Chapter 76
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The Male and Female Leads Broke Up - Episode 76
I had never seen anything so beautiful in this world.
It was a smile of absolute, flawless perfection.
"Belita?"
I must have been staring at him in a daze for far too long.
His voice calling my name snapped me back to reality.
"Ah, yes. In any case, I misunderstood Aiden Byon. I apologize."
"There's no need. It was a situation where such a misunderstanding was unavoidable."
"No, I still shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry."
I apologized to him repeatedly, my heart heavy with remorse.
"But about that Owen Est..."
I hesitated for a moment before speaking.
It wasn't that I distrusted Aiden Byon—it was that I knew he wore a necklace similar to Owen Est's, which made it difficult to broach the subject.
I couldn't forget the resigned, indifferent expression on his face when I'd asked about the necklace in the past.
But Aiden Byon was the only one who could answer my questions about this necklace.
So I resolved to speak.
"When I interrogated Owen Est, I happened to see a necklace around his neck."
A flash of surprise crossed Aiden Byon's face before it vanished.
"A necklace, you say...?"
"It was made of a similar material to yours."
At my words, he touched his own neck.
"And just like when Aiden Byon collapsed in Ulita, the moment he tried to speak, it was as if his throat was being strangled—he lost consciousness without finishing his words."
"..."
"I became certain that Adela was the culprit because she visited the Underground Prison where Owen Est was being held."
"You mean my sister?"
"Yes. I went to visit her, and that day neither you nor the Duke were at the Duke's Mansion. Anyway, I went partly to check on Adela's condition, but also to test her. I deliberately let slip a clue. That very night, Adela appeared at the Underground Prison."
"What clue was it?"
"That I'd found evidence on Owen Est's body."
"You mean the necklace."
"Adela said that Owen Est would never be able to say anything. I thought it was because of the necklace. Was my guess correct?"
He fell silent for a moment, lost in thought.
I watched him, waiting for him to speak.
"Yes, you're correct."
"Ah, so the necklace has some kind of magic cast on it?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Then why...."
I swallowed the words—'Why are you doing that?'—before they could escape my lips.
The expression I'd witnessed from him two years ago was laid bare before me now, unchanged.
Resignation, helplessness, disillusionment—and yet a desperate attempt to appear unbothered. I saw it all reflected in his eyes.
After that, he offered no explanation about the necklace.
He merely wore an enigmatic smile.
Faced with such a demeanor, I abandoned my attempts to pry into the necklace's meaning.
Instead, we spoke further about Owen Est before returning together to the Campsite.
"You're no longer avoiding me?"
He asked me directly.
"There's no reason to avoid you anymore."
And I gave him a clear answer in kind.
I extended my hand to him with a bright expression.
It was an offer to shake hands—a gesture of reconciliation and renewed friendship.
Understanding my intent, his large hand gently enfolded mine after a moment's hesitation.
"It's warm."
He spoke to me in astonishment.
"Of course. I'm from the House of Fire."
My body temperature had always run higher than most due to my innate power, but since donning the ring, it had risen even further.
So I was likely the only person here who scarcely felt the cold at all.
"Is it because of that ring?"
"Yes, that's right. My father lent it to me."
As I answered and was about to release his hand, I suddenly noticed his fingers bore no ring.
I quickly glanced at his other hand, the one not holding mine.
There was no ring on that hand either.
"Aiden Byon, you're not wearing a ring?"
"No, I'm not."
That's strange. Why?
Shouldn't he have brought one?
To lead the subjugation to victory, one must amplify their inherent power even further.
And a family ring was essential as insurance against any unforeseen danger.
So why hadn't Aiden Byon brought his?
"Didn't Byon Duke provide you with one?"
"No, he didn't."
His answer was remarkably matter-of-fact.
It made me wonder if I'd overreacted to something inconsequential.
'Perhaps it wasn't as necessary as I thought.'
"Ah, I'll be incredibly busy starting tomorrow. I should get some rest. I'll take my leave now."
Though parting from him left me with a lingering reluctance, there was no helping it.
"Belita...."
So I tried to release the hand I'd been holding, but he tightened his grip, refusing to let go.
"Pardon?"
"No, it's nothing."
He seemed as though he had something important to tell me, but then he simply said it was nothing and released my hand.
When I tilted my head in confusion and stared at him intently, he merely offered a faint smile.
"Shall we head inside?"
"Yes, let's."
After that, he escorted me to my personal tent, and the moment I lay down, I fell into a deep, restful sleep for the first time in ages.
The next morning, upon waking, my body felt remarkably light.
'Indeed, one truly needs proper rest.'
Despite having done nothing but sleep well, both my body and mind were in peak condition.
"Miss, it's me."
It was Mary's voice.
Though I had told her she didn't need to accompany this Monster Subjugation Force, Mary stubbornly insisted she had to go with us.
Even knowing the hardship that awaited her—she couldn't even ride a horse—she declared she would follow us to the end.
Unable to refuse her earnest heart, Mary had struggled all the way here with us.
"Come in."
With Mary's assistance, I changed into my armor and then ate breakfast.
"We should arrive at the Castle sometime this afternoon. Just hold on a little longer."
"Hardship? Miss, I'm not struggling at all."
"But you've walked all this way."
"You and the other Knights are risking your lives in battle—this is nothing compared to that."
Mary's face was filled with concern.
"Have you seen William?"
"Yes, I caught a glimpse of him yesterday."
"Good. Oh, could you call Lian for me? I need to speak with him."
"Lian? Understood. Please wait a moment."
Mary left the tent.
I waited for Lian to arrive, and before long, I heard his voice from outside.
"Miss."
"Lian?"
"Yes, it's me."
"Come in."
I made no effort to hide my delight, welcoming him inside.
Lian and Mary entered the tent.
I studied Lian for a moment.
He was over a head taller than me, and in his armor he cut quite an imposing figure, yet his face still bore the unmistakable traces of youth.
Seeing that Lian, not yet even an adult, had come all this way left a bittersweet taste in my mouth.
"I heard you called for me."
"Yes, there's something I need to discuss with you. Mary, could you step outside for a moment?"
"Yes, I understand, Miss."
Mary stepped out of the tent.
She wasn't trying to say anything she shouldn't have.
She simply wanted to make Lian more comfortable.
"Come, sit here."
"Yes, understood."
Lian took the seat across from me.
"How are you feeling?"
"Feeling about what, Miss?"
"Your physical condition—are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine."
"I see. Sigh...."
A long breath escaped me unbidden.
"What troubles you, Miss? Is something weighing on your mind?"
"It's just that I wonder why you and Mary both insisted on following me to such a harsh place."
Given Lian's young age, he didn't need to come at all.
But he and Mary had conspired together, stubbornly insisting they had to go.
"Wherever you are, Miss, I will follow."
His words were identical to Mary's, not differing by a single syllable.
"I'm surrounded by people whose loyalty runs far too deep, aren't I?"
While I was grateful for their devotion, I feared losing them.
Lian, Mary, and William—they had all become precious to me.
And that's precisely why I dreaded the moment when I might fail to protect them.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org