Chapter 17

Senir slapped Lord Hauzen’s hand that had been on his shoulder. Lord Hauzen’s hand retreated, startled as if he had just been stung by a bee.

“No– W-why in the world is the Esteemed Son of O-Ohrid her—”

“Do I have to explain?”

“Y-yes? O-of course not.”

“Rather, I’m the one who is curious.”

Senir glanced back at Diana then back to him. Lord Hauzen’s flustered face was clearly visible.

“Do you normally persecute others like this?”

“N-no! T-to say this is persecution!”

Lord Hauzen jumped.

“We– T-that w-what’s the word… Uhm, we were only having a conversation. Right, Diana?”

Lord Hauzen glared at Diana, his eyes telling her to agree quickly.

‘Don’t tell me he’s thinking that I’ll agree?’

Diana bit her lips and shook her head.

“No. Even though I had refused, he kept asking me to go to his house…”

“You’re not shutting up?!”

Lord Hauzen suddenly shouted.

“Esteemed Son of Ohrid, that wench is lying…!”

“So now you’re even screaming.”

“Ah, I a-apologi—”

Senir cut off Lord Hauzen’s apology and looked back at Diana.

“Surely, you have to apologize to the Lady, not me.”

At that moment, Lord Hauzen suddenly gained the courage to talk back.

“To think that the Esteemed Son of Ohrid cares about this kind of insignificant matter, I can’t believe it.”

“Is that so?”

Diana, who was behind Senir, couldn’t see his expression, but Lord Hauzen, who faced Senir, turned pale in an instant at what he saw.

With shaking eyes, Lord Hauzen’s gaze turned to Diana. However, it seemed that an apology would damage his pride too much. Lord Hauzen’s face distorted even more.

Diana thought that it would be over soon and he would simply yell at her. However, Lord Hauzen bowed his head to her while gritting his teeth.

“I apologize.”

Diana’s mouth opened at the unexpected apology. Lord Hauzen, whose face had turned red, looked back at Senir.

“T-Then I’ll get going now. Uhm… that… When we meet again next time, please allow me to greet… N-no, I’m not forcing you.”

Lord Hauzen’s steps faltered and he simply ran away, trying to get out of sight as soon as possible.

“….”

“….”

“Are you okay, Lady Diana?”

Senir looked back behind him slowly.

“Yes. I’m okay.”

When Lord Hauzen disappeared in front of her eyes, she felt cold sweat drip down her back.

Diana hugged Sky, who was in her arms, tightly. The pounding warmth gave her a sense of stability.

Seeing Lord Hauzen’s pathetic appearance, she felt that it was funny and… unfair that she was scared by such a human being. She was sad that she couldn’t be like Senir and treat such trash recklessly.

‘It’s frustrating….’

Diana bowed her head and suppressed her resentment. Slowly, her stirred heart calmed down. Fortunately, it calmed down quickly. Sky, who noticed that she was feeling better, jumped out of her arms as if aware.

Diana bowed her head to Senir.

“Thank you for helping me. Seni—”

Diana, who was expressing her gratitude, paused. The information that she had forgotten because of the commotion came to mind again.

‘Lord Hauzen said he’s the Esteemed Son of Ohrid….’

Diana glanced at Senir’s face and raised her head in surprise. She hurriedly grabbed Senir’s robe, stood on her tiptoes, and asked him.

“Senir? Why is you cheek like that?”

“…Ah.”

Only then did Senir recall the fact that he had been slapped. He was in such a hurry to reach Diana that he had come without meeting up with a healer.

“It’s very red. Were you slapped…. No, are you okay?”

WIth teary eyes, Diana stared intently at his cheek.

She looked paler than when she was being threatened by Lord Hauzen earlier. Covering his cheek with the back of his hand, Senir slipped away from Diana.

“You don’t have to pay attention to thi—”

But while Senir was talking, Diana had already ran into the grocery store, leaving only a “Wait a minute!”

It didn’t take long before she reappeared.

Diana came running and placed a cold wet handkerchief on Senir’s cheek. At the damp and cool feeling, Senir grabbed Diana’s wrist as if to stop her.

However, Senir could not give strength to his wrist at all. The teary round eyes that stared at him stopped him.

“… Does it hurt a lot?”

“….”

“What should I do…?” Diana sobbed.

Senir couldn’t answer anything. At times like this, he didn’t know what expression to make.

It was unfamiliar.

It has been so long since he saw someone worried about him. It took a while before he was able to say anything.

“It’s fine.”

“But, you’re….”

Diana hesitated.

