The empty living room was left with only Zervanie and Felyn.
The fireplace crackled behind them, and the shadows cast on the wall seemed ready to drag Felyn into darkness at any moment.
The firelight danced on Zervanie's face. Her ice-blue eyes didn't make Felyn feel cool—instead, they brought heat along with the flames.
Felyn sank his body into the sofa, not wanting to think about what would happen next.
Tonight he still had to study divine church knowledge with Miss Daiyi when he got back.
Tomorrow at lunch he'd have fried chicken legs. It would be even better if he could get some of Viloti's premium lunch box.
The day after tomorrow he'd probably need to go to the hospital—his sister was about to wake up.
Felyn mentally counted the things he needed to do next, trying to escape reality.
"Felyn, now it's just the two of us."
Zervanie got up and sat beside Felyn, and the sofa dipped slightly toward her side.
Although Zervanie was very light, Felyn was worried he might slide into her arms like on a seesaw.
"Yes, Miss Zervanie. Being with you makes me nervous—I don't know what to say."
Felyn pretended not to dare look up at Zervanie and scooted away toward the distance.
"After hearing my friend's story, do you have any good suggestions?" Zervanie still wouldn't give up.
"I wouldn't dare offer any suggestions." Felyn didn't pick up on Zervanie's conversational thread.
As long as you can't find me, won't come pester me or even force me to marry you, I don't care what you think.
Correcting this young lady's thinking in front of him—Felyn really couldn't be bothered.
Everyone had their own way of life. You could live however you wanted.
Just don't involve me.
Seeing that Felyn wouldn't engage, Zervanie prepared to change the topic.
"Have you listened to my new song recently?"
"I have. That new song you released 12 days ago was really wonderful."
"You remember so clearly. What about my last performance..."
Zervanie asked several more questions in succession, and Felyn answered them all fluently.
Princess Dorothy of the Siveshus Empire, one of his clients, really liked Zervanie.
So to satisfy his client's needs, Felyn often paid attention to Zervanie's latest activities.
"Do you also know my upcoming schedule?"
"Of course. This Friday you're going to the children's sanatorium for a charity performance."
"Then why won't you marry me?"
"......"
Felyn knew Zervanie would set traps for him. He quickly reacted.
"Marriage? Marry whom?" Felyn put on a completely confused expression.
Zervanie let out a soft breath. She picked up a drink from the coffee table and began a new round of attack.
"Actually, the friend I mentioned earlier is myself. You'll keep it a secret for me, won't you, Felyn?"
Zervanie put down the cup and leaned back against the sofa.
Her water-soft body outlined the shape of the sofa. She turned sideways, with droplets from the drink she'd just consumed still hanging at the corner of her mouth.
She gently wiped them away with her finger and smiled charmingly.
"After all, if people knew I would marry someone, I'm afraid my career would be affected."
Zervanie moved close to Felyn, her warm breath hitting his ear.
"But I'm willing to trust you, trust that you won't harm me. I don't know why, but I always feel like you're very similar to that person I mentioned. Could it be a coincidence that you're the same person?"
Felyn felt like all his hair was about to stand on end.
"What a coincidence indeed. If only I were that person—after all, I could stay by Miss Zervanie's side."
Zervanie's eyes were already moist, her hair brushing against Felyn's collar.
She gently bit her lower lip, showing a pitiful yet affectionate expression.
Her pink nose sniffed lightly. This scent—he was Felyn.
"Miss Zervanie, I think you've mistaken me for someone else."
Felyn reached out to push Zervanie away, making her distance herself from him.
But Zervanie stubbornly continued moving closer to Felyn.
"If you don't tell me why that person left me, I won't give up."
Felyn sighed.
"Miss Zervanie, that person who was with you—maybe he didn't like you very much?"
Facing the stubborn Zervanie, Felyn really had no way to deal with her.
In some ways, she was very similar to Viloti. If you didn't spell things out clearly, she wouldn't understand.
"I already said it's impossible for him not to like me."
