Chapter 141: The All-Seeing Eye of Complacency
“Oh my, Master Fritz, Master Acrea, you’re dining in the cafeteria today. Blessings of the Empire.”
During lunch break, Sue ran into the Fritz and Acrea duo in the cafeteria. There were plenty of seats today, so she had assumed she wouldn’t be subjected to any unwanted requests to join them.
“Sue Byron Chiqmefriar, join us.”
But Fritz, leaning back in his chair, his arms crossed, said in a gruff voice. It wasn’t the posture of someone who was about to eat.
“Sorry, Byron, we would appreciate it if you joined us.”
Even Acrea seemed unable to refuse, and he apologized to Sue. Sue, her face sullen, quietly took a seat in front of the frowning boy.
“Enjoy your meal.”
That was all she could say. And then, for a long time, there was no conversation between them, except for Acrea’s occasional “Byron, you too.”
The silence was awkward, heavy, and unbearable, but Sue continued to eat.
Fritz, without touching his pheasant roast set meal, just stared at Sue Byron with his sharp, icy eyes.
“Shina, aren’t you going to eat?”
It was Acrea who finally intervened. Fritz, at his somewhat cold tone, finally picked up his knife. He looked like a sulking child, which was a pain.
Why was he taking it out on her?
Sue chewed on her spaghetti. And then, she heard a shocking question.
“Sue Byron, what do you think love is?”
Sue almost choked on her noodles at the sudden, absurd question. Even Acrea seemed surprised, his expression changing for once as he turned to Fritz.
“What are you talking about, Shina?”
“You stay out of this, Woo.”
Fritz ignored him and waited for Sue’s answer.
Sue felt cold sweat trickling down her back.
“W-well… I…”
What is love?
If she knew, would she be living like this?
Sue racked her brain behind her smiling face. To think she would have to explain love to the male lead of a romance novel.
And she knew why he was asking her this, even at the cost of his pride. But she had to give an answer that was for Enzhe, not Fritz.
An answer for Enzhe.
“I think… love is when you feel like this person is the one you want to marry… and spend the rest of your life with…”
Sue regretted her answer as soon as she said it. But she still didn’t know. What was the right answer, how could she make Fritz accept his marriage to Enzhe without any resistance?
“The person you want to spend the rest of your life with…”
Fritz fell into thought, pondering her hard-earned answer. Acrea, seeing Sue’s anxious eyes, changed the subject.
“Byron, have you found a debutante partner?”
“Ah, yes, I’m going to be partnered with Sir Raines Noel.”
Sue was grateful for Acrea’s attempt to lighten the mood.
“That man, huh.”
Acrea looked up, as if recalling the events of last year. That was the only reason he remembered Noel.
“Yes, he’s my friend.”
It took some courage to say the word “friend.” But it wasn’t a lie, so Sue was confident.
“I heard you’re bringing your maid, Master Acrea.”
“Yes, it’s the most convenient.”
What did he mean by “convenient”?
Fritz, who had been silent for a while, suddenly called out, “Byron.”
“As expected…”
“…?”
Sue tilted her head, confused by his unfinished sentence. He shook his head and hurriedly gathered his dishes.
“…Never mind. I’m done. I’ll be going now.”
Fritz left the cafeteria without even touching his pheasant roast set meal. Acrea watched him leave, then turned to Sue.
“What do you think?”
“What?”
“About Shina, I mean. He doesn’t seem to want to be partnered with Enzhe, does he?”
“Ah…”
Sue touched her neck at his sharp words. Acrea continued, cutting his bread with a knife,
“He really doesn’t want to. If he’s partnered with Enzhe at the Imperial Ball, there’s no going back.”
He knew it too. It would have been strange if he didn’t. Even in the novel, Acrea had been the first to give up on Enzhe and support Halo.
Sue wiped her mouth with a napkin and said,
“Why is Master Fritz so…”
But her lament trailed off. She shook her head and smiled.
“Never mind.”
“You might have answered if I had pressed further.”
Acrea knew the unspoken words. But Sue knew them too.
“Hehe, it’s okay, Master Acrea.”
