HRNGDS 28

~Chapter 28~

Kasen was someone who always valued appearances. He hated getting involved in messy scandals that might humiliate him.

‘I need to stop Ivelina first.’

He planned to calm things down now and deal with whoever angered Ivelina later, in private.

But what he found there completely caught him off guard.

“Delphina…?”

What was she doing here?

Kasen had assumed he’d only see Delphina after arriving at the Grand Duke’s estate, so finding her standing across from Ivelina stunned him.

His eyes remained fixed on her for a long time.

‘She’s even more beautiful now…’

Compared to their days at the academy, Delphina had grown more radiant.
Even in the plain clothes of a commoner, she hadn’t lost an ounce of her elegance.

Back then, everyone at the academy had pretended to mock her to stay on Ivelina’s good side—but secretly, they had all admired Delphina’s tragic beauty.

‘So Delphina was here all along… no wonder Ivelina’s been yelling.’

Kasen thought little of it. Ivelina picking on Delphina was nothing new.

He also knew well the deep-rooted inferiority complex Ivelina held toward her.

‘She’s angry because of Delphina again?’

But then Kasen turned—and froze.

“Sir Calyx…? What is going on here?! Who dared to treat you like this?”

Kasen went pale.

He realized immediately that the man Ivelina had been screaming at… was Calyx himself.

At Kasen’s outburst, Ivelina stiffened and turned around.

“K-Kasen? You’re saying this man is really Sir Calyx?”

Calyx was famous, but few had actually seen his face.

However, Kasen had seen him a few times at the Imperial palace.

“We’ve met before, haven’t we? Viscount Kasen Huart.”

“…Yes.”

“Is Duke Huart doing well? He recently asked me to help with the territorial dispute against Marquis Royan.”

In fact, one of Kasen’s main reasons for coming to the North was to win Calyx over to his side.

Calyx glanced at Ivelina with utter contempt.

“The one who spilled food on me was your fiancée, Kasen Huart.”

Kasen felt like he was dreaming. Ivelina… dumped food on Calyx Artman?

“Ivelina, what is he talking about?”

His lips tightened.

Ivelina blinked rapidly, unable to process the situation.

“S-Sir Calyx, this is a misunderstanding…”

“What misunderstanding could there possibly be?”

Calyx’s voice turned cold.

He was no longer “Cal,” the laborer from the North—he exuded the aura of a true knight of the Empire, Calyx Artman.

His powerful presence bore down on the Rikaion knights, Ivelina, and Kasen alike.

Kasen’s face darkened.

“Kasen, I really didn’t do anything wrong…”

But Kasen simply shook his head.

His voice was firm.

“Ivelina, apologize.”

She didn’t seem to grasp how serious the situation was. Her face turned red with humiliation.

Apologize? Here?

She glanced around.

Commoners were staring at her. Their eyes wide with shock at what was unfolding.

Ahead stood Calyx, his face blank and unreadable.

‘He used to look so pathetic… like a fool!’
‘Where did that image go? Now he looks every bit the noble he is.’

Ivelina shouted, her eyes flashing.

“Delphina, you knew who he was, didn’t you? You set me up so I’d say awful things to him!”

Delphina tilted her head with an innocent expression.

She looked like she hadn’t understood a single thing.

“Come now, Ivelina. You know my personality better than anyone. You even told me just now to go back to being obedient like in the Rikaion manor.”

Ivelina had no response. Her rage was overwhelming—she was on the verge of tears.

Just then, a system message popped up in front of Delphina’s eyes:

<God Prad admires Delphina’s acting skills and wickedness.>

Calyx also silently admired her.

‘She’s a strong woman who says what needs to be said. The more I see her, the more admirable she becomes.’

He turned to Ivelina.

“And how would Lady Delphina have known my true identity?”

Kasen didn’t seem to believe Ivelina’s story either.

“Ivelina, continuing to talk will only make things worse. If you’ve done wrong, the right thing is to apologize.”

Ivelina was bitter. She’d always made others feel unjust—she never thought it’d happen to her.

And now, even Kasen wasn’t taking her side. Her body trembled.

“I-I’m sorry…”

“No, not to me.” Calyx cut in.
“The one you should apologize to is Lady Delphina.”

“You want… me to apologize to Delphina?”

Calyx said nothing, just stared at her.

Her face turned crimson, like molten lava.

Apologizing to Delphina? Unthinkable.

She looked around again.

The sharp gazes of the crowd were aimed at her.

It felt like they were all silently accusing her for not apologizing.

She had never been treated this way back in the Empire.

“Ivelina, hurry and apologize.”

“Kasen!”

“Now.”

Ivelina wasn’t stupid.

To calm Calyx down, she had no choice but to apologize to Delphina.

Trembling, she lowered her head.

“S…Sorry, Delphina.”

Delphina simply watched her with an unreadable face.

‘There was a time I truly wanted to hear this apology…’

But now, it didn’t matter anymore.

After Ivelina apologized, Kasen looked a little relieved.

“Then perhaps forgiveness—”

But Calyx cut him off.

“I’ll be filing a formal complaint with the Imperial court. Duke Rikaion will bear responsibility.”

“…”

“Sir Kasen, I’m disappointed in you as well.”

Then Calyx turned and approached Delphina.

Kasen gasped in shock.

Calyx’s voice had turned gentle.

“Lady Delphina, are you all right? I was worried some of the soup might’ve splashed on you.”

“Ah, I’m fine…”

“I apologize for hiding my identity. But when I said I wanted to be your worker, I meant it.”

“You don’t need to be so formal…”

“I first met you as ‘Cal,’ and I’m content with that.”

Delphina nodded slightly, her expression a little awkward. But Calyx couldn’t help it.

‘She’s the closest thing I’ve found to my perfect fried chicken.’

Ivelina stumbled, dazed with shock. But no one paid her any attention.

Not even Kasen, her own fiancé.

He was still reeling from Calyx’s words.

A worker?

Even Duke Rikaion and Duke Huart couldn’t place Calyx beneath them.

Even the Emperor had tried and failed to recruit him.

Whenever the Emperor begged him to join as his knight, Calyx always refused, saying he needed to reach the “peak of martial arts” first.

Even now, the Emperor hadn’t given up on him.

That was why Kasen had come all the way to the North.

‘If I can win Calyx over, His Majesty will surely favor me…’