“Watch over me at Tienda!”

Thus, Evie’s first request, exchanged fairly, was puzzling.

And also rather loathsome.

It had been just a few days since Tienda had buzzed suspiciously about the two of them.

And now, in the midst of all this, she was asking him to watch over her.

The words were like those flowered folding screens that highlighted her jadecolored dress, meaning she wanted him to become a lion screen that flaunted and protected her.

Though it felt like he was being used unfairly, a promise was a promise after all.

So Zion had come back to Tienda and even attended the flower game, which he usually never cared for.

And now he was blatantly staring at Evie, which was easy to misunderstand.

“Hello, Valler sir. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you.”

“Ah, madam. Have you been well? As for me, I’m always healthy.”

“I missed you too, Lord Berde. Please invite me again next time, and I’ll surely attend.”

In the meantime, Evie was going around, her face all smiles, greeting the familiar nobles.

It was the first time Evie had mingled with the nobles since the doomed banquet held at Laurel Castle.

After that, Evie had constantly been at the center of controversy and had a long time of seclusion.

So, usually, the curious nobles would flock around her, pouring out questions. That would be normal, but at this orchid festival, no one dared to casually command Evie.

Not only that, the nobles treated Evie with much more respect than usual, and the young male nobles were consciously stepping back, looking over Evie’s shoulder.

Thanks to this, Evie could stroll comfortably under the orchids without worrying about curses.

As a result, the false rumors about Count Laurel would probably amplify, but Zion decided not to care.

He had come this far, and what did it matter what the noble brats of Tienda were babbling about?

Moreover, what annoyed him more at the moment were not the observant nobles but his subordinate, who was fidgeting behind his back.

“I’m sorry to say, but just in case…….”

The deputy commander, who had been unable to settle down, finally opened his mouth after long agony.

“My younger sibling is still a child. He’s not manly at all, loves to chatter and drink tea. Haha.”

The deputy commander laughed with a voice as if he had swallowed sand. Zion wondered what he was supposed to do about it.

Moren Arco, the deputy commander, was the belligerent daughter of the famous Earl Arco.

But she had a younger brother who did not fit the family’s disposition at all, and that was Arco Youngsik, who was escorting Evie right there.

As it was, Moren had been extremely tense due to the whims and rages of the commanderinchief.

The commanderinchief had shown unpredictable behavior these days, and at the end of it all was Evie Ariate.

So, Moren had been on guard against that saint candidate even when coming to Tienda this time.

But, of all things, her foolish little brother had appeared alongside Evie, and poor Moren had been dripping cold sweat down her back ever since.

“Just look at those clothes. Doesn’t that boy look like a doll? He’s still so young that he would look good in shorts or a skirt. Who would think of him as a man? Haha.”

“Shut up.”

“Yes.”

Zion finally lost his patience, and Moren, who had been babbling, shut her mouth. But still, she kept glancing at the commanderinchief, as if something was bothering her.

So Zion swallowed a sigh inwardly.

It looked like she was worrying about jealousy from her younger sibling, but unfortunately, Zion was not the type of person to engage in such petty emotions.

To begin with, he had no empathy for jealousy, or socalled obsession.

Being a Laurel with a good lineage, having a good appearance, and having talent in both body and mind, he didn’t need to cling to anything.

Although there was a minor flaw of being a second son, he had overcome it by adopting a son of a hostile family at the age of seven, and during his youth, he had received annoyingly much affection.

So, he had never felt wanting.
But who would dare attribute such a lowly emotion to whom, for Zion, both the commander’s misunderstanding and the rumors surrounding him were merely laughable.

Furthermore, Zion couldn’t even see Moren’s sister well.

He was already busy just watching Evie, who was constantly moving around.

“She sure gets around.”

Zion thought, watching Evie, who never stopped for a moment.

In fact, when Evie told him to watch her, he thought it was some sort of punishment. At the same time, he anticipated a very tedious time.

But actually doing it, watching Evie was not as boring as he thought.

To be honest, it was surprisingly enjoyable.

Limp and bloomed orchids, and shabby but colorful nobles.

Servants passing by like shadows, musicians tangled in corners.

Plates at the banquet being filled, whether there was someone eating or not.

All sorts of sagging decorations.

Appropriate music,

Appropriate laughter,

Appropriate nonsense.