Chapter 33
Gremory was deep in thought. What Iris had said was indeed something she had once felt toward Chession.
She liked it when he patted her head, wanted to stay by his side and live peacefully while doing chores—and as for mixing bodies at night… she wasn’t sure.
“Aaaahhh! Don’t you dare touch my brother!”
Iris grabbed Gremory by the collar and shook her back and forth like she was beating out laundry.
“What are you talking about? I didn’t touch him. I just liked it when he patted my head.”
“It’s just affection! It’s just affection, right? Right?”
“What’s the difference between affection and love?”
“Affection is just… not disliking someone! It’s a feeling where you want to take care of them just a little bit more! That’s exactly it, right?”
“Yeah, I think that’s right.”
“Whew…”
Only then did Iris slump limply back onto the sofa. Gremory couldn’t understand what her deal was.
That evening, Gremory and Isolen went out to town. They visited a famous place in the city—Lois Café—and ordered black tea. Isolen was the only one who ate the cheesecake they ordered with the tea.
“You’re drinking tea again after having so much at the tea party?”
Gremory tilted her head while looking at the teacup placed in front of her.
“I just wanted to show you a famous café in the city. A café isn’t just for drinking something. You can soak in different atmospheres and have some silly small talk.”
At that moment, Gremory’s ears perked up as she heard a familiar voice. Not far from them sat Catherine Ortega, accompanied by a red-haired man who looked like her older brother.
“I’m telling you, that black-haired girl ‘Mori’ embarrassed me! You have to get revenge for me, big brother!”
“How dare some black-haired girl, who probably rolled in from god knows where, bully my sister? Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it. I’ll make sure she can’t buy a single grain of Orienite.”
“Right?! Everyone will have it except for her! She’ll be the only one who can’t carry it!”
The siblings were cackling loudly, scheming petty revenge. They were so noisy that even Isolen eventually noticed them.
“Do you think any of those revenge plots could even lay a scratch on you, Mori…?”
Isolen calmly sipped her tea without a hint of concern. How could ordinary noble siblings hope to beat Mori, who could crush even seasoned mages?
The Ortega siblings eventually got up to leave. As they headed toward the exit, they spotted Isolen and Mori. Isolen waved and smiled brightly, and Catherine’s face twisted in disgust.
Meanwhile, Kenneth Ortega… was completely smitten.
He fell for Gremory in an instant—the indifferent air she gave off, her elegant face like a proud cat.
‘Who is this dignified woman? Why won’t she even look this way?’
Catherine had thrown such a tantrum that he thought the woman named Mori must be vicious and strong-headed. But what was this beauty in front of him? He felt as if he were helplessly being drawn into those deep, dark eyes.
Their eyes met for a brief moment. Kenneth’s heart pounded. The black-haired beauty quickly looked away and sipped her tea as if nothing had happened.
‘How dare she look at me like I’m just a rock? Me, the eldest son of the prestigious Ortega family, the man considered the most handsome on the continent?’
Every gesture of hers was unbearably captivating. He wanted her—desperately. Had he ever felt this kind of obsessive desire before?
So what if she had a little fight with Catherine? That didn’t matter at all. Mori had done nothing wrong. It was just Catherine being overly sensitive again.
‘I must have her.’
For Kenneth, getting the woman he desired had always been easy. Every woman he had ever wanted, he had claimed—this time wouldn’t be any different.
He grinned confidently and stepped into his carriage.
The next afternoon. Chession was working in his office when he suddenly fell into thought. He stared at his bare pinky finger.
‘The ring Isolen gave me… the one Mori handed me. I had it on while thinking of Mori? And that’s how she was able to come to me so quickly?’
It felt strange. Why did I think of Mori at that moment? In such a dangerous situation?
It wasn’t because he needed help. If he had just been a bit more careful, he could have easily figured out the enemy’s position.
‘Why did I think of her?’
Chession leaned on his hand, lost in contemplation. Why had he thought of Mori—and no one else?
‘Was it because of the spider monster incident?’
Back then, Mori had protected him, and he had felt his heart race. Maybe some unconscious desire to be protected made him think of her?
‘Hah! Me? I, with the Empire’s strongest combat abilities, wanting to be protected?’
He let out a dry laugh, staring at the ceiling.
Impossible. It must’ve just been a coincidence that he thought of her… But still, for someone who treated every black-haired woman brought to the Grand Duke’s mansion like they were stone, why had he thought of Mori during a battle? Wasn’t that like how knights on monster hunts thought of their wives in the rough wilderness?
His brooding continued all the way through dinner. He had to eat alone—Isolen and Gremory had gone out to town.
When they returned, Isolen held out a small box.
“We’re back, Your Grace! We brought back some cake. Would you like to try some?”
“Thank you. I’ll eat it while working late.”
Mori stood beside her, but Chession pretended to be busy and avoided looking at her. She was getting under his skin for some reason.
Her round eyes were so pretty… no, eyes were supposed to be round, but hers seemed especially round. Her ability to turn into a cat was adorable. Her rare ability to teleport using a ring was almost dangerously charming.
The way she chewed goat bones to bits was impressive, yet she liked soft blankets and being petted—that contrast was strangely endearing.
‘I must be going crazy.’
At first, he suspected she was a witch. Now, he was suspicious she might be… too beautiful.
‘…So what if she is beautiful? Am I planning to make her my lover or something? Ridiculous. I should focus on work instead.’
Chession resolved to erase everything about Mori from his mind.
After spending the night working overtime and finishing breakfast the next morning, he was wandering around the Grand Duke’s estate when he spotted Mori in the maids’ break room. His face started heating up for no reason, and he tried to avert his gaze. But then, something about the paper she was holding toward the fireplace caught his attention.
“Mori, what are you doing?”
Please tell me that’s not an important document…
“It didn’t seem important, so I was going to use it as kindling.”
Just as Gremory was about to throw the paper into the fireplace, Chession swiftly snatched it from her hand.
It turned out to be none other than a love letter from Kenneth Ortega, the young duke.
“…I fell for you at first sight. I’m terribly sorry I couldn’t greet you properly that day because of my sister.
Your charm is deadly. Your haughty expression, pale and delicate skin, and that captivating black hair… Your eyes—how clear they are! Would you please allow only me to be reflected in those obsidian-like orbs of yours?”
Chession read up to that point and then—
Yeah. He’s gonna burn it himself