Chapter 23

***

Filina’s expression became darker and darker.

How could she have forgotten?

The thing was that there was only one person that Cecilia trusted and adored.

The worst kind of person, the one with a dark intention and stayed by the side of the heroine and finally kidnapped her…

“Lord Henry, welcome!”

Soon, the name that she hoped would not be heard rang. Filina silently bit her lower lip.

After passing through the door of the parlor, she felt a slow step approaching.

The large presence, the cold energy, and the strange oppressive feeling that naturally enveloped it all…

“I didn’t know you still had visitors.”

His elaborate voice could be heard. But Filina still sat down on the sofa and didn’t turn around.

She had no intention of exchanging happy greetings with him, but she was more than a little perplexed by the unexpected encounter.

“The Lady allowed it too. Please come on in.”

Cecilia replied with a bright smile. Then she turned and said to the maidservant.

“Daisy, could I have another cup of tea, please?”

“Yes, My Lady.”

A very big sigh escaped from Filina’s lips.

Seeing that Cecilia had ordered more tea, it looked like she was going to have a long talk with Henry.

Filina shuddered at the fact that she would have to be caught in the middle of it.

“Young Master, I told you I have someone I wanted to get close to recently, right? Didn’t you say you want to meet her too?”

Whether she knew Filina’s mind or not, Cecilia’s white cheeks flushed and spoke with a shy face.

“I did.”

Henry glanced at Filina as he entered the parlor, her back was facing him. Her beautifully wavy red hair wrapped around her waist in a magnificent way.

He seemed to have already guessed who she was from his low voice.

Filina reflexively thought of the time she had met Henry in the examination hall.

Somehow, the expression he looked at her didn’t look so unfamiliar.

It seemed that Cecilia had told Henry a certain amount about Filina before she knew it.

“I thought it’d be nice to have a meeting with you two, but now I have a chance!”

Cecilia led Henry to his seat with a bright smile.

“This is Lady Filina of the Debussy family.”

Cecilia introduced Filina to Henry in a calm voice.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Debussy.”

He greeted Filina, who was sitting on the opposite side of him, in a polite voice.

A small smile escaped from Filina’s lips as she watched him.

It was strange to see him treating her as if she was someonhe met for the first time today.

“My Lady, this Lord Henry of House Argeny.”

Cecilia’s voice sounded really innocent, Filina thought.

For Henry, it was all just a thoroughly planned approach.

No matter how hard it was to find someone to confide in, why had to be Henry of all people.

Cecilia’s innocence was a scaffolding that would eventually ruin her.

“It’s nice to meet you.”

Filina greeted him appropriately, deliberately drawing a formal smile. She did not rise from her seat, nor did she call his name.

Henry’s purple eyes stared down at her. The gaze, devoid of any emotion, was terribly dry.

Filina mindlessly avoided looking at him, as if she didn’t even want to meet his eyes.

“Lord Henry, please sit comfortably.”

At the sound of Cecilia’s pure voice he sat down on the other side of Filina.

Soon Daisy placed a cup of tea in front of Henry.

“Actually, we had tea time at the Imperial Palace today.”

Cecilia looked at him and began to tell him a small story.

“I was very disappointed that I couldn’t talk to Lady Filina properly. So I made a request to the Lady to go to my house and have another cup of tea.”

“I see.”

Henry nodded lightly and listened to her.

Filina looked at him quietly and sipped her juice without saying a word. The aroma of sweet and sour plums filled her mouth.

Her hostile eyes met Henry’s as she shifted her glass slightly.

The purple iris, which did not hold laughter, shone gracefully.

He nodded, pretending to listen to Cecilia’s words, but his eyes were focused on Filina.

“Lady Filina, what was your first impression of Lord Henry?”

Cecilia’s abrupt subject shifted to Filina. She swallowed her juice, keeping her gaze naturally downward.

Filina asked Cecilia back with a puzzled look on her face.

“First impression?”

Cecilia nodded and said,

“Yes, the other ladies couldn’t take their eyes off Lord Henry once they saw him. Of course, I was the same way.”

Praising his good looks, Cecilia said with an excited face.

“I wonder if Lady Filina felt the same way?”

At the sound of Cecilia’s expectant voice, Filina shifted her gaze and looked at Henry, who was drinking his tea.

