CH 60

However, as if Reina’s own feelings were irrelevant to the discussion, several people—including Lehman—went on to have a friendly conversation.

“He happened to come back to House Karr’s fief for the school break. Their fief is just around the corner.”

As Jeremy explained, Lehman looked at him with furrowed brows and an awkward smile.

“Um, I’m not disturbing you, am I?”

“No, it’s better to have one more person.”

Nope, it’s not good. What kind of fun would it be if there’s more people here?

‘It was only a few hours ago that I was basking in the bliss of not having to see Lehman’s face, but then…’

Why did they have to run into each other like this?

Pouting, Reina affixed her gaze onto a distant wall.

‘Honestly, as it stands, isn’t it like Lehman’s best friend is fate itself…’

Even if there was a red string of fate between Lehman and Reina that was as thick as wool yarn, it’s impossible for them to keep encountering each other like this.

“How have you all been during the break? Jeremy said that you did a lot of fun things.”

“We went to the forest rapids.”

“Huh? You already went there? I wanted to go in with you guys.”

“You? It’ll put you in danger if you go there since your magic power is weak.”

What did he just say? ‘It’ll put you in danger since your magic power is weak’? Huh?

‘Then what about me? I supposedly have zero magical power though?’

Of course, it’s not like she actually had zero magical power. But no one knew about the truth behind that, except for the villagers at Thurn.

When Reina went into the forest rapids, no one said anything at all, let alone stop her?

‘Douglas, this punk… No matter how much you think Lehman is your love, aren’t you being a little too biased, especially when there’s life at stake here?

“Yeah, Lehman. It’d be too dangerous for you to go.”

When Jeremy responded like this, Reina inevitably had to smirk. Of course, the conversation went on regardless of her reactions.

“But… My household is always what’s been keeping me from visiting that place. I really wanted to see it for myself this time.”

“If you get lost on the way, you’ll be in big trouble. Just come with me later.”

Yeah, that ‘big trouble’ happened exactly to Reina and Eli, by the way.

Nevertheless, these two punks said not a word to Eli, who often trained with them anyway. They didn’t even ask him if he’s alright.

Dumbfounded by the baffling amount of discrimination on display right in front of her eyes, Reina looked pointedly at Jeremy and Douglas.

Oh, but, my goodness. How ever could dear Lehman miss that opportunity?

“Ah… I’m sorry, Reina.”

Immediately, everyone turned their eyes towards her.

‘Sh*t… I glared at them too openly.’

Weakly regretting how blatant her actions had been just now, she forced her cheeks to move and smiled broadly. In her own way, she made herself look harmless.

“Hmm? What are you saying sorry about?”

To be honest, what she wanted to say was along the lines of, ‘So you’re saying sorry now just to make me look bad, right?’

However, according to her experience thus far, the blade would never fail to be directed at her every time.

Haha. That’s why she must be determined to act right here, right now.

“I’m also glad to see you here though?”

At Reina’s outlandish remark, Lehman closed and opened his big eyes a few times.

“But… I heard from Jeremy that you…”

No, I mean… Excuse me. I’m trying to be nice to you here.

“I heard that it seems like you don’t like me.”

What the fu…

“I should have asked first… I’m sorry, Reina.”

Just as Reina had felt back then, Lehman seriously only picks out what he wants to hear from whatever the other person says. Then, he’d spin that out to make it fit his narrative.

Right then, Jeremy’s expression went entirely cold. He hid Lehman behind his back and spat out a warning.

“Reina. You should be polite to the guest.”

How about you be polite to someone who’s been here since the start, huh? What kind of country’s etiquette are you following that you went ahead and called a guest over without discussing it with the others first?

“Ha…”

No wonder… Things had been going too smoothly these days for Reina. Each and every time, something like this would just sneak up on her whenever she’d let her guard down.

Letting out a sigh, Reina swept her bangs up.

“If I knew that you’d be uncomfortable, then I wouldn’t have come…”

Looking utterly exhausted, Reina stared at Lehman. He’s not even a darn parrot, and yet he kept saying the same few words.

‘Hit a drum, strike a janggu[1], sure, go as far as wear a sangmo[2] even… This is crazy, absolutely nuts. Yet again, I’m the only one who’s making people uncomfortable.’

Right, of course. It’s always been like this. That’s why Lehman’s a tremendously difficult person to deal with.

As he never pretended to be nice or weak, he rather acted in an easy-going manner even as he was clear about the things that he liked and disliked. Additionally, rather than smiling casually as if there’s a screw missing in his head, he always acted appropriately according to the time and place.

In other words, rather than aiming to stimulate other people’s protective instincts, he made them feel a sense of belongingness with him. Paradoxically, however, this would nonetheless incur their protective instincts anyway.

Now then, here’s the question.

How would people react if Lehman were to act uncharacteristically crestfallen?

“Reina. Considering the lab incident, do you actually have something against Lehman?”

Right there, the answer! Douglas would of course react like that.

When Douglas asked Reina with a sarcastic tone, Lehman immediately shook his head and tried to stop the guy.

“Douglas, don’t be that way.”

What do you mean, don’t? You’re the one who led the atmosphere to this point.

‘Ha… Seriously, give me a chance to knock you out cold, just once.’

At Lehman’s dissuasion, Douglas sucked in a deep breath and eventually backed down.

“Huu… Reina. Let’s have a talk together later, you and I.”

Then, Lehman apologized ‘yet again’.

“I’m sorry, Reina.”

Why did this kid keep apologizing to her whenever he’d look at her? Was it possible that there’s a note on her forehead saying, ‘Be sure to apologize to this woman three times a day.’

“I only came here, but you’ve been put into a difficult position…”

However, it was at that moment.

An innocent voice interrupted Lehman’s miserable spiel.

“Then, Lehman, are you going to leave?”

It was none other than Paul, the very one who dragged Reina to Cressen.

As if it was something he wasn’t expecting at all, Lehman blinked in a daze, forgetting to school his features into a proper reaction.

Paul leaned his head playfully towards Lehman.

“Didn’t you say, ‘If I knew that you’d be uncomfortable, then I wouldn’t have come’? Then, since you know that you have made her uncomfortable, does that mean you’ll gladly leave?”

¹ janggu – the most representative drum in traditional Korean music 

² sangmo – Korean folk arts hat, which is worn when dancing and moving the head around during a performance of pangmul (Korean folk music tradition that includes drumming, dancing and singing) 

basically, Reina’s saying that Lehman’s a truly amazing performer~