Chapter 6 – Are You Jealous, Captain? (Part 4)

The sky filled with dark clouds seemed to perfectly reflect her mood. Lena puffed out both cheeks.

The bustling street of the capital. Perhaps due to the gloomy weather, the bustling street was having a quiet afternoon.

Alhendore intertwined his fingers with hers and strolled through the bustling streets. She tried to pull her hand away, uncomfortable with the affectionate hold, but he wouldn’t allow it.

“No point in trying to run away. Why waste your effort?”

That’s right. Even if I did, it would still be within the knights’ order.

“I hate you, Captain…”

Her grand escape plan had completely failed. The sky, aware of her sadness, was also gray.

The once light blue sky had turned a dark gray.

The once pristine white clouds had become murky like old snow, and here and there, dark gray clouds were hanging low.

‘Clouds, clouds. Please rain down heavily.’

Lena earnestly wished for the dark clouds.

“Do you want to eat something?”

“Meat. Expensive meat.”

“Isn’t that a bit too bold?”

“It’s punishment for teasing me.”

“Alright, alright.”

What she slightly regretted that day was forgetting that Alhendore was actually a duke.

Restaurant Chuangre, where even the capital’s nobles had to make reservations months in advance to dine. Not only did he show up without a reservation, but he also took over an entire time slot.

Lena was astonished by his extravagant scale and couldn’t help but gape. She looked around, wide-eyed.

The overall wood tone decor featured paintings by famous artists on the walls. The dark brown chandelier with candlelight cast a gentle red glow.

The tables and chairs were also wooden, but the white tablecloths kept the atmosphere from being too dark. The dark brown carpet and candle stands on the tables exuded a luxurious feel.

“Why…… why go to such lengths…….”

“Because I wanted to be alone with you.”

“Oh…… okay…….”

“Eat a lot. My little lady.”

“I’m not a little girl, you know?”

Alhendore sliced the grilled salmon in front of him into small pieces and then swapped plates with Lena.

Watching him absentmindedly, Lena blinked her big eyes and picked up a fork.

“Drink only a little of this.”

Alhendore warned as he poured transparent sparkling wine into her wine glass.

“Is it strong?”

“For you, yes.”

“Geez!”

She didn’t think it would be very strong, but when he told her to drink only a little, she had to ask. It seemed like he was just trying to make her sulk.

She was about to gulp down the wine out of spite.

“If you want to sleep with me, you can drink it all.”

“Cough….”

“Oh, but of course, you won’t just sleep.”

His wide grin seemed entirely sincere, so Lena quickly put the wine glass down. She calmly chewed on the salmon he had cut for her and reached for her water glass.

“Why aren’t you drinking?”

“I just don’t want to.”

“Drink comfortably. It’s not like not drinking it will change anything.”

“….”

You didn’t really want to date but wanted that instead, didn’t you?

Somehow, it felt like a hunter fattening up the prey before cooking it.

Lena puffed out her cheeks in a sulk and glared at him.

“I’m joking.”

“Really?”

“Just eat.”

Alhendore picked up a fork and stabbed a garnish on his plate, then calmly fed it to her.

Caught off guard, Lena chewed the well-cooked tomato that burst with juice in her mouth, then quickly turned her head away.

This felt just like a date.

‘It is a date, right?’

They had drunk together many times, but this was their first meal at such a fancy restaurant.

Lena looked at him with a perplexed feeling.

‘Going on a date with the Captain…’

She had been on dates with her ex-fiancé, going to tea shops or walking along promenades. Each time, she had endlessly worried about how to please him.

She had spent so much time trying to overlook the habitual disdain directed at her that she didn’t even notice how time passed.

But now, it was Alhendore who was endlessly accommodating her.

The comfort of not having to worry until her head hurt, and the affection naturally directed at her.

A part of my heart felt warm and fuzzy, and it was quite enjoyable. 

After finishing the meal, he extended his hand like a gentleman in charge of escorting.

“Shall we go, little lady?”

Alhendore’s expression was so tender that she couldn’t help but laugh.

“It depends on how you behave, Captain!”