"It's possible, because liking someone is very subjective. Maybe you think he likes you, but perhaps he actually doesn't want to be with you, which is why he disappeared without a trace?"
"Doesn't want to be with me?"
How could that be? How could Felyn not want to be with me?
"Perhaps he wasn't with you because he liked you, but for other reasons. When that reason disappeared, he naturally left."
Zervanie quickly understood that Felyn was talking about the contract.
Did Felyn leave because the contract ended? Was Felyn so tolerant of me only because the contract stipulated it?
Doesn't Felyn love me?!
This isn't true!
But...
Judging from the results, this seemed to be true.
Because the contract ended, Felyn suddenly disappeared, and no matter how she searched, she couldn't find him.
"Stop talking." Zervanie's voice began to tremble. She was unwilling to believe this fact.
"Perhaps from beginning to end, his feelings for you weren't love. Maybe Miss Zervanie misunderstood."
Zervanie was unwilling to believe this was true. She wouldn't admit that Felyn didn't love her.
Because in the three months since Felyn left her, Zervanie had discovered a terrible fact.
She couldn't live without Felyn anymore.
Since Felyn left, Zervanie felt empty inside every day, constantly unable to stop thinking about him.
Even her performance level had begun to decline.
She searched for Felyn's whereabouts constantly, thinking that as long as she could see him, she could definitely get Felyn to return to her side.
But if Felyn didn't love her, then Felyn would leave her forever.
"So are you saying these things now to avoid responsibility toward me? Are you trying to deliberately distance yourself from me, to make me realize your importance so I'll love you more?"
Zervanie's voice rose considerably. Her hands gripped Felyn's arm tightly.
Felyn pushed her hand away, "Miss Zervanie, I don't quite understand what you're saying…”
Zervanie interrupted his statement, her face looking somewhat unpleasant.
"Felyn, do you think these words will work on me? I remember your scent—you can't fool me."
She wasn't pretending anymore!
Felyn had finally appeared before Zervanie, and she absolutely wouldn't miss this opportunity.
"Huh? Miss Zervanie, you must have mistaken me for someone else, right?"
Zervanie no longer paid attention to Felyn's excuses.
"Whether I've mistaken you or not, just take off the mask and we'll know."
Felyn felt something ominous.
"Aren't you my fan? I'm asking you to remove the mask now—this shouldn't be difficult, right?"
"Sorry, Miss Zervanie, it's not convenient today."
Zervanie suddenly turned around, pressing her body against Felyn's.
She put all her body weight on Felyn. After three months of hopeless searching, now that Felyn was right in front of her, she definitely wouldn't miss this opportunity tonight.
As long as she removed that mask, she could know if this person was Felyn.
As long as she removed that mask, she could ask Felyn what was really going on.
"Hurry up, let me see!"
"Wait, Miss Zervanie, no!" Felyn was pinned down by Zervanie, one hand tightly gripping the mask, unable to push her away for the moment.
He didn't know why Zervanie, who usually seemed so delicate, had suddenly become so forceful tonight.
"Why not? Haven't you always listened to me? Weren't you willing to tolerate me forever? Now it's just removing this damn mask—why not?!"
Zervanie straddled Felyn, both hands desperately grabbing at Felyn's mask.
She didn't know where this strength came from, but in the struggle for the mask, she had the upper hand.
The mask began to slowly come off, and half of Felyn's face was about to be exposed.
"Felyn, let's see what you have to say now."
Zervanie saw part of a familiar face. The mask was just a little bit away from being completely removed.
Just a little bit more...
Just a little bit more and I can see my Felyn again.
Just a little bit more and I can return to the days when Felyn was there.
"What are you doing!"
Just as the mask was about to be completely torn off, Adeline's angry voice came from the doorway.
From her perspective, Zervanie was straddling Felyn while Felyn kept resisting.
This... this was?!
This was definitely sexual harassment!
While she was out, Zervanie was actually trying to force herself on Felyn?!
Was she really this kind of person???
(End of Chapter)