73.
He had fled because he was tired of talking. Keith looked at the sky where the bird had flown away and sighed.
The situation was becoming complicated in many ways. The appearance of Gray, another delegate from Leviathan, was one thing, and Pamina’s movements were another. Recently, she had been secretly looking into poisons. She seemed to be moving as cautiously as possible, but her movements were caught by the eyes of a spy planted in the mansion.
It was obvious who Pamina might want to use poison on. The head of the Lucid family. There was no one else. Of course, she disliked Yu Jin too, but it was clear that killing Yu Jin while the family head was still alive would only complicate matters. So naturally, Pamina’s first target for assassination would be the family head.
‘Does the family head know this fact?’
He was an indispensable person for the family’s prosperity, but he hadn’t been a good father to his family members. He still couldn’t forget Yu Jin’s mother who had died, and was only hurting others. As a result, it seemed that even Pamina had come to think of killing him.
‘I don’t care if he dies.’
The family head hadn’t protected Yu Jin. So Keith didn’t care what happened to him.
“But not now.”
Yu Jin hadn’t fully established his position yet. At least until Yu Jin succeeded in his business and obtained a separate title, the family head shouldn’t die. It seemed that Keith would have to move.
Let’s buy a little more time, just a little more. As he came to this conclusion and descended from the window, he noticed a carriage entering the mansion in the distance.
It seemed Yu Jin had returned from the party.
Yu Jin sat demurely and glanced at Jinhyeon sitting across from him. Although Jinhyeon’s expression was indifferent, the atmosphere he exuded was unusual. The sudden change in their positions was due to Lyunne.
As soon as they left the resting room, Lyunne approached Yu Jin and actively engaged in conversation. Starting from trivial stories that weren’t particularly important to secret rumors of high society. Each story was so interesting that Yu Jin found himself leaning more and more towards her as he listened.
When he came to his senses, he realized that Lyunne was holding onto Yu Jin’s arm tightly! It was a natural escort posture between a man and woman, but since this was the first woman to approach him like this, Yu Jin’s face turned bright red. And Jinhyeon saw that.
“No, it’s not like that!”
Yu Jin carefully detached Lyunne and whispered to Jinhyeon, but his expression remained hardened.
“What’s not like that?”
“Lady Lyunne isn’t showing interest in me.”
That couldn’t be the case. Because the person Lyunne would fall in love with is Jinhyeon, it must be just a momentary whim. As someone who knew the future, Yu Jin had nothing to feel guilty about. But the problem was that Jinhyeon didn’t know that.
“Lord Yu Jin, may I ask you for a dance first?”
At Lyunne’s shy request, Jinhyeon’s expression became increasingly grim. Considering Jinhyeon, it would be right to refuse, but at that moment, Yu Jin also felt a surge of emotion.
Who’s getting angry at whom? You philanderer who could rival the Pleasure King!
Yu Jin willingly took Lyunne’s hand. Only belatedly did he remember that he was unskilled at dancing, but it was too late to turn back now.
“Actually, I’ve hardly ever danced before.”
When Yu Jin confessed this to Lyunne, she smiled slightly and replied.
“It’s okay, I’m a good dancer.”
True to her words, Lyunne skillfully led the clumsy Yu Jin and finished the dance beautifully. Both Yu Jin and Lyunne were exceptionally beautiful people, so those watching them didn’t hold back their admiration. As a result, Yu Jin’s mood was slightly elevated, and he danced once more at Lyunne’s suggestion.
“Lord Yu Jin, you seem quite different from what I thought.”
“What did you think of me before?”
“Similar to what others know. But talking to you directly, I can see that’s not the case. You’ve been hiding your true self all this time, haven’t you?”
When Yu Jin smiled bitterly at those words, Lyunne quickly said,
“Actually, I’m the same.”
“You, Lady Lyunne?”
“Yes, what kind of person do you see me as, Lord Yu Jin?”
The talented daughter of a Duke’s family, a beloved youngest daughter, but in reality, someone with greater ambition than anyone else. But he couldn’t say that straight out. So he hesitated for a moment, and from that hesitation, Lyunne seemed to read something. She separated from Yu Jin with an unreadable expression.
In that brief moment, the second dance had ended.
“It’s about time for me to head back. My father worries a lot. Let’s meet again next time.”
