CH 22

My body stiffened as it was.

“…”

When I felt my body back, Davan was looking at me with his arms crossed.

The unfriendly, emotionless gaze stung my cheeks.

‘It looks like the meeting is over.’

It’s already been quite some time.

I let out a sigh. How could my alone time just pass like this?

“I see Duke Khajans. May the divinity of Parillas dwell upon you.”

I heard a soft voice behind me.

Cadel was greeting Davan.

Of course, at first, Davan didn’t even glance at the polite Cadel.

“I don’t remember hearing anything like this.”

The cold glare that flashed across me touched my shoulder.

Towards Cadel.

“You guys seem a lot closer than I thought.”

Davan spit out indifferently.

The gaze that came back to me was always the same. Added to his habit of sweeping his hair roughly.

“Her ladyship must have told His Excellency about me.”

It was Cadel who answered for me.

All of a sudden, Cadel’s face was neatly composed.

“I was learning valuable things while sharing words with her ladyship.”

‘Pardon?’

I turned around wondering what was going on.

“Things like a person’s sincerity and heart…”

When our eyes met, Cadel, who smiled, continued.

“It was a very in-depth conversation.”

Without realizing it, I started to watch Cadel’s face closely.

It’s amazing how not only the impression, but also the facial expression changed, as if he were changing mask.

‘Incredible.’

Isn’t this all part of the planned route?

Now all of Cadel’s actions were starting to look suspicious.

“By any chance.”

Then, a cold voice fell.

“Have I ever asked you, sir?”

“…”

At Davan’s question, Cadel just smiled without saying a word.

In between, I glanced at Davan once and Cadel once.

One side was like cool darkness, the other like a blazing sun.

In between the male leads out of the blue…

‘This is the exclusive seat for the female lead.’

The place where I am standing now was too much of a burden.

This seat, sandwiched between the male leads, was reserved for the female lead Ollina Fabian.

In other words, it was not a place I would occupy as a villainess.

I slowly took a step back.

‘Wh-what is it?’

Two pairs of eyes flickered and flew following my movements.

“Cough.”

I coughed a little in embarrassment.

The male leads’ eyes followed the direction in which I moved my head.

No, what’s wrong with these people?

My toes stiffened on their own.

I wasn’t supposed to be the one to receive their attention at the same time.

This kind of thing suited only the female lead, not a supporting character like me!

“Certainly, rumors are rumors.”

Cadel was the first to break the suffocating silence.

“I almost misunderstood such a graceful lady because of mere rumors…”

Cadel looked down at me slowly and said.

‘What the hell is wrong with him?’

As the emerald-colored gaze passed over my face, I felt uneasy.

What kind of trick is this person trying to play?

“It’s hard to believe that you two are so well-matched.”

Cadel shrugged his shoulders as if he didn’t understand. His eyes, which were as creepy as a snake’s, seemed as gentle as blades of grass.

‘This is the sort of thing I hate.’

At first glance, it sounded like a compliment, but it was a way of subtly offending.

It was a rumor that everyone already knew that Leah had a bad reputation, and that Leah and Davan’s relationship was estranged.

It’s just not very pleasant to hear from other people’s mouths.

As I watched Cadel’s play, I shook my head involuntarily.

“Oh, I guess you didn’t know.”

At that moment, Davan’s, who had been quietly listening to those words, lips opened.

“That’s a rumor too.”

“…!”

My eyes turned reflexively to Davan.

‘What did you say now?’

I was startled to hear the words coming out of Davan’s mouth.

So, he had denied it without hesitation.

All about Leah, even the scandals surrounding Davan and Leah.

‘Well, nothing’s wrong then.’

My eyes softened a bit.

In fact, the words that came out of Cadel’s mouth weren’t pleasant, but they weren’t rumors either.

It was true that Leah had a bad reputation, and that there was a lot of talk about their relationship.

What surprised me was Davan’s attitude toward the rumor.

I thought that no matter what rumors spread, he would not even care if anyone slandered Leah in front of him.

But the man drew a line calmly.

That part was quite surprising.

“People like to make a fuss.”

Davan continued his speech with a calm look.

With me in between, the two men’s eyes met for quite some time.

