Ch.53Breaking Off an Engagement Carefully (3)

“Are you still upset?”

“…When was I upset?”

“You won’t even look me in the eyes. Perhaps you dislike me-“

“Evan.”

When Irene finally met his eyes, Evan let out a small chuckle.

Why did he have to tease her first? He wanted to play more mischievous pranks, but… he needed to hold back for now.

At the ball, those eyes would naturally grow colder, so shouldn’t he comfort her a little?

“It will take at least two days to arrive. Wouldn’t it be rather boring if we didn’t speak at all during that time?”

“…Sigh.”

That slick smile—Irene frowned slightly as she looked at Evan’s face.

Clearly, he hadn’t been like this just a few years ago.

She didn’t like how her knight’s attitude had changed recently.

She still remembered that moment by the lake.

She remembered those intense eyes that looked at her while offering a gift, eyes that held only her.

…Perhaps her recent irritability was because of that.

If he had paid more attention to her because she was his lady back then, why was he constantly using his sword as an excuse to go to the imperial palace?

It would be nice if he could stay by her side a little longer, just a little.

But how could she say those words out loud?

As Irene’s eyes narrowed because of this, Evan simply smiled gently at her.

‘What on earth is he thinking these days?’

She hadn’t thought much about it before, but lately, seeing him following the crown prince bothered her.

Was he her knight, or did he belong to the imperial knights?

Of course, she didn’t think he had other intentions, but that didn’t make it any less bothersome.

“Your expression doesn’t look good.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

For a moment, Irene carefully examined Evan’s expression, thinking ‘oops.’

Had she responded too coldly? It wasn’t intentional; the words had just slipped out without her realizing.

When Evan’s eyebrow twitched slightly, Irene’s eyes began to waver.

As the smile gradually faded from Evan’s expression and his usually bright green eyes dimmed…

Irene looked at Evan and hastily opened her mouth.

“…I mean, I’m not in a bad mood.”

“Is that so?”

Seeing Evan’s expression, which seemed colder than before, Irene pressed her lips together and lowered her head slightly.

Her fingers on her knee twitched, and unconsciously, her clenched hand gripped her dress.

“…Hmm.”

Evan looked at Irene for a moment, then smiled and spoke.

How could he leave her alone when she responded so honestly?

Seeing her like this, looking as if she might dig a hole and hide, the corners of his mouth twitched involuntarily.

“So you’re feeling fine.”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

“I thought you were acting this way because you disliked me.”

When Irene’s gaze turned cold again at those words, Evan stared at her and tilted his head as if he didn’t understand.

There had been times when dealing with Irene was quite difficult.

The atmosphere around her, and the way she always seemed to have thorns when he approached, meant he often had to back away.

But now, after quite some time… both he and Irene had changed a lot.

Now he could treat her more comfortably. Unlike before.

“By the way, what kind of place is Kasim?”

Kasim County—a place not mentioned in the novel.

He had heard it was located in the central part of the empire, but could such a place make something good enough to help find a dark mage?

When he asked, Irene, who had been touching her reddened cheek, slowly opened her mouth.

“The teacup I showed you earlier can’t simply be said to be made of pottery. Even that small teacup involves magical processes and passes through the hands of many craftsmen.”

“Is it a place specialized in manufacturing?”

“It has to be. Because Count Kasim is a dwarf.”

Dwarf. Evan’s eyes widened at those words.

Weren’t they one of the few non-human races in this world that were friendly to humans?

Among such races, dwarves would certainly be the most friendly to humans.

They were skilled with their hands, and it was definitely dwarves who had crafted the holy sword mentioned in the empire’s founding legend.

But a dwarf with the title of count? Perhaps his skills were even more exceptional than Evan had thought.

Those known as “master smiths”—he knew that they occasionally received titles when they helped the empire.

He could somewhat guess Count Kasim’s skill level.

“Didn’t you say Count Kasim hates dark mages?”

