Episode 6

This time, it was a silence that seemed like it would never end. While Oscar and even Cassel were frozen in absurd developments and couldn't move a finger, Ines went to the window, tiptoed, and closed the slightly open window.

When even the sound of the wind outside was no longer audible, the Duke's personal library became completely silent, like an uninhabited greenhouse. Cassel rolled his eyes again and looked at Oscar. Oscar's fingertips were trembling.

"… …What is the reason?"

Oscar asked softly, as if he could not even bring himself to say the word 'dislike'. Cassel stepped back slowly.

I wish I had stayed a little further away. Even if I regret it, it's already too late.

"Kassel, come here."

It was the first time Ines had pronounced his name. She had called him like a puppy, but it was still the first. However, Cassel was busy shaking his head, not even surprised by his fiancée's exceptional measures.

Right now, the only thing I could do was to get as far away from Oscar as possible.

"You're my fiancé. Why aren't you protecting me?"

It was a strange thing to say, although it was in a noble tone, as if to say, 'What are you doing instead of serving me?'

Everyone thinks they're funny. The crown prince, the fiancée...

"Tell me why. Ines Ballestena de Perez."

"Kassel."

Ines called Cassel back, ignoring the Crown Prince's question. While Cassel tried to pretend not to hear anything, Oscar spoke nervously.

"Leave that stupid brat alone."

"Kassel, His Highness the Crown Prince is causing me trouble. Why are you, a man, not speaking for a woman?"

After saying no to the crown prince in front of him, she suddenly acted like a courteous lady who couldn't have an awkward conversation with a man. Only when it was to her advantage...

It's not that it's difficult, it's just annoying. Thanks to that, Cassel, who was treated as Ortega's man at the age of six, was forced to stand by Ines' side at her explicit request.

This is all because Ortega was overly educated in his outdated customs.

"…Your Majesty. My fiancée is in trouble."

"The kid is out. The adults are talking right now."

"The Duchess of Ballestena is six years old."

I decided not to mention the fact that the person in question was only ten years old.

"Is Ines like you?"

They say that wanting and liking are two different things, and now it seemed that way. That tiresomely noble cousin really did like Ines. And very much so… … Now Cassel wanted to distance himself from Oscar even more. There was no moment more dangerous than when Oscar was frustrated.

But before his feet could move, Ines' hand struck him and pushed his back forward.

"… … ."

"Is this how it ends up happening?"

And then, as if trying to sneakily get out of the conversation, he took a step behind him.

Cassel looked back at Ines in disbelief, but Ines kindly turned his head forward again.

"—No, it wasn't a spiral."

"You're going to speak informally to the crown prince of a country?"

"First of all, Young-ae."

"First of all, what? No, just let it slip away. Ines."

Oscar, who had already degenerated into a street thug when Ines made her pitiful request to Cassel, called her back again, not fully realizing this astonishing picture.

"Ines… I know that this isn't your true intention."

"majesty."

"Actually, you don't hate me at all. Yes, it's understandable that I would feel burdened. After all, I will be the one to rule the empire. You are a woman more worthy of being an empress than anyone else, but your brilliant mind may feel oppressed by your high position… But Ines, you can be my wings."

Although Cassel made a face of obvious displeasure, Oscar was already ignoring his cousin.

"You and I… We are the ones who will rule Ortega. This obvious future may be burdensome to you, who is still young. It is natural to worry about how you will do the same job as my mother, and whether you will do it well. But I know. You are already a great woman, and there is no other match for you in all 17 families of Grandes de Ortega except me."

"… … ."

"You will soon realize that. As time goes by, and you see how much of a worthless man that foolish blond beside you becomes as he grows up… How long do you think that angelic face will last? Have you ever heard of it changing? That face is only fourteen at the most. But this face is a shining one as it grows up."

"… … ."

"Don't look at the present, look further into the future. Ines Ballestena de Perez. You're smarter than that, aren't you? Marriage is a life-changing event. It's not something you can just make a decision about at such a young age—."

