Chapter 65: A Needlessly Annoying Day
The silence didn’t last long. A cool breeze blew in through the open salon door, and a strange flicker passed over Leo’s eyes.
“…Did Raines say something to you?”
His low voice held a tremor, barely perceptible. He looked at Sue suspiciously, and she shook her head lightly.
“Raines… Come to think of it, I haven’t seen him lately. Is he doing well? Raines.”
Sue twirled a strand of hair around her finger, her answer subtly avoiding Leo’s question. It wasn’t intentional. She wasn’t even aware of how she was responding.
“Are you sure you didn’t hear anything from Sir Raines?”
“Of course.”
This time, it was a deliberate lie. She hadn’t forgotten what Noel had said at Lake Libra, not even for a moment, not before inviting Leo to the salon, not even now.
‘He’s not a good person.’
But was it true? About someone who seemed so saddened by their parting?
She couldn’t believe it. And that was probably why she hadn’t believed it. Why she had come to see Leo one last time.
“Did something happen between you and Sir Raines?”
These guys… They’re always talking about things only they know.
As expected, Leo didn’t answer. Sue just smiled faintly and didn’t press him further. It was none of her business.
It had been almost a month since Noel had stopped coming to the academy, citing Knights training as an excuse. Sue hadn’t seen him since the Light Fairy Ritual.
She would feel her mind clouding whenever she remembered his pained expression at Lake Libra.
What was the relationship between Noel and Leo? What was she supposed to do? No one would tell her anything.
Sue still couldn’t understand the meaning of Noel’s blue eyes that night, or the words he had spoken. And she couldn’t understand the true meaning of Leo’s words just now either.
But in the end, it would all work out somehow.
Sue spoke firmly,
“Hehe, it really has nothing to do with Sir Raines. Something came up that’s difficult to explain… Ah, it’s a family matter.”
“I… see.”
“……”
Seeing Leo hesitate, unable to ask further after she had cut him off so resolutely, Sue suddenly felt empty.
Even someone as kind and supportive as him could be at a loss for words. Well, he had relied on her too, hadn’t he? She, Sue Byron, had been the first person to show him kindness since he had arrived in the capital.
‘Who’s disappointing whom, and who’s worried about whom?’
She was the one with countless secrets.
“It’s not that I don’t want to see you, Sir. Really.”
Her voice was low and calm, as if she had let go of something. It was the best comfort she could offer.
She didn’t speak again until Leo broke the silence.
Finally, Sue received something she had asked Ten to prepare beforehand and placed it on the table. There was a rustling sound from the neatly wrapped silver package.
“This is a gift for you. It’s not much, but I wanted to thank you for all your help.”
“A gift…?”
Leo, surprised, looked back and forth between Sue and the silver package. Sue, having finished what she had come to do, stood up casually.
“It’s a sword belt.”
It was a black sword belt with the name of Löhn’s finest craftsman engraved on it. She had bought it at a leather goods store during the National Founding Festival, remembering how proudly Leo had shown off the sword he had received from Noel. She glanced at his waist, but it was empty.
She hadn’t expected the sword belt to be a farewell gift. But it couldn’t be helped. It was truly unavoidable.
“…Thank you for such a gift.”
Leo, after a long silence, finally spoke, his gaze fixed on the gift on the table. Sue smiled faintly and nodded.
“Then I’ll be going, Sir Leo Noel. May you find peace.”
She curtsied slightly. She had treated him as the daughter of the Byron viscount family, both at the beginning and at the end. Because she knew that was the greatest kindness she could offer to Leo Noel, who had nothing to do with the inner circle of the capital.
“W-wait.”
Just as she turned to leave, Leo’s deep voice stopped her.
“Wait… Please wait.”
He stammered, finally calling out to her. Sue turned around, her face expressionless. She met his gaze, filled with desperation. His usual sly grin was gone.
“May I ask you one last question?”
