《My Childhood Friend is Like a Stone》 Chapter 1 - Prologue (1) Episode 1. Chapter 1. Prologue (1) The Persian Empire won the Seven Years¡¯ War against the United Kingdom of Gulfin. To celebrate with the people, the Emperor held a grand ceremony. Crowds filled the square of Saint-Eimante on the day of the event, sending cheers to those who raised the name of Persian. Citizens who went out to welcome the soldiers sprinkled flower petals wherever chariots and horses passed, wishing that their future would be full of blessings. ¡®Has it been two years?¡¯ Adrienne was sitting at a table outside the Persian Imperial Palace when she had a thought about someone. Cyril was the sickest person Adrienne knew in the world. He volunteered to join the army three years ago, and a year ago, at the age of eighteen, he was promoted to lieutenant. ¡®Is the time already like that?¡¯ Cheers burst as a result of the surprise. A parade that circled the square eventually passed through the Imperial palace¡¯s main entrance. When the band began to perform a more wonderful piece, everyone in the crowd stood up and cheered. As she rose up, the sound of conversation filled Adrienne¡¯s ears. ¡°Does it look like Sir Thesar?¡± ¡°Take a look at his noble figure! I¡¯m certain. Isn¡¯t the Duke of Thesar reassuring? His successor is just as excellent as he is.¡± ¡°Of course, Sir Thesar did a great job as a soldier but¡ª¡± The last words were said by Countess Conte, who lowered her voice and added quietly. ¡°¡ªI¡¯m confident he¡¯ll do an excellent job for the ladies of this country. Look at those beautiful eyes!¡± ¡°You¡¯re just as mischievous, Countess. But, when you look at Sir Thesar, it¡¯s difficult to disagree.¡± ¡°To be honest, I was suspicious. Despite the rumors, he is said to be a really handsome man.¡± Countess Conte, who had swallowed her breath for a moment, said admiringly. ¡°But, what the heck! It¡¯s the first time it¡¯s ever happened, and it¡¯s not an exaggeration. I¡¯d rather feel as if I¡¯m at a loss for words.¡± The chatter or adoration for the women featuring Sir Thesar continued. Adrienne¡¯s gaze was drawn to the front of the long parade. Sir Thesar will be wearing the Imperial Guard¡¯s blue uniform, so of course Cyril will be nearby as well. Perhaps he didn¡¯t have time to cut his hair while on the battlefield, but his dark hair lightly covered his brows, and the long golden eyes beneath him grew deeper than Adrienne¡¯s memory. Despite the fact that his expression was clear without thinking, his eyes seemed to be soaked in superiority due to his superior features. In a single line, Adrienne summarized the story of women talking. A sensual and attractive man¡ª. Cyril was the most perfect creature in the women¡¯s stories, a man of fantasy who wished for a kite to reach him once. ¡®Cyril Valentin is a man of fantasy. What kind of fantasy could be such a mess?¡¯ Of course, Adrienne was not one of them. It would be crazy to see her little friend, with whom she lived for 8 years, as a man in a fantasy she hasn¡¯t seen in two years. It was even more ridiculous when she considered that the little friend was very small and weak when he was younger and that he was different now. At that time, multiple eyes were focused on Adrienne¡¯s face like a flying arrow. Adrienne, who had been thinking about something else, was taken aback by the incredible momentum. At the same moment, her gaze was drawn to Cyril. Cyril, who had been expressionless for the whole time, lifted an eyebrow. Why are you there? Cyril¡¯s look said it all. She had no option but to realize it after living in the same castle for about eight years. ¡®Don¡¯t pretend to know each other¡ª¡¯ She wrote it personally in the letter, yet the skill of betraying expectations remained. Adrienne, who was receiving a stinging gaze as a result of him, laughed bitterly. She expected it to be a difficult day. ***** Adrienne de Cassinel Bluea. It was the aristocratic name given to the daughter of Count Cassinel¡¯s oldest son and Count Bluea¡¯s second daughter. The Count Cassinel family was the guardian of the Empire that had served as the border for years, one of the ten original great nobles, and even a part of the new great noble family. What else is Bluea like? Bluea was a family that once produced an Empress, although it was roughly 200 years ago, and though it is no longer considered a great aristocrat, it was once one of the ten original great nobles. Adrienne was a combination of two families in terms of legitimacy. She¡¯s lucky to be able to introduce herself to others with two aristocratic surnames! ¡®How is your father? They probably did not break in again.¡¯ Adrienne, on the other hand, did not consider herself lucky. There was no family to follow as much legitimacy as there was no substance or efficiency to discuss as the guardian of the Empire. Cassinel was a territory bordered by the Kthulten Empire and a mountain range. He was able to act as a respected guardian for a long time since he protected his land from the Kthulten Empire, which was known as one of the continent¡¯s losers. However, once the Kthulten Empire was divided into several kingdoms, they did not recognize them when they had to deal with mercenaries and bandits. The invasion was frequent, but support was drastically reduced, and the name was eventually forgotten. It was just like a wild apricot with a beautiful color that existed over Cassinel and Bluea. (t/n : a wild apricot with a beautiful color used to describe something that looks good on the outside, but is lacking on the inside.) ¡°Mademoiselle Cassinel?¡± (t/n : Mademoiselle is a title or form of address used of or to an unmarried French-speaking woman.) ¡°¡ªAh, Yes.¡± The banquet had begun in earnest following the parade. Adrienne, who was worried over how much money she would lose this year, realized too late. Adrienne was met by several pairs of eyes that were filled with a variety of emotions, including curiosity, envy, and jealousy. There was an unusually angry expression among them, mainly from those close to the Princess. Adrienne hated the precious princess because of Cyril. Could her crime be as serious as spending her childhood with him? ¡°You seem to be really nervous. In fact, It¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve been in the capital, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, I¡¯m ashamed to admit yes. I couldn¡¯t afford to go out since my life on the estate was so hectic.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that right? Cassinel is so far away that the news has yet to reach us. I don¡¯t recall hearing anything about it.¡± Is it necessary for her to shout how many times the bandits have come down and how huge the gangsters disguised as mercenaries are? If she tells her, she won¡¯t understand it. It¡¯s a story she won¡¯t be interested in anyway. She would not have arrived at this capital if it hadn¡¯t been for that jerk debutante. Adrienne pretended she didn¡¯t know. Fighting with a lady with a high reputation in the social scene right in front of her was stupid. Especially when Adrienne has no one on her side. ¡°Mademoiselle Cassinel, Sir Thesar said he spent his childhood in Cassinel. Then you two must be very close.¡± ¡°He has a deeper connection with my father than with me. Just like ordinary teachers and students do.¡± Sir Thesar, whom they knew, and Cyril, whom Adrienne knew, learned swords and guns from Adrienne¡¯s father, Count Cassinel. Externally, it was. As a child, it was impossible to say straightforwardly that Cyril was sick enough to come to the Cassinel estate, which has a pleasant temperature all year. To explain it, she had to bring up a number of political reasons behind it, but it was better not to do such a thing. ¡°Have you been together for over a decade?¡± ¡°For eight years, I lived in the same castle. With a large number of trainee knights.¡± Adrienne said cut it off. Like so many trainee knights, and so is Cyril. ¡°But Sir Thesar is too much to look at as a general trainee. How many trainees have such appearance and physique? It would be difficult for me to see.¡± The woman¡¯s cheeks flushed as if she was remembering Cyril, who had just passed. Those seated at the same table were sympathetic as well. ¡®How can you be so nasty while not looking at me?¡¯ This atmosphere was formed roughly. ¡®Certainly not common.¡¯ Adrienne managed to wrinkle her brow. At the time of the first meeting, Cyril was very small. In addition, she thought it wouldn¡¯t be strange if he died tomorrow. Sir Thesar, on the other hand, was a tall, sensual, and most handsome dream man standing with 6.2 br (189 cm). Cyril is heartless. To explain, Sir Thesar was truly rather weak, and Adrienne couldn¡¯t help but remember worrying like a child that he might collapse and die. ¡°Sir Thesar is just a long-time friend of mine. Personally, I don¡¯t have any feelings. There is, of course, friendship.¡± Instead, Adrienne gave the same answers she would have given in the last three months of her trip to the capital. Sir Thesar has nothing to do with her. Sir Thesar is a good friend. Sir Thesar is only one of her father¡¯s disciples. ¡°Mademoiselle Cassinell could, but wouldn¡¯t it be different for Sir Thesar? ¡°Yes, the way he looked at you earlier was unusual.¡± ¡°Did he see exactly this way?¡± The arrow shifted in response to the strong response. Although she didn¡¯t dare to understand Cyril¡¯s feelings in his absence, Adrienne wanted to respond if she could. Chapter 2 Episode 2. Chapter 1. Prologue (2) ¡°Because he wouldn¡¯t have known I was here. I was surprised to see him after such a long time.¡± Of course, they exchanged letters during the war, and her final letter after the victory especially emphasized: ¡®You have to make a debut, so I¡¯m going to the capital. If you happen to meet me, don¡¯t act like you know who I am.¡¯ It was written clearly, though. She didn¡¯t know if he didn¡¯t get the letter or if he just pretended not to know. Either way, Cyril¡¯s reaction today was against Adrienne¡¯s words. Of course, Adrienne, a country girl, found the social world in the capital to be too harsh and exhausting. It was especially tough to suffer in this way against a Young Lady set to make her debut or her parents. ¡®Let¡¯s run away.¡¯ If she stayed, they would only ask her questions such as, ¡°What kind of relationship do you have with Sir Thesar?¡±, ¡°What kind of relationship will you have in the future?¡± and ¡°Do you have any promises made in the past?¡± ¡®Sir Thesar is only a friend who I grew up fighting with, and he would only be an enemy who I always argued with, and I have heard him declare in the past that he would never marry me¡­¡¯ How great would it be to be able to say that? Unfortunately, it can¡¯t be the case, so the only answer was to run away. Exactly five minutes later, Adrienne sneaked out of her seat on the excuse that she was not feeling well. Despite the fact that she was in an amount of discomfort today, time seemed to pass quickly because her surroundings were already dark. Adrienne stopped next to a bronze statue after walking around for a while. If she walked into a more remote area, she could bump into a pair of nobles who were enjoying playing with a ¡®fire.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ll have to go back after staying a little longer. I did a great job of keeping the carriage outside.¡¯ If she left a carriage at the Imperial Palace, it would be useless since the Cassinel family¡¯s emblem, which consisted of only a splendid crest, must have flapped. The news of Adrienne¡¯s escape must have spread like wildfire. There was a long shadow under Adrienne¡¯s feet as she sighed in tiredness. Only then Adrienne just realized there was a man behind her. Because this was the location, there would be no confrontation with the evil party on this street, but it would be tough for her if someone recognized her face. ¡®It¡¯s best to pretend to be sick.¡¯ Adrienne slowly turned back, her brows lowering and her slender fingertips pointing to her temples. Then, ¡°What are you doing here alone?¡± In an instant, her expression was distorted. Sensuality, amazing looks, and such a gentleman. Cyril Valentin de Thesar was standing right in front of her. ¡°Oh, look, it¡¯s Cyril.¡± Adrienne got rid of ¡®pretend to be sick¡¯ with amazing speed. Her fine-grained eyebrows returned to their place, and her pitiful hands were used to ruffle her hair. ¡°¡­Do you know we haven¡¯t seen each other in two years?¡± ¡°Time flies so fast. I was surprised, too.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you at least pretend to be glad.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you. It¡¯s so nice to meet you. You¡¯re in good shape, aren¡¯t you? You look good.¡± Cyril smirked in her sincere attitude. It was more amusing to see through the body with the eyes while talking like that. Adrienne, who had now grasped the situation, glanced up at Cyril and stopped. She narrowed her eyes, looking at Cyril with a tilted head, to feel something really weird. ¡°Cyril.¡± ¡°What.¡± ¡°Have you ever felt such pain in your neck?¡± She doesn¡¯t remember it being this much until two years ago. Adrienne spits out her words. Of course, he was already tall at the time, but it feels different now. Adrienne¡¯s sense of looking up at Cyril was strange. ¡°¡ªAdrienne, I told you that your memory is severely distorted. I haven¡¯t been shorter than you since I was thirteen years old.¡± ¡°I only remember you being so small until you were thirteen.¡± Cyril frowned this time. There was an unspoken rebuke about when the false remarks would appear, but Adrienne was confident. It was natural for memories of eight years of living together to be more vivid than memories of five years apart. That was because Cyril had always been smaller than Adrienne. Adrienne was still tall for a woman ¨C 5.5 br (about 170 cm) ¨C when she was 13 years old. Cyril, who was sickly and frail, was always small in Adrienne¡¯s memory. When did Cyril get so tall? Looking back on Cyril in the past, it was close to a miracle how he grew up in one day as if he had given water to a bamboo tree. Cyril Valentin, who wouldn¡¯t be strange even if he died young, grew up to be a soldier, and even though it was only an honorary position of the Emperor, was a miracle himself. ¡°You, don¡¯t look at me that way.¡± ¡°¡ªWait, what did I do?¡± ¡°You look at me as if I were a son who has been far away.¡± ¡°I have nothing to say to the Lady.¡± ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± She snorted as if she¡¯d heard something that wasn¡¯t even Cyril. ¡®I know my cousin is in the military, but no one is as timid as Sir Thesar.¡¯ Adrienne¡¯s ears were filled with the words she had heard earlier. Few words¡­? Cyril Valentin? What kind of reticence exists in any country? ¡°More than that, Cyril, did you not receive the letter?¡± ¡°The last time I got it was about a year ago.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no surprise. You dared to act as if you knew who I was.¡± Cyril, who had heard her murmur, opened his mouth. It was a habit that came out when he was confused. Adrienne waved her hand familiarly. And so he closed his mouth. However, if someone pretends to know their childhood friend they met after two years and hears such a noise, anyone will be shocked. Cyril held back to ask how her head was made up. Because the answer was sure to come back, pretending to be innocent. ¡°Give me that.¡± ¡°Did you leave it there?¡± ¡°Who said she¡¯d give it better if I came back safely?¡± Cyril took out a handkerchief from his pocket and waved it in front of Adrienne. [Cyri] The embroidery, done with terrible skill, was not even finished. How absurd it was for him to get this handkerchief on the day he left for war. Cyril¡¯s memory was still vivid. ¡®¡ªBut my name is not Cyri?¡¯ ¡®I know.¡¯ ¡®I know, but this is¡­ Is this how you put my name?¡¯ ¡®Every time I see a handkerchief, my heart explodes. I can¡¯t stand this. I¡¯ll make it better when you get back safely.¡¯ In this way, Cyril suddenly lost the ¡®l¡¯ from his given name. In fact, Cyril felt Adrienne had made a mistake. Surprisingly, the embroidery was neither crooked nor inconsistent. Anyone looking at it could see it was a beginner¡¯s skill, therefore it seemed logical to leave off one letter of the name. So Cyril received the handkerchief without saying anything. It was unfortunate that Adrienne, who lacked embroidery ability and skill, struggled with the cloth. Adrienne¡¯s explanation, by the way, was quite reasonable. In fact, whenever he saw the handkerchief, he would click his tongue at his incomplete name. Two years to endure with the thought of getting the name back. Today was the very day. ¡°I asked who it was, Adrienne.¡± Adrienne shrugged when Cyril noticed. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m staying in the capital now. Don¡¯t worry about it. I keep my word.¡± Adrienne pulled something out of her dress pocket. Last time it was red and this time it was a pure white handkerchief. At first glance, the number of letters was much higher than last time. It didn¡¯t seem like she was just playing. Still, it wasn¡¯t a bad feeling to think she¡¯d embroidered herself worrying for his well-being. Likable or not, it¡¯s for a friend¡ª. ¡°Why is it white?¡± ¡°¡­To make it harder to maintain? Or keep it as an ornamental?¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling me not to go to dangerous places again.¡± The eyes that stared at her as if she didn¡¯t grasp this deep meaning were annoying. Cyril could bet all of his fortunes, saying that was the reason she had it. It must have been so that the only thing he could see was white. Still, it was commendable that she didn¡¯t forget to keep her promise. Cyril chuckled and received the handkerchief. But for a moment, too. ¡°¡ªAdrienne de Cassinel Bluea.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t forgotten my name yet. Good job, Cyril¡± ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± The bright yellow eyes shone with anger. Cyril opened the handkerchief. [Syril Valentin De Thesar] ¡°S¡± was proudly in the place where ¡°C¡± was supposed to be. Meanwhile, the remarkably improved skill and the rest of the perfect name saddened Cyril. ¡®If you¡¯re going to do this, just make sure you did all wrong¡ª.¡¯ Chapter 3 Episode 3. Chapter 1. Prologue (3) ¡°That is why I should never give anything to a child who constantly complains.¡± ¡°Our birthdays are only a month apart.¡± ¡°Cyril, it must be a month apart. To put it another way, it¡¯s along the same lines.¡± Adrienne, who gave a warning with a look that was not scary at all, turned around without regret. ¡°You¡¯re not going to be discharged right now anyway.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Then it will continue to be dangerous.¡± ¡®If you get discharged later, I¡¯ll give it to you then.¡¯ Adrienne added quietly. That is why it was said that he should spend the rest of his military life with the handkerchief she handed him. ¡°It¡¯s fine to say thank you. I understand how you feel.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy I didn¡¯t run into you twice.¡± Adrienne walked away without saying anything. She made a meaningless wave with her hand. ¡°Ah, Cyril.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t follow me right away. I don¡¯t want to raise suspicion.¡± He felt like he was coming to a halt because he couldn¡¯t believe what she was saying. Cyril shook his head as if he had a headache. He doesn¡¯t know who else would talk like that¡­ Adrienne disappeared, and Cyril quietly looked down at the two handkerchiefs. 2 years. In just that amount of time, her embroidery skills showed improvement. And it didn¡¯t change no matter what the heart inside it was. Even though she didn¡¯t look like it, that nice girl would have wanted to say something like this: Don¡¯t get hurt. Just one word. ¡°Nothing¡¯s changed anyway.¡± Cyril murmured slowly. It was only then that he realized that he had returned to his daily life. ****** ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say this, but I believed she wasn¡¯t a real human being. It¡¯s awkward, however, I believe she¡¯s a fairy or goddess. You¡¯ve heard of such a thing.¡± ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sir, and friend, but I can¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Not like that.¡± Excuse the fairies or goddesses. Cyril swallowed back the words. This would not be said or heard by an already blind subordinate. ¡°I had no idea red hair could be that beautiful. Besides, I thought I also saw the sea in her eyes. What exactly is it? How can it be so sparkling¡­¡± The second son of Baron Langred, a second lieutenant in the Special Warfare Command¡¯s 1st Brigade, was definitely blind. If his praises for Adrienne could have gone further, it would have reached the level of a goddess¡¯s birth myth. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Cyril may not have known Adrienne¡¯s birth story, but he knew she was a totally normal human being. It was difficult just to hear the ridiculous praise for his childhood friend. In the end, Cyril kept his subordinate¡¯s mouth shut in one word. ¡°2nd Lieutenant Langred.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir!¡± His subordinate, on the other hand, had a lot to say on his face. It¡¯s fine to pretend he doesn¡¯t know, but his eyes were desperate for an answer. Receiving such looks from the same man was horrifying. Cyril sighed as if he had something to say. ¡°I heard you two have been friends for a long time.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m not sure how you can just become friends.¡± Cyril made a light frown on one of his eyes. As if it was not you who didn¡¯t understand, but it¡¯s me. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right? I would have fallen in love at first sight if it had been me. How could you possibly be friends with such a lovely Mademoiselle by your side¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t exaggerate it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not an exaggeration. I¡¯m saying it from the bottom of my heart.¡± Cyril, who was trying to dismiss it as an exaggeration, looked at his subordinate. 2nd Lieutenant Langred met the gaze calmly, his face devoid of any lie. Cyril frowned deeply as he realized the words were genuine. ¡°¡ªBy any chance, I understand if Mademoiselle did not boast of her beauty as a child like she is now.¡± ¡°Beauty, what?¡± ¡°You know why. It¡¯s like being ugly when you¡¯re young and then completely changing as you grow up. If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m also a little¡ª¡± ¡°She¡¯s always been that way.¡± In response to the indifferent response, the subordinate¡¯s face changed. Cyril was met with an ungodly stare as if asking what the hell was wrong with you. It¡¯s not even ¡®looked like,¡¯ but ¡®it¡¯s like that!¡¯ Still, how could you say something like that to such a beautiful woman? The 2nd lieutenant couldn¡¯t understand his superior. ¡°All I have to say is that everyone has bad eyes.¡± After shaking his head, Cyril said nothing more. Cyril¡¯s subordinate¡¯s eyes were even more impure, but Cyril was truly sincere. Why don¡¯t you rationally like Adrienne de Cassinel Bluea? Cyril wanted to ask again. How the heck can you love Adrienne rationally? So the whole story began 13 years ago. Chapter 2. The Little Kid and the Little Kid (1) Cyril, Duke of Thesar¡¯s Young Master, was in poor health. Cyril, who was born with a smaller body than others and was unable to cry properly, continued to live with remnants. Cyril was the heir that the Duke of Thesar had barely earned after waiting for more than 15 years without a single mistress. What can he do to save the heir? Not only the Duchy, but all competent doctors throughout the Empire, passed through the Duchy of the North. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t know what caused it¡ª¡¯ And all of the doctors said the same thing as if they had planned it. Meanwhile, Cyril had several seizures. ¡°In my medical opinion, this disease can be treated overnight, or it can¡¯t be cured forever. That is how difficult the disease is. As soon as I see it, I think you must change the environment first. You need to take him to a place where there¡¯s plenty of greenery and warm wind all year.¡± Meanwhile, a doctor told the Duke. He was the only one who didn¡¯t give up on Cyril and helped him get through for a while. There was no longer a doctor, and there was no other option. However, he was unable to send his only heir to any Empire territory. The fact that the Duke of Thesar¡¯s heir was ill as a result of multiple doctor visits had already been spread but professing it was another matter. It was all the more so given the Duke of Thesar¡¯s position as a general for generations. It was impossible to make a public statement about the fact that the only heir to the Duke¡¯s honor was ill. A location where one can hide one¡¯s successor¡¯s health status and make a good cause. A place ruled by a man who is trustworthy enough to maintain his faith while doing so. The Duke Thesar immediately remembered Cassinel. There was no reason for him to pretend to be a trainee in another family if he was the heir to one and also the Duke. However, Count Cassinel was a different story. Count Cassinel was an honorable knight who made his name on the continent and was the commander of the Imperial Knights. Furthermore, until just before his retirement, he had never missed winning various martial arts competitions such as swordsmanship, hunting, and shooting, so he was still held up as an example to many people. Cyril could have hidden the truth about his health under such a Count in the name of training. The Duke of Thesar made the decision to send his son to Count Cassinel. That was the start of a long, long relationship between the two childhood friends. Chapter 4 Episode 4. Chapter 2. The Little Kid and the Little Kid (2) ¡®I¡¯m not going to live a long life anyway.¡¯ Cyril Valentin de Thesar. At the age of six, the young heir thought so while riding in a carriage to the Cassinel estate. The child¡¯s eyes were as deadly as his pessimistic thoughts when he looked out the window. His eyes were numb as he stared at the Duke estate in the distance. Even the Duke estate, where he had lived for the six years, was unfamiliar to the child¡¯s eyes. It was natural for him to never leave the castle, let alone go out. While lying in bed and chattering, Cyril was always curious about what was going on outside. If he could only go out once. If he¡¯d only seen a little bit of it¡ª. However, when he came outside, his expectations soon became disappointing. The outside was less important than he thought. In the winter, bare trees were as thin as Cyril, and the wind that blew in was cold even though he was wrapped in a scarf and a cloak. And, most importantly¡ª ¡®You¡¯ve given up on me.¡¯ Cyril¡¯s expectations for life had vanished as a result of this thought, and he couldn¡¯t feel anything. ¡®You finally gave up on me.¡¯ When his father told him to go far away and gain dignity as an heir, and when his mother told him to restore his health. Cyril had only one thought when he heard those words spoken in the cold and hard tone of a Northerner. ¡®I¡¯m going to end up¡ª¡¯ Outside, he¡¯s thinking about being abandoned. What expectations can be placed on a life that has been abandoned? Cyril, who had spent his entire life in sympathy and sighs, thought it was better, but couldn¡¯t stop his eyes from turning red. He will die slowly in Cassinel, a land in the far southeast. He¡¯ll die of illness, just like he always did. He will be forgotten one day, and a new heir, a healthy heir who will satisfy his parents, will be born. By then, he would have¡ª. Cyril shifted his gaze away from the window and buried his face in his knee. The child¡¯s thoughts grew more and more negative. ******* The first impression of Cassinel was actually not good. It was because it was smaller than the Duke¡¯s estate and less than everything Cyril had ever seen in his life. Something was always familiar to him because he was always in the room. The house in Cyril¡¯s case was like that. Even if he doesn¡¯t know what the term ¡°old-fashioned and classy¡± means, he has a natural eye for it. In Cyril¡¯s opinion, Count Cassinel¡¯s estate was a little shabby. The old castle and the old-looking interior were enough to annoy the Young Master. If he were a normal 6-year-old, he would cry because it was strange and frightening, but Cyril believed this because he was a pessimistic 6-year-old. ¡®I¡¯m only going to die in a place like this¡ª¡¯ Count Cassinel appeared just as Cyril was about to drown in despair. The middle-aged Count, who had a powerful presence, looked down at Cyril with tiger-like eyes and said. ¡°Young Master, I¡¯ve been waiting for you. You¡¯ll be living in this Cassinel starting today.¡± ¡°¡­I look forward to your kind cooperation.¡± Because he was both pessimistic and dignified, Cyril responded calmly. ¡°Is it a child, Dad?¡± A small voice spoke up at that point. In a situation where he couldn¡¯t see her face and could only hear her voice, Cyril quietly rolled his eyes, later realizing that a girl was standing behind the Count. A girl with red hair, similar to a rose he saw in a book, was blinking her eyes open. Cyril thought that girl seemed to come out of the book, too. Because she looks just like the fairy in the fairy tale book that his nanny showed him. ¡°Adrienne, you should be polite to the Young Master.¡± ¡°Wow, it¡¯s very small!¡± The Count¡¯s face, which appeared rough at first, quickly softened into that of a friendly father. Even his warning tone was gentle. Cyril, on the other hand, was more focused on the words she said while staring at him than on the dramatic change. ¡®It¡¯s very small!¡¯ If Cyril hadn¡¯t already lost his sight, the girl was unmistakably pointing at him. ¡®It¡¯s very small!¡¯ It¡¯s not ¡®little¡¯ or ¡®small¡¯¡ª Even if it was one of the two, he¡¯d feel bad¡ªbut she even said ¡®very small.¡¯ Cyril¡¯s fist clenched. He wanted to respond, but he was afraid he¡¯d be as childish as that girl. But Cyril was tempted not to lose. ¡°¡ªYou¡¯re small, too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a kid, so I¡¯m small.¡± Adrienne, the girl, responded as if she was saying something so obvious. Blink. Her eyelashes fluttered every time she closed her eyes. It was even similar to a fairy. Cyril was briefly distracted by the movement before saying it again. ¡°I¡¯m just a kid like you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, but you¡¯re smaller than me.¡± That¡¯s why it¡¯s very small. The additional words were fatal. Cyril couldn¡¯t think of anything to say. He even admitted that he was a child, but in the end, the conclusion was that he is ¡°very small.¡± Cyril is obviously a child, and he hates to admit it, but he¡¯s even smaller than this girl. It¡¯s all true, but there¡¯s no way to always be happy just because it¡¯s true. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll grow up soon.¡± ¡°When you grow up, so will I.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to be taller than you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m taller now. Then I¡¯ll be the taller one later.¡± The doctor standing behind him couldn¡¯t stop laughing and let out a ¡®Pft¡¯ sound. The Cassinel family servants who stood behind the Count had similar expressions. Even the Count¡¯s lips were curved in a smile. There were only two people who did not smile in this room. Two six-year-olds who are completely serious. ¡°¡ªAnnoying.¡± Cyril murmured softly, aware that he was a laughingstock. Adults were all laughing, whether they couldn¡¯t hear it or thought the child¡¯s grumbling was cute. ¡°Because I¡¯m taller?¡± Meanwhile, the girl who had a good understanding of Cyril tried to confirm it with an innocent face. It¡¯s so annoying. Cyril let out a short sigh of frustration. ¡®I¡¯ll be taller than her.¡¯ The Duke¡¯s successor, who was thinking of dying just an hour ago, vowed to grow tall at that moment. ******* ¡°You will continue to take your medicine three times a day, Young Master. You should open the window if the weather gets better. In contrast to the duchy, the winter is short here, so you won¡¯t have to wait long.¡± Cyril¡¯s doctor, Jerome, smiled as he adjusted his glasses. His warm eyes shifted to Cyril, who was staring at the blanket. Since he met the Count¡¯s Young Lady, the sensitive Young Master had been in that state. He was so resentful that he chewed his lips with his neat front teeth on occasion. ¡®It¡¯s a good thing.¡¯ When Jerome saw the little master angry, he felt at ease. People must have willpower in order to survive. Cyril, on the other hand, was still weak and lacked willpower. Not only that, but Cyril lacked many of the characteristics that a human should have. Things like fun, motivation, and greed. From birth until now, it was natural to live with a doctor while fighting against illness. It was the first time Cyril had shown such concrete feelings to others. Of course, he always had a tantrum or a temper tantrum, but today was different. ¡®If you want to improve your medicine, you¡¯ll have to¡ª¡¯ Competition. Cyril must have picked up on that basic emotion from what happened today. That made Jerome very happy. ¡°Young Master, your lips will not run away.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°But as a doctor, I can¡¯t help but worry about the blood.¡± Cyril let go of his lips as he sighed at the words. Jerome silently laughed at the sight. Cyril was a sensitive, picky child who was also a good listener. He would have been more than a gift of gentle energy to the North if he had grown up healthy and not sick. When he saw Cyril like that, he remembered someone. He had no idea that a small child could be saved. That¡¯s why Jerome cared more about Cyril. Because he used to imagine Cyril running around with excitement. Knock. Shortly after, a hazy sound was heard. Jerome stood in the place of Cyril, who was still staring at the blanket. Knock. At regular intervals, a small knock could be heard. That was a very cute sound. Jerome was able to guess the visitor¡¯s identity despite the fact that she did not identify herself or ask permission to enter. ¡°You have visitors. We should probably call it a day.¡± Jerome, who was packing his belongings, sneaked open the door. Cyril, the room¡¯s owner, frowned, but Jerome ignored him. Cyril will forget about himself after seeing the visitor, anyway. ¡°Oh my, a precious person has found you.¡± Jerome greeted a more ladylike visitor than a knock. ¡°Me?¡± The little visitor asked, pointing to herself with a doll-like finger. ¡°Of course,¡± he says. Srrrk. He heard the sound of the blanket being pulled up to the tip of his head from behind him at the same time he heard the answer. He didn¡¯t seem to want to meet her. Jerome smiled with his eyes and let the guest enter. And said aloud, as if to make him listen. ¡°Young Master, Mademoiselle Cassinel is here.¡± Srrrk. He heard the sound of putting down the blanket again. Jerome ended up laughing out loud. Chapter 5 Episode 5. Chapter 2. The Little Kid and The Little Kid (3) ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The silence lasted for a long time. Cyril, who was leaning against the head of the bed with his arms crossed, opened his mouth annoyingly. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Can I come in?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Cyril let out a sigh. Why are you asking me if you can come in when you already are? It was a question that Cyril couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°You¡¯ve already come in.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m still here.¡± The girl pointed to her feet. At a glance, it seemed that she was standing on the threshold. So she wanted to say that she hadn¡¯t come in yet. It was unthinkable behavior in the Duke. Cyril recalled that anyone entering the room, including the Duchess, had to first obtain permission before opening the door. But it was Jerome, not the girl, who opened the door in this case. To be precise, it is difficult to say that the door was opened to leave, but¡ª ¡°First, come in.¡± Cyril granted her permission to enter. The girl, who was standing like a tree at the time, then went inside. The fluttering steps appeared to be very light. ¡®It¡¯s amazing how you walk.¡¯ Cyril, who had been caught in the eye at the moment the footsteps fell, paused. ¡°¡ªWhy are you coming up?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to talk to you.¡± The girl, who he expected to stop moderately, tried to climb onto the bed. Cyril was dumbfounded and asked again. ¡°This is my room, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°This is my house¡ª¡± Still, she thought something was odd, so she paused and went back down. The maid was clearly waiting outside, as evidenced by her appearance. ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Then there was silence once more. Slowly, the blue-glittering eyes blinked. Shouldn¡¯t the person paying the visit usually give a reason for their visit first? Cyril had a brilliant mind, but the girl was undefeatable. ¡°What brings you here?¡± Finally, unable to overcome his frustration, Cyril inquired once more. The girl drew the words ¡°Uhm¡ª¡± in response to that question. The eyes flew upward with Cyril¡¯s words, as if thinking carefully. He asked her after she showed up, so think about the reason¡ª? Then, what brings you here? ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Name, don¡¯t you know?¡± The girl repeated the word slowly, as if Cyril were an idiot. ¡°Na.me.¡± Cyril was irritated by the voice¡¯s kindness. ¡°What are you going to do when you find out?¡± ¡°So I will know what to call you?¡± ¡°Why do you call me?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re in my house?¡± He was just being irritated and grumpy, but the girl didn¡¯t say anything. Cyril shook his head, thinking he¡¯d be a fool if he kept going at this rate. ¡°Cyril.¡± ¡°Cyril? It¡¯s a very short name.¡± ¡°Cyril Valentin de Thesar.¡± ¡°It¡¯s long¡ª¡± The eyes glistened with joy and quickly became depressed. Is it sad that my name is long? ¡°¡ªJust call me Cyril.¡± ¡°I will.¡± With that in mind, Cyril suggested a better choice. The girl was pleased with the offer. ¡°How about me?¡± ¡°Adrianna.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The girl briefly admired. The big eyes have already grown round. Her mouth gathered round along the eyes. ¡°Wrong.