《The Elegant Sea of Savagery》 Chapter 1 - Prologue. Their Strange Relationship Prologue. Their Strange Relationship ¡°Eat a lot, Irina.¡± A young man and woman were sitting face to face and having breakfast. The Count speaking to the woman was a very aesthetic man, and his low voice was infinitely smooth and soft, even in the early morning. But from time to time, a desire that could not be concealed flowed from him. His gaze that stayed on the woman¡¯s slender wrists, dry shoulders, and wavy hair one after another was undeniably dark and gloomy. ¡°What are you doing today?¡± When Elenoa hid such signs and asked politely again, Irina fell into trouble. Hmm. After a while, she replied that she had made up her mind. ¡°I¡¯m going to learn how to work in the garden. I will do laundry and other things when I have time.¡± Irina Noviak. She was the eldest daughter of a declining aristocrat family and now owes a huge debt to the man in front of her eyes. Her family, which once boasted great power and prestige, collapsed entirely because of the former Marquis Noviac. To put it a little more accurately, it was because of the businesses that were entering a new era and her family couldn¡¯t keep up to the demands. Former Marquis Noviac was an owner of an indescribably bold character compared to his ability, and his successive investment failures made him owe huge amounts of debt that the family had to suffer from debt for a long time even after selling their title and estate. It was Count Elenoa Schuberg who took over the Marquis¡¯ remaining rights along with the debt. He was the owner of the Merchant Guild of Schuberg, boasting great wealth in Keissen, and was Irina¡¯s academy colleague. ¡°Come here.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Elenoa¡¯s voice softened. It was a sweet voice as if he were dealing with his lover, but when she lifted her head to answer, her face looked sour. In fact, it seemed a little uncomfortable. Staring at the brilliant and clear gold eyes, Elenoa spoke in a friendly manner, ¡°The sunlight is strong during the day. Be careful not to injure your body while overdoing it. Tell the maid and make sure to wear a hat with a wide brim.¡± ¡°Okay, I got it.¡± After entrusting herself to the Count, Irina was paying off her debts from time to time with a salary of about a maid. However, it was only an act to properly wrap up the relationship between the two as normal. No Head of a household would have taken such care of their maid who worked in their household and of course there would never have been such a warm debt relationship. Also, no matter how much she devoted her life to working, she will not be able to repay the large amount with a small salary. So, the biggest right Elenoa acquired along with the debt was Irina Noviak. He did not try to wield that right as recklessly as a tyrant, but at times he felt a dark euphoria and deep satisfaction in that very one fact. That was the essence of the human being named Elenoa Schuberg. No matter how friendly he pretended to be, or be a gentleman, it did not hide the fact that he possessed a cruel and sadistic nature. Everyone, even Irina, noticed it to some extent, and when dealing with Irina, he used to act as if he were a pretty normal and friendly man In fact, it was all bullshit. However, dealing with that bastard after seven years she started to think that this¡ªfriendly attitude is truly not his personality. Even the servants of the Count, who had been serving Elenoa for a long time, sometimes suffered cognitive dissonance, whether their master was like that. (T/N: cognitive dissonance¡ª the state of having inconsistent thoughts, beliefs, or attitudes, especially as relating to behavioural decisions and attitude change.) ¡°But when it comes to gardening, isn¡¯t it like having scissors or a saw in your hand?¡± Elenoa asked Irina if he suddenly remembered. He was frowning a little and had a strange face that seemed to hold back his laughter. Irina asked, puzzled. ¡°Yes, I guess so. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried that Irina might cut someone else¡¯s hand or neck and not a tree.¡± ¡°Ahem¡­..¡± Irina dropped her head a little as if she was ashamed. At first glance, it sounded like a joke, but in fact, it was not a joke. Still, her body was always intact, and that was her talent. The Count¡¯s servants were grateful for that reason alone. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything too risky in the first place.¡± Since there were not one or two accidents that she had committed, Irina turned her words around while making a heartbroken face. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful on my own. But Elenoa.¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± She seemed to have something to say. Elenoa put down the knife and fork he was holding and made a puzzled face. Soon after, the words that came out of her mouth were something that no one expected. ¡°I¡¯m going to marry Ludwig.¡± At that moment, terrible silence sank in the space where they were eating. The staff of the Guild, who were waiting a few steps away, flinched by the sudden drop in the surrounding temperature. However, ignoring everyone¡¯s embarrassment, Irina continued in a calm manner, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure it doesn¡¯t interfere with my work.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Elenoa hasn¡¯t spoken for a while. And it was then. Elenoa¡¯s lips, who had only been quietly listening, began to draw a flexible curve. It was a very elegant and dignified smile. However, the servants watching had to feel goosebumps. It was because they knew that their owner was not a person to smile in a situation like this. The appearance of smiling gently with the corners of his lips raised was very aristocratic, but the temperature of his eyes was incredibly low. With a cold smile, he asked, ¡°With which bastard¡­¡­ you are doing what?¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± Irina asked back in surprise, but Eleanoa¡¯s expression remained unchanged. His dark blue eyes now seemed to be bursting with dark flames. Irina quickly frowned. This is because it was a deep tone that she had never heard from him before. Eventually, a frown gradually began to appear on her face. ¡°¡­¡­ Mr Elenoa.¡± It was the young butler who dissuaded the Head on behalf of the people around him who were at a loss. Everyone knows Irina¡¯s fiery nature and Count¡¯s long-standing obsession with her. Neither one was of a normal personality. Irina, who couldn¡¯t control anger, from throwing a plate containing food or breaking the window and running out with the intention of breaking the Count¡¯s head. They are worried that the relationship between the two will become irreversible. Elenoa, who was smiling with a bitter face, soon stared into space and sighed briefly. His face, which showed a little emotion, was still neat, but it looked much more sincere than before. ¡°You seem to be mistaken, but you didn¡¯t come here to work for money and we¡¯re not in a normal employment relationship. So you can¡¯t do whatever you want.