Chapter 44: CH 44

Actually, the words that came out while thinking about Lucas weren’t intentional, but Riett nodded unexpectedly. Evan let out a deep sigh.

“Riett, your judgment becomes clouded when emotions are involved.”

“…”

“Have you thought about who might have thrown your book into the fountain?”

Evan’s gaze seemed to ask if Riett knew the answer.

“It’s not Lucas. It’s Samuel.”

“Why do you think that?”

“They are the ones I’ve seen for a year and a half. I trust my own eyes.”

In response to Riett’s firm answer, Evan ran his hand through his hair.

“Can you guarantee that?”

Just as Riett was about to answer that question, the carriage door opened.

“Miss, you need to depart now, or you’ll be late.”

Upon the coachman’s words, Evan got off the carriage. Before the door closed, Evan spoke to Riett.

“You were supposed to make the judgment.”

“…”

“You should think carefully whether that judgment is correct.”

* * *

Arrogant Evan. Evan’s words echoed in Riett’s mind throughout the morning class.

‘Do I lose my judgment when emotions are involved?’

Ironically, Evan kept speaking ill of Lucas, knowing that their relationship wasn’t good.

Then was Evan the one who spoke based solely on facts without any emotional influence? That was a reasonable doubt.

Since Lucas was right next to her, Riett didn’t hesitate to ask.

“Lucas, are you still not on good terms with Evan?”

Lucas chuckled at Riett’s sudden question.

“It’s not that we’re not on good terms… It’s just that Evan unilaterally dislikes me.”

Okay, that makes sense.

But suddenly, Riett became curious.

“But what’s the reason Evan dislikes you?”

“There’s only one reason.”

“What is it?”

Lucas hesitated for a moment and then pointed at Riett.

“You. It’s because of you, this dense lady.”

Riett widened her eyes.

“…Me?”

“Yeah, this oblivious miss.”

Riett demanded further explanation with her gaze, but Lucas shook his head.

“It’s a secret now. There’s no need to do any favors for Evan.”

Uttering incomprehensible words, Lucas approached Riett.

“Riett, what about the answer you promised to give today?”

Ah, right. The words she had momentarily forgotten due to Evan’s arrogance came back to her.

She had postponed her answer regarding the partnership proposal so far, but if she had a conscience, she should be honest about the current situation.

“Lucas.”

“Yeah?”

“I found out the answer.”

Riett nervously glanced at Lucas. At first, Lucas looked surprised, but soon he smiled as usual.

“Congratulations, Riett!”

Riett awkwardly smiled at the heartfelt congratulations.

“So you’re not going to accept my proposal, huh?”

“Why? What does finding the answer have to do with it?”

Huh…?

Riett’s eyes widened.

“Even if I found the answer, it won’t work unless it’s a pair, right?”

“…But you won’t gain anything by doing it, so why would you?”

She should have phrased it differently, but she blurted it out in surprise.

“Why do you say such bitter things between us? If the roles were reversed, wouldn’t you do the same for me?”

As she said that, she understood. Yes, even if the situation were the opposite, he would undoubtedly do the same for her.

“So, what’s the answer you found, Riett?”

“It was in a familiar place.”

Riett noticed Lucas, who was listening intently and stopped speaking. His expression was subtly…

“In a familiar place? Where?”

Despite Lucas’ urging, Riett remained silent for a moment, as if pondering something. Then she slowly opened her mouth.

“Lucas, how about going to the ancient sun this evening? I can’t go there alone; we have to go together. Let’s meet there.”

“I’m fine with that. Where should we go?”

Lucas readily agreed.

Riett whispered into his ear.

“I mean… to…”

* * *

Late at night, on the top floor of the school warehouse.

Sounds of footsteps echoed in the darkness as they climbed the wooden stairs. Soon, with a creaking sound, the silhouettes of two people appeared.

Both of them searched busily in the dark without turning on any lights.

“I feel like there’s nothing here.”

A calm female voice flowed out. The man spoke with a puzzled tone.

“I’m sure it was here.”

“But…”

“Keep searching.”

That’s when it happened.

Light poured into the pitch-black space, and another person appeared.

“There’s no need to search anymore.”

The two people, squinting their eyes in the sudden influx of light, looked at the person who had appeared.

“…Riett.”

“Lucas.”

That’s right.

While talking with Lucas during the day, Riett noticed Lucas becoming uneasy again.

That’s why. Perhaps influenced by Evan’s unsettling words in the morning, she thought it wouldn’t hurt to test Lucas once.

The test was simple. She intentionally gave Lucas the wrong location and came to wait there in advance. If he had another ulterior motive, he would have come earlier than the agreed time to intercept the Sunstone.

Just like now.

“I had a feeling.”

Riett looked at Lucas with eyes filled with betrayal. But the one who answered wasn’t Lucas.

“You deceived the young master.”

The young master? The title felt odd. The woman with black hair who appeared alongside him was undoubtedly Anna, whom Lucas introduced as his cousin.

Before Riett could ask about her identity, Anna swiftly moved her legs like a wild cat.

‘What is she doing, seriously!’

Dodging the sudden attack, Riett grumbled inwardly.

