She felt drained, as if she had just been caught in a storm. However, unlike her limp arms and legs, her heart alone beat fiercely.

She pressed her chest firmly with her hand as if to stop it, but nothing changed. Rather, every time she distinctly felt the pulsation that seemed about to burst under her palm, the red eyes that had desired her became not forgotten but increasingly vivid.

The heat Helios had displayed was very thick and deep. If he hadn’t withdrawn his hand first, she would surely have been devoured by that heat.

‘Different. It’s really different from before.’

Iella bit her lip tightly. Her rose-pink colored lips began to lose their color from the pressed part.

When his behavior toward her changed 180 degrees, she had only been suspicious. Rather than believing he had truly changed, she thought he must have some ulterior motive. After all, Helios despised and hated Ailexia.

That seemed like a premise that would never change.

But with what just happened, even that premise began to shake.

‘Is it true that the emperor hates Ailexia?’

Thinking about it, his atmosphere had been different since his behavior changed.

Even at the tea party, he had exuded a cold chill like midwinter that could crush everyone around him, but now it was a completely opposite, gentle atmosphere, as if spring had arrived and things frozen in warm sunshine were melting.

‘But…, it’s strange. The more I think about it, the less it makes sense.’

If it was true that he hated Ailexia, the suddenly softened atmosphere made no sense, and if he didn’t hate her, his previously sharp attitude couldn’t be explained.

His change was that sudden and contradictorily opposite. It wasn’t the kind of reaction one person would show. Unless they were different people….

At that moment, someone lifted the curtain and entered. Assuming it was naturally Helios, Iella immediately straightened her body. However, strangely, the presence of the other person remained behind her.

‘What is it?’

Feeling something odd, Iella unconsciously looked back. As soon as she met the red eyes, Iella jumped to her feet. Confusion and surprise spread across her face.

The jet-black hair, dark as the night sky, gently swaying and completely shattering her misconception, rather than the golden hair that shone brilliantly like the midday sun.

It was Chase.

“Ailexia? Why are you here……”

He also seemed confused by the unexpected sudden meeting, expressing his doubt while standing still. Then his gaze, which had been meeting hers, turned to Helios’s seat.

Naturally following his eyes, Iella belatedly discovered that another chair was placed to the left of Helios’s seat. Belatedly, the attendant’s words from earlier made proper sense.

‘So that’s why he specifically mentioned the right side.’

Come to think of it, it was only natural. This was the imperial family’s space, so a seat for the Grand Duke, the only other imperial family member besides the emperor, should have been prepared. He would attend as a member of the imperial family for a major event like the swordsmanship tournament, unless there was something special.

Especially since he was currently staying in the capital, not in the grand duchy. He would have needed to at least make an appearance.

‘I should have kept that in mind beforehand.’

She hadn’t realized it because her attention had been entirely focused on Helios even before entering this place. Iella inwardly scolded herself for not being careful and detailed enough, then glanced at Chase.

He was staring at Helios’s seat with a furrowed brow, muttering quietly, “What kind of prank is it this time……” He seemed to have immediately realized whose doing it was that she was here.

Iella pondered for a moment. Since they had met anyway, it was difficult to completely ignore him.

But the thought of initiating conversation when they weren’t on friendly terms also made her wonder if she really needed to go that far. If the situation somehow turned awkward, it would become quite troublesome.

‘And when the emperor returns, I’ll be stuck between the two of them….’

It was a situation that gave her goosebumps just imagining it. How suffocating and stifling it would be. To endure that, she needed to at least not waste energy beforehand. Having made a quick decision, Iella turned her body.

That would have been the case if Chase hadn’t spoken to her as if to stop her.

“…Did you get back safely that day?”

Iella had to think for a moment. She wondered if by “that day” he meant the day they went out to the streets together. It seemed too late to ask now.

Besides, since he had been monitoring the secondary palace, he would have already received reports about that day. Not just that day, but perhaps the events afterward as well. So there was no reason for him to ask her again.

