“You know I have a small appetite.”
“You haven’t even touched your food.”
“It’s just an appetizer, so what does it matter? Does it suit your palate?”
“…Never mind.”
Margareta turned her head away. She heard Evan let out a low sigh.
‘What is this? Is this really what our date is supposed to be like?’
They had been chatting excitedly only a few minutes ago, but now silence hung over the table.
Margareta sipped her wine for no reason.
The appetizers were cleared away, and the main course was served. Warm steam rose from the well-roasted duck, but Margareta had lost her appetite and barely touched it. Evan was the same, so the food on the table remained almost exactly as it had been when first served.
A tedious amount of time passed.
The attendant served the meat onto their plates, but it remained untouched.
‘What did we use to talk about? Was there always this little to say?’
She didn’t feel like talking about jewelry anymore. Margareta was naturally quick to grow bored, but prattling on in front of someone who didn’t respond was even more tedious.
“Evan. Why did we even come out if it was going to be like this?”
“Margareta.”
“What?”
When Evan called her name, Margareta softened a little. She picked up the fork she had set down and poked at the meat on her plate.
As the warm meat entered her mouth and a unique aroma wafted through her nose, her appetite began to return.
“I’m sorry about last time.”
The “last time” Evan was referring to was likely when he had snubbed her in front of Cecilia on the day of the entrance ceremony. It was the event that had been stuck in Margareta’s heart like a thorn, sparking anger every time she saw Cecilia.
Margareta suddenly felt as if her throat were tightening.
To be honest, she hadn’t expected him to apologize directly.
‘Was he thinking about that all this time?’
If that were the case, she could forgive him as much as he wanted. It was annoying that he had been lost in thought while in front of her, but if those thoughts were about her, then it was fine.
Margareta finally swallowed the meat and nodded.
“Fine.”
She couldn’t bring herself to say thank you or that it was okay. Because it hadn’t been okay.
However, since Margareta had replied with “Fine,” she would no longer make an issue of it.
Evan smiled and raised his wine glass. Margareta happily clinked her glass against his. *Clink.* A clear sound rang out.
“Give my regards to your grandfather today.”
“…”
“He’s fond of me, you know. I’m just asking you to say hello for me.”
“I know!” Margareta replied irritably.
Evan took a sip of his wine.
It didn’t look like the food would be finished. When Margareta set down her utensils, Evan reached out his hand to escort her.
‘I already knew.’
She knew that today’s date was purely thanks to her grandfather. Because she knew, Evan’s request to send his regards was even more grating.
‘I know it’s a date my grandfather arranged. I know, but you could at least pretend not to know!’
She didn’t want to fight with Evan here. Instead, Margareta dug her nails in as she took his hand. Evan didn’t even blink, but it must have been quite painful. Thinking that made Margareta feel a bit better, and she smiled leisurely. It was a smile that resembled Liana’s.
When Evan hesitated, Margareta shot him a look as if asking what was wrong.
“Let’s go.”
As the two of them stepped out to head down to the first floor, they ran into an unexpected person. A man who had just entered bowed hurriedly as if he recognized them.
“Your Highness…! Good evening. And good evening to you as well, Lady Torrento.”
The person who greeted them with a flushed face was Vance Odeo, a classmate of Margareta’s.
“I am Vance Odeo, a first-year student who just entered the Academy. It is truly an honor to be able to attend with Your Highness and Lady Margareta.”
Smooth words flowed from Vance’s mouth as if he had practiced them.
“Right, nice to meet you,” Evan said with a light smile, extending a hand.
Margareta, looking annoyed, let go of the hand she was holding and hooked her arm through Evan’s, pulling him. Evan stopped her with a look.
Margareta’s behavior was rude, but her family status made it possible. Vance Odeo didn’t seem offended either. He didn’t even look embarrassed. Instead, he smiled and happily shook Evan’s hand.
“Your Highness, I heard you’ve been looking for rare books lately. While my family is humble, we do have quite a large collection of books. If it pleases you, please do pay us a visit.”
“…Is that so?”
“The club members have been talking about it publicly. I only mentioned it because I wanted to be of some help… I apologize if I’ve overstepped.”
‘He looks quite timid, but he’s a good talker, isn’t he?’
Margareta stopped tightening her grip on Evan’s arm.
She didn’t like timid sycophants, but a sycophant who worked hard seemed alright. Still, she hated being bothered, so if he didn’t end the conversation within two minutes, Margareta was going to leave Evan behind.
And she would speak ill of him to her grandfather.
Margareta narrowed her eyes meanly as she thought that.
“I see. I have been a bit bored lately.”
