IITYVA 50

Chapter 50

I swallowed the sigh that was about to escape and turned toward the man, pressing my temples firmly.

“Einra, are you alright? Are you feeling unwell?”

It seemed my gesture of pressing my temples looked odd.

The man, who was picking up two glasses from a nearby bar, asked anxiously.

Suppressing another sigh, I opened my mouth to speak.

“No, I’m fine…”

As I was about to answer, I suddenly realized—I didn’t even know his name.

Not that I particularly wanted to know, but since we were in the middle of a conversation, I figured I should at least ask out of courtesy.

Putting on a polite smile, I spoke up.

“Come to think of it, I don’t know your name. May I ask what it is?”

The man, who had been handing me a cocktail glass, blushed as if flustered.

“Ah… I asked for your name but failed to introduce myself. How rude of me…”

“Oh, no, it’s alright.”

I quickly waved a hand dismissively and accepted the cocktail glass he offered.

‘The Emperor made sure only low-alcohol drinks were served in the hall, so it should be fine.’

Just as I took a sip of the deep sky-blue cocktail, the man grinned bashfully and introduced himself.

“I’m Lloyd de Baharman, heir of the Grand Duchy of Baharman.”

“—Pfft!”

I spat the cocktail out without meaning to.

‘What? What did he just say…?’

I had deliberately avoided the Grand Duke of Baharman—and now this man’s surname was what?!

“Einra, are you alright? You seem to have choked.”

The Grand Duke’s heir, that bastard, handed me a handkerchief with a concerned expression.

Coughing, I rejected his handkerchief and pulled out my own.

“Haha, I’m… cough fine.”

But I wasn’t fine. Not at all.

‘You’re way too wonderful-fantastic-amazing, and your status is completely insane. I’m absolutely not fine!’

“I’m glad you’re okay.”

Though I’d already wiped my lips, he insisted on dabbing at them again with his own handkerchief, smiling broadly all the while.

I took a step back, slowly and subtly.

“Well, I’ll be going now…”

The best course of action with a madman is to run away.

Trying to keep it natural, I made my way toward the center of the hall.

Whether he didn’t notice or was pretending not to, the Grand Duke’s son followed me closely.

“Einra, did you know? I never believed in love. I’ve met countless women, but I never felt anything beyond mild interest.”

“Mmm…”

“But the moment I saw you, I felt something so powerful—it struck like lightning. This must be love, right?”

“Mmm, I don’t think so…”

“I’m the heir to one of the two Grand Duchies in Elberk, and you’re the only spiritist in the world contracted with the Spirit King. We’re perfectly matched in status—doesn’t that make us soulmates?”

“Hmm… I don’t think that’s it either…”

This guy wasn’t just crazy—he was really out of his mind.

Cold sweat trickled down my back.

As I quickened my pace to get rid of this damn Grand Duke’s son, a long shadow suddenly blocked my way.

“And who might you be?”

An all-too-familiar voice spoke from above my head.

Harnen pulled me behind him and gave Lloyd de Baharman a crooked smile.

‘Harnen!’

So overcome with relief, I almost screamed—but quickly clamped my mouth shut.

Not being familiar with noble etiquette, the best I could do was run away.

But Harnen, being a former Emperor, could handle situations like this far more gracefully and with dignity.

‘If it were me, I’d probably get dragged through the social scene for years after bluntly rejecting someone…’

But Harnen was different!

Relieved by the arrival of such a reliable ally, I felt like collapsing right then and there.

I clutched tightly at the hem of Harnen’s robe.

Noticing my grip, Harnen flinched for a moment before pulling me even closer behind him.

Lloyd’s face darkened slightly.

“…That’s what I should be asking you. Who are you to behave so rudely to a lady?”

“I’d say you’re the one being rude. Why keep following someone who clearly wants nothing to do with you?”

Harnen stepped forward.

Seeing someone taller cast a shadow over him, Lloyd flinched instinctively. But perhaps thinking it would be a loss to back down, he squared his shoulders and glared back.

“The lady and I were having a conversation. Who are you to say whether she wants to avoid me or not?”

“Oh, you keep asking who I am. You must be dying to know.”

Harnen tilted his head with a smile and casually patted Lloyd’s shoulder.

“I’m Einra’s closest childhood friend. I can read her expressions extremely well.”

Then, without warning, Harnen gripped Lloyd’s shoulder tightly and yanked him closer.

With a groan, Lloyd winced from the forceful grip.

Still smiling, Harnen leaned close and whispered into his ear.

“But just now, her face was screaming that she wanted to get away from you.”

“Wh-What the—”

“So stop buzzing around her like a damn bug and scram.”

Lifting his head again, Harnen was still smiling sweetly as he smoothed Lloyd’s now-wrinkled shoulder.

“Oh dear, didn’t even realize your uniform was rumpled. You really should be more careful—it’s practically your face, as a Grand Duke’s heir.”

After brushing him off neatly, Harnen stepped back politely.

“Y-You vulgar…”

Lloyd, now pale as a sheet, trembled and glared at Harnen, lips twitching—but he didn’t dare make a scene.

Understandably so.

This was probably the first time the noble-born Lloyd had ever been threatened like this. And Harnen had done it so slyly, no one even noticed. There was no proof.

Sure, Lloyd could try to throw his weight around as a Grand Duke’s heir—but Harnen was a close friend of the spiritist.

Even if no one knew he was a sorcerer favored by both the Emperor and the Grand Duke Serenia, attacking a spiritist’s close friend was tantamount to making the spiritist an enemy.

And no one would take Lloyd’s side while turning against a spiritist. If anything, Lloyd’s reputation would just take a nosedive.

Watching all this unfold, I teared up a little.

‘Yeah… Harnen went through this exact thing in his past life…’

Poor guy. How many times did he get tangled in crap like this to learn to threaten so smoothly?

Unaware of my sentimental thoughts, Harnen turned to me with a gentle smile.

He held out his large hand.

“Einra, shall we go?”

“Yeah…!”

I nodded firmly and grabbed his hand.

As I took a step forward, letting him lead the way, I looked back briefly.

Lloyd, still glaring at Harnen, met my gaze.

Wait.

His mouth formed the words.

A chill ran down my spine.

‘Wait for what?!’

Did you not hear what Harnen just said?!

I snapped my head back forward and clung even closer to Harnen’s arm.

Maybe if I showed how close Harnen and I were, Lloyd would finally back off.

I didn’t let go of Harnen all the way until we reached the lounge.

It was all just for show, to make sure Lloyd got the message.

* * *

“Ugh, that was exhausting…”

As soon as Harnen closed the lounge door and pulled the curtain shut, I dashed over and collapsed onto the sofa.

Coming over to sit beside me, Harnen let out a long sigh.

“When some bug starts buzzing around you, you should come straight to me.”

Despite the scolding tone, his hand gently stroked my hair.

I pouted and looked up at him.

“But you didn’t even look at me first.”

His hand froze mid-stroke.

“…I didn’t?”

He asked softly, and I nodded emphatically.

“Yup, you didn’t.”

“…”

Harnen said nothing in response.