¡± ¡°What?¡± Just as he was about to think it was a little cute, everything that was round disappeared. The girl, with a solemn look, put her index finger together to make an X. ¡°It¡¯s not Adrianna. It¡¯s Adrienne.¡± ¡°¡ªIt¡¯s the same thing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s different.¡± Reading was the only thing a child who rarely got out of bed could do. Cyril exaggerated a little bit and even began writing before she did. Cyril¡¯s mind was full of random knowledge, and the random knowledge told him that ¡®Adrianna¡¯ was the same name as ¡®Adrienne.¡¯ However, the owner of the name argued that it was significantly different with a determined look. It¡¯s a nickname anyway¡ª. Cyril had a twisted thought, but he didn¡¯t want to be persuaded unnecessarily, so he agreed roughly. ¡°Cyril.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± Adrianna, no, Adrienne, who appeared out of nowhere and after introducing herself, left the room as if she had completed her task. Fluttering. The fluttering look of the back disappeared like a miracle. Cyril thought, feeling a little tired. ¡®She¡¯s a really weird kid.¡¯ As a result, Adrienne was labeled as a ¡°weird kid¡± by Cyril. ****** He¡¯s been at the Cassinel estate for three days now. Cyril was enjoying a relatively peaceful day. He still has the cough he¡¯s always had, but it¡¯s a lot better than it used to be compared to his overall condition. Above all, he slept soundly. He even snored without having a seizure. That¡¯s really encouraging. Was it right? Cyril, who had been eating in the room the entire time, reacted impulsively to the Count¡¯s invitation. ¡°Oh.¡± Adrienne, who was the first to sit at the same table, greeted Cyril and pretended to know him. Cyril wondered whether he should pretend to know her for a while, but he did it anyway. ¡°If you have a favorite dish, please tell me.¡± ¡°Thank you so much.¡± It was the most serious words to say to a 6-year-old, and the response was far too calm for a 6-year-old. Adrienne returned her gaze to her father and Cyril, then nodded. Cyril felt uncomfortable with her head nod, but instead of paying attention, he turned to the table. Roasted mushrooms, pumpkin pies, cooked meat for easy digestion, steak with salmon sliced into bite-size pieces¡ª. The meals were mostly of the types that Cyril could easily eat. It is possible that the Duke¡¯s cook left a remark to him. To think about it, every meal he takes into the room is to Cyril¡¯s liking. Cyril, seeing the attention to detail, listened carefully to the table. A quiet mealtime followed, except for Adrienne¡¯s occasional slamming of the meal on the plate. Cyril, who was gently fiddling with his hands, had not touched the food at all. Adrienne, who had observed the fact, patted her father on the shoulder. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it suit your taste, Young Master? Then I¡¯ll try to prepare another dish right now.¡± Count Cassinel, who had been keeping an eye on the situation, inquired gently. ¡°No, it¡¯s not a problem. I¡ª.¡± Cyril mumbled and shrugged. His white, tired face didn¡¯t appear to be in good shape. Cyril jumped up from his seat, his fists clenched as if holding something back. ¡°Ugh.¡± But, in the end, he vomited on his way back. Cyril raised his head after a long struggle. Cyril¡¯s tired face had turned pale. Then, ¡°¡­¡­¡± Adrienne¡¯s eyes met his. For some reason, Cyril reeled up and began to run straight. ¡°Bring the Young Master!¡± The butler¡¯s voice followed. Adrienne cast a glance at Cyril, who had vanished in a hurry across the filthy floor. She remembered the golden eyes trembling with fear, as if they were terrified. ******* The seizures began with vomiting, as they usually do. Cyril gasped and took a deep breath while lying on the bed as if collapsed. Jerome, who took action quickly after encountering the disturbance, did so skillfully. It was all about taking medicine and rubbing hands and feet to keep the body from hardening. After a long time, the trembling limbs regained stability. When Cyril came to his senses, Jerome, who had been standing by and taking care of himself the entire time, stepped aside. Cyril suffered from a lot of self-hatred after becoming ill because he didn¡¯t want anyone else to find out about it. He was in bad shape in front of Count Cassinel and his daughter, which must have made it even more painful. ¡®Why so suddenly! Why again!¡¯ And, as Jerome had predicted, Cyril was having a hard time. Adrienne stood in front of him, her eyes wide with surprise. ¡®It was okay, it was okay this time, but why¡ª¡¯ His thoughts wandered when he remembered the vomit that had covered the clean floor. Anyone who saw such a thing would be offended. Cyril remembered his parents sighing in a similar situation when he was younger than he is now. As a result, Cyril began to prefer eating alone at some point. So that no one notices his hideous appearance. So, how did he come to the decision to eat together¡ª. Cyril rubbed his face helplessly against the pillow, his embarrassment mounting. ¡®From now on, I¡¯ll have to say I want to eat alone.¡¯ Cyril stood up, struggling to clear the image from his mind. His mind was dominated by the idea that it was necessary to say it, even if it did not need to be said right away. Cyril, who was attempting to pull the string, chose to walk instead. It was because he wanted to show a little of his normal appearance. Despite being a weak Young Master in the Duchy of Thesar, he supported a very small wish, at least in Cassinel, to be regarded as a mistake. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Cyril stiffened as he took a heavy step and opened the door. The cause was the small body sitting next to the door. The red hair was strewn about the white dress, and the child rolled up in a circle with her head down. It was Adrienne. Later, a maid appeared in Cyril¡¯s eyes, standing with a puzzled expression. She was a maid serving Adrienne the first time he saw her. ¡°Huh.¡± Adrienne raised her head and made direct eye contact with Cyril. She was relieved to hear only a few words but Cyril was not in the mood to face Adrienne. Looking into her eyes reminded Cyril of his earlier mistake, and he was embarrassed enough. The child was a child, no matter how gentle Cyril was. In other words, he is not mature enough to communicate peacefully with the person who has been caught in a bad situation. ¡°Cyril!¡± Cyril, who was walking blindly, came to a halt. Cyril wasn¡¯t mature, and he wasn¡¯t particularly ambitious. His mind told him to ignore her, but his body was stuck and refused to move. Cyril ended up half-twisted and dazed. ¡°Here.¡± The white hands approached at that point. Something new to him, perhaps hidden in her arms, was on the small palm of his hand. It was a strawberry with red and yellow seeds that were gradually inserted¡ª. Adrienne, who was still seated, raised her hand, on which the strawberry was placed. Cyril couldn¡¯t even look down because he lacked the courage to make eye contact. ¡°¡­You eat it.¡± Then she turned around, but this time another hand appeared. A ripe pomegranate was placed in his hand. Unconsciously, Cyril cast a glance down. Adrienne¡¯s dress was dyed red in the area around her stomach. The outcome of carrying the fruit with care was obvious. ¡°This is delicious.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°This is really delicious.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t eat it and brought it¡ª¡± Her red hair glistened in the sunlight coming through the window. Cyril, who was hesitant, moved his eyes slowly. She looked at Cyril with innocent eyes, as if to say, ¡°You still don¡¯t eat?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re full, just eat one. You don¡¯t have to eat both.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°It¡¯s delicious, really.¡± Adrienne made that gesture with her hand. Cyril chewed his lips as he watched the movement. His throat was a little hot. Even though she knew he wouldn¡¯t be full after seeing all the disgusting scenes, the girl¡¯s eyes were sincere. Looking into her eyes, it seemed as if nothing had happened. Cyril eventually got his hands on the fruit. Adrienne didn¡¯t seem happy, and she just stared at it. Then she added, ¡°My legs hurt.¡± ¡°¡­Then get up.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t get up because my legs hurt.¡± Her sullen posture supported that statement. Stupid¡ª. Cyril muttered something like that before approaching her. Adrienne took a light grip on the hand. Despite the fact that the fruit¡¯s sweetened hands were sticky and normal only when they were unpleasant, Cyril was not uncomfortable. It had to be because the strawberry he received was extremely fragrant. Or perhaps the pomegranate was too appealing. Cyril simply decided to believe so. Chapter 6 Episode 6. Chapter 2. The Little Kid and The Little Kid. (4) The door, which had been silent without a knock, unexpectedly opened. It¡¯s embarrassing, but Cyril isn¡¯t surprised. It was because he had gone through it so many times during his stay at Cassinel. Adrienne is here again. Cyril, who thought normally, put the book he was reading down on the bed and lifted his head, ¡°You¡­ What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± He was surprised. She was so startled that Cyril stuttered rare words. ¡°I¡ªam an adwult¡ª.¡± (t/n : This part Adrienne speaking in weird way because she put cotton pad in her mouth) ¡°What? No, bleed¡ª You¡¯re bleeding¡ª?¡± Adrienne had a blood-stained cotton pad in her mouth. Even as she mumbled, a thread of blood flowed down her chin, making it even more terrifying. ¡°I¡ªam an adwult¡ª.¡± ¡°What are you saying¡ª? No, it¡¯s bleeding!¡± Cyril couldn¡¯t stay in bed any longer after a drop of blood fell to the floor. Cyril, who had picked up a hand towel neatly placed on a small table, placed the handkerchief under her chin as if it were trying to block the flow of blood. Adrienne, who was muttering incomprehensible words, closed her mouth after being met with Cyril¡¯s unfriendly gaze. ¡°Lady!¡± Then a new voice was heard. The maid who found Adrienne ran to her as if an urgent step was approaching. ¡°I was wondering as to where you were running¡ª! You¡¯ll have to wait a while for the blood to stop flowing. Take a look! You¡¯ve already spilled it! Oh my goodness, Lady!¡± Despite her harsh tone, the warmth that came to dominate her words was warm. Adrienne¡¯s face was bruised as she realized this. As she replaced the clean cotton in her mouth, the maid smiled as if she couldn¡¯t stop herself. Cyril looked at the scene strangely. The two seemed surprisingly close. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s good. Do you have to stay like that? Just don¡¯t run.¡± Come to think of it, everyone in Cassinel that Cyril met was like that. Their tone was friendly, and they spoke with a smile on their face. Even the Count, who appeared solemn, did it in front of Adrienne. Could it be because they live in a much warmer place than Thesar? All of this was new to Cyril. ¡°Young Master. I apologize for being rude. The Young Lady suddenly ran¡ª¡± ¡°Never mind, what¡¯s the matter with her?¡± ¡°She pulled out her tooth. It proves how mature she has become.¡± ¡°I¡¯m an adult now.¡± Adrienne, who had been calmly stopping the bleeding as told, stepped in as if she had been waiting. It was a very proud attitude. Only then was Cyril able to know the source of Adrienne¡¯s constant muttering. ¡®I¡¯m an adult now¡ª¡¯ He was curious as to what she was saying while bleeding, but it was nothing. Cyril was taken aback and tried to sigh, but as she lowered the cotton, his gaze was drawn to Adrienne¡¯s slightly exposed mouth. It didn¡¯t have the two front teeth it should have had. He thought the leaking sound was really bad, but it was empty because the place where the front teeth were supposed to be was ruined. ¡°Pft.¡± It was a bit, no, it was really funny. The sight of a big cotton pad stuck between her empty front teeth reminded him of a rabbit. ¡°Why are you laughing?¡± ¡°Because you look like a fool.¡± ¡°I¡¯m an adult¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me. You look like a fool.¡± Adrienne looked at the maid with unfair eyes. But the maid, who should be on her side, was also smiling and couldn¡¯t help her. ¡°Youwre smwaller thwan me¡ª¡± Adrienne filled the empty space with cotton. Smaller than me? Cyril, who understood the words right away, frowned. ¡°No teeth?¡± ¡°I¡¯m twaller¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m not tall!¡± It¡¯s a little¡­! Cyril, who was trying to correct Adrienne¡¯s words, came to a halt. Why does he have to admit how small he is? ¡°If you¡¯re finished, get out! Don¡¯t come inside my room!¡± Cyril, who was angry, turned around and shouted coldly. He could hear a continuous murmur behind him, but he closed his ears and pretended not to hear it. What rabbit. Rabbits are adorable. She¡¯s just an annoying little girl. As he rubbed himself under the sheets, Cyril muttered. ***** The sons of nobles began to receive an education in the Empire when they were six or seven years old. It was a step toward fulfilling his future position as a nobleman. In the case of Cyril, he had to take classes as a knight as well, but because he wasn¡¯t in such good condition, he decided to first get etiquette class with Adrienne. ¡°Simply lower your posture rather than lying on my back.¡± ¡°You did that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s lying on my back, you know?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± ¡°I¡¯m right.¡± ¡°Is that so¡ª?¡± Adrienne replied slowly, tilting her head. Adrienne was always confused by the same part, even though it was the third class. By the way, stupid¡ª. Cyril looked at Adrienne and clicked his tongue. What is the purpose of being tall if you don¡¯t have a brain? ¡°Let¡¯s stop. Mademoiselle Cassinel, let me explain again.¡± The Viscountess Parte, who came to Cassinel as a teacher for Adrienne and Cyril, spoke as if she knew what she was talking about. The Viscountess Parte pressed her shoulders down as well, keeping Adrienne¡¯s back straight. It was just as Cyril had said. ¡°Look.¡± ¡°I told you not to treat women like that, Monsieur Thesar.¡± Cyril, who was sarcastically replying, said quickly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Meanwhile, Adrienne, who had finally found a suitable position, turned to face Cyril. ¡°You have to apologize to Mademoiselle Cassinel, not me.¡± ¡°¡­Sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± When she smiled, a gap formed between the corners of her mouth. Because the front teeth had not yet fully grown, the sound of wind leakage was still present. Don¡¯t laugh because you look stupid. Cyril held back from saying so. Adrienne alone was enough to prove her lack in front of Viscountess Parte. When they quit picking fights, the lesson continued. Class was more of a process for Cyril of putting what he had learnt from a book into practice. In other words, it was boring, but Cyril did his best to follow the tutor¡¯s instructions. If he was attending lessons, he might see himself as a fully grown adult one day. The class ended with a greeting from Viscountess Parte. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go out?¡± Cyril focused his attention on Adrienne, who had stayed quiet long after Viscountess had left. ¡°Are you bored?¡± ¡°I say this every time, but I¡¯m not bored.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a little bored.¡± Cyril shrugged his shoulders and gestured, as if he couldn¡¯t help himself. Adrienne, who was pleased, picked something up and naturally got up to bed. ¡°Read it for me.¡± ¡°All right.¡± The ¡®something¡¯ was a book. Cyril sat down next to Adrienne and began reading. When he was at the duchy, Cyril was always reading. The fact that he had another person next to him didn¡¯t change anything. So this isn¡¯t a big deal, Cyril used to say that to himself. It was because he thought he should. ¡°¡­And the witch was executed for the first time for kidnapping the princess. The princess who is back in the kingdom¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Dying.¡± ¡°Is the witch dead?¡± ¡°I just read it.¡± Adrienne didn¡¯t give in to the annoying voice. Adrienne, who returned to the beginning of the book, pointed to a paragraph. ¡°But the king didn¡¯t keep his promise.¡± ¡°The issue is that the retaliation has been kidnapped.¡± ¡°What¡¯s retaliation?¡± ¡°Revenge.¡± ¡°Re¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to ask me, ¡®What¡¯s revenge?¡¯ Get out.¡± Adrienne couldn¡¯t speak, perhaps hitting the nail on the head. Really stupid¡­ Cyril thought again. Chapter 7 Episode 7. Chapter 2. The Little Kid and The Little Kid. (5) Adrienne de Cassinel Bluea knew so little that it was difficult to believe she was six years old and the same age as Cyril. In reality, Cyril was just overly knowledgeable, but with only one comparator, Adrienne, it was natural to think that way. ¡°I feel sorry for the Witch.¡± ¡°What do you feel sorry for?¡± ¡°Still, the Witch thought the Princess was her daughter.¡± The witch pretended to be the mother of the kidnapped subject after falling in love with the Princess¡¯s loveliness. Cyril assumed it was all a plot to fool the princess. It¡¯s no surprise Cyril¡¯s real mother wasn¡¯t very friendly. The Duke and Duchess of Thesar were both like that. So, in Cyril¡¯s eyes, the witch¡¯s behavior, who stayed by the Princess¡¯s side all day and couldn¡¯t give her anything more, seemed suspicious. ¡°I feel bad for the witch¡­. She¡¯s dead¡ª¡± Adrienne, who grew up in the friendly Cassinel, had a different situation. The blue eyes drooped, as if depressed. He hates the mean Adrienne, but he hates the depressed Adrienne even more because she is new to him. It was better to smile brightly even if it was a little silly. ¡°¡ªShe¡¯s not dead.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°She pretended she was dead. So that the Princess can return to her people.¡± So Cyril added a word. Adrienne was overjoyed despite the fact that it was a complete lie. ¡®I knew it,¡¯ Cyril snorted inwardly. It¡¯s as simple as that. ¡°That¡¯s all for today. Now go.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll tell my dad.¡± What would Count Cassinel think of this story? First and foremost, it was doubtful that Adrienne would tell the story exactly as she had heard it. ¡°Has your mother not come yet?¡± ¡°Uhm?¡± ¡°The Countess. I heard she went on a trip.¡± Adrienne, who was about to leave the room, blinked as she always did. It took a long time to think about the question he asked without much thought. Adrienne continued her walk instead of responding. She even tried to climb into bed. Adrienne spoke in whispers to Cyril, who looked at her as if she were doing something. ¡°She isn¡¯t here yet.¡± ¡°When will she come?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure either.¡± His voice was also low because she was uselessly whispering. Adrienne was a strange kid, as he remembered from his time at Cassinel. Cyril shook his head and asked. ¡°When did she go on a trip?¡± ¡°Six years ago?¡± ¡°Six years ago? It¡¯s not a trip¡ª¡± Cyril, who had unintentionally spit out his heart, paused. ¡®She went on a trip six years ago, and she hasn¡¯t returned yet, and she has no idea when she will.¡¯ Cyril only found out later that Countess Cassinel died the year she was born. Count Cassinel must not have told Adrienne the truth. Cyril understood the Count¡¯s decision. Adrienne is so naive and stupid that she would prefer not to know about her mother¡¯s death. She¡¯ll find out someday though. ¡°¡­Okay, but why are you speaking so quietly?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s a secret.¡± ¡°Secret? Okay, keep it a secret.¡± When he told his young daughter that it was a secret, he seemed very worried. He must have been afraid that someone would point out the truth to her. Cyril nodded, unaware that he, too, was young. ¡°You can¡¯t tell my dad.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°My mom¡¯s not coming.¡± However, the words that followed were completely different from Cyril¡¯s. Adrienne had a serious expression on her face as she looked at Cyril. Her voice was still small and leaky, but her expression was serious. One possibility was suggested by the expression on her face. The possibility that Adrienne was already aware of her father¡¯s lies. ¡°You¡ª Do you have any idea where your mother is?¡± But¡ª This stupid girl? Cyril asked, cautiously but suspiciously. ¡°Yes, but you can¡¯t tell my dad. You must say that I don¡¯t know.¡± Adrienne, who had approached a little closer, had whispered. ¡®Otherwise, my dad will be sad.¡¯ ¡°Promise.¡± Adrienne even held out his fingers with a determined expression. Cyril couldn¡¯t think of anything to say, so he stared at it and walked slowly across her fingers. ¡°That¡¯s enough. You have to keep your promise.¡± ¡°¡­.Okay.¡± Adrienne smiled and got out of bed. She didn¡¯t look back this time. Cyril, who had been left alone, pondered when the warmth on his fingers vanished. Maybe Adrienne isn¡¯t that stupid. ******* However, Cyril completely dismissed the possibility that he had raised in the past, which is that Adrienne was not stupid. ¡°This is Mignon. This is Rose. What is this?¡± (t/n : Mignon = small and pretty.) ¡°What do you know?¡± Adrienne was definitely a fool. Otherwise, there was no way to explain why the honorable noble, who was about to turn seven, was playing with dolls. ¡°Look, this is Mignon because it¡¯s pretty, and this is Rose because her hair is pink. But her hair is brown. Then what is it?¡± It¡¯s natural to name it once. Cyril¡¯s brilliant mind exclaimed, ¡®Marron,¡¯ but he despised his ego as a precocious aristocrat. (t/n : Marron is brown in French.) ¡°So you don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s all right. I¡¯ll let you know. Brown is¡ª¡± ¡°Marron, it¡¯s marron. I know.¡± However, the aristocratic ego could not stand being ignored. Finally, Cyril¡¯s face, which gave the correct answer, was distorted with agony. ¡°Would you like to say hello to Marron?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want it.¡± ¡°Do you dislike Marron?¡± ¡°Yeah, so please go out and play.¡± ¡°But this child doesn¡¯t like you either.¡± What exactly do you want me to do¡ª Marron was a doll with brown hair and pigtails. What¡¯s the difference if the doll hates him? It was better not to like it. Despite thinking so, Cyril glared at the doll once. ¡°Will you read to me later, Cyril?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see it¡± ¡°So you¡¯ll read it.¡± Adrienne, who responded calmly, continued playing with the doll. He didn¡¯t understand why she had to play dolls on his bed, which she could do anywhere. Adrienne, who believes she should play on Cyril¡¯s bed, is also absurd, but when he thinks about it, Cyril himself, who tolerates it, is also strange. In the end, even though he was angry, it was Cyril who left it alone. Cyril, who was concerned about the strangely disturbing fact, quickly discovered the answer. ¡®¡­because this child is a little short of..¡¯ I¡¯m more mature, so I¡¯ll have to put up with it. Thinking that made him feel better. Despite the fact that they are the same age, Cyril decided he didn¡¯t care how young Adrienne played. ¡°¡­what are you doing?¡± However, the firm resolve was broken in less than a minute. Adrienne¡¯s doll play drew Cyril¡¯s attention away from the book. Is that doll play? It was a model sword held by two dolls dressed in lovely gowns. Adrienne was striking the sword, brilliantly moving her doll¡¯s wooden arms. ¡°Battle.¡± ¡°¡ªBattle?¡± It was the moment when the small parasols and the dainty table next to the doll were overshadowed. At a loss for words, Cyril stared at it, and Adrienne replied briefly. ¡°It¡¯s a disguise.¡± ¡°Where did you learn to say that?¡± A child who does not know what she needs to know is familiar with the difficult words about battle and disguise. Adrienne set aside some space between the two dolls and said when Cyril asked. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what Mouette did. You must disguise yourself in order to avoid being discovered.¡± Mouette was one of the knights guarding Cassinel. It¡¯s not surprising that he teaches tactics, but when the target is Adrienne, it¡¯s a different story. ¡°Are you, by any chance, the heir?¡± ¡°Heir?¡± ¡°I asked if you would be the Count?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my dad.¡± What kind of heir is a child who doesn¡¯t understand¡ª Let¡¯s just stop talking now. Cyril shook his head and returned to the book. How long has it been this way? ¡°Adrienne¡ª how are you going to live?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Cyril couldn¡¯t help but feel suffocated and asked earnestly. Cyril¡¯s parents would have been surprised if they had witnessed it. Despite the fact that he was sick and unable to attend formal successor classes, Cyril did not neglect his studies while lying in bed. Of course, Adrienne will not be the successor, but it should not be for Cassinel¡¯s sake¡ª but wouldn¡¯t it be appropriate to say something about their feelings of being together? In his own way, Cyril was concerned. ¡°If you keep playing like that all the time, you won¡¯t be able to marry when you grow up.¡± ¡°Marriage?¡± ¡°The act of combining families.¡± ¡°Combination?¡± Adrienne nodded her head repeatedly. She seemed to be unable to understand what was being said to her. ¡°If you grow old according to your family¡¯s level¡­ No, when you become an adult, you¡¯ll have to live with some kind of man, right?¡± ¡°I live with my dad.¡± ¡°Not the Count. Another man.¡± ¡°Cyril?¡± ¡°¡ªI¡¯m a man, too.¡± Cyril, who had been unknowingly optimistic, was taken aback. Cyril was able to endure almost yelling, ¡®Why would I marry you!¡¯ ¡°You¡¯ll meet a man from another family when you¡¯re older. To do so, you must be smart.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Adrienne raised her voice, as if she realized what was going on. When Cyril is reassured that the story will eventually work out, ¡°It¡¯s all right. Because I¡¯m pretty.¡± An absurd response has returned. Adrienne added, as if to confirm, while Cyril questioned the function of his ears. She said it¡¯s fine because she¡¯s pretty. ¡°Who, who the hell says that?¡± ¡°Everyone said I was pretty.¡± ¡°But who says it?¡± ¡°Emma did, Lena did, Mila did, Dad did, and¡ª¡± ¡°Stop. I¡¯ve got it.¡± Before everyone¡¯s name was called, Cyril raised his hand. ¡®How could you say such nonsense even as a child¡ª?¡¯ Adrienne, despite her appearance, was a noblewoman with many virtues that a noblewoman should have. What a hopeful thought to be in such a position to be criticized by the Viscountess Parte right now! Cyril was deeply concerned, ignoring the fact that she had grown up in this way. Chapter 8 Episode 8. Chapter 2. The Little Kid and The Little Kid. (6) ¡°How about you?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m not pretty?¡± It was then that Adrienne suddenly asked. What in the world is this again¡ª. Cyril looked at Adrienne with a squint. A few strands of curly hair shifted the round brow. The flowing red hair contrasted with the white forehead, emphasizing the colors of each other. The brows had a distinct and neat texture beneath it, and the long eyelashes had already created a deep shade. Cyril¡¯s face became solemn as he considered criticizing Adrienne. What about the eyes? Even at sunset, Cyril could see the bluest eyes he¡¯d ever seen. Despite the overall aggressiveness, the slightly drooping eyes gave the impression of gentleness. Looking back, he believes he initially mistook her for a fairy. That was before he heard her say he was small. ¡®¡­That¡¯s not wrong.¡¯ Cyril realized all of a sudden. Adrienne de Cassinel Bluea was as beautiful as she claimed, and as everyone else in the castle agreed. And that¡¯s quite a lot. ¡°¡­.Not at all.¡± Cyril, who had managed to take his gaze away from Adrienne¡¯s clear eyes, uttered something different from his heart. Pretty is pretty, but he had no idea what Adrienne¡¯s future held. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°¡­.Yeah.¡± Cyril paused for a moment before nodding slowly. Adrienne lowered the doll. ¡°But Cyril is beautiful.¡± Her eyes sparkled as well. Adrienne murmured quietly as she looked at the doll with a pout on her face. Cyril flinched, as though it had caught his mind. Should he change his words now? ¡®Actually, you¡¯re a little bit, a little bit more beautiful¡­¡¯ It was when Cyril, feeling guilty, was in conflict. ¡°But it¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Suddenly, what¡¯s okay?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m not marrying Cyril!¡± Adrienne, who had immediately regained her energy as if she had been angry, shouted bravely. The act of picking up the doll was also pleasant. Cyril, who had been struck by a sudden blow, opened his lips without realizing it, but it was too late to close it. ¡°Who wants to do it with you?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± Why would I marry an idiot like you? Cyril shook his head, suppressing his anger. Somehow he felt like he lost before he even fought. Who said he wanted to marry her¡­ Cyril recalled Adrienne¡¯s words and denied them once more. She acts as if he is the one who wants to marry her¡­ Too much denial persisted until Adrienne left the room. ***** The mysterious disease was Cyril¡¯s oldest and worst friend. He caught Cyril off guard just as he was ready to forget, and tortured him all night as if he had forgotten him. Cyril, who had a brief seizure, looked blankly at the ceiling. It was morning after he felt strange, as if his body was not his own. The symptoms of numbness throughout the body, the disappearance of all senses in an instant, and the blurring of the mind several times that have not become used to them. ¡®I saw Jerome.¡¯ Cyril had a vague memory of his doctor¡¯s face. He appears to have hurriedly pulled the bell with an ominous feeling. As a result, Jerome had to come. Jerome would have given him his usual medication and knitted his arms and legs tight so the seizure wouldn¡¯t last any longer¡ª Just like right now. Cyril was used to his tickling little touch. ¡®¡­.A little force?¡¯ ¡ªNo, it didn¡¯t. It wasn¡¯t like that at all. Jerome was an adult man and a competent doctor. He couldn¡¯t have laid his hands in such a clumsy manner. Only then did Cyril notice something odd and try to turn his head. His movements were sluggish immediately after regaining his senses because it was difficult to move. ¡°¡­..?¡± Cyril, who managed to look in the right direction, saw an unexpected figure. Adrienne. His lips moved slightly, but he lost the sound due to his lack of strength. Adrienne, who was sitting next to the bed, was simply pulling Cyril¡¯s hand out of the blanket and rubbing it. The way she looked around, it was clear that she wasn¡¯t sure if this was the right way. The clumsy touch was very strange. ¡®Is it a dream?¡¯ With his hazy mind, Cyril barely thought about it as the medicine didn¡¯t go away. It was a reasonable thought. Why is Adrienne here instead of Jerome at this time? Furthermore, Jerome was familiar with Cyril¡¯s personality. He¡¯s stubborn and doesn¡¯t want to be caught in pain. Cyril was confident that his doctor, Jerome, would not have opened the door easily. Even if Adrienne has been quite close to him. ¡®It must be a dream.¡¯ In many ways, it was a reasonable inference. Cyril, relieved, closed his eyes slowly. ¡®There¡¯s no way a moron who has no idea what a successor is could nurse him.¡¯ Even if she could, he didn¡¯t want Adrienne to look after him. This was especially true given that he had already been caught weak. ¡®Well¡­¡¯ He didn¡¯t feel so bad because he knew it was all a dream. With a more relaxed expression on his face, Cyril fell asleep. Adrienne was waving his hand in the dream world when they met again. Surprisingly, last night¡¯s pain seemed to vanish. In the midst of ticklish comfort, a smile spread around Cyril¡¯s sleeping mouth. ****** It was the day after winter. The spring wind, which had yet to take off its cold energy, passed through the soft branches. Cyril lay in bed and gazed away at it. The last few days in a row were filled with pale, low depression. ¡®You¡¯re a lot better than you were before. The paralysis symptoms are significantly reduced. It¡¯s just a cold, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡¯ Despite his doctor Jerome¡¯s reassuring conversations, Cyril¡¯s hearing was limited. As a result, only negative words like ¡°paralysis¡± and ¡°heat cold¡± remained in his mind. Only then, Cyril was depressed and was waiting for a seizure that might come back. Only a few weeks ago, the beginning of the 7-year-old was slightly better than the end of the 6-year-old. He can¡¯t believe the new year has begun with a fever. Cyril coughed, having opened spring with disappointment. The coughing sound was unusually louder in a quiet room. Tick. A small frictional sound was then heard. Cyril coughed a few more times before turning his head when he heard the sound. The window was the source of the noise. A thick thing was banging on the window. Count Cassinel¡¯s garden had as many old trees as it had in its long history, but the trees were still trees. The tree moves on its own and comes into contact with the window. It couldn¡¯t possibly have happened. Even though Cyril¡¯s room was on the first floor, the branches of tall trees rarely reached the first-floor windows. ¡°Adrienne?¡± Adrienne appeared when he thought he saw a shadow on the window. The thick branch was shaped like a wooden sword. Adrienne, wielding a powerful sword, stood nearby. ¡°What are you doing there?¡± Cyril muttered over the window in a voice Adrienne couldn¡¯t understand. It was the first time they had met in a week because she had been prohibited from entering because they were concerned that the cold would spread. Cyril gave Adrienne a quiet look. Adrienne, on the other hand, appears to be in good shape, unlike him. Her flesh-colored blush glistened above her white cheeks, and her sparkling eyes sparkled with liveliness. ¡®Must be great.¡¯ Cyril thought morosely, a little envious of it. Some people just lie down because they don¡¯t have the energy to go out¡ª. Even though he knew it wasn¡¯t Adrienne¡¯s fault he was sick, he couldn¡¯t help but feel envious. Tack, tack. Adrienne, who had been staring at her, knocked on the window again. It was a stronger sound than before. ¡°What?¡± Cyril responded casually for no apparent reason. It doesn¡¯t matter how he says it because it won¡¯t be heard anyway. Whether Cyril was rationalizing it or not, Adrienne pointed her finger at herself. ¡®What else are you going to do?¡¯ The eyes that couldn¡¯t be found with anticipation turned to Adrienne. Nonetheless, he did not turn his gaze away from Adrienne, and he listened to her. Adrienne stumbled three or four steps away from the window when she noticed Cyril¡¯s gaze. And she breathed out once, and then¡­ Huck! As it was, she swung a wooden sword. It was both a quick and flexible movement. Cyril¡¯s jaw dropped as he witnessed the unexpected action. Adrienne continued. She raised her brows and opened her mouth from time to time, as if she was putting on a show. ¡®What the hell is that¡ª?¡¯ If the Viscountess Parte had seen that, she would have shouted, ¡®Mademoiselle Cassinel! You can¡¯t behave like this!¡¯ and be terrified. Cyril felt the same way about Adrienne as he did about a governess, but he had no idea that his eyes would fall off her agile body at some point. ¡®Count Cassinel is a strong soldier. They claimed that the Young Master would return after living a healthy life under him. This nanny guarantees it.¡¯ The nanny held Cyril¡¯s hand tightly and said so the night before he left Thesar. In fact, he didn¡¯t listen to it because he believed he had been abandoned at the time¡ª. ¡®I think she¡¯s doing a good job.¡¯ Looking at Adrienne, the Count¡¯s remarks were agreeable. Adrienne¡¯s movements were light, as the bloodline of Count Cassinel. Of course, to the Knight¡¯s eyes, that would appear to be a joke, but to Cyril¡¯s eyes, who couldn¡¯t get out of bed, it appeared to be quite plausible. Adrienne approached the window after a short demonstration while Cyril put it in without realizing it. Knock knock. Instead of the wooden sword, a small fist tapped the window this time. Cyril, who had been awakened by the sound, looked up and hardened his expression as if she had been paying attention. Meanwhile, Adrienne was now standing right in front of the window. Red hair overflowed over the large window. The midday sun shone over it, and Cyril thought it was a little dazzling. ¡°¡ªWhat?¡± That could explain why he didn¡¯t understand Adrien¡¯s words. It was a bright day, too bright to read her mouth shape. Adrienne has never looked so shining¡ª. Chapter 9 Episode 9. Chapter 2. The Little Kid and The Little Kid. (7) To avoid Adrienne¡¯s gaze, Cyril turned his head slightly. Adrienne, who was speaking loudly with her mouth open, blinked. Cyril was oblivious to the fact that he was avoiding her gaze. She didn¡¯t want to look at Adrienne right now for some reason. After a while, the ¡°knock knock¡± sound stimulated his ears once more. Cyril was forced to look away once more. Adrienne was nodding her head, as if telling him to come closer. She was clearly going to keep knocking on the window if he didn¡¯t listen. It¡¯s better to be bothered once than many times. Cyril stood up and walked towards the window for the first time. ¡°Why are you calling me?¡± Adrienne gave him a big smile as he spoke through the glass. As she was bothering the sick man, she smiled once more. She¡¯s strange in so many ways. Cyril had a crooked thought. Hoo¡ª. Adrienne, who is completely unaware of the idea, began yet another eccentricity. It was unusual to be able to breathe through a clean window. Adrienne, who breathed through a clean window, put her finger on it and moved it for a while. [To.ge.ther. do.it.] ¡°Let¡¯s do it together,¡± she wrote in her honest handwriting, without thinking about what others would see. The sloping handwriting appeared to be good, but it was bad handwriting; even though she knew he was sick, she still asked him to do it with her. ¡°¡ªI¡¯ll think about it.