Admund saw Aria who had entered without permission.

She was happy to see Admund after a long time, but Admund, facing her, inwardly clicked his tongue.

‘It seems she hasn’t thought about why it’s been a long time.’

There’s usually a reason why it’s been a long time.

He wasn’t unaware of the rumors that had followed him since his academy days because Aria was always by his side.

It was the speculation that Admund and Aria would hold their wedding as soon as they graduated from the academy.

Perhaps because the academy was too small, unlike with Clea, he was bothered by the rumors reaching his ears.

While the parties involved hadn’t given it any thought yet, Admund couldn’t help but feel embarrassed as others brought up the topic on their own.

If he were to publicly announce it wasn’t true, it would affect his relationship with the Hersher family.

But if he left it as it was, it might be taken as fact.

As someone whose every small action was given political meaning, he thought it would be better if Aria refrained from unnecessary approaches, but she didn’t consider Admund’s circumstances.

Rather, when Admund tried to create distance, she dug in closer, trying to get closer to him.

So Admund made a decision.

He decided that once he graduated from the academy, he wouldn’t meet her in private.

And as he thought, Admund was able to avoid Aria.

If she didn’t cross the line like she was doing now, Admund could hide in his safe haven.

“Aren’t you glad to see me?”

“It’s not that.”

“Really? That’s a relief. I thought Admund might be uncomfortable with me coming like this.”

Aria asked Admund, her lime-green eyes shining.

Admund felt his heart soften when he saw that gaze for some reason.

He thought about averting his gaze for a moment, but.

‘It would be better to send her away quickly. To avoid any other misunderstandings.’

He was concerned about Clea.

What would she think if she saw this scene?

Although it’s less now, someone who was once mentioned for marriage had come before his eyes.

Admund, not wanting to cause unnecessary misunderstandings, wanted to send her away quickly before Clea noticed.

“So, what’s the reason for coming here?”

Having no intention of engaging in small talk, he looked at the documents and tried to get to the point.

Aria felt a bit disappointed by Admund’s behavior, but soon lifted the corners of her mouth and spoke in a bright voice.

“Well, I heard some strange rumors and came, you know?”

Admund frowned at the word ‘rumors’.

With Lloyd and at the dinner with Odin, he was curious about what exactly these rumors were about.

Thinking it must be related to him, he asked.

“What are these rumors about?”

Despite Admund’s fierce voice, she paid no heed.

Rather, seeing Admund’s attitude, she muttered that it couldn’t be true. Aria, her expression brightening even more, answered his question.

“There’s a rumor going around that you and Lady Odoi had a secret meeting.”

Hearing this, Admund lifted his gaze from the documents he was reading.

His gaze was tinged with bewilderment.

But before Aria could see Admund’s expression, she added.

“It’s a ridiculous rumor, isn’t it? When Lloyd came and told me, I thought I should ask you directly, but I guess Lloyd must have seen wrong.”

At the mention of Lloyd’s name, Admund sighed in disbelief.

‘I thought he’d try to find a way to win back his fiancée after losing her, but to go to Aria.’

His evaluation of Lloyd plummeted to the point where he felt ashamed to have called him a friend. Even his expression was contorting.

In fact, he was more bothered by something other than the fact that they were once friends.

‘It’s even more laughable that Clea almost married such a person.’

Since the two were engaged, he might have ended up standing as a groomsman for his friend if things had gone wrong.

Admund imagined himself in that situation.

He would probably have had trivial worries like why the bride wasn’t smiling at all at a wedding that should be blessed by everyone.

‘Even if they had married, that fool probably wouldn’t have realized he was a married man and would have gone to meet Aria.’

Admund’s mood soured as he imagined Lloyd and Clea’s wedding.

He felt extremely unpleasant imagining her in a white dress, about to become another man’s woman.

Meanwhile, Aria failed to read the atmosphere.

In fact, she had grown up in a place where everyone only paid attention to her.

Was that why?

In front of Admund, who was already in a foul mood, she blurted out words she hadn’t even intended to bring up.

“Admund, when will we get married?”