And just as Anna was about to counterattack,

“That’s enough, Anna.”

Lucas intervened. Anna froze in her tracks, turning back to her owner with a sulky face, much like a scolded cat.

“But…”

“Go back first.”

A surprisingly cold voice emanated from Lucas. The person before Riett seemed entirely different from the Lucas she had known intimately over the past year. Even the previously mentioned title of “young master” felt out of place.

In response, Anna glared at Riett for a moment, then said, “Understood,” and vanished like the wind.

Only Lucas and Riett remained in the space.

“I thought I had fooled you, but turns out I was the one who got fooled.”

Lucas chuckled as if it were unbelievable. Even this aspect of him was different from the Lucas Riett had known. The unfamiliar title of “young master” added to the confusion.

“Did I surprise you, Riett?”

Surprised? That’s the question.

Riett could only be surprised; the unimaginable had become reality. While testing Lucas, she had desperately hoped that it wouldn’t turn out this way.

But it wasn’t the time to let her emotions show. First, she needed to know his true identity.

“What kind of person are you?”

A nameless noble from a Marquis family? It was evident just from the fact that a woman with the skills to throw punches and kicks accompanied him.

No matter how noble he claimed to be, it was extremely unusual for someone to have a personal guard with such combat abilities, especially not someone from a lower aristocratic rank like him.

“My name is Lucas.”

“Who doesn’t know that!”

“No, I mean, I don’t have a surname.”

…No surname? Could it be?

“I’m not a noble.”

“…What? Then how did you… in our school?”

The current situation was utterly incomprehensible. The prestigious noble school was not an easy place to forge one’s identity. But…

“Samuel told you about it once. He saw me in the back alley of Hemsworth.”

“Yeah. At that time, you insisted that you had never been to such a place.”

Lucas sat casually by the window, wearing a relaxed smile.

“It was me because the Hemsworth back alley is my family’s home base.”

It felt like getting hit repeatedly in the head. Facing a series of shocking revelations, Riett had to struggle to keep her composure.

“Riett might not have heard of it, but I’m the successor of the ‘Broken Knife’ guild.”

Guilds were associations that existed in this world. While there were ordinary trade guilds, there were also illegal guilds in the back alleys that took on illicit tasks. The guild Lucas mentioned seemed to be closer to the latter.

“That woman from earlier wasn’t your cousin but your guard?”

“Yeah.”

Her golden hair, which had always appeared warm like sunlight, now shone a cold, bluish hue. Chillingly so.

“What else do you want to know?”

“Why did you have to trick me into becoming student council president?”

Whether he’s a noble or the successor of a suspicious guild called ‘Broken Knife,’ it doesn’t matter. However, she was curious. Why would he go to such lengths to deceive her and become the student council president?

“I had to be the top student by any means necessary.”

“…Is that all?”

“Riett, you might not understand, but it was a matter of life and death for me.”

She briefly doubted if this was all an act, but Lucas’ gaze was undeniably serious. But wait a moment. Deceiving her just to be the top student…?

A recent incident flashed through her mind.

“Could it be… Did you also throw my book into the fountain?”

“That’s right.”

Lucas affirmed without a hint of hesitation.

A stronger sense of betrayal overwhelmed Riett, but the situation was so absurd that she couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“So, you deliberately became close to me from the beginning.”

“…That’s not true.”

Lucas’ voice grew quieter. But she had already lost her trust in him.

“How can I believe those words?”

Lucas let out a short sigh.

“Riett, listen carefully.”

Lucas spoke with an extremely serious expression.

“I am the successor of the guild, but I never wanted that position. So, I made a deal with my father. I asked him to release me in exchange for finding the spirit stone.”

Spirit stone… The familiar term made her decide to listen further to Lucas’ words.

“My father accepted my proposal, and I gathered all sorts of information to find the location of the spirit stone. Eventually, I heard that the stone is in this school.”

“What…?”

“It was in the school’s artifact storage room. It opens only once a year, and only the top graduates can visit as part of their special privileges. You can confirm it when you graduate.”

She had no idea. Riett never knew that being the top student came with such a reward. Moreover, the fact that the coveted spirit stone was in this school.

“In any case, I desperately needed that spirit stone. That’s why I had to graduate as the top student.”

Even though the opportunity has already slipped away. Lucas murmured.

“Riett.”

And he stared intently at her.

“I’m sorry for deceiving you all this time. I genuinely liked you, to the point where I hesitated to abandon years of planning.”

The Lucas she knew seemed to briefly appear just now. But what use is it now?

“I know it’s pointless to say this now. I just wanted to be honest with you one last time. I was always frustrated while deceiving you.”

“…One last time?”

For the first time, Riett, who had been silent all along, reacted.

“The chance to be the top student is gone. There’s no need to continue this student play.”

“…You scoundrel.”

Riett clenched her fist and glared at Lucas. He smiled affectionately as if nothing had happened. That familiar sight made her even more resentful.

Lucas stood up from his seat. As he passed by Riett, he whispered.

“It’s been a pleasure, Riett.”

Take care.

With those words, Lucas vanished in an instant.