¡± It was his usual polite way of speaking. However, he could not hide the cold anger contained in him. Looking at Irina, who is listening to him with a firm look, he summarized what happened just a few months ago. ¡°The Count Schuberg took over all the debts that the former Marquis Noviac had. Some of the payments are over. When the damned loan shark picked you up to sell on a ship that you didn¡¯t even know where it was heading to, I was the one who paid off the debt and transferred your rights and the title.¡± And the relationship between you and Ludwig is already over. By the way, will you only receive favors from me and not allow a slightest chance or the slightest leeway? Elenoa¡¯s eyes seemed to burn coldly. What he said was a complete fact without any lies. However, Irina felt a strong rejection from his words and ways. Elenoa didn¡¯t seem to intend to stop at that point. He wanted to make sure of all this now. He wanted her to know that she had only one option and no other possibilities. Look, where you stand is a dead end. Standing up from his seat, he approached Irina. It was an elegant and slow step as always. Coming right next to her, paused and reached out his hand. His white hand overlapping Irina¡¯s cheeks were infinitely sweet, but¡ª ¡°Do I have to say it more clearly? Irina, I have a right to you.¡± The contents of the following words were not sweet at all. ¡°So you can¡¯t marry a bastard other than me.¡± ¡°¡­You trash, you punk.¡± Immediately, Irina¡¯s face, which she had been trying to listen to with patience, burned with anger. Everyone was nervous about the sudden explosion, but Elenoa looked down at her rebellious face with endless still eyes. The emotions contained in those eyes were clearly cold. However, by the time the coolness gradually heated up, he said the words he had been delaying for a long time. ¡°I¡¯ll come to the room you¡¯re staying in tonight. Don¡¯t lock the door.¡± Sexual implications was obvious. After Elenoa went out, Irina, who had been angry for a long time, eventually threw a glass of water hard at the door where he went out. The place where the glass broke with a loud noise was full of stains. * * * It was near midnight when Elenoa visited Irina¡¯s bedroom. Having already washed up in his room, he was dressed lightly, but Irina, sitting on the bed, was exactly the same as what he saw in the morning. She was lost in deep thoughts while he came in and looked at her dissatisfied as he leaned against her door. Irina seemed to have something to say while Elenoa only looked at her from afar. ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t tell you to come in yet.¡± The words that finally came out of her mouth were very empty. She looked like a child with a blunt expression. So Elenoa laughed a little bit. Even though the world has changed, Irina was still the same when he first met her. He walked slowly and sat at an angle next to her, in a relaxed position. As he got closer to her, he smelled a deep and cool bath. He kindly replied to her words. ¡°This is Count¡¯s estate. I¡¯m Count Schuberg. There is no place in the estate that the Head can¡¯t go to.¡± Then Irina muttered something with a sound that was hard to hear. Looking at the movement of her lips, she seemed to be swearing. Elenoa once again smiled because it was Irina-like behavior. When his white and long hands touched Irina¡¯s red hair, Irina pulled her shoulders back a little, but he didn¡¯t care and tucked it behind her ear. Is it because of his pretty face? Even such a simple movement seemed obscene to Irina¡¯s eyes. ¡°Ugh, you are a pretty trash bastard.¡± What should I do with you? Irina shook her head and called out the man¡¯s nickname. However, Eleanoa only smiled without wavering, as if nothing had happened. After staring at him for a long time, Irina sighed deeply. Her eyes on Elenoa were serious as ever. She had a face which looked like she was determined to do something. ¡°Elenoa, I have something to say.¡± His eyes, smiling nicely, shone sharply at the moment. The eyes of the man and woman were tightly intertwined in the air. Chapter 2 Chapter 1. Don¡¯t help people recklessly To explain this terrible relationship, you have to go back seven years. The first time Irina Noviac and Elenoa Schuberg met was the Royal Academy of Kissien. Irina was only seventeen years old then. However, when average noblewomen reached that age, they would pretend to be noble enough that they would be reluctant to smile without covering their mouths. Irina was different from her peers. Enough to give goosebumps¡ªIt means that she was a great tomboy. Marquis Noviac used to send people behind every day, worried about what kind of accident his eldest daughter would cause at the academy. The same was true of Elenoa, who was different from his peers. Elenoa, who just turned eighteen, was an incredibly quiet boy. Very few people saw him smile at the academy, and he was so quiet that even the number of people who had talked to him once could be counted on one hand. Elenoa was the son of Count Schuberg¡¯s concubine. His mother was a prostitute, and Elenoa was brought up in a brothel before being registered as the second son of the count. Concubine¡¯s child, mother¡¯s origin, pretty appearance It is not known whether his unique personality is an innate temperament or an acquired environment. But one thing was clear¡ª that his childhood was not very smooth. Thus, both were problematic figures in the academy. They have always been at the center of the topic and made people buzz with rumors. It was on a chilly autumn day, long after the school had started, that they were able to exchange conversation for the first time. * * * ¡°Oh, what is this bastard?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Elenoa glanced at his book that fell on the ground. His face was fair, and when he got off, there was a deep shade around his eyes. It certainly looked beautiful for a boy. However, if you look closely at the beautiful face, there was no expression. He pretended to be a coincidence, but it was definitely not a coincidence. Since Elenoa entered the academy, there have been frequent disputes. And Elenoa often ignored a lot of disputes. ¡°Are you ignoring me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If you bump into someone, you should apologize.