Chapter 105: Chapter 105

“Did, did I say something wrong…?”

‘He’s not someone who doesn’t have any sense at all.’

Azela let out a small sigh, looking at the man who hurriedly covered his mouth. If he hadn’t added that, Zagnac would have been ready to tear the man in front of her to pieces. Still, he didn’t answer the man’s question for a long time.

As Zagnac gave no answer, he seemed at a loss as to whether he should just go back or wait for an answer.

Watching the scene, she tapped Zagnac lightly with her elbow.

“Ah…”

Raising his head, Zagnac said briefly to the man, who was still conflicted in front of him, ‘thank you’ and brushed past. His gaze was still cold as his cool steps were heading towards Princess Livia, who was sitting in the corner.

“Zagnac.”

Aware of that intention, Azela hurriedly tugged at his jacket. Unlike the way he had been looking at her with a honey-dripping gaze a moment ago, he looked at her with a cold stare that told her to let go of her hand.

“Even the Princess couldn’t refuse.”

He raised one eyebrow at her words.

Zagnac stopped and, still unaware of anything, looked back and forth between Livia in the corner and Azela grabbing him. Haha, a hollow laugh escaped from his lips.

“You knew.”

His cold gaze left Livia and settled on Azela.

At that moment, the nape of her neck went cold, and goosebumps ran through her body. Seeing his murderous gaze in front of her, she thought she should have let him go to Livia though this was a consideration for her competitor, who told her the truth.

‘Because she doesn’t know that Zagnac is a devil.’

“Yes, I knew.”

Azela nodded and gently let go of him. Zagnac looked at her with a dumbfounded look, then, with a blank smile, swept his face roughly.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“That…”

Azela turned her head to see Livia glancing at them with each and every bite of her food. Even at such a fancy party, the girl was wearing the dress she had given her. It seemed that the dress and shoes that Azela had given her had now become her most cherished and best clothes.

“That?”

As he rushed for an answer, Azela looked away from Livia and gazed back at Zagnac before opening her words cautiously and slowly as if trying to understand or soothe him.

“If I tell you, you will definitely look for a plan and go to tell the Emperor no. Then, the Emperor will know that Livia informed us beforehand. If so…”

“You want to say that you feel more sorry for that poor Princess?”

Zagnac sneered at her, cutting off her words lightly.

Hearing his mockery, Azela licked her lips again. He was angry… She had seen Zagnac get angry, but it was the first time he had been angry with her. Azela widened her eyes and looked at his emotional figure.

“As expected, you too…”

Opening his mouth in a dry voice, he turned his body coldly. When Zagnac suddenly turned away, Azela grabbed his clothes again with a puzzled look.

“I don’t trust humans.”

Zagnac gently grabbed her hand that was holding his clothes and pulled it off. Even at this moment, his touch was still gentle.

He gazed at Azela with a hurt face.

“You, too.”

Soon, he turned and started walking towards Livia. Seeing Zagnac’s back as he walked away, Azela was perplexed.

‘…This isn’t it.’

Listening to her explanation, he obviously should’ve said ‘yes’ as casually as usual, and then he would compliment her by saying ‘good job.’ However, Azela could not hide her bewilderment at the completely different outcome.

She could only stand in place and stare at Zagnac.

“Wa, wait…”

Azela hurriedly called him out, but he didn’t look back. It was in an instant that she felt everything went wrong.

“I don’t trust humans, you too.”

What he said to her… he had a wounded look. Was he that hurt him because she didn’t tell him? Azela bowed her head, pondering what he had done and said.

“Don’t think of anyone else but me.”

Suddenly, she remembered what he had said to her before. That was what he uttered as he hugged her the day she lent Livia her dress.

Azela lifted her bowed head and saw Zagnac’s back as he moved away.

‘…He trusted me.’

It was all because he believed in her so much that his feelings were twisted. Azela took her paused steps and hurriedly followed Zagnac. Like a female lead in a book, standing there hurt by the opponent’s actions was no longer acceptable.

“Princess.”

Zagnac approached Livia and called her by name. Livia, who was happy while eating, looked surprised when she saw Zagnac, who suddenly approached her.

“Duke Ferial?”

“Why didn’t you tell me beforehand?”

“What?”

“You and I…”

After speaking coldly to Livia, he suddenly could not go on with his words. It was because Azela, who had followed him, grabbed his sleeve again.

Zagnac frowned, not liking her sudden interruption.

“Azela.”

He called Azela’s name with a sigh.

Despite being surprised by his annoyed expression, she did not let go of his sleeve. Zagnac’s long eyelashes trembled at her betrayal, so Azela moved her lips to say something before he could open his mouth.

“I only think of you.”

Her cry widened his closed eyes before his half-closed languid gaze turned to her.

Zagnac bit his lips and didn’t say anything, just looking at Azela with a calm gaze. Meanwhile, unable to comprehend the sudden situation before her eyes, Livia blinked, alternating between Azela and Zagnac.

“I didn’t think of anyone else, I only thought of you.”

“….”

“It sounds like an excuse, but the reason I didn’t tell you was not because of the Princess but because I wanted to protect you.”

“…It really sounds like an excuse.”

Zagnac spoke in a weak voice. Even though his tone was still cold, he didn’t have the murderous energy as before. His expression of pouting his lips in an unobtrusive manner even looked the same as usual.

‘Is his anger relieved?’

She watched his mood as she slipped the sleeve of his jacket from her hold.

The next moment, she turned her head to look at Livia, who was listening to the conversation on the other side, and the other nobles, who couldn’t hear the conversation but were still trying to listen in.

“It’s not an excuse. I’ll tell you later, so if you trust me and don’t misunderstand…”

However, she couldn’t continue her words.

As soon as she let go of his sleeve, Zagnac reached out and wrapped his hand tightly around her waist, pulling her closer. Certainly, he had wrapped her waist a little while ago, but it was completely different from his gentle touch at that time.

Azela almost screamed at the rough touch that hugged her as hard as he could.

“Because that’s like an excuse.”

A faint smile appeared on Zagnac’s lips, but it quickly disappeared. Although he had hidden it, it was already after Azela saw that faint smile.

‘He’s like a child…’

Azela suddenly thought that he was really like a ‘child’ as his atmosphere quickly relaxed when she said that she only thought of him. She knew the reason for his fluctuating emotions was every word she said.

Still, she didn’t say it out of her mouth… because that feeling was not allowed.

“Tell me now why you said you wanted to protect me.”

With Azela around him tightly, Zagnac leaned over and buried his face in her hair as he whispered softly. As he cradled Azela in his arms, he let out a small breath and she had a sudden thought.

…If he couldn’t control his emotions at her words, and if she died and disappeared later… could he not cry?

She had such a sad thought.

As Azela raised her hand, she patted him on the back like comforting a child. Please, she hoped that her presence in his heart would no longer grow.

“…What is this now?”

Unable to comprehend the situation, Livia put down the glass and stuttered. Azela turned her head to glance at Livia while holding Zagnac in her arms and smiled with a frown.

“The Duke is drunk.”

“…Yes?”