Chapter 41

The unexpected attack made her burst out in laughter.

"So you're saying I'm not good enough?"

"Oh… That's not what I meant…"

What do you mean it's not? That's exactly what you meant.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

But unlike the content of his words, his expression did not look apologetic, at all.

"I hope this doesn't offend you. I'm just saying this because I'm worried about you. Please don't take it the wrong way."

With all the things she heard so far, this guy had just been saying weird things since earlier.

"So, after you said some things that would make me feel offended, now you're claiming that you hope that I don't get offended?"

Don't forget: House Chantra's main trait from generation to generation was that they're all blunt and frank to a fault.

Recently, she couldn't say anything back properly because Lehman was always being surrounded by droves of people. But right now, it was a one-on-one situation.

"You can't even understand the words that you yourself are spouting?"

But Reina wasn't the only fighter in this arena.

"Ha… Just like what the others said, you're really twisted."

"…What?"

How the hell did he come to that conclusion? Seriously, Reina couldn't understand the line of logic this guy was going on.

"I only said that because I was trying to understand your situation, but… Forget it. I shouldn't have brought it up. I only said that because I felt sorry for you. People kept talking so much that—"

"Kept talking about what."

She wasn't actually curious, but Lehman did not let this chance slip past him.

"Since they said that you don't have the kind of talent that could be seen in the other members of the nine households… And in reality… You're just a normal person, aren't you? So I thought that it must be burdensome for you. All the others are such admirable people."

"Huu… I've had this thought since before, but is talking nonsense one of your hobbies?"

"…What are you saying? I only brought this up because I was worried about you, but why are you getting it all twisted?"

"Wow…"

As it turned out, this kid was also beautifully insane.

"Everyone's nuts, seriously."

Bursting out into a small bark of laughter, Reina swept her bangs up.

Lehman's sudden concern—no, this wasn't concern at all. It was just an attack under the guise of concern. Reina properly grasped the intention of the attacks this guy started throwing, and so she tilted her head to the side.

Of course, in the meantime, Lehman went on and on and on.

"You have no special talent other than manipulating poison… That's why I was worried that you must be under so much pressure, but why are you interpreting my words negatively?"

It's true that Reina wasn't studying all that hard. But she still clearly passed her classes.

She was never burdened or pressured because of her household's status. No, rather, she so obviously enjoyed her current situation that she could practically soar through the heavens.

How else could Paul have said this:

"Reina, you'd probably cry all your life if you hadn't been born as a Chantra, huh."

Therefore, these false concerns under the pretext of, 'I'm worried about your situation,' couldn't have been established in the first place.

And apart from that, it's not like Lehman and Reina had the kind of close relationship that he could go on and worry about her, right?

"If I were you, Reina, I would find it difficult to carry the responsibilities that come with being a part of the nine households, that's why I said that… I guess you couldn't understand what I meant."

Now, everything was obvious.

'Lehman's not quite pleased with me.'

Since he was going at it this much, it was plain and clear to Reina that he was hostile to her. Rather, she felt a bit of regret for even trying to deny it before.

"I'm sorry if that offended you. I just said the truth, but sometimes, the truth might be misunderstood as something malicious."

"Well… That's f*cking bullsh*t."

After hearing the kind of harsh words that should never have come out of not just a noble's, but a noble young lady's mouth, he seemed shocked.

"What…?"

"Why? Are you surprised that I'm capable of cursing?"

Reina's surprised, too. She's surprised about how openly hostile this guy was.

Sweeping up her fringe, Reina sighed and stared straight ahead.

"Lehman, there's something you've misunderstood. You know, in this world, there are such things as a line that can be crossed, and a line that cannot be crossed."

And yet, there are always people who insist on crossing the line while pretending to be presenting the 'objective truth'.

And the excuse was always going to be this:

"It's because I was worried about you."

That's exactly the kind of excuse it was.

Putting on a forced smile on her lips, Reina turned her eyes to the clear sky, which was so open up above—unlike her frustrated feelings.

"Why are you only taking it so maliciously… I don't mean for my words to be like that at all… So I hope you're not offended."

Right. It's with that kind of behavior that you've got Jeremy and those others all riled up, huh.

"So now you're trying to say that I don't like you. Isn't that right?" Reina asked.

As Reina saw through his words and pointed it out, Lehman blinked with the kind of expression that really just made you want to hit him, even just once.

'When I was reading the novel, I was really curious about that expression, but…'

But now that Reina was seeing it with her own eyes, she could vividly feel the boiling onset of rage.

"I didn't know you'd react so sensitively…"

Reina finally burst into maniacal laughter as the same excuses kept coming back up, as if he's a song on repeat. At the same time as she let out her laughter, Lehman's expression hardened.

"…Why are you laughing?"

Why, he asked? She's laughing because he's being absurd, that's what.

"That's a skill too, I guess. Turning a normal person into a sensitive person."

"..."

"Have you been doing well to turn everyone's words like this all this time?"

Perhaps she hit the nail right on the head, but Lehman's face cracked ever so slightly.

"Yeah, of course it would have worked. You're known as everyone's lover, isn't that right? Since you're the apple of everyone's eyes, they must have accepted everything that you said."

That's the privilege given to the main character.

"Reina… You're talking a little too much."

"You're the one who keeps talking more."

Slightly raising one corner of her lips as she tilted her head to the side, Reina stared at him for a long time.

"Have you gotten your fill of our tour around the Imperial Palace?"

She didn't feel like continuing this conversation any longer.

"I think it'd do you well to go on without me. I'm leaving."

After saying her brief goodbyes, Reina turned away from him without any hesitation.

She doesn't know why Lehman hates her.

But one thing's for sure: Reina and Lehman would never be on good terms.

It was an inevitable outcome. Like fate.

So for that reason, she needed to stop any and all possibilities that she might get engaged with him.