Chapter 34. Can There Be Friendship Between a Man and a Woman?

“If Yuna hadn’t married His Highness the Grand Duke, she would have married me.”

Theo clenched his jaw muscles at Asarim’s words.

“Usually, heirs marry each other.”

“……”

Asarim didn’t avoid Theo’s gaze, where blue flames seemed to flicker.

“In this world’s terms, I think they call it being betrothed?”

Theo chuckled.

“No. We call that ‘you’ve got to be kidding’.”

“What?”

Asarim’s eyebrows twitched.

“It’s what we say when someone says something ridiculous.”

Asarim frowned at Theo’s words.

“Why is it ridiculous? I’m the heir of Apan, and Yuna is the heir of Coho.”

“That’s something that didn’t happen, and won’t happen in the future.”

Theo’s expression hardened coldly as he answered firmly.

Asarim shrugged, feeling Theo’s cold gaze.

“I was just saying it could have been. It’s just a hypothetical.”

Theo sneered at Asarim.

“Sure. Everyone has their illusions.”

Asarim glared at Theo with a stiff expression. His golden eyes rippled quietly.

Theo didn’t avoid Asarim’s gaze either.

The two just exchanged cold glances without speaking.

The situation was uncomfortable for Yuelina as well.

Especially since Asarim’s attitude towards Theo seemed to be crossing the line even from her perspective.

Yuelina steeled herself and opened her mouth to say some harsh words.

“Asarim, why are you saying such things? As Theo said, that’s on the ridiculous side of things!”

“Yuna!”

Asarim pouted, looking aggrieved.

On the other hand, Theo couldn’t help but smile at Yuelina’s words.

He found it utterly adorable how Yuelina spoke in such a straightforward manner, not even knowing what that phrase was used to mock.

Asarim shrugged when Yuelina didn’t soften her resolute expression.

— Sorry, Yuna. I went too far trying to test if he’s a good person.

— What are you trying to test with this person?

Asarim smiled at Yuelina.

— I need to know if he’s someone who will protect you, or if he’s a bad guy, right? That’s why I provoked him.

Yuelina countered, lightly hitting the table with her small, cute hand.

— How can you not see how reliable and diligent he is!

— You don’t know that yet, Yuna. You shouldn’t trust people so innocently. This place is different from our village.

— You’re the one who doesn’t know! Theo always goes hunting for the people of the principality, covered in blood!

Asarim’s eyes widened in surprise. He glanced at Theo.

— Really? Is he that brave?

Yuelina nodded with a proud smile.

— Yes. So I hope you’ll let your guard down. Theo always tries to be good to me.

— Hmm. Is that so?

— Rather, I feel that I’m lacking a lot.

— How could you be lacking in anything?

Despite Asarim’s supportive words, Yuelina continued with her gaze lowered.

— Asarim. I want to be helpful to Theo… If you act like this too, it just makes me feel awkward.

Asarim let out a soft sigh.

He hadn’t come all this way to see Yuelina in distress.

— I’m sorry, Yuna. I didn’t mean to make things difficult for you.

Theo was very concerned about Yuelina and Asarim suddenly speaking in a different language.

But seeing Asarim’s attitude soften, it seemed like Yuelina was scolding him, so Theo chose to just watch quietly.

However, now Yuelina was hanging her head, looking very dejected.

Theo glared at Asarim with an unpleasant face.

Asarim scratched his head, looking embarrassed.

“Your Highness the Grand Duke. I’m sorry, Sir. My joke went too far, Sir. Actually, I do know how to be polite, Sir.”

“What’s with that weird way of speaking?”

“To be polite, you just add ‘Sir’ at the end, right, Sir?”¹T/N: adding 요 at the end of a sentence or phrase in Korean is a common way to make your speech more polite, but since there’s no direct translation for that, I’m using Sir

Asarim grinned with a satisfied face.

“Anyway, thank you for taking good care of Yuna, Sir.”

Theo felt even more annoyed at Asarim’s strange nuance, which was neither casual nor polite.

