"Teacher Sofia."
Viloti came to Sofia's group and bowed in greeting.
"Viloti! You look absolutely beautiful tonight." Sofia hugged Viloti, continuously praising her.
"Thank you, Teacher Sofia."
After a few simple pleasantries, Sofia suddenly placed her hand on Felyn's shoulder.
"This is my good friend's son. I brought him to the venue today."
Sofia secretly squeezed Felyn's shoulder with her hand, signaling him to speak up if he had anything to say.
"It's been a while, Miss Viloti."
Felyn nodded slightly, showing a resigned smile.
"You two chat first. I have some things to handle."
Watching Teacher Sofia's figure gradually disappear, Felyn couldn't help swallowing nervously.
"Miss Viloti, tonight I actually..."
"Were you kidnapped again?"
Viloti suddenly interrupted Felyn's statement.
"Me? I wasn't kidnapped."
Felyn looked completely bewildered.
"Then why were you feeding Adeline cake and massaging her legs just now?"
Viloti's expression grew dark.
The atmosphere became very strange.
Felyn was stunned.
Viloti had clearly been backstage at that time—how had she seen it?
Felyn's mind began racing.
Though she was no longer his client, don't forget this was her home turf tonight—he couldn't say the wrong thing.
Otherwise he'd face condemnation from everyone at the banquet.
Beneath Viloti's gloomy expression was her empty brain.
She had clearly rehearsed this many times in her mind—first greet him, then make small talk, then bring up the cake topic.
But she couldn't help blurting out the first thing that came to mind.
Was it too abrupt?
"At that time, Lady Adeline and I were just acting, like a stage performance."
In such a short time, Felyn really couldn't think of a reasonable excuse and could only tell the truth.
He also couldn't understand why Viloti would be unhappy about him being with Adeline.
Let it all be destroyed!
Tonight's situation had completely spiraled out of control.
"I see."
Contrary to Felyn's expectations, the young lady's furrowed brow relaxed, as if she believed this explanation without probing further.
She just... believed it?
This young lady was too easy to fool.
"Miss Viloti, it's a bit inconvenient here. How about we chat on the balcony?"
Viloti nodded and obediently followed behind Felyn.
The two stood on the balcony, looking at Seiwa's night view.
From this height, the entire city looked like a painting dotted with starlight.
The night breeze gently caressed their faces, and Felyn's hair swayed slightly.
The glass door behind them separated the banquet's clamor into another world.
On this side was quiet night, with the city's distant lights like scattered stars.
On that side was the brightly lit banquet hall, filled with nobles' laughter and clinking glasses.
Felyn often stood at the boundary between these two worlds.
On one side was the cruel reality he faced alone; on the other was the prosperous world he saw with clients.
In such intense dissonance, Felyn sometimes felt powerless.
"Having money is really nice."
Felyn leaned on the railing, voicing his true feelings.
Viloti stood beside him, motionless.
He wanted money?
In her mind, Viloti began pondering what this man was really thinking.
Even with absolutely no experience with the opposite sex, Viloti was convinced Felyn had come for her sake.
A few days ago at her manor, Viloti could clearly sense Felyn deliberately distancing himself from her.
But he came today—couldn't he let go of her after all?
Or did he want one last look at her before saying goodbye forever?
Either way, she should properly ask him directly.
Felyn had already seen Viloti's mouth open slightly for the eighth time, then close tightly again.
Her expression remained calm, but Felyn could see the faint pink on her ear tips.
A drop of sweat slid down her face, dampening the loose hair by her ear.
Ten minutes had already passed.
Though he wanted to drag this out until the banquet ended, trapping himself and Viloti on this small balcony.
But behind him was a transparent glass door, and as time passed, more and more nobles would see him and Viloti standing on the balcony in this strange posture.
"Did you hear? Miss Viloti and Felyn are alone on the balcony talking about something."
"Felyn went to find Miss Viloti again—he's passionately confessing on the balcony."
Such rumors would probably spread quickly through the banquet.
Then a certain rose tea-haired young lady would hear it, transform, and go completely mad.
"Miss Viloti, congratulations on getting into the Royal Capital Academy." Felyn smiled at Viloti.
"Thank you."
Felyn realized that even if they continued this dialogue for another hundred rounds, they wouldn't reach the real core.
