She glanced sideways at Aceras’ face.
‘As expected of the original male lead.’
Looking up close, handsome people will always be handsome.
His drooping puppy-like eyes, thick upper lip, and even without any expression, his mouth corners always curled up.
He looked good, but somehow she can feel something dangerous from him. However, it was frustrating because she couldn’t figure out what he was thinking.
Dalia, who knew Aceras’s personality before his breakdown, slowly began to feel anxious.
Didn’t he did something suspicious this time, such as digging up Dalia’s behind-the-scenes information?
“Aren’t you supposed to go quickly?”
“No, it’s an honor to see Miss Dalia in person.”
“…….Did you remember my name?”
“Yes, ash gray hair is not common, and you’re so famous.”
“……”
There were meaningless conversations.
Aceras was still looking at her with a harmless smile.
It would be nice if he could tell her that he was talking about himself, but it was hard to treat him recklessly because she knew that he would become the pope of the Holy Empire in the future.
There was only one thing that Aceras kept on thinking about.
‘I think she heard it, but how far did she hear?’
He needs to learn more about Dalia’s ability. It doesn’t seem that she knows much about the value of her power yet.
The power to bring the frenzy transcendent back to normal. It was the opposite of what he was going to do in the future, and at the same time, it was the power that would be more helpful than anything else if he used it well.
He was going to destroy this empire in the future.
‘It would be nice if I could convince her to be on my side.’
However, he got caught in the most important scene.
Even if he thought about it, it was pathetic.
‘Well, let’s fix it first.’
“You’ve heard the conversation before, haven’t you?”
Aceras said with a gentle smile.
Dalia shook her head again with a look as if she was the most wronged person in the world, but it was obviously a lie.
It was hard to tell how far she had heard, but Aceras decided to throw a small question first.
“You’ve seen an embarrassing scene. We didn’t get along very well. “
If he said this, he can pretend that the words that he said at that time were him actually trying to hurt Adrisha’s feelings, and that he didn’t actually mean it.
“……Is that so?”
However, strangely, Dalia’s expression changed even more when she heard it. With an expression full of suspicion.
Aceras checked again what he said just now, but he couldn’t find out the problem.
‘What is this?’
He smiled more gently, but contrary to his intentions, Dalia’s expression hardened.
‘……As expected, she’s not easy.’
He ignored her because she was young, but she remained vigilant. Maybe she knows more than he thinks.
But he had to find out what she knows. If Dalia Pesteros has the power to restore the frenzy transcendent, she may be able to ‘prevent’ the mana explosion by purifying the fallen soul itself with mana.
Then he can use his power as much as he wants without worrying about the mana explosion.
It was a force that all transcendents would be tempted to own. The strength that can make the entire continent to fight for it.
‘The way to know, probably through a handshake maybe……?’
If that clears his soul, who has undergone the Magic Blooming and is degenerating, it will show that this is not just a fluke.
Aceras looked at Dalia secretly.
She had already noticed from his words that he was lying naturally.
‘Who are you kidding, didn’t get along.’
Adrisha clearly said that she had never spoken properly with Aceras.
‘Suspicious, as expected! What are you planning!’
Dalia glared at him, full of doubts. Aceras finished his long observation and reached out his hand.
“Miss Dalia, if you don’t mind, can I ask for a handshake?”
Dalia’s eyes widened at the unexpected request.
“A, a handshake?”
Why does everyone here like to shake hands? She was sure that when she learnt from the tutor, people don’t usually ask a lady for a handshake.
Dalia thought to herself, but there was no reason to refuse, so she held his hand.
At least, she was wearing the gloves Adrisha gave her as a gift, so she felt slightly less repulsed.
Aceras squinted and looked down at his hand.
It wasn’t until a long time later that he finally released his hand. For some reason he looks like he has lost interest.
“Is there any problem…?”
“No, I guess my expectations were too high.”
