CH 118

“Hmmm, so what’s all this wedding talk, it’s only been two weeks since you said you were just getting to know each other.”

Ethan opened his mouth, and the conversation drifted back to Brian and Christine’s wedding. At Ethan’s stunned look, Brian nodded.

“It was then.”

“You promised to get married in just two weeks?”

“I said I thought we could be serious, and then… Brian asked me to marry him.”

Christine embarrassedly revealed the truth. They knew Christine had opened up to Brian, but they were impressed that Brian took advantage of that to bring up marriage.

Ethan, Lucia, and Herwin all looked at Brian with puzzled expressions, and he grinned roguishly.

“I always carry a proposal ring with me because you never know when the opportunity will arise. I’m glad our little Christine accepted me, aren’t you, honey?”

“Oh, you too. Didn’t we agree not to call me that in front of our friends?”

“Haha, did I? Come on. It’s in front of them anyway.”

The two were lost in their world. Lucia looked at them with a wry smile.

It was ridiculous that she had been so embarrassed at the wedding, and now they were acting like they had been together for years.

Suddenly, Lucia realized something.

‘I wonder if I and Herwin are like that?’

She turned her head sideways to look at Ethan, who had the same look on his face as when she and Herwin were together. Lucia vowed to refrain from public displays of affection in front of her friends in the future.

“Well… congratulations on the wedding, though.”

“Yes, congratulations, I didn’t expect another couple to come out of this group.”

“Because Lucia and Herwin are dating, Christine and Brian are dating, and I’m dating Lady Layla…….”

Folding his fingers as he mentioned each name, Ethan raised the one remaining finger.

“So that leaves Arista, huh?”

“Uh, come to think of it, huh?”

“Half a year ago, we were all single.”

It was strange how they’d all become couples in such a short time. 

Except for Brian, who had been in a steady relationship, they had all been single for a while, but one by one they had found a partner, and now there was only Arista left.

“Is Arista not interested in a relationship?”

“She’s got a dozen guys hitting on her.”

“That’s right, just attending a party attracts men.”

Arista is said to be the most beautiful woman in the empire.

Even Lucia, who had no interest in anyone other than Herwin, could blush at her good looks.

‘Come to think of it…….’

Lucia remembered Arista’s words from the past.

Once, when she and Christine had gotten together to talk about marriage, Arista had said something like this.

‘I want to live with someone I love, because ……it is the person I’ll be with for the rest of my life.’

At that time, she assumed that Arista liked Herwin. But it was clear that she wasn’t interested in him, because she was genuinely congratulating her on their relationship.

‘Then who does she like?’

It was clear that she had a crush on someone, or was she mistaken?

“Arista will be lonely if we all go away.”

“Do you want me to introduce her to a nice guy?”

As everyone was saying these things, worried about Arista being left alone, Herwin spoke up.

“I’m sure there’s someone Arista likes.”

All eyes turned to him, including Lucia, who was in Herwin’s arms. He’d dropped a bombshell, and he didn’t realize it.

“What?! Really?”

“Oh, Arista has a crush on someone?”

“Is that true? Who does she have a crush on?”

The reaction was almost as intense as when Ethan revealed he had a crush. Herwin shook his head as his friends’ eyes focused on him.

“I don’t know who she likes, but she said she has someone in mind.”

“Wow…….”

“I can’t believe that Arista has a crush.”

“It might be a secret relationship, not a one-sided love!”

“Why would she have a secret relationship? She has no reason to hide it from us. I don’t think it’s a secret relationship.”

“That’s… right.”

Lucia looked at her friends, who were quickly getting excited and turned to Herwin.

“Where did you hear about that?”

“On the first day of the summer festival. Brother Lucas came with his girlfriend, and she set me up with Arista. But then Arista straightened up and said she likes someone else.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Brother Lucas’ girlfriend at that time was very rude. So I wondered why he was dating someone like that, but fortunately, they broke up. I’m glad they did because they said they were thinking of getting engaged”

Hearing Herwin’s words, Lucia thought to herself. She had heard from Lucas the other day how he had broken up with his girlfriend so abruptly.

He told her that he had returned from a hunting trip with Arista and caught her cheating on him. Before that, he had heard from Arista that she had another man.

She was grateful to Arista for helping Lucas, but now something wasn’t quite right.

‘But I don’t know what it is…….’

She had a vague hunch that something was going on between Lucas and Arista. Lucia looked at the two empty seats and shook her head.

* * *

“Arista, how’s your leg?”

Arista swallowed hard at the voice from the doorway and answered in a steady voice.

“I’m fine, no burns.”

“Good. You don’t have any red spots or anything?”

“No, I’m fine.”

Lucas said he’d get a change of clothes and left. It was a long time before Arista let out a nervous breath.

This was the bathroom off Lucas’ room. She couldn’t help but check her thighs where the tea water had spilled.

Arista looked down at her legs. In the center of her smooth thigh, there was a reddened area.

She’d told Lucas she was fine, but she had a minor burn.

Arista felt like Lucas was going to call the doctor if she’ll tell the truth, so she lied.

She touched the reddened spot and it stung. When Arista realized there was no one outside, she quickly turned on the water.

She splashed the water on her legs to cool them down.

‘It’s not bad, it’ll go away.’

Compared to the wounds caused by wielding a sword on a fictional day and fighting, it was a new foot of blood.