¡± Naturally, his ignorance only irritated boys of his age even more. Elenoa was also aware of that. Sometimes he felt it was annoying, but he didn¡¯t feel like dealing with it. He had no desire to be social and get along well. He will be able to overcome these disputes if he wants. He knew well that the world was originally such a poor place. When Elenoa tried to pick up the book that fell on the floor without a reply, one of the furious boys from the group pushed his shoulder hard. He was fine the first time or two, but it was a short time before he stumbled. The moment he lost his balance, Elenoa fell back due to the harsh fist thrown by someone. They are noble children who grew up with severe etiquette education. However, they were in their late teens. A society (academic society) different from the aristocratic society established by the families was formed here. And it was clear that they pointed to Elenoa Schuberk as the underdog* of such society. (*a person who has little status in society.) Words that disparage his mother and him¡ªwho grew up in a brothel, and words that ridicule him by combining his origin with his appearance*. (* Here they combine his pretty appearance with his origin coz usually brothels have beautiful people, in a way saying he is better suited to serve people in brothels) Elenoa was passing through all those words without much difficulty. There was no sadness or anger. And it was when he once again reached out to pick up the book on the floor. Elenoa paused when someone tried to trample his hand with the shoe. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Contacting the Count was something Elenoa was very reluctant to do. But he didn¡¯t want to get his hands dirty, so he eventually sighed and tried to get up. In fact, he was the owner of a decisive tendency who hated even anyone touching him. Slap! It was then that the sound of slap on face resonated in the middle of the hallway. The great sight of a group quarrelling with one, and other students at the academy who had just been watching, opened their mouths silently. It was the girl with burning red hair who suddenly intervened and slapped another person¡¯s cheek. By the way, she was a celebrity of the academy that everyone knew well. She was Irina Noviac. ¡°What are you doing?¡± The voice of slapping him first and then asking¡ª contained a cheerfulness. However, it was excessive cheerfulness that made the person who had already been slapped go crazy. ¡°T, t, this c, crazy bitch¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Irina was silent for a moment at the sudden abusive language. She had a look of disbelief. ¡°¡­¡­ Is that what you just said to me?¡± Isn¡¯t it her, is it? They asked, but everyone could see that the emotion on her face was just ¡®this bastard is playing¡¯. Even in front of men who were much taller than her, she showed no signs of intimidation. Originally, she was more famous for her reckless and crazy temper than for her status as the eldest daughter of the Marquis. Once again, overturning everyone¡¯s expectations that she would slap his cheeks once again, Irina moved her lips. And the people who were casually listening covered their mouths with groans, and pale, weary faces. At first, they thought something went wrong with the pronunciation. However, the voice that followed was pronounced as a bastard. They thought it would be possible to wrap it up because they heard it wrong, but her swear words were getting messy without knowing the limit. And finally, when various curses referring to masculinity began to flow out of the lips of the noble, the classmates began to turn their backs on Irina one by one. It was a feast of vulgar words that were difficult to hear for the finely raised children of noble families. Is this what makes your ears feel contaminated? Where on earth does Irina keep learning words that are likely to be used by bullies? Academy students covered their ears not because the surrounding was becoming noisy but her words were getting really vulgar Meanwhile, after swearing coolly, Irina was looking at the gang with a pathetic face. There was a clear contempt in her eyes. ¡°You too feel bad and embarrassed because you are insulted in front of others. But if you had thought like that, you wouldn¡¯t have done it to others. You¡­.know that you¡¯re really a bad guy?¡± She took a step closer. She was quite tall, but she was slender. However, there was a strange power in her attitude that did not shrink. ¡°If you¡¯re angry, just hit me. I¡¯ll be right. I didn¡¯t do anything shameful. So there¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of.¡± They hesitated for a while and left one by one with a look of being in a bad mood. It wasn¡¯t because they couldn¡¯t hit a slender girl. It was just because they didn¡¯t know how to act. Three boys couldn¡¯t really fight with the girl and Irina, who was ferocious, was already leading the atmosphere. And Elenoa, who was looking at the scene, soon came to his senses and smiled without realizing it. It was a rare smile that was hard to see from his face, but in fact, it was not a very good smile. It was a little ridiculous. He never asked anyone to help him. So this was just an undesired kindness and an uncomfortable favor. When the atmosphere cleared up to some extent, Elenoa spat blood on the floor. He felt like his mouth was torn. It was exactly the third time he reached out to pick up his book that was thrown away while touching his lips. But he had to face another interruption. ¡°Elenoa Schuberg¡­. Right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Elenoa, who was surprised that she knew him, looked at Irina quietly. And nodded his head briefly. Taking a closer look at her, Irina¡¯s facial features were more gentle than expected. She looked so clear that he couldn¡¯t even believe that she was the one who slapped the faces of the senior boys. Elenoa squinted his eyes without realizing it. However, Irina Noviac¡¯s impression was by no means ordinary. Her burning red hair and bright gold eyes soaked in sunlight were making her impressions clear. Elenoa, who had been looking at her red hair that looked like flames at one angle and at the other angle it looked like the light of sunset, and then this time he looked down at the handkerchief she held out him. It was meant to wipe her lips, but when Elenoa did not take it, Irina forced it into his hand. And asked, ¡°Why do you always get bullied by Martin¡¯s gang all the time?¡± Elenoa actually didn¡¯t know which of them was Martin. However, she had an expression on her face that she couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°Won¡¯t he keep doing that because you are staying still?