Although the midsummer heat was at its peak, the nobles held parties every night.
A table decorated with a lush array of summer flowers was filled with sweet fruit pies, and guests were served refreshing, sparkling champagne to accompany their meal.
“Time flies so fast. It’s already summer.”
Lark spoke to Sergey, who was watching everything with a bored expression.
Sergey glanced at Lark, then looked away again and answered indifferently.
“Human time passes too quickly.”
“That’s right.”
Lark took a sip of the champagne in his hand and glanced up and down at Sergey.
‘It looks like you’re still growing. You were about the same height as me when we met early last year.’
Sergey, who had been about the same height as Lark, was now half a foot taller than him.
And in just a year and a half, he had gained a more mature aura, and at first glance, he looked like a real man, even though his face didn’t look that old.
That alone made Lark a little offended, but he skillfully put on a friendly face and got to the point.
“Oh, By the way, have you had any interaction with my cousin, Elaine?”
“Why do you ask that?”
“I check on Elaine from time to time to see how she’s doing at the temple, and I heard some strange news a while ago.”
“Strange news,…?”
Although it was a question, Sergey’s attitude did not seem to be that curious about Lark’s answer.
Lark realized that Sergey had already decided not to pay any attention to him. But he had to say what needed to be said.
“I heard Elaine was with you. Is that true?”
“Oh, that’s what it is? I was wondering what it was because you said it was strange news. To answer your question, yes, it is true. Is there a problem?”
Sergey was showing clear hostility beyond being brazen. Lark was more puzzled than angered by it.
‘It’s not a mistake. Why does this guy hate me?’
There were very few people in the social circle who disliked Lark Newt. Especially not people who disliked him without even having a proper conversation.
That is unless the girl they had a crush on liked Lark.
But that wasn’t the case for Sergey.
Even the Count of Lindell family, who had recently been trying to expand their family’s influence, had no reason to show their dislike for the heir of the Counts of Newt, who were also a powerful family.
Even if they were politically opposed, it was the noble way to greet each other with a smile on the outside.
“Oh It’s not really a problem,…I’m a little worried. Elaine is so naive and still awkward when it comes to romantic feelings.”
“Then don’t worry. We’re just friends.”
“I’m sorry. I believe there is no friendship between men and women.”
“I see. You think differently than I do.”
Sergey answered without even looking at Lark.
Lark was quite offended by Sergey’s rude attitude, but still thought he was in an advantageous position.
Sergey seemed to want to keep meeting Elaine, and Elaine herself belongs to Lark. Of course, he had no intention of allowing them to meet.
“I don’t know how you came to be friends with Elaine…. but I would like you to refrain from meeting Elaine in the future.”
“Why?”
“Because it could tarnish Elaine’s reputation. It would spread rumors that a child who should be diligent in her religious life is having a lover. And it’s none other than Count Lindell’s son.”
Sergey chuckled at those words.
Even Lark, who had been holding himself back well until now, could not hide his displeasure at that smile that was clearly a mockery.
But Sergey didn’t seem to care at all.
“That’s a funny thing to say.”
“What part of what I said was funny to you?”
“From beginning to end.”
Sergey took a sip of champagne and continued.
“If you believe that the saints never date and only focus on religion, then you are truly naive. How can something like that not happen when you gather young men and women in one place?”
“What will people say if rumors spread about you, who is not even a saint?”
“I would say she is a great lady. I know my place in society. So even if rumors spread that we are dating, it would not tarnish Elaine’s reputation. Rather,…”
As Lark frowned at Sergey’s attitude, Sergey’s gaze finally turned to Lark.
“The rumor that her cousin is strangely obsessed with her will be even worse for Elaine’s reputation. There’s also the matter of his uncle.”
Then Lark’s face immediately turned cold.
It was a great departure from the etiquette of a nobleman to bring up something that the Count Newt was trying to bury, to say it to him directly.
“I didn’t know you were this kind of person, you’re quite rude.”
“Because it is a fight that I have to fight without avoiding it.”
Sergey, who had been mocking Lark until the end, smiled brightly, tapped him on the shoulder, and left without even saying goodbye.
Lark had never met such an unpleasant opponent.
‘A rude kid who doesn’t even know how to be polite is being arrogant…!’
In Lark’s eyes, Sergey was just a child who had not yet properly integrated into the social circles of the Calais Empire.
He is a child who does not know how to use noble speech or noble gestures, and who only relies on the power of his family to run wild.
Lark clicked his tongue briefly and tried to ignore Sergey.
But then, an unexpected scene was captured in his eyes.
‘Isn’t that Count Argenta, who is known for being very picky?’
Count Argenta, who wielded considerable influence in the noble council but was considered difficult to approach due to his manners, began to have a friendly conversation with Sergey.
Lark could only see the back of Sergey’s head so he couldn’t see his expression, but Count Argenta, sitting across from him, laughed pleasantly and patted Sergey on the shoulder.
He then invited his wife, who was nearby, to join in the conversation, and they seemed to be as close as if they had known each other for years.
‘How did he get close to Count Argenta…?’
Even Lark, who was good at keeping a poker face, couldn’t help but open his eyes wide.
After a pleasant conversation with Count Argenta, Sergey seemed to be clinking glasses of champagne with the head of a prominent family and exchanging light jokes, and others nearby also tried to approach Sergey and start a conversation.
As a result, people started to gather around Sergey.
‘What, what is it? Why is this kid popular?’
No matter how much the Count Lindell family has been attracting attention from the social circle recently, it was difficult to understand why so many people were flocking to Count Lindell’s heir.
It’s already been five years since Lark followed his father and made his face known, but the nobility still secretly ignored him, calling him a child.
‘Damn it…’
Lark’s pride, which had never been pushed around by his peers, was completely shattered.
Lark gritted his teeth and held back his anger, even though he assumed it was just a coincidence, he felt like Sergey was trying to take two things from him: Elaine and his position in the social circle.
And there was a pair of eyes following them.
‘How strange. Could this be a coincidence?’
Malek, who was surrounded by people as Prince Abel, was watching Lark and Sergey, especially Sergey, closely.
‘Just like that saint named Elaine, I don’t feel any human aura from that human at all.’
Sergey, who seemed to have been completely erased with an eraser, had no human aura left, caught Malek’s attention.
Lark’s aura was actually a bit stronger than that of other humans, so humans usually tend to instinctively cower in front of humans with stronger auras than themselves.
But rather than being intimidated, Sergey looked down on Lark and completely ignored him.
It was an attitude that would be difficult to understand unless one possessed an aura or magical power much stronger than Lark.
‘Sergey Lindell…Interesting.’
Malek also put Sergey on his watchlist along with Elaine.
* * *
The saints who lived in the temple were not isolated from social circles.
In any case, they were all nobles and were ‘products’ to be put on the marriage market, so they diligently prepared for their debut in high society.
Girls usually made their debut between the ages of 15 and 18, so Elaine was a little late to debut in the social circle.
But Elaine wasn’t nervous. She had never been in a social circle in her previous life.
‘I wonder if it was a mistake to be so indifferent to the changes in this life.’
Lark, who hadn’t visited for a while, suddenly showed up.
* * *