“……”
She didn’t answer, but Leo sensed that it wasn’t a refusal. Sue was surprised. She had seen that expression before.
On Raines Noel’s face, at the Libra Light Fairy Ritual. For the first time since she had met Leo, she thought they looked alike.
Leo slowly stood up as Sue waited silently. He clenched and unclenched his fists several times, then finally spoke.
“Lady Sue Byron, do you remember last winter?”
“Last winter…?”
Sue frowned at the vague question.
“What do you mean?”
“Exactly that. I want to know if you remember last winter.”
“……”
His cloudy brown eyes stared at her. But Sue’s eyes darted around, her confusion evident.
“Did Sir Leo and I meet last winter?”
“……”
“It seems… we did?”
Sue chuckled awkwardly. But Leo remained silent, and an uncomfortable silence settled between them. Sue suddenly felt a tightness in her chest.
“I’m sorry, I don’t remember.”
She finally confessed. She continued, her smile unwavering, her voice gentle.
“I don’t know what you’re trying to say, Sir Leo. I’m not a mind reader. And winter is a long season.”
Her voice was calm and low, devoid of any anger. Leo seemed to realize that he had phrased his question poorly.
“I apologize, Lady Byron.”
He apologized quickly, but his voice was laced with despair. Sue was slightly taken aback by his excessive reaction but didn’t show it.
“Sir Leo, please don’t be so discouraged. There are many wonderful people in the capital, much better than me. I’m sure you’ll be able to make many friends, being such a gentleman.”
“…Yes.”
He frowned and clutched his left arm. Strangely, he was dressed similarly to the first time they had met at the salon. He was wearing a navy blue velvet jacket that was too small for his build. It was Raines’s jacket.
“Lady Byron.”
“Yes.”
Leo Noel’s mind was in turmoil. He didn’t know why his hands were trembling, why he was afraid of her leaving, and he didn’t want to know. He had come to the capital to kill this girl with the messy red hair, so why was he saying this?
“What do you think of Enzhe Lopetrefer?”
His eyes, nose, and mouth, strangely out of place on his turtle-like, hunched neck, were visible. There was no silence. Sue straightened her back and said calmly,
“Lady Enzhe is a wonderful person.”
***
“Oh my, it’s been a while.”
It was the next morning. This was the third time she had run into Noel at Lake Libra. Sue was walking to the academy alone for the first time in a while. She had to throw a bit of a tantrum to convince Ten and Nine, who were worried about her.
“Byron, why are you here again?”
To think I would run into him again. Sue raised her hands in mock surprise. Noel was sitting by the lakeshore, just staring blankly, like the first time she had seen him. The difference was that he hadn’t noticed her this time. But Sue, seeing him, walked towards the lake without hesitation.
“Well, I just… ended up here. What about you?”
He chuckled and gave her the same vague answer.
“I just ended up here too.”
“What about your Knights duties?”
“Skipping.”
“Just today?”
“I don’t know.”
A faint smile appeared on Noel’s lips. It was his signature smile, the one that made people feel happy. She realized it had been a while since she had last seen it.
“Are you skipping the academy too?”
Noel nodded. He seemed like a positive person, but he always lacked motivation. Sue was only starting to realize it now.
Sue looked around. The lush leaves rustled in the wind, and the scent of greenery tickled her nose. She looked up at the clear blue sky. Her shoulders relaxed.
“Then I’m not going either.”
She stretched under the cool morning sun, then plopped down beside Noel.
“…Why?”
Noel’s eyes widened in surprise at her sudden action. He flinched, his lips forming a comical pout.
Sue didn’t know what to say to him, as he stared at her intently. She averted her gaze and mumbled,
“I don’t know. I just don’t feel like going right now.”
“Huh?”
“I’ll have to go later, whether I like it or not… Is it okay if I stay here?”
Even though Noel wasn’t the owner of the lake, Sue felt like she needed his permission. He nodded slowly, his gaze fixed on something beyond the lakeshore.