Chapter 80

After the conversation with Akkard, Damia went back to her room. She packed her luggage, preparing to go back home. Since she came unplanned she didn’t have much to pack.

“Are you really departing now?”

asked Sebastian as the restless butler watched Damia.

Damia replied with a smile.

“Of course. The carriage has also been repaired, so we have to go back quickly before sunset.”

“Still……. you’re a valued guest, so why don’t you have lunch?”

Sebastian, who was regretful, was clingy. After so much time, patience, and effort, the young master—no, master, had fallen in love for the first time, so he felt he couldn’t let her go like this.

Perhaps if Akkard’s partner, Lessid, had witnessed this, he would have been stunned.

He had been in and out of Akkard’s residence a few times because of his status as a spy but had never been enthusiastically served by Sebastian.

Damia, who had no inkling of Sebastian’s favor, shook her head.

“Oh, I ate too much breakfast, and I’m still full.”

She wasn’t an angel smiling, saying thank you for caring. But it would be lacking to say she was pretty and had a good personality.

She was a lady chosen by his picky owner.

Sebastian focused and glanced at Damia.

Even him, who had worked in the decadent and lavish high society in the capital for a long time had to admit she was a beauty worthy of praise.

In particular, Damia’s red hair hearkened to the rising sun. In the grey north, her bright hair was very lively.

Sebastian, who had been studying her, opened his mouth impulsively.

“May I ask you a rude question?”

“Umm? What kind of question is it?”

“Are you of pure northern descent, my lady?”

What did he mean? Damia blinked at the sudden question. Seeing her bewildered face, Sebastian quickly explained,

“I’m sorry. It is rare for a northern nobleman to have such beautiful hair…..”

Damia, who finally understood Sebastian’s question, stroked her hair and answered demurely,

“Well….my late mother was from the South.”

“Oh, dear.”

Sebastian let out a short sigh with a grim face. Embarrassed, he had unintentionally brought up Damia’s painful family history.

Naturally, he couldn’t deter Damia from leaving anymore and could only follow her from behind.

“Then I’ll get going.”

Damia, who was ready to leave, glanced back.

Sebastian’s disappointed expression when he saw her off to the front door was a little sad, but she couldn’t help it. It was impossible to not return home.

‘I have little to do with Sir Akkard in the first place.’

Damia thought brightly. Akkard had evolved from a ‘one night’s fling’ to ‘sex partner for the time being.’ However, there was no significant relationship between the two.

Damia was not a fool. Would she be special to a naughty and arrogant playboy whose rumours and drama even reached the north?

She never had such expectations or questions—it would be tantamount to torturing oneself.

‘But thanks to our close physical relationship, I was lucky to be able to join hands with him.’

It would have been quite burdensome to deal with Cesare alone, especially with the Temple backing him up. She would have been no match. Damia had always been used to being alone since she had lost her mother. However, she was relieved that she gained an unexpected ally.

Was it because of that? For now, Damia thought she could pretend to be ignorant of the mean and selfish things Akkard had done. It wasn’t because he had looked down on her anyway but rather he had kept approaching her because of ‘work.’

Damia, whose heart was naturally generous, decided to forgive him even if he didn’t come to see her off. Perhaps, now that she was involved there was a lot to think about. Possibly he was reporting to the crown prince right now.

“Thank you, Sebastian. If possible, I hope to see you again next time.”

Damia, whose heart grew even more generous, waved to Sebastian for the last time and hopped on the wagon.

“……?”

She looked back, unnerved, as she tried to sit down.

Eerily, she felt a strong gaze that pierced the back of her head. But all Damia could see was Sebastian’s disappointed expression.

‘Was it because of your forlornness?’

Damia tilted her head and settled in the carriage. The coachman started their journey as the well-mended wheels rolled.

Watching Damia’s carriage disappear in the distance, Sebastian’s shoulders slumped. Then he turned around and something pulled his eyes up.

With a clear view, on the elegant balcony on the third floor, was his dishonest owner.

“Th— that gaze.”

Akkard’s eyes that lingered on her disappearing figure were violently boiling. It was a pity she was gone but it was worse if his master was going to be like that—he should have held on to her! Or at least see her off properly.

Sebastian clicked his tongue. What was the point if his master finally fell in love? It would be meaningless if he acted as if his attitude towards her was the same as his other existing playmates.

It was very apparent to Sebastian, who had accumulated quite a few years of experience. That his arrogant owner, who didn’t know how to love, would be an utter fool in the future.