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It was unfair to say that. He can¡¯t beat the three alone, so it¡¯s not worth answering back, but this will never end even if he deals with it. How many reasons are there in the world? But Irina said completely different words. ¡°Don¡¯t do that. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Even if you lose, lose in a cool way.¡± He paused, Elenoa once again carefully looked into her face. Only then did he realize that Irina was angry at something because of him. Elenoa¡¯s expression as he watched it became a little subtle. The skinny girl in front of him is not telling him to win. Rather, she concluded that he would lose. However, she was telling him to fight back even if he loses So what she was talking about was probably honor. Elenoa never thought that there would be a day where he would be valued. She was saying contradictory things about him being honoured. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Elenoa stared intently into those noble golden eyes with his navy blue eyes. It was Elenoa¡¯s first brightness in his night sea-like life. He tried to ignore it as usual, but he was somewhat unstable and fragile in those days. As the light shone on his inner self, he admired it and felt a bit of shame. She waited for Elenoa to open his mouth, but when there was no answer, Irina, who thought she was ignored, pouted her lips with a very grumpy look. Soon after, she left her place. However, Eleanoa remained nailed to the place for a long time after that, looking at the handkerchief she handed over. It was a trivial routine for one person. However, it was a huge event in the life of the other person. In fact, it is likely to happen anywhere. People sometimes reach out this helping hand when someone is in trouble. It may be because of a sense of justice in their heart or because it is not much trouble for them to help. Perhaps it might be because of one¡¯s big ignorance of being nosy. However, at times like this, people of a very cautious class keep an eye on the situation and refrain from making hasty moves. They are worried that it will come back to themselves. It¡¯s heartless, however he wanted to say something in the same context. Don¡¯t help people carelessly. You can¡¯t guess what kind of consequences that action will have on your life. You don¡¯t know who the weak(underdog) are, whether the person receiving help is the good or the bad. * * * Comments from Korean readers: Omg, she helped a manipulative and obsessive man!! This novel feels different from the other novels written by this author Author! I really enjoyed your novel I am very much looking forward to this novel! ¡®It was Elenoa¡¯s first brightness in his night sea-like life.¡¯¡ª this line gave me goosebumps Chapter 3 * * * At the end of the class, Irina packed books, writing utensils, and a dark red blanket. The face, looked sleepy and she felt annoyed. However, her face quickly brightened when someone appeared through the back door of the classroom. ¡°Ludwiiiiiiiiiiig!¡± The man had dark eyebrows and a slightly bubbly impression. When Irina shouted, he closed his ears as if her yelling stung his ears, but at the same time, he opened his arms with a smile as if he couldn¡¯t help it. ¡°Rina, can you please be quiet? Everyone is surprised.¡± He scolded her, who was shorter than him. The classroom was remarkably quiet, and there were only six people packing their belongings, including the Ilse language teacher. Ludwig bowed his head to apologize for the commotion, but the old teacher only smiled kindly. Ludwig put both hands behind Irina¡¯s back and pushed her, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ludwig grumbled in embarrassment to her, who smiled cheerfully as if this situation was just enjoyable. ¡°Why the hell are you listening to this?¡± Ilse language was, so to speak, a minority language. It was common sense for Kissien nobles to prefer the neighboring and powerful Impenon language rather than the Ilse language. Irina, who was walking happily, had a slightly lonely face at those words. ¡°The teacher looks so kind, doesn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Yes, he looked kind.¡± ¡°I have a feeling that he won¡¯t say anything even if I doze off.¡± When Ludwig narrowed his eyebrows, Irina calmly admitted. ¡°It went wrong from there.¡± They giggled and laughed for a while and headed for the sparsely populated vacant lot. Ludwig took a seat first on the bench under the tree, and Irina laid flat on his thigh. Ludwig, who was fiddling with his girlfriend¡¯s red hair, opened his mouth as if he just remembered about it. ¡°I mean Elenoa.¡± Irina flinched unconsciously when the name that recently made the academy buzz came out of her boyfriend¡¯s mouth. Ludwig looked down at Irina curiously. ¡°Rina, why are you so surprised?¡± ¡°¡­¡­No, but what about Elenoa?¡± ¡°He came back to the dormitory. I think the suspension is over.¡± Oh, that¡¯s what you meant? Irina, who was lying on Ludwig¡¯s knee, nodded with a steaming face. Elenoa was recently suspended for a week by the Academy Administration. This is because he once again had a big quarrel with the Martin gang. In fact, such disputes have always been common in Elenoa¡¯s academy life. It wasn¡¯t anything special at all. However, the incident went in a completely different way this time. This is because Elenoa, who had always ignored, somehow swung his fist that day. It was Martin who started the quarrel and the one who used violence first, not Elenoa. But does that justify Elenoa¡¯s response that day? Many people found it difficult to readily answer that part. This is because the beatings were so unilateral that it was difficult to defend that he had been a victim. The person lying on the floor was already motionless. He was drenched in blood and was violent, like a man who silently executed the task assigned to him. So the figure made him look like a broken person somewhere. Those who were watching thought the same thing. They could have died¡­ Definitely. Elenoa was beating those people with murderous intent. Students called adults because they could no longer see the scene of the assault where humanity was exterminated. Irina, who learned about it late, was embarrassed and guilty. She thought it was her fault. As she touched Martin and because of that Martin tried to take it out on Elenoa. But it was a wrong idea. What Irina touched was Elenoa Schuberg, not Martin. ¡°Rina, you slapped Count Georg¡¯s second son the day before.¡± At Ludwig¡¯s point, Irina flinched. ¡°Uh¡­Uh? Uh?¡­ Did you hear that?¡± There is nothing scary in the world, but Irina, who is quite aware of her boyfriend, looked gloomy. She pulled out her victim card and showed her face to him that said, ¡®The victim is me¡¯ However, Ludwig, who had seen Irina since she was a child, was not deceived. ¡°Rina, I beg you to live with a low temper.