But she couldn’t think of anything else besides that incident. Iella answered slowly with half-belief.

“Yes, well. I walked around a bit and then returned.”

“I see.”

Though she had answered after some consideration, his response was disappointingly bland. Iella was slightly taken aback, even wondering if he might be probing her because he was suspicious about her movements after they parted.

‘Didn’t he receive reports about me entering a deep alley or meeting Aster?’

As she just stared at him in puzzlement, silence fell between them. Iella met Chase’s gaze, not avoiding his eyes that looked at her with unreadable thoughts.

In contrast to the passionate cheers coming from around them, the stillness made it feel as if the two of them were in a different space.

“That time….”

Eventually, Chase broke the silence. Iella blinked at his appearance, which unusually seemed tense.

However, just as his moving lips were about to open wider, Helios entered, lifting the curtain. Discovering the two people standing face to face, he raised one eyebrow as if displeased.

“What are you two doing?”

“We were just exchanging greetings.”

It was Chase who responded to Helios’s slanted question. Chase concisely summarized the situation and then, as if nothing had happened, turned his gaze away from Iella and headed to his seat.

Iella followed him with her eyes, then turned her head, feeling Helios’s gaze from beside her. His staring at her somehow didn’t seem to have a good meaning.

Pretending not to know anything, she lightly nodded as if agreeing with Chase’s words and quickly sat down. Keeping her gaze straight ahead, she soon felt Helios sitting down beside her.

From that moment, an uncomfortable silence began.

‘…Ah, I want to escape somewhere.’

While in front of them, the rough energy of the competing knights and the hot cheers of the audience were swirling, here, her body was freezing in cold silence and chilling air.

Outwardly, Iella looked ahead as if nothing was wrong, but inwardly, she was writhing and struggling. It was truly too uncomfortable!

Whether he knew her feelings or not, Chase, who had been maintaining silence, opened his mouth.

“Is this why you asked me to attend on the first day.”

“That…… I’d like to hear what Uncle thinks.”

“I believe you already know without me having to say it directly.”

Correction. He clearly didn’t know her feelings at all. Iella felt the air sink further and become sharper, causing her to shudder. She wanted to shut Chase’s mouth.

“Well. There’s no other intention. I just thought it was appropriate for you to show your face at a major event since you’re in the imperial city.”

“……”

“And I simply wanted to accompany a guest who might be lonely alone in the secondary palace. Is there a problem with that, Uncle?”

Crack. Iella rolled her eyes at the sudden harsh sound and inwardly gasped. Fragments fell from under Chase’s hand, which was gripping the armrest of the chair.

She now wanted to shut Helios’s mouth too.

‘Fight when I’m not around!’

“Uncharacteristically, you’ve been taking care of guests a lot lately.”

“I’m trying to make up for it now. I don’t intend to create more things to regret.”

“What does that……”

“Waaaaaaah!”

Just as Chase was turning his head toward Helios at the incomprehensible words, a cheer distinctly different from the previous matches roared through the stadium.

Iella, who had been holding her breath with her body pressed against the chair during their confrontation, leaned slightly toward the arena.

The familiar navy blue hair sparkled under the sunlight.

“Is it already the last match.”

She heard Helios muttering beside her. On the first day of the tournament, there were fewer preliminary matches compared to other days, so they often ended early while the sun was still up.

“Hey! Show them what a desperate person can do!”

“Duke, finish it in one go!”

Conflicting cheers erupted from all around. Some raised their voices toward the knight facing the duke, while others cheered for Aster, wanting to see his renowned swordsmanship up close.

However, perhaps because his opponent was of common birth, the voices of criticism toward Aster were slightly louder. This was because the ratio of commoners among the spectators was higher than nobles, giving them a numerical advantage.

Iella hurriedly examined Aster’s expression. Though it was hard to see clearly from a distance, he seemed expressionless, as if feeling no emotion toward the criticism directed at him. Seeing this, Iella felt slightly relieved.

At that moment, Aster suddenly raised his head.

Toward where she was.