He had to end this quickly.
"Miss Viloti, though I'm a bit embarrassed to ask, do you like me?"
Viloti froze for ten seconds, her breathing quickening.
She gritted her teeth and forced out three words.
"I don't."
"That's right then."
Felyn's anxious heart finally relaxed.
Though he thought it unlikely, such things had happened before.
A client actually falling in love with him after their contract ended and insisting on marriage.
That would be very troublesome.
Because Felyn clearly understood the gap between himself and his clients—they were just indulging in a perfect relationship, unwilling to end it.
Given enough time, they'd naturally become clear-headed.
If both people really developed feelings, only Felyn would get hurt in the end.
The young lady still had mansions and savings; Felyn would only have bread too hard to chew.
"I once liked Miss Viloti, but I don't anymore. Not because Miss Viloti isn't good enough, but because I'm willing to face reality now. There's no future between us."
Felyn scratched his head, then propped his face with his hand.
"So I gave up. It's that simple. I came today wanting to say a final goodbye—consider it witnessing something. No other meaning."
She stood in the wind, pink hair swaying slightly to one side.
Her red lips parted slightly.
"Father didn't thank you today."
"Thank me?"
Felyn recalled Lord Silafiel saying a long list of thank-yous during the opening.
"I'm just a fallen noble—nothing worth thanking."
Viloti shook her head, her earrings making crisp collision sounds.
"You saved me too, in various ways."
Viloti wouldn't forget that Felyn wasn't just a simple pursuer.
Without him, she'd never have had the courage to leave her room and achieve today's accomplishments.
She remembered all of Felyn's efforts and devotion from the past.
Those nobles she'd never even met were somehow thanked.
Those so-called relatives and friends—she'd never seen them help when she was struggling.
Why were they thanked, but not Felyn?
"Father clearly knew, but he didn't thank you."
Felyn really wanted to tell her that her father had already thanked him with money.
And given him a full 500,000 crowns in hush money.
But saying this would ensure Silafiel wouldn't let him walk out of this castle alive.
"So you want to compensate me?"
Viloti nodded with a soft "mm."
"I sold the clothes you gave me last time for about 100,000 crowns."
Felyn turned to look at Seiwa's night view.
"So now you don't owe me anything either. Though you never should have owed me anything to begin with."
Viloti nodded thoughtfully and pulled out a seal card.
"Do you really need money?"
Felyn quickly waved his hands. "100,000 is already a lot for me."
"Then I can hire you." Viloti's extended hand still didn't withdraw, stubbornly held in front of Felyn.
"Hire me?"
Viloti nodded with a very serious expression.
"Is 200,000 crowns per month enough? I can add more if it's not."
"May I ask the reason?"
Viloti pursed her lips and lowered her head slightly, tucking her hair behind her ear.
Contact with men was the thing she least wanted to do.
So she probably wouldn't marry anyone or fall in love either.
What was the reason?
She was just used to having Felyn by her side.
Whether tying him with money or chains, in her subconscious, she'd already assumed he'd follow her for life.
"I'm sorry, Miss Viloti." Felyn showed a confident smile. "Don't look at me like this, but I also want to get into the Royal Capital Academy, so I don't have time to think about other things right now. Please let me refuse."
Get into... the Royal Capital Academy?
Then wouldn't there be chances to be classmates in the future?
A beam of light shone in Viloti's eyes, making Felyn wonder if he'd said something wrong.
She felt there was still possibility for Felyn to exist in her future.
Though minimal, it was better than nothing.
She had to help Felyn get into the Royal Capital Academy.
There were too many troublesome people at school and home.
Next week, she'd go to Felyn's house to help him with tutoring.
Thinking of this, Viloti's expression finally softened.
On the third floor, Sofia kept glancing at the two on the balcony.
So similar—really too similar.
It looked exactly like a young couple in love. From this posture, it felt like Viloti was confessing.
Could it be that Felyn's devotion had moved Viloti's heart?
Thinking about it, that seemed unlikely. Felyn was probably tearfully talking about the past while Viloti maintained polite distance.
Poor child!
"Teacher Sofia, our school's student council president Adeline happens to be here. Should I call her over to coordinate the specific details with you?"
Adeline—that name sounds familiar.
(End of Chapter)