¡± Then she immediately changed her expression and jumped up. ¡°No, he said I was crazy.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Irina was the first one to slap his cheek. Martin was definitely the next to swear at Irina, but Irina told the story, extremely omitting the scene. Rather, she was saying that she should have hit him one more time. However, the truth is that the second son of Count Georg did not intend to swear at her Irina. ¡ª T-This c-crazy bitch¡­¡­. That was Irina¡¯s nickname. Her classmates used to secretly call her a madman at the academy, who was somehow not aristocratic and sometimes did actions that other people don¡¯t expect. Ludwig, who learned the truth, had an embarrassed look. But he also couldn¡¯t mediate with Irina, saying, ¡°It¡¯s actually your nickname¡± or ¡°Count Georg¡¯s second son would just addressed with your name.¡± Ludwig liked and adored Irina, but he also sometimes found it difficult to handle the tomboy-like personality of his girlfriend. It was obvious that there would be a big uproar. If he told her about it now, she would ask why hadn¡¯t he told her about this nickname scene earlier and obviously a big uproar will shook the grounds of the academy. In the end, he sighed deeply and said something like the Marquis of Noviac. ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m worried that something big will happen to you someday after running around without knowing how scary the world is.¡± ¡°¡­..oh, why again?¡± ¡°Be careful.¡± Irina closed her mouth when her boyfriend sighed repeatedly. She still looked like she had a lot to say, but she put her head back on Ludwig¡¯s hard thighs as if she were going to her place. And as she pouted her mouth, she suddenly remembered that day. A much whiter and more delicate finger than her own, holding the handkerchief she handed over. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Elenoa thought Irina¡¯s actions were unnecessary kindness and annoying concern, but in reality she wasn¡¯t that kind. She was rather uninterested and ruthless to others and Elenoa was arbitrary. To be honest, Irina has thought that Elenoa¡¯s personality is not good. It was impossible for her to just be beaten by others. However, even though he was being insulted countless times, there were times when she felt that he was looking down on people. At that time, he seemed like a really cryptic person. That day was the same as usual. Elenoa was listening to unfair words pouring toward him, and he even got beaten up and left alone. Irina did not feel a great sense of justice or sympathy for the scene. Nevertheless, she stood in front of him as if she were being led because the rough shoes were about to trample on Elenoa¡¯s fingers. ¡ª ¡­¡­. Such a thing is too bad and barbaric. In fact, she couldn¡¯t understand herself well either. However, at that moment, she wanted to prevent white and thin fingers from breaking. The academy has only been talking about it for a while. No one would have guessed that the pretty and quiet Elenoa was such a sadistic fighter. But now that everyone knows, such nonsense quarrels will decrease in the future. Then everything would be fine.¡­. ¡°Hmm. I feel uncomfortable for no reason.¡± Irina frowned. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Strangely, I feel like my luck has gone downhill. It feels like I stepped on something.¡± ¡°Rina, what are you talking about?¡± Irina¡¯s hunch was accurate. This time, it was an accurate hunch, but she could not specify what it was specifically. After thinking about it for a long time, she eventually tried to forget and brought up another topic. ¡°Luby, did you hear that the monarchy collapsed in Ilse?¡± ¡°At Ilse?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Did the king change?¡± ¡°No, it seemed that the system under which the king ruled had collapsed.¡± ¡°¡­ Is that possible? Who said that?¡± ¡°Who do you think it is? The language teacher.¡± Ludwig was surprised and asked, but Irina was calm. ¡°The teacher didn¡¯t know either. Ilse is far away. But, maybe this is the time when the status system is going to collapse, well, he said something like that.¡± It was a topic that was profane to put in her mouth. Ludwig had a bewildered face, but Irina, who spoke her words, looked like she had no thought about it. Her interests were entirely different. ¡°Ludwig, Luby. If that really happens¡­.Shall we go to Ils later and get married?¡± It was a surprisingly optimistic way of thinking. Moreover, it was a bold proposal, but Ludwig¡¯s expression quickly darkened. ¡°¡­Will the marquis allow me to marry?¡± Among young people, free dating was fashionable, and marriages based on family interests tended to decrease. However, Marquis Noviac was still a family with great power. Moreover, the marquis cared and loved his eldest daughter the most among his three daughters. It was impossible for a marquis like that to want to see his first son-in-law from a humble family. Moreover, the Viscount Fontern was a vassal family of the Marquis Noviac. It was obviously a marriage in which one side leaned too hard. However, Irina¡¯s attitude when she brought it up was confident. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. My dad can¡¯t stop me. Because¡­ I¡¯ve always been like that.¡± ¡°¡­ Does the marquis know that you think like this?¡± Ludwig always wondered what the source of this confidence was. However, Irina also frowned because she lacked confidence in that part. ¡°¡­I think he knows.¡± It meant that he might not know. Ludwig looked at Irina in embarrassment, but Irina still sounded confident. ¡°Just come to me. Luby, my Luby.¡± Her face with no shade was lovely. The sparkling golden eyes shine even more when she sees the one she likes. Ludwig still had a heavy heart, but eventually laughed after her. She doesn¡¯t know the world is scary, but that¡¯s why Irina¡¯s biggest strength is not to have worries. He scratched his dark eyebrows with his index finger and replied with a shy smile. ¡°¡­¡­You too, come alone, Rina.¡± ¡°Okay¡± The two burst into laughter at the same time. It was a very happy time. In a little while, winter will come. And by the following year, they will go on to the next grade together. The heart of the young lovers was full of excitement. And it was the very next day that Elenoa, who returned to the academy, visited Irina. Chapter 4 Elenoa was leaning against the door. Some of the people in the lecture room glanced at him and whispered, but he waited silently until his eyes met Irina¡¯s. As Elenoa nodded, Irina made a puzzled expression. Does that mean I should follow him? She wanted to ask, but he turned around and disappeared from her view. ¡°¡­what?