“That’s because Count Kasim’s family was killed by dark mages. I think he’ll definitely cooperate if we bring this up. Although it’s just circumstantial evidence, with his hatred for dark mages, he’ll act even on suspicion. But…”

Irene trailed off, then frowned as she considered one problem.

If Count Kasim didn’t appear at this ball, how would they approach him?

He rarely showed himself, using his non-human race as an excuse.

Thinking about drawing attention, about attracting his gaze, Irene’s eyes fell on Evan, and she sighed as she stared at him.

‘…I don’t want to.’

She didn’t like the feeling of using him, and she wanted to avoid drawing too much attention to him if possible.

He disliked receiving such attention, and she also didn’t particularly like seeing Evan receive a lot of interest.

But this time, she needed Evan’s help. If she requested a direct audience, it might unnecessarily draw Roman’s attention.

The goal was to create a natural meeting with Count Kasim.

As Irene’s face grew darker with these thoughts, Evan slowly spoke.

“You can do as you wish.”

“…What?”

“I mean you can use me as you see fit, my lady.”

From the beginning, he had vaguely guessed why Irene was taking him to the ball.

First, to delay any news reaching Roman, and probably to have a reason to attract attention at the ball.

He had been a bit uncertain, but the moment he heard Count Kasim was a non-human, he understood.

Probably at this ball, he would need to attract others’ attention.

While Irene’s presence alone could draw attention, that wouldn’t be enough.

They needed to capture everyone’s attention at once, to make even a non-human who was reluctant to show himself approach them.

He knew well how to attract attention.

Irene’s eyes, looking at him, were trembling slightly.

Hesitation, fear. Various emotions were mixed, but she had no reason to worry so much.

Though he had said it jokingly, he had always been looking only at Irene.

“Don’t you trust me?”

“…That’s not it.”

Irene closed her eyes, then opened them and looked at Evan.

-My eyes have always… only held you, my lady.

She trusted him. But still, her heart was uneasy.

What if his eyes turned elsewhere? What if those eyes that always held her began to hold someone else?

A bitter laugh escaped her at the selfish thought of holding onto something without properly expressing anything.

How long would she expect his feelings to remain the same when she expressed nothing?

Even though she wanted to express it… somehow, she hesitated now.

But still, out of concern, her voice trembled slightly as it escaped her slightly parted lips.

“…Don’t look elsewhere.”

“How could I?”

Saying this, Evan stared at Irene and then smiled brightly.

Looking elsewhere? How could that be possible?

Even if someone as radiant as the stars in the night sky appeared, even if thousands of women courted him.

For him, there would never be a woman greater than Irene Yuris.

#

Dark mage—whenever he recalled that name, his teeth ground together.

How desperate must he have been to have lost even those grinding teeth and had new ones implanted?

Kasim still couldn’t forget his family melting in the blazing furnace.

Crash-

“Damn it.”

He thought it was time to forget, but the memory was still so vivid that his brow furrowed.

As he used magic to clean up the broken cup fragments, he gazed at the distant, sparkling chandelier.

The ball would start soon, so he needed to control his expression.

Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, he slowly rose and moved.

“Here’s the list of nobles attending the ball.”

“They’re probably just fools who want me to make swords for them. I’m not a blacksmith, I’m a master smith! How can they not understand the difference?”

After growling for a moment, Count Kasim’s eyes narrowed as he took the list.

The name at the very top of the list was one he knew well.

‘Irene Yuris, and Evan Fried.’

It was quite surprising that a member of the empire’s five great families, the Yuris family, and specifically its young mistress, was coming here.

But what caught his eye even more was the name Evan Fried. A friend of the crown prince, the most famous knight in the empire, and the knight who had slain the most dark mages.

“…Not bad.”

His evaluation of him was by no means harsh.

At the very least, Count Kasim thought that Evan Fried was the finest knight in the empire.

Worthy of praise just for slaying dark mages, and he had slain no fewer than ten of them.

