Chapter 100
“Where have you been?”
Though she had deliberately turned down the corners of her mouth to hide how happy she was, Vincent asked as soon as they met.
After spending so much time together, he could see through her attempts to hide her mood in an instant.
“Can’t I even go where I want during breaks?”
Feeling somehow constantly constrained by him, she couldn’t speak pleasantly.
Still, Vincent responded calmly without showing any displeasure.
“Just wondering. You looked happy.”
“Just focus on your work.”
Why did she have to be bound here against her will for this New Year’s Festival?
Though she let out a troubled sigh, it was some comfort that it wouldn’t be much longer.
Vincent, who had been watching her quietly, slowly spoke.
“After the New Year’s Festival ends, will you reply to my letters?”
Kirine hesitated at the unexpected question.
Actually, she hadn’t thought about her relationship with Vincent after the festival. More precisely, she had believed things would return to normal.
‘Oh dear…’
As soon as Kirine rolled her eyes in difficulty, Vincent let out a cold laugh.
“Am I the only one who cares?”
“No, I…”
Kirine hesitated briefly before rubbing her forehead with a troubled expression.
Of course she would reply. No, she would even send letters first.
But she had no intention of making contact until Vincent had sorted out his feelings.
“Our relationship is precious and important to me too.”
That’s why she had sought Ares’s understanding and stayed by Vincent’s side.
Because he was a precious friend who had been there during difficult times.
“But I don’t want the kind of relationship you’re thinking of.”
When she spoke these words of rejection again, Vincent’s face hardened.
Though she knew it was necessary to make things clear, whenever she met his hurt gaze, she found it hard to shake the feeling that she was being cruel.
As the atmosphere grew heavy, Kirine roughly ran her fingers through her hair.
“Our relationship just needs you to return to normal.”
“…”
“I don’t want to say these things either. So please… stop putting me in difficult positions.”
Actually, even these moments facing Vincent were hard.
But she couldn’t show it outwardly.
The person who would be hurting the most wasn’t her but Vincent. Knowing this well, Kirine endured even when Vincent occasionally crossed lines with his jealousy or interference.
But it was hard to tolerate him testing her feelings like this.
“I’m going to go first.”
“Kirine.”
Though she heard his voice desperately calling her name from behind, Kirine didn’t look back.
Because she felt she might really get angry if she faced him any longer.
***
Finally, the long-awaited New Year’s Festival began.
The blessing ceremony was conducted under Vincent’s leadership, who wore pure white attire without any common ornaments, symbolizing the fresh start of a new year.
“Are you okay?”
As she watched Vincent, Reilly, who had appeared without notice, asked carefully.
Her concern was evident to anyone who looked.
“No.”
Usually, she would have shaken her head and said she was fine.
But now she was experiencing her worst condition to the point where she couldn’t even make pleasantries.
“Did something happen?”
When Reilly asked while carefully checking their surroundings, Kirine let out a small sigh.
“I pulled all-nighters for two days.”
Just before the New Year’s Festival was about to begin, when Kirine returned to the laboratory two days ago, she ended up taking on all sorts of work from her colleagues. Because her colleagues who had covered for her in her absence wouldn’t let her go, she had no choice but to work through the nights.
Though she wanted to complain internally that this was too much, thinking of her colleagues who had struggled because of her made even that difficult.
“You’ve worked hard.”
“I’m planning to sleep comfortably once the festival ends.”
Right now, sleep was what she wanted most.
“Oh, there’s Ares.”
As soon as she heard this, Kirine’s head naturally turned toward Ares.
Since the Knights’ formal uniform was white, he wasn’t wearing separate white clothing. Even so, he stood out among the crowd.
‘It’s been a while.’
Since she hadn’t even properly seen his face since that day, she was more than glad to see him.
But unfortunately, it seemed she wasn’t the only one who found him impressive—she noticed the noble ladies at the festival stealing glances at him.
“Kids these days have such strange taste.”
Noticing the interested looks being sent Ares’s way, Reilly clicked her tongue as if finding it pathetic.
Kirine’s brow furrowed automatically.
“That’s because unnie has no eye for beauty. Or maybe your standards are too high.”
“Wow, look at you defending him because he’s your lover.”
“If you’re jealous, why don’t you get one yourself?”
“I’ll pass.”
While they were bickering, the blessing ceremony had ended.
Kirine, who had been waiting for the ceremony to end, quickly tried to move toward where Ares was.
But before she could, someone approached her.
“Lady Rozentian.”
“I’m sorry, but I’m busy right now.”
Even as someone called out to her, Kirine tried to pass by without looking.
“I’m here about the request you made before.”
“…?”
Request?
Stopping at these unexpected words, Kirine slowly turned around.
‘The face seems familiar… Ah!’
After briefly tilting her head in confusion, she suddenly remembered and her eyes widened.
She had completely forgotten about the task she had commissioned so long ago.
“Did you find her?”
The first thing Kirine had done upon becoming an Imperial Magician was to search for Aria.
It wasn’t that she wanted to find her and meet her. She just wanted to hear that she had returned safely and was living well somewhere.
“Well…”
But for some reason, the man’s expression looked quite troubled.
Soon, seemingly finding it difficult to say in words, he handed her a piece of paper from inside his coat.
“I think it would be better for you to see for yourself.”
“…?”
As she unfolded it wondering what it was, Kirine froze.
“We found her, but… I’m sorry.”
“…”
The man bowed his head deeply, seeming unable to face her.
But Kirine couldn’t respond at all.
“Is this true?”
“Yes. We confirmed it multiple times.”
“…”
At this answer that felt like a confirmation kill, Kirine clutched the paper tightly.
Aria was dead.
“So that’s why it took so long.”
When she first made the request, she had visited several times wondering why there was no news. She couldn’t count how many times she had urged them to hurry.
But now…
‘Dead?’
It was too meaningless to even laugh.
It had only been a childhood connection. Still, the news that the girl she had spent so long searching for was dead left Kirine devastated.
“Thank you for your work. I’ll send the remaining payment soon.”
She had hoped she was living happily somewhere with her family.
‘I had hoped at least you would live well.’
Kirine smiled bitterly as she walked toward where Ares was.
Carefully tucking Aria’s death certificate into her breast pocket.
“Why do you look like that?”
Ares asked, reading her unusual demeanor, but Kirine forced her lips into a smile and shook her head.
“It’s nothing.”
Somehow, today felt like a day when she wouldn’t be able to manage even a slight smile, let alone laughter.
