Chapter 80: Pryster’s Saying (3)

 

As I looked down at the twins gripping my clothes, they let go, seemingly unaware of their actions until now.

 

Maybe in their eyes, Daisy was taking me away. But in truth, I was the one walking away.

 

Sigh.

 

I felt the need to talk with Daisy, but we were surrounded by too many people.

 

Especially Judy, whom I hadn’t even spoken to yet.

 

I wasn’t necessarily unhappy about Daisy being my fiancée; considering I couldn’t marry in the Ice family, Daisy was undoubtedly the best choice. But the abruptness of being separated from Judy did wound my heart.

 

I had wanted to be her pillar of strength, believing we would lean on each other since we both bore similar scars.

 

Closing my eyes and then reopening them, I acknowledged that those moments were now in the past. Dwelling on them would only bring pain.

 

Just as the twins’ stubbornness to hold onto me complicated things for me, holding onto my past with Judy would only bring trouble for both her and Daisy.

 

“...Is it okay?”

 

Daisy inquired, noting my prolonged silence.

 

I nodded, glanced at Judy, then addressed the twins, “Let’s go our separate ways.”

 

“…”

 

“…Escort…”

 

Asena mentioned about my escort duty, but both she and I knew it wasn’t really about needing an escort. She simply didn’t want me near Daisy.

 

I didn’t want to argue any longer. Fortunately, the dissatisfaction I had shown today had already become my shield.

 

“I still haven’t accepted it… The reason you are exiling me.”

 

“…”

 

“I told you, I don’t want to be someone who can’t do anything. So... don’t hold me back now. I won’t entertain baseless tantrums. Either tell me the real reason now or...”

 

“…”

 

Keirsey lowered her head and walked past me.

 

After pondering my words for a moment, Asena moved on as well.

 

Upon reaching near Daisy, Keirsey slowed her pace, glaring at Daisy as she walked by.

 

What did Daisy do to deserve this? I was taken aback by Keirsey’s behavior, and I wanted to comment on her rudeness, but again, I felt too drained to do so.

 

Hearing my sigh, Asena glanced at me once, then walked past Daisy, ignoring her.

 

With the twins gone, my gaze shifted to Judy.

 

“...”

 

Although I wanted to speak, words eluded me. In sequence, I should’ve spoken with Judy first, not Daisy.

 

However the rapid progression of events messed up the timing. I hadn’t expected to become entangled with someone else so quickly after that incident.

 

It pained me that my first words to Judy post that event were like this, but I spoke nonetheless.

 

“Judy, you also...”

 

“It’s okay.”

 

Judy cut me off.

 

Blinking in surprise, I asked, “What?”

 

“I will remain as Daisy’s escort,” she said with a stern face.

 

Not wanting her to see my conversation with Daisy, I suggested again, “Judy, let me be the escort...”

 

“…Cayden.”

 

For the first time, there was a tremor in her voice as she called my name.

 

And sure enough, when she wavered, my resolve solidified. Or rather, as we both faltered, I steeled my heart.

 

If I showed weakness here, it would only be harder for both of us.

 

Pretending to be oblivious to everything, I kept my expression stoic.

 

Judy continued, “After you finish with Daisy... speak with me for a bit.”

 

My gaze then moved to Daisy.

 

Was it because she was now my fiancée? Instinctively, I felt that Daisy should be part of the promise to meet Judy. It was an instinctive reaction.

 

Before I could ask her, Daisy nodded first.

 

“…Yes. Of course, it’s okay.”

 

Lowering her voice, she added, “You must settle things after all.”

 

****

 

Guided by moonlight, we walked the night path. Daisy and I walked side by side, with Judy trailing ten steps behind.

 

I steeled my heart. As if everything was a duty, I intended to show Judy an unwavering face. This way, she could more easily detach her feelings from me.

 

“Sigh...”

 

I let go of my thoughts about Judy. I shouldn’t only be thinking about Judy when Daisy is right beside me, requiring my attention too.

 

“You seem lost in thought?”

 

Daisy gently inquired. Her voice was tinged with concern.

 

“...Haah.”

 

I managed a weak laugh. I didn’t pretend to be strong. Even if I did, she would see right through it. After all, she had already seen my vulnerable side a few times.

 

“When I look at you, Cayden, it seems like you’ve been through a lot.”

 

“Been through a lot?”

 

“You have siblings with strong personalities to take care of... issues with the family... things you’re involved in...”

 

“We all carry our burdens.”

