A Butterfly Through the Mist - Chapter 28

Tilia continued speaking calmly to her father.

“I investigated, and I heard that not only the mine but also the surrounding area has never produced any gold. No matter how you look at it, this investment… It’s the kind of scam that’s currently in vogue…”

Just as she was about to list the evidence she had prepared, something whizzed past her hair. At the same time, she heard the sound of something hard, like glass, shattering behind her.

“……”

Tilia slowly turned her head to look behind her. Below the wall where something had struck, she saw a crystal ashtray shattered into pieces.

“Tilia.”

Her father, who had thrown the ashtray at her, called her in a soft voice.

“Do you have plans with Judy Wells tomorrow as well?”

In response to her father’s gentle yet warning tone, Tilia was silent for a moment before slowly opening her mouth to answer.

“Yes, Father. I do.”

***

This family is ruined.

The first thought that came to Tilia’s mind as she entered her room, located at the top of the mansion, was that.

There is no future for this house

Tilia quickly walked over and sat down on her desk chair. Then, she rummaged through her bookshelf and pulled out the book she had hidden the deepest.

What good would it do to give them a chance, thinking she would help one last time?

He just wants to flail around, trying to fall into an even deeper pit.

Her father had wasted the family’s money his whole life, pouring it down the drain like this. It was clear he would continue to live that way for the rest of his life.

So, she had to leave this house quickly before she got dragged down too.

Opening the middle of the thick book, Tilia’s expression turned solemn.

What she had hidden between the thick pages was a recruitment notice issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Specifically, it was a recruitment notice for a consular position in Ontaroa.

With her heart pounding, Tilia carefully examined the document she had practically memorized by now.

The hiring process was detailed below the line indicating that exams were held every November.

The first stage was a written test related to diplomacy, and the second stage was an interview conducted in Ontaroan.

And at the very end, clearly specified under the criteria for bonus points…

Graduates or soon-to-be graduates of the Royal Academy of Arkansis.

Tilia stared at those words as if she were engraving them into her mind, then glanced warily at the door, as if someone might steal her chance. Carefully, she closed the book and put it back on the shelf.

Tilia’s reason for choosing the position of foreign consulate, which was considered an avoided field, was clear.

Only that position required mandatory overseas work.

Ontaroa was known as the country with the most liberal culture on the western continent.

Tilia planned to live her real life there.

‘Yes, a real life.’

As Tilia retraced her thoughts, her eyes changed.

‘There’s no time to waste.’

She lightly slapped her own cheek, turned, and pulled out an old book from the nearest shelf.

Naturally, it was a self-study Ontaroan conversation book.

***

At midday, with the sun shining brightly, the commercial district of Arkansis was filled with lively voices.

But just a block away from the bustling crowd, at the edge of the new town, an old bookstore remained quiet.

Tilia enjoyed the tranquility as she slowly scanned the foreign bookshelves.

The academy’s scholarship allowance was modest.

However, that was only by noble standards—Tilia could afford to buy a few books during breaks if she spent wisely.

‘I’ve already memorized all the examples in my current conversation book; I want to study something new.’

Tilia carefully examined the spines of the old books, searching for anything useful.

It was fortunate that there was a section of Ontaroan study books in the bookstore, but the fact that they were all old was a problem.

‘No, more than that, I need to actually practice speaking if I want to pass the interview…’

As Tilia stood on tiptoe to search for a decent book, she let out a sigh.

The second interview, conducted in Ontaroan, weighed 40% of the overall evaluation. No matter how well she did on the written exam, making a major mistake in the interview would be hard to recover from.

Isn’t there anyone who’s good at Ontaroan?

With a sullen expression, Tilia was about to pull out a book that seemed at least somewhat useful.

Bang! With the sound of the door being thrown open, someone’s hurried footsteps approached.

The urgent footsteps passed the shelves and headed straight to the corner where Tilia stood.

Then, as if they were a companion, they stopped right beside her.

