“Why is he staring like that?” Claisey thought, flustered as she met Kishin’s cold gaze.
It wasn’t just a fleeting glance. It wasn’t the kind of look one gives an acquaintance to greet them with joy. Kishin was openly, intently staring at Claisey.
That inexplicable gaze was so heavy and direct that Claisey felt burdened and finally looked away.
‘No, he was the one who rejected my invitation. He told me not to ask him out anymore. So why is he… why is he glaring at me like someone who’s been dumped?’
As Claisey lowered her eyes and fidgeted with her hair, the young man she had been talking to turned around.
“Is something the matter?”
The young man looked in the direction Claisey had been watching and let out a short sigh.
“The Palace Guards. The Emperor’s dogs.”
Claisey, who had been twisting her hair, looked up in surprise. It was unexpected for such harsh words to come from the young man, who had seemed gentle the whole time.
Besides, this was the Capital. Was it really safe to speak so openly about the Emperor’s henchmen?
‘They say there are many nobles in the Capital who harbor hostility toward the Emperor and the late Empress. I guess it’s true.’
Claisey recalled the stories her friends from home often told her when they visited the city.
When the young man met Claisey’s surprised expression, he laughed sheepishly.
“Forgive me. A few months ago, those people and the inspection team raided my relative’s house. They tore up a perfectly fine home under the pretext of looking for traces of a dark mage.”
“I see.”
“Traces of a dark mage. Isn’t that excuse just laughable?”
“Hmm…”
As Claisey finished her drink, she decided she should get away from this young man.
The reason Claisey wanted to marry quickly was to inherit her family’s fortune. Once she became the heir, she wanted to live a life of immense wealth and freedom without a single worry. She hated being involved in complicated, messy affairs.
“You said you moved here not long ago, didn’t you, Lady?”
The young man finally asked after calming down. However, Claisey had already made up her mind.
“Excuse me for a moment. I see someone I know over there.”
Claisey muttered, pointing in a random direction, and quickly made her escape before he could stop her.
As she hurried down the stairs, far from where she had been sitting, she thought anew about how the Capital was a place far too close to the Emperor for comfort.
When she arrived in front of the beverage stall on the first floor, a huge crowd was already waiting. The line was so long that one could hardly buy a drink even after waiting through the entire break.
‘I can’t even see the play well anyway. Should I just go back?’
Claisey felt dejected as she looked down at her empty bottle.
‘But I can’t go home. Meren is probably still with Dernic. Maybe I’ll go to the plaza and take a walk by myself. It’s not snowing today, and…’
“Miss Claisey.”
Just then, a low, deep voice called out to her from behind.
‘Kishin!’
Claisey turned around, startled. As expected, Kishin stood right behind her like a terrifying statue; she had no idea when he had followed her. That cold, icy gaze was still fixed upon her.
Feeling that glare, Claisey felt aggrieved. Why? Why is he looking at me like that? He acts as if I made an appointment with him and broke it on a whim! He was the one who rejected my proposal.
However, not wanting to get into a complicated conversation, Claisey forced a smile.
“Fancy meeting you here. What a coincidence. Did you come for work?”
Without even a polite smile, Kishin countered.
“Miss Claisey, did you come here to have a date with that fellow?”
Claisey wanted to shout, “Yes!” She wanted to let him know that even if it wasn’t Kishin, she had plenty of options.
But recalling the ominous hostility the young man had shown toward the Imperial family, a more cautious answer slipped out instead.
“No. That was the first time I met him today.”
“You were chatting quite amicably for a first meeting.”
“He said he fell for me at first sight.”
“…”
“I was just curious about what kind of person he was, so I talked to him.”
Claisey tightly gripped her empty bottle and shifted her eyes. It was uncomfortable having this conversation with Kishin.
She had only told him the truth, but she hated that the situation would only make Kishin misunderstand her further.
“Well then, excuse me.”
In the end, Claisey offered a farewell and turned away.
‘Let’s go to the plaza.’
But Kishin followed her.
At first, Claisey thought they were just heading in the same direction. He had no reason to follow her, did he?
However, as they continued on the same path, Claisey purposely veered in a completely wrong direction. Kishin followed her regardless.
Their paths weren’t just overlapping. He was definitely tailing her.
As soon as she was certain, Claisey stopped, turned around, and protested.
