Unwanted Interference
Lana Flor slipped out of her lodging in secret once again today. Her destination was none other than Kyle Berwen. One might wonder why she bothered sneaking out when the rumors had already spread so far, but she had a clear reason for doing so: to avoid drawing people's attention.
The lodging where she stayed had been personally arranged by the Academy. The facilities were impeccable, and they had chosen a quiet location out of consideration for the attention she would inevitably receive. Still, that didn't mean the area was completely devoid of people. If she were to walk out through the main entrance with her head held high, she would surely be noticed. The moment that happened, crowds would swarm her, forming the usual throng of onlookers. In that case, she wouldn't be able to go meet Kyle. Dealing with all those people would consume her entire day.
That was why Lana went to the trouble of sneaking out. As she made her way toward Kyle while carefully avoiding prying eyes, she suddenly stopped in her tracks. Someone was standing directly in her path.
“...What do you want?” Lana asked, turning toward him.
It wasn't a question about his identity. She already knew who he was. Her voice remained as gentle as ever on the surface, but Sebastian immediately noticed. There was no warmth in it.
At that realization, Sebastian had to forcibly swallow the bitter feeling rising in his throat. He still remembered it clearly—the warm gaze she had given him during their first conversation, the soft tone of her voice directed at him. But that warmth and gentleness were nowhere to be found anymore. It meant he was no longer someone she welcomed.
That fact pained him deeply. How could it not? Instead of earning the favor of the woman he loved, he had earned her hostility. An unbearable agony tore through his chest. He wanted to avert his eyes from her right then and there.
However, Sebastian fought down that urge and opened his mouth.
“First, I must apologize for coming to see you so suddenly without any prior contact. However, the reason I’ve come is because there is something I wish to say to you.”
Sebastian realized anew that he was nervous. A man who had never once felt tension even before countless nobles was now anxious in front of a single person.
“This isn’t about what you said last time, is it?” Lana asked, looking at him.
It was both a question and a warning. A cold warning that if he had come to repeat the same story, it would not be well received. Sebastian swallowed dryly at the icy tone.
He knew it himself. He was overstepping his bounds. From the beginning, Lana was a Saintess. She was someone he had no right to interfere with, nor should he. Yet even knowing that, he couldn’t hold himself back.
The fact that Lana—the woman he loved, the noblest, most beautiful, and compassionate person he knew—was staying close to Kyle Berwen, the man he despised more than anyone, was something he simply could not accept.
So he had acted. Even though he knew he shouldn’t, he had tried to persuade her. But his persuasion had failed, and instead he had earned her enmity. Even after that, he couldn’t give up. He had gone so far as to try to separate Kyle Berwen from her side. He had joined hands with the prince who shared his intentions and planned to use his influence to drive Kyle out of the Academy.
When he first devised and set the plan in motion, he had believed it would succeed. But in the end, the plan had failed. Bellard Berwen had intervened, and ultimately, Kyle Berwen had been appointed as an Honorary Monk.
Bellard’s interference was one thing, but the appointment as Honorary Monk was practically a death sentence for his scheme. Once Kyle became an Honorary Monk, he had become a distinguished guest of the Goddess Church and received its full protection. It was no longer possible to pressure him through background influence as before.
Of course, if he forced the matter, there was a chance he could finish things before the Church could intervene. But if he did that, he wouldn’t be able to handle the aftermath. It would be no different from openly declaring war on the Goddess Church. No matter how powerful the Ebenros family—one of the Empire’s greatest houses—might be, they could not stand against the Goddess Church. If they tried, the imperial family would crush the Ebenros house first.
It was time to abandon his goal. Yet Sebastian could not shake off his lingering attachment. Logically, he understood. He knew he should withdraw from this matter. Whether she was a Saintess or not, he needed to give up. But he couldn’t.
The emotion called love, which he had experienced for the first time, had fundamentally changed Sebastian Ebenros. The Sebastian who had always maintained cold reason was gone. All that remained was one man, swayed by his first taste of love.
In the end, that was why Sebastian had come to see Lana. The intense lingering feelings and questions he couldn’t let go of had driven him here.
Kyle Berwen’s sudden appointment as Honorary Monk. The exact details had not been made public, but it wasn’t difficult to guess that Lana had been involved. After all, the only way for Kyle—who didn’t meet the requirements—to become an Honorary Monk was through the intervention of someone on the level of a Saintess.