¡± Regardless, Adrienne is Cyril¡¯s first friend, and this is the first time a friend has asked him to do something together. That honesty touched Cyril¡¯s heart, and he nodded his head. Adrienne smiled brightly behind the blurry glass. Cyril didn¡¯t have the confidence to face that smile, so he turned around and pretended not to know. ******* But that was all. Cyril couldn¡¯t understand why he did that on that day four months later. ¡°Ah!¡± Cyril froze when he felt the light blow. After being startled by the hard feel of the wooden sword, the unknown flutter that tickled one side of his chest had already disappeared. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to avoid it?¡± Adrienne, who had hit Cyril on the shoulder without mercy, tilted her head innocently. Cyril felt cheated since he said he couldn¡¯t see the flying sword with his own eyes. The frail body and the strength to crawl on the floor were overwhelming merely to digest the basic training, running. He spent three months working on his stamina, and he¡¯s only been holding the sword for a month. ¡°Do it again.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± It was far too early to begin a full-fledged fight, but the knight would not back down. After all, don¡¯t children grow up fighting? The problem was that the ¡®children¡¯ were their Master¡¯s daughter and the Duke of Thesar¡¯s son, but it was too embarrassing to consider it a match in the first place. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you avoiding me?¡± Moreover, the Young Master usually went to Adrienne¡¯s one-sided beating, but there was no way because the person involved, Cyril, refused to stop her. In the eyes of the Knight, the victory or defeat was actually decided from the beginning. Adrienne was taller than her peers, had greater endurance, and had begun swordsmanship several months before Cyril, so it was natural for her to win. The Knights knew that the Lord, Count Cassinel, often thought, ¡®How great it would have been if Adrienne had been his successor.¡¯ Cyril, on the other hand, was thin and lacked physical strength. One grit was sufficient, but it was meaningless right now due to a lack of skills. ¡®But we don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen in a few minutes.¡¯ They were already in their third fight. The Knights stared at Cyril with a sword, pretending to be calm despite the fact that his beaten arm was stinging. Cyril, who had been in bed for a long time, was regaining strength quickly. He was still short, but his arms and legs were long, so he had a promising future. He would have been a great young man if he had grown up without any problems. The Young Lady would have grown up by then, so it could be a good match. When he saw the children arguing, the old Cassinel Knights smiled warmly. They¡¯ve been in this relationship since they were kids. It was like a romantic couple that his wife would like to know. ¡®What¡¯s all this about?¡¯ And Cyril, who is in charge of one of the pairs, gritted his teeth. When the sweet phrases of romance and relationship were gone, just the flames of revenge and duel dominated Cyril. ¡°Do you like being beaten, Cyril?¡± ¡°Would you like it?¡± ¡°Can I take a look?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say such a thing.¡± Cyril¡¯s heart was on fire due to those blue eyes and the fact that he was carrying a sword. ¡®I¡¯m going to win, really.¡¯ Cyril¡¯s eyes were burned as he looked at his sword. The little seed in the heart, which had almost grown into something, was struck by a wooden sword and half broken, silently holding its breath for a long time. ****** ¡°¡ªWhat should I do!¡± Cyril¡¯s ear was tickled by a fluttering voice. ¡®It¡¯s noisy,¡¯ Cyril thought in the middle of his daze. A stamping sound could be heard nearby. The sound of voices continued, but his head was too hazy to grasp what was being said. ¡®Why¡­¡¯ Cyril frowned helplessly as he felt a heavy stone crushing down on his head. It was very hard, like lying on the floor. His head was feeling something soft, but his back was beginning to grow sore. He felt as if he were lying on the floor with a pillow. Cassinel lacked infinitely compared to Thesar, but it wasn¡¯t enough to make the bed feel like the ground. So, what is the problem? Why does the bed, which has been well-made for several months, suddenly feel like a bare floor overnight? A question came to Cyril¡¯s mind, which had been agonizing for a while. ¡®¡­Did I fall down?¡¯ Cyril was apparently reading a book while leaning against the bedhead a while ago. Leaning on his dim back and watching the swaying letters was Cyril¡¯s little pleasure. Then he noticed a suspicious shadow by the window, so he got closer and discovered ¡®something¡¯. Cyril lost consciousness the moment their gazes met. That was the last memory I had. He apparently witnessed a confusing scene. ¡®Wait, what was that?¡¯ Cyril continued to agonize with his eyes closed. ¡°Adrienne! Isn¡¯t this kid dead? Is he really dead? Huh?¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s alive.¡± Voices intervened between the hazy memories at that point. ¡°Look at him, he¡¯s breathing.¡± The warmth, which was believed to be a finger, touched and dropped slightly under Cyril¡¯s nose. The unnecessarily loud voice was strangely familiar. Adrienne. Cyril came up with the name all of a sudden. ¡®Yes, this is definitely Adrienne¡ª¡¯ As soon as he remembered the name, he also remembered the last scene he saw. Cyril was successful in recalling the two who were sticking their heads out in the darkness where the moonlight barely cast shadows. ¡®There were two of them.¡¯ Chills. The sensation of the hair caused Cyril¡¯s eyes to flutter open for a brief moment. The surroundings gradually became visible as the blurred vision cleared. Two blue pairs of eyes looked down at Cyril. Blue eyes, like jewelry, are not uncommon, but it was odd that there were two pairs, rather than one. ¡°He opened his eyes! See? He¡¯s still alive.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. I¡¯m relieved¡ª¡± Adrienne on the left is staring blankly, while Adrienne on the right is worried¡ª. Cyril¡¯s gaze was drawn unconsciously to Adrienne on the left. ¡®She¡¯s real.¡¯ He¡¯s thinking the same thing. ¡°Oh my goodness, what is this¡­? Lady, could you please explain what happened? First, let¡¯s put the Young Master to bed.¡± The door swung open, and Jerome, who was running, quickly grabbed Cyril. It was one of the two, as the hugging motion felt dull unlike before. Either Jerome got older or Cyril got a little heavier in the meantime. Perhaps it¡¯s a combination of the two. It¡¯s also a sign that he¡¯s getting a little healthier. ¡°Reid said he wanted to see Cyril but didn¡¯t want to wake him up, so I looked through the window a little.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only seen it. But then this kid collapsed. He must have been surprised. We were a little too much, weren¡¯t we? That wasn¡¯t supposed to happen¡ª¡± During Jerome¡¯s treatment, two voices talked nonstop. Cyril focused his entire mind on the particularly catchy word. Reid? He thinks he¡¯s heard that name before¡ª Cyril blinked twice before opening his eyes. ¡°Reid?¡± Adrienne¡¯s older brother and Count Cassinel¡¯s heir. He appeared to be exactly like his given name. Reid de Cassinel Bluea Cyril had overheard a story about Reid while passing by. Adrienne frequently mentioned her brother. When asked where he was, she replied, ¡®Reid is with Grandmother.¡¯ The old madam of the Bluea family, Adrienne¡¯s maternal grandmother, was said to be very fond of Reid and kept him by her side now that she was ill. He only thought he was older than she was, but he never imagined they¡¯d look alike. Cyril took turns looking at the Adrienne twin brothers, Reid and Adrienne, who had only been born five minutes earlier. Chapter 10 Episode 10. Chapter 2. The Little Kid and The Little Kid. (8) It was different, but strangely similar. It sounds strange, but it was true. Right now, the only difference between the twins was the length of their hair. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay? Did it hurt a lot? Did it hurt badly? If that¡¯s the case¡ª No, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°I just fell down. It¡¯s not a big deal so stop saying sorry.¡± Fortunately or unfortunately, their personalities were different. It was very different from Adrienne to be restless and wary all the time. The real Adrienne couldn¡¯t care less about how nervous her brother was. Reid, who had been pacing around the room, eventually hurried out of the room, saying he would bring something to drink. ¡®Do you really need to call the maid?¡¯ But Cyril didn¡¯t say anything like that. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°This is good.¡± Adrienne, who replied confidently, gently rubbed Cyril¡¯s hand. With small hands, it¡¯s very hard. That¡¯s what it seemed like when he was lying on the floor earlier. Cyril recalled a dream he¡¯d had as a result of that touch. Did he have a foresight dream? When he thought about it like that, he doesn¡¯t feel good thinking that Adrienne seemed to be a big existence to him. Nonetheless, Cyril remained silent. It was because the touch of sincerity was not bad. ¡°It must be painful. I¡¯m sorry.¡± The whispering voice got softer at the end. Well, she struck him with a wooden sword and¡ª. Cyril, who was trying to speak without much thinking, paused. ¡°I was just going to quietly see you. I was worried that if I opened the door, it might break¡­ But I saw a light inside, so Reid and I were only going to see you for a little bit¡­¡± Adrienne, who normally blinked, kept her eyes open for some reason. Cyril only understood it was to keep her tears from falling. The big eyes glistened with water. It was just like Adrienne who was stubbornly holding on to it that it would flow quickly once it was wounded and opened. In fact, Cyril didn¡¯t want to blame this brother and sister much. It wasn¡¯t worth it in the first place. Rather, the problem was with him. Because he believed in the existence of ghosts and because he was always on the verge of death and didn¡¯t know when the ghost would take him¡ª. As a result, he passed out when he saw the brother and sister reflected in the window. Pass out. After thinking about the situation objectively, Cyril was a little stunned. What a wonderful thing this is. Of course, there was a lot more to be said about the excuse. Two identical faces appeared unexpectedly in the dark, and the lamp lights were only half-lit. It¡¯s a strange sight when two half-faced people look the same¡ª. It was even stranger if he wasn¡¯t surprised. ¡°Sleepy.¡± However, he did not want to tell Adrienne the entire story. His heart will be broken as a result of his pathetic behavior. Cyril purposefully yawned and turned away. Normally, he would not have done such an undignified thing in front of Adrienne ¡ª or anyone else ¡ª so it was a deliberate act. ¡°Adrienne, are you sleepy, too?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not?¡± Adrienne yawned as if contagious, despite saying no. Even after she had done it, she seemed to be unsure of why she had done it. A stream of tears flowed down the cheek as soon as the small mouth that had opened vertically closed. Cyril casually wipes away the teardrop. ¡°Now go to bed. I¡¯m going to sleep, too.¡± Cyril pushed Adrienne away, pulling out the hand that was still holding her. Adrienne blinked again as if she had never held back his tears and smiled softly. ¡®Crying and laughing.¡¯ There¡¯s a lot to cry about and a lot to laugh about. Cyril thought bitterly, but just smiled along. But he decided it would be better for Adrienne if she smiled. ****** The personalities of the twin brothers and sisters were quite different. Reid is a bookworm, while Adrienne can¡¯t stand being in one place for too long. When it came to tendency, Cyril was in the middle, but his actions were mainly directed at Adrienne. ¡°Cyril!¡± ¡°Get out now.¡± Cyril, who had changed into a more simple outfit, decided to leave the room, and Adrienne, who had been resting, stood up. ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Why?¡± Why? That¡¯s what Cyril wanted to say. The white shorts, just below the knee, were brand-new in any way he looked at them, and Adrienne¡¯s pants were most clearly not. ¡°I borrowed Reid¡¯s clothes.¡± Adrienne confessed after recognizing Cyril¡¯s gaze. The tone was quite brazen, but the hand directed to the ear was almost certainly a lie. ¡°Does Reid know?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll know it tomorrow.¡± As expected. It¡¯s a habit that appears when she lies, but she doesn¡¯t seem to be aware of it. Cyril promised not to tell her anything for the rest of her life. ¡°That¡¯s a good rent.¡± He sneered, but Reid probably wouldn¡¯t care. Cyril, who had been observing the brother and sister¡¯s daily lives for the past year, was confident. He¡¯s not sure if Viscountess Parte, who is scheduled to visit the castle tomorrow, will have the same thoughts. Adrienne seemed to be completely unconcerned. Her curly hair was tied up high, giving the impression that she was about to jump around. In that way, Cyril liked Adrienne. When he went out with Adrienne, he felt as if his body had been confirmed to be this healthy. ¡°Adrienne.¡± Cyril, who was looking at her round forehead, suddenly thought of it and called out to Adrienne. Somehow, it felt like their eye level had become a little similar. ¡°Uhm?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± But bring this up, and Adrienne will rush to the tree to measure his height. The multiple small drawings on the tree were always placed higher on Adrienne¡¯s than on Cyril¡¯s. Cyril didn¡¯t want to suffer another defeat with a sense of uncertainty. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Mount Faradi today!¡± Adrienne, who had tilted her head as if it were bland, quickly brightened and shouted. Cassinel was a structure that surrounded the land, similar to how the mountain range itself serves as a border. There were many names for mountains, ranging from small hills to large mountain ranges. They¡¯d always climb the smallest mountain near Castle Cassinel. It was referred to as a mountain, but it was more of a hill. But just getting over it took months. Of course, the main cause was Cyril. ¡°Faradi? Did the Count agree to it?¡± ¡°Yes, he said it would be quiet for a while.¡± According to her intact hand, it wasn¡¯t a lie. If the cautious Count had readily allowed it, there was a good chance he would have released the Knights and organized the mountain. Because the Count was very fond of Adrienne. It¡¯s another mountain. Cyril nodded and said, ¡®Whatever,¡¯ but he was actually very excited. He won¡¯t be able to climb that high, but it¡¯s still a good idea for him to go somewhere new. Cyril, who always looked out the bedroom window, was like a dream in itself. No, taking this for granted felt like a dream. Much of what could not be imagined in Teshar was routine in Cassinel. And, as much as he hates to admit it, Adrienne was a main contributor to making that dream a reality. It wasn¡¯t wrong because the minor desire to defeat Adrienne sparked his will to live. ¡°I¡¯ll go first, Cyril!¡± ¡°Wait for me!¡± The top contributor, who shouted the loudest, continued. Cyril began to hurry along with Adrienne, who was already far away. ***** ¡°Come on in.¡± Knock knock. Cyril replied to a short knock. It¡¯s Adrienne and it was obvious. Adrienne, who had been in her room for some time, began knocking once more. There had to be a reason, whether she was scolded by the Count or told by the Viscountess Parte. Whatever the circumstances, it was not a bad change for Cyril. She¡¯s now eight years old, and it¡¯s time for her to grow up. ¡®Adrienne is doing what is called growth,¡¯ Cyril said boldly. ¡°Cyril!¡± ¡°I told you to come in.¡± ¡°Pull open the door!¡± If she¡¯s going to change, her irritating personality will as well. Cyril frowned, disturbed by his leisurely reading time. ¡°How come you can¡¯t open the door by yourself when you have a hand to knock on¡ª¡± ¡°Take a look, present.¡± He was greeted with a faint floral scent as soon as he opened the door. Adrienne pushed something before he could figure out what it was. Cyril then placed a sprinkling of yellow flowers on his face. It was Coreopsis, which can be easily seen in the mountains behind the sun around this time of year. ¡°¡­..¡± So that¡¯s why she can¡¯t open the door. The untied bouquet was so large that she had to hug it with her arms wide open. It was amazing that she could knock at this point. Cyril lowered his gaze to the flowers Adrienne had forced him to bring. It was all yellow and yellow again. It was nothing more than a yellow flower. The problem was that it was so yellow that he couldn¡¯t figure out why she had given it to him. ¡°I brought it because I thought of you. Pretty, right?¡± Adrienne grinned, looking at him without doubt. The smile put pressure on him to agree quickly. However, rather than the pressure, Cyril took note of Adrienne¡¯s words. Did this flower make you think of me? Why the hell? ¡°¡­why do you think of me when you see this?¡± ¡°Why, it¡¯s the same color as your eyes. They¡¯re both yellow!¡± It was a simple reason to waste time thinking about it. Because his eyes are yellow and this flower is yellow, she was reminded of him¡ª ¡°What kind of flowers do you bring to the man?¡± ¡°What man? You are Cyril.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t show you anything.¡± Cyril murmured in low voices. That¡¯s what he said, but he didn¡¯t mean to show it anyway. Why would he have to prove to Adrienne that he¡¯s a man? ¡°What do you mean to show?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been feeling this way for a long time, but you have good hearing.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it good to be good?¡± ¡°What can I say to you¡ª¡± How does it feel to live happily? Cyril sometimes had the urge to look into Adrienne¡¯s head. Isn¡¯t it just a blank sheet? Maybe it was an empty field everywhere. But it¡¯s okay because she look happy. Chapter 11 Episode 11. Chapter 2. The Little Kid and The Little Kid. (9) ¡°Give it back if you don¡¯t like it.¡± Adrienne reached for the bouquet as if offended by his direct attitude. Cyril took a step back just as she was about to touch the green stem. ¡°Who else would you give this to if it weren¡¯t me. I¡¯ll just take it.¡± Adrienne raised her brow as if it were ridiculous. Cyril swallowed a smile, anticipating the nagging that was about to come. He didn¡¯t realize it when he was younger, but it was so much fun when Adrienne got annoyed. He felt he had accomplished his goal when her blue eyes blazed with rage. That was why he had to bother Adrienne now and then, even though he knew he should just say thank you. Perhaps it is now through the use of a few words. It used to feel like a loss to deal with their lack of communication, but Adrienne is easily annoyed these days, so it was a reasonable guess. He wants to make fun of her at times like this, so Adrienne¡¯s remark about him, ¡®You¡¯re a little mean,¡¯ might be correct. But no matter how bad Cyril was, he couldn¡¯t be worse than Adrienne, who was in the same situation. Cyril took a step back, hiding the bouquet behind him. ¡°You just have a pretty face, and your personality is¡ª¡± ¡°Young Master, it¡¯s time for the check-up. Oh, the Lady was with you. Shall we postpone the time a little?¡± Just when Adrienne was just starting to get angry in a roaring voice, Jerome appeared. ¡°No, Jerome. I¡¯m going to go now.¡± Cyril whistled at the perfect moment, and Adrienne muttered. She groaned and walked out. ¡°You look happy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Cyril immediately denied it, but a yellow petal fell in front of him just in time. Only then did Cyril look at the floor with the presence of a bouquet hidden behind him. ¡°You may not be happy, but shall I prepare a vase for you?¡± ¡°Are you making fun of me, don¡¯t laugh.¡± ¡°How dare I do such a thing.¡± The string was pulled by Jerome, who opened his hand. Surprisingly, the maid who arrived while Cyril was settling in for a checkup was already holding a vase. The maid, who had made eye contact with Jerome, smiled slightly and accepted a bouquet from Cyril, which she placed in a vase. Cyrill remained silent, looking at the two with a disapproving expression on his face. Eventually, an armful of Coreopsis flowers and a transparent vase were placed by a window. It was a position that Cyril could see as soon as he lay down on the bed. ¡°You don¡¯t hear your heart beating so loud these days, do you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t wake up at dawn. ¡°Not very much.¡± Jerome, who was carefully observing the symptoms, put down his pen. Jerome removed his glasses for a few moments, rubbed his eyes, and said, ¡°You¡¯ve improved a lot. I¡¯m telling you the truth.¡± He smiled, but couldn¡¯t stop his voice from shaking as he put on his glasses again. Jerome is the father of a 5-year-old daughter who died. It was a story he had told during his time in Thesar. Cyril would not have been able to give up after losing his young daughter. When every doctor in Thesar declared surrender, Jerome was the only one left. ¡°Thanks to you.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t make fun of adults.¡± Cyril didn¡¯t say much. Even if he didn¡¯t say it, they knew each other. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s good news from Duke.¡± ¡°Good news?¡± Jerome, who had just stood up and picked up his leather bag, added that he seemed to remember it only now. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll bring you a letter as soon as possible. I believe you¡¯re waiting because we¡¯re in the process of checking you in¡ª¡± ¡°What¡¯s the good news?¡± ¡°Can I tell you right now?¡± ¡°Say it.¡± Cyril lifted his chin. It meant that I should stop wasting time and speak quickly. In any case, Cyril thought it was a minor issue. As is usual in a letter of regards. ¡°Then, Young Master, congratulations. A second hope is said to have bloomed in Thesar.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m confident Young Master will be a good brother.¡± But this time was different. The news was neither expected nor surprising. It was the birth of his younger brother. A younger brother who could be the heir. Unconsciously, Cyril held his breath. ****** Cyril hasn¡¯t been like this in a long time. He didn¡¯t have a seizure like before, but he did get chills during the summer. It was the birth of his younger brother. Despite the obvious good news, Cyril was dissatisfied. His heart felt like it was pounding and dropping. A sense of crisis and anxiety. For a brief moment, Cyril felt the anxiety that had been suppressed for so long. Didn¡¯t they send him to Cassinel to get rid of Cyril? Leave no trace of his presence in Thesar¡ªso that the new heir can proudly ascend to the post. Cyril¡¯s spirit was consumed by the negative delusion. Anxiety about getting sick again sparked the delusion. ¡°Cyril! I heard you have a brother!¡± The door swung open, and Adrienne walked in. The news appeared to have already spread. He had to have sent a letter to the Count as well, so it¡¯s no surprise that his daughter Adrienne knew. ¡°Cyril?¡± He didn¡¯t have the energy to respond and wasn¡¯t in the mood, so Cyril hid his head under the covers. When he first arrived at Cassinel, he felt the same way. An ominous feeling of being abandoned from Thesar forever. After a while, he heard the door quietly close. Adrienne seemed to go out again. He¡¯s glad it didn¡¯t bother him, but it was an odd feeling. ¡®I need to reply back.¡¯ The brief regret was quickly overshadowed by rising worries. ¡®Congratulations. I should say that I can¡¯t wait to meet my lovely brother¡ª¡¯ His heart aches just thinking about it, so it won¡¯t be easy. Brother, Thesar¡¯s new hope. Cyril¡¯s eyes, which had been drooping with worry, slowly closed. The energy of medicine seemed to gradually take over the body. ¡®I¡¯ll send you a letter¡ª¡¯ Cyril eventually fell asleep. ******* The darkness had already fallen by the time Cyril opened his eyes again. It wasn¡¯t too late to notice the lamp that lit up the garden. Cyril was used to the calm atmosphere. On the days when he woke up alone¡ª. ¡°Are you awake?¡± ¡°!¡± Cyril, who was in a sentimental mood, was taken aback. When he turned his head in the direction of the voice, he was met by a brother and sister who looked exactly alike. On the other side of the window, the brothers and sisters pulled up a chair to the left of the bed and sat next to each other. ¡°What? Reid. You explain.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just sitting here waiting because Adrienne¡ª¡± The hesitant lead hid the end of his words. To put it bluntly, Adrienne had directed him to keep an eye on Cyril while he slept. Cyril let out a short sigh in response to the shocking words. Adrienne, simply stared at Cyril, blinking, as she used to do when she was younger. ¡°Why are you sleeping with a man¡ª¡± ¡°This is Reid. Reid de Cassinel Bluea.¡± Adrienne, who was pointing to Reid, spoke with the proper pronunciation. It seems like a long time ago that she was crying because saying his name was difficult, but it was a huge improvement. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°And I am¡ª¡± ¡°Adrienne de Cassinel Bluea. What are you doing?¡± Adrienne gave Cyril a nod as he took the initiative. What in the world is she doing? Adrienne said abruptly as she repeated the concerns he has been dealing with for the past year. ¡°I was born later than Reid. Reid¡¯s alive here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s scary, Adrianna¡ª¡± ¡°Look, it¡¯s not a ghost, it¡¯s Reid.¡± Adrienne even poked Reid. Reid was born timid, despite being twins with Adrienne¡ª. Cyril, who was expressing his condolences, came to a halt. It was because he felt something in a meaningless conversation. ¡°Cyrill, when your brother is born, you¡¯ll still be there.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You won¡¯t disappear.¡± Never. The additional voice was more powerful than ever. Only then did Cyril realize. The fact that he is no longer a loner, and that a small girl who appeared to be lacking is already growing up and comforting him. ****** ¡°Reid, eat everything.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Reid, who was picking vegetables quietly, shook his head. The boy pulling out the green vegetables hidden beneath the steak had a sullen expression on his face. Adrienne took over as a watchman at the table where Count Cassinel was absent. As a result, there was only one twin left to keep an eye on. ¡®Say no if you¡¯re going to do that.¡¯ Cyril thought as he put his portion of the meat in his mouth. It¡¯s something that gets pointed out every time, so Reid was being told to correct his eating habits or not to interfere at all. (t/n : I¡¯m not sure about the last part?) That was enough for him to enjoy being nagged. With the repeated situation, it wasn¡¯t unreasonable for him to think that way. ¡°That¡¯s right, Cyril. There will be no training today.¡± ¡°Looks like a mess again.¡± Reid was surprised by the blunt remarks. His gaze returned to his sister before returning to its original position. Cyril ate lamb-baked cherry tomatoes with a fork, unaware of the commotion. He didn¡¯t like the sour taste at first, but he got used to it and found it tolerable. This was also someone¡¯s. It¡¯s not like he¡¯ll die if he doesn¡¯t eat some tomatoes, but someone gave him some to eat and get healthy soon. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. Don¡¯t worry, Cyril.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s Cassinel¡¯s job to keep the border secure, so it¡¯s not a big deal.¡± It wasn¡¯t a big deal to fix other people¡¯s food, either. There was silence in his calm reply. Cyril looked up at Adrienne as he drank the rest of the drink slowly. The blue eyes were filled with concern. Chapter 12 Episode 12. Chapter 2. The Little Kid and The Little Kid. (10) ¡®Who worries about who?¡¯ Cyril was speechless and tried hard not to laugh. Cassinel is generally peaceful, but not always at peace. Count Cassinel and the other Knights proceeded to climb the mountain as if they were dealing with cockroaches in those days. He had no idea about Cassinel until he was very young, but not any longer. Cyril was well aware that Cassinel was struggling to keep the border secure in the face of the Emperor¡¯s indifference. When did he find out¡ª. ¡®Today is a busy day for everyone. So don¡¯t train or play with me.¡¯ ¡ªAn instance when a shadow fell on the innocent face, which smiled knowing nothing. It was back then. Adrienne, who had looked out the window on the day Count Cassinel left the castle, was remembered by Cyril. Adrienne, who smiled but had blank eyes and low energy. Such a subject reassured Cyril from Thesar, and the work at the border was not ill-mouthed. She just made up an absurd excuse for him. Looking back, it was all for the sake of others, such as an effort to correct Cyril¡¯s unhealthy eating habits for his health. In any case, the stupid one was very nice. ¡°Adrienne, I¡¯ve learned a lot about Cassinel.¡± ¡°¡­there are some things you don¡¯t need to know.¡± ¡°Why? You¡¯re worried I¡¯ll run away?¡± Even after he spit it out and laughed, there was little response. Adrienne, who was as hard as a stone statue, was quickly discovered by Cyril. ¡°¡ªWait, don¡¯t tell me you really think that?¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s not like that¡ª¡± Adrienne quickly denied everything, her hands trembling. The issue was that it seemed to get worse the more it happened, but Cyril decided to pass it on in moderation. It didn¡¯t matter how Adrienne looked at him. It was more important for Adrienne to relax for now. ¡°Your Excellency will be safely returned. So stop making that expression.¡± ¡°What did I do?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t just smile with your eyes. Your face frightens me even more.¡± Adrienne exclaimed, ¡°What?¡± in response to the playful remark. There has been an immediate reaction to what he said about her face these days. In fact, doing anything with that face wouldn¡¯t be scary, but the fun of teasing was guaranteed. ¡°If you get angry like that, you¡¯ll look even uglier. Do you want a carrot now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to eat it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Adrienne¡¯s eyes fluttered as he shook the carrot with a fork in around. ¡°¡­I will eat it.¡± He knew it. A relaxed smile hung around Cyril¡¯s mouth. Chapter 3. Change (1) When the chaos was forgotten, a serious peace returned. It was a beautiful season, with the leaves singing and birds chirping in the breeze. Cyril and Adrienne walked down the hall together. The sound of Cyril¡¯s regular footsteps and Adrienne¡¯s footsteps grazing the floor was strangely harmonious. It was just after noon, and the sunlight streaming in through the tall window shone brightly on the face. Adrienne spoke rashly as she looked at Cyril¡¯s half-shaded profile. ¡°You¡¯ve grown up a lot.¡± ¡°All of sudden?¡± A sick young man from Thesar arrived one day. A boy she always thought was small and skinny. Cyril and Adrienne were now about the same height. ¡°You used to be this small.¡± Adrienne drew a line across her chest. Cyril¡¯s thinning eyes were struck by a bright light. ¡°That¡¯s far too much. It wasn¡¯t that bad.¡± ¡°Ask Jerome.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Cyril¡¯s mouth tightened as he heard her words. It was decided who would lose if he asked Jerome. Unsurprisingly, it was Cyril. ¡®Have I grown up a bit?¡¯ Cyril pretended he couldn¡¯t hear but looked at Adrienne as if he could. He started looking up at what he had been looking up at in the past. Adrienne would still be as tall as his nails if he dared to run to the tree¡ª. ¡®Or not? I think I¡¯m taller.¡¯ Adrienne¡¯s hair swayed, revealing that it had gotten bigger than before. For the first time, Cyril wondered if he was taller than Adrienne. It was the first thought that came to him when he was six years old, seven years after hearing the phrase ¡°really small.¡± ¡°How are things going with Samuel?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing he can¡¯t do. He is already five years old.¡± ¡°In that case, just say he¡¯s doing well.¡± Adrienne laughed and added, ¡°You always do that when you go to Thesar.¡± ¡®Did I really do that?¡¯ There was a tendency to adapt to the cold atmosphere of northerners after visiting Thesar. Cyril responded colder than usual at the time, and Adrienne said something like this. It was strange, come to think of it. First of all, Cyril had roots in Thesar and was even the future heir of the land. But what about right now? People around say it was unfamiliar with what was natural until a few years ago, and even Cyril agreed to some extent. ¡°Samuel needs to grow up and become a nicer kid.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m nicer than you.¡± ¡°Where do you see it?¡± ¡°Ask Reid.¡± Adrienne pretended not to hear it this time. She jumped well after stepping twice on the floor with one foot. ¡®You¡¯ll get in trouble again¡ª¡¯ She got angry last week when she met the Viscountess Parte, who was just walking around the corner as she was. Adrienne, a 13-year-old girl, hears the noble tutor speak about a virtuous lady. Regardless of whether she was modest or a lady, she didn¡¯t get along with Adrienne. Thinking when the Viscountess would give up hope, Adrienne, who had reached the end of the hallway, stopped abruptly and turned back. The thin silk dress naturally spread and flicked lightly. Cyril, who had been briefly distracted by the trivial movement, turned his eyes and froze. Adrienne, who was familiar with all the scattered red hair and neat brows revealed in between, felt strange. Every line that made up Adrienne was infinitely smooth. A slender jawline and a smooth nose line¡ªit was all so glamorous that it was unfamiliar. Was it because he was looking at the same face he had always seen up close? The image of the girl with chubby cheeks was as blurry as it had been in the distant past. ¡®Since when¡ª¡¯ Did Adrienne have a face like that? Since when¡ª. Adrienne, whom he had known for seven years, looked as if he had never seen her before. Cyril stared blankly at Adrienne. ¡°Are you not coming, Cyril?¡± Adriene tilted her head in the same direction as her hair. Through the fluttering red waves, blue eyes shone brilliantly. ¡°¡ªGo.¡± And the moment their gazes met, his heart began to beat strangely. What¡¯s wrong with you? Cyril said to himself as if desperate, but the strong beating remained. There was clearly something wrong. ****** Reid was reading a book in his spare time. Reid spent more time in the quiet and cozy study than in his room. Suddenly. Reid, who was enjoying the smell of old paper, instinctively covered the book with the sound of the door opening. He was good at hiding behind the bookshelf as if it hadn¡¯t happened once or twice before. ¡°Reid.¡± ¡°O-oh, it¡¯s Cyril. I thought it was Adriana again.¡± (t/n : I just realize I think Reid¡¯s nickname for Adrienne is Adriana since the author put is as ?????, not ?????.) Reid, who had been holding his breath, smiled awkwardly at Cyril. Adrienne frequently came to lead Reid outside at his father¡¯s command to bring out her brother, who was always stuck in his study. He assumed it was the same today¡ª Reid, who walked out with a stern expression on his face, opened the book again and said. ¡°What¡¯s the deal with you showing up at the study? Usually, they bring it to you. Oh! Do you want me to suggest a book?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s enough. Put your head like this.¡± The Cyril stretched its index finger to the left. Reid was perplexed but tilted his head as instructed. ¡°Like this?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Cyril¡¯s brow furrowed as he cast a subtle glance at Reid. He didn¡¯t mean to say it, but it was kind of gross. Two people with similar faces did the same thing, one gross and the other not. Cyril didn¡¯t deserve to feel that way. ¡°Just go around once.¡± ¡°Here?¡± ¡°Just turn around lightly.¡± So Cyril decided to check again. Reid looked dumbfounded by the random order, but he turned back on his feet. Cyril, who had been watching the scene silently, came to a conclusion. The conclusion was that even if Reid made another hundred rounds on the spot, he would not be impressed. ¡°¡­did I do something wrong?¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s enough. Good work.¡± ¡°Uh. Yeah.¡± Adrienne was cute when she was like that. But when Reid does it¡ª Reid was puzzled as Cyril leave the study. Adrienne, who was smiling in the sunlight, was still clear in his mind. It was really strange. Chapter 13 - Episode 13. Chapter 3. Change (2) Episode 13. Chapter 3. Change (2) The heavy protective gear shattered on the floor, making a rattling sound. Cyril looked at it silently, then lowered her posture and picked up the gear. The sword training gear was heavy, as he was already aware. It was a new feeling for him because it was something he always used, but Cyril recognized the new fact in a different way. ¡®She was wearing this heavy thing well.¡¯ Adrienne¡¯s slender body and the protection caught Cyril¡¯s attention. By all appearances, these big protective gear didn¡¯t fit on those skinny arms and legs. It was a protective gear that was already designed to Adrienne¡¯s size, so he was worried about nothing, but Cyril was serious. His sharp eyes returned to the protective gear. While Cyril was agonizing over unimportant things, Adrienne was sweeping sweat beads from her hair. Adrienne, who had just finished organizing her hair, turned around and saw Cyril with her protective gear. A bright smile spread across her face as soon as their eyes met. ¡°Ah, when did you pick it up? Thank you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. I¡¯ll just hold it.¡± Cyril, who had been unknowingly avoiding her gaze, began to move. He could tell even without looking at Adrienne¡¯s expression. He¡¯s certain she¡¯ll be looking at him, puzzled. Maybe she thinks it¡¯s strange that he¡¯s doing something he doesn¡¯t usually do. Or she might be worried that he ate something he shouldn¡¯t have. There was nothing wrong with the meal, but the strange thing was right. Even the cold self felt strange on these days. ¡°¡­..!¡± ¡°Why are you so surprised?