¡± As she looked around in confusion, everyone turned a blind eye to Irina¡¯s gaze. Although a little futile, she quietly chased after Elenoa. And the more she followed him, the deeper her doubts grew. The place where he stopped was the vacant lot behind the building. It was a place with no windows, where people¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t reach it. The surrounding scenery of fallen leaves was somehow eerie and gloomy. ¡°What happened to your face?¡± He seemed to have something to say, but she was the first to speak, who had been curious in the meantime. She heard it was a one-sided fight, but he had a big bruise on his cheek. It was as large a mark as a trace of abuse. The reddish-blue skin contrasted with his white face, giving the viewer a terribly sharp view. He even looked a little uncomfortable while walking. As he came all the way here, he limped little by little. But he dragged his toes and walked calmly with patience. So the disturbing steps were, ironically, aristocratic than Irina, who had followed him in a rush. She looked over his face and lower body without her knowing Irina. She fixed her gaze on the hem of his trousers, which were ironed like a knife, and she asked with a very bewildered look. ¡°¡­Are you hurt?¡± If Irina had had a little better friendship, she would have picked up rumors circulating around the Academy over Elenoa¡¯s appearance. Then she wouldn¡¯t have talked about such a gritty topic from her mouth. ¡°Is it because you don¡¯t want to talk?¡± When Irina, who had hesitated, asked with a puzzled look, Elenoa laughed a little. His pale face was much fresher with just that little smile. Wound is, after all, a sign of unhappiness for any human being. Therefore, other people¡¯s wounds encourage viewers to imagine mean things. This is because some humans have a tendency to be relieved by others¡¯ misfortunes. Elenoa suddenly wanted to open her head as he looked into the golden eyes in front of him. Even the golden eyes seemed to have a lot of imagination. But that imagination has never been used in a dark direction. There were too many shiny things in her life with whom she can have comfort. That¡¯s why she doesn¡¯t really care about other people¡¯s misfortunes. Looking at her innocent eyes, Elenoa opened his mouth. ¡°I just fell.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Irina blinked her eyes. Rather than polite tone or equivocal answers, she was surprised by the unexpected voice. The soft low voice was like a light green leaf floating gently on the water. In fact, it was a very comfortable and pleasant tone to hear. Only then did Irina realize that she had never properly heard Eleanoa speak. ¡°¡­oh, yes. Why weren¡¯t you careful? While fighting, don¡¯t get hurt.¡± ¡°I see,¡± ¡°¡­does it hurt a lot?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. ¡°Well, it¡¯s red and blue, and I think it¡¯s something artistic.¡± Irina, who had been a little wary, began to say strange things as usual when Elenoa seemed to be really fine. Once again, he smiled at her. He was a kid who smiled better than I thought. Irina looked at him curiously, and he put his hand into his coat and took something out of his arms and held it out to Irina. ¡°Thank you very much.¡± It was Irina¡¯s white handkerchief. At first glance, him handling her handkerchief seemed great. It seemed that he had not only washed it, but also ironed it beautifully. Aside from the scent, the square-folded corners looked morbidly pointed. Irina, who had been looking a little puzzled at the neat appearance, murmured awkwardly. ¡°Uh, um, you didn¡¯t have to give it back.¡± ¡°I wanted to call you, but I needed an excuse.¡± His answer sounded a little strange. She tilted her head and reached for her handkerchief. Eleanoa, who hesitated for a moment, asked, as she moved her white hand. The tone of asking for her permission was polite and cautious. ¡°Then may I have it?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± If he had waited a little longer for an answer, she would have said so. It was of good quality, and quite a precious thing, but Irina was not hard enough to make others feel ashamed of herself with such trifles. But she would have thought, he is such a weirdo But without waiting for her reply, Elenoa put her handkerchief in his arms. He acted so swiftly that any hesitation was overshadowed. Because of that, Irina, who felt uncomfortable with her extended hand, had to stand still for a while. ¡°¡­oh, yes. You can have it.¡± Irina finally gave a very late answer. Then there was a suffocating silence. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± How long was it? Irina looked up at the sky with an expression of distress. She let out several deep sighs urging him to speak. Then she couldn¡¯t help but stare at Elenoa. He didn¡¯t seem to feel uncomfortable with this silence. He looked at Irina¡¯s expression changing from moment to moment with a very calm look. However, this was not the case with Irina. She was naturally intolerant of awkwardness and was the type to open her mouth herself because the silence was uncomfortable. It was not very pleasant to be alone with a boy in a remote place. If the Marquis had known, she would have been beaten hard in the back for being careless. In the end, it was Irina who spoke to her first this time too. The reason he called her was probably because of what happened that day. She thought it was difficult to talk to him, but Iriana decided to be considerate of Elenoa. ¡°Um, yes. Then you don¡¯t have to thank me for what happened that day. Actually, I have a bit of a temper.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to thank either.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Seeing Irina¡¯s expression, Elenoa covered his mouth with his hand. But he could not cover the tips of his slightly curved eyes. The face was so beautiful that it made her face almost flushed. He said to Irina, who wrinkled her brow slightly. ¡°I¡¯d like to go out with you.¡± Irina forgot her horns and opened her eyes wide. ¡°¡­with whom?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­meeee?¡± asked Irina, pointing to her chest. In fact, it was the first confession Irina had received from a man in her short life. It was Irina who first confessed to her boyfriend. Therefore, regardless of the presence or absence of her lover, she might feel a little better, but Irina was out of her mind. This is because it was such an unexpected word. ¡°Why all of a sudden?¡± Irina was really curious, so she asked, and Elenoa gave an honest answer without a sign of embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m just interested in you.