Chapter 15: Does This Even Count as a Date?
Classie, who had been immersed in the ticklish atmosphere, felt half of her mood crumble when a human suddenly opened the door and walked in. Just when things were going well, this guy always had to show up.
“Indeed.”
Classie forced a smile and greeted him with just a nod. Then she turned her head back, but the pleasant atmosphere had already disappeared. Half of her attention had been drawn toward Dernick.
“What brings you here today? What did you take this time?”
Despite Classie’s subtle yet cold demeanor, Dernick stubbornly kept talking. Kishin glanced at him briefly before lowering his gaze back to his work.
Classie felt a little disappointed that Kishin didn’t chase Dernick out.
‘He is his friend, yet he’s fine with Dernick barging into his office like this.’
Still, since the owner of the room remained passive, Classie couldn’t take it upon herself to kick out his so-called friend. Concealing her sulky expression, she replied,
“I didn’t take anything this time—I brought something instead.”
“Oh? That rag-thing, you mean?”
“……”
Dernick laughed alone in the room. Classie looked at Kishin again, hoping he would finally throw the nuisance out, but Kishin remained fixated on his documents ever since Dernick had entered.
“Why did you bring that? To give it to Kishin? That’s new.”
Dernick was the only one speaking.
Classie found herself in a dilemma. If Kishin weren’t here, she would have bluntly told Dernick that the bouquet was sent by Kishin, that she had come to ask Kishin on a date, and then, in a formal yet unmistakable manner, told him to get lost.
But with Kishin present, it felt embarrassing to bring up either the bouquet or the date. After all, Kishin might want to keep those things under wraps.
“I sent the bouquet.”
At that moment, as if sensing her predicament, Kishin provided an explanation at just the right time.
Classie’s face brightened as she turned to look at him.
Kishin, who had been holding his pen all along, finally placed it on its stand and stood up.
With curiosity deepening on his face, Dernick asked,
“Why?”
“Because I was presumptuous and rude.”
“Oh dear. You shouldn’t do that.”
“That includes you.”
“Why me?”
Ignoring him, Kishin pulled a coat from the long coat rack and put it on. As soon as he draped the long gray coat over his shoulders, he transformed into an impeccably dressed gentleman.
Classie almost lost herself in admiration. Kishin had looked great in his guard uniform, but he looked just as stunning in a coat. His sense of style was simply perfect.
When Kishin extended his arm as if to escort her, Classie finally snapped out of her awe and irritation toward Dernick. She quickly approached Kishin, leaning against his arm.
Dernick had gone through all the trouble of coming into the room and asking questions, yet no one was giving him a straight answer. Worse, they kept ignoring him, causing his eyebrows to inch higher and higher.
And then, when Kishin tried to leave the room with Classie, Dernick, harboring a mischievous thought, followed them and continued to pry.
“Tell me why the weapons dealer lady is here and why you sent her those ragged flowers. Otherwise, I’ll keep following you two around.”
“Go ahead.”
But Kishin didn’t even blink at Dernick’s so-called threat.
“What? Really? You’re fine with me following you around?”
Excited, Dernick squeezed himself between Classie and Kishin. Classie, who had been lightly resting her arm on Kishin’s, was suddenly pushed aside, tumbling toward the door frame.
Blinking in confusion, she leaned against the threshold. What just happened?
Before she could fully process it, Dernick pulled her up and then—of all things—offered his arm to her.
“I have no idea what’s going on, but this seems fun. Where should we go?”
Classie stared blankly at his long arm and smooth hands before looking past him to Kishin.
Kishin had furrowed his brow but didn’t seem particularly inclined to remove Dernick from the situation.
Classie felt disappointed. I thought this was supposed to be a date. What was this? It certainly didn’t feel like one anymore.
She shot Dernick a mild glare. This clueless idiot.
‘What are you, some kind of male Merran? Why are you tagging along?’
The three of them walked to Kishin’s usual café.
The barista greeted Kishin, their most loyal customer, with cheerful familiarity. But as soon as they noticed the two people accompanying him, their expression shifted to surprise.
They had seen Dernick a few times before, but Kishin arriving with a woman? That was a first in years.
