246: Cannot help but admit (4)

♩♪ ♬♩♪

Inside the ballroom with soft music playing.

Airn Pareira, who was looking at Ilya Lindsay from a corner, closed his eyes as he sighed.

His mind was complicated.

He had achieved internal growth through various events in Lloyd’s estate.

In order to achieve his will, the desire for a sword, the depth of improvement, and the fighting spirit were very important… but it had taken a while for him to realize that it was the people around him who made him what he was.

It was for this reason that he came to the Lindsay estate earlier than previously planned.

Along with Judith and Bratt, the one who guided him was another important dear friend of his, Ilya.

‘Yes, friend. Obviously, it was like that…’

Not anymore.

Even when he closed his eyes, Ilya’s face appeared in his mind.

The memories he had with her were slightly different than before.

It was good. But at the same time, it was strangely scary as well.

He couldn’t help it. Even though he lacked worldly experience compared to his peers, Airn had developed a lot, especially when concerning his social interactions with people over the past few years.

However, things with opposite sex were a whole different story.

Even when he saw a lot of lovers around him; And even when he saw people who were married and in a family.

Even when he saw couples like Bratt and Judith, who were the closest to him, he couldn’t feel any emotion from them, until now… and that realization shook Airn.

‘… let’s go get some air.’

Phew, Airn exhaled again.

He tried for a long time but his mind didn’t calm down and meditation was of no help.

In order to solve this, he realized that he had to look into it more specifically and understand it. For that, he needed a quiet place.

With that in his mind, he got up.

Seeing one of the main players of the ball step out, several people mumbled about him.

“You know something? A friend of mine mentioned that he was called the lazy prince in the past!”

“Hm? What story is that? Wasn’t he a Sword Master?”

“I know. Which is why it’s hard to believe, but I checked and it’s not a lie.”

“I heard it too. Well, there is also a story that when he was young he met with the young lady of Lindsay family and he changed…”

“Gasp! Then I saw it right! I felt it the whole time they were dancing today, it felt like the two of them only cared about themselves and didn’t even seem to think of the world around them.”

“Right! Same here.”

“Ha, the rumors will spread from tomorrow. Although just a few gossip loving ladies of the kingdom are present here, by tomorrow the entire western continent will know…”

“Shh!”

“Uh? Why… ha!”

The noble man glanced behind only to be scared out of his wits.

Joshua Lindsay was staring hard at him, and it didn’t end there.

Ilya Lindsay’s cold gaze was on the women, which made them turn away and cough awkwardly.

The Lord hated his daughter being a part of such a story, but Ilya too hated her own life being spoken about this way.

However, contrary to their concerns Ilya wasn’t looking at them.

Her gaze was on Airn Pareira, who had left the ballroom and had gone to the garden.

‘He went out to get some air? He will come back, right?’

She knew.

That today wasn’t their final meeting.

She knew that after the banquet, Airn and his party would be staying over for a week or so.

Nonetheless, she felt sad. She wanted to see him more.

To look at him a little more even if it was in the form of brief glances as she greeted the guests.

‘No, calm down.’

Ilya took a deep breath and calmed her mind.

Unlike Airn, she had realized her feelings for him a long time back.

But even though that was the case, she still found it hard to control her raging emotions.

It is fine. There was no need to hurry.

What could she do alone in such a situation?

Should she ask him something?

But she didn’t have any courage to ask, right?

With those thoughts, she calmed her mind.

Watching the guests in the ballroom, Ilya and her parents greeted them.

But.

Things which made her excited like this were happening all over the ballroom.

“Ha, isn’t it a little hot? Should we go for a walk…”

“I think I have had too much to drink? Suddenly I want some fresh air.”

“Hmmm…”

“What is this? Honey, where is our daughter?”

“Huh? She was by our side a while ago.”

The noble girls were moving.

Ilya, who saw the direction they were heading to, put on a surprised face.

Everyone was leaving the ballroom. She sensed their intentions and raised her Aura.

Swosh!

“Uh?”

“Ah?”

“She was obviously here a while back…. wasn’t she?”

Ilya Lindsay disappeared in an instant.

The guests of the family were surprised that Ilya was gone.

Joshua Lindsay who sensed that something was off was about to follow his daughter.

“Just leave her alone, you will just embarrass her…”

“…”

At the countess’s low but terrifying voice, the Lord decided that it was better to stay there.

Swosh!

“Where? Ah! There!”

Ilya Lindsay used aura to the extreme and appeared outside the room.

It was amazing. She could of course move in the blue dress she was wearing, but moving swiftly with it was a problem.

And moving at high speeds seemed virtually impossible.

However, she was a Master.

Thanks to that, she was able to catch up with the other noble women who had gone out before her.