¡± Cyril, who was walking straight ahead, came to a halt. Perhaps it was because Adrienne had just jumped in front of Cyril, trying to block his path. Cyril was taken aback at first by the fact that he hadn¡¯t heard her running, and then by Adrienne¡¯s face right in front of him. Adrienne drew her face closer to Cyril, who was taken aback and held his breath for a moment. Adrienne blinked, and her eyelashes fell gently, as if drawn with a brush. Cyril had the feeling that he was looking at a living painting rather than a person. No way. Cyril quickly dismissed his idea. ¡°¡ªit¡¯s because you¡¯re coming out of nowhere. Don¡¯t do anything strange, and keep your face away.¡± Cyril hurriedly walked past Adrienne as he quickly lowered his eyes. He had a feeling he shouldn¡¯t keep staring at Adrienne. ¡°Cyril. Cyril.¡± ¡°Just one call and I understand.¡± It bothered him that the clear voice of a lark was particularly pleasant to hear. He had the illusion that something was piling up in his mind every time she called his name. Adrienne will smile clumsily, despite the fact that the cold tone made her feel bad. Cyril was able to capture the magnetically drawn gaze. ¡°Did you do anything wrong to me?¡± ¡°What am I doing wrong to you?¡± ¡°But why are you so nice?¡± The eyes that looked up as if they were asking out of curiosity were just innocent. It doesn¡¯t seem like he did particularly nice, but he wasn¡¯t sure about it. Yeah, he wasn¡¯t confident. Cyril recently discovered a word to describe his condition. These days, Cyril was not confident to face Adrienne, to face his unexplained feelings, or to do anything right. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad usually.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡ª I¡¯m going first.¡± He lacks confidence, so he runs away more often. Cyril¡¯s conscience mocked him, knowing his cowardice, but there was no way out right now. Cyril stepped away from Adrienne once more. ******* ¡°Do you like the Prince?¡± Adrienne responded to the unexpected question. Cyril nodded his head, his gaze fixed on the Viscountess Parte¡¯s homework. ¡°Well, I like it. Why are you suddenly asking that?¡± ¡°Just, well, it¡¯s just that you liked it when you were a kid.¡± Cyril responded lightly, as if nothing had happened, when the cool positivity returned. ¡°I was wondering if that¡¯s the case now.¡± His tone of voice was also light. It¡¯s as if it¡¯s a passing story, as if it doesn¡¯t mean anything. ¡°I like it. The first book I read had a prince in it. It¡¯s cool¡ª to have bright blonde hair and sky-blue eyes.¡± ¡°Hair? Or the eyes.¡± ¡°Both. They not only look good, but they also have good personalities. Just think about it, Cyril. In the fairy tale, the Princes have good personalities. They¡¯re all sweet.¡± Adrienne continued to respond after a brief pause. She was so excited that she closed a book she hadn¡¯t finished reading half the time. ¡°I want to marry a man like that.¡± Cyril¡¯s gaze was drawn away from Adrienne¡¯s twinkling eyes, and he paused at the last words. She had no idea what marriage was, but now she wants to marry ¡®such a man.¡¯ He should have laughed, but he didn¡¯t believe his closed mouth would ever open. Did Adrienne ever think that she wanted to marry someone? That fact was a shock to Cyril. Cyril, which had been frozen for a while, barely opened its mouth. ¡°¡ªHair is yellow, eyes are blue, and there are no Princes(King¡¯s son) in the Empire, so do you want another Prince(Emperor¡¯s son)? Do you really like such a man?¡± (t/n ; The first ¡®Prince¡¯ refers to the King¡¯s son, while the second ¡®Prince¡¯ refers to the Emperor¡¯s son. However, because both meanings are Prince, I¡¯ve included an explanation here.) ¡°It would be preferable if there was someone who has a nice smile and is kind.¡± She even gave strict requirements. Cyril, who was sarcastic on the inside, started looking at himself on the terms. To begin with, the hair was excluded. Cyril¡¯s hair was black, as if it had absorbed all the darkness, and there wasn¡¯t much gold in it. Then what about the eyes? His eyes were out, too. The bright amber eyes, which the servants are often surprised by, sounded like they were beautiful, but they had to be yellow. Although he is not a member of the royal family, he will be the Duke in the future, so status is not an issue, but the biggest obstacle was his personality. ¡®Kind and have a nice smile¡ª¡¯ Isn¡¯t it a perfect personality to be a pushover? He wouldn¡¯t be able to live with that personality even if he were reborn. Reid de Cassinel Bluea was the most representative person to match that personality, and Cyril had no desire to be like Reid. Cyril, who compared the conditions one by one, gained enlightenment. Adrienne¡¯s ideal type was not at all like him. It¡¯s completely the opposite. That small fact has strangely hurt Cyril¡¯s feelings. ¡°What kind of girl do you like, Cyril?¡± ¡°¡ªa calm and elegant woman. Small and cute would be better.¡± Cyril purposefully portrayed a woman who was opposite to Adrienne. Of course, he wasn¡¯t looking for his ideal type. He simply wanted to be mean. ¡°Are you confessing to me?¡± ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Cyril, who was pricked, overreacted without realizing it. Adrienne¡¯s face darkened as she heard the unintentionally irritated voice. ¡°Why are you so serious?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re talking nonsense.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just kidding. You think I meant something?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so glad you didn¡¯t. Thank you.¡± Adrienne¡¯s old stubbornness that she did not want to lose, poured out her own words. Adrienne, who was offended, retorted, worsening the situation. He had no intention of doing this. Cyril bit his lower lip. He regretted it later, after being swept away by the atmosphere and sarcastically. ¡°No, thank you; I¡¯m grateful. I don¡¯t have to marry someone who expects me to approach him timidly when he¡¯s upset?¡± Huh. Cyril gave a blank smile. He¡¯s sorry, but the thought of apologizing for being sensitive quickly disappeared. ¡°Timid? Wait for you to talk to me? Who came into my room every day and begged me to play?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re sick and won¡¯t get out of bed!¡± ¡°What does my illness have to do with you? Now you¡¯re here to intrude unnecessarily.¡± ¡°What? Interfering?¡± The once-fire argument showed no sign of an end. The subject has long been out of marriage. What you did when you were that age, what you did at that time¡ªall of your old regrets in each memory were mobilized for the fight. In reality, it was nothing, but they were together for seven years. There was no end to the search. ¡°I don¡¯t like you every time you do this, Cyril. You¡¯re so annoying.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I have to say. I don¡¯t want to talk like anyone else.¡± The sound of squealing filled the room as the battle without weapons came to an end. Adrienne clenched her fist and locked her gaze on Cyril. What. Her eyes widened as Cyril responded with his mouth. ¡°Yeah, marry a nice, cute girl, not someone like me. Make sure you do, make sure you do!¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I wanted. I won¡¯t marry you even if I die, so don¡¯t even dream about it, Adrienne.¡± The childish war ended with the last words being exchanged side by side. Adrienne turned around and didn¡¯t appear to be digging any longer. ¡®I¡¯m crazy, what¡¯s so beautiful about something like that¡ªunless it¡¯s a ghost?¡¯ Cyril nervously ruffled his hair. Let¡¯s see if she actually marries the Prince. If she is unable to do so, he will do his best to tease her. ¡®¡ªBut what if she does it?¡¯ Cyril flinched as he sharpened his revenge blade. What if Adrienne succeeds in her goal? Cassinell was a great aristocrat, no matter how uneducated Adrienne was. In terms of family, she was well represented as the candidate Prince¡¯s wife¡ª. With just the assumption, his mind quickly became complicated. ¡®No. No way. The prince has eyes as well¡ª No, I think it would be better if it didn¡¯t have eyes.¡¯ Rather, if the prince were blind, it would help to reduce the chances of Adrienne becoming Crown Princess. Adrienne¡¯s shell was perfectly fine. The sudden feeling of defeat washed over him. Cyril, who had already thrown himself into the bed, was frustrated. It had been a typical midsummer day of pouring. Chapter 14 Episode 14. Chapter 3. Change (3) Children grow up fighting. The old phrase has been applied to both the future Duke and the Young Lady of the great noble family. Adrienne and Cyril had a truly horrible fight. It wasn¡¯t just limited to childhood. They got into a fight today about the shooting score. With the situation for them turning 14 a month later, it was a childish fight, but it was serious for both of them. Cyril, who had entered through the door, was annoyed and pulled off his coat. The boy¡¯s fine forehead is wrinkled. ¡®I said no because I didn¡¯t see it. What do you want me to do?¡¯ Unlike the old days when he always lost, Cyril gradually began to move ahead of Adrienne. Adrienne hated it, but it was unavoidable. If Adrienne was Cassinel¡¯s blood, Cyril was Thesar¡¯s blood. The first Duke of Thesar was a slave at beginning, but he rose to the position of Duke after becoming a war hero. The first Dukes of Thesar was an immigrant. Immigrants from slaves were given the title of Duke in the days when the Persian Empire was a Persian Kingdom, when immigrants were significantly more excluded than they are now, therefore the merit was understandable. Even if it does not go back to that time, the current Duke of Thesar was the one who rose to the status of military commander. Only the most outstanding generals are given this honorary title and that blood was filling Cyril¡¯s veins. His sword handling skills improved day by day and his gun worked flawlessly from the start. Adrienne, of course, was great in terms of talent. But physical conditions were a separate matter. Cyril¡¯s eyes, which had been the same height until last year, have now broadened significantly, allowing him to look down at Adrienne easily. She is no match for his swordsmanship at some point, and all she has left is shooting, although Cyril has been ahead recently. Even though he pretended not to, he seemed to be worried, so Cyril only lost on purpose once. And he saw hell that day. It was the first time Adrienne had been so angry. For the first time, Cyril realized that her white face and red hair may be the same color. ¡®She couldn¡¯t believe it because I was in such bad conditions.¡¯ A single mistake created a huge stir. Adrienne began to have doubts about Cyril after that day. If Cyril made a mistake, her round eyes straightened immediately. Despite the fact that Cyril has never done the same thing since. ¡®Cause you¡¯re so proud of yourself.¡¯ Cyril used to be obsessed by the ambition to beat Adrienne. He wasn¡¯t sure if they looked alike because they were friends or because they were friends because they looked alike at this point. Cyril, who had been grumbling, shifted his attention to the desk. There was a letter from the butler that he hadn¡¯t been able to see while at the shooting range. His father, the Duke of Thesar, was the sender. ¡®It¡¯s time for me to return.¡¯ Because a new season is approaching, it was time to start looking for it. It¡¯s something that happens every year, so it¡¯s not new. Another year has passed, Cyril thought to himself, and with a knife he removed the wax seal. ¡°¡­¡­¡± However, Cyril, who was reading the letter, furrowed his brows unintentionally. Cyril¡¯s expression became more intense as each line of paragraphs grew longer. The letter was very clear in what it was saying. In a short, it went like this, ¡®Come back to your seat.¡¯ It was a letter ordering the return to Thesar. ******* Cyril didn¡¯t think he¡¯s going to stay in Cassinel forever, either. Because the reason for being brought to Cassinel in the first place was to recover, it was natural to return to the original land once he was healthy. No one believed Thesar¡¯s successor would actually become a knight even if he had volunteered to be an apprentice knight. It was a time when knights were frequently ignored. The capital was overflowing with pleasure and luxury as all power was focused in the center. Many nobles were willing to jump into the whirlpool and many people would rather have the fun of bringing up dusty power with the Emperor than the grand but responsible role of being the owner of the territory. A growing number of aristocracy were willing to give up their old castles and lands to the emperor in exchange for a suitable position in the Imperial Palace. As a result, it was only natural for the knights who had been guarding the territory in the family¡¯s name to vanish. Except for the Knights of the Imperial Palace, all of the Knights were considered old. Except under exceptional circumstances, a noble family¡¯s second son, who could no longer inherit the title, could not dare to pursue a career as a knight. They can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s a lie or a matter of honor. Who¡¯d have guessed that the Duke of Thesar¡¯s successor would stay under Count Cassinel forever? Cyril didn¡¯t think so either. ¡®I certainly didn¡¯t think so¡ª¡¯ There was a significant difference between faintly considering leaving one day and having the opportunity right in front of one¡¯s eyes. Apprentice knights are those who learned martial arts by entrusting themselves to other families for a period of almost ten years, thus Cyril expected to be in Cassinel for at least that long. He came to Cassinel when he was six years old, and he will shortly be fourteen, so he has around two to three years left. He thought so this time. However, today¡¯s letter failed to meet expectations and instead tried to move the future forward. ¡°Cyril.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Cyril¡ª¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± That fact confused Cyril much. Cyril was confused in his thoughts, unsure of how to handle his unexpected situation. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t hear Adrienne shouting his name. Drrk. Adrienne raised her voice when the sound of scratching the empty spot on the plate was repeated multiple times instead of the quietly set out roast turkey. ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Adrianna.¡± Only Cyril was aware of what he was doing. Adrienne¡¯s attitude was lightly criticized by Count Cassinel, but Adrienne was better educated than Cyril, who was cutting the plates carelessly. ¡°Adrianna seems to be very comfortable with Young Master. I¡¯m going to warn her, so please forgive her this time.¡± ¡°¡ªNo. I¡¯m sorry for showing the bad side of me.¡± By resuming his meal, the Count replaced the answer. Cyril also straightened his knife and began cutting meat rather than plates. Cyril pretended he didn¡¯t notice the burning glare on his face. Adrienne was staring openly at Cyril at this point, and Reid was grumbling. However, he didn¡¯t have the energy to deal with the siblings at this time. Finally, until the end of the meal, the Cassinel¡¯s sister and brother never looked Cyril in the eyes. ****** Come to think of it, it was a simple task. He visited Cassinel for the purpose, and now that he¡¯s achieved it, he¡¯s returning. He didn¡¯t have to think about it; all he had to do was respond naturally, ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Has something happened, Cyril?¡± ¡°Adrienne, aren¡¯t you being a little too direct?¡± ¡°So, what do you ask of the plate maker? Would you like to ask a question, Reid?¡± ¡°No, because you already asked¡ª¡± He couldn¡¯t accomplish it because of the twins who stood in front of him. Without realizing it, Cyril had caught the gaze that tilted to the left. ¡°There¡¯s nothing going on.¡± ¡°How dare you tell a lie with such confidence?¡± ¡°¡ªWhy are you asking if you¡¯re not going to trust me?¡± ¡°You are the one who has done this. Why are you lying to me when you know I¡¯m not fooled?¡± Two were convinced that Cyril had lied. It was clear that he didn¡¯t think he was wrong in the slightest. He didn¡¯t like the boldness of knowing him well, but Adrienne was right. Because Cyril was lying. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. I just don¡¯t feel well.¡± ¡°What? You¡¯ve been fine lately. Is it because it¡¯s getting a little cold? Let¡¯s not call Jerome first. Reid, call Emma.¡± ¡°Okay, wait a moment.¡± ¡°Reid, enough. Leave it alone.¡± The brother and sister made a fuss in pairs. They were quick to see lies and thought he was sick. Come to think of it, it¡¯s always been like that. Adrienne, who continued coming to him, would have thrown him out on the pretext that he was sick, but when he was young, he could have easily walked away. Adrienne, this brother and sister, Cassinel, who raised him, were all nice people. That could be why he couldn¡¯t come up with a proper answer. ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to be concerned.¡± ¡°All you need is a little rest.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Soon, you¡¯ll be in Thesar.¡± ¡°¡ªWhat?¡± How did they find out about it? When Adrienne asked about the surprise of Cyril, she laughed again. ¡°What makes you so surprised? Every year has been the same. What is Samuel¡¯s age? If I show him my portrait, will he remember me?¡± The answer was so delicate that it overshadowed the brief tension. Cyril swept his hand across his chest. If he had received a letter, Count Cassinel would have heard the same news, so he was wondering. ¡°Why do you show Samuel your portrait?¡± ¡°To let your brother know you have such a beautiful friend?¡± ¡°Are you thinking about throwing Samuel¡¯s eyes? I think it¡¯s enough for me to suffer.¡± ¡°Are you truly becoming blind, Cyril?¡± Adrienne, who was seated in the left chair, patted the back of her neck and tried to stand. ¡°Violence is not right¡ª!¡± shouted Reid, who was standing next to her and stopped her. ¡°I¡¯d like to meet Samuel at least once. It¡¯s like if we¡¯re four siblings.¡± ¡°¡ªFour siblings?¡± ¡°Me and Reid, you and Samuel. There are four of us.¡± Is Samuel going to be a little active? That would be more fun. Adrienne added in a laughing voice. ¡®Siblings¡ª¡¯ Cyrill wasn¡¯t very happy with the sound of the word. No, it was more unpleasant than he thought. It felt like he had been hit in the back of the head. Chapter 15 Episode 15. Chapter 3. Change (4) His eyes met Adrienne the moment he questioned why he was having a brother and sister¡¯s time with her, the instant the sharp words climbed up to his throat. ¡°Cyril.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Take me to Thesar later. I heard it snows a lot there. I want to see the snow piled up.¡± Ironically, his thorny heart instantly eased at that one request. Cyril looked blankly at the moment her eyes twitched excitedly with anticipation. For a long time, the story of his siblings had vanished from his thoughts. ¡°What¡¯s the point of looking at snow?¡± ¡°I wanted to make a snowman, but you know it doesn¡¯t snow that much here.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a baby¡ª¡± Cyril, who paused for a moment, responded clearly, but the atmosphere did not become harsh. It was because of the warmth in his words. Adrienne nods to Cyril. ¡°Hey, Cyril, can you take me with you too if you don¡¯t mind?¡± ¡°If I go, you go too, Reid. What are you asking?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll leave me alone¡­ I was curious about what life was like in other areas.¡± The brothers and sisters were already planning a journey to Thesar, regardless of where they get Cyril¡¯s permission. ¡®This brother and sister won¡¯t give me time to think.¡¯ It was now a pretty familiar scenario. Cyril shook his head and thought. He wanted to stay between them for a bit longer. ******* The carriage was running through a quiet forest road. The oak trees on each side waved their dried leaves in greeting as if they were expecting a carriage. Crunch, rustle, and the noise of fallen leaves could be heard everywhere the carriage went. Cyril placed his hand through the half-open window as the clear sky became visible through the spreading leaves. ¡®Surely Cassinel is warm.¡¯ It was a return after about a month from leaving for Thesar a little early. Cyril decided to stay longer at Cassinel for the time being. There were several reasons behind this. First of all, it was because of the brother and sister on his mind. He reasoned that because they had spent so much time together, they would need enough time to separated. But it wasn¡¯t always because of siblings. His shooting abilities have not yet reached a satisfactory level, and he is not very skilled in other aspects. In front of his father, Cyril stated his decision to remain in Cassinel, aiming to show more perfection as his successor. The Duke made an unknown expression at Cyril, but he eventually agreed. However, he added that he couldn¡¯t give him much time. ¡®I¡¯ll need some time to sort it out.¡¯ Duke Thesar¡¯s words on Cyril¡¯s departure were important. He could have seen through his son¡¯s lame excuses. In any event, the goal was achieved. Cyril stared out the window, his mind blank. A carriage that had just emerged from the forest¡¯s border entered a road heading to the estate. Cyril felt comfortable as he neared Cassinel. ¡®It was terrible when I first came.¡¯ And he smiled lightly at the thought of it. This beautiful landscape used to look terrible, as if it had been dragged to hell. He¡¯s only six years old, but he acts like an old man on the verge of death. It was funny to look back on now. Looking back on his childhood, there was one face that immediately came to mind. Cyril created an image of a little girl blinking her eyes constantly over a wide area. Smiling like a fool with a tooth pulled out, crying with upset and wet eyes, and mercilessly wielding a sword with an overly cute face¡ª. Cyril, who was thinking of a child growing up in his memory, closed his eyes. He wanted to go back to Cassinel right away. ****** ¡°¡­what do you want me to do?¡± Cyril¡¯s forehead was wrinkled as if he had heard a strange word. ¡°Because I want you to describe my face.¡± Adrienne, who uttered a ridiculous sound, brazenly replied to Cyril who asked back. ¡°Are you sick?¡± Cyril, who had been staring at Adrienne for a while without saying a word, put his hand on Adrienne¡¯s forehead. Big hands easily covered the forehead, as well as the eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not sick. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to get sick soon?¡± ¡°¡ªI told you I¡¯m not?¡± Having said that, Adrienne escaped Cyril¡¯s hands. The sensation of the warmth disappearing was more disappointing than he had expected. Cyril clinched his fist once and then opened it for no reason. ¡°If Cassinel¡¯s doctor is not reliable, call Jerome.¡± ¡°My doctor is perfectly fine. I¡¯m fine, too.¡± Looking at her response, it was clear she was fine. Actually, she was relieved to hear of Cyril¡¯s return and even came to greet him, so there was no need for her to become ill in such a short period of time. Then why does Adrienne ask as to what kind of face she has? And with that weird, shy face. ¡°¡­was there no mirror in your room?¡± ¡°There is, but it¡¯s different. That¡¯s what I see with my own eyes.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of seeing your face with other people¡¯s eyes? You¡¯ve never been interested.¡± If Adrienne was concerned in her beauty, or in anything, she would not have dressed in Reid¡¯s clothing and pretended to be her. How many pairs of pants did Adrienne rip off? It was not an exaggeration to say that Adrienne occupied Reid¡¯s clothing until the height difference increased. ¡°I¡¯m just asking. So could you please just answer me, Cyril Valentin?¡± ¡°¡ªWhat do you want me to say? Just what you look like?¡± ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t think too much. Just, be honest with me.¡± Even the middle name of Valentin came out. Adrienne, who had been dragging on for far too long, would never keep her mouth shut, so Cyril decided to be careful with his response. ¡®Face, all just face¡ª¡¯ He thought it was cynical, but Cyril knew best that it wasn¡¯t. Adrienne wished he could be ¡®honest,¡¯ but it was impossible. She¡¯d freak out if he could express Adrienne exactly as she is, as Cyril sees her. Isn¡¯t that right? If she¡¯s rational, she won¡¯t be able to sit still when she sees a friend she¡¯s known for eight years complimenting her on her face. And Cyril reasoned that it would be better to swallow the compliment than spit it out. ¡°You, well¡ª¡± ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re just normal.¡± ¡°¡ªReally?¡± Two eyes, one nose, one mouth. She had all she needed as a human being, therefore in terms of ethnicity, she was quite average. It was, of course, different from how much each form had a finely made appearance. The sound of conscience vanishing could be heard at that time, but Cyril pretended not to notice. Adrienne was dissatisfied with the simple answer. She could see her face was pale merely by gazing in the mirror over Cyril¡¯s shoulder. ¡°So, Cyril, what do you think about you?¡± Adrienne asked again, who kept staring at his face, which had nothing to do with looking inside. There was an unexplained expectation. ¡°I¡¯m normal, too.¡± This question was easy. Cyril responded immediately as if asking a question. Adrienne¡¯s face, which was waiting for an answer, brightened at once. ¡°Thank you for your answer!¡± ¡°¡ªBecause I said normal?¡¯ ¡°Anyway!¡± Adrienne turned back with a brighter face than when she entered the room. It didn¡¯t seem normal for her to hum as she went out. What¡¯s wrong with that? Cyril who confused was frowned. ****** He should have called Jerome. Cyril later regretted his rash decision. ¡°What the hell¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden?¡± Adrienne, who replied lightly as if she had no idea, looked down at the book. A disapproving look stuck in Adrienne¡¯s head. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come to the shooting range?¡± She even read the book on her own. But she didn¡¯t take her favorite shot and instead read books? Adrienne was not the best person to do so. He¡¯s not sure if it¡¯s Reid. Is there any shooting going on? Sword training hasn¡¯t been done in a long time. She didn¡¯t force it in the first place, so it¡¯s not surprising that she quit, but the timing was unusual. ¡®What the hell is that?¡¯ Adrienne was reading a book when Cyril¡¯s attention was drawn to it. To be more specific, the dried rose in the midst of it was strangely annoying. Adrienne never seems to be very sentimental. Leaving an intact bookmark and using as a bookmark a dry flower that will break. It¡¯s also childish like Adrienne. ¡°I¡¯m trying to build up some accomplishment, too. Is there a problem?¡± ¡°¡­If you don¡¯t do that, will Viscountess Parte kill you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if the Viscountess has the strength to do that.¡± Adrienne looked at Cyril with pathetic eyes. Adrienne looked at Cyril with pathetic eyes. It hurt his pride to get that look from Adrienne, not anyone else, but now he had no time to care about it. Adrienne was strange. To be precise, it has been strange since Cyril went to Thesar. He doesn¡¯t know what happened in the last month or so of his absence, but Adrienne was certainly strange. ¡®If only there was Reid.¡¯ Reid was away to visit the Bluea family. He had no one to give an honest answer to. The problem was that he couldn¡¯t identify where and how Adrienne became strange. It¡¯s strange to leave that gun alone and stay in the room¡ªbut he couldn¡¯t criticize her for that alone. There was an unexplained behavior, such as dressing more carefully than before and decorating her hair, which she had never cared about before, but it was also tough to criticize. ¡°You¡¯re weird these days.¡± Finally, Cyril threw a word since he couldn¡¯t think of anything else. His voice was quieter than usual as if to express his annoyance. ¡°What¡¯s strange with me?¡± ¡°Everything is weird. A child who has never looked at a mirror before carries a hand mirror.¡± Why did she continue to wear dresses with large ribbons, which she despised because they were awkward, and why did her tone of speaking become so classy¡ª? There were several points to be made, and it was very embarrassing that not all of them were made. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s weird.¡± A soft word came out like a sigh. Chapter 16 Episode 16. Chapter 3. Change (5) Adrienne lowered her eyes to Cyril, who was resting against the door. Her lips were sweet, as if she was about to utter something, but she quickly closed them again. He can¡¯t believe she hasn¡¯t said anything. It was difficult to watch Adrienne in that situation. ¡°¡­is it that weird?¡± ¡°Uh¡± Cyril nodded to the head and said yes. Adrienne carefully opened her mouth after struggling with rolling her eyes around. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to make fun of me?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t make fun of me no matter what I say.¡± He had no idea how good being cautious was. And what does that attitude mean, as if Cyril is always teasing her? Cyril was amazed, but it seemed he wouldn¡¯t hear anything unless he made a promise. ¡°¡ªI won¡¯t tease you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Adrienne, who had already been confirmed twice, said, ¡°Uhm.¡± and carefully selected her words. There was a long period of silence before a response was given. ¡®What the hell is it?¡¯ Adrienne¡¯s cheeks flushed as he grew increasingly annoyed. Her blue eyes gleamed brightly as usual, yet she was in a different mood. If it¡¯s second in terms of emotion, it was like ¡®dream-drenched eyes,¡¯ to borrow the sorrowful Reid¡¯s expression. It reminds him of a girl in love¡ª. ¡®Love?¡¯ He became anxious as soon as he thought of the word. It was an unknown anxiety, which made it much more upsetting. ¡°Actually, I went to the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°¡ªWhat?¡± The words that arrived out of nowhere stopped Cyril¡¯s thought. the Imperial Palace. As soon as he heard the word, his anxiety became more concrete. ¡°I saw His Majesty the Prince by chance then.¡± After the Imperial Palace, now even the Prince¡ª. Adrienne¡¯s dreaming eye remained. For the first time in his life, he sees unfamiliar eyes. Slowly, that eye shifted to a different place. Without recognizing it, Cyril liked the end of Adrienne¡¯s gaze. ¡®Bookmarks.¡¯ The main character that caught Adrienne¡¯s attention was the dried rose. ¡°He gave me this.¡± Adrienne smiled softly, despite her odd looks. The fact was reflected in the smile. Adrienne fell in love. And the love she was looking for wasn¡¯t Cyril. The fact left Cyril stunned. ******* Doong. The ball landed on Cyril¡¯s palm after flying through the air. Cyril tossed the ball back up into the air. Doong. The ball soon landed on the palm of his hand. It was when he repeated dozens of meaningless acts. ¡®He gave me this.¡¯ Duk. The wool ball fell flat on the blanket. Adrienne¡¯s shy face floated on the ceiling. Shy Adrienne¡ª. Even when he saw it with his own eyes, it was an unbelievable sight, and Cyril began to question his optic nerve. Adrienne, who had been jumping, running around, and living her life as if she were a child, fell in love. And Cyril had barely been out of his seat for a month after visiting Thesar. ¡®Someone tried to stay here with a ridiculous excuse, but someone¡ª¡¯ He was frustrated, even though he knew he shouldn¡¯t be upset with Adrienne. Cyril was the one who understood the anger was unreasonable. Cyril was the one who made the decision to stay at Cassinel in the first place. However, when the situation became like this, something appeared as if it had been waiting. It was the real reason. The actual reason he wanted to stay in Cassinel a little longer, and the real reason he tried to hide it with various excuses, like a thorn trying to break through the solid membrane. ¡®How does she feel about the Imperial family? She wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything about hunting or anything if she truly became a princess. It¡¯s Adrienne, and she¡¯s stupid¡ª¡¯ Instead of concentrating on the reason, Cyril turned his attention elsewhere. The target was an unknown Prince of the Empire. In Cyril¡¯s mind, the Imperial Prince, who has yet to be crowned Crown Prince, has transformed into a terrible villain. Cyril jumped to his feet after pondering the various challenges Adrienne would experience if she were to be crowned with the throne. ¡®I can¡¯t.¡¯ If Adrienne doesn¡¯t know, he can tell her. He knew the way ahead was a mess, but he couldn¡¯t let it go. But since they are friends, he thought we should do that. Cyril went out looking for Adrienne. ****** Smoke rose from the end of the gun, creating a new hole in the middle of the target. Cyril, who turned a blind eye to the target, approached Adrienne immediately. ¡°Adrien, think carefully. Looking back on history, if it were normal, the prince should have been crowned Crown Prince earlier. But look at the situation. Prince Leonel is still a prince.¡± ¡°His Majesty is still correcting it, so it must be.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of putting it off, Your Majesty? It¡¯s not like we¡¯re handing over the throne immediately just because he¡¯s taking over the Crown Prince.¡± Adrienne, who stood still despite the loud gunfire, covered his ears. Nagging, nagging. It was clear to listen to the murmur, but Cyril didn¡¯t bat an eye. ¡°It¡¯s not something to think about easily. The palace is not a beautiful place you¡¯ve only seen in fairy tales.¡± ¡°It¡¯s never been like that. Just shoot quickly. You have to shoot everything, so I can shoot.¡± Shoot. The second wave swept through the area. This time¡¯s outcome was also a success. Adrienne gave a distant clap. She disliked losing quickly, but she respected those who did. Adrienne drew Cyril¡¯s attention. Adrienne¡¯s eyes shone with a royal energy as she glanced at the pierced target in the middle. ¡®Look at that. How can you live in such a boring palace with such fondness¡­?¡¯ The palace was clearly the least compatible place for Adrienne, given her free-spirited personality. Cyril stopped as he prepared to fire the final shot. Adrienne¡¯s gaze shifted from the target to a group of flowers in the distance. The field was being painted by a beautiful flower led by a red rose. Rose. Cyril recalled the dried rose Adrienne was using as a bookmark. ¡°What, Cyril. Where are you shooting?¡± ¡°¡ªIt¡¯s a mistake.¡± The plosive sound heard twice in a row was not heard this time. Of course, there were no new holes in the target. The stray bullet would have been stuck in a poor tree. Adrienne squinted at his poor performance to the point where he was completely off the mark.It was a reasonable suspicion as he fired three shots, hitting two in the center, and blew up one. ¡°I thought about something else for a moment. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t mean to do that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen a tomato-like face again, so what can I use it for?¡± Adrienne grinned at the sincere voice. ¡°So, who did something wrong?¡± And there was no more doubt in the way she answered. Adrienne took a step forward to the lines that had been drawn at random. The expression on the target¡¯s face was cautious. Adrienne liked a shorter, lighter gun than Cyril¡¯s. Regardless of how happy Adrienne was to get the gun for the first time, Cyril remembered the moment clearly. After three rounds of firing, Adrienne took the gun with a satisfied look on her face. All three shots were hit close to the center of the target. ¡°How long does it take to win this.¡± ¡°Congratulations.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Excited, Adrienne greeted her by pulling her right hand forward as if she had been a knight. Cute. The corners of Cyril¡¯s mouth, thinking that way without realizing it, loosened up. ¡°Don¡¯t think of anything weird, just shoot hard.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re talking about again? Stop it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you keep expecting so much.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think of anything. I was just surprised. Even if I¡¯m really looking forward to it, what¡¯s wrong with that? Why are you meddling?¡± After days of suffering, Adrienne finally exploded and snapped back. He nagged her when she saw him, and she deserved to get sick of him. What do you mean, meddling? As expected, Cyril flinched at the more direct remark. ¡°You said we¡¯re like brothers and sisters?So it¡¯s natural to interfere.¡± ¡°¡ªMy real brother Reid won¡¯t be so hard like this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because Reid is afraid of you.¡± Adrienne was silent when he asked if it was obvious. Cyril¡¯s rebuttal was surprisingly convincing. ¡°If I say I¡¯m engaged to someone, will you stay still? It is right to discuss such a serious matter.¡± Cyril continued. He couldn¡¯t control his mouth even though he knew it was ridiculous. Adrienne, who looked at Cyril with confused eyes, belatedly opened her mouth. ¡°¡ªI will stay still.¡± There was a strange part of what was said after a long time. She said ¡®I will stay still¡¯. ¡°We just ran into each other once. Why do you keep saying things when we might meet again? It¡¯s not like I can get married just because I want to anyway.¡± Even before he asked again what that meant, the word ¡°marriage¡± from Adrienne¡¯s mouth left Cyril¡¯s soul out. ¡°Ha. Did you even think about getting married?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re saying! You did that when you were a kid! Like marriage is a family bond?¡± The counter-attack was fierce at the absurdly thrown words. What¡¯s wrong with her brain is that she only has a good memory when she fights¡ª. She couldn¡¯t even remember going around the castle saying she became an adult with her front teeth missing, but she remembered that kind of thing well again. ¡°It¡¯s not up to me anyway, so stop it.¡± ¡°¡­So how do you feel? Have you ever fallen for that Prince?¡± Cyril finally spit out the word he had hidden in his heart, saying that he knew it and that it should be over at this point. He didn¡¯t even know that was the only thing he was really curious about. He have already decided that it is love, but he hope it is not love. Chapter 17 Episode 17. Chapter 3. Change (6) The grass swayed in the air, and Adrienne clenched her fists, shining her red hair and blue eyes alone in a world full of green. ¡°¡­Yes, I like it. The Prince was very kind. He helped me when I was lost and gave me flowers.