Chapter 16
The sudden appearance of Eon was utterly shocking. It would have been surprising even if it were in the Magic Tower, but this was the center of Bynan City.
“Why are you here…?”
“For the same reason as Lady Sellinia, I presume?”
“The same reason?”
It was a terrifying answer. It could easily be interpreted to mean that he knew all about my plans.
‘Did he come to punish me? Or to interfere?’
I tried not to jump to conclusions. It was better to erase such reckless thoughts from my mind.
“You seem to be here to buy raw gemstones.”
I forced a smile, trying to appear composed. Eon only moved his head slightly. It wasn’t clear whether that gesture meant agreement or disagreement.
Eon’s interest wasn’t in talking to me—it was somewhere else. And that was incredibly fortunate for me.
“They say this is the best jeweler in Bynan.”
“Yes, and as expected, it’s very crowded. They said the wait would be long.”
“Because of the crowd… Is that what the clerk said?”
“Yes, so I was actually thinking of leaving.”
Eon let out a short sigh and shook his head.
“That’s incorrect.”
‘Incorrect?’
What exactly was incorrect? My clumsy acting? The entire plan? My heart dropped to the ground as he calmly turned his gaze. At the end of that gaze was the very clerk who had dismissed me earlier.
‘Brown hair and green eyes?’
I hadn’t noticed earlier. Then again, who but a killer would pay such close attention to the hair and eye color of passing strangers?
“It seems I’ll have to take charge of your education instead of Lady Sellinia.”
“Education? What do you mean by that all of a sudden…?”
What he said sounded less like its original meaning and more like a death sentence.
“Isn’t it only natural that a clerk who disrespects a customer be properly educated?”
“What?”
“Let’s not pretend to be surprised. Even I, from afar, could see that Lady Sellinia was being ignored.”
It seemed Eon had been observing my conversation with the clerk all along.
‘Was he here at the jeweler before me? Then maybe it’s just a coincidence our schedules overlapped?’
Any relief I felt vanished as his cold, murderous gaze sent a chill down my spine.
“So, are you saying you want to educate the clerk who ignored me?”
“Such rudeness toward my companion cannot be overlooked.”
His eyes remained fixed on the clerk—more precisely, on the brown hair and green eyes.
“Shouldn’t that be left to the store owner or manager? There’s no need for the Tower Lord to get involved.”
“I wonder if they can deliver the type of education I deem appropriate.”
That comment felt like he was about to turn my worst fears into reality. Of course, what he considered ‘appropriate education’ would be vastly different from normal discipline. No matter how rude the clerk was, no shop owner would demand they pay with their life.
I quickly stepped in front of Eon, forcing a smile as if to ask, “What are you doing?”
“I think you’re mistaken. The problem isn’t the clerk, it’s me.”
“To say that Lady Sellinia is the problem—that’s a novel perspective.”
“Look. Dressed like this, I’d be treated the same in any shop in central Bynan. The clerk just chose to serve someone who looked more important.”
I shook my cape for emphasis. Eon glanced between me and the well-dressed noble ladies around us. Then, as if reaching a conclusion, he nodded.
“I see. You make a good point.”
“Not that the clerk was right, but expecting good service in this outfit was unrealistic.”
Eon kept nodding, agreeing a little too enthusiastically.
“Because you shine so brightly just by existing, I failed to notice the rags you’re wearing.”
“…”
At this point, I couldn’t tell if he was mocking me or the outfit. More unsettling was that I couldn’t guess what he was trying to do.
‘I knew it was going too smoothly…’
Finally, Eon stopped nodding and turned around without hesitation.
“If this is the extent of their discernment, then there’s no helping it. Come with me.”
Come with him? The phrase sounded normal, but from Eon’s lips, it didn’t feel ordinary at all.
“To where?”
“Over there.”
He simply pointed outside the store. I had no idea where he meant, but maybe it didn’t matter. Even if the destination were paradise, I didn’t want to go anywhere with a killer.
“I’ll just stay here. I still need to buy something.”
I slowly tried to retreat. Not only did I not want to go with him, but it would also disrupt my plans.
“Even if you stay dressed like that, the clerk isn’t going to show you any premium gemstones.”
“I’ll just come back later in nicer clothes.”
“Do you have nicer clothes?”
“If I wear a better dress under the cape…”
“Lady Sellinia.”
Eon’s voice dropped.
“Wouldn’t it be better if you came with me?”
It was his second offer—and from his cold expression, it was clearly not a request. Nothing good would come of resisting further.
In the end, I followed Eon.
“Here?”
“Yes, here.”
“Why here…?”
Before he could answer, a gentle voice greeted us.
“Marquis de Grandnoir, it’s been a while.”
Though I had never seen her before, I knew exactly who she was.
She was Jean, the owner and head designer of the Jeanthierre Boutique. A place so high-end that I had no connection to it—yet it was so famous that it was impossible not to know.
“What kind of outfit are you looking for today?”
“Not for me—her.”
Eon pointed at me. I blinked as I looked around the boutique in a daze.
‘We’re here to buy me clothes? Seriously? But why?’
A thousand question marks floated in my head. It was better than being dragged to a dangerous place, sure, but I was still bewildered by his unclear intentions.
“Why?”
I asked again, but my voice was drowned out by Jean’s high-pitched tone. Still, I was sure Eon heard me—he just ignored it.
“Oh my, this young lady…”
Jean’s eyes sparkled with interest. It was the same look Selly had when she talked about the rumors. I could already imagine the assumptions she was making.
‘She thinks I’m a noblewoman coming to get a dress tailored with Eon…’
No one else knew I was basically being held captive by a killer, which made me feel terribly isolated.
‘This must be what it’s like to pass a police station but be unable to ask for help…’
“I’d like to look at some clothes for my companion.”
On top of that, Eon said something that would only add fuel to the fire. I quickly clarified my status.
“Hello. I’m a researcher at the Magic Tower.”
“Oh, a researcher.”
At the mention of ‘researcher,’ Jean’s excited voice lowered a bit.
“Yes, a researcher too.”
Eon emphasized the word too—as if I had some other role aside from being a researcher.
“Oh my, is that so?”
Jean gave me a strange smile again. Eon had an annoying talent for turning every situation in his favor.
‘I can’t just take this lying down, can I?’
I didn’t know what his true intention was for bringing me here, but I had just as much right to use the situation.
If he wanted to make me look like a noble lady closely connected to him, I’d be more than willing to play the part. After all, it benefited me too.
“Eon, is this a gift for me?”
I spoke with an excited tone. I wanted to blush, but the best I could do was lower my eyes and smile sweetly.
“Eon?”
He raised an eyebrow at the sudden change in how I addressed him…
