“Yes.”
“Someone named Martin is here, saying he absolutely must see you, young master.”
It was a name surprising enough to cause astonishment. The image of a dark-complexioned, large-framed man came to mind, followed by the thought, ‘Did something happen at the guild?’ Roman quickly asked the butler.
“Where is he now?”
“Since his identity hasn’t been verified, he’s still waiting outside the door.”
“Bring him to the drawing room right away.”
“Yes, young master.”
Roman also hurried down the stairs with quick steps. As he sat on the sofa, anxiously staring at the door, he belatedly realized something strange.
To prepare for any emergency, he had left a crystal orb with Isabel again this time. Since he had brought the crystal orb linked to it, they could contact each other immediately. Even if there were a problem with the crystal orb, sending a hawk or pigeon would be more efficient and faster than sending a person. In short, there was a high possibility that the claim that Martin had come was a lie.
‘Tch.’
He was about to get up, realizing his mistake too late, when almost simultaneously the drawing room door opened.
“……!”
His movement stopped right there. His pupils dilating came next. A brief moment passed, and the other person took steps forward first. Diego approached, leaving a trail of water droplets dripping—drip, drip—from his clothes, and stopped in front of Roman. A voice that had sunk murkily followed.
“…Roman.”
It was such an unreal situation that it felt like a dream, but it was undeniably reality. Only after a bit more time had passed did Roman’s lips slowly move.
“Looks like you changed your name in the meantime.”
Despite his calm tone, his mind was extremely confused.
Why on earth did he come all the way here? What about his work?
At that moment, a water droplet hanging from the end of Diego’s hair trickled down along his jaw. Only then realizing it was still pouring rain, he ordered the butler to bring a towel.
“Dry yourself.”
He picked up the towel that was promptly brought and held it out to Diego. But instead of taking the towel, Diego grabbed Roman’s wrist. Diego fixed his gaze on Roman, who flinched at the surprisingly cold touch, and spoke in a low voice.
“I came because I have something to say to you.”
“…Dry your hair first.”
But Diego didn’t let go and continued speaking.
“Why did you tell me you were in a relationship with His Highness the Grand Duke?”
“……!”
“Don’t lie and say it’s true. I came after hearing that Ruth formed a bond with him.”
At those words, Roman unconsciously grimaced.
“…You met Ruth?”
“Yes. He said he came to say his final goodbye to Kan.”
So that’s why there had been no sign of him even though it was about time for him to arrive—he must have stopped by Brisel briefly. Unable to hold back any longer, a voice urging him once more reached his ears.
“Answer me. Why did you lie to me like that that day?”
It was a tone and gaze full of conviction. As he said, it seemed like a flimsy excuse wouldn’t work, and Roman had no choice but to part his lips.
“I was getting tired of it, so I was thinking of suggesting we stop seeing each other. But just then His Highness the Grand Duke came looking for me, so I just used him as an excuse. I thought that would hurt your pride less. …Is that what you came all the way here to find out?”
Then a completely unexpected answer flowed from Diego’s mouth.
“I have no intention of ending things like this. Especially not if you haven’t found yourself a lover.”
Still that confident and arrogant gaze. It was a look he had thought was one of Diego’s charms, but not now. Roman shook off Diego’s hand and met his gaze with a scoff.
“You have no intention of ending things?”
Though he currently only ran a single guild, the fact that Roman was of noble birth and a dominant Neo remained unchanged. To tell someone like him to play the role of a mistress… It was so absurd he didn’t even feel like getting angry.
“Don’t tell me you’re saying you’d roll around with me even after getting married?”
“……!”
“That’s quite the confidence. But I…”
“What are you talking about?”
Diego abruptly cut off his words. When he raised his eyebrows and looked up, he saw Diego’s expression, now even more rigid.
“Marriage? Surely you’re not talking about me?”
“Then who else would I be talking about?”
“……”
Deep wrinkles formed in Diego’s brow as well.
Marriage—he couldn’t understand why the word “marriage” suddenly came out of Roman’s mouth in this situation. If, as he said, Roman was planning to get married to get rid of him, that would at least make sense, but it wasn’t even that.
He didn’t know where or what misunderstanding had occurred, but he felt he absolutely couldn’t let this slide. Having made his decision, Diego spoke again.
“Just who am I supposed to be marrying?”
“……”
“Answer me. I’m curious about who I’m marrying in this marriage I know nothing about.”
Roman didn’t answer right away. As he watched Roman with his mouth firmly shut and his gaze somewhere else, anxiety welled up. Just as he was about to press him again—though it wasn’t really pressing—Roman’s voice finally reached his ears, flowing out softly.
“…I heard the daughter of Viscount Rood has feelings for you. Doesn’t that settle it?”
Only then could Diego get a sense of it. He didn’t know through whose mouth it had traveled, but it seemed the fact that the viscount’s daughter had confessed had reached Roman’s ears as well.
But that wasn’t what was important right now. With his gaze fixed on Roman, Diego began as carefully as possible.
“…It’s true that the young lady expressed her affection for me. But I rejected her immediately.”
“……!”
Roman’s shoulders tensed involuntarily. His rarely surprised expression turned toward Diego.
“…You rejected her?”
“Yes.”
He couldn’t believe it. It was truly rare for a noble to take someone of common birth as a legitimate partner rather than a mistress. Moreover, the Rood family wasn’t a household that had fallen into ruin or decline, barely maintaining its name. If he took Grace’s hand, he could truly enjoy a comfortable and affluent life forever, yet he had rejected that—it made no sense at all.
“Why on earth?”
“That’s…”
Diego, who had been continuing his words, suddenly reached out and gripped the sofa’s backrest. Maybe it was just his imagination, but it seemed like he could hear rough breathing. Seeing him remain motionless, Roman belatedly approached closer.
“What’s wrong?”
The moment he looked at his face, Roman was startled. He had thought his face was just wet from the rain, but it wasn’t. Up close, Diego’s face was deathly pale without a trace of color, and his forehead was covered in cold sweat. Roman unconsciously grabbed Diego’s shoulders and asked urgently.
“Are you feeling unwell?”
“…I’m fine.”
It was only for a moment that he forced out a calm voice—suddenly, a thought crossed his mind and Diego added a few more words.
“I took a suppressant… so I think I’m experiencing side effects.”
“You took a suppressant?!”
His poker face crumbled and his brow twisted severely. Since Roman had also taken a suppressant not long ago, he knew all too well how terrible the side effects were. An agitated voice burst out involuntarily.
“Why would you take that? Don’t you know how dangerous it is if your body rejects it?”
“I know.”
“Then why…”
“I didn’t want to spend the night with anyone else.”
“……!”
He felt Diego’s hand grip his wrist strongly once more. At a distance close enough for their breaths to touch, deeply sunken eyes gazed solely at Roman’s face.
“You asked why I rejected the viscount’s daughter’s confession?”
A faint tremor was buried at the end of his voice. He had rushed here with the single-minded determination to see him, but now that this moment had become reality, his lips wouldn’t readily part. Because he knew that if he made a mistake, he might not even be able to see him at the guild anymore.
But…
Even if that were the case, there was something he absolutely had to confirm. Without taking his gaze off Roman, Diego slowly continued speaking.
“…The person I like is you, Roman. That’s the reason.”
“……!”
“I like you.”
He put all his strength into the hand still gripping him, as if afraid of losing him. Almost simultaneously, his vision spun dizzyingly and cold sweat streamed down his back.
