The Arrow of Destiny Cuts Through the Night

#72

Kain was definitely angry.

He had to look back on the past few hundred years of his life to recall if he had ever felt this level of anger. And it was automatically concluded that he had never been this angry before. Nothing in Fiokhim had ever made Kain Starchis this angry.

“…”

Kain now understood how important and meaningful institutions like engagement and marriage were to humans. The engagement ring on his finger gleamed brightly.

It was Marchioness Elmerila who had forced such an engagement on Jersian. It was merely that the elf, not the Tesena Kingdom, had been chosen under the Marchioness’s palm after carefully calculating the gains and losses for the Gerold family.

Was this entire process really a choice made for Jersian’s benefit?

No, absolutely not.

“…Ha.”

Kain Starchis let out a short, dejected laugh like a sigh.

Yes. If this emotion bubbling up from deep in his chest was anger, it felt like he would need to burn everything in this place to suppress this heat.

Perhaps he wanted to be angry on behalf of Jersian Del Claude, who was always being pushed around by Marchioness Elmerila with an attitude of indifference, even though it was his own life at stake.

But what right did he have? Destined partner? Jersian didn’t even consider him as his destined partner yet.

His mouth tasted bitter. Could a fake fiancé created by a false engagement ceremony share such anger? There were already enough fakes around Jersian, and he had no desire to add another one.

“…Kain?”

He heard Jersian softly calling his name.

Oh no, did I worry him?

At that voice, Kain felt his hand tightening on Jersian’s innocent shoulder, then lowered it. The Marchioness had already left her seat and was chatting with other nobles at the eve party, holding a glass of champagne.

“Are you okay?”

“…Yeah, I was just lost in thought for a moment.”

Kain tried to calm himself down by fidgeting with the finger where the engagement ring, received from a servant this morning, was placed. However, his mood didn’t improve much.

It was because he remembered how Jersian had glanced at him earlier while talking about the princess of the Tesena Kingdom in front of the Marchioness.

…He should be more concerned about his own feelings.

Kain bit his lip as he walked through the banquet hall, led by Jersian.

No matter what anyone said, Marchioness Elmerila had been Jersian’s only guardian for several years. However, she had only used Jersian rather than protecting him.

Jersian had no reason to be treated like this by Marchioness Elmerila. Even if Jersian had been adopted into the Gerold family with her permission.

“…”

Jersian, who had glanced at Kain Starchis walking behind him with a furrowed brow, pressed his lips tightly.

‘He must be bothered by the engagement talk from earlier.’

It was clear that he was upset, but Jersian had no idea how to deal with Kain Starchis in this state to make him feel better.

He could feel people around them stealing glances at the elf walking with the coldest face of all, dressed in a long white robe on his tall, slender body. Jersian was already flustered by Kain seeming angry, and these stares were also very bothersome to him.

‘…Have they forgotten that it’s impolite to stare so blatantly?’

Everything was irritating. From Marchioness Elmerila, who had openly asked what the princess had said, to Kain Starchis, who had captured the attention of everyone at the eve party just by his appearance.

Anyway, he couldn’t leave Kain like this forever.

As soon as they reached the edge of the banquet hall, Jersian swiftly turned around.

Kain, who had been following with long strides, immediately stopped in his tracks. Jersian spoke to Kain, who was looking at him as if asking what was wrong.

“…Don’t mind what the Marchioness said.”

Jersian was looking at the interior of the banquet hall rather than at Kain, with his arms crossed and a sullen expression.

“Marchioness Elmerila just cares about the Gerold family-“

Cares? About what exactly? Whatever it was, it wasn’t what Kain wanted to hear at this moment. Kain Starchis immediately cut off Jersian’s words.

“That’s exactly what I dislike about that human.”

A deep furrow formed between Kain’s brows.

“…”

Jersian closed his mouth tightly in front of that expression.

Dislike? Kain had rarely expressed his emotions before. Jersian unnecessarily tried to defend Marchioness Elmerila in front of him.

“…I wish you wouldn’t dislike her so much. You say that because you don’t know everything that’s happened between us. Marchioness Elmerila has been sufficiently-“

“Do you really think that?”

Kain said coldly. It was clear that he was speaking sincerely. But he asked again because he couldn’t believe that it was really Jersian’s true feelings.

“Yes.”

“…If that’s what you really think, then I have nothing more to say.”

Kain looked at Jersian with dissatisfaction, then turned his head away sharply. If he says he’s fine with it, what can I do?

The sight of other humans enjoying the party entered Kain’s view. Except for Jersian, everyone seemed to be genuinely enjoying the eve party. While humans of similar age were enjoying the party without a care, why couldn’t Jersian do the same?

If I were Jersian’s guardian, I would never raise him so inappropriately for his age like this. No matter how he thought about it, Kain couldn’t understand Jersian’s attitude towards Marchioness Elmerila. There was no need for a fifteen-year-old boy to be so mature.

Yes, to be honest, there was something he needed to say. Jersian needed to know this point. The point that Marchioness Elmerila had no intention of telling him. Kain looked around, twisted his lips once in dissatisfaction, then reluctantly opened his mouth.

“…Still, I want you to know this.”

It was a clear voice.

Even in the midst of the noisy and boisterous party, each word seemed to pierce Jersian’s heart. Because of his attentive gaze, Jersian stood rooted to the spot, looking up at Kain.

“Jersian, sometimes live for yourself. Not just for the benefit of the Gerold family or Marchioness Elmerila’s wishes.”

“…”

Live for myself? Jersian was momentarily speechless.

Looking down at his trembling red eyes, Kain smiled gently. The anger that had filled his face earlier had washed away like a wave, leaving him serene.

Kain’s words had hit Jersian’s inner thoughts too accurately.

Jersian clenched his fists tightly. Living for myself? That’s nonsense.

I ruined my mother’s life from the moment I was born. If she hadn’t been pregnant with me, she might have become the Empress of the Empire as she wanted. That assumption slowly sank and ate away at me like a black swamp. And if Marchioness Elmerila hadn’t taken in my mother and me then, I can’t even imagine what end we would have met. Probably, we would have been quietly killed.

Kain spoke again to the frowning Jersian.

“You were just a little child then. It was the Marchioness’s own choice to take you and your mother in, and you don’t need to repay her kindness for that choice.”

Kain’s voice softened.

Jersian turned his head. The party was still in full swing around them. His peers were laughing, chatting, and having a good time. He knew. He knew that normally, people enjoyed themselves and lived happily like that.

But…

“I have things I must do…”

“I know that much. You still have many things to resolve. But sometimes, I want you to pretend not to know. Don’t shoulder everything alone. Sometimes, I wish you would boldly ask for my help. I always welcome such childish requests.”

Kain placed his hand on Jersian’s shoulder.

“That’s…”

How can you say such things? Jersian opened his mouth, then closed it again.

He couldn’t respond to Kain’s words.

“Why, do you think I can’t handle even one of your childish requests?”

“…”

“I’m here, and I’ll never leave you no matter what you do.”

“…!”

Jersian’s eyes widened slightly.

Jersian knew Kain’s words were true, but he couldn’t easily accept that fact.

If you really are my destined partner, where will the end of our fate be? No matter how hard the current Jersian tried to imagine, he couldn’t see that end. No, it might never be visible. The world had always been cruel to him.

Jersian couldn’t easily acknowledge this warm feeling that made his heart pound. It was the same when he first met Kain, and it was the same now.

All Jersian could do was just stare into his lime-green eyes, like now.

The eve of the hunting competition was in full swing.