Why Fritz couldn’t love Enzhe.
She knew too, Master Acrea.
***
It was a complete coincidence. She had just arrived at the art room earlier than usual, her art textbook in her arms, and he was standing in the middle of the room, for some reason.
“It’s Master Woo…”
She spotted him through the crack in the door and couldn’t bring herself to enter, her eyes glued to him for several minutes.
His platinum hair shimmering in the sunlight, his gentle eyes, his handsome face, like a prince’s.
He was the same as he had been when they had met at the Delondariwood castle. A faded memory, a small, precious jewel that only she would cherish forever.
Master Woo was staring intently at someone’s painting, his face emotionless.
Whose painting was he looking at so intently?
She was curious, but she didn’t have the courage to enter. Her brother often teased her, saying she was a fierce warrior when it came to wielding spears.
She hadn’t even imagined she would meet Master Woo at Full Bloom. Back then, she had come to the capital with the sole purpose of reviving her family’s fortunes, and she hadn’t even dared to dream of her childhood crush.
So just being able to see him from afar was enough.
“Who’s there?”
“…!”
Even though his eyes were still glued to the painting, Master Woo had noticed her standing outside the door. As expected of him, he wouldn’t miss a single presence. She admired him, even though it wasn’t the time for admiration.
‘What should I do? What should I do?’
She paced back and forth. But she couldn’t keep him waiting, so she opened the door.
“Master Woo of the Acrea family, Azette of the Delondariwood family offers her greetings. Blessings of the Empire.”
She curtsied, her hand clutching the hem of her skirt. It was a formal imperial greeting, but she was also trying to hide her flushed face.
She stood there, frozen, her head bowed. Master Woo spoke first,
“Lady Delondariwood, it’s been a while.”
She looked up, her eyes meeting his. A faint smile, as warm as the sun. The same smile he had always given her at the Delondariwood castle.
“D-do you remember me?”
Just one word, “a while.” But her heart skipped a beat at that single word.
“Of course, I stayed at the Delondariwood castle when I was young.”
It had just been a few days, staying at the castle during a typhoon.
But she didn’t want to nitpick. She was just happy that Woo Acrea remembered her.
Her memories, her precious memories, weren’t just hers.
“What brings you here?”
“Ah, I’m here to prepare for class.”
“I see. I’m sorry to intrude.”
“No! Please don’t say that.”
She managed to reply, pretending to be calm. She wanted to tell him not to leave, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it. And then, she remembered Giona’s words,
‘Why don’t you ask Master Acrea to be your partner?’
She forgot all about why she had come here. She had lost her mind, perhaps.
“Master Woo!”
She wouldn’t have been able to move without Giona’s encouragement.
“Is there something else you need?”
Yes, there is.
Azette of the Delondariwood family will never forget the dance she shared with you.
She clenched her fists.
“Master Woo, would you be my partner at the Imperial Ball?”
***
“Master Woo, would you be my partner at the Imperial Ball?”
Sue Byron, hearing those shocking words, flattened herself against the wall next to the art room door. She had just come to retrieve her art sketchbook.
Azette had asked Acrea to be her debutante partner. And it was just ten days before the Imperial Ball.
It was news that could shake the academy, even if he refused, let alone if he accepted.
‘What is Azette doing…?’
She had always thought of Azette as a sweet, harmless girl. Like an ornamental plant that provided a moment of solace when life was hard and tiring.
But why was Azette suddenly asking Acrea to be her partner? There was no mention of this in the novel.
Sue, suppressing her pounding heart, waited for Acrea’s answer.
‘Answer quickly… Quickly…!’
And then, another uninvited guest arrived.
“Byron, what are you doing here?”
It was Raines Noel. He smiled brightly, seeing his friend, and walked towards her. But something about Sue seemed off. He was about to ask her what was wrong when she quickly placed her index finger on his lips. Noel’s eyes widened, and he leaned closer to her.
But it was too late. Acrea, hearing the faint noise, opened the art room door, and Azette, who had been following him, peeked out.
And what they saw was Sue, pressed up against Noel, trying to silence him.