Chapter 149

“Are you… feeling shy?” Dalia continued teasing him.

“…”

“So, you are feeling shy. Is it because I look pretty?”

She smiled. It was a smile he had seen a million times every day but today it made him even more flustered. He was worried that his body might react to that smile and cause problems.

“Teacher, do you have to escort me so that no one else can touch me because I’m so pretty today?”

He had meant to do that. He thought she would have asked but she didn’t so he let it go. But now that she had asked, he felt his stomach churn up. Julius had sent her that dress. He wondered if Julius had told her what he planned while she was avoiding him. That bastard!

She has been worrying me for the past week, and now she is asking why I am escorting her. Does this woman not even know what it means when a man waits for her at the carriage? Why do you forget the social etiquettes so much, Dalia? Kaichen was speechless looking at her, appearing all pretty. He wanted to embrace her. He just nodded at her question without thinking.

“Really?!”

He smiled, seeing her so lively.

I’m such a fool. I’ve been a fool for a long time, but now I’ve become a fool who can’t even think properly. I’ve admitted to being crazy, but now I have to admit to being foolish and stupid. If you like someone, you may have to give up being a rational human being. The strange thing was Kaichen didn’t hate feeling like this as he had expected.

Even magic research could not reveal anything about it, and no antidote could be made to get rid of this addiction. I don’t even think I want to get rid of it in the first place.

He was annoyed that Julius had chosen that dress for her instead of him. She doesn’t usually wear dresses like that… will she be comfortable in it? Kaichen’s eyebrows twitched.

“Do you feel that it’s too revealing?” he asked.

“Um… Isn’t that how all dresses are?”

“How do you know if you haven’t worn one in years?”

“Teacher, how do you know how dresses normally are?”

“…”

“Have you seen many dresses?”

“No.”

“Then, have you met a lot of women wearing them?”

“No.”

“Then how do you know?” Dalia raised her eyebrows.

“That’s just what I think.”

“Hmm.” Dalia narrowed her eyes but didn’t say anything more. Perhaps she was upset because she pouted her lips.  He didn’t know why she was upset. Is it because I said it’s too revealing or because I pointed out that she hasn’t worn one for many years? Kaichen felt a prick of his conscience. I should have shut up. He held the carriage door open and suggested she get in

She looked at his outstretched hand and smiled. She took his hand and got into the carriage.

She smiled all through the process. She must have forgotten that she had been upset a moment ago.  He was a little worried if she could handle the ball because she was such a child.

I shouldn’t leave her side today. Of course, he was worried about her and the nobles who dominated the social world, but he married more about young aristocrats who were out to have fun and who might covet Dalia.  Ironically, the reason why she was receiving so much attention was because she was his disciple, which upset him even more.

“Teacher, you can’t leave my side today. I am nervous.”

“Of course,” Kaichen replied indifferently. He had intended to stick by her side anyway. She looked pretty and she was naïve regarding the social etiquettes, he couldn’t really leave her alone. Kaichen vowed about a dozen times to protect Dalia from those dung flies at the palace ball.

* * *

When the carriage headed to the Imperial Palace, I stole a glance at Kaichen. He looked so handsome – dazzling, even. I had never seen him in anything else except his magician’s robe. He looked like a completely different person.

When I first left the mansion door and saw Kaichen standing in front of the black carriage, I thought my heart would just stop beating. I even made up my mind not to make silly comments and tried taking a deep breath. The moment I saw him from afar, I had to stop walking and gather my thoughts to calm myself. It wouldn’t be a waste to watch him all day like this.

I don’t know what he was thinking about, but his thick eyebrows were stiff.