“Why are you following me?”
“I was calling you from behind the whole time.”
“I didn’t hear you. And so what? If I walk away without answering, you should just let me go. Why do you keep stalking me?”
“I thought you didn’t hear me.”
“…”
“Is that something to get so angry about?”
“Yes. Since you’re following me in your Palace Guard uniform, people are glancing at us strangely. Especially at me!”
Kishin, who had been cold the whole time, suddenly twitched his lips, which only made Claisey more heated.
“Do you find it amusing that I’m being treated like a petty thief?”
“It would have been a higher-class treatment than a petty thief.”
“Pardon?”
“The Palace Guards don’t go around catching petty thieves.”
Claisey became even more irritated.
“That’s not a comfort, is it? I hope it isn’t.”
Kishin cleared his throat and changed the subject.
“I followed you because I had a question.”
Claisey turned her head coldly and asked.
“What is it?”
The faint smile that had briefly touched Kishin’s lips vanished.
“It’s not a crucial question. But seeing you, Miss Claisey, made me curious.”
“About what?”
“Is it true that you liked me?”
Claisey had been bracing herself for an important question; she nearly choked.
She was glad she had already finished her drink. If she had been mid-sip, she definitely would have spit it out.
“Pardon?”
Claisey asked back, bewildered.
Kishin explained again with an expressionless face.
“You came to the guard station at night clutching a messy bouquet, saying you liked me. But then you said you liked someone else, and then you asked me on a date. And now, you’re on good terms with another man.”
Claisey stared at Kishin with a blank expression. For some reason, hearing her routine of being rejected and moving on narrated by Kishin made it sound like the schedule of a shameless flirt.
Kishin sighed briefly and waited for an answer.
“Is it true you liked me?”
“That’s right. I had a crush on you.”
“But why—”
“Is there a problem if my unrequited love is short? Just because I liked you, Officer Kishin, does that mean I have to never like anyone else for the rest of my life?”
“!”
Whatever was so shocking about Claisey’s calm response, Kishin stared at her with the look of someone who had been physically struck.
After a long while, he asked in a subdued voice.
“Even so, isn’t it too fast to keep switching targets every few hours?”
“You said you weren’t interested in me, Officer Kishin. If so, I have to change directions quickly. What’s the difference between pining for someone who won’t have you for a day, a month, or a year?”
Kishin looked like he had been hit by Claisey twice over.
Claisey didn’t understand why he was so flustered.
‘It’s not like we were dating and broke up. I liked you unilaterally and asked you on a date unilaterally, and it ended. Why is he so surprised?’
“…I see. Understood.”
Finally, Kishin replied with a look that suggested he didn’t understand at all, and without asking further, he turned and walked away.
Watching his retreating figure, Claisey felt oddly uneasy. Why did he leave with that expression?
Claisey racked her brain, thinking about the question Kishin had asked… she recalled it once more in her head, along with the answer she had given. It didn’t seem like there was any problem.
It wasn’t until she returned to the carriage that a point of concern belatedly emerged.
‘Earlier… I think Sir Kishin said that I liked someone else. Or did he?’
However, she couldn’t ask him to repeat words that had already passed. Claisey felt unnecessarily uneasy, leaning her forehead against the carriage pillar and furrowing her brow.
* * *
While Claisey thought Kishin was truly strange, and Kishin thought the same of her, Dernic and Meren were having a pleasant meeting.
Dernic had prepared two baskets of candy for Miss Marie’s younger sister and daughter, and he had headed to Claisey’s house.
“These are gifts for the two young ladies of this house.”
Dernic handed the two baskets to Anna with a friendly demeanor. Anna accepted only one of them.
“I will deliver this to Miss Claisey once she returns. She will be very pleased! Please give the other one to Miss Meren yourself, Sir Dernic. She will be down shortly.”
Dernic asked, hooking the basket intended for Meren over his arm.
“Oh? Is Miss Claisey not here?”
Dernic had naturally assumed both of them would be at home together. That was why he had specially included candies shaped like an umbrella, a perfume bottle, and a knife inside the basket for Claisey.
Anna asked back, looking puzzled.
“Were you supposed to meet Miss Claisey as well?”
She recalled how Meren had strictly urged her to tell Claisey to stay out while Dernic was visiting.