Chapter 14: CH 14

“You’re not going with me, aren’t you?”

No way. Since when have you been close to me?

The mere thought of it gave me goosebumps.

When there’s no answer, I imagined holding hands and smiling awkwardly with him.

‘This isn’t it. Absolutely not.’

On the other hand, my mouth twitched when I thought of the scene with the handsome Leon.

Then, the answer is clear, isn’t it?

Edgar looked unhappy about the answer he wanted.

“Is there anyone else besides me?”

“I have Leon.”

Edgar’s eyes narrowed with my imposing remark.

A little bit more thinning and his eyes will be gone.

“Why?”

“No Leon. I do not allow him to be seen by others”

I didn’t expect this reaction

““Give me a good reason.”

“What can I gain by showing someone who is sponsored by the Count? I’m going to send him out when he becomes an adult anyway.”

“That’s true.”

“He’s not going to make a debut as someone from our house. What good is it to tell someone what kind of kid Leon is?”

It wasn’t like that either.

Leon did not recognize others, and it was good not to show up to anyone if he thought about his future.

“If you care about Leon, I think you should be more careful.”

“That’s right.”

Damn it.

I hate to admit it, but my father was right.

But somehow taking him to the banquet hall will give him a good chance.

You know, maybe he will see Janice at the banquet. It would be good for both of them if he had already recognized her face.

“How about a masquerade? Then Leon can also attend.”

“Do you really want to be with that child?”

“Well, he’s my only friend.”

Edgar didn’t look very pleased.

It’ll be annoying to talk back to him all the time.

“The Count will be my partner. That’s enough, right?”

“That sounds better.”

“Doesn’t it? Exactly.”

I shrugged and smiled broadly.

If there’s something that is getting better day by day, it’s my skill at getting sly.

I often faced my father, but I was still not close.

Until now, just giving a doll as a gift can’t be the answer.

He didn’t know anything about me. It was the same for me.

“Don’t give me dolls from now on. I’m past that age.”

“I have a lot to say. There will be no gifts in the future. Haven’t I passed that age? You raised me, so you have to pay the price I deserve.”

Edgar dropped the present next to me into the trash can.

There was no need to throw it away, but you must be upset.

“You’re so consistent.”

My father glanced at the trash can at my words and shifted his gaze to the document.

I said, staring at the trash can.

“At that time, you threw away the cookies I baked for you.”

“You’d better think about your attitude when you tell me to eat what can’t be eaten.”

“Right. I don’t know who gave birth to me, but it must be a very similar skill.”

It hurts a little, but you can’t force yourself to eat something that doesn’t taste good.

I wasn’t the kind of person who took that to heart.

No, to be honest, I took it to heart.

You can leave it alone without throwing it away. Throw it right away.

“Just look inside the doll.”

Inside the doll?

I stopped walking towards the door and turned around.

Edgar was absorbed in the document without giving a glance.

“Look inside the doll?”

Unable to resist curiosity, I jumped up from my seat and took out a doll.

There was no mechanism to open it from side to side.

‘Come to think of it, it seems quite heavy for a doll.’

If there was cotton inside, it would have been quite fluffy, but I heard something small crumbling.

I carefully put the doll down on the table.

After staring for a long time, I eventually lifted the knife and slowly opened the back slightly.

With a thud.

The doll’s shiny diamonds poured down to the floor.

‘Crazy… It was a doll that held diamonds?’

I carefully put the diamonds back into the doll.

I don’t know what kind of money this is, so if I use it recklessly and get hit by lightning…….

“You crazy man.”

Isn’t it ridiculous to give this to a child to use?

What am I supposed to do with this? It’s better to sew it up and put it back in as if I didn’t see it, right?

I took out the sewing box and began to lean carefully.

I was shuddering at the plot of my father, who was trying to drive me as an accomplice in this way.

Knock, knock, knock.

“Elle, are you in there?”

A pleasant voice was heard. I hurriedly put the doll in the cabinet and fix my face.

“Yes, come on in.”

Leon entered the room carefully.

“I heard that you were going to a banquet.”

“Really? Aaahh. I don’t want to go.”

I lay on my back on the bed and patted myself.

Leon came up to me and sat down.

When I peeked at him, he looked quite mature.

‘He really grew up.’

The hands neatly placed on his knees were bigger than my hands at first glance.

What about height? I was taller when I was young, but now I’m about to look up at him.

“Lion, you want to go, right?”

“………well, not really.”

“Really? I thought you’d want to go.”

Well, Leon, who doesn’t recognize people, may have a headache if he goes to the banquet hall.

You have to pretend to recognize it, and remember the characteristics even if it’s a masquerade.

You must be tired because you have to concentrate several times more than others.

“Is that why you’re here?”

“Ah… the knights said.”

Leon wiggled his fingers and hesitated. What are they saying that he’s taking so much time?

I stood up in frustration and looked at Leon.

As I sat side by side, there was quite a difference in physique.

I leaned on his shoulder and closed my eyes.

“What is it? Don’t hesitate to tell me. It’s frustrating.”

“Don’t you want a knight, too?”

“A knight? Not really.”

I hate it if it’s like taking a knight’s oath and protecting me for life.

Anyway, isn’t this a place where you have to leave if a pattern appears here?

I didn’t want to tie people up.

Edgar wouldn’t assign a knight for me, and the count’s knights were so busy that I couldn’t even see their faces properly.

‘I didn’t know much when I was young, so I dragged it around.’

As I got older, I realized that what I did was incredible.

I don’t know why Edgar kept quiet, but I’m glad he didn’t kill me.

“Come to think of it, you’re very strange.”

Leon looked down at me and stroked my cheek.

My body trembled at the soft touch.

“What do you mean?”

“Why aren’t you afraid or curious about me?”

“The cursed child. That’s what I’ve been called. You saw me that day, too”

“I saw it. A poor child, trembling with fear, covered in blood.”

It still came into my sight.

I will never forget the day I first met Leon.

“……Wasn’t it scary?”

“Are you going to do that to me? I know you won’t.”

Leon looked a little surprised at my determination.

“But…”

What he calls a cursed child.

It’s like a spell that’s invoked to protect himself.

To survive on his own, Leon’s body absorbs all the power around him when he feels threatened.

Red eyes. There are humans who want to covet beauty.

They grabbed the man whom God loved and dug out ruby-like eyes to get them.

They were also the hidden misdeeds of Rubion, the house where Leon came from.

As a result, they gained power, and instead God cursed them so that even the family could not distinguish themselves.

Although Leon was cursed, he was not a member of the Rubion family.

Because he was an illegitimate child, they tried to get rid of Leon before his strength developed at a young age.

“Leon, I’m not afraid of you.”

I stared into Leon’s eyes.

The red eyes that he only showed to me shine beautifully.

Although he was cursed by their greed, he will meet his fated companion and recognize only her.

It is hasty to say that the curse will be lifted, but it would be fortunate for Leon.

If you don’t even recognize the person you love, what sad thing would it be?

“But…my strength.”

“You don’t have to worry about that either. I don’t even have the magic to lose to you. So you don’t have to worry about that. Besides, you’re still weak.”

As patterns develop after adulthood, Leon’s power stands out.

Until then, it wouldn’t hurt me. Also everyone in the house.

Fortunately, I brought him in and my father didn’t have an eye on him, but getting to know Edgar might lead to a bad situation.

“You’d better not stand out in the Count’s eyes.”

“Huh? Elle, he’s your father.”

“It’s a waste for such a human being to be called a father. Understand? Don’t bump into him as much as you can.”

Leon nodded.