Aceras lowered his eyes and spoke in a sad voice.
“I thought that Miss Dalia wasn’t really a human…… that’s what I thought. But it seems that it’s not until that degree though.”
“…….You really had high expectations.”
Unable to know his intention of speaking that, Dalia’s mind became blank.
Are you scratching people’s hearts like this? It was hard to know whether he was being sarcastic or not, so she didn’t even know whether she had to feel bad now.
Then, another round of music ended.
Adrisha probably soon noticed Dalia’s absence at the ballroom.
Dalia didn’t want to see this man and Adrisha meet again after the fight just now.
So Dalia was desperately racking her brain, and just outside the balcony, she heard Adrisha’s voice asking a servant.
“Have you seen where Miss Dalia Pesteros is?”
‘As expected.’
Aceras heard the same thing, then he looked at Dalia. His expression became a little awkward.
“I still have a lot of questions to ask you…..”
“……Yes?”
“Miss Dalia also still has more questions to ask me, right?”
‘How did he know?’
Dalia asked with her eyes. Aceras grinned.
“Strangely, I can see everything you think of from your face.”
‘How annoying.’
That’s what transcendents were supposed to be like. In addition, Aceras was twice as meticulous.
But Dalia also had her pride too. For some reason, she didn’t want to lose to him. She walked toward the door smiling.
“No, after thinking about it, I think we can meet again.”
“……What?”
‘Sure, it’s fine if you want to stop me from going to dance. I can just say that I need to talk with Aceras.’
As Dalia walked without hesitation, Aceras blocked her way with an expression of ‘this is not it’.
“Why don’t you think about it again?”
“There’s nothing to think about. I’ll call Adrisha. Get out of the way.”
For the first time, the smile disappeared from Aceras’s face and replaced with panic instead. Dalia smiled because she was in a good mood.
“Or if you ask me specifically not to go out, I will do that.”
Aceras’ expression was distorted. Maybe it’s because he’s still young, but he seemed to be more naive compared to the original.
Aceras said after a while.
“……I beg of you, my lady.”
Dalia answered proudly.
“Since you said that, I’ll just stay here.”
“……Okay.”
Aceras looked as if he had lost somehow. It made Dalia feel even more pleasant.
But then.
“Dalia? Are you there?”
Adrisha knocked on the balcony window.
‘Oh, did we talk too loud?’
Only then did Dalia feel like she was out of her mind.
Aceras and Dalia made eye contact.
He even said ‘please’, but are they gonna get caught because of her?
Aceras breathed a short sigh. Then he tilted his head and smiled softly.
“Since you’re doing me a favor, could you forgive me for a little rudeness?”
“……Yes, I will.”
However, Adrisha was already ready to open the door and come in.
What can you do here?
Then, something unbelievable happened. Aceras grabbed Dalia’s waist and hugged her, and immediately jumped right out of the railing.
Dalia held back the scream by covering her mouth tightly with her hands. Her hair loosened and the hair tie flew away in the wind.
She thought that they would fall like this, but Aceras took Dalia’s waist with one hand and grabbed the edge under the railing with one hand.
It is true that transcendents are said to be ahead of ordinary people in all aspects, such as strength and intelligence, even before the blooming.
No matter how much smaller Dalia is than Aceras, but this……
“Dalia?”
Adrisha’s voice can be heard right above them.
Aceras shook his head at Dalia. Dalia nodded with her eyes wide open.
“………I definitely hear her voice here.”
Adrisha seemed to look around instead of going out right away. Then she made an “Ah” sound as if she had found something on the floor.
“……Dalia’s hair tie is here.”
“……”
“……”
Dalia made eye contact with Aceras. Just looking at their eyes, they were both thinking of the same thing.
Adrisha opened the balcony door and stormed out. Her voice, that was always soft, resonated.
“It’s an emergency! Where’s the Duke of Pesteros?”
We’re doomed.
Things have gone wrong.