“I don’t know.”

She started with an indifferent voice. Then she lightly held her chin with her hand on the table and looked at Henry’s face.

‘What should I answer?’

She didn’t want to compliment him too easily, no matter how outstanding he looked.

“He looks a little like he’s about to do something bad…”

Filina smiled mischievously as she spoke. Then Henry stared at Filina.

Cecilia asked with a curious look on her face.

“Lord Henry? I think he looks like he’s going to do good things…”

At her words, Filina raised the corners of her mouth.

“By nature, the prettier the face, the more dangerous it is.”

Cecilia tilted her head with a look of incomprehension.

Henry, on the other hand, was still staring at Filina with a blank expression.

It was upsetting to hear someone who didn’t know him properly say this, but he didn’t get upset in the slightest.

That made Filina feel more annoyed.

She didn’t just say that to see such an indifferent face.

Cecilia now turned to Henry and asked.

“What did Lord Henry think of Lady Filina?”

‘You’re not going to get back at me just because I said something offensive, are you?’

Filina intentionally picked up a cookie on the table as if she didn’t care about what he would say, and the sweet chocolate scent lingered at the tip of her nose.

She could feel his eyes on her.

Eyes that were somewhere obsessive followed the cookie in Filina’s hand and stayed directly on her lips.

Henry slowly opened his mouth.

“…I thought she was a very beautiful person.”

His low voice rang out in the parlor.

****

“Enoch, come here.”

Standing in the corner of the room, Filina called Enoch. She was looking down at a small piece of paper on the table.

But Enoch just stood there silently. Filina raised her head and said to him,

“I have a favor to ask of you.”

Her words didn’t move Enoch, who only slightly bowed his head.

It was his little rule not to come close to the inside of the bedroom.

When the maidservants were present, he used to come in and stay in a far corner, but when only Filina was with him, as they were now, he only stayed at the door.

He was considerate of the fact that perhaps Filina might feel a little inconvenienced that she was in the same space with a man.

Filina appreciated the consideration, but sometimes it was annoying.

Eventually, Filina sighed and moved her feet instead.

“Tell me the truth.”

As she approached Enoch, she crossed her arms with a clear face and said.

“I think you’re actually too scared to come inside my room.”

“…what do you mean?”

At Filina’s words, he slightly distorted his eyebrows and blurred his words. Then Filina took a step closer to Enoch.

She pushed one side of his shoulders lightly with her slender fingers.

“I’m afraid I’ll knock you down like this.”

She continued to speak with a mischievous expression.

“On the bed.”

Filina’s words caused Enoch to stare at her with widened eyes. Before he knew it, the tips of his ears had turned bright red.

She let out a small laugh at the sight of him.

“I’m kidding. Why are you so surprised?”

Filina looked unconcerned and held out a white piece of paper to him.

“Get me this sword.”

Enoch raised his eyes and stared at the paper as she held out.

“It’s probably old, so it will be hard to find the same one. The blade is probably not as sharp as it is now.”

On the paper was a drawing of Leon’s sword.

She drew only the features of the sword she knew. The hilt was round in shape and indigo in color.

It was blotched with as many years as the one Leon’s father had used.

It was not as sharp as the blade that was currently out there, and it was much heavier. For this reason, Leon’s friends told him to change his sword every time, as was their habit.

In fact, more than once he went out to catch demons with that sword and almost got seriously injured.

Nevertheless, the reason why Leon had stuck to the sword for so long was because it was the last remnant of his father’s life.

His father had fought in the war but his body was never found and left Leon with that one sword.

“It’s not as precious as you said, Young Lady.”

Suddenly she remembered what Leon said at the academy.

It was very heartless.

No matter how much of a stranger she was, he didn’t have to say that much.

“If they don’t have one just like this sword, have a blacksmith make one for me.”

Filina said as she calmly looked at Enoch.

“Instead make one better. So that the blade doesn’t break easily.”

Enoch, who silently stared at the paper he had received from her, asked in a subdued voice.

“Are you going to use it, Lady Filina?”

To his words, Filina replied with a small laugh.

“No.”

“….”

“I’m going to give it as a gift to a dear friend.”

Enoch, who had been quietly watching as her lips rose softly and drew a faint smile, dropped his gaze again and looked at the drawing of the sword on the paper.