Chapter 121
“If it’s clothes you need, we can easily borrow them. Of course, they may not fit perfectly like your own clothes, but there are various sizes available, so you can find something comfortable,” the Empress said.
With the Empress’s words, obtaining training clothes became easily possible. If necessary, they could even send a servant to fetch Estelle’s clothes.
“Oh, please check if the palace training grounds are available right now,” Beatrice instructed a maid.
Estelle looked around at the people present, unsure of what to do in this sudden situation.
“You don’t have to go to such lengths for me, Your Majesty. I don’t want to cause any trouble for the tea party…” Estelle began to protest.
“Don’t refuse, Estelle. Everyone here is accustomed to wielding swords, so they’ll welcome such an occasion. Isn’t that right?” Beatrice looked around.
No one dared to contradict her. Who could say ‘no’ to a tea party proposed by the Empress at a royal gathering?
Neither Zenon, Killian, nor Sophia could dare to utter such words.
“Your Majesty, Sophia, and I should probably head back,” Ian spoke up.
Then, daring to make such a statement…
It was Ian Fraus, and even Zenon, who regarded him as superior, paled at his words.
Sophia was equally surprised.
‘Why am I being dragged along!?’
If one were to die, they should die alone. Why try to drag someone else into the swamp by holding onto their ankles?
Even the Empress, who was well versed in social affairs, seemed somewhat taken aback this time.
“Is Ian busy with work?” Sophia asked.
“And with the Black Moon incident, and also… there’s some family matters as well,” Ian replied.
“What kind of matters?” Sophia inquired.
But Ian did not respond to Sophia’s question and instead pulled her aside.
“If you enjoyed the tea party enough, may I leave first?” He pointed to his watch.
It had been over an hour since they had been chatting.
It might seem like a long time, but an hour was barely enough for a meal and some conversation.
To say they thoroughly enjoyed the tea party was a bit rigid in terms of time perception.
“I’m sorry, but if that’s the case, then there’s nothing we can do.” Beatrice nodded in understanding.
“No, Your Majesty. I will stay a little longer,” Sophia waved her hand, saying it was not a problem for her and Ian.
She couldn’t just leave only Killian and Estelle with the Empress; it wouldn’t be right!
Then Ian looked at Sophia.
It was a somewhat chilling gaze.
“Well, then, unfortunately, I’ll have to go back alone,” Ian muttered.
Ian’s grim gaze then turned to the table.
As he prepared to leave, his hand, putting back on the jacket he had taken off, accidentally knocked over the custard pudding that had been on Sophia’s side of the table.
With a clatter, the pudding fell from the table onto Sophia’s dress.
‘Was this intentional!? One hundred percent intentional!’
As Sophia looked at him with a shocked expression, Ian calmly looked at her with relaxed eyes.
“Oops, my mistake.”
Not a mistake, you bastard!
“Your clothes got dirty,” Ian said, raising the corners of his mouth with an expression that seemed to say, ‘What should I do about this?’
“What are you doing, Sir Ian?” Killian couldn’t stand it any longer and spoke up.
Then Ian grabbed Sophia’s wrist as if to break it.
“Since your clothes are completely dirty, I think I should take Sophia with me.”
Ian roughly pulled Sophia, who staggered helplessly in his strong, unfeeling grip.
“Sir Ian Fraus!”
Killian raised his voice at Ian’s rough behaviour. But Ian didn’t even bat an eye.
It seemed as if the two were about to engage in a second round of their duel in the arena.
“Well, unfortunately, it seems best for Sophia to go back with Ian,” Beatrice remarked.
At that moment, Beatrice intervened to calm the situation.
Ian’s hand, which had grabbed Sophia under the Empress’s sanction, loosened.
“But, Your Majesty, I also want to see Estelle’s skills…!”
“I understand your sentiment, but as Ian said, if there are family matters, wouldn’t it be better to return now?” Beatrice gestured with her eyes.
Zeno and Nicholas also did not seem to welcome Sophia.
No, more precisely, it was a look that said, ‘That bastard is doing this, so take responsibility and take him out.’
‘Wow, is the situation really unfolding like this?’
Sophia pinched her forehead in disbelief.
Killian also felt he couldn’t hold on to Sophia any longer.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Ian, who had set the situation as he wanted, unexpectedly bowed deeply with a lot of courtesy.
