Claisey, who had been basking in the tingling, fluttery atmosphere, felt her mood sour the moment the man opened the door and walked in. Just as things were starting to go well, that guy always had to show up.
“That’s true.”
Claisey offered a reluctant smile and a slight nod of greeting. She turned her head away, but the fluttery atmosphere had already vanished. Half of her attention had been pulled toward Dernic.
“What brings you here today? Did you steal anything else?”
Dernic remained undeterred by Claisey’s subtle, cold attitude and kept talking. Kishin glanced at Dernic for a brief moment before lowering his gaze back to his work.
Claisey felt a little disappointed that Kishin didn’t chase Dernic away.
*And he calls himself a friend. I guess Kishin-gyeong doesn’t mind Dernic just barging into his office.*
Regardless, since the owner of the room was staying quiet, Claisey couldn’t very well take it upon herself to kick out his friend. She hid her sullen expression and answered.
“I didn’t come to take anything this time; I came to bring something.”
“Is that ragged thing what you brought?”
“…….”
Dernic laughed to himself. Claisey looked at Kishin again, hoping he would chase the man out, but since Dernic had entered, Kishin had done nothing but stare at his documents.
“Why did you bring that? To give to Kishin? That’s certainly a first.”
Dernic was the only one speaking.
Claisey felt troubled. If Kishin hadn’t been here, she would have explained clearly that the bouquet was sent by him and that she had come to ask him out on a date. After that, she would have politely told the intruder to get lost.
However, with Kishin right there, it was embarrassing to bring up the date or the bouquet. Kishin might have wanted to keep those details private.
“I was the one who sent the bouquet.”
At that moment, as if he had sensed her embarrassment, Kishin provided a timely explanation. Claisey’s face brightened as she looked at him.
Kishin finally set down the pen he had been holding the entire time and stood up.
Dernic asked, his face filled with even more curiosity.
“Why?”
“Because I made a hasty assumption and acted discourteously.”
“My, you shouldn’t do that.”
“That includes you, too.”
“Why me?”
Kishin pulled his coat from the rack and put it on. As he donned the long gray coat, he transformed into a dapper gentleman in an instant.
Claisey nearly lost her wits. Kishin looked cool in his Palace Guards uniform, but he was just as striking in a coat. His posture was simply perfect.
When Kishin held out his arm as if to escort her, Claisey finally shook off her annoyance toward Dernic and her admiration for Kishin. She approached him quickly and leaned against his arm.
Dernic kept asking questions, but since no one gave him a straight answer, his eyebrows began to rise higher and higher.
When Kishin tried to take Claisey and leave the room, Dernic, feeling mischievous, followed them out and grilled them.
“Tell me why the arms dealer lady came here and why you sent her a ragged bouquet. Until you do, I’m going to keep following you two.”
“Suit yourself.”
Kishin didn’t even blink at Dernic’s threat.
“What? Really? Following you?”
Dernic excitedly squeezed in between Claisey and Kishin. Claisey, who had been resting her arm on Kishin’s, was instantly shoved aside.
Pushed away, Claisey leaned against the doorframe, stunned. What kind of situation was this?
Before she could process it, Dernic picked Claisey up and held out his own arm.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but it looks fun, so that’s fine. Where are we going?”
Claisey stared blankly at Dernic’s long arm and the soft skin on the back of his hand, then looked at Kishin across from them.
Kishin was frowning, but he didn’t seem to have any intention of getting rid of Dernic before they left.
Claisey was disappointed. She thought they were going on a date—just the two of them. What was this? This wasn’t a date.
She glared slightly at Dernic. Such a dense, blockheaded person.
*Is he the male version of Merran or what? Why is he following us?*
* * *
The three of them walked to Kishin’s regular cafe. The employee greeted Kishin, their best regular, cheerfully, but looked slightly surprised to see the two people accompanying him.
The employee had seen Dernic’s face a few times, but this was the first time in years they had seen Kishin arrive with a woman. They excitedly thought as they led them to a seat:
*I have to tell the boss and the other friends when they come later. I’ll tell them Kishin-gyeong came in at night with a great beauty!*
Perhaps because he had two companions, Kishin requested a more spacious table. The employee led them to the spot with the prettiest evening lighting.