Lately, whenever he heard news of him, his hands itched to pick up a hammer.

Just as Count Kasim’s expression softened, he could feel the ballroom gradually becoming more boisterous.

The increasing number of nobles, all rolling their eyes trying to find him, disgusted Count Kasim, who let out a small breath.

He didn’t like holding these balls, but without them, running the county would be difficult.

He made weapons at the request of nobles and obtained funds through that. That was all.

It hurt his pride, but for him, it was an unavoidable choice.

If there was one hope, it would be to continue receiving funding by cooperating with the five great families… but would that be as easy as it sounded?

Irene Yuris—whether she would show interest in him was something he would have to wait and see.

“Deliver the letters from nobles requesting an audience with me later.”

“Understood.”

He had no intention of showing himself at the ball.

After all, what they all expected was an audience after the ball, wasn’t it?

Just as he said this and turned around, a commotion from behind made Kasim turn his gaze.

“Oh my!”

Why had the already noisy ballroom suddenly become so tumultuous?

Narrowing his eyes and turning his gaze, Kasim couldn’t help but exclaim at the scene unfolding in the ballroom.

Thud-

Even in the noisy ballroom, there was a particularly audible footstep.

Like a single roar in white noise, like the sound of applause in a room filled with silence.

There was a sound that drew and captured the surrounding gazes.

Thud-

In the splendid ballroom, Evan, holding Irene’s hand, slowly began to enter.

Unlike when they were in the carriage, his hair was slightly swept back, and his uniform, though modest, was neat.

But Evan’s own aura covered everything, making it a non-issue.

Elegant and noble.

It was surprising enough that Irene Yuris, always with her cool impression, had come to the ball,

but her beauty, which had become more delicate over time, was enough to capture the gazes of men and even ladies in the ballroom.

Footsteps as light as walking on clouds.

In the heavy silence that didn’t match the light atmosphere of a ballroom.

If one were to pick those who maintained composure, it would certainly be Irene Yuris and her knight.

“…Ah.”

Exclamations burst forth.

While such praise came for Irene’s beauty, most gazes were directed at Evan Fried beside her.

The empire’s hero who had dealt with dark mages, a knight rumored to have already surpassed the crown prince with his genius talent.

Receiving courtship from all the ladies in the empire, yet not even giving them a glance, his gaze today seemed particularly warm.

The ladies in the ballroom began to carefully raise their hands.

To hide their reddened cheeks, to hide the corners of their mouths rising involuntarily.

As this action continued like a wave, someone let out a bitter laugh, and those who recalled Evan Fried’s performance they had once heard closed their eyes and let their imagination soar.

At the ball held by the crown prince, how beautiful was the music he had played?

Even the court musicians had praised his performance, and seeing the ladies’ reddened faces, Irene frowned deeply.

“How nice for you? To have so many admirers.”

“…Well. It’s just burdensome.”

Evan’s expression as he said this wasn’t very good.

He had expected it and deliberately drawn attention like this, but the gazes were still uncomfortable.

Plus, Irene was tightening her grip on his hand.

Evan let out a faint sigh, then looked at Irene beside him.

She kept looking around, like a puppy, he thought.

Finding her cute as she vigilantly guarded something precious, Evan smiled and intertwined his fingers with hers.

“Evan?”

“You looked too anxious, so I tried this.”

“Ah, no… that’s not…”

“Do you dislike it?”

With the sudden intertwining of fingers, Irene realized heat was spreading across her face.

If he suddenly held her hand like this, how was she supposed to react?

There wasn’t a hint of wavering in Evan’s expression. That felt a bit disappointing.

Was she the only one trembling? Was she the only one whose heart tickled at such a small action?

But she couldn’t let go of his hand, so Irene pressed her lips together and lowered her head.

To hide her reddened face, she tightly held his hand.

Seeing this, Evan smiled slightly. Truly, she was a lady who couldn’t be honest.