Book 1 Chapter 768
“Marry Chelsea? What on earth are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“It’s not all of a sudden.”
Abad smiled sweetly.
Leo decided to hear what his handsome friend had to say.
“Ever since Lumern’s entrance exam day, Chelsea has been very fond of you.”
At their first meeting, Chelsea had growled at Leo just because he was with Celia, but after the entrance ceremony, she showed great favor towards Leo.
“You are the one who gave wings to Chelsea, who had no specific goal, Leo.”
Abad took a sip of his coffee.
He smiled sweetly at his friend.
“Chelsea’s life will shine with you.”
“Even without me, she can shine enough on her own.”
“That’s true too. But I think a brighter future awaits her. Crucially.”
Seeing Leo’s indifferent reaction, Abad said,
“I’m not saying this just because she’s my sister. Isn’t Chelsea a great bride candidate?”
Abad put on a serious expression.
“She’s gorgeous… and capable, and her personality… well, it can’t be said to be good, but she’s very good to those she likes. That girl will surely become even more beautiful.”
Abad smiled sweetly.
“I don’t think it’s a bad offer for you, is it?”
“I’m not interested because she’s too young.”
“Chelsea is only a year younger than you, isn’t she? Do you have a preference for older women?”
Abad looked puzzled.
“Now that I think about it, you don’t seem to show much interest in school seniors either…”
Thinking that far, Abad’s expression turned serious.
“Leo. I know you’re mature, but… how far are you actually thinking?”
“Let’s just say I have no intention of dating anyone right now.”
“Why?”
“Don’t pry too deeply.”
Leo got up from his seat.
“If you truly care about Celia and she feels the same way about you, I’ll help you as much as I can. So please don’t talk about my marriage.”
Abad nodded.
“Ah, and one warning.”
“Yes?”
“If you start dating Celia, don’t cause any trouble before graduation. That would be too difficult for me to handle too.”
“Why are you worried about that?”
Abad burst into laughter, and Leo said,
“Did you forget what happened with Rhys hyung? Our uncles were tearing their hair out over it. I don’t want to add to that. Especially since Celia is someone they cherish dearly.”
Although he seemed strict, Shedd Zerdinger doted on his daughter.
If she caused trouble, he would rush in with a sword, foam at the mouth, regardless of whether she was the heir of Rwallyn.
“Leo. Neither I nor Celia ever take the family’s honor lightly. And it might be rude to say this… but I’m also a top student, though not as much as Celia.”
Abad smiled faintly.
“Have I ever been involved in any romantic rumors while I was at school?”
Since his enrollment, Abad had been immensely popular solely for his looks, setting aside his family background and abilities.
Despite being a handsome man who received confessions from students of all grades whenever they forgot about him, there were no romantic rumors.
This meant he managed himself meticulously.
At Abad’s words, Leo clicked his tongue.
“Do you think Senior Niel and Senior Matchel started dating because they weren’t top students?”
Niel, Celia’s bodyguard, and Matchel, Abad’s closest confidant, a wizard.
As retainers representing Zerdinger and Rwallyn, they had also spent their school lives as almost perfect top students to avoid dishonoring the names of Zerdinger and Rwallyn.
“What are Senior Matchel and Senior… wait a moment.”
Abad, who had been chuckling foolishly, paused.
“Could it be…?”
“That’s right.”
It was the result of suppressed emotions pouring out all at once like a broken dam.
“Always think about your age.”
“What about our age…?”
“It’s the perfect age to ignite.”
Once ignited, a fire is not easily extinguished.
That’s why playing with fire is scary.
“If we’re done talking, I’ll leave first. What about you?”
“Hmm. I’ll head back to the dorm.”
“Aren’t you worried about Celia?”
“I am worried.”
Although he put on a relaxed expression, it seemed he was quite concerned.
“But I’m not in a position to talk about her private life right now, am I?”
“Stop pretending to be so indifferent.”
Leo chuckled and left the store.
Jingle- jingle-
A cold wind blew.
Leo walked down the main road, crunching the fallen leaves.
Soon, Lisinas was walking beside Leo.
“You’re quite good at giving dating advice, even though you were blind when it came to your own love life.”
“That’s because you and Luna weren’t showing it,” Leo grumbled.
Lisinas snorted at Leo, then his gaze briefly fell on the lollipops being sold at a stall.
At that moment, Leo walked over to the stall and bought a lollipop.
“Eat this.”
“Whoa?!”
He then popped it into Lisinas’s mouth and walked away leisurely.
Lisinas, with his eyes wide open, approached Leo with the candy in his mouth.
“Why did you buy that?”
“We’ve been together for years. Can’t I tell at a glance that you want to eat it?”
‘He’s really sharp when it comes to things like this.’
Lisinas pouted slightly.
It was a bit annoying that he was so perceptive about this but couldn’t understand his own feelings.
The streets of Deang, which had been in disarray due to the civil war, were now filled with a hopeful atmosphere as the end of the conflict was in sight.
The civil war had not completely ended yet, but the period just before the fighting stopped was when people were most hopeful.
Thanks to that, the overall atmosphere in Deang was bright, with night markets opening.
Wandering through the night market, Leo and Lisinas browsed and bought various items from the stalls, or won prizes by playing games like darts.