“Sir Airn Pareira!”

“Sir Airn! Could you spare me…”

“Who are you? An acquaintance of Sir Airn? Why are you calling him by that name?”

“What does that have to do with this? And now…”

“No, I got pushed away talking to you!”

“Mr. Pareira! If you don’t mind, can I walk around the garden with you and talk?”

“Ah! A coincidence! I too wanted to ask a few things…”

‘I was late!’

However, she was late to catch up to them.

Ilya put on a puzzled expression.

Seeing the girls surround Airn, she had a gloomy expression.

‘But… who wouldn’t like Airn?’

Ilya now was different from Ilya in the past. Unlike before where she spent her days in self-doubt, she was slowly recovering now.

However, with this situation in front of her now, she couldn’t remain calm.

When you like someone, that person would look even more amazing than they truly were in your eyes.

And at times, they would look humble too.

And Ilya was like that now.

Airn was surrounded by beautiful women and currently, he looked more handsome than ever.

The flustered expression on his face made him look innocent and his inability of not being able to push the women away felt dignified for some reason.

On the other hand, what about Ilya?

She had nothing to do with Airn.

They were close, that was definite, but they were still friends and not lovers.

Ugly jealousy bloomed in her heart.

The emotions were so strong that for a moment she wanted to drive out the other women by using her aura.

But she didn’t.

How could she hurt fragile women just so that she could calm herself?

It wouldn’t be a big deal if Ilya could control it in another way, but she didn’t have the confidence to do that.

Complex and intense emotions simmered in her. And it slowly turned into a boiling pot of negative emotions.

“… sigh.”

In the end, Ilya, who couldn’t stand watching it, turned around.

She didn’t have the confidence to go and stand with Airn.

Even if she did, she wasn’t confident enough to look pretty.

It was the time when she was about to walk, her feet didn’t move.

“Sorry.”

“Huh? What…”

“Ah! Sorry! I must have interfered when you were thinking about it. I’ll leave now, but maybe later…”

“I don’t think it will happen. No, I can’t.”

“… Why?”

“I don’t have enough time to practice swordsmanship these days.”

“…”

“If you are confident with the sword, you can follow me to the training hall…”

“… no. I will leave.”

A flat-out refusal.

No, considering Airn’s character, it was a blunt rejection.

It was weird. Asking delicate ladies to come for a match with swords.

Isn’t that just a way of saying get lost?

“Tch.”

“Even if he is a Master, isn’t he lacking in manners?’

“Doesn’t he only care about himself?”

“Seriously.”

The noble women returned back with blunt expressions.

Ilya looked at Airn with a blank expression.

And Airn looked at her belatedly.

“Uh?”

“Ah?”

“You were here? Since when…”

“Ah,no! No! I just came here now. It was a little hot inside, so I came to get some night air, but uh, it was noisy so… I didn’t know you were here.”

“I see.”

“UH, yep.”

“…”

“…”

Silence prevailed.

Airn’s head stopped working the moment he looked at Ilya, and he was unable to organize his thoughts and Ilya was too lost in how Airn rejected the others.

He wanted to spar with them?

What did he mean?

Perhaps…

‘He spoke with me in mind?’

She wanted to ask that, but she didn’t.

Thinking that she was considering herself too important in his life, she stopped.

But Ilya today was bit more courageous,

So…

“Ilya.”

“Huh?”

“It might be a little strange, but… how about a light spar?”

“…”

Ilya went stiff.

Airn, who watched it, felt terrified.

Come to think, it was an absurd thing to say.

Just like him, even Ilya’s dress was weird, and she couldn’t fight in it.

Asking a woman in a dress to spar!

It was a terrible mistake which made him want to apologize,

“Okay! Yes!”

“Uh?”

“Let’s go! To the training hall!”

Ilya said yes.

It was as if she really liked what he had said, and she grabbed his hand and dragged him with an excited face.

To which, Airn asked in a bewildered voice.

“Ah, but now that I think about it, I haven’t thought about it right. Your attire…”

“It is fine. I am a Master? There is no problem. Right. Let’s go!”

“T-true, but…”

A young man in ballroom attire was being dragged and the lady in the dress moved with a cheerful face.

Kirill, who was hiding in the grass and watching this, mumbled in embarrassment.

“No, what is with them… swordsmanship… is this going right? Can I let this go like this?”

“Ugh, but it is going to be just those two.”

“Yes, right.”

Bill Stanton nodded at Lulu’s words and said,

“Although the progress is frustrating, I can feel it from those two… it is a fresh yet solid air, which I really like.”

“… Huh.”

Kirill turned her head to him.

The reason why she didn’t refute his words was because she could sympathize with that idiot’s words.

And the banquet, which was held after a really long time, was coming to an end.