IATAOTHKG | CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 14

Kalif despised it himself, but the truth was, he had quite a talent for photographs.

And what kind of talent was that?

Being able to smile naturally in front of a camera? (X)

Striking poses easily as the photographer instructed? (X)

Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of his face? (X)

Being handsome? (O)

Being tall? (O)

Having a great body? (O)

His face was everywhere—not just across his homeland, the Eastern Continent of Asirius, but throughout the Parman Empire.

Originally, photos of musicians, stage actors, or athletes filled those spaces, but about ten years ago, knights and mages had replaced them.

Among those, Kalif Lennox’s portraits were the top choice since he was both capable and handsome.

From the walls of the grand theater in the capital to high-end salons, noble galleries, and even the streets of the city square.

Even in the diary of a young girl who had just entered the Academy for Ability Users.

It was all Kalif Lennox.

“Pffft!”

Kalif suddenly spat something out loudly, grimacing as he coughed.

It seemed a makeup brush hair had gotten into his mouth.

“H-hah! I-I’m so sorry, Sir Lennox! I’m terribly sorry!”

A young makeup assistant turned pale and bowed repeatedly.

“It’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”

Mayna answered instead.

“What?”

Kalif snapped his head around and glared at her.

“Don’t worry about it?”

“Don’t take out your frustration on the staff just because you hate photo shoots. You’re scaring them.”

The staff looked at her with tearful gratitude, as if an army had come to save them.

“Whose side are you on?”

“As someone who also earns a salary, it’s hard to side with you, Sir Lennox.”

“As someone who also earns a salary, it’s hard to side with you, Sir Lennox.”

“I just had a weird brush hair go into my mouth!”

“Hey.”

“Would you like some water?”

Kalif pressed his lips together, visibly annoyed.

Not expecting a real answer, Mayna simply handed him a glass of cold water with ice.

He snatched it roughly and drank it down in one go.

“You look happy.”

Kalif handed her the empty glass, gazing up at her face.

Mayna didn’t reply, just took the cup from him.

Only afterward did she realize that the reflection in the mirror showed her faintly smiling, looking oddly excited.

Ever since Kurden had given her a vacation two days ago, she had been feeling strangely lighthearted.

More precisely, since the moment she found out where she would be going.

“Happy to be visiting your hometown?”

Kalif’s tone softened noticeably.

Mayna quietly nodded.

Home.

Just the thought made her smile.

“……”

Kalif turned his gaze forward again.

In the mirror, he saw Mayna’s faintly smiling reflection.

He let out a short chuckle, feeling an emotion he couldn’t quite explain…

“Wait. What are you doing to my eyebrows?”

“Sir Lennox, please stay still for once.”

“This guy just smeared weird charcoal on my brows.”

“It’s fine. You won’t die.”

“You’re really something.”

***

After finishing the shoot safely (somehow), Kalif left with Adonis for the Marquis Berryrich estate.

Mayna, after running some errands at the city bank, returned to Lennox Castle.

The time was 6 p.m.

Exactly four hours later, she was supposed to meet Kalif after his dinner and head to La Rundel Town together.

“Assistant, please take some of this lemon syrup too.”

“Thank you, Bavrad. Could you pour it into a large glass jar for me?”

After gathering gift-worthy items from the kitchen, Mayna headed to the storage room with Bavrad and Magia.

It was where they stored various gifts and rare goods they had received.

Of course, Mayna wasn’t taking things on her own—Kalif had told her to prepare them beforehand.

“Use a nicer cloth to wrap that, Assistant.”

Magia said this as Mayna carefully wrapped a black root mushroom that was said to extend one’s life by at least a year when boiled.

Then she fetched a red velvet cloth embroidered with gold thread and began to wrap it neatly.

“A vacation, huh? I’m so jealous! I wish I could go with you, Assistant!”

Hozie, who had come over just to meddle, jumped around excitedly.

Mayna smiled warmly but suddenly gasped when she checked the clock.

“It’s already almost nine.”

“You said you have to pick up Sir Lennox by ten, right?”

Magia asked, and Mayna nodded.

It took an hour by carriage to reach the Marquis Berryrich estate—barely enough time.

“We’ll finish loading the rest into the carriage, so please go get ready.”

“Then I’ll leave it to you.”

Mayna smiled apologetically.

She hurried to her room, opened the wardrobe, and packed enough clothes for three days into a large canvas bag.

Her hand reached for her usual plain cotton dress out of habit—but stopped midair.

The Winslet family lived together in La Rundel Village.

Seven aunts, three uncles, five aunts-in-law, and two uncles—each with their spouses and other relatives.

Even when attending parties, Mayna usually dressed plainly, but this was different.

This was home.

Tap—!

Closing the wardrobe, she dashed down the corridor to the far-end dressing room and opened an old wardrobe covered in dust.

She picked out three of her prettiest and most elaborate dresses—and jeweled shoes to match.

The shoes were coated in a thin layer of dust from long neglect.

“Ha.”

“Whew…”

She blew gently to clear the dust, carefully wiping them clean.

Not long after—

“Oh my goodness…!”

Magia’s first words upon seeing Mayna step into the garden were filled with awe.

“Wow… to think you’re this beautiful…”

“You’re insane, Assistant! I thought a fairy walked in!”

Bavrad and Hozie’s reactions followed right after.

In the nighttime garden, the moonlight shone down like a spotlight on Mayna.

Her light-blue chiffon dress shimmered with tiny beads like starlight.

Her hair, left down for the first time in ages, still bore the faint marks of being tied, and though she still wore her usual glasses, she looked like a completely different person—utterly stunning.

“Haha…”

Mayna smiled shyly and climbed into the carriage.

“I’ll be back. Take care of yourselves for the next three days.”

She leaned out the window to wave.

“Oh, right!”

She suddenly remembered something.

“Please make sure Sir Lennox’s bedroom doesn’t get dusty.

Count the Blue Potion bottles the Association sent and add them properly to the guild’s inventory. And, sometimes, Sir Lennox’s fans send letters—”

“Oh, Assistant!”

Magia cut her off, looking exasperated.

“Just go already!”

Bavrad laughed heartily and signaled the coachman.

Mayna laughed softly as the carriage began to move.

The castle gates opened, and the carriage sped through the night streets.

***

The Marquis Berryrich estate.

Even in the middle of the night, the grand mansion shone as bright as day.

Built from black marble, it was nearly as massive as a royal palace, and from beyond its high walls, drunken laughter from nobles spilled out.

“When is he coming out?”

Mayna muttered anxiously to herself.

Just then, the gates opened, and two men stumbled out.

Kalif, tall and impeccably dressed but walking like a scarecrow.

Adonis, his shirt unbuttoned halfway down, radiating reckless charm.

“Damn, the world is spinning.”

“Ugh.”

Their conversation carried clearly through the night.

“Sir Lennox, please help me walk.”

Adonis waved his arms around helplessly, but Kalif looked barely able to stand himself.

“Sir Lennox! Sir Hiaron!”

Mayna called out to them.

Both men, who had been slumping like wilted squid, suddenly raised their heads.

“Oh? Lady Winslet…”

Adonis’s face lit up as he stretched his arms wide.

He only called her by name when he was completely drunk; otherwise, it was always “Assistant.”

The distance between them closed quickly.

Kalif stopped first, breathing heavily, his expression weary.

No—rather than tired…

He looked lonely.

Loneliness couldn’t be seen, but it could be felt.

“Sir Lennox.”

Mayna called softly.

Kalif slowly raised his head.

“……”

When he finally met her gaze, he froze.

For some reason, his face showed utter surprise.