Chapter 296: Explosion(1)
Chapter 296: Explosion(1)
The news that Hiriya had met with Mari reached my ears shortly after. Mari herself told me, grumbling all the while.
For a moment, I worried she might have been harassed, but fortunately, nothing I feared had happened. Things had played out exactly as I expected.
Apparently, Hiriya had been convinced far too easily the moment my father was mentioned. The prestige of the Red Lion seemed to carry much more weight than I had realized.
In any case, Mari explained that Hiriya had left with a sinister smirk, clearly up to something.
Now that she had completely shed her suspicions of me being Xenon, she would likely come looking for me soon. She might even set her sights on Adelia.
Mari advised me to keep Adelia by my side at all times to prevent that. Since Hiriya no longer suspected I was Xenon, there was a chance she might act recklessly.
I had no idea when that might be, but given Hiriya’s insidious nature, she could approach on any unexpected day.
Adelia was more of a concern than Hiriya. Knowing her personality, she might start feeling like a burden to me.
As long as I was Xenon, someone like Hiriya wasn't a problem, but Adelia would surely try to leave, fearing she was becoming a nuisance.
To prevent this, I needed to keep Adelia firmly by my side. Conveniently, Academy regulations allowed students to stay with a guard knight if there was a special reason.
In other words, Adelia would no longer stay in the private dormitory but would live with me in mine.
I figured it would be better to change her status to an exclusive maid, so I had already submitted an application to the Academy. Since the administrative office was famous for its quick processing, the permit should be issued within two days.
It felt strange. My actual fiancée lived elsewhere, yet I was about to share a room with my exclusive maid—who was, for all intents and purposes, my mistress.
Mari knew it couldn't be helped, but she must have been envious nonetheless, as she pulled a strange stunt during our date.
"Aah!"
"Ack!"
She gave my cheek a sharp little nip. Biting my cheek was an affectionate habit Mari had shown for a long time.
However, perhaps due to the stress of recent events, her bite was particularly painful today.
"Ouch, ouch. What was that for?"
"I'm going to make you ugly! Nom!"
"Aaargh!"
Afterward, Mari spouted some nonsense about how all this trouble happened because I was unnecessarily handsome, and that Hiriya wouldn't have given me a second glance if I were just a bit uglier.
I wanted to argue, but fearing more bites, I simply nodded in agreement.
Then she bit me even harder, asking if I was actually admitting it. What does she want from me? Still, she was cute, so I let it slide.
Anyway, after coordinating with Mari and finishing our date, I headed to the dormitory to break the news to Adelia.
I wanted to see Cherry too, but since things weren't fully settled yet, I planned to meet her later. I even sent her a letter in case she felt neglected.
‘She’s practically the MVP of this whole situation, after all.’
Until I received her letter, I only had suspicions, but Cherry had turned them into certainty.
She had essentially exposed Hiriya’s entire hand. If everything worked out, I planned to give her a small gift.
Of course, knowing her, she’d be happy even if I gave her something weird. But I wasn't that kind of trash.
Contemplating what kind of gift to get, I made my way toward Adelia’s dormitory.
"Huh?"
Then, a sight unfolded before me that made me doubt my eyes. Even from a distance, a color reminiscent of the sky caught my vision.
Standing before her was a woman with familiar light-brown hair. Both were of similar height, so they stood eye-to-eye.
No. Crazy. Why is that woman there again? Does she really have nothing better to do?
Cursing under my breath, I hurried my pace. I never imagined she would seek out Adelia after only a single day.
At the same time, I felt a sense of relief. If I had delayed even slightly, I wouldn't have witnessed this.
"Adel-nuna!"
"?"
"Ah?"
I shouted loudly, fearing I might be too late, and as expected, both women turned their heads simultaneously.
The moment our eyes met, I moved even faster. As I drew closer, the sky-blue-haired beauty, Hiriya, wore an inscrutable smile.
Was it just my imagination that her smile felt utterly repulsive? First, I needed to assess the situation.
Contrary to my worries, Adelia was in her workout clothes. It seemed she had been exercising until Hiriya called her out.
"I-Isaac?"
Adelia’s eyes widened in surprise, clearly not expecting me to show up. Her sky-blue eyes were clouded with bewilderment.
What on earth had they been talking about? I maintained my composure as best as I could and looked at Hiriya.
Hiriya remained poised and arrogant, as if she had everything under control. An urge to punch her welled up inside me, but I suppressed it.
"...Princess Hiriya. What business do you have with my guard knight?"
Even as I tried to stay calm, I couldn't stop my voice from dropping. My opinion of Hiriya had hit rock bottom long ago.
But Hiriya just kept smiling, whatever she was thinking.
"A dashing prince arrives right on cue. Wouldn't you agree?"
"..."
Hiriya didn't even answer my question, instead spouting some bizarre remark. It was a blatant insult to Adelia, making me scowl.