¡± It was cold for someone who¡¯s in love, but the essence didn¡¯t change. Adrienne fell in love. Not to Cyril, with whom she had spent eight years, but to the Prince, whom she had only met once in a distant Imperial Palace. Cyril felt a sharp pain in his chest as he realized the hard reality. The despair felt like it was circulating in the blood vessels all over the body. ¡°Did you get there and got lost? Why would you walk around there instead of just sticking around?¡± His scratched heart spit out words at his own will. ¡°My father is supposed to have an audience with His Majesty, so how am I going to do it?¡± Adrienne also responded without losing. ¡°Then don¡¯t go to the Palace in the first place!¡± Adrienne sighed heavily after the final tense remark. Adrienne bit her lip a couple of times, as if pondering about something, then let go of her luck slowly. ¡°Cyril Valentin.¡± ¡°Why.¡± ¡°Do you even like me?¡± Cyril stopped breathing without realizing it. It was hard to believe that the very question his heart had been asking himself over the years had flowed through Adrienne¡¯s mouth. Does Cyril Valentin like Adrienne? Did he like her? If he did, since when? Even the person involved does not know the answer, so it was very unfortunate. Still, Cyril was still unsure how to define this feeling. Is love such a complex emotion? Isn¡¯t it just sweet and exciting? What if it¡¯s actually a worry that siblings might feel? What if I¡¯m mistaken? What if my mistake entirely changes the relationship? But, even if this is real love, would he be able to confide in Adrienne? Adrienne already has feelings for the Prince. Cyril¡¯s thoughts turned to a gloomy future at that time. It was a situation in which one might have to admit that this emotion, which one can¡¯t be sure of, was love without any countermeasures. ¡®We can¡¯t be friends.¡¯ Is it right to put such a burden on Adrienne, who says she likes another man when he doesn¡¯t know when he might leave Cassinel? Once done, Cyril will be at ease. But what about Adrienne? Does Adrienne have to hear an unexpected confession? ¡°¡­There¡¯s no way.¡± After thinking for a while, Cyril answered. Clinging to uncertain possibilities, he couldn¡¯t afford to lose Adrienne. He hasn¡¯t dared to do that yet. With the words, the gaze she had been keeping shifted downward. Adrienne¡¯s hand loosened in front of Cyril¡¯s eyes. ¡°I knew it. Then don¡¯t mind it.¡± The voice, which had usually been cheerful, sounded weak. Adrienne instantly grabbed her gun and left. The sunset soon cast a deep shadow behind Adrienne. Cyril stared at her back for a very long time. Chapter 4. Just bluffing (1) Looking back, it was a story of childish days. Only two 14-year-olds kids are thinking about getting married to someone. Cyril left Cassinel not long after that. It was a very spontaneous choice, but he thought it was best at that time. ¡®It was.¡¯ Five years later, Cyril recalled old memories and saw a gun in a drawer. [Cyril] The name carved randomly on the handle was Adrienne¡¯s work. Similarly, Adrienne¡¯s gun had a name engraved with Cyril. He thought they did childish things without hesitation. ¡®Because she¡¯s begging to leave anything behind.¡¯ Cyril, who unconsciously acted like that in the past, chuckled. They quarreled and played well over nothing and without getting tired of that for a long time. It was the past that became all memories. Such a peaceful and tickling childhood. Cyril only realized how precious that day was. He returned to Thesar, receiving education as a successor for one year, staying at the Imperial Palace for one year as a guardian for the Prince, and chose to join the army for the sake of his family¡ª. Even after all the busy years, he could not catch up with the piece of memory he spent at Cassinel. Those were beautiful days. So Cyril was able to comfort himself that his choice was not wrong. He didn¡¯t ruin those times, so he did a good job. Maybe it wasn¡¯t love in the first place. He was so young that he couldn¡¯t tell the difference between love and affection, so he must have mistakenly thought that he loved Adrienne, the only person around him. That way of thinking made him feel more at ease. He can still see Adrienne with a smile on his face because of this. ¡®Don¡¯t follow it right away. Because I don¡¯t want to be suspicious.¡¯ He wouldn¡¯t have been as comfortable as he is now if he hadn¡¯t been able to resist the urge back then. When Cyril remembered Adrienne¡¯s appearance a few days previously, he smiled lightly. ¡°You look happy.¡± The brilliant sun was disturbed by Lieutenant Langred, who was holding his breath on the other side of the office as if there was nothing there. ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°You just smiled, didn¡¯t you? You¡¯re one that doesn¡¯t smile often. Is there something good going on?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± The lieutenant seemed to be irritated at the firm response. He was probably bored because he had nothing to do for a while after the war ended. Lieutenant Langred¡¯s desk had a daily newspaper on which Cyril cast a glance. It was a daily newspaper that focused on a variety of topics. The main focus of the newspaper was any scandal involving a famous opera actor, as well as reports about the Imperial family¡¯s every move. ¡®I was wondering who would see that.¡¯ That ¡®who¡¯ was his junior. He had to turn his back on the battlefield where gunfire could be heard until last month, so his daily life was boring. He wanted to tell him to leave because if he was bored, he¡¯d pull out a gun, but if he did, it was obvious that he¡¯d cry and scream about what he¡¯d done wrong. ¡°It¡¯s about Mademoiselle Cassinel.¡± Lieutenant Langred spoke to him softly, just as he was thinking how on earth did he become the second lieutenant. His fine eyes, which had been fixed on the corner of the daily newspaper, had now shifted to his superior. It looked like squealing the grins one by one would be just right. ¡°Adrienne what.¡± ¡°Adrienne¡ª! I thought you would call her that fondly too. I¡¯ve been thinking about it, but¡ª no.¡± The second lieutenant noticed and spoke again after hastily lowering his voice. ¡°Isn¡¯t it the debut season in the social world? The day when all the beautiful Mademoiselles get together! Mademoiselle Cassinel, I believe, will be the center of attention. I assure you.¡± In fact, it was Mademoiselle and Monsieur that made his face known in celebration of their coming of age, but Monsieur could not exist in the head of a lonely soldier. But it was none of his business. Cyril was displeased that his childhood friend was easily mentioned by him. ¡°I can assure you what you need to do. Don¡¯t pay attention to anything else and do what you have to do.¡± ¡°What do you say I have to do¡ª¡± ¡°So, can I give you something to do?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll correct it.¡± Lieutenant Langred, who was disappointed, lowered his voice with his stern gaze. He was a wonderful person who only lasted 30 minutes. Even after putting the general in front of him, he couldn¡¯t keep his mouth shut, so what should he say? ¡°But there¡¯s no friendship between men and women.¡± In less than 15 minutes, the conversation continued. Cyril believed that if Langred could fire a gun from his mouth, the cannon would be entirely replaced. ¡°The lieutenant seemed to have no same-sex friends.¡± ¡°How could you say that¡ª! It¡¯s because I don¡¯t have a lover, but I have a lot of friends.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you have one of the two.¡± Cyril imagined for a moment a group of people like Langred gathering and talking about gossip. What about Mademoiselle of a family who is debuting this time, and what about others. An obvious conversation passed by in an instant. ¡®¡ªThey¡¯ll talk about Adrienne.¡¯ After all, Lengard was also a nobleman. He¡¯s also a young nobleman with a full spirit of maturity. The lieutenant was talking in front of his eyes, but there would have been dozens of times more stories from unseen places. He felt somehow twisted at the thought of it. Cyril leaned against the backrest with his arms folded uncomfortably. ¡°That, first lieutenant.¡± ¡°What.¡± ¡°Just in case. Lieutenant, of course, said you had no feelings for Mademoiselle Cassinel¡ª But, Mademoiselle Cassinel¡¯s position could be different right?¡± At this point, it was clear that he wanted something to come out. Or he¡¯s looking for something to report to the newspaper he enjoys reading. Neither was welcome. ¡°That¡¯s not gonna happen.¡± ¡°What? How can you be so sure?¡± Because he already knows who she likes. Cyril smiled instead of saying anything. The sight of his icy lips rising smoothly was enough to make many women¡¯s hearts race, but Langred was an exception. Langred seemed startled by the unusually chilly early spring when a reasonably mild breeze tickled his cheeks. ¡°2nd Lieutenant.¡± ¡°Y-yes?¡± Cyril, who called his subordinate, pulled another gun out of the drawer. The hand of picking up a slim gun was elegant. With his gun in hand, the 2nd lieutenant turned his body in the right direction and pushed the chair back, terrified. ¡°Take it.¡± Tak. As if to ridicule the lieutenant¡¯s actions, Cyril threw the gun at the desk. The lieutenant, who had just been given a gun by his superior, rolled his eyes in confusion. He seemed to be confused as to why he had given it to him. ¡°Shoot with it.¡± Chapter 18 Chapter 4. Just bluffing (2) ¡°Yes?¡± He could see the startled face. He didn¡¯t know how the gun was fired with that little courage. ¡°If anything happens between Mademoiselle Cassinell and me, shoot me.¡± ¡°No, Lieutenant. How can I¡ª Of course I¡¯m not saying I¡¯m going to shoot you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying it won¡¯t happen.¡± Cyril, who was watching his confused subordinate, gave a helpful explanation. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a little too much¡ª?¡± mumbled the 2nd lieutenant, but Cyril didn¡¯t seem to mind. Adrienne and he were now friends without hesitation. He could have helped Adrienne if she had asked for his help with her love. He most likely believes it. Cyril shifted his gaze away from the gun that had slipped from his grip. With no intention of pointing the gun at him in the future. ****** It would not be an exaggeration to say that making a debutante is a war. More than half a year ago, a noble family with an adult daughter began planning to attend an Imperial ball. The enthusiasm was understandable, as reservations for the famous dressing room in the capital were almost fully booked a year in advance. To stand out even a little among the countless aristocrats, great preparation was required. There was no possibility to choose anything in vain, from the dresses worn that day to the accessories. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Adrienne, and it looks amazing to me.¡± Countess Bluea said to Adrienne, who had changed her third dress. She felt sorry for her niece, who had lost her closest companion due to her mother¡¯s absence, and decided to work to be a chaperone. ¡°Madam, I still have a few more dresses ready¡ª¡± ¡°Whatever my niece wears, she looks stunning. At least in my opinion.¡± It seemed sweet at first, but when she looked closer, she realized it wasn¡¯t. Bluea had a daughter the same age as Adrienne. In other words, she was in charge of two chaperones at the same time. Daughter and niece. It was obvious to whom the heart of the Countess Bluea would be drawn more. The Countess, who had been listed in the famous dressing room for almost a year for her daughter, did not call Adrienne to the capital until much later. Not just the famous dressing room, but also the fairly well-received designers, were completely booked at the moment. Because the designers were so busy being called around, getting a new dress was nearly impossible. Eventually, all of the dresses in the dressing room¡¯s corner, such as out-of-style dresses and experimental clothes that were too difficult to challenge, were dragged out. Everything in front of her was to find a suitable dress and have it fixed. Even Bluea didn¡¯t appear to be worth spending a lot of time on. ¡°Adrienne, what do you think?¡± ¡°This is enough for me, Aunt.¡± ¡°Look. My niece¡¯s eyes are excellent.¡± She even told her to bring her accessories that matched her dress, all with a happy expression on her face. That way, she won¡¯t have to pay a tenth of what she¡¯s already spent on her daughter. Bluea¡¯s father, Count Cassinel, gave her money, which she most likely spent on her cousin Mademoiselle Bluea. Adrienne nodded silently in agreement with what she said, despite the fact that she didn¡¯t realize it. She didn¡¯t have a lot of greed for her debutante, that¡¯s why. ¡®If Reid takes care of his wife well¡ª¡¯ The Bluea family had no children except for a daughter, unlike Adrienne, who had a consolation lead. It was also a heartbreaking reason for her to try to make her daughter stand out while keeping her niece Adrienne under control. Moreover, unlike the Bluea family, Cassinel was in a position to belong to the current ten great aristocrats. There was no need to spark the interest of the great aristocrats for the debut party because they only married other great aristocrats. The only regret was the blood-like money from the family¡¯s safe, but it was difficult to find a chaperone who was higher than Bluea, so it was well worth the money. ¡°By the way, Adrianna.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± While the owner was away for a while, Countess Blue spoke. It was a friendly nickname when they were together. ¡°Sir Thesar is back. Why don¡¯t we make room since Laura is also in the capital?¡± She was curious as to why she was suddenly using nicknames, and as she expected, there was a reason. What does Laura¡¯s presence in the capital have to do with Cyril¡¯s return, Mademoiselle Bluea? It hasn¡¯t been a year or two for Laura to whine to build a bridge between Cyril and herself, but seeing her mother come forward, she doesn¡¯t seem to have much time to spare. ¡°¡ªWell. Cyril is so busy, so I don¡¯t know. It would be great to see him all together after a long time.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you believe? Of course, he¡¯s busy, but there¡¯s no way he can¡¯t eat at least once. It¡¯s something you could suggest. You¡¯ve known each other since you were children.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask if I get a chance.¡± That jerk, Sir Thesar. Adriene gritted her teeth inside and replied with a smile. Cyril, Cyril¡ª. When will the name and her life fall apart. Every time she saw Adrienne, she brought up Cyril¡¯s story, and she felt like a spokesperson. ¡®What the hell is a spokesperson.¡¯ It was a word that was too intimate now that they barely even communicated. She doesn¡¯t know if she¡¯d rather be that close¡ª. A soft sigh came out of Adrienne¡¯s mouth. ****** Emma, the maid from Cassinel, had never left the estate in her life and was visiting the capital for the first time. Emma even acts as a maid for Adrienne, who does not have a maid in honor, due to her distance from other families. It wasn¡¯t only a matter of distance, of course. In reality, during the time when the family was prosperous, a lot of people came to take Cassinel¡¯s woman. But many years later, Cassinel had no maid. All of the noble maidens who had volunteered to be maids were naturally on their way to the capital. Adrienne and a maid who was close to her were in charge of the work of a maid, such as companion and dressmaker, for a long time. So, now that she says she¡¯s working as a maid, does it make a difference that her responsibilities are a little wider? ¡°Everyone is anxious because everyone else can¡¯t be glamorous, but Countess Bluea was too much. Knowing how much she followed the Countess during her lifetime¡ª¡± As soon as Emma arrived at the mansion, she poured out words she had endured. She seemed more upset than Adrienne, the party involved. ¡°She must be more concerned about Laura than me. What can I do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure the Master won¡¯t sit still if he finds out.¡± ¡°So we have to be quiet so that he can stay still. I don¡¯t want to show up by stealing everything she doesn¡¯t have.¡± Adrienne, who replied in an easy way, threw herself into bed as soon as she changed her clothes. The remaining silk dress was limp like a snake¡¯s skin. Adrienne¡¯s words were reasonable at first sight. Of course, Cassinel was not a family that had fallen to the point of worrying today and tomorrow. Old fame was an honor, and somehow it is still in the ranks of the great nobility. However, it was not as good as the ladies who entered and out of the palace with oil flowing on their faces. Count Cassinel has been in and out of the palace over the past few years to discuss the support of the estate, but his return was nothing but a formality. The Emperor wanted to have his troops on all frontiers, including Cassinel. Those words were no different than telling the family to give up the land they had been protecting for a long time. As such, the confrontation between the Emperor and the local nobleman, including Cassinel, was intensifying. In the meantime, Cassinel even went so far as to be a great nobleman. Since he could not touch it recklessly, the emperor tried to bother Cassinel and all the great aristocrats who shared power. ¡°Even so. It is said that the Crown Prince is also attending this debutante, isn¡¯t it too bad?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be disappointed about.¡± ¡°What do you mean! I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll have a new fiancee in your debutante.¡± Emma raised her voice by asking how she could not know such an important thing. Adrienne then recalled that it had been more than a year since the Prince lost his fiancee. It had been more than a year since the news came that the Prince¡¯s fiance had suddenly passed away from pneumonia. Time went by so quickly. ¡°You loved the Prince, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Love¡ª¡± Adrienne murmured, still buried in the pillow. It was right, she likes the Prince. Because he was very sweet unlike anyone, kind unlike anyone, and unlike anyone who made fun of Adrienne. And unlike anyone else, she could have liked him comfortably. So, Adrienne liked the Prince. He is like a prince in a fairy tale, without having a sense of reality that he is. ¡°Well. Lady was completely having a thing with Cyril. Compared to that, Prince is only a fleeting moment.¡± ¡°Emma, when did I fall for Cyril?¡± Adrienne, who was responding coolly, jumped to her feet. She felt unfair in her round eyes. ¡°Oh my? Lady, how many times did you hold onto me saying you were going to marry Cyril when you were young?¡± ¡°That¡¯s, because all I knew was Cyril when I was young.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you cry when Cyril said ¡®I¡¯m not going to marry you, Adrienne¡¯?¡± Emma made fun of Adrienne, acting realistically as if she had gone back to that day. All those embarrassing memories to refute were true. Adrienne, who felt defeat, laid herself on the bed again. Emma smiled quietly when she saw the weak lady. ¡°It happened when I was young¡ª¡± ¡°Of course. I know.¡± Emma knew everything without having to say it. It was all about how much Adrienne liked Cyril and why she gave up on Cyril. Chapter 19 Episode 19. Chapter 4. Just bluffing (3) ¡°Cyril will come to the debutante, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. I heard he¡¯s being promoted to captain.¡± ¡°He¡¯s amazing. I can¡¯t believe someone who was so weak made such a contribution¡ª. Especially, I heard that the Special War Command is a unit that nobles are reluctant to go to. He¡¯s brave, too.¡± Emma, who had been complimenting Cyril, added carefully whether Adrienne heard those words in one ear and shed them in the other. ¡°Lady, do you think there¡¯s a chance between Cyril? The two haven¡¯t gotten engaged yet.¡± ¡°The Princess and the engagement seemed to be going back and forth. I¡¯m not sure, but that¡¯s what everyone said.¡± ¡°That must have been the decision of the Duke Thesar alone. In the past, it must have been the Marquis of Dalbr¨¦¡ª¡± Emma, who had been babbling, belatedly stopped talking and covered her mouth with her hands. It was because it was a bad memory for Adrienne. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Emma. Maybe Emma¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lady. I¡¯m just wondering if¡ª¡± ¡°I know. Don¡¯t I understand Emma¡¯s feelings? But even if it¡¯s not true, there won¡¯t be anything going on with me.¡± Will Cyril come and confess to Adrienne? It was better to expect the sun to rise in the west. How many times has she been rejected? At the end, it was Cyrill who left Cassinel without saying a word. At one time, she obviously liked Cyril. She¡¯s been like that since she didn¡¯t realize it was her favorite emotion. But it¡¯s already been in the past. Adrienne was now determined not to like Cyril again. Cyril Valentin de Thesar. The name of a first love and friend who came unannounced one day and left one day. Adrienne pondered the name for a moment. She got a strange feeling about the name she had on her lips before. The white pillow case was soaked with a dry sigh. ***** ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since you returned. How can you come back now?¡± It was the first time in three years that Cyril walked to the palace of the Crown Prince. Cyril responded with dryness to the sound of bruises that were terrifying to step inside. ¡°I¡¯ll see you at the ceremony.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still good at being cold-hearted.¡± Its light tone did not inspire much criticism. Lionel greeted Cyril with a gentle hug and a bright smile, as if he wasn¡¯t serious in the first place. ¡°Should I call you Sir Thesar now?¡± ¡°Do as you please, Your Grace.¡± ¡°Oh, my God, I can¡¯t even joke around.¡± Lionel raised his hands as if he had lost and returned to his position. Cyril sat down and stared quietly at Lionel, who was two years older, but remained in Prince seat until he turned 21. Lionel really had the appearance to match the word prince. Glamorous blondes and near-glossy rust were particularly so. ¡®¡ªSomeone Adrienne dreamed of.¡¯ At the thought of it, Cyril slowly closed his eyes and opened them. Of course, Lionel was still in front of him. Many fairy tales that he read to Adrienne when he was young showed a Prince who looked just like that. Adrienne liked the Prince so much that, when bored, she would urge him to do a role play. Once, he wondered why the Prince was so nice. Where in the world is the black-haired Prince? So he can¡¯t be a Prince. He¡¯s not going to do it anymore. Adrienne then opened her eyes wide in shock and asked, ¡®There¡¯s no red-haired princess¡ª Then I can¡¯t be a princess?¡¯ The eyes of the child who was smiling even if he fell and broke his knee were surprisingly teary. So what can he say about it? ¡®¡­it must be somewhere. Just do it.¡¯ He has no choice but to say that. Then Adrienne smiled again. It was always the same. The game of the day came to an end only when, ¡®The prince and princess who became a married couple lived happily ever after.¡¯ Why did the fool like childish play so much? Who the hell is a prince? ¡°Cyril, if you stare at me like that, I will be a little embarrassed.¡± ¡°The more I look at it, the more you look like a Prince.¡± Cyril, who had escaped from his thoughts, responded with a bit of grumpiness. It was not very loyal to the future emperor, but Lionel only smiled. The Prince has always been mature. He feels ashamed because of how he wonders about Adrienne¡¯s first impression about how good-looking he is. ¡®Useless thought.¡¯ Cyril, who was momentarily frustrated, shook his head lightly. This was all because of the subordinates who made old memories rumble. After talking about Adrienne for something, it doesn¡¯t matter who she likes or not¡ª. ¡°I can see flowers this year.¡± Cyril turned to the window, instead of adding his own training schedule for a wide-ranging subordinate. The sunlight smashing through the wide window was equally shining on the garden beyond. The flowers that draw out the colors like purple showed their presence on the green leaves with their own colors. ¡°A flower that blooms every year.¡± ¡°Every year doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s the same thing.¡± Cyril was indifferent to sentimental words. Not long ago, it was impossible to talk about flowers about a man who was rolling on the battlefield. ¡®Guns can be distinguished even with eyes closed, but they are flowers¡ª¡¯ Cyril paused, thinking of a common kind of rose. The yellow flowers that had decorated the window of his room for a long time had glistened. Of course, the face of a girl who was smiling brightly as she held out a bouquet of flowers in her arms came to mind. ¡®At any rate, Maxel, that brat is¡ª¡¯. Another arrow returned to the subordinate. The experience of digging into the past that had been buried beyond memory was not very pleasant. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a flower. Let¡¯s just say you¡¯re not interested. What do you think of other flowers? It¡¯ll be in full bloom soon.¡± ¡°All flowers are flowers, this flower and that flower, why do you have to nitpicking it¡ª¡± Cyril stopped talking without much thought. He noticed a different meaning from Lionel¡¯s smiling face. Cyril, with a frown on his forehead as if he was trying to make a bland sound, put one arm on the armrest of the chair. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re talking about the debutant. I¡¯ll have to go because His Majesty asks me to attend.¡± ¡°Cassinel¡¯s Young Lady must have gone a long way, but you¡¯re not interested.¡± ¡°Why are you talking about Adrienne?¡± Whenever he acted indifferently, as if it had nothing to do with him, his smooth forehead was wrinkled. Lionel looked at the figure and lightly shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Do you know you¡¯re particularly sensitive about Cassinel¡¯s topics? You used to live there when you were a kid, so I could ask you something.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never done that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s very different from what I remember.¡± Lionel giggled as he looked at his friend¡¯s face, which had been distorted annoyingly. As the wrinkles on Cyril¡¯s forehead deepened, Lionel said with a smile. ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you do me a favor if it¡¯s just a banquet in the name of my father?¡± ¡°What favor?¡± ¡°Please ask Dezire to dance with you. She looks so bored because she stays in bed all the time.¡± Lionel¡¯s face referring to his sister was a little darker than before. Cyril remembered Princess Dezire, who had a cough when she was staying with Lionel. ¡°She said she wants to attend the debutante, but where has she been? It¡¯s next year that she officially comes of age, but she seems to want to experience it in advance. As an older brother, I can¡¯t turn down my younger sister¡¯s request.¡± ¡°Dance is no big deal.¡± ¡°Thank you for listening.¡± ¡°I was just going to show my face anyway, so one dance won¡¯t make any difference.¡± Cyril, who thought nothing of it, shook his head. It wasn¡¯t an unreasonable request as it would take less than 5 minutes to say one song. ¡®How long has it been since I last danced?¡¯ After a brief thought, a vivid afterimage of the past unfolded in front of Cyril¡¯s eyes. It was the scene of the two who had been monitoring with strict facial expressions and working side by side under the teacher of etiquette. A girl who brazenly continued to dance despite making mistakes one after another, and a boy who pretended to be fine even after being stepped on¡ª. ¡®It¡¯s scary to remember something.¡¯ No matter what he thinks of these days, from number one to ten, it was all memories with Adrienne. After returning from the battlefield, he only met her once. Cyril, embarrassed to blame Maxel any longer, swallowed a sigh. Lionel¡¯s gaze stayed briefly on the head that fell on its own. ***** Cassinel¡¯s mansion, located on the outskirts of the capital, Ruter, was very simple compared to that of a large aristocrat. In the first place, the architectural style in which a narrow and shallow moat encircled the mansion itself was a trends that had long since passed. It wasn¡¯t just a matter of form. The mansion was located in an unusually low area, and it also had geographical weaknesses that would easily be submerged if it rained even a little. However, considering the land price of the capital, which has jumped without knowing that the sky was high over the past decade, it was high class. Even this flawed mansion would not have belonged to Cassinel if it had not been for Reid¡¯s stubbornness that he rarely saw every few years. If it was a little late, the price would have doubled. Adrienne admired the twins¡¯ insight once again. In Adrienne¡¯s view, Reid had no talent for martial arts, but the ability to read the world was superior to anyone in the family. ¡°Adrianna!¡± ¡°What are you running for, Reid?¡± She wondered where she could hear a loud bang, and Reid, with a hot face, entered the room. Chapter 20 Episode 20. Chapter 4. Just bluffing (4) ¡°I must have been late¡ª¡± Reid, who has worked as a Ministry of Finance official since this year, has been so busy that he has had to work overtime since the beginning of the year. He went in after taking the same exam, but he seemed to be worried about the halo of being the eldest son of a great aristocrat. He was obviously worried because there were a lot of people who came from the top and had a golden connection, but Reid was kind and honest, unmatched to them. They couldn¡¯t blame it because being nice and honest was not a sin. ¡°It¡¯s not late, so breathe properly. It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your debutant¡ª¡± ¡°You always wanted to play the role of brother.¡± Reid smiled awkwardly at the words. She guessed it wasn¡¯t wrong to see him not deny it. Reid, who barely spoke to Cyril, was just as blunt when it came to Adrienne. In fact, he had no idea that it was part of his ¡®brother¡¯s duty.¡¯ ¡°Your dress looks good on you, Adrianna.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s pretty. I wish it were a little more colorful, but¡ª¡± Reid quickly added that that was only his opinion. He told his sister not to worry about what he said because her eyes are better than his. He seemed to think that he shouldn¡¯t have said anything to the dress that had already been set. He was a meticulous twin since he had been constantly timid since he was a child. ¡®If it¡¯s the eyes, Reid is better than me.¡¯ Adrienne agreed with Reid. Reid, who goes to the palace every day, would be more familiar with the latest trends than she is. It would have been nice to have been fully prepared for a once-in-a-lifetime debut, but the ship had already left. Instead of having regrets, Adrienne stood facing Reid, who was staring at her with lingering feelings. ¡°You¡¯re good. You chose the right clothes.¡± ¡°I was up to the capital first, so I had plenty of time to prepare. I would have brought you up if I had known it would be like this.¡± ¡°This is all I need. Auntie thinks Laura as a hope, but our Cassinel has you, Reid. The important thing is you.¡± Adrienne roughly touched Reid¡¯s hair, which was disheveled from running. Reid grumbled something bitterly while still getting his sister¡¯s friendly touch. ¡°What¡¯s so important about a swordless successor?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an era where gold is more important than swords. Your hands handle gold, it has nothing to do with father.¡± Adrienne spoke firmly and took a step back. A glance that said, ¡®That¡¯s enough,¡¯ passed to Reid¡¯s whole body. Who are these twins who are so good-looking? In fact, it wasn¡¯t enough for her to say he was good-looking; but she was embarrassed to say more with a face that looked like hers. ¡°I think you¡¯re getting taller, Reid?¡± ¡°Really? Come to think of it, Cyril is taller.¡± ¡°Have you seen Cyril recently?¡± ¡°Yeah. There¡¯s also a training ground nearby. It seems that he is being called around a lot these days.¡± During the triumphal ceremony, Cyril¡¯s name was mentioned numerous times. Because he had become so well-known, nobles who enjoyed talking couldn¡¯t leave Cyril alone. ¡°In the past, I just looked down. Now he¡¯s so tall that my neck hurts.¡± ¡°In his own words, he said he was still growing. What did he say? He said he was just annoyingly getting bigger¡ª¡± ¡°It sounds like a blessing.¡± The men on the ground would gather and throw stones at him if they heard it. Cyril, of course, will avoid all of this and use his gun instead¡ª. Thinking like that, Cyril was unfamiliar again. It was impossible to know how the little doll-like kid had grown so much. ¡°Are we going to leave slowly?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to do that.¡± Well, it¡¯s none of her business now. Adrienne left behind her thoughts and followed Reid. ****** The Solanite Palace, which was built less than 20 years ago, was praised as the most beautiful structure in Persian Empire history. ¡®Everyone¡¯s steps will be guided to view this palace,¡¯ the nobles said, when the gorgeous palace was surrounded by gold, reflecting the meaning of the palace¡¯s name. One might wonder if Adrienne was exaggerating when she said the words, but she couldn¡¯t stop herself from praising Solanite Palace. It was a grand ball held in a beautiful palace. It pains just to think about how spectacular the debutant¡¯s surroundings will be. ¡°Viscount Pegas¡¯ family will be entering!¡± ¡°The Count Laurie and his wife are entering!¡± The sound of the servants taking turns announcing their entrance remained at the banquet hall¡¯s entrance. Adrienne, who was standing by Countess Bluea¡¯s side, took a quiet look around the banquet hall. A transparent chandelier shone under the high ceiling covered with beautiful murals, and the light of the lighting reflected off the mirrors and high windows all around, dazzling the banquet hall. ¡®Cyril hasn¡¯t come yet.¡¯ That must have been the reason why she found her childhood friend unconsciously. It¡¯s amazing she didn¡¯t go insane because everything was so glamorous. While Adrienne was paying attention to the entrance of the banquet hall on the opposite side, men who were wary approached one by one. ¡°Oh, Laura, Monsieur is here.¡± ¡°Ah, Countess, I¡ª¡± The man¡¯s attention was drawn inward to Adrienne, but Countess Bluea used her daughter as a shield. The man hid his embarrassment and asked Laura to dance when she walked out with a shy face. Naturally, the pair moved to the dance floor. Countess Bluea stood up again, covering Adrienne. She had a refreshing expression on her face as if she had finished one thing to do. ¡®You seem to like it.¡¯ Adrienne looked at the two people moving away and thought. Among the countless men wandering around, he was the only one who passed through the walls of the Countess. The next Count of Lesquir, who introduced himself as Viscount Lesquir. The Count Lesquir family is one of the Imperial Palace¡¯s representative court aristocrats, thus it must have been a good match for Bluea, who wanted to join the Imperial Palace¡¯s social circle. ¡®How¡¯s Reid doing?¡¯ Adrienne didn¡¯t care whether or not she did, and looked around the banquet hall in search of the twins. Behind the men with hyena-like eyes in the distance, she could see Reid standing like a pillar. If not being shy about his outstanding looks is a talent, it must be a talent. With some of the nearby chaperones glancing at Reid, it was clear that the Ladies would attack like bees after a short while, but Reid only smiled politely and stared straight ahead. ¡®Yeah¡ª Nice to meet you, nice to meet you.¡¯ Then, suddenly, he made eye contact with Adrienne and waved his hand. Adrienne held back a sigh that was about to burst and waved briefly. Several heads turned at the same time, wondering who the lady who drew Reid¡¯s attention was. They checked Adrienne and returned to their seats. Anyone would be able to tell it was a brother and sister. Meanwhile, the dance continued. As the band, hidden behind the curtains, performed a dance song, colorful dresses fluttered and embroidered the floor. At the end of the cheerful dance song, the bell rang to draw attention. It was a sign that a precious person was entering, and with a high probability, it would have been a royal family. ¡°Prince Lionel and Princess Dezire are entering! Everyone, be polite!¡± When the loud voice announced its appearance, the noisy hall quickly became quiet. All of the aristocrats eventually lowered their heads in the direction of the two imperial figures that appeared. The two imperial families stood at the center. A few years ago, Prince Lionel was engaged to the Boia Kingdom¡¯s second princess, but she died suddenly of lung disease, attracting attention to who he had brought in as his new fiancee. Princess Dezire, on the other hand, was frail and rarely appeared in public. Even though she stayed in the middle for a while and then disappeared, it was the first time that she appeared in earnest. ¡°Seeing as Your Highness the Princess has showed her face in person, the rumor must be real.¡± ¡°Rumor?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you know? There¡¯s a rumor about her getting engaged to Sir Thesar.¡± The ballroom was filled with elegant melodies, and there was a mouth that raised rumors as if it had been waiting for this moment. Adrienne saw the princess¡¯s aide while half-covering her mouth with a fan, chatting hard about the rumors. The scene where they spread the rumor and add weight to it¡ª. Even the position of an aide to the princess seemed to have a lot of trouble. ¡°Look over there! Sir Thesar is here!¡± ¡°Oh my, I think he¡¯s going to ask the Princess to dance.¡± Then came the words to catch Adrienne, who was about to stop paying attention to other people¡¯s social life. Cyril was seen in the center of the noisy voices. Cyril, who had become considerably more attractive in recent days, seemed to request a dance with the Princess, as they said. The princess, a stunning woman with a lively demeanor, flashed a wide smile, grasped Cyril¡¯s hand, and took a step forward. Adrienne looked away and turned away. ¡°You¡¯ve all seen it, haven¡¯t you? Who is Sir Thesar asking for his first dance?