How the Disgusting Suitor Met His End - Chapter 5

“Don’t be like that, really, just one time! Huh? Hey, you’re probably the only noble living in this resort town of Erdel who hasn’t been to a party!”

“Is that a problem?”

Genuine doubt flickered in his green eyes.

“We’re not here to play; we’re fulfilling the duty God has bestowed upon us. Don’t forget that.”

“Wow… a saint has graced us with his presence!”

While every noble tries to enjoy all the pleasures Erdel offers, Rogerick was not one of them.

His fellow Holy Knights smacked their pristine white breastplates as if frustrated. Rogerick shook his head, looking at them, then walked away.

As Rogerick moved away, the gazes of some of his colleagues turned cold.

“Ah, that bastard is so difficult.”

“Is he drawing a line with us because he’s a capital noble?”

“He’s a real pain in the a*s.”

Children of capital nobles generally do not join the Holy Knights. They would rather aim for a position in the Royal Knights or as a family knight commander, as there’s no need to live the rough life of a Holy Knight, far away from their family home.

But Rogerick Montieux did just that. He was a strange guy. The attitude of someone who had everything, yet tossed it away, wasn’t seen in a positive light.

He also seemed to subtly draw a line. Unlike other nobles, while pretending to be friendly, he never came closer than a certain distance.

It was annoying, as if he was flaunting the social gap between them.

“Hey, he asked to be transferred to Erdel for another reason.”

“Oh, Lord Pavel. What reason?”

A short Holy Knight who had been loitering around let out a laugh as he looked at Rogerick’s back.

“They say he came here because he promised to meet some girl here when he was a kid.”

“Ha! That’s insane. Funny, right? Is he a goody-two-shoes now, a hopeless romantic too?”

“Don’t just laugh, let’s use that.”

“…Oh, I see?”

Jamie, who seemed to have realized something from Pavel’s words, shot up. The lanky man quickly ran and put his arm around Rogerick’s shoulder.

“Hey, hey, Lord Rogerick. I heard something, you know.”

“What is it now?”

“They say a noble lady no one has seen before has appeared in Erdel?”

Rogerick’s steps stopped as if by magic.

“Who?”

“I don’t know that! But they say she came during this off-season, even before the flowers have bloomed. She’s probably participating in the party today, too?”

“…Her appearance?”

“Uh… I heard she has bright hair and is super pretty?”

“…Can you take responsibility for what you just said?”

“Oh, of course! Why would I lie?”

Rogerick’s expression became serious. The hair color was a pure guess, but it seemed to have luckily hit the mark.

Jamie barely managed to press his mouth shut and looked back at his colleagues. His colleagues gave him a thumbs-up and snickered quietly. Jamie’s shoulders shrugged.

“So, you’re going, right, Lord Rogerick?”

This time, it was certain Rogerick would have no way to avoid it.

***

Rogerick Montieux had never forgotten Cecilia Cissil for a single moment.

It was a level of obsession that was a bit absurd even to him. That a young love could continue for so long and so deeply. If it were someone else’s story, he would have surely scoffed.

But he just couldn’t forget her.

The mysterious purple-gray eyes that shone whenever he looked at her, the high-pitched laughter that scattered in the sunlight, and her silver hair that shimmered whenever she ran.

“Rogerick! Come here, quickly!”

The voice was faint, but the memory of how she always called him remained.

‘Will I really be able to meet that child today?’

Rogerick entered the party hall, full of tension. His colleagues laughed at his face.

“Haha! Look at Lord Rogerick, no, just Rogerick. Who are you waiting for that your face looks like that?”

“…Someone.”

“She must be incredibly pretty, huh?”

It was a rude comment, but it was also true.

Her face wasn’t the only reason he liked her. But she was truly beautiful. He had met many noblewomen in the capital, but none were as dazzling and brilliant as her.

“Where is she? Is she even here?”

Rogerick ignored the noisy voices of Pavel and Jamie with one ear and looked around the party hall.

They were in ordinary party clothes instead of Holy Knight uniforms. The hall was full of young nobles in their party dresses.

Erdel had recently become a popular vacation spot for nobles. Thanks to that, the entertainment facilities also increased.

‘That child wouldn’t like a place like this, but she might come without knowing.’

Young ladies who were raised nobly were typically ignorant of dirty rumors.

She might have just heard about it and visited out of curiosity. If so, it would be best for him to take her away.

He should, but.

“…What kind of liquor is this?”

His vision kept splitting and overlapping. The noisy sounds around him sounded muffled, as if he were underwater.

All he had done was mindlessly take a sip of the alcohol Pavel had handed him. It was a bit hot going down, but he thought it was a sweet, palatable drink….