Chapter 504

Someone who suits you better

“Sion...”

Mia could only gaze in astonishment as Sion, having just concluded a heart-stopping duel, approached her. She found herself at a loss for words, unsure of how to respond. Should she offer comfort? Express her anger at his audacity? Or perhaps...Neew updates at novel/bin(.)com

Overwhelmed and bewildered, her thoughts raced in futile circles. Eventually, Sion came to a stop before her and quietly lowered his head. In a barely audible voice, he said, “I apologize, Mia, for exploiting your involvement in my schemes.”

“Exploiting me... for your schemes?”

“Yes. Echard mistakenly believed that I had some form of affection for you. Therefore, it was crucial for my parting gesture to him to end in my defeat, and a significant one at that. I had to make it seem like I was putting something irreplaceably dear to me on the line in order to teach him a valuable lesson.” He discreetly flashed her a grin. “Not a bad performance, I must say. I might have a future as an actor.”

“An actor? You were... acting”

Mia arched a questioning eyebrow, to which Sion shrugged.

“Indeed, and it seems I did a convincing job, given that I even managed to deceive you. Reluctant as your involvement may have been, it was essential to make this work, and for that, I am grateful. Thank you for playing along.”

With that, he turned and began to walk away, his pace indicating the strain behind his casual demeanor. A realization struck Mia, and she finally knew what she needed to do.

What I need to do is give Sion a much-needed lecture!

Mia assessed the situation. It was highly likely that Sion’s affection for her was genuine. What did that imply? In that case, he must have been sending subtle signals all along, possibly a way of saying, “I’m available for dates, just in case you were wondering...” She deduced that he had likely been playing a waiting game, hoping for her to make the first move. Unfortunately, this approach was doomed to fail. She knew from experience because in a previous timeline, she had played the same waiting game with him as the target, only to have all her signals go unnoticed.

Subtlety and waiting won’t work. Anne has made that clear; she’s my romance strategist. I need to be more direct with my signals. Modesty is important, but it shouldn’t hinder clear communication of my feelings!

Sion, on the other hand, was attempting to quash his feelings for her. While that was acceptable, the issue lay in how he framed it. He believed he was giving up on love for the sake of his brother, which was not the right perspective. His unrequited love was not due to his brother but his failure to make a genuine attempt to approach her.

Granted, I already have Abel, so even if he approached me correctly, it wouldn’t work out. But if he continues with his romantic pursuits like this, he’ll never succeed with anyone.

Her mind refocused, and she prepared to speak. Slowly. Carefully. But...

“Sion... Your duel with Abel was breathtaking. It truly was...”

The words flowed naturally, bypassing any deliberate selection. She found herself genuinely praising his duel.

“Losing wasn’t part of the plan, though,” he admitted with a wry smile.

Mia shook her head. “It was still an incredible duel, Sion. Just like you... You’re an incredible person.”

These were her unfiltered thoughts. For the first time in her life, she recognized, with absolute honesty, Sion’s remarkable qualities. She thought of the way he had dueled, adjusting his usual style to match Abel’s straightforward technique. She remembered how he had risked his life to save her from drowning, how he had faced the wolfmaster to protect her, and how he had acknowledged his mistakes and continued to strive forward despite the pain and guilt...

In the previous timeline, she had only seen his external elegance. Now, she saw the genuine charm it concealed. And she couldn’t help but wonder... What if?

What if things had been a little different? Could she have fallen for him? If she had mustered the courage in her previous life to take that crucial first step and approach him as her true, unguarded self, could they have shared a future?

No use pondering that now... I need to respond to him properly.

She took one final breath, allowed her nerves to settle, and looked at him with fresh eyes.

“You’re an amazing person, Sion. That’s why... I’m certain you’ll find a more suitable partner,” she recalled the words she had once uttered at a dance party. “Someone who suits you better than I do.” This time, she meant it. She believed that there was someone out there perfectly suited for Sion, and she genuinely wished him the best. It was a parting gift from her to him.

“...I see,” Sion said with a smile. “Very well. They are your words, after all. I’ll do my best to believe them.”

With that, he walked away.

“Prince Sion...”

A pair of concerned eyes watched him depart, brows furrowed with worry. They belonged to...