CHAPTER 25
Because I Wanted to See You
“Really? You’ll really let me meet that person?”
Zekter’s golden eyes sparkled as if stardust had been sprinkled densely upon them.
‘Actually, I haven’t told Aksion yet…!’
Ah, whatever.
“Of course! I’ll definitely let you meet them.”
Evelyn’s conscience pricked at her.
But seeing the boy swelling with anticipation, she wanted to make the impossible possible.
‘Because that would make Zekter happier than anything else!’
While she was steeling her resolve, Zekter spoke in a voice filled with determination.
“If you permit it, I would like to go with you too, Lady Evelyn!”
“Good, but will you call me Sister from now on?”
Evelyn was called Sister or Big Sister by the orphanage children.
Therefore, she wanted Zekter to call her Sister comfortably as well.
“Yes, Sister.”
As the quick-witted boy promptly changed his form of address, Evelyn showed a newly pleased expression.
Very good. He seems to have sense too.
On the other hand, she could vaguely picture her fiancé’s exasperated face.
To erase that image, she shook her head vigorously.
***
Having swiftly completed the sponsorship procedures, Evelyn spent the remaining time with the children as promised.
She taught them the Imperial language, did origami together, and played hide-and-seek.
And she had merely tried to show them a puppet play, which young children seemed to enjoy these days…
“Wow, you two really look like a real Princess and Prince!”
When one child shouted in a clear voice, the other children watching the puppet play began to agree one after another.
“Yeah, Sister is so pretty, and Brother is really handsome!”
“Are those two going to get married later?”
Though the adorable puppets were right in Evelyn and Kalid’s hands, the children only stared intently at their faces.
‘Somehow the puppets have become extras!’
Evelyn smiled awkwardly and glanced at the man beside her.
She was used to the children’s antics, but Kalid, visiting the orphanage for the first time, must be bewildered.
Therefore, she spoke in a more firm voice than usual.
“Kids, you shouldn’t tease adults.”
“But you really are a Princess and a Prince!”
Evelyn had to shed tears internally at the children’s pure innocence.
‘How embarrassed must the Duke be?’
When a short break came during the puppet play, she whispered quietly to Kalid.
“You must be quite troubled because of the children, right?”
“I’m fine, so please don’t concern yourself.”
Kalid shook his head and replied kindly.
Seeing him show not a hint of discomfort at something that could have been unpleasant, Evelyn was truly impressed.
‘He makes for quite a comparison with someone in our household.’
Despite being the same age as Viaron, Kalid possessed a mature personality that was hard to believe.
She wore a serene smile at the consideration flowing from the gentle man.
“I wish my brother resembled even half of you, Duke.”
“You seem to have a close bond with Viscount Inevassel.”
Evelin readily nodded her head.
“I think it’s the same as any other family.”
Though he sometimes annoyed her, it was true that she relied on Viaron to some extent.
Then Kalid, who had been lost in thought, muttered softly.
“Not all families are like that.”
For some reason, the man’s expression as he spoke those words seemed bitter.
‘Come to think of it…’
Evelyn suddenly recalled a setting she had forgotten.
That the male protagonist in the original story had an unhappy childhood.
The Likeran Ducal House had manifested abilities generation after generation, but Kalid had failed to reveal his ability in time.
Enraged by this, the former Duke had confined the young boy in the mansion and ruthlessly beat him.
Under the pretext that it was part of the training process to manifest his ability.
“I seem to have spoken out of turn.”
As if coming to his senses belatedly, bewilderment flickered in Kalid’s eyes.
Evelyn shook her head and tried to respond composedly.
“Not at all. It’s a secret, but I fight with my brother a lot too.”
When she deliberately brightened her voice to change the somber atmosphere, the man gazed at her intently.
“Hmm? Is there something on my face?”
At her urgent gesture of touching her cheek, Kalid wore a faint smile and shook his head.
“It’s nothing.”
Having spent time with the children with all her enthusiasm, Evelyn stretched her stiff body.
As evening was approaching, she intended to return to the Count’s residence before it got too late.
‘I did send an urgent message to my parents, but…’
Though they always believed in and supported her, she wasn’t confident about this matter.
Since bringing a sponsored child to the mansion was her own decision, she was prepared to be scolded.
Of course, she had no intention of bringing shame to the family. Rather, quite the opposite.
After sending Zekter ahead to the carriage, Evelyn finished speaking with the orphanage director.
And just as she rose from her seat and was leaving the director’s office.
A man with a familiar silhouette was leaning against the corridor wall, and she asked in a slightly surprised voice.
“Duke, you haven’t left yet?”
“I was waiting.”
“Pardon? For me…?”
A momentary disturbance flickered in Evelyn’s green eyes.
Kalid, who had been gazing at her intently, cast his eyes toward the window and replied.
“It seems late, so I shall escort you to your carriage.”
Evelyn followed his gaze. The sky had already turned red with the sunset.
She had brought a magic tool just in case, but it seemed she would need to use a teleportation portal to return to the Count’s residence.
While she was lost in thought for a moment, Kalid asked in a somewhat subdued voice.
“Perhaps… am I making you uncomfortable?”
“Ah, no! Not at all.”
Ugh, she stuttered in her haste to reply.
For some reason, the man’s expression seemed darker than before.
She couldn’t send away someone who had been waiting for her…
Evelyn, unable to bring herself to refuse the other’s kindness, lightly nodded her head.
“Then may I trouble you to escort me just to the carriage?”
At her words, Kalid’s face brightened with a subtle smile.
“Let us go then, Lady.”
Since the carriage was parked in the orphanage courtyard, she thought nothing would happen.
However, for some reason, the children were lingering in front of the courtyard, and Evelyn wore a puzzled expression.
“Could something be wrong?”
“We should go see quickly.”
Kalid also seemed to sense something unusual and spoke in a serious voice.
p>When the two hurriedly reached where the children were gathered.
“Hmm?”
Evelyn’s eyes grew round.
She rubbed her eyes slightly and looked at the figure before her.
Strange. My fiancé shouldn’t be here…
‘Am I seeing things now?’
As Evelyn’s face grew increasingly serious, a familiar voice came from the opposite side.
“What are you doing, Evelyn.”
“You, you…”
Her eyes widening once again like saucers, she urgently asked her fiancé.
“Aksion, why are you here?”
At her flustered voice, Aksion pulled his lips into a languid smile.
“Because I wanted to see you.”
Despite the rather romantic words, his tone was extremely dry.
Don’t even say such creepy things!
Evelyn wanted to confront him immediately, but there were many eyes watching them.
Perhaps it was her imagination that the children’s eyes seemed to sparkle even more than when watching the puppet play.
Kalid, who had been observing the two, soon offered a polite greeting.
“It’s been a while since we last met. Young Count Valentino.”
“I didn’t expect to see you again.”
Aksion, exchanging light greetings, raised one corner of his mouth crookedly.
‘I’m sure this has happened before.’
Evelyn swallowed the sigh she held back with an uneasy expression.
The man’s red heterochromatic eyes, shining vividly, soon reached her.
“I heard something strange.”
“What kind of story?”
Not knowing what words would come from her fiancé, tension settled in Evelyn’s green eyes.
At that moment, a child who had been staring up at them tilted his head and interjected into the conversation.
“Huh? Sister’s boyfriend, wasn’t he that brother?”