“Oh dear, I suppose I should do my best then.”

From then on, it was a series of very ordinary events.

The path they strolled along while holding hands was filled with vibrant flowers in full bloom. The roadside was bustling with the calls of street vendors.

They sold fruits and simple snacks. One stall in particular was selling eye-catching accessories.

“Wow, this is the same color as your eyes, Captain.”

Lena found a hairpin at one of the stalls. It was a large hairpin meant to hold up a bun.

The silver butterfly-shaped pin had amber-colored gemstones inlaid in the wings. The round yellow gleam reminded her of the Captain’s eyes.

Lena looked at Alhendore with a curious expression.

“Do you want it?”

“No! I’d rather it be sold somewhere far away where I can never see it again.”

“…”

As Lena turned away decisively, Alhendore followed her with somehow a dispirited step. Suddenly, his gaze fell on a pair of light green cufflinks.

“Do you want it?”

Following him with no hesitation, Lena quickly turned on her heels. It was an ordinary, uneventful day. Until that voice was heard.

“Miss Leshuriel.”

“Huh?”

At the sound of a greasy voice she hadn’t heard in a long time, Lena turned around. Galverd, looking somewhat dejected, was glaring at her as if he wanted to kill her.

Galverd, who had been kicked out of the Earl Paraton family and was wandering the bustling street.

He glared at them with bloodshot eyes. 

Look, that woman is no different, isn’t she?

He never imagined he would witness that woman’s infidelity here.

Galverd, who insisted he could never be kicked out, was shamefully dragged out by the family’s knights.

This time, his father seemed to be very, very angry.

Even the precious jewels and outer garments he was wearing were taken away.

‘Hand over everything you bought with my money and get lost, you scoundrel.’

Though he was his father, he was so petty.

Fortunately, he had a few coins in his name, so he withdrew the money from the bank before the Earl could stop him.

‘Why, why me…….’

How did I, born into a noble family and living without any wants, end up like this?

‘It’s all because of that woman!!’

Yes, it was all because of that lowly baron’s daughter. If it weren’t for her, his father’s business wouldn’t have failed.

He wouldn’t have awakened to forbidden relationships while sharing love with Canella. If he hadn’t enjoyed the forbidden, there wouldn’t have been rumors throughout the social circles that he was weak in the lower body.

One drink, two drinks.

He tilted his glass alone in his melancholy.

“Do you think I wanted to do that, hic!?”

Hiccuping, he lamented to his father, who wasn’t even there.

“I also! I also…… hic, loved her!!”

He had really thought about marrying Canella Lengay. He had broken off his engagement with Lena Leshuriel and even officially got engaged to Canella.

Yes, the engagement went smoothly. The problem was……

‘Ah, this is boring.’

Deviation was like a drug. Once you started, you could never escape it on your own. 

Enjoying forbidden love with Canella, he slowly lost interest once that love was no longer “forbidden.” The thrilling, secret love affair became utterly mundane.

Naturally, his eyes wandered to another woman, and he fell for Ariana Rasabea. The fact that she was the daughter of Marquis Rasabea was an issue, but the bigger problem was that she was also engaged. Forbidden and forbidden. What an exhilarating combination! However, the sweetness did not last long.

Ariana Rasabea’s fiancé heard the news and demanded a breakup, and through him, Canella also heard about Galverd’s infidelity. How could life become so entangled?

“This is all, hic! Because of that lowly baron’s daughter…”

The pile of empty bottles grew, and his mutterings increased.

“Ah, you’re being incredibly noisy.”

It was then that the drunken bums enjoying their drinks approached him.

“What, what is it? Hic!”

“I’m talking about you, you. You’re so noisy that my ears hurt. Don’t you understand?”

Galverd roughly swept his bangs up, snorting angrily.

“You scoundrels! Do you know who I am to dare speak to me like this?”

“And who do you think you are?”

Their eyes filled with ridicule as they glanced at him up and down. It was only natural, considering that Galverd now looked like an ordinary person, stripped of his expensive clothes.

“I am! The great and noble Galverd of the Earl Paraton household!”

His booming voice echoed through the tavern.