In the ordinary atmosphere, Lisinas felt his heart race.
“Wow, this feels like a normal date!”
“It is a date.”
“What?”
Leo looked at Lisinas with a bewildered expression.
“Then what do you think we’re doing right now?”
“Um…”
Lisinas, flustered, soon grinned.
“That’s right. It was a date.”
Lisinas, feeling happy, hummed a tune.
“Did you do this with Luna too?”
“Yeah, well, that guy was always drinking.”
“That’s so Luna.”
Lisinas burst out laughing.
By then, the sun was setting.
Lisinas, walking side-by-side with Leo, glanced at Leo’s face.
Still a young face.
But his unique aura made him not look young.
In the red sunset, his red eyes shone even more brightly.
‘This is enjoyable.’
The ordinary life Lisinas had longed for.
The happiness enjoyed within it.
‘I wish time would stop forever.’
Lisinas, lost in a frivolous thought, reached out his hand.
And he held Leo’s hand.
Leo, who had stopped walking, looked at Lisinas’s face.
Lisinas looked at Leo’s face, then smiled sweetly and linked arms with him.
Leo sighed.
“If you had done this back then, I would have realized it too.”
“You must be quite frustrated.”
Lisinas chuckled, and Leo scowled.
“I am frustrated. Because of you and Luna, those much younger juniors are calling me an idiot and a moron.”
“Who?”
“Your successor and Luna’s successor.”
“Ah.”
“Themselves, who like Lumern, haven’t even confessed… I’m going to shave their heads the next time I see them.”
“Ahahahahaha!”
Lisinas burst out laughing.
Then, suddenly, his eyes widened.
“Oh, it’s Celia.”
At those words, Leo also spotted Celia.
Lisinas smiled playfully.
“Shall we take a peek too?”
***
A group was watching humans and elves enjoying themselves at the night market from afar.
“Wow, the atmosphere is nice, isn’t it?”
“It’s kind of a pinkish atmosphere, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, it really looks like a romantic atmosphere.”
“Ugh… this can’t be. I wanted to see that guy cry tears of joy.”
Chen Xia, Eiran, and Lunia swallowed dryly.
Aris was stamping her feet.
Even though they were hero candidates, these girls, who were at an age where love was practically frozen, were completely engrossed in secretly watching Celia and Garin’s date.
Of course, there was one person who was not engrossed at all.
“The atmosphere is good? It’s just Celia as usual?”
Chloe tilted her head. Chen Xia gave her a pitying look.
“Miss Chloe. Instead of just reading grimoires and strange difficult books, try reading some romance novels.”
“That’s right. You should read books broadly. If you only read certain books, your head will get strange like Eiran’s?”
“You should read some of Eiran’s books.”
“What’s wrong with my novels?”
Eiran pouted, and Chloe, feeling indignant, said,
“Eiran, do you have a book with you now?”
“I have one in my pocket dimension.”
“Give it to me.”
“Oh my? That would be quite stimulating for the innocent Miss Chloe?”
Chen Xia teased Chloe with a sweet smile.
Chloe scoffed, took the book from Eiran, and opened it to the page with the bookmark.
Reading the content on the page, Chloe scoffed.
“What is it? It’s nothing special.”
“What is written on that page?”
“It’s about the protagonist and the heroine bathing together.”
“That’s strange? This much should be stimulating enough for Miss Chloe?”
“You’re being ridiculous. I’ve even done it myself?!”
Indignant, Chloe blurted out something she shouldn’t have.
The girls who were teasing Chloe were stunned for a moment.
“…Huh?!”
Chloe, horrified, covered her mouth.
“You’ve bathed together? With whom?”
Chen Xia, with a smile plastered on her face, leaned close to Chloe.
“Is it by any chance Lord Leo?”
“That… that…”
“What! What is your relationship!”
“Come on, tell us in detail!”
Lunia and Eiran also rushed forward and shouted.
“Wow… the Lumern kids are no joke…”
Aris muttered blankly.
“What are you guys doing here, secretly hiding?”
“I was secretly peeking because I thought Garin was going to confess to Celia… Huh?!”
Aris, who had answered without thinking at the cold voice from behind, turned around in shock.
There stood Celia, exuding a menacing aura.
***
On a rooftop overlooking the night market.
“What are those guys doing? Tsk.”
Leo clicked his tongue.
“Hmm?”
At the voice that came from beside him, Leo turned his head.
There was Lisinas, with his eyes half-closed.
“Let me tell you, it was an accident.”
“Hmm? Is it nice? Because pretty girls like you?”
“Are you jealous?”
“Jealousy.”
Lisinas scoffed and got up from his seat.
Seeing Lisinas like that, Leo clicked his tongue.
“How can I lift your mood?”
“It’s strange. You’re even concerned about my mood.”
Lisinas chuckled, pondered, then smiled faintly.
“Tell me about your past.”
“My past stories?”
“Yes. Like your first love story.”
“I don’t have anything like that.”
“Of course not? Anyway, I’m curious about your past. It’ll be hard to do this sober, right?”
Lisinas pulled Leo up.
“It’s almost night soon.”
As he said, darkness was approaching.
Lisinas smiled faintly.
“Let’s have a drink.”