She didn’t know how to say it. Wasn’t it better to go to the hospital because he was the heir to Ohrid? But why was Ohrid’s heir slapped? Who hit him? Was he really the heir of Ohrid? She did think that he looked like the person in the newspaper, but she never imagined it would really be him.

Several questions tangled and spun around her head. Eventually, Diana asked the most basic question among the ones that came to mind.

“Are you Ohrid’s heir?”

Senir’s golden eyes met Diana’s.

They were an unusual color for eyes. When their eyes met, his gaze hardened as if he was facing a beast. Senir turned his gaze away.

“Yes. That’s what they call me.”

Senir’s small smile remained unshakable.

‘Why did he lie to me, saying that he’s a commoner?’

There was no benefit for him to lie to her.

‘Should I ask him?’

But she soon stopped. What could she even do after she asked him?

Diana quietly flipped the handkerchief, placing the side that was still cold onto Senir’s cheek.

“I’m glad I carried this handkerchief around.”

It was the handkerchief Senir had handed to Diana.

“I carried it around so I could give it back to you when I met you again. Oh, of course, I didn’t know that we would really meet.”

Senir laughed brightly. The sight of his smile was really picturesque. His soft voice was like…. Diana shook her head trying to get herself together again.

Fortunately, the redness of Senir’s cheeks subsided a little.

‘I’ll go into the store and wet it one more time…’

Lost in her own thoughts, Diana didn’t catch what Senir was saying.”

“…What do you want me to do?”

“Yes? Ah, I’m sorry. I didn’t hear the first part.”

“What should I do with the Esteemed Son of Hauzen?”

“Yes?”

Senir took the handkerchief from Diana’s hand. The gesture was so natural that Diana couldn’t care less about him taking the handkerchief.

“Did you just ask me what to do with Lord Hauzen?”

“First of all, the title ‘Lord’ doesn’t suit the Esteemed Son of Hauzen.”

“Is that so?”

Diana rubbed her hands on her skirt. She didn’t know what the difference was. Senir explained as if he had read her mind.

“The title ‘Lord’ is an honorific title for those who have been appointed as knights. And His Esteemed Son of Hauzen is….”

Senir smirked. It was more of a sneer.

“He’s still too lacking to be worthy of receiving the title ‘Lord’.”

That brat wasn’t even aware that he almost died today. Senir looked at the black summoned beast wagging his tail next to Diana.

If it was such a stupid bastard like him, it didn’t matter if he died, but not right now.

Watching Senir, Diana smiled slightly.

“I like the way Senir gets angry for me like this.”

“…Did you just say I got angry?”

“Were you not?”

But, she thought he was angry because he looked serious?

“It seems like I was mistaken. Still, thank you so much for your help.”

Diana smiled brightly. Senir stared at her with indistinct laughter in his eyes. At that moment, Diana opened her eyes wide.

“Ah! Ah, right. I’m sorry. Uhm…. What should I call you? I’m sorry until now, I really don’t know. Should I call you Your Esteemed Son of Ohrid?”

Senir gave a hollow smile.

“I will make sure to settle the Esteemed Son of Hauzen so that this kind of matter doesn’t happen again in the future.”

“If you do that, I’m thankful for it of course. Why do I keep bumping into him when Aachen isn’t even small…?”

“Was there this kind of matter before?”

Diana shook her head.

“At that time, I saw him first and avoided him, so nothing happened.”

“I see.”

“Don’t tell me you’ll make it so we won’t meet again…?”

“I believe so.”

It was a firm answer. Diana looked at Senir oddly and laughed again. For some reason, she wanted to believe it.

“If so, then it would be great.”

“Also, it’s enough to call me just Senir, without the title.”

“Is that alright?”

Diana asked back carefully.

“Please just take it easy.”

“Uhm, alright.”

It’s hard…

Diana sighed inwardly. Since he himself said that it was okay, then it must be that it was truly okay, right?

Before she knew it, people around them were glancing at Senir. The moment she was conscious of their gaze, she suddenly became very burdened.

“Uhm, then Senir. Thank you for your help today. You must make sure to treat your cheeks. Then, I’ll get going….”

“Wait a moment. Lady Diana.”

Senir called Diana again, who had been hesitatingly moving away.

“W-why?”

Senir showed a look of contemplation.

“Is there anything else you want to tell me?”

“I have a request to ask of you.”

“…For me?”

“Yes. It’s something that only Lady Diana can do.”

“Yes?”

Of course, since he saved her, it didn’t matter if she had to do a simple request. But what kind of request does the heir of Ohrid have that he needed to ask her to do it?

Unlike her worries, the words from Senir’s mouth were unexpectedly very easy, although she didn’t quite know the reason for the request.

“There is a person who wants to see Lady Diana.”