Adelia, looking uncharacteristically shaken, had lost her usual confidence. She looked pitiful as her trembling eyes darted between Hiriya and me.
She knew I was Xenon, but she seemed to be holding back as much as possible to avoid causing me trouble.
She probably would have endured it in silence even if Hiriya had struck her.
‘I was too naive.’
Because of the long-standing ill-will between Adelia and Hiriya, my identity was destined to be revealed eventually. Even if I kept denying it to the end, Adelia would continue to face trouble like this.
Of course, setting aside my naive handling of the situation, the biggest problem was Hiriya’s sheer persistence.
Who would have thought she’d charge in like cavalry the moment she reached a conclusion? No matter how much personalities differ, Hiriya’s pettiness was unbecoming of royalty.
She was nothing more than a grown child steeped in a sense of elitism.
It was a moment that made me re-evaluate Lina and Leort, who had treated me like a gentleman before the hiatus incident.
"Isaac Ducard Maishal."
"What is it?"
"I will give you one more chance. Become the Royal Son-in-Law of the Ters Kingdom."
Had she given up on hiding it? Hiriya made her declaration boldly right in front of Adelia.
At first, I frowned, wondering what kind of nonsense this was, but Hiriya had clearly told me to become the Royal Son-in-Law.
A Royal Son-in-Law meant becoming the King's son-in-law—in other words, her husband.
Despite the fact that I clearly had a fiancée named Mari, Hiriya had finally crossed the line.
"...I beg your pardon, but could you say that again? I must have misheard, as that's hardly something a member of the royalty would say."
"Even your feigned ignorance is starting to feel cute. I'll say it again, just as you wish. Break off your engagement and become the Royal Son-in-Law of the Ters Kingdom."
"..."
There was no need to confirm it, yet Princess Hiriya kindly repeated herself. I felt a surge of anger in my chest, followed briefly by a sigh of hollow disbelief.
Adelia was unable to even intervene, her eyes darting around, while Hiriya wore that irritating smirk.
I think I knew why she was saying this in front of Adelia instead of Mari. Her ultimate goal was to get revenge on Adelia, who had humiliated her.
Marrying me was just a part of that. If Adelia stayed with me, Hiriya would undoubtedly torment her out of my sight; if Adelia left, that would be enough for her too.
This situation arose because she knew very well that Adelia loved me.
If we were in a secret relationship like with Cecile, it might be different, but Adelia had openly volunteered to be my guard knight. It was a situation bound to arouse suspicion.
‘Does the Ters Kingdom really provide such a terrible upbringing? I’m genuinely curious.’
A princess of a nation marrying into a mere barony with nothing to show for it. If this fact got out, there would be an uproar even within the Ters Kingdom.
King Friedrich of Ters, in particular, would be furious. Moreover, if he learned of Hiriya’s true motive, he’d probably collapse from a stroke.
No matter how stupid or blinded by revenge she was, why was she pushing things this far?
For now, I pushed the complex thoughts aside and prepared to answer. My head was already starting to throb.
"...Princess Hiriya."
"Speak."
"Are you complicating things just for the sake of that petty revenge?"
"Revenge? I'm not sure what you mean. I'm simply making an offer because I've taken a liking to you. Nothing more, nothing less."
What a load of bullshit. That was the most fitting description for Hiriya right now.
Even Adelia, who had been shivering like a drenched puppy, was now looking at her with an expression that said, 'What is wrong with this woman?'
It was absurd for a woman who had inflicted indelible trauma on her as a child and was now trying to steal the man she loved to spout such nonsense.
"...Adel-nuna."
"Y-yes?"
"Can you tell me what you and Princess Hiriya were talking about while I wasn't here?"
Asking Hiriya would only result in more strange answers, so it was better to ask the person involved directly. With that judgment, I questioned Adelia.
Adelia seemed to hesitate for a moment after hearing my question, then glanced at Hiriya. Hiriya was now standing with her arms crossed, exuding confidence.
But within that posture was a silent threat: 'Go ahead and speak, if you dare.'
I wanted to comfort her and tell her she didn't need to worry. The problem was that, given Adelia’s personality, she was likely to keep quiet.
Nod—
I gave her a silent nod in response. It was a gesture to let her know it was okay to speak freely.
Fortunately, Adelia seemed to gain confidence from my gesture. She took a deep breath, patting her chest a couple of times.
Then, her sky-blue eyes sharpened as she looked at Hiriya, and she spoke in the calmest voice she could muster.
"...She told me to leave."
"To leave?"
"Yes. She said she couldn't stand seeing a 'nobody' by your side, and told me not to think about staying close to you anymore, Young Master."
Perhaps because it was in front of me, Adelia answered politely using formal speech. And the content was exactly as I had expected.
How petty and malicious could a person be? How simple and predictable could a person be?
Even someone consumed by revenge wouldn't usually be this simple-minded. Usually, they would meticulously craft a plan to tear someone down step by step.