¡± ¡°Mademoiselle Thierre was right. I¡¯ve never seen Her Highness the Princess smile so brightly.¡± It was obvious where the words was headed. Adrienne smiled bitterly at the glance. ¡®It¡¯s not my fault that I¡¯ve known him since I was young¡ª¡¯ She doesn¡¯t know if anything had happened between the two of them, but it was very sad that they were one-sidedly liking each other and being severely misunderstood when everything was over. Moreover, Adrienne was no longer willing to jump into their competitors. It took too long to organize alone. ¡°It¡¯s surprising. I thought you¡¯d come first.¡± In the midst of her ferocious spirit, even the Countess of Bluea helped out with a word. ¡°Cyrill must have suffered as much as I did. It¡¯s better not to do that for everyone.¡± Adrienne replied in a serious way. The whole time, she denied that there was no relationship, but it was terrible just to imagine what she would hear if they danced as if she wanted to. Adrienne, who was looking at the Countess, wanting to go see Reid, sensed a change in the mood in an instant. Not far away, the murmur was growing louder. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Adrienne turned her head slightly, wondering if the emperor had entered, and then froze. Under the brilliantly shining lights of the statue, a handsome blonde was heading this way. One step, two steps. The closer the distance got, the clearer the man¡¯s destination seemed. The man she got close to was a person that even the Countess of Bluea couldn¡¯t stop. ¡°Mademoiselle Cassinel, it¡¯s been a while.¡± Lionel Bertrand de Montagne. It was the appearance of the Prince. Chapter 21 Episode 21. Chapter 4. Just bluffing (5) Adrienne worked hard on her feet while listening to a cheerful and fast dancing song. The mismatched tiles flapped as the hem of the dress floated across them. ¡®What am I doing right now?¡¯ Adrienne, who was moving as if she were leaving her body to music, suddenly thought of it. It would¡¯ve been better if she chatted with Reid quietly and went back¡ª. ¡°How are you?¡± Why is she dancing with the prince? And in the middle of the floor. Adrienne looked at the prince, the main cause of this situation. From head to toe, the infinitely elegant Prince smiled. The Prince, with his characteristic dark blonde hair and fresh green eyes resembling a summer forest, stood in front of her with a more mature face than that day, a few years ago. ¡°Yes, Your Highness, it is an honor to see you again.¡± ¡°You came today as well.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The word ¡®today¡¯ has a different meaning from ¡®that day¡¯. The day she followed her father to the Imperial Palace for the first time, the day she first met Prince Lionel, because she got lost in the garden. ¡°Yes, fortunately, today.¡¯ Adrienne, who was embarrassed for a moment, responded with a gesture of calmness. On top of that, she pretended to be relaxed and even smiled softly. In fact, the waterfall garden of Solanite Palace boasted the largest scale in the empire. Is she the only one who¡¯s lost in that big place? Ddan-dda-Ddan. Adrienne, who was going around once to the beat, paused for a moment. Cyril was three or four steps away. His partner, the princess, was also turning lightly. Cyril was looking at Adrienne, not the princess. Perhaps he had been lit by the chandelier, and his eyes looked more golden than usual. What? Why are you looking at me? When Adrienne slightly frowned, Cyril raised his handsome eyebrows. It seemed clear that he had read the meaning of the frown. As soon as the short encounter ended, Cyril¡¯s face disappeared, but Adrien returned to her place without seeing it. ¡°Don¡¯t you cry now?¡± What¡¯s wrong with him? As soon as she thought about it, Lionel stole her attention. Adrienne, who had almost missed an unexpected attack, managed to keep dancing. If it wasn¡¯t for luck because of her good athleticism, she would have been down long ago. Lionel, who pulled her arm gently, stretched the corners of his mouth. ¡°Are you surprised? I didn¡¯t mean to surprise you.¡± ¡°¡ªYou said you¡¯d keep it a secret, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a promise I made to you, and I¡¯ve just told you, so the secret is still valid.¡± Lionel rolled his eyes and smiled as if she was wrong. Even if she wanted to refute it, it was difficult to find a wrong corner in the Prince¡¯s words. ¡®Why are you crying?¡¯ ¡®¡ªI¡¯m lost.¡¯ ¡®Has a friend named Cyril abandoned you?¡¯ ¡®No, it¡¯s not like that. It¡¯s just¡ª¡¯ It wasn¡¯t much of a story. She got lost in the vast garden, and it was sad she couldn¡¯t see anyone. When she cried, she thought of Cyril, and the sadness she had been holding back burst out, and she called out to Cyril. Cyril is a fool, and he doesn¡¯t know anything¡ª. It was Prince Lionel who met her after crying like that. The Prince who smiled sweetly and handed her flowers that day, is now making fun of her. It was amazing. Adding to the reality that the Prince¡¯s sisters and Cyril were dancing, it was even more frustrating. ¡°Mademoiselle Cassinel.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°As you may already know, my sister has been sick for a long time. She¡¯s better now, but she¡¯s not in perfect condition.¡± While contemplating whether this was a joke of fate, Lionel brought up the story of his younger sister. A princess dancing with Cyril with a happy face passed around them. She could tell that Lionel¡¯s words were true just by looking at her pale face and slender arms and legs as if they were about to collapse. Lionel turned around and widened his view as if he knew where Adrienne¡¯s gaze was headed. Even so, he was still elegant, and he had the appearance of a heavenly Prince. ¡°So that¡¯s why she has a lot of springs. I also believe that if you beg for something you can¡¯t have, you¡¯ll have it.¡± ¡°¡ªI have no idea what the reason is for saying that to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re going to have some trouble.¡¯ ¡°What are you¡ª¡± A soft voice had spoken something that was mysterious, but was not given the chance to ask back. It was because the rotation continued. Adrienne moved steadily even though she couldn¡¯t hide her embarrassment. Lionel seemed to be smiling at the subject of embarrassment. ¡°Nice to see you again, Mademoiselle Cassinel.¡± Ironically, the music ended the moment she returned to her place. People came to him without any time to ask what the hell that meant. ¡°Next time¡ª¡± After hesitating for a moment, Lionel¡¯s last words were not heard. It was because he was suddenly pushed away by the crowd. Adrienne stared at Lionel, who was disappearing. ¡®It¡¯s nice to meet you, aside from that, what the hell is that¡ª?¡¯ If she put the story together, it was said that she would suffer because of a princess with a lot of spring. The princess¡¯s desire, even if she doesn¡¯t have to ask, it¡¯s probably Cyril¡ª. ¡®Something you can¡¯t have?¡¯ As the rumor goes, if the two get engaged, the Princess will have Cyril. At that time, the only thing the Princess could not have would be old memories. But even if they want to give it, they can¡¯t give it, and even if the Princess receives it, it will not be of much significance. Because it¡¯s not the Princess¡¯s. ¡®What the hell¡ª¡¯ There were a lot of things that she couldn¡¯t understand. As well as the prediction that Adrien would suffer, but even the Prince who dared to tell her was difficult to understand. Leaving behind the unknown words, Adrienne slipped off the floor. Laura was escorted by another man, so she didn¡¯t have to go back to Countess Bluea. ¡®Reid is also caught.¡¯ She thought she¡¯d go to the most comfortable twins, but Reid wasn¡¯t alone either. There seemed to be a line of people waiting, led by a brave lady. ¡°Well, Mademoiselle Cassinel?¡± Adrienne soon noticed that there was a line waiting for her with a different gender. In this case, it was best to take refuge before something more troublesome happened. She didn¡¯t enjoy the ball, but she showed her face with the chaperon, so she was doing her duty. Would it be a big deal to avoid one of her seats in this atmosphere? After a while, Adrienne, who smiled and made a rough excuse, left the banquet hall. The eyes that followed were not persistent. Adrienne, who came out of the palace at all, could barely breathe after moving away from all eyes. ¡®¡ªThe sound of footsteps.¡¯ Adrienne, who was thinking of a way to spend time in moderation, heard a sound of footsteps in her ear. Without the will to hide, the honest noise grew as if to announce its existence. ¡®What kind of persistent guy is this person?¡¯ It was hard to imagine that there would be other things to see in this direction because it was on purpose to find a place where there were no people. Adrienne spit inwardly and hid behind a large pillar. If she did this much, she would go as far as she could, she thought. Step, step. Contrary to expectations, however, the sound grew closer and now even shadows appeared beyond the pillar. The steps, whose owner was unknown, came right next to Adrienne¡¯s desperate wish and stopped. No matter who it was, it was clear that he had no sense of humor. Adrienne, who frowned as much as she could, managed to relax and get ready to laugh. And then he took a step forward. ¡°I always tell you.¡± A familiar voice was heard above her head. Adrienne looked up reflexively. ¡°You¡¯re bad at hide-and-seek.¡± The eyes resembling gold were staring down at Adrienne, apparently sticking out his head before she knew it. It was Cyril, her childhood friend who always volunteered to be a tag for Adrienne. ****** The trail leading to the garden was quiet. Every light in the world is in that splendid palace, so it was natural. The shadows of the two mixed over the long line of street trees. Adrienne looked at the shadow of Cyril, which was much longer than her, and turned her head. The undeniably handsome Cyril immediately caught her eye. Underneath his black hair glistening in the moonlight, his beautiful profile looked as if it was out of this world. That¡¯s why everyone wants to go beside him¡ª. There was nothing she couldn¡¯t understand just by looking at his face. ¡°You seemed to be having fun.¡± Newly admiring that beauty, Cyril, who was moving forward without a word, threw a word. ¡°Me?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s better to practice dancing more. The steps are all messed up.¡± He couldn¡¯t recall any pleasant memories, so he asked the question, but the answer that came back blew his mind away. ¡®Oh my goodness,¡¯ Adrienne murmured. ¡°How many things do I have to dance to? It was good enough.¡± ¡°The Viscountess Parte would have to agree.¡± ¡°¡ªYeah, I hope you can dance well.¡± Even though she wanted to refute it, it was true that she stumbled with the prince¡¯s outrageous blow. When did he see that¡ª. Adrienne neatly declared surrender. Chapter 22 Episode 22. Chapter 4. Just bluffing (6) ¡®By the way, how was Cyril?¡¯ The face of the Princess, who smiled brighter than anyone else, was strong, but Cyril¡¯s expression did not come to mind well. It was the same that she tried not to look. Well, she¡¯s sure he smiled. Adrienne made the decision to move on rather than sit and think for a long time. It was reasonable to assume that the rumored two people who were about to be engaged danced in a good mood. Should she ask about his engagement? The thought that came to mind quickly subsided. She thought let¡¯s just let it flow because there¡¯s nothing different about it. ¡°When are you planning to go back to Cassinel?¡± ¡°Well, I won¡¯t stay long. I think it¡¯ll be next week.¡± ¡°Do you have anything else to do this weekend?¡± Adrienne, who had been responding sincerely, came to a halt when she heard the words. As the question of what the intention was directed at him, Cyril took a step forward as if to continue walking and calmly said. ¡°There was someone who wanted to meet you.¡± ¡°All of a sudden?¡± ¡°Yeah. Suddenly.¡± The nuance of answering was as if he didn¡¯t know this would happen. Adrienne, who opened her eyes wide again, took a breath, saying, ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Where should I go?¡± ¡°To my mansion.¡± ¡°¡ªCan I do that?¡± ¡°Of course, unless you¡¯re going to do something you shouldn¡¯t have done.¡± The pathetic gaze touched her face as if he was telling her to throw away the tricks. It felt like a plan that didn¡¯t exist with just that look came up in an instant, but Adrienne tried to ignore it. This is because it was clear that he was making fun of her when she saw him smile. What should I do? Her mind was busy. She wanted to refrain from spreading useless rumors, but since this is the first request she has received in several years, her curiosity is ahead. ¡°¡ªSend me the carriage. Without a sentence.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever you want.¡± Adrienne came up with a plan coyly. Cyril nodded his head. With his long neck uselessly standing out, Adrienne turned her eyes away. Chapter 5. Life always goes in an unexpected direction (1) Adrienne woke up to the late noon sunlight. When she came to the capital, all she did was play and eat, and she had become very lazy. The faithful twins who took all of his sister¡¯s diligence and would have already gone to work at the Imperial palace, and the rest of the afternoon was spent playing the same way. Knock, knock. The knock woke her up while she was thinking about sleeping a little more because she was half-asleep. Adrienne stretched out her arms. ¡°I woke up.¡± ¡°Lady, it¡¯s Schumar.¡± Of course, she thought it would be Emma, but it was the young butler who knocked on the door. Knowing Adrienne¡¯s nature, the butler rarely came to visit in the early hours. ¡°There¡¯s something you need to see urgently.¡± Even though she was puzzled when she ordered him to come in, the butler politely bowed his head. Judging by the look on his face, he seemed to be in an unusual situation. ¡°¡ªWhat is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a letter from a messenger.¡± It¡¯s not the mailman, it¡¯s the messenger. The messenger was the one who was in charge only in the capital and distant territory. ¡®Did father send it?¡¯ But if her father had sent it, it wouldn¡¯t have waited this long. Adrienne was surprised when she picked up the red envelope without much thought. ¡®¡ªIs the envelope red?¡¯ In the Persian Empire, red envelopes were not used without a special reason. And the ¡®special reason¡¯ was mainly related to marriage. Recalling that fact, Adrienne¡¯s mind became completely clear. She had an immediate effect as if she had poured cold water on it. ¡°¡­.¡± Adrienne, who had lost her mind to the color of the envelope, suddenly fixed her gaze in the center of the letter. At the end of Adrienne¡¯s gaze, there was a seal. Half black and half white wing patterns were clear on red wax. It was an unforgettable sentence. Therefore, it was also a sentence that should not remain on that red envelope. Adrienne ripped the envelope like a broken machine. Her eyes began to tremble little by little as she was slowly reading the open letter. The letter contained the same content as expected. It was a proposal to Adrienne, Cassinel¡¯s only woman. The content itself was plain without any problems. If there was a problem, it was the one who sent the proposal to the family. Adrienne, who closed her eyes several times in front of the unbelievable reality, woke up and read the name at the end of the letter again. [Cyril Valentin de Thesar] Unfortunately, however, the name has not changed. Adrienne felt like she wanted to stop screaming. ****** ¡°I¡¯m dying. I¡¯m dying.¡± ¡°Can you calm down for a moment?¡± ¡°Will it work?¡± The training that was conducted under the guise of correcting the disorganized discipline after the war had just ended. Those who enjoyed the Pour and Drink party until last evening or this dawn complained of pain with pale faces lying on the soil floor. ¡°I saw you all on the terrace yesterday.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been good at messing around.¡± After a little while, the men who used to make a fuss now began to talk about the woman they met yesterday. About which Mademoiselle and etc¡ª. Cyril looked down at the pathetic creatures coldly and moved forward. The fact that they were all nobles shocked Cyril. ¡®If I throw them all in front of Viscountess Parte, it will be worth seeing.¡¯ As he passed by those who were busy giggling and laughing, he thought like that. If it were the tutor and the wife of the Viscount Parte, who was in charge of Cyril and Adrienne¡¯s education, she would have said this. ¡®Whether you have a good eye or not, you have to live properly. Please keep your body in shape and always pay attention to your behavior.¡¯ After listening to the strict tutors¡¯ education for several years, he could memorize the contents even when he woke up. Cyril thought that all nobles would have received similar teachings until he joined the military or until he came to the capital. ¡®It wasn¡¯t thoughtless, it was prodigy.¡¯ Of course, the reality was different from the ideal. A lot of that, too. It was clear that the monster living in the mountains behind Cassinel would not take turns eating them like they did. According to the Viscountess Parte, they were all Satan, and they had chosen a journey to Hell. ¡®Half of the Persian¡¯s nobles will be taken away.¡¯ The reality was darker than that because it was half of the total. He was misunderstood that he was not a desireless person or incompetent person just because he lived straight. Without going far, just thinking about yesterday¡¯s ball¡ª. If possible, Cyril wanted to erase from his memory the scene where he used the curtain as a bed canopy and burned the passion. How disgusting was the feast of flesh color. ¡°Sir Thesar, no, Lieutenant!¡± Just before leaving the training ground, a desperate voice found Cyril. He thought he could hear him running, and then the sound of his panting breath came from nearby. Cyril kept walking as if he hadn¡¯t heard it. He knew who it was just by hearing his voice, so he didn¡¯t have to look back. ¡°Lieutenant!¡± Second Lieutenant Langred, Maxel de Langred, was stopped by reaching out to Cyril. ¡°Don¡¯t touch it.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I forgot that the lieutenant had mysophobia.¡± He forgot for a while that the eyes were running on the back of his head¡ª. Maxel muttered to himself. What does it mean, a soldier with mysophobia? At first glance, it was a ridiculous combination, but Lieutenant Thesar in front of him was a representative figure. It was a perfect condition to get out without being able to adapt, but the heartless superior continued to be promoted. Maxel realized when he saw Cyril that other people¡¯s worries were the most useless. There is a lieutenant with mysophobia who wears gloves while dancing with the Princess, who cares about whom? ¡°Lieutenant, there¡¯s a question that I really want to ask on behalf of everyone.¡± ¡°What do you mean on your behalf.¡± The attitude of answering was not very equal. It was so clear that he didn¡¯t want to say anything at all, but Maxel was everywhere. ¡°Are you really engaged?¡± ¡°Do you get engaged alone these days?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you getting engaged to Her Highness the Princess?¡± Cyril, who was walking towards the stable at a steady pace, stood still. Maxel, who quietly stopped following, was able to read Cyril¡¯s expression without difficulty. What kind of nonsense is that? And Cyril was thinking exactly that way. After hearing a strange rumor from somewhere else¡ª. ¡°Didn¡¯t you dance yesterday too? That¡¯s cool, too, and you¡¯re approaching her and clenching your hand!¡± ¡°¡ªHonestly, you should stop subscribing to that newspaper. Or rather quit the soldier and go that way.¡± Baron Langred was unaware of the future of his son. Maxel was a great man who should have been crumpled in the newspapers, not the army. Humans who will risk their lives for interest are easier than risking their lives for their country¡ª So if he comes out as a reporter or novelist, he will succeed. Aren¡¯t the things he¡¯s doing the same anyway? ¡°Ah, why are you doing this? Rumors are already circulating. My sister was also very upset. I haven¡¯t even talked to the lieutenant yet, but she said she¡¯s leaving¡ª¡± ¡°What rumors?¡± Cyril, who had been shaking his head with an expression that ¡®he knew it¡¯ from the time he talked about dancing with the Princess, asked back. Seeing his stiff face, it seemed to be the first time he heard it. ¡°¡ªYou didn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± At Maxel¡¯s careful question, Cyril answered straight away. Initially, Cyril was a type far from social circles. In addition, it was usually a step slower for the noisy news to be delivered to the unit, and it took more time for it to reach Cyril again. There was news coming and going, but Cyril didn¡¯t pay much attention because of his work. Even now, if it hadn¡¯t been for his talkative subordinate, he would have been unaware of such rumors. ¡°Everyone has a lot of imagination.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying it¡¯s not true?¡± He can¡¯t believe he has to say that. Cyril passed Maxel, marveling at his subordinate¡¯s amazing listening ability. Chapter 23 Episode 23. Chapter 5. Life always goes in an unexpected direction (2) ¡®Things that don¡¯t make sense¡ª¡¯ Cyri, who climbed on the horse¡¯s back, clicked his tongue. It was ridiculous to think about it again. Rumors of engagement are circulating because he only danced once. Humans who enjoy their lives freely pretend to be naive only when they do this. There will be dozens of couples born at the ball yesterday alone if one dance is a measure of engagement. It was also because of Lionel¡¯s request that he asked Princess Dezire for a partner in the first place. He stayed in the Imperial Palace for a year, so he was close with the Princess, but nothing more. ¡®By the way, Adrienne also danced with Lionel.¡¯ The image of Adrienne, who was gently walking to the floor with a smile, came to mind. She smiled so brightly that even without the light of the chandelier, she seemed to be shining alone. ¡®¡ªIs it good?¡¯ It took a lot of courage to be able to continue with an unrequited love that began when she was 14 and ended when she was 19. It was even more so considering Lionel¡¯s history of going through one engagement and one breakup in the meantime. What¡¯s so good about it? Finding a way is something that will be very memorable¡ª. Cyril could not understand Adrienne then and even now. ¡®You don¡¯t even need my understanding.¡¯ Thinking like that, he had a little bitter taste. Cyril lowered his posture by pulling the outer reins very lightly. The intelligent horse quickly understood the owner¡¯s will and increased his speed. ****** Cyril lived at his mansion, not at his official residence. It was possible because Thesar¡¯s mansion was located not far from the imperial palace. It was closer to the Imperial Palace than most general¡¯s¡¯ official residences, so what more explanation is needed? Not only the location, but also the mansion itself had just been built. A new mansion built on a yolk-like land. Maxel, who discovered Cyril¡¯s house by chance, ask for an invitation. He wasn¡¯t aggressive the first time he recruited a major and launched a joint attack. But Cyril refused like a sword each time. It was a natural response from Cyril¡¯s point of view. What¡¯s the point of having soldiers smell like sweat in a clean mansion? Even if it wasn¡¯t Maxel, everyone was the same. Cyril placed great importance on private space as he thoroughly separates public and private matters. ¡®¡ªIt can¡¯t be Maxel.¡¯ Then, what is that carriage that is stopped in front of the mansion now? Cyril looked back to see if there was any promise he had forgotten, but there was no such thing. He could be sure because he never had an appointment at home. The only exception would be Adrienne, but there were still days left until the appointment with Adrienne. There were no marks on the carriage to identify it. That appeared to be the shape of the horse-drawn carriage he saw one day. While the sound of the rattling horseshoe gradually decreases. The distance from the carriage got closer little by little. ¡°¡­..!¡± As soon as the horse stopped at a suitable place, the carriage door opened and someone came out. Cyril, who reflexively took his hand to his waist, stopped. ¡°Adrienne?¡± ¡°Hurry up, let¡¯s go in and talk. Hurry up! Oh, Shinu! Long time no see. How have you been?¡± The uninvited guest was Adrienne. Adrienne, with her characteristic bright red hair tightly hidden under the bonnet, did not rush Cyril, but exchanged greetings with Cyril. It was natural to be close to Adrienne because he had been with Cassinel. Shinu, the white horse, was rubbing the bridge of his nose against Adrienne¡¯s cheek, whether he knew his owner¡¯s absurd heart or not. ¡°How long has it been¡ª! You¡¯ve gotten more splendid since then. Is Cyril taking good care of you? Your hair is still pretty!¡± She felt happy just with the voice that was reminiscent of a lot. The situation was not much different when she said she was excited to meet her old friend again. The sea of joy, leaving the owner alone, ended briefly, and Adrienne, who belatedly came to her senses, grabbed Cyril¡¯s hand. Shinu walked after the two on his own, wagging his tails. ¡°What the hell is going on? There¡¯s no way the weekend never came without me knowing.¡± Cyril asked the butler who was surprised by the unexpected visit. Adrienne finally let go of the hand she was holding the whole time and chose a word. ¡°The weekend is not important. I have something urgent to tell you. A suitable place¡ª¡± ¡°Come here.¡± Cyril, who sighed as if he couldn¡¯t stop her, took the lead. Adrienne, who was guided to the drawing room, looked around and quickly stared at Cyril. The eyes had a lot of say. Meanwhile, Cyril, who ordered the maid to get the tea, sat on the sofa opposite. ¡°Now tell me. What¡¯s wrong with you? Why are you breaking into someone else¡¯s house?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. I didn¡¯t have time to make an appointment in advance and wait.¡± It was a polite apology for the person who was ambushed in front of the house and kidnapped the owner. It was fantastic to the point that the place where the kidnapping was at his home. If the opponent wasn¡¯t for Adrienne, he would have already been angry from the front of the house¡ª. Surprisingly, Cyril nodded quietly because he couldn¡¯t think of anything. To be honest, he just felt like he was seeing Adrienne again, who came into the room without knocking when he was young. He thought it was scary to be familiar with it, but the maid who just came in quietly put down the glass and left. Cyril pushed the glass of refreshing herbal tea in front of Adrienne and dragged the sweet apple tea in front of him. Adrienne¡¯s eyes twinkled and she picked up the teacup. ¡°Enough with apologies.¡± ¡°I got a letter this morning. I want you to see it with me.¡± Adrienne was savoring the fragrant smell of the subject, who had rushed to the subject as if there was no tomorrow. It was bitter, but she still liked it. Still, although it was quite urgent, the act of squeezing his throat was pretty quick. Adrienne took a letter out of her pocket. ¡®Red envelope?¡¯ Cyril, who was watching silently, frowned without realizing it. If his common sense was accurate, that envelope was only used for marriage. It can¡¯t be? It was the moment when a flame blazed in his narrowed eyes. Cyril noticed Adrienne¡¯s gaze over his shoulder. Her big eyes widened all at once, and her mouth opened wide. After she let it go, she had a tendency to stumble. ¡°Cyril, do you¡ª¡± What is it this time? Cyril, who swallowed a sigh, turned back. ¡°¡ªDo you have a child?¡± Almost at the same time, Adrienne shouted. After a while, Cyril, seeing the person standing in the doorway, could clearly understand what misunderstanding Adrienne was making. ****** Two pairs of curious eyes looked at each other. The gaze at each other was persistent, not to mention that anyone else was more. However, the persistence did not feel like digging into others. Rather, it was closer to a curious gaze, as if looking at a character protruding from a legend or book. Similar to the atmosphere of any exhibition, Cyril wore quietly in the silent air. ¡°¡ªLet¡¯s say hello first. This is Samuel Pierre de Thedar, my brother. This is Adrienne de Cassinel.¡ªAs you know.¡± As you know. Adrienne kept looking at it as if she were asking for an introduction, but that was it. It was a very tearful sincerity. At this point, it was even more amazing that Samuel knew her. ¡°Nice to meet you. Can I call you Samuel?¡± ¡°Yes. Mademoiselle.¡± Samuel, who calmly replied, smiled shyly. Adrienne looked at the child quietly, feeling a little possessed. ¡®They really look like each other.¡¯ Samuel. Cyril¡¯s younger brother, whom she had met countless times only by name, was surprisingly similar to Cyril when she actually met him. She had already said everything she said to the extent that she mistook him for his son. Of course, if she observes him more thoroughly, she will notice a number of differences, such as dull gold eyes compared to Cyril¡¯s, and a more gentle demeanor than Cyril at the time¡ª. Still, the fact that they look alike has not changed. Adrienne alternated between Cyril and Samuel. It felt strange as if she was watching a big Cyril and a little Cyril at the same time. ¡°Adrienne, do you even know how old I need to have a son this big?¡± ¡°Maybe it was when you were in Cassinel¡ª Sorry.¡± Adrienne calmly admitted her mistake to Cyril, who was arguing like it was ridiculous. As she spit it out, it was nonsense even if she thought about it. He deserved to feel bad because she was asked if he was a son of his brother who was eight years apart. Cyril didn¡¯t even look old enough to look like a father and son in the first place. ¡°I also apologize to Samuel. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No, Mademoiselle. I¡¯m fine.¡± Samuel, who was treated as a son for a short time, really smiled as if nothing had happened. Ah, the smile is different. When she realized that, the afterimage of young Cyril, which had been overlapping over Samuel, disappeared. Cyril didn¡¯t smile that calmly. Usually, he smirked, and when he was truly happy, he bit his lower lip a little and laughed as if he couldn¡¯t stand it. Then eventually, when he laughed out loud, the corners of his mouth that raised were so refreshing. There was a time when every smile didn¡¯t leave her mind. Maybe that¡¯s why the difference touched her even more. Chapter 24 Episode 24. Chapter 5. Life always goes in an unexpected direction (3) ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, can you call me Adrienne? Adrianna is okay, too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great, Adrianna. Instead, Adrianna, please be comfortable with me too.¡± When a nickname was presented to him in exchange for a reminder of the happy days, Samuel used it right away, thankfully. ¡°Samuel. I can¡¯t help it this time, but next time, don¡¯t do this. What would you do if it was someone else? That¡¯s rude.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to overhear. It¡¯s just because brother came with someone¡ª¡± ¡°Whatever happened.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡ªBut it¡¯s not rude to me? Adrienne, who was happily looking at Samuel, paused for a moment at that point. Adrienne was an exception for both Cyril, who scolded him, and Samuel, who was punished. This nuance that appears to be on the point of being neither other nor family. ¡°Adrianna, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No, Samuel. I¡¯m fine.¡± Somehow, this time it was Adrienne¡¯s turn to forgive. Adrienne crossed her arms in front of Samuel, who was drooping. She didn¡¯t feel good as she glanced at his droopy eyes. ¡°Cyril, why are you scolding this kid so openly?¡± ¡°If someone makes a mistake, you have to tell them to fix it.¡± The arrow quickly headed to Cyril. Adrienne decided to say something on behalf of Samuel. ¡°It¡¯s not too late to tell me after I leave. What did the Viscountess Parte say?¡± ¡°She told me not to turn a blind eye to mistakes.¡± ¡°¡ªNo, well that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that mistakes are something to be ashamed of, but it¡¯s something to be ashamed of not to accept.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, too¡ª¡± He was a very good student. Come to think of it, Cyril was hardly scolded during the etiquette training class. Sometimes, when she heard criticism for him, it was close to getting attention for teasing Adrienne¡ª. The more she searched through her memory, the more she didn¡¯t know who was teaching who. Why didn¡¯t he forget a single toe and remember that? That was a level of abuse of his head. Adrienne, who was having a more leisurely day compared to him, squeezed hard on her brain. ¡°¡ªShe also said that we should not forget the spirit of tolerance and understanding.¡± ¡°Yes. I pointed it out, and you gave him the tolerance, so I shared my teachings.¡± As she listened, it was concluded that the Viscountess Parte had two great disciples. They were all right, so she wanted to be a little bit right for Cyril, but she couldn¡¯t beat Cyril in front of his younger brother. Anyway, there was no way to win the fight. It seems that Cyril was often perplexed when he was very young, but how did it happen? It must be lamented that it is already the past. ¡°Big.¡± Life is not easy¡ª. As she was thinking in agony, she suddenly heard a sound of laughter. The suppressed sound as if it had been put down was Samuel¡¯s work. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s the first time brother does that¡ª¡± ¡°Let¡¯s greet each other and have a next time. Samuel, we have something to talk about, can you go out?¡± Just as the explanation was just beginning, Cyril cut off the conversation. Two identical eyes stared at each other, only different in color saturation. Samuel looked at Cyril as if he had more to say, shrugged his shoulders and stood up. ¡°See you later, Adrianna.¡± he said and did not forget to say greetings. He was a polite child until the moment he left. ¡°Is it Samuel who you said wanted to meet me?¡± ¡°Yeah. He insisted on seeing what the wind blew while he came. I didn¡¯t know he would come out that way, but I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No, I liked it, too. I thought I¡¯d never see him in my life, but I saw him like this.¡± Tell Samuel about my news, why am I telling him, and just telling him, I can¡¯t even remember when I told him¡ª. The memory of the fight was still clear. In the story she thought he would be just a child, but Samuel has already grown that much. Time seemed to pass quickly again. ¡°Enough with Samuel, what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Ah, right.¡± She forgot the purpose of coming because of Samuel¡¯s face, which seemed to be looking at young Cyril. The brothers look amazing in pairs. Adrienne took out the envelope she had hidden earlier and put it on the table. And she put it in front of Cyril. ¡°¡ªAre you getting married?¡± Cyril, who had been staring at the envelope for a long time as if it were an enemy, finally opened his mouth. ¡°I guess so.¡± ¡°Guess so?¡± The sarcastic tone was telling him to stop talking nonsense. In the meantime, Cyril was just looking without the envelope. Like a person who doesn¡¯t even want to touch. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to see it?¡± Adrienne suggested it, but Cyril¡¯s gaze is still only on the envelope. Is he shocked? Well, Adrienne must have been shocked when Cyril announced that he was getting married one day. It¡¯s like watching her siblings get married. But she couldn¡¯t wait too long. Adrienne glanced back. A mirror hung on the wall behind Adrienne, opposite Cyril. ¡°Cyril.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± His eyes, which had been looking down the whole time, barely reached Adrienne. Adrienne said as she moved side by side. ¡°Let me introduce you, my husband.¡± In a way, it was foreseen that Cyril, who confirmed himself in the mirror, glared. ***** At first, he wondered what kind of nonsense this was. This was because it was similar to Adrienne¡¯s pranks he experienced when he was young. ¡®Now, Cyril. You be the princess. I¡¯ll be the prince.¡¯ ¡®¡ªWhy am I a princess?¡¯ ¡®Then can I be a princess? Then Cyril can be the prince. I¡¯ll be a princess! We¡¯re a married couple now!¡¯ There have been countless other things. If Adrienne was still a 7-8 years old child, he would have just let it go. However, the time for childish pranks has passed in the first place. Adrienne was 19 years old, and she told others not to follow her right away because she didn¡¯t want to be misunderstood. It was definitely like that¡ª. Cyril remained silent. It was not difficult to read, as the thing in front of him was the paper, and the writing on the paper was the letters, the problem was that it wasn¡¯t difficult. What Adrienne brought out was a marriage proposal. An ordinary marriage proposal in many ways. Normally, he wouldn¡¯t have been interested, but if the parties involved in the marriage were Cyril and Adrienne, the story was very different. ¡°¡ªthis is my handwriting¡ª¡± ¡°I know. Do you think I can¡¯t recognize your handwriting?¡± Aside from the unanswered content, she tried to correct the facts first, but even that was not possible. Adrienne pointed out the difference in handwriting, saying that the shape of the curve by hand is different. More detailed explanations continued than Cyril, the party. ¡°I already know that you didn¡¯t send it, Cyril.¡± The gentle voice was quite ladylike. If Viscountess Parte had seen it, she would have applauded briefly, saying, ¡®That¡¯s it, Mademoiselle.¡¯ Adrienne still had child-like eyes. Even after another decade, those sparkling eyes will remain. So Adrienne always looked young in Cyril¡¯s eyes. ¡°I was wondering if you knew this. I knew you didn¡¯t know with your expression.