Asarim was not only the most dislikeable person he had met recently but also the most unpredictable.

Unaware of Theo’s boiling insides, Asarim spoke with a bright expression.

“Yuna and I are friends, Sir. Old friends. Friends who always fight and joke around.”

Asarim winked at Yuelina with a playful smile.

“Yuna always said she liked reliable people, looks like her wish came true.”

Yuelina’s face turned shyly red.

On the other hand, Theo tilted his head at Asarim’s tone, which seemed to be praising him.

Was he really just showing a sharp reaction out of concern for his friend?

Well.

Having been close friends in the village all their lives, he might have been worried about a friend who had gone far away.

Theo gently swirled his wine glass.

“Theo, why is the fork bent?”

Yuelina pointed to Theo’s fork placed next to him.

The fork, which should have been straight, was curled up. It was the fork that Theo had bent earlier when he applied force.

Theo spoke with a deliberately calm face.

“It’s supposed to be like this. It’s a new fork Ulysse brought.”

“Really? Isn’t it inconvenient?”

“Not at all. I find this comfortable.”

He quickly hid the fork by wrapping it in a napkin while discreetly holding it.

“Well then, Yuelina’s friend must be tired from the long journey, so it would be good to rest.”

Theo stood up to call Ulysse and tell him to guide the guest to a room.

“Yuna, let’s go rest now. Where’s your room?”

At that moment, Asarim’s voice pierced Theo’s ears.

Where is Yuelina’s room?

Why are you curious about that?

“Ah, my room isn’t in this building. It’s behind the mansion.”

“Really? Then let’s go. We’ll chat all night like old times. Aren’t you curious about who won the warriors’ tournament this time?”

“Yes! I’m curious! Who won?”

“Hehe. It was a tournament with a twist. I’ll explain in detail.”

“That sounds fun!”

Listening to Asarim and Yuelina’s conversation, Theo thought something had gone seriously wrong.

Chat all night?

They’re going to talk alone, together, in Yuelina’s room?

No way.

I must have heard wrong.

Theo spoke precisely to Asarim, trying to maintain a nonchalant expression.

“The guest room is in this mansion. On the third floor.”

“Ah, Your Highness the Grand Duke. I’m fine, Sir. I can sleep with Yuna, Sir.”

“Sleep… together, you say?”

“On our island, friends usually sleep together, Sir?”

Theo couldn’t help but laugh.

Friends?

Can there be friendship between a man and a woman?

There was no such thing in Theo’s dictionary.

No, even if it were Yuelina’s female friend who had come, that wouldn’t be acceptable.

“There’s no such law in the principality.”

“Friends can’t even sleep together, Sir?”

“Friends or not, you need to sleep separately. If you have things to talk about, do it during the day. In the reception room.”

Theo called for Ulysse, who was waiting in the corridor, as if it wasn’t worth listening to anymore.

“Guide him to the guest room.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Ulysse approached where Asarim was sitting.

“Shall we go?”

Asarim stood up, showing a regretful expression.

“Yuna, it’s a shame. They don’t even let friends talk here.”

“Let’s talk tomorrow. You must be tired, so go in first. I’ll come to see you tomorrow.”

“No. I’ll go after seeing you off.”

“No, you go first.”

Theo was exasperated by Yuelina and Asarim’s conversation.

What are they doing now?

They’re throwing a tantrum because they don’t want to part. Seeing Yuelina indulging this made him even more irritated.

They’re not children, and yet that tall fellow…

Theo disliked Asarim even more. If it were him, he would have quickly gone to his room to let Yuelina rest comfortably.

Moreover, Theo was feeling a slight sense of alienation watching Yuelina and Asarim arguing about who should go first.

He even had the illusion that he was interfering between the reluctant-to-part Yuelina and Asarim.

“Go. All of you go. Everyone goes at the same time.”

But Theo wasn’t one to feel guilt or regret.

If he was going to be cast in the role of the evil stepmother interfering between the two, he was determined to play that role perfectly.