HTSA CH 15

Chapter 15

Something happened that further angered Kadin, who was already in a foul mood.

A letter arrived from his family home.

With an uncomfortable expression, he glanced at the letter on the table before tearing open the envelope.

[Recently, the Blanche Family sent us a formal apology regarding Eila’s actions.
They also announced that they would soon recognize Roshia, their newly confirmed biological daughter, as the family’s official heir.
To uphold the honor of both families and solidify our relationship, we intend to revisit the engagement between you and Roshia Blanche in the near future.
We will arrange a meeting between the families soon…]

In short, this tedious letter meant he was expected to become engaged to Roshia in the coming days.

At the end was his father’s hastily scrawled signature.

“Tch.”

Frustrated, Kadin crumpled the letter in his hand.

An engagement with Roshia.

As the descendant of a prestigious ducal family, she was undoubtedly the perfect bride.

She seemed kind-natured, and he had heard she possessed remarkable magical talent.

If they were to marry, she would undoubtedly support him well.

Kadin was well aware of the benefits this union would bring, so he had no intention of opposing his family’s wishes.

But did that mean he had to give up on Eila?

Suddenly, the image of Eila’s tear-streaked face flashed through his mind.

Her sorrowful yet strangely captivating aura made her even more beautiful than before.

And lately, the fact that she was rejecting him only irritated him further.

“It’s still too much of a waste to let her go like this.”

But Eila had already refused him once, saying:

“I don’t want to hurt Roshia any further.”

Was she trying to act noble, or did she truly mean it?

He found it ridiculous that she would reject his generous offer over something so trivial.

Yet after seeing her with Felix in the infirmary, Kadin couldn’t shake the thought that she might have been serious.

It felt as though she was slowly slipping from his grasp.

If he forced the engagement now, he had a sinking feeling Eila would leave him for good.

“That can’t happen.”

Resolved, Kadin stood up and pulled out a fresh sheet of paper, penning a reply in neat handwriting.

[Even if the engagement is kept private, rumors will spread quickly.
It would be better to proceed with the engagement ceremony at a more leisurely pace. Besides, I’m currently too busy with my studies to spare the time.]

Kadin didn’t want to lose Eila. To prevent that, he had to delay the engagement with Roshia—at least until he could soothe Eila’s wounded heart and bring her back to his side.

Given enough time, he was confident he could persuade her.

Once she changed her mind, everything would naturally fall into place.

Roshia would become his respectable wife, and Eila would remain by his side.

He had no intention of losing either of them.

Recently, the academy had been buzzing with gossip about Eila, who had overnight fallen from nobility to commoner status.

It was shocking enough that she had dared to break off her engagement with Kadin, but now she was seen mingling with Felix, a commoner knight.

What made it even more scandalous was that Felix was infamous for keeping to himself and never forming close relationships with anyone.

“Are those two involved? Are they dating or something?”

Mischievous students wasted no time in confronting them, demanding to know the nature of their relationship.

But Felix, as usual, ignored their questions entirely.

Only Eila responded with a calm, straightforward answer.

“We just became friends after Felix helped me out recently.”

She firmly drew the line, insisting they were nothing more than friends and warning against baseless speculation.

But no one believed her.

“They’re always together! How can they not be dating?”
“Exactly. And this is the first time that commoner has ever stuck to someone’s side like this. Even if Eila has no feelings, who knows about him?”
“Honestly, how can Eila just start hanging around with a lowly commoner like that? She used to be a noble too. Has she completely abandoned her dignity?”

Roshia listened to the noble girls’ chatter with a cold smile.

‘Ditching a man like Kadin for a commoner… How stupid.’

She scoffed at Eila’s foolish choice.

After all, finding a man as exceptional as Kadin would be nearly impossible.

Coming to the academy had definitely been the right decision.

Remembering her fortunate encounter with Kadin a few days prior, Roshia’s cheeks tinged faintly pink.

“Hello, Senior Kadin.”
“Roshia Blanche?”
“Y-Yes!”
“What brings you to the swordsmanship department?”
“I came to see my brother. I also wanted to greet you properly after enrolling, but… I never expected to run into you here.”

Truthfully, she hadn’t come to the swordsmanship department out of genuine concern for Cedric.

She had only stopped by in hopes of running into Kadin—and fate had smiled upon her.

“I should’ve visited you first, but I’ve been too busy to spare the time.”
“It’s alright. I understand you’re occupied.”
“Let’s have a family dinner soon. Ah, Senior Cedric is at the training grounds. I’ll escort you.”

Kadin was every bit as courteous and kind as she had imagined—even personally guiding her to Cedric.

Though their time together had been brief, Roshia was thoroughly satisfied.

‘Could he already have feelings for me? Otherwise, why would he be so attentive even before our engagement?’

Her face warmed at the thought.

‘Oh no, I like him so much.’

The mere possibility that he might be interested in her instantly lifted her mood.

At the same time, she couldn’t help but find Eila’s blunder laughable.

If it were her, she would have clung to Kadin’s side at all costs.

She certainly wouldn’t have risked angering him by associating with some commoner.

Then, a slight frown creased Roshia’s brow as a sudden suspicion crossed her mind.

‘Wait… What if this is all part of her plan?’

In her eyes, Kadin wasn’t the type to give up so easily.