¡± ¡°My father¡ª¡± Cyril swallowed his words for a while with a burst of sighs. It wasn¡¯t that there was no talk about marriage at all. As with any noble family, Thesar also had discussions about marriage. As Cyril knew, the last time was just before joining the military. It died down even before he reached the surface in earnest, so he forgot about it for a long time. After that¡ª. A brief scene flashed through Cyril¡¯s mind after thinking for a moment. After returning to the empire, he received a letter from his mother. There is a long story to talk about marriage, so it was about returning as soon as possible. ¡®I didn¡¯t have time, so I couldn¡¯t go down.¡¯ It was the military that obeyed the orders from above. The heir to lead the future Duke was no exception. In terms of it, it was right to say that this much is enough to withstand it as it is now. It was hard to find a person with the same age as him, but if there was, it would have been hard to act with Cyril. Anyway, he couldn¡¯t afford to visit Thesar because he was dragged every day. When he conveyed that meaning, the words returning were concise. ¡®They know¡ª¡¯ Cyril, remembering up to that point, closed his eyes. It was because a rough picture had been drawn in his mind. The father, the head of the family, always considered the family the top priority, and it was like the law that Cyril, the successor, also had to follow. The marriage was the same. It wasn¡¯t who he married, but what family he bought and made money with was more important. In the process, there is a high probability that various things that he doesn¡¯t know have gone awry. As a result, Adrienne would have been the most suitable opponent this time. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything right now.¡± Even though he knows it well¡ª. Nevertheless, he was ashamed to face the situation in this way. Cyril was finally able to understand Adrienne, who seemed exceptionally nervous. Cyril, who rushed out with a sigh mixed with words, swept his face dry. A sense of frustration was etched into his hands. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to tell you this irresponsibly¡ª Give me time to communicate with my father¡ª No, I¡¯ll just go and find out for myself.¡± ¡°Do that. I didn¡¯t think you would do that either.¡± Adrienne seemed to have thought so sincerely. There is no possibility that Cyril Valentin proposed to her. It was a great guess because it was true, but somehow it felt strange to face that calm expression. At one time, they had always been by each other¡¯s side, but now it comes to mind that they have become so far apart that they can never even imagine a future together. ¡°You must have been really confused. I¡¯m sorry.¡± It was complicated, and she was unfamiliar with herself for making it complicated, so she lowered her voice without realizing it. ¡°What do you mean sorry? I¡¯m really sorry for coming here all of a sudden. I¡¯ll have to go now.¡± Adrienne shook her head short as if it were okay. The smile on her face and the way she got up without any regrets were so refreshing. Adrienne, who also refused the favor of returning in a better carriage, soon left the mansion. ¡®Can¡¯t I stay a little longer?¡¯ It was then that old memories overlapped behind the sudden separation. Why did the child suddenly come to mind when she was begging to play a little longer in his room? Cyril had no idea why. Chapter 25 - Episode 25. Chapter 5. Life always goes in an unexpected direction (4) Episode 25. Chapter 5. Life always goes in an unexpected direction (4) The unexpected delivery man who received the vacation notice, departed for the military. Those who worked would be there until late in the evening, so it would not be too late to handle it. Cyril finished his work and immediately got into the carriage. There were not only one or two scheduled appointments for tomorrow, but it wasn¡¯t something to be concerned about. He would not be a criminal if he did not appear at some events. If they had a conscience, they would consider his kindness, which had so kindly been dragged around. ¡°Now I get it.¡± Samuel, another figure whose return was postponed due to an unexpected circumstance, silently peeked out the window and opened his mouth. ¡°The reason why brother left immediately after coming home when I was young.¡± He spent more time apart than together with his brother who was only eight years old. This was because Cyril went back and forth between Cassinel and Thesar as a child. It was only for a very short time that Samuel, who was only so young, was able to meet his brother. Funny enough, because their time together was so short, Samuel¡¯s memory of Cyril was clearer in his head. Once a year, Cyril was obligated to return to Thesar. Samuel¡¯s first time meeting his brother was still vivid in his head. ¡®¡ªI thought he would be cute.¡¯ The words spoken in front of the 4-year-old Samuel were not very kind. It was the same as muttering ¡®Not so-.¡¯ Cyril, who looked down at Samuel for a long time with a serious expression on his face, stuttered and then knelt down. Eventually, when the eye level was just right, he hesitated for a moment before gently stroking his head. ¡®I heard you¡¯ll like it if I do this. Do you really like this?¡¯ What did I do then? Sadly, he didn¡¯t remember that far. Still, he didn¡¯t seem to hate him because he eagerly waited for his brother to come. ¡°What are you talking about out of nowhere?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you remember? When you came home, you always stayed a day or two before immediately going back.¡± He thought it was sad that the older brother he had waited so long for, only came home and left immediately¡ª. ¡°Did I?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what happened. You always did that.¡± The person who was directly involved seemed to have a vague memory, but Samuel remembered it correctly. Samuel would never forget it. It was because, at night in Thesar, he would visit Cyril¡¯s room. Cyril looked at him with an expression that was asking why he had come again, but did not kick him away. There was always a name that he reluctantly brought up when he was asked to tell an interesting story because he wanted to talk to him about something. ¡®There¡¯s a strange kid named Adrienne. When you meet later, ask her to do anything.¡¯ ¡®Strange?¡¯ ¡®Yeah, she¡¯s a bit weird¡ª But she¡¯ll be nice to you.¡¯ Adrienne. That name kept appearing until the moment he fell asleep. She was sloppy and used her body more than her brain. The kid was a little short but she was kind¨Coften, and the kid is a little short but she¡¯s kind¨C As he listened to the story of what one couldn¡¯t distinguish as either a curse or compliment, Samuel became more and more curious about Adrienne. What kind of person could make his quiet older brother talk like that? ¡°Cyril, isn¡¯t it fun to be with Adrianna?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re bored, look outside. There¡¯s a bird flying over there.¡± ¡°It was fun for me.¡± That¡¯s why he wanted to meet Adrienne. After returning to Thesar permanently, Cyril rarely brought up stories about Adrienne, but Samuel always remembered her name. Today was the day he finally met Adrienne in person. When asked how he felt, Samuel could answer in one word. It was fun. There was no way it was only Samuel who felt that way. Samuel looked at his brother who had his arms crossed and his eyes closed indifferently. ¡®You smiled before.¡¯ Whenever he teased Adrienne, his eyes welled with interest. It was funny to see him come and set the mood. He always respected his older brother, but right now he didn¡¯t look very cool. He just wanted to make fun of him. Samuel swallowed a laugh and spoke softly. ¡°Will I ever see Adrianna again?¡± ¡°¡ªI don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Why?¡± The answer after the short hesitation was not positive. Suspicious, Samuel looked at Cyril¡¯s expression. ¡°Because the age to meet for no reason has passed.¡± Unlike his calm tone, his face was dark. Samuel, who was a little excited, then realized that something was wrong. He should stay quiet¡ª. Samuel, who quickly concluded so, shut up. Only the sound of the carriage wheels rolling rang clearly in the silence. ***** Even though it was an unexpected visit, the dinner prepared was still spectacular. The usual meal at the Duke of Thesar¡¯s was not simple, but it was not like they enjoyed a banquet every day. Starting with thinly sliced cold foie gras and luscious gray caviar, soft butter-grilled lamb, a variety of other dishes were served on the table. ¡°Congratulations on the victory. You¡¯ve probably grown tired of hearing it, but I hope it¡¯s not too late.¡± ¡°Thank you. I was afraid I might have come too late.¡± The Duke of Thesar and his wife showed no sign of surprise even when they saw their son suddenly returning. It seemed like people expected Cyril to do so. The dinner and their attitudes said so. Cyril quietly adjusted to the rhythm first. It was not intentional, but it was obvious that it was indeed wrong not to show himself once after the war, so it was right to concede a little. As always, the meal took place in silence. Even Samuel, who was in charge of excitement, was wary, so he remained silent. The air was still except for the occasional sound of tableware hitting. ¡°Seeing that you came in a hurry, the news must have been delivered.¡± It was only when the empty plates were removed and dessert was served did the Duke bring up the subject. Cyril glanced at Samuel, but Samuel remained in his place. He looked stubborn as if he said he deserved to join in talk of the family¡¯s business. ¡°¡ªYou should have told me first.¡± ¡°It¡¯s unnecessary to say such words to the person who stood at the threshold of marriage and said that he would gladly obey the will.¡± The Duke brought up the conversation between the Marquis Dalbr¨¦ and Cyril a few years ago. To be exact, it was an engagement, but if he had an engagement, he would have naturally married, so it was not wrong. At that time, everything was already confirmed after various meetings and negotiations. At that time, Cyril readily complied with the Duke¡¯s instructions. He had no choice but to agree. As the heir who had been sick for a long time and weighed down the family, Cyril felt a heavy sense of responsibility. It was Thesar who protected Cyril from the bad news and finally saved the weak heir who had been told that there was no hope. He couldn¡¯t forget that kindness just because it wasn¡¯t the life he chose. So he followed. Because he had to do what he had to do as a successor. ¡°The situation is different.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t take away Adrienne¡¯s choice just because I don¡¯t have a choice.¡± But now, Cyril wasn¡¯t the only problem. Adrienne must have felt like she had been literally struck by lightning. Adrienne, who had been cautious even at the first invitation, was so startled that she came running for fear of bad rumors, so what should he say? ¡°You should have discussed it.¡± ¡°The conversation with Count Cassinel is already over. He said he would leave all the decisions to his daughter.¡± If it was Count Cassinel, it would indeed be in character. After all, he was a great man towards his daughter. However, sending a proposal letter using forged handwriting was something that he could not tolerate. It was a separate matter from the Count. ¡°Did you just say you don¡¯t have a choice?¡± ¡°I think you know what I mean.¡± ¡°The same goes for Thesar. We have no choice.¡± It¡¯s gone now. The Duke lifted his glass. The overflowing red wine disappeared quickly. ¡°His Majesty the Emperor has issued your father the position of a Great General.¡± The Duchess, who had been watching the situation, stepped up for the first time. She spoke in a calm tone, but it sounded bitter. ¡°Great General¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s an extremely honorable seat.¡± The last position that no one had been appointed to for over 300 years ago was Great General. The position that was the most honorable a person in the army could ascend to was The Great Commander of The Army, and in the navy was the Admiral of The Navy. The Great General was of a higher rank than the both of them. ¡®Not the Great Commander of the Military but the Great General?¡¯ It was at first a supremely honorable title, but had little practical authority. In fact, the person who commands the army is the general of the army, and the one who leads the navy is the admiral. The general was only a symbol of the most honorable soldiers, but had no command. As a result, he only gained power in the event of an emergency in which both the general of the army and the admiral of the navy died. Even his father, the current Duke of Thesar, his grandfather, and even his great-grandfather, all longed for Great Commander Military, but in the end, they stayed only as generals. Therefore, the Great General could never be a generous gift to a competent loyalist. At least it was like that in Thesar. It was just putting the most honorable false honor on Thesar again. ¡°A choice¡ª Yeah. We once had it too. However, the Emperor himself doesn¡¯t seem to like it.¡± ¡°What in the world are you talking about?¡± ¡°The one who broke the promise with Marquis Dalbr¨¦ is His Majesty. The marriage conversation with the Princess, which had been in discussion for a while, was also canceled in an instant.¡± The Duke gulped down the wine again, perhaps thirsty. What does he mean by marriage with the Princess? Cyril was very surprised to see that what he regarded as a silly rumor that Maxel had found, came out of his father¡¯s mouth. ¡°Do you see that?¡± The Duke who put down the glass and pointed to a large flag that hung in the center of the wall. The flag was embroidered with a wing and sentence that symbolized Thesar. There was one pair of big wings. Half white and half black. It was a sentence given by the Emperor of the time, in order to symbolize giving a new life to the first Duke of Thesar, a former immigrant slave. ¡°The blood of Thesar has always flowed for the sake of the Empire, and now he says that he cannot defile the noble family because of the problem of poor origin¡ª¡± The Duke¡¯s voice, which had always maintained a low and cold tone, was shaking with anger. ¡°¡ªIs there any other way? The only choice is to change the so-called lowly blood.¡± Chapter 26 Episode 26. Chapter 5. Life always goes in an unexpected direction (5) The Imperial family was by far the most noble bloodline in the Empire, but if they lined up those next in line, great noble families would be named one after the other. There was only one family left after the families who did not have enough time to marry and Marquis Dalbr¨¦, who had already been married once. It was Cassinel. A family whose name alone brought many memories of glory, albeit they were ones that were slowly disappearing. So, in terms of legitimacy alone, the name that was second to none in the Empire quickly rose to the surface. Adrienne de Cassinel Bluea. The name of Cyril¡¯s childhood friend. ¡°Now do you understand? How it got to this point?¡± The Duchess lowered her head with a sad expression in response to the Duke¡¯s sarcastic words. Cyril¡¯s attention was drawn to his father¡¯s trembling hand. In his wrinkled, tendon-stretched hands, he could sense a deep pain. Nevertheless¡ª Cyril clenched his fists. No matter how bad their family situation was, they couldn¡¯t pull others into the abyss together. It was unfortunate that his father¡¯s long-held dream was ruined, but even just being a Great General was a great achievement. He was greedy, but he had to learn how to give up the things he couldn¡¯t have. Furthermore, hadn¡¯t Adrienne been in love with the Prince for years? Cyril wouldn¡¯t have been bothered if he didn¡¯t know. But he knew everything clearly and could not force her to be next to him. ¡°¡ªFirst.¡± ¡°Cassinel has already been in a state of crisis for almost a decade. How long can a Count survive if he does not please the Emperor?¡± But the Duke, who had already figured out the way out, stopped him. ¡°A tree that is not bent or shaken will eventually break. There is no use in producing good fruit if the tree¡¯s pillars are broken.¡± For the past ten years, Cyril had been familiar with Cassinel¡¯s hardships as an enemy of the Emperor. If Cassinel collapsed after a severe storm¡ª ¡°Think about it.¡± Adrienne would fall together with it. And Cyril couldn¡¯t afford to let Adrienne do so. ¡°¡ªYes.¡± The answer was already decided. ***** Reid left the Palace a little later than he originally promised. Adrienne asked while watching her twin climb into the carriage. ¡°Isn¡¯t working at the Finance Department easier, easier than even the Budget Office?¡± ¡°Is it that obvious?¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious that you¡¯re still holding on like that.¡± ¡°Sorry for making you wait.¡± Reid, Cassinel¡¯s successor and secretary of the Finance Department, closed his eyes awkwardly. ¡°Why are you sorry? That¡¯s such a bad habit.¡± ¡°That¡¯s, I¡¯m sor¡ª¡± ¡°Again.¡± Adrienne closed her mouth and narrowed her eyes. Reid, who laughed, nodded, signalling he knew what she meant. Reid was naturally gentle and nice, but he grew timid as a result of his father, Count Cassinel¡¯s, influence. The Count was quite strict with his successor, Reid, and Reid felt a heavy pressure to be the strong successor he desired. ¡®He had spent his entire life apologizing, so he couldn¡¯t help but keep repeating sorry¡ª¡¯ It was heartbreaking to hear that. Adrienne, who sighed quietly, changed the subject. ¡°How¡¯s the situation?¡± ¡°¡ªNot good. As we approach the second quarter, the budget for frontier defense will be reduced even further.¡± ¡°All of them? Or just us?¡± ¡°The amount of support in the southern region has increased. If we simply count the decrease, we are the most¡ª¡± Ried couldn¡¯t help but be bitter. Adrienne was as well. Until just a few years ago, the borders of the southern provinces were managed by Count Toules. However, now that the Count of Toules was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and was in the capital, the former Count was subject to the Emperor¡¯s authority. Lands beyond the Emperor¡¯s reach would inevitably lose support. He made it plain that he would not help until he handed up the land that had been passed down through his ancestors. ¡°Ah, rumors have been circulating about Thesar. They say that the Duke of Thesar may be appointed as Great General.¡± ¡°Great General?¡± ¡°Cyril has also earned his reputation as a soldier, and the Duke of Thesar himself also has merits like that. So it must have been used as a compliment¡ª¡± Even as he said that, Reid had a somewhat gloomy face. Reid tilted his head as Adrienne stared at Reid as if trying to say something. ¡°There was a lot of talk that the Duke of Thesar would become the Great Commander of the Military this time around. It had been quite noisy for a while.¡± ¡°Then, why did the topic of the Great General suddenly come out? It came out recently, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. I heard about it after I entered the Department of Finance.¡± Adrienne was lost in thought. A sudden proposal from the Duke of Thesar and a rumor that came out of nowhere¡ª ¡®The engagement rumors circulating about the Princess and Cyril also only recently appeared.¡¯ It felt like everything was somehow connected. Everything was so sudden that it could not be explained otherwise. ¡°Adrianna.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Reid, who was quietly watching her expression, called her name. Her eyes trembled as she turned to Reid, unable to stay in one place. ¡°Do you still like Cyril?¡± ¡°¡ªWhat?¡± Adrienne asked, surprised, but Reid did not repeat his words. He just looked at her with a calm expression on his face. Reid¡¯s eyes were strangely firm no matter where he placed his timid and narrowly smiling face. Adrienne, who had been looking into those eyes for some time, gently shook her head. ¡°Are you talking about that time, Reid? It¡¯s just when I was young, just for a moment.¡± That ¡®moment¡¯ was all of her childhood, but Adrienne decided not to explain it that far. Either way, it was a thing of the past. ¡°Yeah¡ª¡± Reid sighed briefly as a light response. He seemed to be relieved, and he also seemed to be upset. Reid nodded as if shaking off his emotions and said. ¡°I wanted to tell you that you don¡¯t have to overdo it.¡± ¡°Reid.¡± ¡°Cassinel will move forward. Just like what we have done so far.¡± ¡°What I said isn¡¯t especially reliable, is it?¡± Reid, who quietly added those words, turned his eyes to the window shyly. ¡°You¡¯re reliable.¡± ¡°¡ªReally?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll think about it.¡± The twins, who have changed quite a bit now, but still looked alike, looked at each other and laughed. The carriage filled with laughter headed towards Cassinel. ****** ¡°Do whatever you want.¡± Count Cassinel expressed his intention in just one sentence. The deep consideration he had for them was fully displayed in just that one sentence. His desire to not let them worry about the situation of the family or the conflict between them showed. The old castle had stone debris everywhere because it couldn¡¯t afford to be repaired, and the weapon warehouse, which had been empty for a long time ever since the new weapons arrived, showed Cassinel¡¯s poor condition. It was impossible for the Count not to realize that Cassinel would benefit by a lot through marriage with Thesar. Nonetheless, he still responded, ¡®Do whatever you want.¡¯ Adrienne could barely hold back her tears because she was so touched. She realized that Reid and her father really looked alike. Perhaps her father was concerned about Reid¡¯s resemblance to her. It was because the position of successor was not easy for him to be raised as. Only for him to grow up as kind and gentle. ¡°Lena, I need to send a reply. Can you bring me something to use?¡± Adrienne, who had been agonizing over the entire trip from the capital to Cassinel, finally came to a conclusion. Just as her family respected her, she also respected her family, so it was a decision she could make. ¡°Are you rejecting the proposal, Lady?¡± Lena, who had come with a letter and a pen, looked at her and asked. Adrienne asked playfully as she sat down at her desk. ¡°You¡¯re not going to cry at the wedding, are you?¡± ¡°Really? Are you going to marry Cyril?¡± Lena responded in a different tone of voice. People would assume there was a hole in the sky since it sounded so vain. ¡°I thought you would take this opportunity to enter the imperial palace. I was looking forward to it because you danced with His Highness the Prince.¡± ¡°Lena, there are some things you can¡¯t say.¡± ¡°Why does Emma always do this to me! Speaking of which, I hate Sir Cyril. How much heartache did my Lady¡ª¡± ¡°Lena!¡± Lena closed her mouth at the shout. Emma looked at Lena with her red eyes as if she wanted to say one more thing. ¡°Don¡¯t hate Cyril too much. It¡¯s not a sin not to like me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a sin for me. When he leaves without a word, and he suddenly proposes to the Lady now? How many times did Lady cry that day¡ª¡± ¡°Come here, Lena. You don¡¯t want to come?¡± Lena, who ran away from Emma to the corner, was soon caught. There couldn¡¯t be a fight between Lena, the youngest of the maids, and Emma, the eldest. Eventually, Lena left the room as if she was being kicked out. ¡®Entering the Imperial Palace. I didn¡¯t know you had such vain expectations.¡¯ The maid was like her sibling with cute smiles, but Emma opened her mouth carefully. ¡°Don¡¯t mind what Lena said, Lady.¡± ¡°No. I laughed because of Lena.¡± ¡°I really didn¡¯t know this would happen.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Adrienne, who put down her pen, handed over the letter to Emma. Everything would be different once that letter reached Thesar. ¡®Adrienne de Thesar¡ª¡¯ She never imagined that she would one day get the name she so longed for. At the moment when she thought she really didn¡¯t know about the world, Reid¡¯s question suddenly crossed Adrienne¡¯s mind. ¡®Do you still like Cyril?¡¯ Chapter 27 It was embarrassing to ask how he knew that. Ever since childhood, Adrienne couldn¡¯t hide her feelings at all. Only the party involved didn¡¯t know¨C ¡®It¡¯s all a thing of the past.¡¯ Adrienne smiled, lowering her chin and placing her elbows on the desk. It was true that she was hurt when Cyril left without a word. She cried just like Lena said. But thanks to that, she was able to organize her thoughts quicker. No matter how shiny it was, the color would naturally fade if it was left alone. For Adrienne, love was like that. Love, which was polished like a treasure as a child, was covered with soil and buried deep inside the heart, and eventually lost its shine. Thus, when some time had passed and no more pain lingered, Adrienne heard of Cyril¡¯s news from the war. She should meet Cyril. Because she believed they could meet right now. Adrienne was able to give a shabby handkerchief to Cyril, whom she hadn¡¯t seen in years, thanks to that thought. That¡¯s how they met and became friends at last. Even if her love had failed, there was no rule that forced her to lose a friend. So, even if she went back to the beginning and was asked, ¡®Do you still like Cyril?¡¯ Adrienne has only one thing to say. She now only liked Cyril as a friend. What was left in place after all the fresh and young love was removed? There was nothing but friendship. Adrienne shifted her gaze away from the letter that had left her hands. ***** ¡°Hoaam.¡± Maxel yawned lazily as he entered the military training ground. On the way there, he cut the time needed to reach in half by riding a horse. The sweet taste of arriving in the military camp greeted him as he lightly opened his eyes. The horse must have been smarter than its owner at this point. A person suddenly came into Maxel¡¯s sight as his long arms stretched out to wake up from his dreamy state. The person running from the other end seemed more and more familiar as they got closer. ¡®That¨C That person is doing it again¨C¡¯ Finally, Maxel, who had confirmed who it was, sighed. Captain Thesar, whose name was also dignified, had been running since the morning. Even though he was in a high position and already had physical strength greater than anyone, the cold-hearted superior was training harder than everyone else. It was like that just now. Even though he arrived earlier than the scheduled training time, he felt like he had done something wrong¨C as if he had become an infinitely lazy human being. It was obviously human nature to copy or follow one¡¯s superior. However, when his subordinates looked at him, it simply shattered their morale. ¡®I thought it was just for show, but that¡¯s not it either.¡¯ Maxel had been told by his father when he was a child that Thesar¡¯s successor would be unlikely to hold an official position. It was because he summoned the doctors to the Duchy or something¡ª However, Thesar¡¯s successor, who came face to face with him, was strong. The same was true for his physical conditions such as his wide physique, but the look of overwhelming pressure one would feel when he simply looked down was especially true. After hearing the same story as Maxel, those who had prejudices came forward and started to deny the rumors. A typical response was, ¡®If someone like him is a sickly child, then no one would be called a patient in the Empire.¡¯ Now that time had passed since then, no one doubted Cyril any more. ¡®So please do it in moderation. Captain, please¡­¡¯ That was his conclusion. His little hope was that if he worked hard in the military because he was a superior, they¡¯ll have to follow him indefinitely, therefore let¡¯s do it moderately. ¡°Maxel.¡± ¡°Yes, Captain! You¡¯re cool today, too.¡± ¡°The lieutenant doesn¡¯t look in good condition today either.¡± Maxiel briefly lowered his head and he smiled. He drank until dawn, so he definitely wouldn¡¯t be human if he was in a good condition. But if he said this, he would hear him nagging, so it was best to close his mouth. His superior who was usually silent, had a knack for nagging. ¡°Then I¡¯ll change my clothes briefly.¡± ¡°Whatever¨C Oh, wait. Lieutenant Langred.¡± If he¡¯s going to live like that with that face, if only he gave it to me¨C As Maxel turned around, swallowing his tears, Cyril stopped him. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Tell Lieutenant Thalerang to come to my office when he arrives.¡± ¡°You mean Lieutenant Thalerang?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Yes. I understand.¡± Why was he looking for Lieutenant Thalerang, whom he hadn¡¯t looked for before? Maxel wondered and thought. Upon entering headquarters, Maxel immediately began looking for Lieutenant Thalerang. ***** ¡°I heard you called, Sir.¡± Cyril gave permission to enter by briefly saying, ¡°Come in.¡± Lieutenant Thalerang, who walked in modestly, stood in front of Cyril¡¯s desk. Cyril looked up quietly at Lieutenant Thalerang, who looked a little rough. The lieutenant with the appearance of a bandit, despite his looks, was surprisingly a married man. He was also known as a devoted husband. One day Maxel said to him, ¡®Lieutenant Thalerang is a devoted husband. Wouldn¡¯t his wife breathe when he looks so scary but he could beg as well?¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re truly inside and outside, and you¡¯re very interested in other people¡¯s affairs,¡® he said at the time. Cyril, who had previously ignored it, had no other reason to call Lieutenant Thalerang at this point. ¡°I heard you bought a ring recently.¡± It was because of rumors that Lieutenant Thalerang traveled around the entire division to find talented craftsmen and famous jewelry stores. The choice had already been decided from the beginning, and now he was on the verge of facing the consequences. As long as he decided to comply, he thought he had to prepare for the future in advance. Apart from saying it out loud as a confession, he had to do something anyway. Anyway, marriage is marriage. There would be no romance in their relationship as the other person was someone he had known for a long time, but shouldn¡¯t he at least provide something for her? Apart from the wedding gift, whatever it is, it was courtesy¡ª For example, a gift. When he thought that far, Cyril realized something else. The reality was that he didn¡¯t know what to give or where the best place to get them was. That was why Lieutenant Thalerang was called by Cyril. ¡°Yes. She said that she would only accept gold for her birthday present, so I prepared it that way.¡± ¡°Yeah, gold¨C¡± The expression was elegant. Somehow, the lieutenant¡¯s marriage seemed to be clear. Still, Lieutenant Thalerang¡¯s expression brightened just thinking of his wife. It was far more exemplary than the beast that wanders the streets at night. ¡°That¡¯s¨C¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I wonder where you bought it.¡± The main topic was brought up by Cyril, who had his eyes on the wall clock, his lips twitching. ¡°¡ªYes?¡± ¡°¡ªBecause I need something.¡± ¡°Ah. Yes.¡± The lieutenant, who had momentarily shook his head as if he had heard something wrong, straightened his posture. And he asked back with a serious face. ¡°Do you need a ring or a bracelet or other accessories?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Did you know a little bit about jewelry? There are different places that are good at crafting for each type.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± He hadn¡¯t considered it on such a deep level before. When Cyril remained silent, the lieutenant asked again, as if in a hurry. ¡°What should I tell you?¡± ¡°All of them.¡± After thinking about it, Cyril responded as if spitting out. ¡°Yes, then I¡¯ll borrow some paper,¡± replied the Lieutenant, and began to write. The appearance of the lieutenant writing with his large body bent looked as if he was writing a pledge of loyalty. Cyril felt like he had made a mistake, but he didn¡¯t stop him. Instead, he thought of convincing himself. ¡®If there are many, she can pick and use them when needed. After all, she¡¯s gorgeous even if she¡¯s standing still, so even if she puts several on, it won¡¯t be too much.¡¯ Shortly thereafter, Cyril was given a sheet of paper filled with the Lieutenant¡¯s list of recommended jewelry stores. ****** Reid first went up to the capital to work, and Adrienne remained in Cassinel and packed slowly. Unlike in the past, where she had to pack her luggage to prepare for the debut, this time it took more time because she was preparing to go stay for a long time. In reality, the burden was not that much, so it was more of an excuse for thinking of a father who would be left alone. Emma and Lena, who had decided to leave Cassinel together, were also aware of their feelings, so they matched the timing appropriately. Fifteen days later, it was the day she returned to the mansion in the capital, Ruther. Thanks to the diligent carriage, she was able to arrive at the mansion before noon. ¡°Lady, would you like to heat the bath water?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a great idea, Emma.¡± Lena, who had been bothering Emma the whole time, turned quiet when she arrived in the capital city, asking if she was truly getting married. She seemed to want to deny the reality. ¡°Are you going to have dinner with Cyril?¡± ¡°Yeah. I think so.¡± Emma, on the other hand, waited quietly, as if everything was normal. That calm attitude was a great help for Adrienne. After taking a brief break for the afternoon, Adrienne prepared to go see Cyril. There was no great preparation, but she was dressed more formally than usual as she rode a carriage engraved with Cassinel¡¯s crest. ¡°Do you want me to put on some makeup?¡± ¡°Um¨C No, that¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to look good for him.¡± Adrienne thought for a moment, then shook her head. She was a little embarrassed to dress up in earnest while they grew up after seeing everything they had to see. In addition, Adrienne felt awkward being stylish. In Cassinel, noble formality and dignity were not revealed through appearance, but in the capital city, it was a natural thing. ¡®That¡¯s why I¡¯ve heard that it¡¯s out of style.¡¯ Cassinel was, to put it lightly, a frontier, and to the capital¡¯s aristocrats, it was nothing more than a historic countryside. Despite the fact that she was still a great noble, they pretended to respect her in front of her, but they chatted freely behind her back. Saying they dislike her because she was from the countryside. However, if she was a sociable person who had just moved to the capital and had a personality that could adapt to fashion, she wouldn¡¯t have lived in Cassinel for 19 years. Adrienne decided not to worry too much about it, because if they came to Cassinel, they would become the capital nerd anyway. ¡°But you know, Sir Cyril might fall for Lady in the capital.¡± Emma, who put her hands together, suggested one more time as if it was a pity. Adrienne fully understood her feelings, but she didn¡¯t change her decision. Chapter 28 Episode 28. Chapter 5. Life always goes in an unexpected direction (7) Fall in love? Cyril Valentin de Thesar to Adrienne de Cassinel Bluea? What in the world would be more absurd than that? ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why didn¡¯t he fall for me sooner? He¡¯s a child who has never said anything nice to me.¡± Pretty, handsome, eyes like starlight¡ª Adrienne had been pouring out all kinds of compliments towards Cyril since an early age, but on the contrary, she had no memory of ever receiving compliments. Apart from the compliments, it was fortunate that he didn¡¯t look at her as pathetic. Since then, Cyril Valentin, who had been doing well, became very hard-mouthed. Come to think of it, it was a little unfair. Was he the only one who looked good? I¡¯m a little good too¡ª Adrienne, who felt it was unfair for no reason, sighed inside. ¡°I think it¡¯s because Sir Cyril is very shy¡ª¡± ¡°What type of shy is that jerk going to be for the rest of his life?¡± ¡°Lena, will you keep saying that?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Everything Emma says is right.¡± Emma¡¯s attempt to somehow cover Cyril was blocked by Lena. Lena pouted her lips and squeaked, and then got kicked out again. Adrienne, who laughed at the play-like quarrel between the two, stood up. It was time to go. ¡°Are you sure you will be okay?¡± Emma, who was standing in front of the front door, asked with a serious face. When the time came, she looked worried. Adrienne smiled as if reassuring Emma. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m only doing what I have to do.¡± She¡¯s not pretending to be okay, Adrienne was really okay. She was just causing herself harm by clinging to things that couldn¡¯t be solved by worrying. Rather, it was beneficial in many ways to discover the best in a given situation. She was still trying to organize her thoughts over Cyril of her childhood who had gone away. But it was enough for her to move forward as a companion for the family. Indeed, that was enough. Adrienne left the house to walk on a new path. ***** Cyril, who had just arrived at the mansion, found a horse he had never seen at the stable. However, since Cassinel¡¯s carriage was next to it, he could tell without having to ask whose horse it was. ¡°Mademoiselle Cassinel is in the greenhouse. Should I bring her to the drawing room?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ll go instead.¡± The butler who approached confirmed that Cyril¡¯s prediction was true. And he said everything was ready. After ordering them all to be sent to Cassinel¡¯s mansion, Cyril moved on. Long legs stretched out over the white marble floor. His steps felt impatient. Cyril finally stopped in front of the transparent glass door. ¡®¡ªMarriage.¡¯ It was his first meeting with Adrienne, the person involved, since that day, but the two families had already finished their marriage through a letter. However, everything that was done with paper hardly touched the skin. If he passed this glass door and faced Adrienne, he would only see reality then. ¡®Adrienne and¡ª¡¯ Cyril was fiddling with the inner pocket of his uniform. The case he had put in it in advance was irritating like candy stuck in his throat. The guilt that seemed to have taken away the happiest moment in Adrienne¡¯s life was tormenting Cyril. His father interpreted the situation as he was comfortable with it, but from Cassinel¡¯s point of view, Cyril would not have been the only answer. Among the children of the great aristocracy, there would be a few unmarried noble sons, and some of them must have accepted Adrienne. In contrast, the Young Lady, who had a lineage similar to Cassinel¡¯s, was explaining that she would not reject Cyril, but Cyril saw that as rejecting it in the first place. After removing this and that, the only thing that remained was guilt. Even though it wasn¡¯t his fault in the first place. Cyril, who stared at his reflection in the glass door for a moment, slowly entered inside. And Cyril, who found Adrienne after a while, was at a loss for words. ****** ¡®¡­..