Chapter 94
She had thought she would live alone and die alone. She had believed she didn’t need anyone by her side.
It had been a delusion, arrogance.
“…”
After having a simple dinner with Ares and returning home, Kirine quietly looked down at Vincent’s letter that she had received that morning.
It felt strange that she was still hesitating to open a letter she would normally have eagerly unfolded.
After staring at it silently for a long while, Kirine slowly opened the envelope with a paper knife and unfolded it.
The contents were simple. But reading it made her heart sink.
“I’m sorry.”
A very short and simple message.
But thinking about how much Vincent must have agonized over writing these words made her heart ache for him.
However, there was nothing she could do for Vincent. All she could do was quietly wait until he sorted out his feelings for her.
Kirine bit her lip firmly as she held her quill. Though she meant to write a reply, she eventually put the quill down.
She didn’t know what to write, and she wondered if she even needed to send a reply.
“I’m sorry too.”
We had already chosen different paths and were now just supporters of each other’s goals.
Nothing would change.
***
“Did you hear the news?”
“What is it now?”
The next day, as soon as she entered the laboratory, her colleague started making a fuss.
Wondering what it was this time, Kirine sat down with an indifferent response, and her colleague sat close beside her, chattering away.
“We’re invited to attend the upcoming ball.”
Perhaps because it was their first ball, her colleague’s eyes sparkled more than usual. While meeting those eyes brimming with anticipation, Kirine maintained her expressionless face.
“Really?”
“Why that expression? Aren’t you excited?”
“Not particularly interested.”
Though she generally liked people, she didn’t particularly enjoy places overflowing with high-ranking nobles. If anything, she found them uncomfortable.
“Tch, you’re no fun.”
“It’s fine if you enjoy it.”
“I want to go with you, that’s why.”
Her colleague retorted irritably, saying what kind of response was that, then immediately clasped their hands together with an excited expression.
“They said we can bring partners too.”
“Partners?”
When Kirine tilted her head at the sudden mention, her colleague explained with a grin.
“They say partner, but they mean lovers. Ah!”
“…?”
“You can go with Lord Arensis.”
At these words spoken as if stating the obvious, Kirine felt a twinge inside but tried to brush it off casually.
“What are you talking about?”
She and Ares were known enemies to everyone. Though they had significantly reduced their duels at the training grounds lately, they still bickered frequently.
“Why not? You two look good together.”
“Stop saying weird things.”
This colleague was the only one who suspected something between her and Ares.
Still, worried that others might overhear, Kirine glanced around before shaking her head.
“What if Lord Arensis already has a partner?”
Hearing the genuinely worried tone, Kirine couldn’t help but laugh.
Actually, her colleague wasn’t wrong. Given his outstanding looks, he was sure to receive partner requests from other noble ladies. And not just from one, but from many.
But Kirine wasn’t particularly worried. She knew Ares would refuse them.
However, seeing it in person felt completely different.
“See, I told you.”
Having reluctantly gone outside because her colleague insisted on getting some air, Kirine witnessed an unexpected scene.
It was Ares receiving a partner request from another noble lady.
“She’s asking him despite knowing his reputation for having a bad personality. Not sure if that’s admirable or foolish.”
Her colleague kept muttering beside her, telling her to look at that. But Kirine turned away without any response.
“Huh? Kirine, let’s go together.”
She heard her colleague’s surprised voice calling after her, but Kirine didn’t look back. Right now, she just wanted to be far away from Ares.
She had expected this. She already knew that with his outstanding looks, abilities, and family background, there would be no shortage of women approaching him.
She had known, and yet…
“This is annoying.”
“What?”
Her colleague asked in confusion at the sudden comment, but Kirine just laughed shortly.
“It’s nothing.”
Suddenly, Ares’s words echoed in her ears.
[I think you’re too good for me too.]
‘What nonsense.’
A self-deprecating smile appeared on her face.
No matter how she thought about it, Ares seemed too good for her.
***
Kirine had never once in her life thought she had low self-esteem. If anything, she had considered it problematically high.
But strangely, whenever she stood before Ares, she felt painfully small and insignificant.
It seemed to be because of the one thing she lacked.
Status.
Just because of that difference in status, the distance between her and Ares felt impossibly vast.
A drunk for a father and a mother who suffered trying to support that husband she called family. And now, having lost even those parents, she had nothing left except money.
“What are you doing?”
“…”
“Kirine.”
Startled by a tap on her shoulder, she turned to find Reilly standing there.
Seeing the concerned look in her eyes, Kirine let out a short “ah” before turning away again.
“Why are you standing here?”
“Just… had something to think about.”
Though she smiled as if to say it was nothing to worry about, Reilly only stared at her more intently.
“Did something happen?”
“No.”
“You look like something happened.”
“I said nothing did.”
Even though she shook her head insisting nothing was wrong, Reilly clearly didn’t believe her.
Still, seeing Kirine’s reluctance, she reluctantly let it go.
“Speaking of which, the ball is coming up soon. Have you decided on a partner?”
“No. I haven’t even decided if I’m going, let alone thinking about a partner.”
She was about to walk away, thinking she should focus on her experiments during that time instead.
“Miss Rozentian.”
Turning at the sudden voice calling her from behind, she found another Imperial Magician who shared her laboratory.
“What is it?”
“Well…”
Though he had called out to her first, he kept hesitating as if troubled.
While Kirine tilted her head in confusion, Reilly, who already anticipated what he would say, slightly furrowed her brows.
“Do you perhaps have a partner for the upcoming ball?”
It was an unexpected request from an unexpected person.
Kirine, who had never dreamed of receiving a partner request, couldn’t hide her surprised expression.
“Ah, I…”
Just as she was about to say she couldn’t go because she wouldn’t be attending the ball—
Before she could answer, she felt a familiar presence behind her. As she turned around, a gentle pull on her wrist drew her back a step.
“I apologize, but she already has a partner.”
Ares delivered the rejection on her behalf. The man left with a disappointed expression.
“What brings you here?”
“What do you mean?”
He had rushed over with fire in his eyes after seeing someone clearly approaching Kirine to ask her to be his partner.
But Kirine’s calm reaction made his stomach twist.
It felt somewhat unfair and even a little hurtful that he was the only one getting anxious in front of Kirine.
