A Butterfly Through the Mist - Chapter 32

The men laughed endlessly, seemingly enjoying someone’s downfall.

“He’s crazy. The Myers family has always been close to the temple for generations, right? They even have the biggest temple in their domain. And he still read something that dangerous, knowing the risks.”

“He was insisting it wasn’t his and tried to run. But if it wasn’t his book, why was it found in his room in the first place?”

“It’s a shame, though. He used to get holy water like nobody else.”

“Now we’ll have to use the remaining ones sparingly. Treasure every drop.”

Talking about how they would use the holy water, they placed their hands on the glass door. Tilia finally let out a small sigh. That minute had felt like ten years.

‘It’s finally over.’

But just as she breathed a sigh of relief and was about to straighten her back…

“Hey, forget about that Myers guy. Brad, your sister—is she really that pretty?”

“Why, you planning to trade your Royal Academy scholar sister for her if she is?”

“…Well, it’s not entirely impossible, right? Your family’s well-off.”

At the very last moment before leaving, George left behind another garbage comment, and Tilia’s face hardened. It seemed her blood relative was dead set on seducing that Brad guy’s sister.

‘Please, let him get run over by a carriage on his way out…’

As Tilia fervently prayed and slowly raised her bent body, she realized that Ilex had an even colder expression than she did. He was looking down at the floor, seemingly lost in deep thought. Whatever he was thinking, it must’ve been quite harsh, judging by the dangerous aura he emitted.

Tilia unconsciously fiddled with the book in her arms while observing him.

‘He must have heard everything.’

He would have heard. Their voices had echoed loudly enough, and her name had been directly mentioned. Knowing how quick-witted he was, he probably understood her family situation from George’s words.

The thought that he now knew her pathetic circumstances dragged her mood into the dirt. He was someone she had treated as a sort of rival for the past four years, even if she’d never won against him. To have him, of all people, see her like this…

‘…Enough.’

Tilia stared at the worn-out backs of her shoes, then lifted her head as if nothing had happened. She walked to the counter, her heels clicking sharply on the floor.

‘Who cares if he found out? This isn’t real life. And he and I… we’re nothing to each other.’

She focused only on the counter ahead, raising her chin defiantly. This wasn’t real emotion. This misery was just an illusion. She’d soon forget it, so there was no reason to feel ashamed…

But she didn’t get to finish her self-affirmation.

Ilex caught up with her in a few wide strides and took the crumpled book from her hand.

There wasn’t even time to be surprised. He slipped the book he took from her in with the ones he already had, then went straight to the counter. Before Tilia could even protest, he’d already paid for all of them.

What the heck?

Tilia, startled by how quickly everything happened, frowned.

“Ilex Davenport.”

She quickly approached the counter, calling his name coldly.

“Did I ask you to buy these for me?”

It was as if he thought he was some kind of romance novel protagonist.

With a forced sneer, she snapped at him, “If you want to play the prince on a white horse, go find another girl.”

“I don’t have a white horse, and I don’t intend to be a prince.”

He spoke indifferently, putting his wallet back in his jacket pocket.

“There’s a condition, though, in exchange for buying these.”

Taking the heavy paper bag from the smiling cashier with ease, he glanced at Tilia.

“Share a bite of something with me.”

What kind of scheme was this now?

Tilia looked at him, suspicion and wariness on her face, before bluntly asking, “What is it?”

If he said something about drinking or having tea together, she’d kick his shin and walk out immediately.

But what came out of his mouth was an unexpected dessert.

“Ice cream.”

…Did she hear that right?

Tilia doubted her ears and asked again, “You want to share what?”

“Ice cream. There’s an old ice cream shop not far from here. The girl I used to date told me about it, but I never got to go after we broke up.”

“……”

Tilia stared at him, dumbfounded as he explained in unnecessary detail.

She suddenly felt ridiculous for being on high alert, expecting him to suggest something where he could easily slip something into her food.

She snorted involuntarily and said to him, “No thanks. Eat it alone.”

“I can’t go there alone,” Ilex spoke sharply, his face cold. “Do you know how cutesy that place is?”

“What’s that got to do with not being able to go alone?”

“If I, by myself, go into that flower-covered shop and order ice cream…”

Ilex pressed his forehead as if the thought alone was unbearable.

“You wouldn’t understand. You’re a girl. I’d rather die.”

“……”

“You just thought, ‘Then why don’t you just die,’ didn’t you.”

This quick-witted jerk. Tilia lowered her gaze from the glaring Ilex and responded, “Then go with the girl you broke up with.”

“We broke up. Why would I want to get slapped?”

“…Anyway, I don’t want to. Ask another girl.”

“That’s why I’m asking you now. Because you’re not someone who’d wear a dress covered in jewels just for some ice cream.”

Ilex thrust the paper bag full of books forward, his expression serious.

“In exchange for buying these, share one ice cream with me.”

At some point, his expression turned earnest.

“I really… want to eat it.”

***

“……”

Tilia looked at the ice cream placed before her, then raised her head. Across from her, Ilex had his nose practically buried in a small dessert dish, focused solely on eating the ice cream.

Why did I come here?

Tilia sighed deeply enough to melt the ice cream in front of her.

I should’ve just left. I should’ve acted like I didn’t need any of this and walked away.

But whether it was a spur-of-the-moment decision or she had been swayed by those absurdly earnest eyes, she had come into this ice cream shop on her own feet.

This sparkly, dainty, flower-adorned, ridiculously girlish ice cream shop.

Tilia glanced at Ilex with a disgruntled face and asked, “…Is it good?”

He didn’t even answer. He just nodded absentmindedly, completely engrossed in the chocolate-covered ice cream in front of him.

Well, at least that’s a relief.

Each seat was divided by shiny lace curtains.

‘If they weren’t here, I wouldn’t have even come inside.’

Tilia, who had been staring sulkily at Ilex, suddenly extended her hand, as if she had just remembered the condition.

“Give me the books.”

“I already put them under your chair.”

Tilia awkwardly lowered her hand, glancing at the paper bag by her feet that she hadn’t even noticed.

She casually shifted her gaze to the ice cream he had ordered for her. The ice cream was topped with ornate flowers, and the ceramic spoon on the tray had a cute little bunny on the handle.

‘…Yeah. If a guy came here alone, it would be pretty pathetic.’

Tilia smirked and picked up the cute spoon, tapping the brightly colored flowers with it.

The flowers crumbled with a crackling sound. She had thought they were real flowers, but it turned out they were delicately crafted chocolate.

‘Interesting.’

Without thinking, Tilia put the spoon in her mouth, her eyes widening in surprise. It was on a different level compared to what she usually bought for herself.

It melted right away in her mouth, yet it didn’t have that oily taste typical of chocolate. Above all, it was sweet but not overpoweringly so.

‘Is it because it’s expensive? It does taste good.’

Tilia glanced at Ilex, who hadn’t once looked her way and was busily eating his ice cream. She slowly pulled the spoon out of her mouth.

With ice cream this good, she could understand why he wanted to come so badly.

‘Even though he has so much money, he hadn’t been able to come here in a long time. No wonder he was so eager…’

Tilia discreetly set the spoon back down near her ice cream while watching Ilex.

He seemed completely uninterested in her.

The shop beyond the lace curtain was empty, without a single customer. The ice cream on the waffle had already melted by about a third.

“……”

After glancing at Ilex one more time, Tilia lowered her gaze to the dessert plate.

Should I eat it? No one’s going to pay any attention to me anyway.

Hesitating, Tilia scooped up a small spoonful of ice cream and carefully put it into her mouth.