Before long, Leon’s hand that had been touching moved away. Facing his much more relieved expression, I couldn't hide my puzzlent.
“Wasn’t there sothing more you wanted to say?”
“I forgot.”
It must not have been anything important.
Leon gave a light tilt of his chin with a fresh smile, as if telling to go inside already.
……How strange.
I turned my head to where Leon's gaze had landed earlier.
But that place was strangely empty.
* * *
Ricardo leaned against the wall, unable to even think of composing his expression.
Thump, thump.
The sound of his heartbeat grew into a massive drumbeat that filled his ears. The increasingly loud sound turned into a massive tidal wave that engulfed him.
Bianca, whom he had pushed to the back of his mory, once again turned her back and ignored him.
It wasn’t that she had gone sowhere unreachable, but that she looked happy beside another man.
He had desperately wished all this ti. That the bright smile she had shown others without hesitation would one day be directed at him too.
A smile he had earned after a long ti was sothing that ca naturally to that man.
They could continue conversations effortlessly, without even trying.
The sight of them whispering like affectionate lovers crushed Ricardo endlessly.
‘……What did they talk about?’
Did she say she loved him?
If not, had they already talked about marriage?
Bianca, isn’t it too rash to promise the future without even being engaged?
He couldn’t even think properly. His mind went blank, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
〈Oh no, what should I do. You’re not my first love.〉
〈Who would like being saved from trouble by their lover?〉
In the past, Bianca's words echoed endlessly in his ears.
He thought, of course, they were lies.
No, they had to be.
She hated being by his side so much she made up pathetic excuses to break off the engagent.
So even while resenting it, he was fooled.
He kept challenging her, hoping she would eventually admit it was a lie, but all he got were shaless replies.
The transparent lies made his insides churn, but he chose to wait.
If she truly loved Leon, she would have noticed his feelings and already beco his lover long ago.
Besides, he was her first love.
〈First love is precious, isn’t it?〉
You said that.
Though the past had gone astray, he believed she would treasure him again.
‘……But what if it wasn’t a lie.’
She had changed in many ways from how he rembered her.
What if that’s why he hadn’t noticed the lie?
His hand, pale as a sheet, began to tremble slightly.
He wanted to run to Bianca imdiately. But the way she responded so naturally, without even avoiding Leon’s filthy hand, was beautiful.
Anyone would say they looked like a perfect couple.
He couldn’t shake the feeling that he was an unwelco intruder.
But Ricardo soon erased that thought.
He wanted her to be happy.
But if that happiness was by another man’s side, he couldn’t accept it.
If that was the case, he’d rather she be unhappy beside him.
Before he realized it, a chilling light glimred in Ricardo’s eyes.
So what if her first love was soone else, or if the one she loved was another man?
She was his, and that was an unchanging truth.
If she wished to leave, then he could follow her even into hell.
‘But not by another man’s side.’
The fog in his head, once thick, slowly began to clear. Only then did Ricardo draw a smooth smile.
* * *
After seeing Leon off safely, I headed away from the estate.
‘Judging by how the dean welcod Leon, it doesn't seem like House Owen was involved in any academic fraud.’
Besides, he wouldn’t have called him a diligent student.
In truth, I had been considering the possibility that the family had committed fraud without Leon knowing.
It was a bit unfair to him.
Feeling my head grow more tangled, I let out a sigh without realizing.
“What are you doing?”
At that mont, Ricardo’s voice ca from behind.
“……!”
Startled, I turned to see him with a strangely stiff face.
Did sothing happen?
More than that, just how long had he been standing there?
As that question arose, I recalled how Leon had been visibly unsettled while looking at sothing earlier.
Could it be, he saw this man?
Now I understood why Leon whispered his farewell.
He disliked Ricardo just as much as Cedric did.
“……What are you thinking so deeply about?”
While I had been lost in thought, Ricardo had co closer.
Startled, I instinctively took a step back. At that, Ricardo frowned as if displeased.
“Hah.”
Then, as much as I had moved away, he strode closer.
“I, I was just thinking about sothing pointless.”
I couldn't explain the full story, so I glossed over it. But since it was such a half-hearted answer, Ricardo didn’t seem convinced.
……Co to think of it, he looked a bit angry.
Though I was puzzled for a mont, I prioritized putting more distance between us.
Of course, thanks to his persistent steps to close the gap, it was a futile effort.
“Hey, back off a little!”
When I finally couldn't take it and shouted, Ricardo ca to an abrupt halt.
“Wasn’t this distance already permitted?”
“When did I say that?”
Ricardo tilted his head with a crooked expression.
“Why, just a mont ago, I saw so strange man touching your cheek and all.”
“He’s not a stranger, he’s family.”
“Oh, so you’re blood-related?”
“It’s just a way of speaking.”
Strangely, the feeling that I was making excuses didn’t sit well with .
“No, more importantly, why are you here?”
“I was just passing by.”
“With that face full of anger?”
At my words, Ricardo flinched. Perhaps he hadn’t realized he was feeling that way either, as he awkwardly rubbed his mouth with his hand.
“What, are you off to slay so monster or sothing?”
“……Well, you’re not wrong.”
“What?”
There are monsters near our ho?
“Then we need to evacuate imdiately!”
Startled, I frantically looked around. At the sa ti, Ricardo grabbed my shoulder and calmly explained.
“I-It’s just a figure of speech.”
“Could it be…….”
Surely he didn’t an Leon with that awful word?
Though the thought crossed my mind, I didn’t say it aloud.
There was absolutely no reason for Ricardo to refer to Leon like that.
As I absentmindedly stared at him, Ricardo roughly swept a hand over his face.
“What are you doing tomorrow?”
“I’m going out. I already have plans.”
“Is it an important appointnt?”
“Of course.”
“…….”
“I trust you don’t think I’m so inconsiderate person who breaks promises.”
There was no reply.
What, does that an he really thinks of that way?
Whether it was fortunate or not, his face was filled with other thoughts. Finally, he barely managed to speak.
“……With Count Owen.”
But just then, the sudden noise of chattering people drowned out his words.
By the ti things had quieted down again, I asked him.
“What did you just say?”
At that mont, our eyes t. It was an empty, hollow gaze. His pale face made him look like a sick person.
“Ricardo, you……”
But as if what I had just seen was an illusion, Ricardo returned to his usual self. Then, he spoke as if nothing were out of the ordinary.
“You say you already have plans, so it can’t be helped.”
An eerily ominous feeling crept over .
As I cautiously nodded, Ricardo shalessly asked,
“May I follow you?”
What was he talking about?
I blinked blankly and tilted my head.
“Don’t tell you're planning to tail ?”
“Please don’t twist my sincere intentions with such vulgar words.”
……Twist, my foot.
That was exactly the right word.
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