¡± And sometimes she thinks about it. Hisl words sounded a little insincere, but they were expressing Eleanor¡¯s feelings. However, the temperature was too lukewarm to persuade the woman who had been asked for a relationship. Irina eventually failed to control her expression and looked a little disappointed. ¡°¡­just say I¡¯m pretty.¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re pretty. I want to go out with you because you¡¯re pretty. Irina.¡± Elenoa readily accepted her words. But he laughed along the way, and it hurt Irina¡¯s feelings again. Irina frowned even more than she had done before. He had been acting kind all the whole time. Nevertheless, there seemed to be something wrong with his personality. ¡°What is that? I feel bad. Why are you laughing when you are saying I¡¯m pretty?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that you are pretty¡­¡­ In fact, I laughed because Irina¡¯s behavior was so cute.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± It didn¡¯t feel right when a much prettier man said you were pretty and cute. It was not convincing at all. Somehow, her pride was hurt and she pouted, but she soon recovered her mind. Well, it doesn¡¯t mean much anyway. Irina stopped playing with words and revealed the reason for her official refusal. ¡°I¡¯m seeing someone. Do you know Ludwig, who is in the same grade as us? He¡¯s my boyfriend.¡± ¡°¡­ Ludwig Pontern?¡± ¡°Well, do you know him?¡± Irina grinned a little as she spoke of her boyfriend, but Elenoa seemed a little confused. He immediately asked Irina politely. ¡°Are you talking about the Viscount Pontern?¡± His question had many implications. Irina was also a nobleman. She could exactly guess what that sentence meant. It was questionable whether it was right to go out with Viscount¡¯s son, when she is the daughter of a Marquis. When her lover seemed to be being beaten for her status, she became angry, who had been exchanging words peacefully. ¡°Well, what¡¯s the problem with that?¡± I was going to bite him hard on his shoulder if he had any. But can I do that to the injured one? Irina was worried about something that would have been frightening if anyone had known. Meanwhile, Elenoa looked at Irina with a mysterious face. Dark blue eyes showed various emotions and then disappeared. and Irina could not quite understand any of those emotions. Why isn¡¯t he answering? When she felt uncomfortable facing Eleanor, a smile bloomed across his face. The smile was human and natural. Which made all the smiles that he had shown so far, artificial. ¡°No, there¡¯s nothing wrong with it.¡± Did Irina¡¯s expression still look suspicious? He answered again. ¡°Really¡­ There¡¯s really nothing wrong with it, Irina.¡± She didn¡¯t know why Elenoa¡¯s expression, who answered like that, was more sincere than when he asked her to go out with him, and why his present voice was more desperate. What was it? Is it just an impulse? When Elenoa was about to come closer, Irina instinctively stepped back. Then he stopped at the spot without coming any closer. There was a strange heat in his eyes that Irina could feel this time. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± She didn¡¯t do it intentionally. But Irina was constantly touching Elenoa¡¯s nerves. * * * Chapter 5 Chapter 5 After the incident that surprised many people, Elenoa was able to live in peace at the Academy. People have come to know about it that he was just holding it in. Martin was living in a state of discouragement and absence. At this rate it would be difficult to go to the next grade because he didn¡¯t come to class properly while staying in the dormitory. However, people did not pay particular attention to Martin because they were busy whispering about Elenoa. Come to think of it, he was a really insidious person. The unknown feeling, the vague atmosphere that the little boy had, used to make many people uncomfortable. Maybe the true reason for being reluctant to go near that boy must be the instinctive rejection felt from danger and the sense of alienation felt from him Those who saw Elenoa¡¯s expressionless face while using violence, began to avoid him. They didn¡¯t want to get involved with him even by mistake. Elenoa was now alone for a different reason than before. Meanwhile, it was around that time that another rumour swept through the academy. Unfortunately, the main characters of the rumour were Elenoa Schuberg again and Irina Nordiak. The fact that a count¡¯s second son made a confession to the girl, whose nickname couldn¡¯t even be telled aloud in academy, shook everyone. Irina didn¡¯t know the rumors about her until a long time later. ¡°Irina, I heard Elenoa confessed to you.¡± Even today Irina, who used Ludwig¡¯s stiff thighs as her own pillow, freaked out. Huh? She jumped up with a shocked scream. ¡°Hey, how do you know that?¡± Irina asked Ludwig with a startled expression.. Ludwig, who had always been held captive by Irina, clicked his tongue. She looked as if she gotcaught red-handed. Irina flinched a little at his look of reproach. ¡°How do I know? There¡¯s a lot of talk in the Academy. You didn¡¯t know?¡± It was a scandal between two celebrities. Of course, neither of them were a celebrity in a good sense, so rumours tended to be consumed more and more arbitrarily. ¡°¡­.. Was it a rumor?¡± Irina blinked her eyes in embarrassment. It couldn¡¯t have been. Only Eleanoa and Irina were present that day and Irina had never said anything. Even Irina who used to chatter about everything to her boyfriend, kept her mouth shut. She had the common sense to know that it was not a pleasant thing to hear. In fact, it was neither Irina nor Eleanoa who made the rumour known. It was the people in the classroom who saw them leave together. It didn¡¯t take much time for the small talk that started with ¡°Where the hell are they going?¡± to lead from ¡°I guess he¡¯s going to confess¡± to ¡°Are they dating?¡± And it was only today that Irina, hearing all these stories for the first time, was remarkably bewildered by her boyfriend¡¯s questioning. She jumped from her seat and waved her hands, and in the end she answered honestly. ¡°No, Ludwig. I have you.¡± Seeing Irina sulking with remorse, Ludwig finally smirked and giggled. There are times when she is seriously scorned, but the fact is, only those who are close to her know that she has a very naive and warm side. He lifted Irina up and placed her on his lap. Having a good physique, he sometimes carried Irina with him these days, perhaps because his physical strength has improved since he devoted himself to physical education classes. ¡°Rina, are you sure?