I Had an Arranged Marriage With My Unrequited Love — Chapter 19

...YOU...

PHIL?!

DAMN IT, GET OUT OF HERE!

HOW IS A LITTLE BRAT THIS STRONG?!

COME WITH ME!

PHIL!!

ARE YOU OKAY?!

OH NO, ARE YOU BADLY HURT?

...SEE? I TOLD YOU NOT TO GO AROUND ALONE.

HERE, TAKE IT. IT'S YOURS.

PHIL...

HE WAS TRYING TO HELP ME... DID HE REALLY FIGHT THEM THIS BADLY OVER SOMETHING AS SMALL AS THIS?

THIS TIME, I'LL MAKE SURE YOU GET HOME SAFELY.

COME ON.

...OKAY.

IN THE MONTHS THAT FOLLOWED...

WE WOULD OCCASIONALLY RUN INTO EACH OTHER IN A QUIET CORNER OF THE LIBRARY, AS IF BY UNSPOKEN AGREEMENT.

HE WAS SO INNOCENT THAT IT WAS HARD TO BELIEVE HE'D FOUGHT ADULTS FOR MY SAKE,

BLUSHING TO THE TIPS OF HIS EARS OVER A SINGLE PIECE OF CANDY.

PHIL WAS AN AWKWARD BUT KIND YOUNGER BOY TO ME, MY SAVIOR, AND...

THE FIRST BOY I'D EVER FALLEN FOR.

AROUND THE TIME I RESOLVED TO INTRODUCE HIM TO MY FAMILY SOMEDAY...

A TRAGEDY HAD ALREADY BEGUN TO UNFOLD SOMEWHERE BEYOND OUR KNOWLEDGE.

BY ORDER OF THE IMPERIAL COURT! CRESCENT!

WE HAVE OBTAINED EVIDENCE THAT YOU INCITED THE PEOPLE BY SPREADING MALICIOUS RUMORS!

YOUR CRIME IS PLOTTING TREASON WITHOUT THE IMPERIAL COURT'S AUTHORIZA- TION.

AND YOUR PUNISHMENT IS...

THE COMPLETE EXTERMINATION OF YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY!

WHAT...?!

WAIT! I WAS ONLY THINKING OF THE PEOPLE'S WELFARE!

GIVE ME JUST ONE CHANCE TO EXPLAIN MYSELF TO HIS MAJESTY!

FATHER!

ADRIAN, STAY BACK!

FATHER, WAIT...!

AH...

FATHER!!!

SEIZE EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM! LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND!

SOMEONE'S GOOD INTENTIONS, BORN FROM A DESIRE TO SAVE THE PEOPLE...

BECAME A HORRIFIC EXCUSE FOR “TREASON” AND LED TO THE SLAUGHTER OF AN ENTIRE FAMILY.

YOUNG MASTER, RUN!

ESCAPE THROUGH THE SECRET PASSAGE UNDERGROUND!

...I HAVE TO GO TO THE IMPERIAL PALACE.

IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT MY FAMILY FROM BEING WIPED OUT...!

PLEASE! SOMEONE, ANYONE, LISTEN TO ME!

MY FATHER NEVER PLOTTED TREASON!

HE DID IT FOR THE IMPERIAL COURT, FOR THE EMPIRE! PLEASE...

WHO DARES COME HERE TO RUN HIS MOUTH IN FRONT OF THE IMPERIAL PALACE?

AGH! HNGH...!

GAH...!

THIS IS NO PLACE FOR SOMEONE LIKE YOU.

GET LOST.

AFTER AN ENTIRE FAMILY WAS ERASED WITHOUT A TRACE...

THE WORLD OF THE NOBILITY REMAINED PEACEFUL AND DAZZLING, AS IF NOTHING HAD HAPPENED...

AND UTTERLY CRUEL.

OH MY, LOOK AT THE DAUGHTER OF VISCOUNT MUBER OVER THERE.

SHE BARELY MANAGED TO SQUEEZE HER WAY INTO AN EVENT SHE WASN'T EVEN INVITED TO, AND NOW LOOK HOW INTIMIDATED SHE IS.

I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS TEA PARTY, BUT... THE ATMOSPHERE IS AWFUL.

I HEARD THAT GIRL USED TO HANG AROUND THAT "BASTARD CHILD," DIDN'T SHE?

WELL, BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER, I SUPPOSE.

SHH, DO BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY, EVEN SO.

A BASTARD CHILD...? WHO ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT?

...I SHOULD GO GET SOME FRESH AIR.

THERE'S A GARDEN HERE?

PHIL?

...IRENE?

WH-WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?

AH, I CAME WITH MY FATHER FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

AND YOU...

YOU'RE DRESSED IN SUCH A FANCY OUTFIT TODAY, UNLIKE USUAL.

SO LAVISHLY DRESSED, YET SOMEHOW OUT OF PLACE AND LONELY...

COULD YOU HAVE BEEN THE "BASTARD CHILD" THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT...?

...HA.

WHAT ARE YOU STARING AT? ARE YOU DISGUSTED TO RUN INTO SOMEONE AS LOWLY AND UNLUCKY AS ME, TOO?

...HUH?

I HEARD WHAT THOSE PEOPLE WERE SAYING EARLIER, TOO.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO TALK TO ME ANYMORE.

PHIL, WAIT.

THAT'S ENOUGH!

HURRY BACK INSIDE AND DRINK YOUR PRETENTIOUS TEA LIKE A PROPER NOBLE LADY.

...WHAT THE HELL? AREN'T YOU GOING TO LET GO?

PEOPLE WILL SAY NASTY THINGS IF THEY SEE US! HURRY...

I DON'T CARE WHAT OTHER PEOPLE SAY.

YOU'RE THE KIND BOY WHO SAVED ME,

AND YOU'RE MY FRIEND.

...FRIEND?

YEAH, I MAY NOT BE ALL THAT IMPRESSIVE...

BUT FROM NOW ON, I'LL PROTECT YOU.

AS LONG AS WE'RE TOGETHER, A SILLY LITTLE TEA PARTY LIKE THIS IS NOTHING!

...YOU'LL PROTECT ME?

SOMEONE LIKE ME... WITHOUT ASKING FOR ANYTHING IN RETURN?

LET'S ENJOY OURSELVES TODAY, JUST THE TWO OF US! WANT TO LOOK AROUND THE GARDEN, TOO?

I REALLY LOVE FLOWERS. I COULD LOOK AT THEM EVERY SINGLE DAY.

IN FACT, JUST YESTERDAY...

IRENE. IN THAT CASE...

FROM NOW ON, I'LL MAKE SURE TO PROTECT YOU, AT LEAST...

WE WERE IMMATURE, LEANING ON EACH OTHER AND OFFERING ONE ANOTHER COMFORT.

BUT BENEATH THE SAME SKY...

SOMEONE WHO HAD SURVIVED...

WAS BURYING A COLD HATRED DEEP WITHIN HIS HEART.