Sophia felt like she wanted to hit him hard on the back of his head.
“Just go back with Sir Ian, Sophia.”
When Sophia looked anxiously at Killian, he squeezed her hand as if to say not to worry.
As permission was granted by the Empress, Ian bid farewell to Zenon, ignoring everyone else—typical Ian behaviour—and briskly walked away with Sophia.
“Ian, hey, wait! Ian Fraus! I’m not going! Because of you, the pudding spilled, and what is this…!”
“Just buy another one; it’s just pudding.”
As he stepped outside the palace, he looked back at Sophia with irritation.
“No, the pudding isn’t the problem right now!”
“Then what’s the problem? Do you want to watch that pink head swing a sword? Even without eyes, you can see that topic, can’t you?”
“I can see it even without eyes! Anyway, Estelle promised me to show her skills before…!”
Even today, she have no idea what might happen to Estelle! Killian might get caught trying to help Estelle, and it could end up getting the Empress’s attention!
“Just come along quietly.”
“Ugh!”
Ian let go of Sophia, as if tossing her out of the palace.
Sophia was genuinely angry at his rude and rough behaviour.
“Why are you like this today, Ian?” Sophia raised her voice to him.
‘Why? I don’t know. No, I do. Because you’re not a Fraus.’
‘Since then, I keep getting mad every time I see you.’
“Stop sulking, Sophia,” Ian said, almost as if threatening her.
However, Sophia didn’t bat an eye at his warning and continued to stare at him.
“Did the Empress order you to take me away in advance?”
“What are you talking about?”
“That’s strange! You, who usually don’t even pay attention to me…!”
“I never even paid attention to you…!”
Ian, who was refuting, stopped mid-sentence.
“You’re suspicious. Dragging me out like this without even notifying me about the tea party…!”
“What’s suspicious about that? Do you think I’m some kind of trash manipulating things behind the scenes like that Grand Duke?”
“You are manipulating things! Intentionally spilling the pudding…! And stop calling His Excellency trash. You shouldn’t treat him like that!”
Can you please stop with that damn ‘Your Excellency’ talk?”
“I’ll be the one to decide whether to use ‘damn.’ Why the hell are you acting like this?”
Ian paused for a moment.
Sophia’s audacious emerald eyes continued to stare him down.
“Get in the carriage.”
When the carriage arrived, he swiftly lifted Sophia into it.
“What are you doing, seriously! You didn’t even answer my question…!”
Bang!
Ian shoved Sophia into the carriage and slammed the door shut.
But Sophia wasn’t about to let it slide so easily. With a swift movement, she opened the door that had just been closed.
“You think you can just do as you please?”
Even if she couldn’t return to the tea party, she didn’t want to comply with being forcibly handled like an object.
“Sophia!”
Expecting the door to remain closed, Ian was surprised when Sophia opened it.
At the same time, Sophia jumped out of the carriage.
However, just as the impatient Ian urged the coachman to depart, the carriage was already starting to move.
“Oops!”
Due to the momentum of her sudden exit, Sophia’s centre of gravity faltered.
Thud!
In the end, Sophia fell to the ground with a thud, landing ungracefully.
“Ouch…”
Sophia winced as she rubbed her sore ankle.
“Embarrassing…! It’s more embarrassing than painful!”
It was all because of the high heels. If only she had worn sneakers, or better yet, flats, she wouldn’t have failed so spectacularly upon landing.
Feeling embarrassed as she lifted her head.
“Damn, are you crazy?”
Ian rushed over, kneeled beside her, and supported her.
His exaggerated reaction only added to Sophia’s embarrassment.
“I-It’s fine!”
Sophia tried to stand up, but Ian grabbed her ankle and supported her.
“Ow!”
The spot he touched throbbed.
It didn’t seem broken or sprained, but it definitely felt twisted.
“You idiot. Who jumps out of a moving carriage while wearing heels…!”
“And who forcibly puts someone in a carriage! I’m not your baggage…!”
Sophia poured out her embarrassment and anger at Ian, who couldn’t retort.
He seems to know his fault.
Thinking she had won the argument with Ian, Sophia tried to stand up confidently.
But Ian grabbed her.
“Stay still.”
Then, he swiftly lifted her into his arms.