“What are you saying… Clea?”

Admund was about to ask her what she was talking about when she mentioned marriage.

But unfortunately, he couldn’t finish his sentence.

“Clea, this is a misunderstanding.”

“Why is Clea here?”

Admund, who suddenly made eye contact with Clea, was taken aback.

Why was she here?

More importantly, how much had she heard?

Various thoughts crossed Admund’s mind as he stood up from his seat and tried to approach her.

He was afraid that she might run away in disgust after hearing this conversation.

What worried him most was the possibility of her opinion of him becoming like that of Lloyd.

Admund, who had risen from his seat, quickly approached Clea, fearing she might leave.

“Clea?”

However, the opposite of what he had worried about happened.

Clea, standing at the doorway, didn’t run away upon seeing Admund and Aria together.

She glanced at where Aria was and then turned her gaze to Admund.

Admund, who was usually as cold as ice, stood before her looking very flustered.

‘What an interesting situation.’

His flustered appearance was rarely seen. Yet, she had already witnessed that expression several times.

Clea smiled, remembering the confessions he had made as they left the garden.

Even if she hadn’t heard those words, she wouldn’t have left the place as if fleeing.

But having heard the confession, there was even less reason to run away.

Aria’s expression was captured by some kind of anxiety.

As Clea recollected, she realized it was the first time she had seen Aria make such an expression. Clea turned her gaze back to Admund.

As their eyes met, she grabbed Admund’s collar.

“What are you doing now!”

When Clea grabbed Admund’s collar, Aria screamed.

But Clea didn’t even care.

Admund, despite having his collar grabbed, closed his eyes and remained still.

He would have gladly taken a slap to the cheek if it would make her even a little calmer.

However, a situation arose where everyone except Clea was flustered.

“Since we attended the same academy, I’ll speak informally?”

Although it had been several years since graduating from the academy, Clea had no intention of using honorifics no matter what she said.

“I’ve never liked you. You know?”

“Wh-what are you saying?”

“Why do you keep sticking your spoon in other people’s business?”

“Other people’s business! What are you! And what do you mean by sticking a spoon!”

Anticipating that Aria would scream again to the point of hurting her ears, Clea immediately put her next thought into action.

It’s unclear what Admund might think.

Surely, she had intended to leave voluntarily someday if he wished.

That point would be when her death was completely imminent and she might burden those around her, or when someone else appeared by his side.

However, as she thought that moment wasn’t now, Clea quietly took action.

‘I’ll show you. Why I said this man is mine.’

She was still smiling as she pulled Admund’s collar towards her.

Admund was helplessly and obediently pulled by her.

Soon, the two kissed in front of others.

Aria, with a hardened expression, wandered, not knowing what exactly she was seeing.

Although she saw that reaction with her own eyes, Clea still didn’t separate their lips.

With the intention of provoking her further, while keeping her gaze towards Aria until the end, she thought.

‘Even if she’s the female lead, I don’t want to let her take this man so easily.’

Knowing how the ending would be decorated, Clea decided to act like a villainess for the first time.

Someday Admund might go to Aria of his own will, but until then, she wanted to show who this man named Admund belonged to.

Clea separated her lips and looked at Admund.

She found it cute how Admund couldn’t take his eyes off her in a dazed state. Clea swallowed her laughter and asked him.

“Does it still look like I’m misunderstanding, Admund?”

“…No.”

Leaving Admund, who seemed not to have regained his senses, behind, Clea approached Aria.

Aria, seeing Clea approaching, stepped back for some reason, but soon hit the wall. She froze in place.

Clea reached out her hand, grabbed Aria’s soft pink hair, and whispered.

“Unfortunately, this person is my man, Aria.”

“B-but you have your fiancé Lloyd Percy!”

Feeling like she might be overwhelmed by her pace, Aria continued to raise her voice.

The more she raised her voice, the more her anxiety was clearly visible on her face.

“Oh my, haven’t you heard yet?”

But there’s always someone a step ahead, and Clea spoke still calmly without being provoked at all.

“I broke off the engagement with that man. So if you want that man, do as you please.”