Baek Rion

"Lady Hyorin, who was that?" Rami asked curiously as she approached.

Hyorin shook her head, still processing the unexpected encounter. "Baek Rion… Do you know him?"

Rami's eyes widened slightly. "Baek Rion? He's from the Baek family, one of the oldest noble families, ranked second in status. But he usually keeps a low profile. I didn't know he was studying here."

Hyorin hummed in thought. A noble ranked second? She hadn't expected that. If he was really that influential, why had he been at Amélie's party? And why was he so interested in meeting her?

"He wants to meet at the Royal Restaurant tonight," she muttered to herself.

Rami glanced at her. "Are you going?"

Hyorin hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yeah… I think I will."

When night fell, Hyorin prepared herself for the dinner at the Royal Restaurant. She chose a comfortable outfit, thinking it would be a simple meal with someone she barely knew. She didn't put much thought into her appearance, as she assumed it wasn't a formal occasion.

She arrived at the restaurant with Rami, only to find Rion already waiting for her. Two men stood behind him, their postures firm and disciplined.

Hyorin's brows furrowed slightly. "Who are they?" she asked.

"My butler and personal guard," Rion replied casually.

Hyorin simply nodded, though the idea of having a personal guard felt foreign to her. Without dwelling on it, they entered the restaurant, where the table had already been set with an exquisite meal.

As she approached the table, Rion stepped forward and pulled out a chair for her.

"Thank you," Hyorin said, slightly surprised by the gesture.

"My pleasure," Rion responded smoothly before taking his own seat. He glanced at her thoughtfully. "By the way, why don't you have a personal guard?"

Hyorin blinked. "Why? Does every noble have one?"

"Not just one. Some have five or more," he said, cutting into his steak effortlessly.

Hyorin leaned back slightly, processing that information. "Oh… I didn't know that."

Rion gave a small chuckle but didn't push the topic further. "Let's eat. I'm starving."

Hyorin nodded and picked up her utensils. Just as she was about to cut her steak, she noticed Rion expertly slicing hers for her. She paused, watching him, slightly taken aback by his gentlemanly gesture.

"You really don't have to do that," she said.

"It's fine. Consider it a habit," he replied smoothly.

As they ate, a question that had been nagging at Hyorin resurfaced in her mind. She set down her fork and looked at him. "By the way, can you tell me now why you were at Amélie's birthday party?"

Rion wiped his lips with a napkin before answering. "Max is one of my close friends. He invited me because he was planning to propose to her that night."

Hyorin nearly choked on her drink. "He's your friend?!"

Rion raised an eyebrow. "Why? Did something happen between you two?"

Hyorin hesitated before speaking. "Would you believe me if I said he's a bad guy?"

To her surprise, Rion smirked. "Yes. You're not the only one. There are a lot of women out there with the same story. But since he's rich, everything gets covered up."

Hyorin tightened her grip on her glass. "I'm not saying he did anything extreme to me, but… Are you just going to let him get away with everything? You two are friends, after all."

Rion sighed, leaning back slightly. "Hyorin, I might be influential and wealthy, but so is he. Even if I lock him up, he'll find a way out. He's not a noble, but in terms of power, he's no different from us."

Hyorin clenched her jaw. "But still... "

Before she could continue, Rion interrupted with a calm yet firm tone. "Don't worry. You're safe. I won't let him or anyone else hurt you."

Hyorin's breath hitched at his words. That wasn't what she had meant, but the reassurance caught her off guard. She wasn't used to someone offering to protect her like that.

After about an hour of conversation, Hyorin decided to wrap things up. "It's getting late. I have classes tomorrow. Thank you for tonight."

Rion smirked slightly. "Anytime. If you want to know more about Oathbreakers, I've kept a book in the library. Why don't you come with me tomorrow after class?"

Hyorin's curiosity piqued. "Really? Sure."

Rion nodded. "See you tomorrow, then."

Hyorin stood up and gave him a small smile. "See you tomorrow." With that, she left the restaurant with Rami. 

Hyorin's Pov:

The next morning, Rami took me to Yeonghwa University again for my classes. Today's schedule included Personal Presentation & Media Awareness followed by Household & Estate Management.

As I walked through the grand halls, the overwhelming luxury that once intimidated me felt a little more familiar. The towering chandeliers, polished marble floors, and intricate gold detailing still amazed me, but I was starting to accept that this was now part of my life.

When I entered the classroom, I recognized the familiar faces of the students I had met yesterday. Unlike before, when they were more focused on talking about Seungho, I decided to take the initiative this time.

I turned to the group sitting near me and smiled. "By the way, I realized I never got your names yesterday."

A cheerful-looking girl with short auburn hair was the first to respond. "Oh! I'm Minji. It's nice to finally talk properly, Lady Hyorin!"

Beside her, another girl with long, wavy brown hair smiled warmly. "I'm Yujin. Welcome to our world."

The only boy in the group, who had an easygoing demeanor and a sharp gaze, added, "You can call me Eunwoo."

One by one, they introduced themselves, and I took mental notes, realizing that despite their noble status, they weren't as intimidating as I first thought.

As the lesson began, I felt a little more at ease, knowing that I was starting to build connections in this unfamiliar world.

During break time, we gathered around a small table in the courtyard and shared our snacks. Minji had brought some delicate fruit tarts, Yujin offered homemade cookies, and Eunwoo had a small box of expensive chocolate truffles. I contributed some simple biscuits I had packed earlier, feeling a bit out of place compared to their luxurious treats.

As we ate, they shared stories about their childhood in nobility.

"When I was six, I tripped during my etiquette lesson and spilled tea all over the instructor's lap," Minji said, covering her face in embarrassment.

"That's nothing! I once bowed too low during a royal gathering and knocked over a whole table of desserts," Yujin chimed in, making everyone laugh.

Eunwoo smirked. "I got caught sneaking out of a ball because I wanted to play cards with the kitchen staff."

I laughed along with them, feeling a warmth in my chest. It was nice to know that despite growing up in nobility, they had their share of awkward and funny experiences too.

Just as the conversation was getting livelier, a group of elegantly dressed ladies approached our table, their expressions anything but friendly. The laughter died down as they stood before us, eyeing me with thinly veiled disdain.