Chapter 64

***

Leila didn’t say it very loudly, but it sounded loud because the crowd was quiet.

The nobles murmured as they looked at Leila and Philen.

“Did you hear that? Their engagement was broken.”

“Oh my God, and Duke Williot kept saying it’s not…”

Eyes filled with smirk poured on them.

Philen’s face turned red as if it were going to explode at any moment.

Of course, it would be embarrassing.

He can’t help but be embarrassed about being publicly humiliated.

Why did he have to go to Leila anyway?

Ver, who looked at them with his tongue out, found Kalian not too far away.

Kalian was looking at them with great interest.

The corner of his lips that raised smoothly felt like it was going to reach his ears.

What’s so funny?

This situation is funny enough, but I don’t think it’s enough to make someone laugh.

Ver, who was looking at Kalian with a puzzled look, ran to him immediately when he saw Kalian’s eyes bent. 

“You can’t.”

He grabbed Kalian’s arm tightly and said firmly.

Kalian looked back at Ver.

“Please don’t make more work here.”

Kalian’s head tilted slightly.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t play innocent with me. You were trying to get in between them just now.”

“Hoo.”

Kalian’s eyes widened as if he were surprised.

“When did you start practicing mind-reading, Ver?”

“I’ve been serving Your Majesty for years, and I know this much without mind-reading.”

“You’re not fun.”

Kalian clicked his tongue and lightly removed Ver’s hand.

“Don’t worry, I won’t do anything.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. My beloved aide is asking me to do that, so I have to stay still.”

Ver nodded vigorously.

“Yes, yes. Please stay still.”

“Still, I have to carry out what I have planned.”

Plan? What… 

“…!”

Ver, who was late realizing what Kalian was talking about, tried to catch him, but Kalian was already walking towards Philen and Leila.

AH, NO!

Ver’s hand waved in the air.

Ver also agreed with Kalian’s plan, but now’s not the time.

Please do it when the situation calms down, PLEASE! 

Ver let out a silent roar. But sadly, it didn’t reach Kalian.

Even if he wanted to run and stop Kalian right away, it would draw people’s attention to him, so he couldn’t do it and just stamped his feet repeatedly.

Philen was looking at Leila and didn’t seem to know that Kalian was coming behind him. 

Leila also didn’t notice that Kalian was coming because of Philen.  

And Kalian didn’t talk to them right away, just watching them for a while.

“I can’t believe you’re so stubborn when you can’t do anything without me and the Duke of Williot.”

His golden eyes containing Leila flashed dangerously.

“I knew you’re stupid, but I didn’t know you’re this stupid.” 

Leila looked at Philen with a smirk as if it were ridiculous.

“If you had believed me, I wouldn’t have done this either.”

“How long do you think you can be as confident as you are now?”

Philen was sarcastic.

“How long do you think His Majesty will be interested in you? You don’t think it’ll last forever, do you?”

“What if it lasts forever?”

“!?”

When Kalian stepped in all of a sudden, Philen turned to look at him in surprise.

Leila also just realized that Kalian was here and looked at him.

They both looked equally surprised, but the feeling was completely different.

One was cute like a rabbit and the other was disgusting.

“Duke Williot, may I take my aide with me if you’re done talking?”

“We’re not done yet.”

“Is that so, Leila?”

When Kalian called out Leila’s name, the crowd roared.

“Oh my goodness, did His Majesty just call Lady Thebesa’s name?”

“As expected, the mistress…”

Each whisper was small, but as they gathered, it became louder as if they were shouting.

It felt even more so because they were all talking about the same thing. 

Despite the pouring gaze, the two men didn’t care and looked only at Leila.  

“Leila.”

“You’re going to stay with me, right? Leila.”

Two men were fighting over a woman.

It was a good topic for people to talk about. It’s also a regular topic that often appeared in cheap gossip.

Everyone wondered what choice Leila would make.

Of course, if it was usual, the emperor’s words would have taken precedence over the duke’s, but this was a banquet hall.

It was the woman who took the lead in the banquet hall.

Someone could refuse a man’s request for dance first, but they couldn’t refuse a woman who requested first.

If a woman had several suitors, the woman could choose.

Regardless of status or position, it was solely up to the woman’s choice.

So everyone waited for Leila’s choice. A bet was also made secretly.

Most of them thought she would choose Kalian, and Leila also thought the same. 

One thing she was worried about was the rumor that she’s a mistress.

If she took Kalian’s hand here, the rumor of her being his mistress would grow bigger.