Just when she thought she had cooled off, footsteps drew nearer. Arista hurriedly dried herself off with a nearby towel.

“Arista, I left some pants by the door. I didn’t know your size, so I grabbed a small one, but if they don’t fit, let me know and I’ll get you another pair.”

“……Yes! Okay!”

Lucas slowly moved away from the door, out of respect for Arista. Arista stuck her hand out the door and fumbled with the pants.

“They’re a little big in the waist, but…….”

When she changed her pants, the length was just right. She think it’ll work if she tighten her waistband, so she pulled it as hard as she could.

With the pants on, Arista grabbed her original clothes and headed out the door.

She opened the door to find Lucas leaning against the window sill. There was a crisp breeze in the air as if it had been fall for a while.

Arista couldn’t help but be mesmerized by the way his brown hair flowed in the breeze.

The sound of the door opening made Lucas turn his head.

“What do you think, do your pants fit?”

“Ah… Uh, yeah, they do, though they’re a little big in the waist…….”

“Let me see.”

Lucas stalked over and peered at the area of Arista’s pants. He couldn’t touch it, so all he could do was look, but she felt strangely nervous.

“It doesn’t look too big, though, does it?”

“I pulled them up as tight as I could, and they kind of fit.”

“Well, then, you can wear that. Actually, I was going to bring you Lucia’s skirt at first, but there’s quite a height difference between her and you, so I just brought my pants.”

“This is your pants?”

Arista asked, fiddling with her pants. They were tiny, even for a six-foot-two Lucas.

“They’re the pants I wore until my first year at the Academy.”

Arista’s hand twitched.

“After that, I grew so tall, I only wore them a few times.”

“I see…….”

“Well, I can’t wear it anyway, so you can have it.”

“Huh? But…….”

“That’s because I’d never wear it if you gave it back. It wouldn’t even fit on my thighs.”

Lucas joked, but Arista blushed as she imagined the pants getting stuck on his thighs and not going up.

She coughed futilely to keep the heat from rising.

“Hmm! Then… I’ll wear it well. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Of course.” 

A sharp gleam in the center of his softly slanted eyes peeked out from behind Arista. 

There were traces of water in the otherwise dry bathroom.

He sensed that Arista was hiding something, but Lucas smiled and said something else.

“Come on, we should get going. They’re waiting.”

Luckily, Arista didn’t seem to notice. They left the room, talking about nothing in particular, and as they approached the others in the garden, they felt a strange current in the air.

Lucas was confused as to whether or not they had noticed it.

“……Why? What happened?”

Arista sat up shakily and looked at her friends, and Ethan spoke up.

“Arista, is there someone you like?”

“……what?”

The words were so abrupt that they caught Arista off guard. When she stuttered in surprise, the boys were convinced.

“Yes, yes, yes, Arista, you have a crush.”

“Oh my God, Arista, who is it? Who do you like?”

“You don’t have a crush on him, do you?”

Arista was dazed by the sudden barrage of questions. Meanwhile, Lucas, next to her, froze, wide-eyed.

“What the hell kind of nonsense is that……!”

“You said you had someone else in mind before.”

Arista tried to excuse herself, but Herwin was adamant. Arista realized at once that he was the cause of this.

“When did I ever say that……!”

“At the summer festival, when brother Lucas’ ex tried to set us up. That’s when you cut her off and said no.”

“……ah.”

Lucas suddenly realized that Arista had said that and that she’d also said before that she had a crush on someone. 

Why had he forgotten that?

“Don’t try to hide it. It’s not weird to have a crush.”

Arista pouted, which was true, but Herwin was being condescending, and when she finally wiped her face in frustration, her friends’ eyes grew even more glazed over.

“Okay, so you have a crush. What do you say?”

Oooh!

The exclamation made her head spin. Arista was unnecessarily nervous about Lucas next to her. He wouldn’t know who she had a crush on unless she told him the name.

“Who is it? Who do you like?”

“How long have you had a crush on him? You’re not dating him behind our backs, are you?”

“Say something already!”

Arista could understand her friends’ frustration, but the sudden onslaught made her dizzy. 

“It’s a secret, and it’s been a while since I liked him. We’re not dating. He doesn’t even know that I like him.”

“Oh my God, you never confessed to him with that face? What a waste of your face!”

“That’s right. Most people would fall if you did, so why don’t you confess? At least tell us who it is. We’ll save you a seat.”

“Forget it, you guys, I’ve got this, don’t dig any deeper.”

Arista made a wistful sound as she released the crane.

“Oh, come on. What’s wrong with being friends?”

“Guys, that’s enough. Arista doesn’t like it.”

Lucia, who had been watching them closely, intervened, and they all stepped back, but not without a hint of regret.

“Okay, let me ask you this. Do you think you’ll confess later?”

Brian’s question made Arista pause, and then she glanced at Lucas, who was looking at her.

“……Yes, I’ll do it at some point.”

Everyone was excited as if it were their own business and made a fuss to tell them after confessing.

Arista and Lucas were the only ones whose moods were subdued amidst the exuberance.

Lucas couldn’t help but get caught in the middle of all the laughing and talking. If Arista likes someone, it’s right to cheer for her, but he couldn’t say anything.

His stomach churned and he felt bad. 

Lucas shook his head in disbelief, and Arista stole a sly glance at him.

Watching the whole thing, Herwin narrowed his eyes.