Since Evan didn’t scold him, Vance looked a bit relieved.
Vance Odeo seemed to want to continue the conversation further, but looking at Evan and Margareta’s faces, it seemed like a lost cause. Evan felt kind and gentle, but talking to him revealed a significant sense of distance. Vance decided it was better to be polite rather than force a false sense of closeness.
“It was an honor to meet you, Your Highness, Lady Margareta.”
Vance Odeo didn’t forget to include the lady standing beside him in his farewell.
Margareta’s expression softened. She truly had an easy-to-read face.
‘I should leave while I’ve made a good impression,’ Vance thought, intending to take his leave first.
But at that moment, he remembered Liana, whom he had run into earlier. Liana had been standing alone by the central fountain, wearing a long cloak.
‘Was she in the same dormitory as Lady Margareta?’ He suddenly remembered something someone had said and blurted it out without thinking.
“You might run into Lady Liana this afternoon.”
“Liana?”
“Ah, is that not the case? I ran into her before coming here. She said she came alone to buy a flowerpot.”
Vance replied in a surprised voice. Both Evan and Margareta were now interested.
“Liana came alone? Are you sure?” Margareta asked abruptly. She unhooked her arm from Evan’s and took a step toward Vance.
Startled, Vance took a step back as Margareta approached and recalled the encounter.
“Yes. She said she was going to a shop called Terra…”
“Terra? I’ve never heard of it. It must be some insignificant shop.”
‘She didn’t come with Cecilia!’
Margareta was satisfied with just that.
‘I’m sure that girl begged to come along, but did Liana listen to my request?’
A smile spread across Margareta’s face. She didn’t mind if she ran into Liana.
“Do you know where it is?”
Margareta whipped her head around to look at Evan.
“What’s wrong?”
But something was strange. Evan’s expression was dark.
“The shop Terra?”
“Yes. She definitely said that name.”
Evan’s expression as he knit his brows and asked again was serious. Vance searched his memory and answered with certainty. She had definitely said the shop Terra.
“Is there a problem?”
“That’s a shop in the fourth district.”
“What?”
Both Margareta and Vance were shocked.
“Around what time did you run into her?”
At Evan’s question, Vance hurriedly looked down at his wristwatch.
“I think it was about 40 minutes ago.”
“Thank you.”
Evan nodded and was about to leave when he added, “It would be best not to mention running into Liana today or anything about Terra.”
“Yes, Your Highness. I will keep that in mind.”
Guessing that it was a serious matter, Vance added his promise to remember. Evan patted his shoulder and left the club.
While glaring at the back of Evan, who had left without even considering her, Margareta also hurriedly followed him out.
“Is it really in the fourth district? Are you sure you’re not mistaken?” Margareta asked as if it were impossible. Her skirt hem was getting in the way of her legs, so she walked almost at a run, lifting her skirt.
‘There’s no way a noble lady would go to the fourth district!’
Margareta’s reasoning was logical.
“Yes, I know because I’ve been there.”
“What? Why did you go there? No, more importantly, why did Liana go there!?”
When Evan gestured, guard knights who had been hiding in the street appeared. They were dressed in plain clothes and well-concealed among the crowds.
When Margareta gestured, guard knights with their family crest hidden in their sleeves also appeared.
The sudden gathering of a dozen or more burly men in the street drew attention. Since it was the first district, there were few people who rudely interrupted or whispered, but those high-and-mighty nobles were sure to gossip later about how ‘something seemed to have happened.’
Evan looked at Margareta.
Even without him speaking, Margareta seemed to know what he wanted to say. His dark green eyes, reminiscent of a summer forest, were deeply settled.
Margareta tended to enjoy rampant rumors, but she was well aware of the effect rumors about the fourth district slums would have on an unmarried noblewoman.
Margareta nodded.
Evan and Margareta instructed their respective knights to search every inch of the fourth district and to bring Liana back secretly so she wouldn’t be seen.
Only two knights remained by each of their sides.
“Margareta, go back to the dormitory first.”
“What about you?” Margareta asked crookedly.
However, she had no intention of stopping him. Even if they found her quickly, it was better for him to be with her.
Still, she couldn’t help but be a little annoyed.
However, Margareta also didn’t want someone she had finally taken a liking to to be caught up in rumors or have something happen to her safety.
“See you tomorrow then.”
“Sure,” Evan replied readily. “Please look after Margareta.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
At Evan’s final words, Margareta’s heart completely melted.
“Go. Bring her back safely.”
“I will.”
Margareta boarded her carriage, and Evan turned around.
“Let’s go.”
They entered an alleyway that connected to the fourth district.