 

“Still... now you even have the issue of marriage. Just a few days ago, you told me about getting married to Judy.”

 

“...Indeed.”

 

The gap between Daisy and me seemed to close. Maybe it was the darkness, but every step she took brought her a tad closer until her shoulder was almost touching my arm.

 

“Cayden. You don’t... dislike me, do you?”

 

“Hm?”

 

“Even if it was for a short time, you and Judy were close, even contemplating marriage. You might be disappointed with me replacing her...”

 

“No, it’s not like that.”

 

At her sincere words, I responded in kind. When someone is being genuine, it’s impolite to hide your own emotions.

 

“I’ve told you before, Daisy. I admire you. Having you as my partner is nothing short of a blessing.”

 

In fact, thinking about it, it’s crazy. To be reborn in this novel as a commoner and then engage with the character I admired the most. How could I even calculate such odds?

 

“But, Judy...”

 

I tread carefully. Honesty is good, but oversharing can be detrimental.

 

“It’s... complicated.”

 

So, I summarized my feelings quickly. Daisy seemed to understand, not pressing me further.

 

“If I were in your shoes, Cayden, I would feel the same. Your fiancée changed overnight... It’s natural to feel lost.”

 

“...”

 

She paused, inhaling deeply. I felt a warmth emanating from her, not just body heat but genuine affection.

 

“But now, will you settle with me?”

 

“Huh?”

 

Her sudden proposal took me aback.

 

This aspect of Daisy was new to me. Neither in the book nor in our interactions had I seen her so emotional.

 

Daisy, approaching with rational emotions, had always been straightforward and unwavering.

 

“Be with me, Cayden. I will be your strength.”

 

“...”

 

I ruminated on her words, finding it hard to fully digest them. Maybe it’s because we never had a conversation like this before.

 

With Judy, being friends, our bond allowed for playful exchanges which eased any minor awkwardness. But when Daisy, who had always shared words of encouragement while maintaining a certain distance, acted like this, it was jarring.

 

It wasn’t that I disliked it, but it did raise a few questions in my mind.

 

“....Daisy, are you pushing yourself too hard?”

 

“....Huh?”

 

Given our relationship, I worried she might be overexerting herself.

 

“...Pfft.”

 

At my words, Daisy burst into laughter for a moment. She found it so funny that she stopped walking to laugh for quite a while.

 

After laughing for some time, she calmed down, wiped away her tears, and spoke to me.

 

“No, Cayden. I’m not pushing myself.”

 

“....I see.”

 

“To be honest... I think I’ve grown fond of you, Cayden.”

 

“....What?”

 

As Daisy resumed walking, I followed her.

 

“...Since when I wonder? From the moment you gifted me flowers saying I was the most beautiful? From when you personally said you wanted to protect me? From when I realized your upright nature? From when we were together every day? From when you protected me from the wasps? From when you sided with me over the twins? From when you sent food supplies to our territory?”

 

“.........”

 

After saying that, Daisy looked up at me with a smile. It was nighttime, but for some reason, her smile seemed incredibly bright.

 

“....Now that I speak out loud, there seem to be many reasons for me to be fond of you, right?”

 

“........”

 

“But I think I realized my feelings... when I heard you were to marry Judy. It felt... uncomfortable then.”

 

Daisy spoke honestly. Then she looked up at me for a moment.

 

“You understand, right? I’ve been honest with you, Cayden. So, please be honest with me too.”

 

“About what?”

 

“.........Cayden. Did you... also feel fondness towards me?”

 

With another confident step, Daisy approached me.

 

“It’s hard to believe that everything you did for me was just out of kindness. You kept doing so, especially for me and no one else....”

 

I opened my mouth to reply, but no words came out. Just as she said, the truth was glaringly obvious, yet it was hard to admit. Is the heart always so elusive?

 

...No. That’s not it.

 

The reason I couldn’t speak was...

 

“....Focus on me, Cayden.”

 

Daisy’s voice had a playful lilt.

 

Yes, the reason I couldn’t easily accept that truth was because of Judy, who was walking behind us.

 

And realizing it as Daisy pointed it out, it seemed I had been unintentionally preoccupied with Judy.

 

While Daisy understood, it was still an oversight on my part, something I had to overcome.

 

I’ll set Judy aside for now.

 

I resolved once again.

 

With that mindset, it wasn’t difficult to answer. Because the affection had been obvious all this time.

 

“Yes, Daisy. I did have positive feelings towards you.”

 

“......”

 

“It wasn’t love... per se. But as you said, perhaps it was fondness.”