But she hated holding Philen’s hand more than being misunderstood as a mistress.

“It’s noisy here, so shall we go somewhere else and talk?”

After a short consideration, Leila took Kalian’s hand.

At this, Philen was in despair, and Kalian smiled triumphantly.

Kalian took Leila to the higher seat.

But Leila stopped at the stairs below without going up to the higher seat.

When Kalian looked at her curiously, Leila bowed slightly and said. 

“The aide’s seat is here.” 

The mistress could sit next to Kalian, but the aide couldn’t. 

As an aide, she indirectly said that she couldn’t go to the higher seat.

That also indicated that she’s not the emperor’s mistress.

“My aide is very clever.”

Kalian smiled and held out his hand.

Then, Ver, who didn’t know when he came, handed something to Kalian while weeping.

“Everyone be quiet.”

The people, who were whispering, shut their mouths all at once at the voice that overwhelmed them and looked at Kalian.

There’s still time until the spoils presentation ceremony in the middle of the banquet.

So they were curious about why he’s drawing their attention.

It was the same with Leila.

As Kalian’s aide, she was informed of the banquet order in advance, but there’s no such thing about this.

Leila asked Ver, who was standing opposite her, about what was going on with her mouth.

But since it was something he couldn’t answer, Ver just smiled without saying a word.  

“…Historically, all aides have been awarded titles.”

Kalian’s long speech ended.

The bewildered people all looked at Leila in unison at the last words, saying ‘no way’. 

Leila, on the other hand, was looking at Kalian.

“Leila Thebesa.”

Even though Kalian called her name, Leila continued to stand still. Ver came over to her side and tapped her arm.

Only then did Leila come to her senses and stand right in front of Kalian.

Then, Ver told Leila to kneel on one knee and bowed her head with his mouth. 

Leila was puzzled, but she still did what Ver told her to do.

Rahel handed Kalian a decorative sword.

“Leila Thebesa.”

Kalian tapped her shoulder lightly once.

“I grant you the surname of Astera and also the title of baron.”

*****

Andante left the banquet hall shortly after Kalian granted Leila the baron title. He returned to the Duke of Williot right away to pack his belongings.

Ron, his exclusive servant, who had followed him all the way from the Count of Thebesa, looked at Andante strangely.

“Why are you packing all of a sudden?”

“Because we’re leaving the mansion.”

“At this time of night?”

“Yeah. So don’t procrastinate and pack up quickly.”

Ron was puzzled by Andante’s orders, but he meekly packed his stuff.

After packing everything up, Andante asked the Duke of Williot’s servant to bring him and Ron the horse they rode.

“Where are we going this late at night?”

“We should go to a nearby inn first for sure. But I don’t know if there’s a room left.”

“Wait, why are we leaving this nice mansion and going to the inn?”

“Everything has a reason. So, be quiet and follow me.”

Andante left the Duke of Williot’s mansion and took a room at an inn far from the Duke’s.

He got the best room in the inn, but it was far less than the room Andante stayed in the Duke of Williot.

It was even worse than Andante’s room in the Count of Thebesa’s mansion.

“Are you really going to stay in a place like this?”

Andante smiled at Ron’s complaint and sat down on the bed.

“I can’t help it. Because I can’t stay in the Duke of Williot anymore.”

“Yes? Why? Didn’t the madam say that you can stay at the Duke of Williot while you’re in the capital?”

“That’s because the two of them have broken up.”

“Yes?!”

Ron screamed in surprise.

“Why did they break up…!”

That’s because Leila became the emperor’s mistress.

Andante smiled as he recalled the appearance of Leila and Kalian at the banquet hall today.

When he first heard this rumor, he was skeptical, but that confirmed it.

Leila had become Kalian’s mistress.

Otherwise, there’s no way for Kalian to give only that chick the position of an aide and baron.  

She’s my little sister, but she’s amazing.

I can’t believe she seduced the infamous Slaughter Emperor.

She looks like she’s someone who doesn’t know much about the world, but unlike her appearance, she seems to be good at that.

Well, she must have been engaged to Philen by seducing the former Duke of Williot. 

As expected, I should’ve forced it back then.

Andante clicked his tongue as it was such a pity that his attempt was stopped because Countess Thebesa suddenly came.

“Oh, right. What should I say to madam? I think she’ll be very disappointed.”

“Ah, don’t worry about that. Because I brought news that could happen and my mother could brush it off quickly.”

Andante’s eyes were pleasantly bent.

Andante ignored Ron’s request to tell him what the news was and lay on the bed.