heart ached. Not because she was rejected, but because she was furious at the lunatic.
* * *
Even after Claisey left, Dernic finished his meal alone. The clerks, who knew she had been waiting for someone since early morning, glared at him, but Dernic ate steadfastly.
He ate so slowly that eventually, the clerks couldn’t even glare at him anymore because their eyes grew tired.
When he finished and walked to the counter, the clerk calculating the bill said sourly,
“You should take that flower basket with you.”
“Ah.”
Dernic glanced at the basket he had left behind as if he had forgotten it, then took three gold coins from his wallet and handed them over.
“Have it delivered to the house with the blue roof on Hod 12th Avenue.”
Seeing the glittering gold, the clerk’s anger evaporated, and they asked kindly,
“Who should I say it’s from?”
“Miss Merran.”
After that, Dernic wandered around wherever he pleased before finally returning home. As he whistled and stepped inside, the butler was waiting with a bitter smile.
“Why? What is it? What happened?”
Feeling a sense of foreboding, Dernic asked, taking half a step back.
Before the butler could answer, the culprit descended the stairs. It was Kishin.
Dernic tensed up, but upon checking Kishin’s expression, he relaxed.
“And here I thought it was something serious.”
Others couldn’t distinguish the nuances of Kishin’s cold expression, but Dernic understood it perfectly. Right now, Kishin wore a look of utter indifference.
As they entered the room, Dernic poured tea and asked, “What brings you here without a word? Even my butler is nervous.”
Kishin elegantly lifted his teacup. “Do you tell me before you come to my office?”
“I suppose you’re right.”
Dernic grinned, then sat on the edge of the desk. He didn’t mind the unannounced visit, but he was curious about the purpose.
Even though they were close, Kishin never simply came over to “hang out.”
Kishin took a sip of tea and furrowed his brows. “Have you met Miss Claisey?”
Dernic raised an eyebrow, smiling brightly. “What’s gotten into you? Do you regret turning her down? She was actually quite cute when I talked to her.”
Kishin pointed at the wall without a word.
Dernic turned his head to see a familiar flower basket sitting beside the curtains. It was the same one he had asked the restaurant to deliver to Merran.
Dernic pointed at the basket, baffled. “Why is that here?”
“Because I brought it back.”
Kishin replied coldly.
Dernic was confused. “Why you? I sent that to Miss Merran.”
“And Miss Merran sent it to me. She said it was burdensome and returned it.”
“What? Why would Miss Merran send that to you?”
“That is exactly why I am here. Thanks to that flower basket ‘returning’ to the Palace Guards, I have… publicly been rejected.”
*It would be a disaster if I laughed right now.* Dernic covered his mouth, feigning shock.
However, just as Dernic knew Kishin well, Kishin knew Dernic. When Kishin stood up, noticing Dernic holding back laughter, Dernic hurriedly backed away with his hands up.
“Wait, wait! It’s not my fault. In my opinion, I think Miss Claisey is getting revenge on you.”
Dernic smiled brightly, throwing out a reckless, provocative theory.
A crease appeared on Kishin’s forehead.
“Revenge?”
“You turned Miss Claisey down, didn’t you?”
“That is not something to take revenge over. I have no obligation to date Miss Claisey.”
“That’s true. But you turned her down rudely. Maybe that’s why she’s lashing out?”
“!”
“I told Miss Claisey that you have no interest in women, you see? So, to ruin your reputation, she intentionally sent the flower basket to you as if *you* were the one who got dumped. How about that? Isn’t it plausible?”