¡¯ Adrienne squatted low in the greenhouse. There was a table and chairs right next to it, but he had no idea why she was in that position. He wondered if she had not yet given up the habit of digging up the garden by getting her hands dirty every day, as she had enjoyed playing with the dirt as a child. Why didn¡¯t she dig a tunnel to build a castle and go inside¡ª When he questioned if she was digging up a grave, he couldn¡¯t forget the look on her face, as if she had been insulted. ¡®Come to think of it, she¡¯s really shameless.¡¯ He laughed again, and heard the sound of something crunching under his feet. Perhaps he stepped on a fallen branch. ¡°Cyril?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°When did you get here?¡± After hearing the sound, Adrienne, who had turned her head without thinking, was startled and hid her hands behind her back. It seemed to be a reflexive action, but that made it look only more suspicious. Adrienne faltered and stood up. At the same time, her hands were still hidden behind her. Cyril looked at her silently and said. ¡°¡ªI will say this just in case, but this place is far from a Mine.¡± ¡°Do you think I found a gold ore here?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be disappointed.¡± Shrugging his shoulders and clenching his lips, he looked exactly as he did when he was a child. Not when he was young at all, but about when he was eight¡ª So, it was similar to Adrienne when she began to understand what he said. Teasing Adrienne during those days was so much fun. ¡°Who do you think is a fool?¡± ¡°You¡¯re all grown up. Surely, you¡¯ve started to notice it.¡± ¡°This¡ª¡± If there was a difference from back then, the threat was funny now. Even then, she wasn¡¯t really scared at all, but¡ª. Anyway, there was a big difference between seeing from below and seeing from above. Now Cyril could look down at Adrienne at any time. The satisfaction from looking down on them was surprisingly considerable. ¡°If you¡¯re going to stay there, I won¡¯t stop you.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you just tell me to come and sit down?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve always liked the soil for a long time.¡± First, Cyril, who was seated in the chair, responded bluntly, and Adrienne walked away as if not wanting to talk. Cyril paid attention to Adrienne¡¯s hand, which was rounded with little space. It was clear that she was holding something that was hastily hidden. He doesn¡¯t know what it is, but it would be useless if he didn¡¯t see it. ¡°The greenhouse was pretty. Thanks to you, I enjoyed looking at it.¡± Adrienne, who was sitting across from him, fixed her gaze on one place instead of looking around the greenhouse. As soon as he followed her gaze, he saw a yellow rose in full bloom. Adrienne was looking at the rose with blue eyes that twinkled as if thinking about something. When he saw that, a bad memory naturally came to mind. For example, Adrienne when she cherished dried roses that day. ¡°¡ªSo you still like roses until now.¡± That¡¯s why he spoke out impulsively. The question he wanted to ask was something else, but he couldn¡¯t because he knew that the moment he asked, they would fight again. After a brief moment, Adrienne, who was looking at the rose, raised her head lightly. ¡°I like any flower. I¡¯m not particularly fond of roses.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°¡ªAre you interrogating me? Are there any drugs in that rose or anything? I¡¯m innocent. I didn¡¯t even touch it.¡± What else is that¡ª Bursting into laughter at the absurdity, Adrienne added in a serious voice. ¡°The capital city was scary. They said there was a riot because of drugs? They said they hid it in a flower and brought it in.¡± ¡°¡ªI think I forgot, I haven¡¯t been back from the war for half a year.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± She seemed to have heard all sorts of strange stories during her stay in the capital. Well, people like Maxel were all over the place, so if she went to any party, she was bound to hear all sorts of things. It wasn¡¯t surprising that the more provocative the topic, the more widespread it was. ¡°How was your trip to Thesar?¡± ¡°Nothing special. It¡¯s always the same place.¡± Adrienne was fed up with the blunt words that had gone out like a habit, and then started to laugh. ¡°¡ªWhy?¡± ¡°Look. Look at this. You¡¯re really the same as before.¡± Adrienne laughed so hard that tears were coming out her eyes. At her words, Cyril, who had been deemed the same person as before, leaned back and crossed his legs. The crossed arms was a bonus. Adrienne, who noticed Cyril¡¯s unpleasant expression, said with tears in her eyes. ¡°You were like that when you were young, too. Whenever I ask about Thesar, you get upset.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± Cyril stopped talking. Every time he talked about Thesar, he realized that he won¡¯t be staying at Cassinel forever, that he was just a guest who would leave someday¡ª He didn¡¯t want to say that he didn¡¯t like it, even if he died. It was only then that he thought about it because he was so young, but now he didn¡¯t think so. If he said such strange things, hives would grow all over his body. ¡°That, what?¡± ¡°Enough.¡± ¡°The kid who joined the army no longer¡ª¡± It was like she was saying something to a nephew she hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. No, it was more than that. At the very least, he believed she was more sympathetic to her nephew than she was to him. However, it would have been easier to be insulted by the Viscountess Parte than to seek culture from Adrienne. Cyril drew his arms to his chest. ¡°Cyril.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get married.¡± Chapter 29 Episode 29. Chapter 5. Life always goes in an unexpected direction (8) What? Before she could even ask back, Adrienne loosened her hand that she had been clenching the whole time. Two grass rings were placed on the palm of her hand. A small yellow rose was tied in the center where the jewel should be. Cyril stared at the pair of rings. It was a very ugly set of rings made with poor skill. Still, in a good light, it was worth giving a comment that it was cute and adorable. ¡°Let¡¯s live a good life as good friends. Seeing you before, I think we can do that.¡± Good friends. At that point, Cyril paused for a moment. Cyril was looking forward to it, and he knew it would be the most realistic future, yet his heart was cold. Because that was the closest time, it seemed like a line had been drawn that could no longer be crossed. Even though he certainly didn¡¯t think about crossing the line. Adrienne blinked after speaking as if asking him to give his hand to her. After some hesitation, Cyril reached out as he was told. Adrienne put the sloppy ring on him and put the other one on her own finger. Surprisingly, the mess vanished as a result of that simple act. He was curious as to what Adrienne thought of him. Cyril, who was a little disappointed, swallowed a sigh. Cyril thought Adrienne was exactly the same as when she was young. It was the same when she made him the Prince and gave him a small ring made of grass, saying that they were now a married couple. If there was a difference, it was the fact that it was a joke at the time, but were they going to become a real couple this time. ¡°There was no coreopsis here. I was going to do it with that for you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Do you want me to make another one in Cassinel for you? There¡¯s a lot of coreopsis in there.¡± ¡°¡ªOne ugly thing is enough, what else will you make?¡± After a grunt, Cyril quickly lowered his hand. She might get upset if he took it again, so he was preparing herself. Adrienne was looking down with a face of regret, thinking about whether or not he really meant it. That was obvious. Cyril inwardly thought with pleasure. ¡°Cyril, what are you thinking about? Your thoughts are showing on your face.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Just do it normally, normally.¡± You say that my face is not normal? The voice that brought back memories that had almost been completely forgotten seemed a little cheeky. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Take this.¡± Cyril pulled the case from his arms with his other hand, which was free of the grass ring. On the table, he placed a round case of black velvet. He didn¡¯t have the will to open it himself, but Adrienne opened the case with a puzzled face as Cyril raised his chin. There was a thin bracelet of platinum. The shape itself was simple, but the blue diamond, which was surprisingly similar to Adrienne¡¯s eye color, was shining brightly, illuminating the center. ¡°Cyril¡ª¡± Adrienne, unable to speak for a while, called out to Cyril in a small voice. She had to have been moved. Something like this would move her. Especially if she lacks this type of experience¡ª Even though it wasn¡¯t about him, Cyril was good at thinking about the topic. ¡°¡ªYou haven¡¯t received my dowry yet¡ª.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that you won¡¯t receive it in the future, but you haven¡¯t received it yet. As you know, there are a number of reasons for financial problems¡ª You know, right?¡± Yeah, enjoy it as much as you want now. Cyril, who looked at Adrienne with a generous gaze, opened his mouth. Adrienne gave an explanation with her eyes drooping as if she was genuinely sorry. She seemed to have thought of him as a snob. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m giving you this to get something?¡± ¡°Then?¡± I just wanted you to think about this a little bit. I thought you might like it even for a moment when you receive it ¡ªI am just thinking of you. The only thing that came to mind was that he didn¡¯t like any of them. Furthermore, if one thought about it, it would be a hundred times better to just become a debtor than to be an emotional man who prepared a gift ahead of marriage. ¡°¡ªI¡¯ll look forward to what you bring.¡± Cyril did not hesitate and chose to become a debtor. Countless gifts were waiting for Adrienne, so with this kind of light, she would be able to receive them over and over again. ¡°You¡¯re not going to make a fuss in Cassinel, are you?¡± ¡°Only you will be a beggar even in Cassinel.¡± ¡°No matter what you say¡ª¡± Such a childish quarrel continued until the butler announced that the dinner preparation was over. ****** The meal was held in a pleasant atmosphere. Adrienne smiled continuously, erasing the gloom caused by the gap in the past. There was a lot of tension for the bride-to-be who was ready to get married, but Adrienne felt at ease. A cup of refreshing mint-scented tea tickled the tip of her nose with moderately sweet walnut pie, various desserts, and an old friend to talk to. All the elements that made up the table were extremely peaceful. Adrienne, who had just put down her teacup, suddenly saw the bracelet on her wrist. The wrist, which had always been empty, was still unfamiliar, but it did not give any negative weight. It was a ridiculous idea, but she liked it even more because it fitted perfectly as if he had thought of her. She also liked that it was a bracelet, not a ring. If Cyril had held out a ring, she might have been a little embarrassed. They would exchange gifts anyway, but the meaning of a bracelet and a ring were clearly different¡ª Of course, the grass ring, which was close to a joke, was an exception¡ª At least Adrienne thought so. ¡°Did you choose this, Cyril?¡± Adrienne asked the questions that she had been curious about all along. When she raised her hand and waved it slightly, the bracelet on her wrist also shook. The light from the crystal candle holder added a warm color to the blue diamond, enhancing the brilliance of the bracelet. Cyril¡¯s attention, which had been drawn to the bracelet for a brief while, slipped away. Adrienne noticed the golden eyes wandering aimlessly with nowhere to go. ¡°¡ªDo I have nothing to do?¡± ¡°Well. You¡¯ve been promoted, so you¡¯ll be busier. Still, thank you. I guess the person who chose it has a good eye.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The blunt voice gave the answer as expected. She wasn¡¯t disappointed because it wasn¡¯t what she expected in the first place. Cyril Valentin who directly designed the jewelry at the Jewelry store¡ª It was a scene that she could not imagine no matter how much she thought about it. Adrienne quickly agreed, and Cyril shut his mouth with a subtle expression. It was such a strange expression that she couldn¡¯t really explain it. ¡®Did something happen?¡¯ She was curious about the unfamiliar expression, but it was Cyril Valentin who didn¡¯t open his mouth the more she asked. Adrienne pretended not to know and moved on to the next topic. ¡°Oh, and Cyril. Please don¡¯t rush the wedding. The Duke seems to want the ceremony to be held right away but¡ª¡± It was nearly half a year after Adrienne de Cassinel Bluea stepped into the capital, Ruther. In other words, it had only been half a year since she had shown her face in society. ¡®Sir Thesar is just a friend I¡¯ve known for a long time. I don¡¯t have any feelings in private. Of course, there¡¯s friendship.¡¯ It was also said that it had only been less than half a year since she said stuff like this. ¡°Is there a reason to do that?¡± ¡°I need some time.¡± ¡°¡ªDo you have anything left to organize?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Of course, there was. Like a parrot to countless questions, ¡®Sir Thesar has nothing to do with me.¡¯ What if she suddenly announced that she was going to marry Cyril? Perhaps Adrienne will be burned at the stake. She might even be stoned by all the women of Ruther, or¡ª Or she might see a miracle of debt pouring like rain. It was clear that it was terrifying either way. Regardless of whether it was like this or not, the future of suffering from countless backbiting awaited. Nevertheless, it was better to gain at least a little time. In fact, Adrienne was very upset about that. It¡¯s because she didn¡¯t do it on purpose¡ª However, she also knew that there was no one who recognized it even when she was sad. Most of them would curse even if they knew it was a political marriage. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with his expression?¡¯ Adrienne wanted to cry when imagining the thorny path scheduled for her future, but Cyril looked worse for some reason. Even if the marriage was postponed a bit, the marriage conversation would not be null and void, but it was too gloomy. ¡°Cyril, are you okay with that?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± When asked to confirm, a short answer came back. The answer was firm and clear. Adrienne suddenly wondered if Cyril was free from rumors. On the day of the debutant, she told her aunt that Cyril would be in a similar situation to Adrienne, but that was just a cover-up. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear anything?¡± ¡°¡ªWhat are you talking about all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Is the military quiet? I¡¯ve been listening to everything about you all the way through the party. Like what¡¯s our relationship. Well, it¡¯s hard to explain.¡± She thought only Cassinel¡¯s knights were quiet, but it didn¡¯t seem to be. She thought, ¡°It must have been comfortable,¡± but Cyril¡¯s expression changed with every second that passed by. He frowned, then eased, then frowned again. Cyril, who finally returned to his original expression, opened his mouth. ¡°The military can¡¯t be quiet. How light-hearted do you think those guys are.¡± ¡°Really? Then don¡¯t you need time to fix it?¡± ¡°¡ªDid you mean to clean up the rumors?¡± ¡°Do you have anything else to do?¡± Property was something that each person had to do on their own, and it was enough to discuss the issue of agreement gradually. The only thing that had to be resolved right now was to hold onto the reputation that was only going to fall. If she goes back down to Cassinel, she wouldn¡¯t need to care about anything, but the weight of her name would change as soon as Thesar¡¯s last name was added. She had to be more careful as it was not a name that only she used alone. ¡°Adrienne, come to think of it, I think I need to organize myself, too.¡± ¡°As expected, the places where people live are all the same.¡± Cyril, who had been silent in the meantime, reversed his position. He was in a much more relaxed state than he had been before. It was an abrupt emotional change, totally unlike Cyril Valentin, who was synonymous with stability, but Adrienne understood it. Isn¡¯t it weird that he¡¯s actually in his right mind when he¡¯s about to marry a childhood friend he only just met after a long time? Even Cyril, who is accustomed to keeping his composure, must have had a difficult time. ¡®Because it¡¯s a sudden marriage.¡¯ Adrienne thought it was time to bring out the prepared words. Chapter 30 Chapter 30. Chapter 6. Still the same, yet different (1) ¡°Cyril, as you know, this marriage isn¡¯t our plan.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Just really by chance, um¡ª a marriage that was decided after a number of circumstances.¡± This marriage was a typical political marriage. This political marriage is only a little different because the other person is a childhood friend. To be honest, Adrienne had a vague fantasy about marriage. This was the case until she came up to Ruther. By far the most significant factor was her father, Count Cassinel. A father who loved her mother all his life and raised twins without ever remarrying. Count Cassinel would bring tears to his eyes whenever he saw the portrait of his deceased wife. How many times did she witness him wiping away tears while appearing to be the strong knight? So, Adrienne wanted to get married from a young age. It felt like a wonderful thing for her to love someone so much and to be loved again. And at that time, she wanted that someone to be Cyril. Adrienne had no intention of denying that. ¡®I was very young.¡¯ However, Adrienne, who had experienced the capital¡¯s social circle, realized that all of her thoughts were wrong. Marriage was just a tool for the nobles of the capital. The name was only getting a little longer, and people living like others were everywhere. They took it for granted that they had lovers regardless of whether they were doing it or not, and that they were secretly sending gaze to it. Adrienne was afraid she would do the same with Cyril. Because there are so many people who go by the names of husband and wife despite being inferior to others. She obviously liked Cyril, but it wasn¡¯t just love at every moment. If she looked at each one, there were times when she cherished Cyril with feelings similar to friendship and siblings, and there were times when she just smiled comfortably because of their friendship. So, the meaning of Cyril to Adrienne was varied. Another brother and sister, a mean enemy, a friend who she doesn¡¯t hate, and the first love she¡¯ll remember forever. Cyril Valentin was the only name that existed on top of all that relationship. So, if she forced herself to live as a married couple, at some point, wouldn¡¯t it ruin all the memories or even the happy moments? Such anxiety distressed Adrienne. If so, how can she keep this relationship? After fierce consideration over the past 15 days, Adrienne was finally able to set the direction. ¡°Adrienne. So what do you want to say?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want you to be tied to this marriage.¡± With this in mind, it was decided not to bind Cyril to that duty in the name of a married couple. Even if they couldn¡¯t be friends completely, they wouldn¡¯t break like others, so it seemed like an appropriate alternative. The combination of Cassinel and Thesar will last a long time, so she wanted to give freedom in other areas. Of course, they should have children¡ª. Adrienne was a little dizzy just thinking about it, but first, she stopped thinking and continued. ¡°Coming up to Ruther, I¡¯ve seen a lot of things. How the couples here get along and what marriage means here. I didn¡¯t know before, but now I know.¡± ¡°¡ªWhat do you want me to do?¡± ¡°I mean, you don¡¯t have to be indebted to me.¡± Adrienne smiled gently. Hoping that her meaning will be conveyed properly. ¡°Do you want me to meet someone now?¡± ¡°I mean, well. It¡¯s your freedom.¡± In a time when religion was also weak, the couple had no right to bind each other. According to the law, there would be divorces, but so far there have been very few families who are willing to divorce because of love. Adrienne thought that Cyril would be sorry to hear this. Unlike his rude tone, he was a good friend, so he would be sorry as if he didn¡¯t know she would consider it this far. ¡°What you¡¯re saying is¡ª This was not the marriage we wanted, so live freely after marriage.¡± Cyril, who slowly pondered the words, didn¡¯t look sorry at all. Rather, he seemed a little angry. ¡°There¡¯s a tendency to summarize too easily¡ª That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying.¡± Adrienne unknowingly responded by imitating Reid¡¯s tone attached to her mouth. Ha. Cyril, who laughed in vain, bit his lips well and trembled his eyes. He didn¡¯t stop there but even swept his hair roughly back. ¡°You¡¯ll make me feel free, and you¡¯ll feel free, too?¡± The words that seemed to have been spit out were alive with the meaning of each word. Anyone who saw him will imagine him giving a campaign speech. ¡°You don¡¯t want to be free? Or¡ª No way, do you want to bind me?¡± This was also an unexpected development. No way. When Adrienne was a little surprised and asked back, Cyril paused. He looked like he was caught off guard. ¡°Of course¡ª No. I was just surprised because it was exactly what I thought.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s what you thought, too.¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s good to be able to live freely. What exactly is restraint? I can support your love too, Adrienne. I might be able to help.¡± He doesn¡¯t have to be that active¡ª. She hadn¡¯t expected much, but Cyril had a sickly look on his face. The word ¡®bind¡¯ seemed to annoy him quite a bit. As always, Cyril¡¯s determination to win was amazing. He had such a strong desire to win, she didn¡¯t know why he had to lose the shooting needlessly. ¡®At that time, how much I was mistaken.¡¯ If she looked closely, Cyril did a very good job of making a misunderstanding. He was caught up in the action dozens of times. He seemed to give a little space, so when she walked in, he closed the door like an iron fortress, making people very tired. After that time of agony, she didn¡¯t know if it was fortunate enough to be able to do anything without a blink of an eye. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to help, but just in case, I¡¯ll tell you if I need help.¡± ¡°Okay. Make sure you tell me. I¡¯ll do my best to help you.¡± The scorching eyes were just like the thrill of holding the sword for the first time. In any case, it was fortunate that the meaning seemed to have worked. Adrienne was able to return with a very relieved mind, not knowing that Cyril¡¯s expression, which was left alone, was dead. ****** Hmm. Maxel hummed and entered the headquarters building. He had just picked up 20 silver coins from Lieutenant Perrault, who worked at the Supply Department. Even with the blessing of the dice god, it was really fortunate that the appropriate number of tosses fell. Maxel, who was walking down the hallway with a cheerful step, encountered Sergeant Arzil, who was walking in the opposite direction. ¡°Lieutenant, Captain Thesar is calling you.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯m going to go now. Maxel, who was in a good mood due to an unexpected windfall from the morning, readily responded. Sergeant Arzil trembled and added Maxel more quietly. ¡°Uh, Lieutenant Langred? The captain is a little weird right now. Be careful¡ª¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡ª¡± Maxel stood up for his superior while he was in a good mood. In fact, Cyril was so good that it was a problem. Now that he has been promoted to captain, he uses his own office, but when he was a lieutenant, Maxel lived comfortably when he shared the office with him. It¡¯s a little annoying when he talks to him, but he¡¯s quietly accepting him and answering him occasionally¡ª. He didn¡¯t even use double lust or violence. If he stopped, it was the best as a boss. ¡®Captain, you¡¯re so cool the more I think about you.¡¯ It felt like loyalty suddenly soared, which had never existed before. Of course, silver coins jingling in the pocket must have played a big role. ¡°Captain! Did you call me? Lieutenant Langred is here!¡± Anyway, the good thing was the good thing. Maxel feels good for the money, and Captain Thesar is good to be respected by his lieutenant. ¡°Yeah.¡± Maxel, who bravely announced himself, opened the door of the office and entered. ¡°Dear Captain Tessar! I¡¯m here¡ª.¡± ¡ªcame back as it was. Maxel, who closed the door hastily, looked around and caught a second lieutenant nearby. ¡°Wait, Lieutenant. Lieutenant Jacobin, I¡ª What¡¯s the matter, Captain?¡± ¡°Yes? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Suddenly, what grass¡ª what flower¡ª why are you doing that with your bare hands?¡± ¡°Yes¡ª?¡± Suddenly, Lieutenant Jacobin, who was caught, twitched his face like a person who heard nonsense. ¡°My eyesight is accurate. No matter how far away, the center of the target is clearly visible. It¡¯s my hand¡¯s problem to miss, and my eyes are innocent.¡± ¡°Ah, I see¡ª¡± Lieutenant Jacobin first nodded. He wasn¡¯t even interested in Maxel¡¯s shooting skills as much as a speck of dust, but he had to listen to what he said as a superior first. Jacobin or not, Maxel was serious. As soon as he opened the door, the sight of Captain Thesar was so strange that he almost got a thorn in his mouth without making a noise. Just imagine. The appearance of a handsome man who even meets a person he met by chance stares at him as if possessed, a man with a strong physique and a tall stature, playing with grass like a minnow. It would be ridiculous even if a man he didn¡¯t know was doing it while walking down the street, so his opponent was superior. Captain Thesar, who is also famous for mysophobia. ¡°But what¡¯s wrong¡ª¡± ¡°Maxel.¡± Sergeant Arzil¡¯s advice came to mind, but it was already too late. At the voice heard from the door, Maxel let go of Jacobin that he had been holding and turned helplessly. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m here¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. There¡¯s something I need to know.¡± His voice became small as if he was hiding through a mouse hole, but luckily Cyril didn¡¯t care. Maxel glanced over the desk, looking around. The grass was still placed on the palm. There seems to be some flowers, but he didn¡¯t want to know in detail. ¡°Yes. Ask me anything. I¡¯ll answer sincerely as far as I know.¡± ¡°Good.¡± It was definitely a compliment, but he couldn¡¯t find it as a spirit. Cyril¡¯s gaze remained consistently on his palm, and Maxel lost his words and looked around the office. A desk with clear glass and no dust. The displayed plaques and decorations all shimmered like new. In the familiar landscape, the only strange thing was that grass. ¡°The daily newspaper that the lieutenant enjoys. Where is the newspaper company?¡± ¡°Yes? Oh, are you talking about that Menestrel? Or Le Premiere? Bavarre? I don¡¯t know which newspaper you are talking about.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care where it is. Bring them all together.¡± ¡°¡ªDo you mean everything? How long do you mean when you say everything¡ª.¡± ¡°Half a year¡¯s worth.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Maxel answered politely and hurried out of the office. Chapter 31 - Chapter 6. Still the same, yet different (2) Chapter 31. Chapter 6. Still the same, yet different (2) Tak. Even after the office door was closed, Cyril looked down at the grass ring given by Adrienne. Adrienne was embarrassed after receiving the bracelet. The grass ring was given out of fear of the stiff atmosphere, so she made excuses not to be misunderstood. ¡®Pretending to be all grown up¡ª¡¯ She wouldn¡¯t do that in the past. She will just like it and laugh. Of course, yesterday¡¯s Adrienne also happily accepted the present. But it was quite different from the old days when she just liked it without thinking. She seemed to care about the family¡¯s face ¡ª which had already been ruined by the time she made the grass ring¡ª and she was well aware that there were no unconditional favors. Cyril was surprised by it all over again. When did a child with blood-stained cotton in her mouth become so big, who cried out that she had grown up with a leaky pronunciation because she had no front teeth. ¡®How can I have this?¡¯ Even with that thought, the hand that touched the grass ring was cautious. When he imagined Adrienne, who would have made this alone, sitting in the corner of the greenhouse, he couldn¡¯t help but smile. To be honest, Cyril didn¡¯t feel very good when he first saw Adrienne, who couldn¡¯t take her eyes away from the rose. Of course, he expected her to think of Lionel, so it was natural for him to express his discomfort. He thought she only had Lionel in her heart when she said she needed to organize some things¡ª. But that¡¯s not the reason. He felt relieved when she said she just needed to sort the rumors. At the same time, he pondered how much pain she had gone through to say such a thing. That¡¯s why Cyril ordered Maxel to collect newspapers. He was curious as to how much Adrienne, who is slow at her job, cares about it. He thought that he¡¯d check it out with his own eyes. Then, one after another, Cyril, who was looking back on the events of yesterday, hardened for a moment. It was because the shocking remarks came to mind again. ¡®I don¡¯t want you to be tied to this marriage.¡¯ Adrienne said something that Cyril couldn¡¯t even think about. In addition, she has a really soft and generous face. The most annoying was her expression, which seemed to say, ¡®I think you¡¯d agree, of course.¡¯ ¡®What do you know so well about me¡ª.¡¯ Cyril had an experience of rising anger for no reason. When it comes to it, nothing is wrong, but it was a strange experience that felt strange. ¡®Where are you going?¡¯ ¡®What do you mean? I¡¯m going to go in now.¡¯ ¡®We haven¡¯t finished playing the married couple yet¡ª.¡¯ ¡®Then let¡¯s finish it.¡¯ ¡®Ah, Cyril. Don¡¯t go. Let¡¯s play a bit more, okay?¡¯ A cloudy, hazy vision flashed into his mind. It was a scenario he had seen many times when he was young. Adrienne rushed to grab Cyril¡¯s sleeve and blinked really quickly when they finished the game. He remembered purposefully replying back because it was fun to act that way. ¡®Just a little bit.¡¯ ¡®Okay! Just a little bit!¡¯ Still, in the end, Adrienne¡¯s wish came true. Cyril would play a little more pretending he couldn¡¯t win if the young Adrienne begged so much. He used to create circumstances even when they were only playing. The reason why old memories suddenly came to mind was probably because of Adrienne, who had the same face and acted too differently. ¡®In the past¡ª.¡¯ It has been more than five years since Cyril left Cassinel. It wasn¡¯t a terribly long time, but it wasn¡¯t short enough to look back on his old days. Everything has changed as much as the level of the eyes opened, but Adrienne in Cyril¡¯s memory is still Adrienne at that time, so it was a little difficult to face the change. Adrienne who wanted to give him freedom and Adrienne who didn¡¯t want to bind him were all unfamiliar to Cyril. ¡®Don¡¯t you like to be free? Or¡ª No way, do you want to bind me?¡¯ The memories that had been blurred by longing for a moment became clear in an instant. Cyril gritted his teeth. ¡®Be free and do whatever you want.¡¯ If she was still dreaming of that freaking first love, Cyril thought she would be happy if he helped. Because that¡¯s what she wants. In an era where everyone is doing whatever they want, adding one more Adrienne will not make much difference. I¡¯ll help you, so do whatever you want¡ª. When the thought of crossing the two poles reached the end, Cyril glared at the grass ring. It was quite a bitter look, but it was only for a moment. ¡®Should I just throw it away?¡¯ Cyril, who had been thinking for a long time, put the grass ring back in a separate case. It was exactly what he first brought from the mansion. A grass ring in a high-quality velvet case¡ª. Cyril pointed to his temple at the belated reality. Unexplained anger collapsed with a long sigh. ¡®You crazy punk! You¡¯re saying all sorts of nonsense.¡¯ The moment he came to his senses, self-hatred came like a lightning bolt. What the hell are you talking about, what the hell are you helping¡ª. It¡¯s only been three months since they reunited, and since they suddenly got married, Adrienne must have been considerate of Cyril. Looking back, there was no reason to be angry. He couldn¡¯t say thank you, but he said a lot of things that he shouldn¡¯t have said. After objectively looking back on the situation, belated regret poured in. Cyril fell face down on the desk. He was these days, feeling pathetic for himself like never before. ****** The sun poured over the carriage running through Ruther¡¯s smooth road. The shadow created by the carriage shading was darker than ever. The carriage was on its way to Thesar. Since the marriage had already been decided, all that remained was for them to meet the adults from both families in earnest. Considering Thesar¡¯s short summer and early winter, the first place to visit became Cyril¡¯s territory. ¡°Adrienne.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Cyril crossed his arms and glanced at Adrienne¡¯s head. He didn¡¯t see it because he wanted to, but because she didn¡¯t look at him when he called, he couldn¡¯t help but stare. The round head, as if made of clumped red wool, tilted left and right at times. He had no idea what she was so concerned about in a letter. ¡°¡ªDo you want to do it here?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll take ten more days to get to Thesar. There¡¯s nothing to do, so it¡¯s better to do it now.¡± Adrienne was still staring at the paper even as he said that. She was serious as she chose the list to prioritize the marriage news and picked the greetings to send to each family. He wondered if it was necessary to be anxious about the wedding, which was still half a year away, but Adrienne seemed to have a different opinion. Well, Adrienne had been Cassinel¡¯s hostess since the day she was born. He couldn¡¯t help but notice that she didn¡¯t want to ruin Cassinel¡¯s precious name. Adrienne, who had been staring at the paper for a long, instantly puffed one cheek. Cyril, who witnessed this, let out a laugh that sounded like a sigh. After several years, the habit of popping out while she was focusing remained. Cyril closed his eyes. A young Adrienne fighting with etiquette was naturally drawn through the dark vision. ¡°If you had studied so hard, you would have been in the finance department, not Reid.¡± ¡°Why are you suddenly picking a fight?¡± Adrienne immediately lifted her eyes and raised her head as he muttered in low voices. ¡°What do you mean to fight. I said it in the hope that the Viscountess Parte would be delighted to see it.¡± Cyril, who opened one eye lightly, looked down at Adrienne. She leaned her head back and leaned against the soft wall, looking relaxed. Cyril felt a little welcome to the shallow anger of blue eyes. Earlier, she didn¡¯t even look at him when he called her, but now she seemed to want to say a word. ¡°Since when have you been thinking of Viscountess Parte?¡± ¡°Who did Viscountess teach when you started to look ten years older?¡± ¡°Be quiet.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, should I be quiet for all ten days? I¡¯m confident.¡± At the relaxed response, the fine brow wrinkled without mercy. ¡°Kill that thing, save it¡ª¡± Adrienne¡¯s feelings were fully revealed in the growling sound. Cyril, who secretly opened the other eye, pretended to turn his head and glanced at Adrienne with a squint. Small lips were pouting everywhere. They pretended to be so grown up, and at times like that, they were like a child. Is it because it¡¯s funny? He kept trying to let out a laugh. It was a moment when Cyril was trying to keep this expressionless face by biting his lips. ¡°You really have to thank me.¡± Adrienne, who breathed out briefly, said with her eyes down. ¡°You? To you?¡± Adrienne¡¯s eyes were wide open to the way he spoke confidently that it couldn¡¯t be. It was quite fierce, but Cyril only shrugged his shoulders. Adrienne even put down the paper he was holding, perhaps because the trivial action set the fire. There was strength in the big round eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s see how you persecute me like this. What¡¯s quiet¡ª The silence froze to death. I¡¯m protecting Captain Thesar¡¯s status, you.¡± ¡°Who told you to protect it?¡± ¡°Mademoiselle who adores you should see you now¡ª but I¡¯ll let you go because you¡¯re my friend, really.¡± It was a look on her face that she was really sad and regretful. Adrienne shook her head and couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for him. ¡°Hooray!¡± ¡°Hooray? It¡¯s not hooray! But ¡®Thank you¡ª.¡¯ It¡¯s not even enough. Can¡¯t you see this effort not to get in the way of your relationship?¡± ¡°If you disturb it, it will be a hindrance.¡± What love affair gets in the way of something he never even thought of¡ª. Cyril swallowed the words and clicked his tongue. He thought she¡¯d be annoyed again because he responded bluntly. ¡°That¡¯s true, but. Come to think of it, Cyril, you were very popular.¡± But Adrienne wasn¡¯t angry. Instead of getting angry, he even pushed Cyril up. The very ordinary compliment of being popular did not somehow sound as good as it is. She didn¡¯t do anything wrong, but he felt like he was being stabbed.