Ines' small hand suddenly grabbed Cassel's shoulder. Cassel, who had been distracted by Oscar's passionate request, looked back at her in surprise. The only time she had ever touched her fiancé was when they were forced to shake hands at the engagement ceremony by the adults.

The force pulling her towards him was so delicate that Cassel had to deliberately lean his body towards her, following the manners he had learned from the Duke. Somehow, the corner of his throat started tickling.

Ines put her hand near his ear and whispered.

"Say no, it's okay."

"… … ."

Cassel looked at her, her eyes confused, falling from his ear. Ines urged him, her small, dense face hardening.

He turned around and stared at his future master.

"… I said no, that's enough."

"… Cassel Escalante. Are you making it up?"

Ines' small hand pulled his shoulder again, and her lips came close to his ear.

"Say no."

"… I said no, no."

"Can't you stay away from Ines?"

Ines grabbed Cassel's arm and pulled him towards her again, this time with considerable force.

Oscar strode towards them as if he couldn't stand Cassel's expression that said, 'You want me this much, so what can I do?' Ines stepped back as well, and Cassel, who was holding her arm, stepped back along with her.

It seemed as if he was guarding Ines excessively, as if he was trying to protect a vulnerable woman from the thugs of the city. Without even the slightest intention.

Oscar, who had fallen to the position of a complete street thug, now realized the situation he had found himself in and his face distorted.

"Ines. Then tell me why. A reason I can understand."

Cassel froze a little as he felt Ines' hair tickling his ear again. Black hair, then soft breath, then a lovely hand covering Cassel's ear as if guarding their secret story, and… .

"They say there is no reason to dislike something."

"… … ."

"I just said no. I really, really, really, really said no for no reason."

Cassel looked into Ines' stern green eyes, as if warning her that if she didn't tell him exactly what was going on, she wouldn't let him off easy. She would protect his safety, and if he changed his words even a little, she wouldn't let him off easy… .

He opened his mouth again, looking at his future master as if possessed.

"They say there is no reason to dislike something."

"… … ."

"I just don't like it, really, really, for no reason… ."

"Shut up, Cassel Escalante!"

Ines tapped Cassel on the shoulder. It was a word of encouragement, telling him to take responsibility for what he did.

"Ines, this is Escalante's scheme. Isn't it?"

"I'm dizzy, Cassel. Can you take me to my room?"

Despite Oscar's direct reference to her name, Ines spoke to Cassel as if she could no longer see Oscar. And it was very strange.

The right to speak to the Crown Prince was handed over to Cassel under the pretext of protection, but it is a completely useless formality since the Crown Prince called her directly.

It is an impossible sophistry to say that I no longer have the right to speak directly and that I will not answer the Crown Prince's questions...

"Kassel. Just move."

"My head suddenly hurts so bad. Cassel."

Cassel stared blankly at his fiancée for a moment, absurdly abusing a hundred-year-old custom that no one now observed.

It was clear that rather than ceding to her fiancé the right to talk to the Crown Prince, she had acquired the right to ignore him.

"I am your master, Cassel."

"Can you help me out, Cassel?"

"Look straight at your master, Cassel."

"It's too noisy here… Kassel."

They were now engaged in a war of nerves, with Cassel in the middle. It was a strange fight. Cassel looked back and forth between his noisy future master and his strange fiancée.

Can't we just throw them both away?

Why on earth do I have to live so tiringly? Kassel was already feeling the fatigue of life and the hardships of social life. Being a lord, the responsibility of succession, being a petty duke… none of it suited him from the start.

He was still six years old. No matter how smart he was for a six-year-old, and no matter how well he would grow up to be a respectable seven-year-old… … .

"You are only six years old. There is no such thing as a lord."

At that moment, Ines Ballestena entered the gap as if she had seen right into his mind. Even the strange halo behind her, like the crow of the wise man in the legend… At that moment, Ines' black hair was dyed with the setting sun.

"Kassel!"

It was the first time that Cassel held Ines Ballestena's hand.