¡± Ludwig drew himself close to Irina¡¯s back and combed her red hair with his hand. Irina Nordiak. Princess of the Marquis of Nodiac and tomboy of the Academy. It is said that only a hundred years ago, red hair was a symbol of bad luck in the Kingdom of Kissen. It was said that Irina¡¯s maternal grandmother had the same hair colour, and even she, who was of a high status, went out with her hair dyed or wrapped in a robe during her childhood, being well aware about the social situation at the time. But if there was such a cute girl during those days, wouldn¡¯t people have second thoughts about it again? The second problem was that her curly red hair matched her very well. Hey. Is the hair a sin, too?! It would have been difficult to think of it as a sign of bad luck and ominousness, rather it¡¯s the colour that gets attention and love, when he saw her rushing and jumping. ¡°Tell me the truth. Did you really say no?¡± She was so cute and funny that he stroked her hair several times, and when Ludwig whispered, Irina flushed. ¡°Of course! I¡¯ll say no! What? Are you doubting me?¡± Ludwig, who saw her in the defensive rather than a hard-line stance, hesitated. ¡°No, but rather¡­¡­ He¡¯s honestly handsome.¡± Irina looked very surprised at his unconfident remark. He couldn¡¯t relate to the tilt of her head at all. ¡°What? You¡¯re much better.¡± ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± ¡°Well, he does have a neat face but he¡¯s not my type.¡± ¡°Why, Elenoa, if it were him¡­¡­.¡± Ludwig hesitated, and then omitted the rest of sentence. He was still trying to say that he was the count¡¯s second son. But those words were an insult to Irina. He continued, combing his girlfriend¡¯s bright red hair with his fingers. ¡°I heard that pretty-looking men are popular in Impenon these days. And Elenoa is smart, too. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll get good grades. He is good at fighting as well. Isn¡¯t a man who is pretty, has a background, and has protective instincts what a girl likes?¡± Then Irina scoffed at his words That¡¯s exactly what she didn¡¯t like. As a matter of personal preference, Irina was very ashamed that men were pretty. She wasn¡¯t a high-nosed beauty, but she at least wanted to be prettier than her lover. But she thought it would hurt her pride to have a prettier boyfriend than herself, and this hurt her self-esteem, so she didn¡¯t want to even walk side by side. Her strong preference was for a strong man who seemed to be able to punch a cow in one shot. She took time to solemnly confess her ideal type. ¡°I like how you look like a bandit.¡± Ludwig, very perplexed by this, asked suspiciously. ¡°¡­is that a compliment?¡± ¡°¡­isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s not it,¡± ¡°Well¡­ ¡° But after that, Irina often felt that Elenoa was hovering around her. She became convinced the following year when the next semester began. Elenoa became the sixth student to study Ilse language. When the face that shouldn¡¯t be here quietly entered the lecture room, the elite group of five roared. The students were actually proud of themselves. It was the pride of those who maintained non-mainstream studies in the Impenonian Academy, but it was a lonely feeling that was communicated between the five people but the truth was that it was all useless. Entering the lecture room, Elenoa looked around and smiled faintly when he found Irina. He, who walked toward her without hesitation, pulled out the chair next to her, and Irina asked with a puzzled look. ¡°You didn¡¯t attend the beginner¡¯s lecture, did you?¡± Elenoa, glancing at Irina, looked back at her, and replied, ¡°Yes, but I¡¯d like to hear it.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just interested,¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It was a somewhat eccentric answer. What a strange boy he is. Irina felt the fact once again. Although he has an elegant gait, he sometimes sits as obliquely as he does now. He has a well-groomed, ascetic face, yet he has an ominous smile, and he looks down on people with a polite but stern look. Could this incongruity be due to his past? She thought for a moment, but then shook her head, trying to erase the thought from her head. This feeling of having a person by her side felt despicable. Instead, she looked disapprovingly at him, who was sitting lazily in the seat next to her. As she listened to the calm answer, she lost the strength to ask why he was sitting here. In the end, she gave him advice and began to show her pride in Elenoa¡¯s needless work. ¡°This is a glimpse of Ilse. Can you get your grades up after that?¡± ¡°Irina must have gone down.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­have you screwed up a lot?¡± Sorry. When Irina shut her mouth sullenly, Elenoa still looked straight ahead, curved his eyes and laughed. Irina grumbled because she didn¡¯t like his relaxed face. ¡°You¡¯re the type of person who doesn¡¯t really listen to others.¡± I think he¡¯s a bit of a weird kid too. Irina, who was pouting with her chin on her hand, straightened up when the old Ilsse language teacher came in. She looked at Elenoa, who was still sitting still, asked with a puzzled look. ¡°You don¡¯t have a textbook?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m a little behind in my application.¡± Oh, she nodded, and put her book in the middle with a little desk. Still, she murmured non-stop with her mouth. It was hard to get a sense of whether she was trying to give him advice or whether she was complaining to Elenoa. ¡°It must be difficult to keep up with the intermediate classes. Are you really okay?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you working very hard on taking good care of your grades?¡± ¡°Not exactly,¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Ah, so that was a grade that he didn¡¯t worked hard for. Suddenly, feeling a sense of shame, Irina looked dark. and continued with a sullen look. ¡°You think that old man is kind, he¡¯s good, but honestly, he¡¯s rather strict. Examinations are difficult and credits are merciless. Why are you listening to this? You¡¯re screwed, too. It¡¯s all over.¡± Angry, she turned over the first page of the intermediate textbook and bent down to straighten it out. And yet, she seemed to like this class, contrary to what she said, her eyes were twinkling in anticipation.. ¡°Anyway, be sure to prepare your textbook next time. He¡¯s good at remembering things like that.¡± As she leaned down, the red hair fell like a waterfall after her. Only then did Elenoa look away from the front and stare at her. But it was difficult to stare at the white neck for a long time, so he immediately lowered his dark blue eyes. And soon he smiled. ¡°¡­yes, I will.¡± ****