In other words, she was the one who had placed Kyle in that position. Sebastian had also immediately inferred her intention. She had done it to protect Kyle. The timing was far too convenient. Kyle had been appointed Honorary Monk right before he and Ernen had moved to target him. It was too coincidental to dismiss as mere chance.
He had no concrete evidence, but Sebastian suspected that she had noticed the hostility he harbored toward Kyle. That was why she had seated him in the position of Honorary Monk to protect him.
Separate from his admiration for her intelligence and boldness, and separate from his displeasure that she would go to such lengths to protect Kyle, Sebastian felt an unbearable question burning inside him.
Just what—
What part of that bastard did she like that she kept him so close? What part of that worthless trash made her go this far?
To that question, filled with his true feelings, Lana answered:
“That is truly an impertinent question.”
“……!”
Sebastian’s body flinched. Her sharp words became blades that mercilessly tore through his chest. Yet Lana paid no attention to his reaction and continued.
“Do I have any obligation to tell you that, Sir Sebastian?”
“……”
He had nothing to say. It was true both logically and emotionally. So as Sebastian stood there silently, unable to offer any response, Lana spoke again.
“On the contrary, I would like to ask you something.”
“Why do you hate Sir Kyle so much?”
At her question, Sebastian clenched his teeth but barely managed to speak.
“...As you heard last time, it’s because Kyle Berwen’s conduct has been unacceptable.”
Kyle Berwen was an undeniable scoundrel. The number of incidents and accidents he had caused was difficult to count, and the number of people he had tormented was impossible to estimate. Sebastian genuinely loathed such a Kyle. A man born into a noble family yet lacking in ability, and on top of that, possessing a trash-like character.
“That’s not an unreasonable reason,” Lana said, nodding slightly.
For a moment, Sebastian’s face brightened. He thought she was finally listening to him. However—
“But I’m not sure that’s a good enough reason to drive Sir Kyle out of the Academy.”
“……!”
At her following words, Sebastian’s faint hope scattered helplessly. His eyes trembled. But that moment was brief. He quickly regained control.
“...Kyle Berwen pollutes the waters. Simply by existing in the Academy, he lowers its dignity. Moreover, there’s no telling when he might harm someone else—”
“I cannot agree with that,” Lana cut him off. “From what I’ve heard, after becoming a second-year student, Sir Kyle has not caused any incidents at all.”
“……!”
Sebastian was rendered speechless. Because what she said was true. After becoming a second-year, Kyle Berwen’s behavior had changed completely. He had become quiet, as if he were a different person. It wasn’t simply that he stopped causing trouble—his personality and way of speaking had changed as well. Truly, as if he had become someone else.
At that pointed observation, Sebastian had to pause for a moment, but his words soon continued.
“...That is probably because he was disowned by his family. Now that he no longer has a powerful background to protect him, he’s simply being cautious.”
He believed people did not change easily. Of course, there were those who reflected on their mistakes and changed for the better, but he did not think Kyle Berwen belonged to that category.
“Once he stabilizes and gains a new background, he will revert at any time. Right now, he is merely watching his step.”
He truly believed that. But—
“I don’t think so,” Lana denied his thoughts. “Sir Kyle doesn’t seem like the kind of person who would do that.”
She continued calmly.
“Of course, there is a possibility that my eyes are mistaken. There is a one-in-a-thousand… no, a one-in-ten-thousand chance that he might return to his old ways.”
However—
“That is something we can think about when it happens. I don’t believe we need to drive him out of the Academy right now over something that hasn’t even occurred yet.”
“……”
Even Sebastian could not refute those words. They were reasonable. Kyle was a complete scoundrel, but in the end, he was just a student. Even if he returned to his old self, the most he could do was cause incidents or accidents. There was no chance he would create a situation the Academy couldn’t handle. If that time came, they could simply deal with it then. Kyle Berwen was not dangerous enough to warrant driving him out in fear.
“Rather, I have this thought,” Lana’s low voice continued. “Perhaps you have another motive, Sir Sebastian.”
“……!!”
At those words, Sebastian felt as if his heart had sunk to the floor.
“……”
“……”
A heavy silence fell between them. Lana stared quietly at the speechless Sebastian. Her eyes held not a single trace of warmth.
How long had Sebastian been standing there in the cold silence, feeling as if his blood was drying up? Finally, Lana spoke again.
“I would appreciate it if you would refrain from any further unnecessary interference.”
With those final words, Lana resumed her steps. In the place she left behind, only Sebastian remained, standing alone.
“……”
Left by himself, Sebastian could not bring himself to leave that spot even long after Lana had gone.