Lessid, who knew nothing, announced his terrible but well-meaning intentions. Sociable Lessid was trying to acquaint Damia and Akkard!

Lessid left Kael’s farewell party early, so he never saw the sight of Damia and Akkard leaving the ballroom together. Believing that it was the first time meeting each other, he opened his mouth:

“Let me introduce you. This is my friend from the capital. Lord Akkard, son of the Duke of Valerian.”

Damia, who was being introduced to someone she had already had sex with, literally wanted to die. It was only yesterday that Akkard had visited her home, and she had rejected him.

Akkard’s gaze, looking down at her from above her head, was more stinging than the summer heat. Damia couldn’t even make eye contact. In the middle of his expressionless face, only his eyes were shining very brightly.

“…….Sir Akkard? What’s wrong?”

Lessid frowned in his eyes with a strange face after Damia managed to mumble a greeting, and Akkard stayed silent. However, Akkard’s sculptural mouth was tightly closed, and there was no sign of it opening.

‘Oh if the world could end now—!’

Damia prayed for the end of the world, inwardly. And, of course, the world did not perish. Instead, the hand of salvation was extended from an unexpected place.

“Ah… Suddenly—I feel dizzy….”

Suddenly, Cecil, who held her forehead, wavered and swayed. Damia reflexively grabbed and supported her friend’s body. Hugging Cecil, she glimpsed Cecil’s lips fluttering into a small smile that only Damia noticed.

R.U.N.

Damia was deeply moved when she realized what her tearful friend meant. She quickly shook Cecil in distress.

“Cecil, are you okay? Wake up!”

“I guess I’ve been getting too much sun… quickly inside…”

Cecil entered into a performance of the soul, the acting engulfing her entire body as she trembled and pointed towards the building. Damia nodded in an effort to manage her facial expressions. She would naturally support Cecil, and they could leave together.

But there was one thing they overlooked. It was the fact that Sir Lessid in front of him was a priest.

“Please move aside. Lady Damia and I will carry Miss Cecil and heal her.”

“….What? No, no. Just take a little rest inside… ..”

“Divine power should be used in this case. Don’t worry.”

Lessid, who responded with a firm, clear tone, supported Cecil and escorted her inside the mansion. Thanks to Lessid’s needless professional spirit, Damia was left behind. With Akkard Valerian.

“…….”

There was a weighty silence. It was so heavy that the weight of the mines operated by Cecil’s house seemed to be lighter than this.

Damia carefully peered up at Akkard under her long lashes. It wasn’t her way to keep her mouth shut and look on like a sinner.

Akkard could have left, but seeing that he stayed, it was clear that he had something to say. Damia, desperately grasping at her courage, opened her mouth softly.

“I didn’t know I was going to see you here. Do you like tea parties?”

“Not even a little.”

His short and firm answer stifled her, and Damia completely lost her will to talk to him.

“Ah. Yes. Then I’ll go…”

Damia lowered her eyes, planning her escape. Just as she was about to run away, Akkard blocked her retreat with only one step, with one corner of his mouth rising. It was a bitter smile that somehow made the viewer feel ominous.

“But it was still worth it to come here. I witnessed an amusing sight.”

“An amusing sight?”

“I was entertained by your friend’s skit. Your acting skills are terrible.”

At that, Damia bit her lips. She assumed Akkard would notice, but she didn’t expect that he would explicitly point it out. Damia replied in a quiet tone, repressing her turbulent feelings.

“Cecil is my dear friend. I won’t stand for it if you mock her—even if it’s you, Lord Akkard.”

“You won’t stand for it? What are you going to do?”

He grinned and gazed at Damia’s clutched hand with interest. They were thin and soft hands, delicate like a tree branch.

You must have never held anything heavier than a teacup.

Even if you hit me with your utmost strength, it still wouldn’t hurt.

Even with their heated tempers his sister Sienna never struck him nor did they even exchange blows even as children. However, at this moment, it occurred to him that Akkard wouldn’t mind taking a beating from Dami so that her heart would be in debt to him.

‘I’ll get my hands on you somehow.’

And after playing with her, I’ll make her into a joke and cast her aside.

Akkard laughed deeply inside.

He grabbed Damia’s fragile wrist and brought it to his cheek.

“Tell me. What can you do? Are you going to hit me with these pretty hands, umm?”

With his handsome face, he asked devilishly.