Was this some kind of preliminary work to piss me off? That seemed more plausible.
"...Wagging your tongue without a shred of discretion, just like your mother."
Hiriya spoke in a chilling voice, perhaps not expecting Adelia to actually answer. Adelia flinched visibly at the mention of her mother.
But it was only for a moment. She fixed her gaze on Hiriya with eyes that shone with resolve. She made it clear she wouldn't back down.
Hiriya stared back at Adelia, then simply clicked her tongue and said nothing more. Now, it was my turn to step in.
"Princess Hiriya. I'll say it again: I have absolutely no intention of marrying you. This is not just for my fiancée, but for my guard knight as well."
"For your guard knight... How strange. If you come to the Ters Kingdom, I can provide you with someone far more competent than this wench."
"Competence isn't what matters. It's just..."
"Did you perhaps sleep with this lowly girl?"
Hiriya cut me off with a sharp jab. It was a blow with the force of a counter-punch to the solar plexus.
I flinched and stopped mid-sentence, my face inevitably twisting into an expression of bewilderment. Adelia was the same.
In fact, if one were to deduce logically, it was a plausible hypothesis. Moreover, since Hiriya was showing a different kind of interest in Adelia, she could have guessed this much.
But right now, it only served to give her more ammunition. Sure enough, Hiriya’s lips curled into a foul smirk before she burst into loud laughter.
"Hahahaha! Interesting, truly interesting! Hahahaha!!"
"..."
"...What's so funny?"
As I asked, I glanced around. My hair alone was enough to draw attention, but with Hiriya here as well, passersby were starting to stare.
Furthermore, Hiriya was a princess of the Ters Kingdom. Just being seen with someone would spark all sorts of rumors, and right now, she was with none other than me.
"Look over there. That red-haired boy. Isn't he the Rekilis girl's fiancé?"
"You're right. But Princess Hiriya is with him too?"
"What on earth is going on?"
It was already a conspicuous combination, and Hiriya’s outburst of laughter drew even more eyes.
We had already crossed the point of no return. I furrowed my brow and turned my gaze back to Hiriya.
She was still chuckling to herself, muttering in a voice full of disdain.
"Haha. They say blood doesn't lie, and you're certainly your mother's child."
"..."
"Are you going to say it this time? That you don't care what happens to you, as long as your child is raised somewhere warm. That it's your child, so please, just raise them properly."
Was that what Adelia’s mother had said when she went to see Friedrich? As everyone knew, Adelia’s biological mother was a prostitute.
However, she must have decided she couldn't raise her daughter in a brothel and sought out Friedrich herself. But Friedrich only took Adelia in and heartlessly drove the mother away.
The mother's whereabouts remained unknown, and since it was during a cold, snowy winter, she had likely passed away. The mortality rate for prostitutes was extremely high in this era anyway.
In other words, Hiriya was launching a carpet-bombing of insults against her parents. Moreover, her words must have struck Adelia’s deepest wound.
Glancing at Adelia, I saw a side of her I had never seen before. Her tightly clenched fists were trembling, and her sky-blue eyes were bloodshot.
I let out a long breath through my nose and tried to restrain Hiriya with a low, steady voice.
"...That's enough, Princess. I chose Adel-nuna myself. My fiancée has also given her consent."
"Ho. Now that's an interesting story. After struggling so hard to get a royal surname, has she finally realized her place?"
"Princess."
"Yes. One must know their place. It's better than throwing oneself at a king to become his mistress like someone else..."
"You...!"
Had she finally reached her limit? Adelia gritted her teeth and raised her arm high.
Even for someone as patient as her, she couldn't tolerate insults directed at her mother. It wasn't just a trauma; it was her ultimate breaking point.
Just as Adelia was about to swing her hand and strike Hiriya’s cheek—
Grab!
"Calm down, Nuna."
"I-Isaac. B-but..."
I caught her arm, barely restraining her. Adelia looked at me and Hiriya alternately, her face a mix of confusion and rage.
She probably didn't understand. If she had succumbed to a moment's anger, things could have spiraled out of control.
She might even feel guilty. I slowly lowered her arm, signaling her to stay calm.
"Princess."
"What?"
"You started this."
If Adelia strikes Hiriya, the responsibility lies with Adelia. But...
SLAP!!!
If I strike Hiriya, it's a different story. I can take the responsibility myself.
The sharp sound of the slap echoed, Hiriya’s head snapped to the side, and a heavy silence fell over us.
I could hear the gasps of the onlookers, but I didn't care. The milk was already spilled.
Hiriya touched her rapidly swelling cheek and looked at me. Her eyes were filled with disbelief.
"Fine. I'll tell you."
I didn't know if this was the crossroads Mora had mentioned or not.
"I am Xenon."
But I felt like I had to tell Hiriya, at the very least.
"You bitch."
You're fucked now.