It all happened in an instant.

Tilia blinked, watching as a large, well-groomed hand snatched away the book she had been about to take.

What the…? My book.

A beat too late, Tilia turned her head in annoyance, but she found herself blinking again at the incomprehensible sight before her.

Ilex Davenport.

The person she thought she would never see again was now right next to her, flipping through the book she had wanted to see.

The old bookstore was so small that the shelves were placed tightly together to fit as many books as possible, leaving only minimal gaps. On top of that, books were stacked even on the floor.

Surrounded by books on all sides, Tilia found herself staring at the man who somehow seemed unreal in that setting.

Though he was trying to control it, it was clear he had run here in a hurry—his chest moved slightly as he breathed heavily.

Every time he breathed in and out, the thin shirt clung to his firm chest and pulled away again.

As Tilia gazed at the smooth line of his nose and chin beneath his long lashes, she snapped out of it at the sound of a page turning.

Only then did she become aware of how unnaturally close they were.

Just as she thought her heartbeat seemed to be racing along with his, and she took a step back…

Ilex turned his head.

Tilia looked at him with eyes full of wariness and suspicion.

But what she saw in his eyes was not the deception she had expected him to be hiding.

It was as if he were taken by surprise, his bluish-gray eyes widening, trembling slightly, before locking onto her.

Seeing the flicker in those eyes, Tilia felt as if she had just seen something she shouldn’t have.

A warning seemed to blare in her mind, urging her to look away.

Just then, a commotion from outside reached into the bookstore.

Tilia’s attention shifted at the sound of someone shouting, as if urgently looking for someone.

What is that?

As Tilia tried to lean out past the bookshelf to see, a shadow fell over her head like an umbrella.

Startled, she looked up to see Ilex Davenport bending over her.

The shadow he cast over her was like the shade created by a tree.

In the faint darkness, his eyes, like a star hidden by clouds, looked down at her.

In those eyes, there was only her.

The reflection of herself, with the tension still faintly evident at the corner of her lips.

In that instant, a sense of crisis, disguised as discomfort, crawled down her back.

What are you doing?

Just as she was about to push Ilex away—

“He couldn’t have gone far! Find him quickly! If we catch him now and take him to the capital, we’ll make it just in time…!”

The rough voice of someone giving orders to knights could be heard.

At that, Ilex’s brow furrowed with what seemed like anxiety.

‘…Wait.’

Tilia’s eyes narrowed as she caught his reaction.

The knight’s words about searching for someone who had run away. Despite his urgency, the fact that the knight still used honorifics.

And…

Ilex Davenport, with his face as if he wanted to hide.

As Tilia quickly grasped the situation, she smirked, relaxing her previous tension.

‘So that’s what’s happening.’

The young master must be playing at running away.

Tilia had no intention of playing along with the young master’s prank.

Just as she was about to raise her hand to signal the knights that the person they were looking for was right here, Ilex swiftly grabbed her wrist and whispered in her ear.

“Ten gold coins.”

His hand lightly held the sleeve of her white blouse, and she felt that same unusual warmth from before—the temperature that wasn’t quite normal.

“I’ll give you ten gold coins if you hide me for a moment.”

At those words, Tilia’s eyes narrowed upward.

Ten gold coins were enough to buy more than fifty brand-new books instead of the old ones here in the used bookstore.

But Tilia had no need for fifty books.

More importantly, she wasn’t interested in accepting anything from Ilex Davenport.

Except perhaps seeing his frustrated face as he was dragged away by the knights.

Tilia shook off his hand without hesitation and was about to call the knights when…

“Or, how about this: I won’t tell anyone.”

Ilex hastily whispered as he pulled her slender wrist back toward him.

“About what happened that time, I won’t say a word to anyone.”

Although there was no proper subject, Tilia immediately understood what he meant.

In the narrow space between the bookshelves, with her wrist held, Tilia glared fiercely at the man casting his shadow over her.