NOVEL WEB #43
#43
News of Jersian and Kain’s engagement spread rapidly throughout the Gerold family mansion.
Even without trying to inform others, the content was such that the rumor’s impact was uncontrollably fast. That’s why Kain was sitting here now.
Kain Starchis tilted his head slightly as he glanced at the outdoor tables lined with elaborate decorations. Even excluding the servants helping with the tea party, about 80 humans filled the space with laughter and chatter. If this wasn’t the engagement ceremony, he couldn’t imagine how grand the ‘official’ engagement ceremony would be.
‘I’m not sure what I’m doing here.’
Just as Kain Starchis was lost in thought, looking down at the teacup in his hand:
“Master Kain, would you like me to bring you a different tea?”
Someone approached behind the chair, bending slightly to ask. The tone was careful and polite. Kain glanced at him, then slowly shook his head and said:
“…No. This is fine.”
“I see. That’s good.”
The servant then returned to his place, as imperceptibly as he had appeared.
“If you don’t like the tea, would you like a cocktail instead?”
Jersian, sitting right next to Kain who was lost in thought at the center of the table, suddenly offered something.
It was a transparent light green drink topped with bright red berries.
“Try it. You’ll like it.”
Jersian said, narrowing his eyes as he offered the glass. His red eyes folded in half, forming a smile as beautiful as a rose.
To others, he would probably look like a man in love. People sitting around the table commented on Jersian’s brightly smiling face, saying things like, “Young Master Jersian has reached that age now.” And that was precisely Jersian’s intention.
Everyone’s eyes at the central table were on Kain and Jersian. Though no one said anything specific, they all seemed to be enjoying the rare sight.
“…Thank you.”
Kain accepted the glass Jersian handed him, trying to hide his reluctant expression. He paused for a moment, holding the glass under his nose. Despite priding himself on his keen sense of smell, the scent of this drink wasn’t made from natural fragrances. What is this made of? Is it safe to drink?
Noticing his hesitation, Jersian kindly explained to Kain.
“It’s a mix of Cherene region’s specialty aromatic rice and syrup. I specially ordered it from the kitchen. How about it, isn’t it similar to your eye color?”
“…”
What? I didn’t mishear, did I?
Swish- Kain Starchis’s eyes moved from the light green drink to Jersian.
My eye color? Kain wasn’t very immune to such blatant displays of affection. No, in fact, he had no immunity at all. Despite living for hundreds of years, he was utterly helpless in this kind of atmosphere. And…
‘…Weren’t we not in this kind of mood just a few hours ago?’
As Kain subtly hinted with his eyes, Jersian’s sharp gaze flew back. Through his red eyes, Kain could almost hear the voice saying, ‘Just try to refuse what I’m giving you.’
‘I have no choice.’
Kain brought the transparent glass to his lips and took a reluctant sip. He was ready to move and spit it out if the taste was even slightly off.
The drink that entered his mouth was very sweet and cold, as if it had been in ice. It was unfamiliar to Kain, who was used to the taste of mountain fruits.
“…It has a unique taste.”
It was quite an honest assessment.
For Kain Starchis, it was a highly refined comment, conscious of the gazes of other humans, but it was an uncommon expression in human social circles.
“…”
The surrounding guests looked at Jersian’s reaction. The youngest of the Gerold Marquis family they knew wasn’t the type to tolerate such comments. Even between lovers, giving a lukewarm response in a public setting was considered impolite to the other party.
It was then.
Haha, a low laugh escaped from between Jersian’s lips.
“It might be a bit awkward at first.”
He was smiling with his eyes half-closed, seeming genuinely amused. Then he added.
“But it’s much better than before. You won’t get drunk no matter how much you drink that. You said you had a headache when you got drunk on wine, remember?”
The following words had a bit of an edge to them. He was undoubtedly referring to the night when Kain got drunk on wine at the banquet and fell asleep in Jersian’s room.
Kain reluctantly nodded and took a few more sips of the light green cocktail.
“…”
Then, under the bright sunlight, Kain’s thin lips, wet from the cocktail, caught Jersian’s eye.
Jersian stared at Kain’s lips for a while, unconsciously raising his hand. Then he gently rubbed the corner of Kain’s mouth, who was sitting right next to him with a slight frown.
“…!”
Huh? Simultaneously, Kain’s surprised eyes opened slightly wider. Jersian, meeting Kain’s green eyes, also realized what he had done and flinched, his pinky finger trembling.
He immediately withdrew the finger that had rubbed Kain’s lips. What was that just now? Kain touched his own lips where Jersian’s finger had brushed.
It was then.
“You two look so good together.”
Marchioness Elmerila, who had witnessed the scene from the same outdoor table, said.
She smiled brightly and looked at Jersian and Kain, the protagonists of this gathering, and asked:
“By the way, how did you two meet?”
It was a typical question to ask couples. Fortunately, they were prepared to answer about their first meeting.
“We met when I went hunting in Bethron Forest.”
Hearing this, the cousins sitting at the table reacted with wide eyes.
“In the forest? So that’s how you two met!”
“Oh my, it sounds like something out of a book!”
Like a fake story that could only appear in novels? That was natural.
The meeting Jersian had told them about wasn’t in a lush forest or under bright sunlight. In reality, it was a dark night with gleaming blue blades.
Preparing a fake engagement with a destined partner in front of humans.
‘…If Father and Mother in Fiokhim saw this scene, they would be shocked.’
Kain thought to himself.
“After seeing Kain Starchis then… I fell in love at first sight. I immediately begged him to stay at the Gerold mansion’s guesthouse, even if just for a while. Right, Kain?”
“Yes, that’s how it was.”
He tried to maintain a subtle smile on the surface while playing along with Jersian’s lead. Since Kain wasn’t as eloquent as Jersian, nor could he lie, it was enough to just nod vaguely.
The outdoor garden, filled with green trees, grass, and flowers, was attended by all the Gerold family members seen at the previous dinner banquet. Only Hernin, who had been rejected to his face for the birthday party invitation, was glaring at Jersian and Kain with a disgruntled expression from another table.
However, apart from him, everyone else was enjoying and impressed by Kain and Jersian’s love story.
Especially Erin Gerold, who used to train as a knight with Jersian.
“Jersian Gerold, you bastard, getting engaged before me!”
He said, patting Jersian’s shoulder as if they were close. His freckles stood out more under the bright sunlight.
“…Thanks for the congratulations.”
Jersian smiled it off while naturally pushing away Erin’s hand from his shoulder.
But Erin seemed to have more questions. He asked Jersian with an undaunted face:
“So, who confessed first?”
Confession? Kain’s eyebrows also shot up, sitting next to Jersian.
‘We didn’t plan for that…’
Among the stories they had coordinated in Jersian’s office before coming to this tea party, there was nothing related to a confession. Since it was an event where all the high-ranking members of the family were participating, Jersian probably thought he wouldn’t be asked such a casual question.
“…Of course, I confessed first.”
The preceding pause was long, as if he had been pondering internally. Even though it was a lie, it seemed he wanted to emphasize that he had the initiative in this relationship.
Jersian’s slight embarrassment was cute.
Hot, as Kain laughed softly, he immediately felt Jersian’s sharp gaze following him.
Ah, did he notice?
Kain quickly pretended to look down at his own plate with an indifferent face.