Chapter 201 : If There Were No Contract, Would You Still Be Willing To Be With Me

Ten minutes earlier.

“Daiyi, why are we even attending this banquet?”

Felyn and Daiyi stood at the foot of a towering skyscraper, gazing up at its cloud-piercing height.

“My father somehow found out about this banquet,” Daiyi replied. “He said since we’re lovers, we should go together. If he finds out I attended but you didn’t, he might start overthinking things.”

After entering the building, the two of them walked side by side toward the teleportation formation device.

“Don’t worry. Even if you're surrounded by your other girls, I won’t get jealous,” Daiyi said as she tucked her hair behind her ear on the side closest to Felyn. She turned to him with a gentle, wifely smile. “I’ll also hide our relationship. You can put away the wedding ring too. And if you need to book a room, just let me know.”

“There is no wedding ring! And we don’t have that kind of weird relationship to begin with!”

Felyn felt like Daiyi was getting more and more addicted to this twisted little act. She seemed to thoroughly enjoy teasing him with this sense of forbidden indulgence.

He had originally thought Daiyi was one of the few normal clients he had. He never expected that in her own way, she was just as abnormal. And ever since she arrived in the royal capital, the things she said had only gotten more deranged.

“But... is it because you don’t really want to see Her Highness the Princess?” Daiyi hadn’t forgotten how Felyn had deliberately avoided Dorothy earlier. She assumed it was because of some painful history between the two.

“I’ll help you stay away from her. That way, you won’t have to run into her, right?”

“Really? Thanks, Daiyi. That’s rare—so rare for you to be this considerate! I take back everything I just said. Daiyi, you’re actually a good person!”

“And besides... there’s something a little thrilling about this too.” Daiyi leaned close to Felyn’s ear, her warm breath brushing against his earlobe.

“As your girlfriend, I’m keeping tabs on the other girls for you. It’s like I’ve been completely trained by you—willing to help you win over other girls.”

Felyn’s steps slowed slightly at those words. He gulped.

“Hahaha, don’t take it seriously. I was just joking,” Daiyi said with a satisfied grin, clearly pleased by his reaction. She patted his shoulder and walked ahead of him.

Felyn stared at her back and let out a long sigh.

“I take back what I said about taking it back! Daiyi, just you wait!”

The restaurant reserved for the royal family and nobility was as luxurious as expected—gems, famous paintings, and maids pleasing to the eye.

The only disappointment was that the maids weren’t wearing maid uniforms.

Dorothy hadn’t arrived yet. After the agreed-upon time passed, a few butler-like figures stepped out to announce the official start of the banquet.

Felyn looked around at the sea of girls in the hall, unsure who he should even talk to.

Daiyi, meanwhile, was sitting off in a corner, saying it was so she wouldn’t interfere with his girl-hunting.

But Felyn had no intention of chasing after girls. No girl could compare to roast chicken.

He held a chicken leg in his hand and began gnawing on it, completely ignoring the curious stares from the noble young ladies around him.

He was only attending this banquet in passing. Surely, no one here would pay too much attention to him.

His encounters with Dorothy and Daiyi had already been defused thanks to Daiyi’s voluntary retreat and her misunderstanding about his relationship with Dorothy.

The only real concern was the possibility of Adeline and Dorothy running into each other.

But Daiyi was keeping an eye on Dorothy for him. As long as he didn’t show up in front of both of them at the same time, it shouldn’t be a problem.

Worst-case scenario—if he did end up in front of both girls—what were they going to do? Discuss private matters in the middle of this not-so-large banquet hall?

If they did that, every noble young lady in the room would hear them.

That’s why Felyn didn’t think this banquet was all that dangerous.

So long as none of these noble young ladies lost their composure and started touching him inappropriately.

But they were all nobles. They couldn’t possibly ignore noble etiquette and make a move on him in public, right?

...Right?

Yet, as the only boy at the banquet, and an exceptionally handsome one dressed in a formal suit, Felyn naturally drew more than a few glances. The young ladies started guessing about his identity.

Felyn felt like he was standing out a bit too much. He wanted to hide, but the banquet hall wasn’t that big. There was nowhere to truly escape to. So he simply picked up his plate and moved to a slightly more secluded corner.

Just as a few young ladies were discussing whether they should go introduce themselves to him together, a new presence caught their attention—Adeline, with her rose-tea-colored hair, had entered the hall.

“Miss Adeline!”

Their eyes quickly shifted from Felyn to her.

As the eldest daughter of the Claude family—an ennobled house that oversaw the Empire’s military industry—Adeline was second only to the princess in terms of people worth currying favor with tonight.

After exchanging a few polite greetings, Adeline waved goodbye with a warm smile, as if she had other matters to attend to.

“Lady Adeline is so beautiful, and so gentle.”

“Yeah, and smart and talented too. I wonder who she’ll marry someday.”

“Probably a prince from some other kingdom or a Hero, right?”

Strictly speaking, Felyn could count as a Hero too.

He helped satisfy his clients emotionally and healed their psychological wounds. Whichever way you looked at it, he was a good man.

And before long, Adeline found her way to the Hero meant for her.

“Felyn, there you are.”

Felyn looked up and saw that Adeline had changed outfits. Even her makeup looked more refined.

But he simply assumed it was because she had dressed up for the banquet, so he didn’t ask.

“Miss Adeline, want to eat something?” Felyn offered her a plate with a chicken leg on it.

“But I’m supposed to be on a diet tonight...” Adeline unconsciously placed her hand on her lower belly.

She had come to see Felyn for one simple reason—she wanted to ask him how he really felt.

Did he like her?

Was everything in the past real—was it because she was herself, or was it just the contract?

Adeline wasn’t the kind of person to keep her doubts buried. She had decided she would get an answer tonight.

“Felyn, there’s something I want to talk to you about.”

“Hmm? What is it?”

“It’s... about the contract.”

Felyn’s smile faded. He pressed his fingers to his lips.

“Miss Adeline, you want to talk about this tonight?”

“Mm. Is that okay?”

“It’s fine, but it’s easy for people to overhear us here.”

“I know a more secluded place—by the side entrance. People rarely go there.”

As the eldest daughter of the Claude family, Adeline had obviously been here many times before. She knew the layout like the back of her hand.

“All right,” Felyn nodded and followed behind her.

Just as she said, they pushed open a door and found a quiet corridor.

“Miss Adeline, are you here to ask about renewing the contract?”

Felyn had already prepared himself mentally. No matter what Adeline asked, he would respond with:I’ll think about it. I’ll give you an answer in three days.

He had no intention of renewing the contract with Adeline.

But at the very least, he wouldn’t reject her outright at the banquet. That would be best for both of them.

“It’s not about renewing the contract. It’s...”

Adeline stepped closer to Felyn. She didn’t dare look into his eyes, so she stared fixedly at the buttons on his sleeve instead.

“I want to ask what you really think of me. Or rather... if there were no contract, would you still be willing to be with me?”

(End of Chapter)