With those words, Lyunne left the hall without looking back. As Yu Jin absent-mindedly saw off the departing Lyunne, suddenly a shadow fell behind him. Only then remembering Jinhyeon, whom he had momentarily forgotten, Yu Jin turned around awkwardly and immediately met eyes with a very angry Jinhyeon.
“It’s a misunderstanding.”
“…What’s a misunderstanding?”
“Everything you’re thinking.”
“What do you think I’m thinking?”
Wrong. Jinhyeon was already thoroughly upset. Even when Yu Jin tried to explain that Lady Lyunne wasn’t interested in him, Jinhyeon wouldn’t listen.
Yu Jin felt incredibly wronged, but strangely, he didn’t feel bad. Thinking about why, it seemed to be because Jinhyeon was jealous of Lyunne. It seemed to speak of Jinhyeon’s true feelings, so even in this situation, the corners of Yu Jin’s mouth kept twitching.
‘I shouldn’t smile here.’
In the end, Yu Jin covered his mouth with his hand. When the carriage stopped, Jinhyeon helped Yu Jin get out. Even in this situation, it seemed he didn’t like Yu Jin holding someone else’s hand.
“You’re back?”
Keith was waiting at the entrance of the mansion.
“Nothing unusual happened?”
Yu Jin answered with an awkward smile.
“Nothing major.”
“So something did happen?”
It seemed Keith had also noticed Jinhyeon’s state.
“I’ll tell you inside.”
Yu Jin headed to the reception room with the two of them. And he detailed what had happened at the party that day.
“Lady Lyunne asked you to dance?”
“Yes, but it must have been out of curiosity.”
It was 100% curiosity. That much he could guarantee.
“Why do you think that? It could have been for other reasons.”
To Keith’s question, Yu Jin replied.
“What reasons? Keith, until recently, I was an irredeemable scoundrel. I mostly dealt with men too. What does it matter if I look decent? I’m rotten inside. There’s no way Lady Lyunne would like someone like that.”
He calmly spoke the truth, but it seemed different from the perspective of those listening. As soon as Yu Jin finished speaking, Keith said,
“No, you’re plenty charming. Who says you’re rotten inside? You know, I like you. No, I love you.”
At this sudden confession, Yu Jin could only blink. He knew about Keith’s feelings, but he didn’t expect him to pour them out like this in front of Jinhyeon. Then Jinhyeon pulled the dazed Yu Jin into his arms.
“I’m sorry, but we’re already in a relationship. There’s no room for you to interfere.”
At Jinhyeon’s words, Keith glared at him fiercely. Why on earth did things turn out like this? As Yu Jin was at a loss for what to do, Haruna barged in between them.
“What are you all doing here? We’re dying of busyness.”
“That’s right! We’re busy. Let’s hurry and get to work!”
Yu Jin quickly agreed with Haruna’s words and slipped out of Jinhyeon’s arms. Then he pushed Haruna’s back, who was making a puzzled expression, and left the reception room.
“I intervened appropriately, right?”
Haruna, who was walking ahead, asked with a small smile.
“Yes, really.”
If it weren’t for Haruna, Yu Jin would have withered from stress.
“Well, we really are busy though. Please help out a bit.”
“Of course. What can I help with?”
Yu Jin willingly accepted Haruna’s request for help.
Lyunne asked Gray,
“How was Yu Jin?”
“He was beautiful.”
“I gave you extra time, and that’s all you observed?”
“That’s not all.”
Gray grinned.
“I learned that he’s different from the rumors.”
“Anyone can see that by looking at how he’s changed.”
Lyunne furrowed her brow.
“That may be true, but honestly, I was more interested in the person behind him.”
“Ah, the man who was said to be a former battle slave?”
He was known to the public as Yu Jin’s lover.
“Yes, that man. They say he didn’t even receive a proper number in the Colosseum.”
“But I heard he was a promising talent.”
“Him, a promising talent? That’s impossible. There’s no such promising talent in any Colosseum you search.”
“Stop beating around the bush.”
“That man, Jinhyeon, is much stronger than you think, Lady Lyunne. He might even be stronger than me.”
Hearing these words, Lyunne changed her posture from resting her chin on her hand. After first meeting Gray, Lyunne had tested him. She was curious about the abilities of this great person from Leviathan. And as a result, she learned that Gray was so strong that he was no match for ordinary knights.
‘He’s different from how he looks.’
Because he wore loose clothes and was adorned with mismatched accessories, he looked funny rather than strong.