However, with three people, a seating problem arose.
Claisey assumed she would sit alone, and that the two friends would sit side by side.
But the moment Claisey and Kishin settled into their seats, Dernic promptly sat down right next to Claisey.
Claisey stopped smoothing her skirt and stared at him in shock.
“Why are you sitting here?”
She was so startled that she asked him outright.
“If I sat over there, it would make the arms dealer lady uncomfortable, wouldn’t it?”
Dernic answered shamelessly.
“Pardon? No, I wouldn’t be.”
Claisey cut him off firmly.
To Claisey, Dernic was now on the same level as a male Merran. In other words, an incredibly cumbersome presence. She didn’t care if Dernic sat in front of her, hung from the ceiling, or whatever.
*Just go away. It would be even better if you went to another table.* Claisey forced down the words that had risen to her throat. She didn’t want to fight with his friend in front of Kishin.
“Come here.”
Fortunately, Kishin stopped Dernic as he handed the menu to Claisey. Though it was useless, as Dernic pretended not to hear him.
Claisey finally realized why Merran seemed somewhat drawn to Dernic. They were of the same kind! The leech tribe, that is.
Claisey barely hid her sulky expression and chose her menu.
“I’ll have this. The soft crab dish.”
But this member of the leech tribe interrupted her selection as well.
“Arms dealer lady, that’s a spicy dish. Are you sure? Can’t you not eat it?”
This time, even Claisey was a little surprised by the interference.
“How did you know?”
Claisey suspected Merran. Did Merran tell him?
“No. Back when you were dumped by Kishin, I remember you ordered a mountain of food.”
“!”
“And you ate everything except the spicy dishes.”
Dernic pointed out the non-spicy dishes on the menu.
Claisey stared intently at Dernic while holding the menu.
*This leech… he’s a delicate leech.*
“I like spicy food. I just don’t eat it outside because I can’t handle it well.”
Claisey said in a softened voice and pointed to the dish Dernic had recommended.
While they waited for their food, Dernic and Kishin talked about guard duties.
Claisey felt gloomy, thinking, *My date has been ruined.* Hadn’t her plan to have a shy and fluttery conversation with Kishin been completely wrecked?
However, as she listened to their conversation, curiosity about Dernic gradually began to stir. She wondered if he was a member of the guard or not.
Judging by the content of their conversation, his attitude, his attire, and his track record of buying things, Dernic didn’t seem like a guard. Yet, listening to him talk to Kishin, he seemed to know quite a lot about the guard’s work.
When their conversation paused for a moment, Claisey interjected.
“Are you also a member of the guard?”
The two men answered at the same time.
“I am not.”
“I am.”
The one who denied it was Kishin, and the one who affirmed it was Dernic. Since Claisey naturally believed Kishin, she asked again.
“Then where do you work, Dernic? You visit the guard office so often…”
While Claisey asked about Dernic, her gaze remained fixed on Kishin. Since Dernic seemed like the type to lie constantly, she wanted to hear the answer from Kishin.
However, unexpectedly, Kishin did not answer. He took out a napkin, folded it, and glanced at Dernic with a strange look in his eyes before keeping his mouth shut.
His attitude suggested that it would be difficult for him to speak before Dernic introduced himself. Claisey’s heart sank at this unexpected behavior.
*What is this? Why is Kishin saying nothing? He answered right away that Dernic wasn’t a Palace Guard, didn’t he? Does that mean it’s a status that’s difficult to disclose?*
But Claisey herself was a noble with a deep-rooted lineage. The Kalasi Family might not be counted among the top noble families in the Capital, but it was certainly not at a level others could look down upon.
Yet, Kishin was showing hesitation, unable to tell even her about Dernic.
Suspicions welled up in Claisey.
*Come to think of it, that man. He impersonated a notorious Palace Guard, a deputy squad leader at that, and didn’t face any punishment. Even if they are friends, it’s strange that absolutely nothing happened.*
A chill ran down Claisey’s spine. Could it be… is Dernic a member of the Imperial family?