As the barista guided them to a table, they could barely contain their excitement. I have to tell the boss and the others later! Kishin came here at night with an absolutely stunning woman!
Perhaps because he had company, Kishin chose a more spacious spot instead of his usual seat. The barista seated them at a table where the evening lights were especially flattering.
But having three people at the table led to an unexpected seating dilemma.
Classie naturally assumed that she would sit alone while Kishin and Dernick, being friends, would sit next to each other.
However, as soon as she and Kishin took their seats, Dernick casually plopped himself down right beside her.
Classie, in the middle of adjusting her skirt, froze mid-motion and turned to stare at him in disbelief.
“Why are you sitting here?”
She was so startled that she asked outright.
“If I sit over there, it’ll make you uncomfortable, won’t it?” Dernick replied shamelessly.
“What? No!”
Classie rejected the notion immediately.
To her, Dernick was now on the same level as male Merran—a completely unnecessary, bothersome presence. She wouldn’t care if he sat across from her, hung from the ceiling, or ate his food upside down.
Go sit over there. Even better, move to the next table.
She barely swallowed the words that had reached her throat. She didn’t want to start a fight with Kishin’s friend in front of Kishin himself.
“Come here.”
Thankfully, Kishin passed the menu to Classie, subtly signaling for Dernick to move.
Not that it did much—Dernick simply pretended not to hear.
At that moment, Classie suddenly understood why Merran had seemed slightly drawn to Dernick. They’re the same species!
Leech-kind.
Suppressing a scowl, Classie focused on choosing her order.
“I’ll have this. The soft crab dish.”
But the leech even meddled in Classie’s menu choice.
“Weapons dealer lady, that dish is spicy. Can you handle it? I thought you couldn’t eat spicy food?”
Classie was taken aback by this interference.
“How do you know that?”
She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Did Merran tell him?
“No. It’s just that, back when you got rejected by Kishin, you ordered a mountain of food, remember?”
“!”
“But you picked out all the spicy dishes.”
Dernick pointed out the non-spicy options on the menu.
Classie stared at him, gripping the menu tightly.
‘This leech… is a perceptive leech.’
“I like spicy food. I just don’t eat it outside because I can’t handle it well.”
Her voice softened as she said this, and she ended up picking one of the dishes Dernick had recommended.
While waiting for their food after placing the order, Kishin and Dernick began talking about the capital guards.
At first, Classie was sulking. So much for my date… She had planned on having an awkward, heart-fluttering conversation with Kishin, but that was completely ruined now.
However, as she kept listening, she found herself growing curious about Dernick. Was he a capital guard or not?
Judging by his manner of speaking, his attitude, his clothes, and his past exploits, he didn’t seem like one. Yet, he knew an awful lot about their work.
Eventually, when a brief pause fell in their conversation, Classie couldn’t hold back anymore.
“Are you a capital guard too?”
Both men answered at the same time.
“No.” (K)“Yes.” (D)
Since Classie naturally trusted Kishin more, she followed up with another question.
“Then where do you work, Dernick? You visit the guard station often enough that it seems like your job is at least related.”
Even as she asked about Dernick, she kept her gaze fixed on Kishin. Dernick seemed like the type to lie easily, so she wanted Kishin’s answer instead.
But unexpectedly, Kishin didn’t answer right away.
He pulled out a napkin, folded it slowly, and cast a brief, unreadable glance at Dernick before keeping his mouth shut.
It was as if he was unwilling to answer before Dernick introduced himself first.
Classie’s heart skipped a beat at Kishin’s unusual reaction.
What’s this? Why isn’t Kishin saying anything? He immediately denied that Dernick was a guard, but now he won’t tell me where he works? Does he have some kind of sensitive status?
But Classie herself was from an old noble family. The Kalashi Count’s House might not be among the most prestigious in the capital, but it wasn’t insignificant either.
Yet even to her, Kishin hesitated to reveal Dernick’s identity.
Suspicion crept into her mind.
Now that I think about it… That man. He once impersonated a notorious deputy captain of the city guard and got away without any punishment. Even if they’re friends, there should have been some consequence.
A chill ran down her spine.
Could Dernick… be a member of the imperial family?
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