“Especially the delusions they want to believe in.”

Davan smiled softly.

A smile that did not match his voice at all seemed foreign.

“I thought you were going to the drawing room.”

“Y-yes?”

Davan’s gaze passed upon Cadel for an instant. As soon as our eyes met, I panicked.

Because I had been staring at him quite a bit without realizing it.

“I was going to the drawing room.”

“Forget it,” added Davan, who cut off my words coldly. “I’ll listen to the rest in the room quietly.”

My face crumpled by itself.

I thought he was acting unexpectedly before, but then again, at times like this, he was just Davan Khajans.

Wait a second. In the room? What room? My room…?

The moment my thoughts reached that point, my shoulders jumped up.

“What are you talking about?”

I had almost accepted it when he spoke with such a calm face.

He seemed like someone who didn’t even know where my room was. So what the hell was he talking about so suddenly?

“…”

“You’d better prepare a proper answer.”

At my response, Davan briefly chimed in.

Still with an expressionless face.

Except that his gaze on my face was colder than usual.

“…”

Behind me, I felt Cadel’s breathing pause for a moment.

‘What the hell is this situation?’

I couldn’t believe it.

No, I didn’t want to believe it.

Davan Khajans in front of me, and Cadel Vernon behind me.

I laughed in vain at this situation.

‘Heh heh, really…’

It was because of a sudden feeling of dizziness. This was a scene that appeared frequently in the original work.

The subtle fight between Davan and Cadel.

The only difference is that I am the shrimp caught between two whales.

‘How could you be so childish.’

I took a big step back.

That created a gap. A gap between Cadel and Davan, which I had been filling, widened.

I alternately stared into the eyes of the two men who came to me at the same time.

If you’re going to fight, then fight.

Why are you making such a fuss over me?

“We’ll never have a conversation in the same room. Listen to my answer now.”

I spoke to Davan first.

I turned my back on him without worrying about how his expression after listening to me changed.

This time I told Carel.

“Duke Vernon, I hope you don’t put me in such a difficult position with your excessive words.”

My way of speaking had changed a little more straightforward.

“…”

“Also, as I said clearly.”

Cadel made eye contact as if he was listening to me.

However, how could I not know that he was thinking about something else? For the end of the glare of his eyes that touched me was cloudy.

“I hope we can keep the right lines for each other.”

I spoke as euphemistically as possible, but my eyes stood firm. I hoped he understood.

“…”

Again, Cadel did not respond.

He just looked at me and smiled strangely.

‘How great. I won’t fall for it.’

I’m starting to have a headache.

Until earlier, that is, when it was just the two of us, Cadel had shown me—probably—his real self.

His harsh tone and cold face were vivid.

— It’s as if you already know everything.

— …

— Who are you?

But not now.

His tone of voice was as if it had been hidden several times in the wrapping paper, and his expression was friendly.

Most of all, no matter what I said, there was no response. That smile, as hard as a mask, caught me off guard.

Which one is his true self? The one devoid of smile, or the one smiling right now?

Why are you revealing it to me when you can hide it?

His real name and his real appearance.

‘This person is really too much.’

The more I looked, the more difficult he was to deal with.

Whether I change the route or not, I thought it would be better not to get involved with Cadel in the first place.

After all, I’m not the one who’ll be favored among the male leads, so I don’t want to waste energy in vain…

“If you two have something to argue about, you should speak separately.”

I gave a fake smile with gritted teeth.

The two just looked at me without answering.

“Ah, everyone is here.”

The vicious silence was broken.

When I saw Belson’s face as he walked from the end of the hallway, aaaah so happy.

“Sir Bel, please give a greeting to His Majesty first. We will be at the Phantom Palace soon.”

“I understand.”

Cadel bowed his head as if he was trying to neaten his clothes.

“There are no coincidences in life.”

“…!”

At the same time, a damp breath seeped into my ear.

“There is only the inevitability of pretending to be a coincidence.”

Inevitability of pretending to be a coincidence. That one sentence cleared my mind.

“I’m sure you’ve already felt it.”

Cadel’s voice was low enough that only I could hear it. Every single word was so clear.

“I’m pretty good at acting.”

Perhaps that’s why I couldn’t show any reaction.