The surroundings suddenly grew silent, only to erupt with thunderous laughter from all around. The ruffians in front of him clutched their bellies and laughed uproariously.

“Hey, if you’re an Earl, then I’m a Duke, you bastard!”

A Duke?

There was only one Duke in the Empire, Alhendore Lengester. As that name flashed through his mind, Lena Leshuriel naturally came to mind.

“That, that lowly woman! That wretched girl! This, this!! It’s all because of that woman! That woman ruined my life!”

“What’s this crazy bastard talking about?”

Seeing him suddenly clenching his teeth and searching for a woman was creepy.

The ruffians cleared the way as if avoiding filthy excrement.

Galverd stormed out of the shabby tavern, still seething.

He was walking down the street with heavy steps when…

“Wow, this is the same color as your eyes, Captain.”

“Do you want it?”

An unforgettable voice was heard. Galverd quickly lifted his head and looked around. Then he spotted her, walking hand in hand with Alhendore.

‘Ha, haha! Hahahaha!!!’

No, it can’t be, it can’t be! It can’t be!

That girl was the same! What do you mean, no? All this time, while engaged to me, she had been enjoying her affair with the Duke!

Grinding his teeth, he approached them. The alcohol in his system dulled the realization that he was facing the ‘Duke’.

“Miss Leshuriel.”

A low, cracked voice tried to act like a gentleman. The instinctive pride of being a noble before this vulgar woman led him to act unconsciously.

Lena turned around, startled to see a familiar face.

‘What is this crazy guy doing here?’

For a moment, Lena thought a monster had appeared in the village. If she had a sword at her waist, she would have drawn it without thinking. That’s how different Galverd’s state was from usual.

Not only were dark shadows under his eyes, but his head was bowed while his eyes were staring straight ahead, making his eyes look wide open.

His pupils, as if they were about to pop out, glistened like dead fish eyes, and the whites and the area under his eyes were bloodshot.

The most bizarre thing was his body, trembling like an aspen tree, occasionally jerking as if in convulsions.

“Lena.”

Alhendore tightened his grip on her hand. He glanced at Galverd with a look as if seeing a pitiful creature.

Galverd’s hate-filled gaze, which had been directed at Lena, shifted to Alhendore.

See that! She was pretending to be innocent, but it was all a lie!

The fleeting sense of superiority he felt over a woman inferior to him shattered into pieces.

Galverd, trembling from his chin, muttered in a fit of rage.

“No way!! No, no, no!!”

He looked grotesquely insane as he screamed like a madman. To make matters worse, a sudden clap of thunder and lightning followed his outcry.

Rumble-!

“No way!”

Boom–!!

The already dark sky turned pitch black as if it were night.

‘He’s really lost it!’

Lena looked up at Alhendore, like a frightened deer. In response to her gaze, Alhendore growled softly.

“Galverd Paraton. Get lost.”

“Y-you……!”

Overwhelmed by Alhendore’s presence, Galverd tried to shout something but faltered.

Meeting those bright yellow eyes, he felt his intoxication drain away in an instant. A chilling coldness swept through his body.

Alhendore clicked his tongue dismissively and ignored him. Then, he gently patted her head and smiled tenderly.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes…….”

Galverd, still muttering something, was seen trailing behind them as they walked away hand in hand.

“No, it can’t be…….”

It was obvious that he felt wronged but was too scared of Alhendore to shout loudly. What a truly pathetic man.

‘Back then, it was true that it wasn’t.’

But somehow, is it wrong of me not to want to clear up the misunderstanding?

Lena, who had been glaring at Galverd, finally turned her head away.

Tap-.

“Huh?”

Drip-.

“What?”

As if Galverd’s sudden appearance wasn’t enough, a soft rain began to fall. The two, who had been staring blankly at each other, quickly started to run.

The rain, which had been gradually getting heavier, soon came down hard enough for the splashing water to be heard.

‘Ugh, nothing ever goes right!’

Seeing no sign of the rain stopping, Lena pouted and grumbled.

At that moment, she couldn’t even imagine what was coming. That in another sense, a person who was already mad had completely lost his mind.