 

“...Why?”

 

“Daisy, are you puzzled?” I said to her, wearing a smile.

 

“....Yes. Did you know me?”

 

“Yes, somehow, even before coming to the academy. Everything you did caught my eye. So I felt nothing but positive emotions towards you.”

 

Since it was nighttime, I couldn’t clearly see her reaction. All I had to go on was her slightly awkward stride and her proudly raised head.

 

Daisy said nothing for a while. Only the sound of our footsteps filled the silence.

 

We walked around the female dormitory and eventually saw the entrance far in the distance.

 

And then, I felt a soft touch on my pinky finger.

 

Daisy had gingerly hooked her pinky around mine.

 

“.....”

 

Now I noticed her steps had shortened, and she seemed to be hiding her face by lowering her head towards me.

 

“....Cayden, I understand if you’re confused,” she said.

 

“...But just as I’ve become yours, you’ve become mine. So....”

 

She didn’t finish her sentence. She didn’t need to. It seemed like a signal to forget about Judy.

 

It didn’t seem that she acted this way because she liked me, but rather it felt like she was acting on behalf of both of us, to help us sort our feelings.

 

“......”

 

I nodded and didn’t let go of her finger. As we reached the entrance of the dormitory, Daisy let go.

 

Under the light from the building, I could see her face clearly. There was a blush on her cheeks.

 

She glanced at Judy, who was walking behind us, and then said to me,

 

“....Please, sort it out well.”

 

Without any hesitation, she turned and entered the dormitory.

 

I stood there for a while, just staring at the dormitory where Daisy had entered.

 

Now it was time to turn and talk to Judy.

 

However, for some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

 

After taking three deep breaths, I decided to face her.

 

I inhaled.

 

.....Once.

 

.....Twice.

 

-Tap.

 

Suddenly, something wrapped around my waist.

 

Looking down, I saw trembling arms embracing me.

 

“...Judy.”

 

“........”

 

Like her, I was at a loss for words for a while.

 

Eventually, gently patting the arms that held me, I softly said,

 

“....I’m sorry.”

 

Her trembling intensified.

 

Since she was about my height, I felt something hot trickle down from her face, resting on my back.

 

“...Cayden, why is it like this?”

 

She asked me with a quiver in her voice. Hearing her voice, I bit my lip.

 

“....I... must have hoped for so much... without even realizing it... You, for the first time someone would fully be on my side...”

 

“.......”

 

“...Why are things given and then taken away...?”

 

I stifled my sigh, not showing my distress. But no matter how much I hid my feelings, I felt she somewhat understood my mood.

 

“....I’m sorry.”

 

I repeated. That was all I could say.

 

“...Can’t we make it work again? I’ll talk to my father... so you should-”

 

“-Judy.”

 

The more she bared her sincere feelings, the heavier my heart felt. So, at this point, I made a decision. I drew a clear line.

 

“...It’s already over.”

 

“.......”

 

-Thud.

 

Her trembling stopped, and she bumped her forehead against my back. It felt like a feeble attempt to hit me.

 

Though my back didn’t physically hurt, my heart did.

 

She let go of her embrace.

 

And then, with heavy steps, she walked towards the dormitory.

 

I took another deep breath. I felt it was necessary.

 

As Judy walked towards the dormitory, her steps paused at the entrance.

 

She turned her head slightly to look at me.

 

Lips quivering, she finally uttered,

 

“....Cayden, even as a concubine... can’t it somehow work?”

 

Only then did I truly feel how important I was to her. How much did she hope for our marriage? How hard was it for her to let go? How difficult must it be for her to remain alone in the Ice family?

 

How desperate must she have felt to suggest becoming a concubine, after having lived such a challenging life due to her birth status?

 

It took me a while to respond, but I finally said,

 

“...You know it’s not my decision to make.”

 

“.......”

 

Seemingly convinced, she said nothing more and disappeared into the building.

 

****

 

Immediately after her conversation with Cayden, Daisy went up to her room.

 

She entered her room, processing a multitude of emotions.

 

-Creak.

 

Inside, besides her roommate, two more people were present.

 

They were familiar faces.

 

Asena Pryster and Keirsey Pryster were seated on the sofa.

 

“....Daisy. We need to talk.”

 

As soon as she entered the room, Asena spoke coldly.

 

Author’s Note:

 

It feels a bit melodramatic, even to me. But stay tuned for a surprise in the next chapter!

 

---  End Of The Chapter ---

 

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