Chapter 8: Trouble in Heiligh (2)

Eleanor Von Saville; a girl born into a Marquis household as the eldest and only daughter of the family. Naturally, she grew up with a silver spoon in her mouth, living without a care, surrounded by people who catered to her whims.

She did what was expected of her as a noble, attending various classes throughout the day for many years, preparing for the eventual inheriting of the Marquisate from her father; a man whom she'd rarely seen.

However, she harbored no resentment, this was simply what was required of her. Interacting with the servants who never strayed from strict formalities brought forth a sense of isolation, which was slightly alleviated during her tea parties with the other aristocrats.

It was the only time she felt a bit of excitement. They always seemed to crowd around her without fail, sending her gifts, letters, and praise in the hopes of winning her attention. Whether by instinct or coincidence, Eleanor had never attempted to solidify any of her relationships, thus keeping a safe distance from all political maneuvering.

Due to that, she ended up a sheltered, slightly awkward girl who couldn't properly form a personality of her own. The days droned on, not particularly dissatisfied with the status quo, or at least, that was what she convinced herself of.

Everything would be fine so long as she met their expectations, that was what she believed. Yet….she was still set to be engaged to a man she'd never met before. This was a customary practice among nobles, and she knew that, but it didn't mean she enjoyed the feeling.

Once again, she sought refuge in the shallow relations she had forged over the years, hoping to distract herself from the inevitable. The responsibilities of an aristocrat had been ingrained into her bones, disallowing any thoughts of rebellion to surface.

Eleanor Von Saville was meant to live out her life under the constant scrutiny of others, an exquisitely decorated doll who stood in line with the crowd; she accepted how things were designed.

However—

"You lot…are a bunch of morons."

His words echoed in her mind as if on repeat.

Was she truly an idiot?

Had all the things she'd done thus far been meaningless?

The sacrifices she was willing to bear, was it a mere trifle in his eyes?

"You're pitiful."

It felt as though her vision gradually cleared, enabling her to see the entire situation for what it was.

The darkness engulfing her heart was slowly evaporating in this man's presence. His words tore through the brittle facade she erected in order to protect herself.

This man, Aziel Nox, was truly—

"If you want to die, don't do it in the middle of the street, idiot."

A familiar deep voice entered her ears, snapping her out of her reverie. Eleanor could feel his large hand envelop her frail wrist, reeling her in with a slight tug, removing her from the range of an oncoming carriage.

"Ah….!"

Her head seemingly collided with something hard as the wind whipped past behind her, disheveling her hair. It took her a moment to recall where she was exactly, but the serene voice served as a reminder to the current situation.

"Do you mind paying attention? I'm not your damn nanny, don't let me have to save you again; I'll start charging."

Looking up, she met his tranquil gaze, his radiant pale golden eyes piercing through her. Their bodies close, she stood nestled against his chest, bringing forth the realization of what had occurred.

"M-my apologies, I merely spaced out for a momen—"

"Did I ask what you 'merely' did? I don't want to hear it, so don't talk too much."

Separating herself from his sturdy chest, she attempted to explain the reason for her absentminded behavior, but the man in front of her, Aziel, derisively cut her off.

Eleanor harrumphed unhappily as she picked up on the sound of hurried footsteps slowly drawing near. The few knights who presently served as escorts made their way to her side in due haste, their expressions full of panic.

"My lady….!"

"My lady, please don't run off like that…!"

"Are you unhurt, my lady?"

They gathered around, checking her condition for any visible injuries but finding none. Glancing toward Aziel, their gazes conveyed a hint of gratitude, before redirecting their attention back to Eleanor.

The circumstances leading up to this scene had started with her suggestion of visiting a high-end store which sold expensive clothing, eliciting a nod of approval from Aziel, who was more than willing to shop on her dime.

They walked along the streets of the upper district, a peaceful silence persisted between them, leaving Eleanor to glance up at him occasionally as if in a daze. Lost in thought, she nearly stepped into the road, initiating the scene that had only just unfolded moments ago.

"Rest assured, l am completely fine…"

Eleanor waved off her knight's concerns with an awkward smile, internally gauging Aziel's reaction. Despite his harsh attitude, he still bothered to save her. Regardless of the reason, she appreciated the gesture whole heartedly, evident by the subtle grin spreading across her face.

"Wipe that creepy grin off your face, it's unsightly."

Eleanor's expression instantly morphed into one of displeasure upon hearing his words, exhibiting a brief scowl. Her previous gratitude now forgotten, she stomped ahead, unwilling to bear his ridicule.

"Watch out for the carriage…"

"Don't patronize me…!"

Even as she stormed off, it seemed she was still unable to escape his sarcastic remarks, further stoking her irritation.

The knights watched on from behind, eyeing Aziel with half-hearted glares. They could barely muster up the will to react anymore, knowing that nothing would come out of it.

The two of them went around to various shops in the area, inspecting all sorts of extravagant goods, only purchasing those they had taken a liking to. Under Eleanor's insistence, they ended up at one of her favorite pastry shops, sitting in one of the private rooms while eating their sweet treats.

"Aziel Nox"

"What now?"

"Could this be considered a 'date' by commoner's standards?"

"Does feeding and walking your dog feel like a date?"

"Okay, I've had just about enough…!"

She abruptly clattered out of her seat, slamming both hands onto the table, tossing her dessert into the air as a result. Frosted cream splattered in Aziel's direction, leaving no room to evade all of its sprinkles.

"…."

"…."

An uncomfortable silence reigned, occasionally disrupted by the sound of Eleanor nervously swallowing her spit. They both held each other's gaze, not moving an inch.

The obvious droplets of orange sticking to Aziel's face made it difficult to casually sweep this event under the rug. Eleanor slowly opened her mouth to placate him, knowing that it might do more harm than good.

"H-hear me out, alright…?"

"….."

"L-listen" her voice cracked with mirth. "You just have to listen, okay…?"

"….."

"Don't…don't do anything rash…."

"….."

"It was an honest….an honest mistake, yes?"

"….."

On the verge of laughter, she stretched out a trembling finger, bringing it up to his cheek and brushing off some of the orange glaze. Reseating herself, she brought the icing up to her lips before hesitantly licking her finger.

"M-mnnn~"

"….."

"It's good—"

Just as she opened her mouth to howl with laughter, another frosted dessert instantly found its way to her face, forcing her head backward a few inches.

Aziel raised his brows, licking the frosting off his lips.

"Oh, it really is funny, huh. Let's laugh together."

What followed was an all-out war of sweets and pastries, dyeing the room in a multitude of colors. Grabbing whatever sat in front of them, they hurled it at the other side, Eleanor's screams and giggles periodically echoed throughout the room.

By the time they finished, copious amounts of colored frosting covered their clothes, hair, and faces, leaving the knights who stood guard outside flabbergasted. The two were forced to put on new clothes, changing into their recently acquired garments.

Feeling guilty, Eleanor explained the situation to the shop's staff, offering a large sum in reparations. Although it was initially refused, they eventually caved in due to her insistence.

"Say, wouldn't it be easier if you returned to my estate with me? Your possessions should arrive by tomorrow."

Walking along the cobblestone streets, Eleanor suddenly turned toward him, asking a rather bold question. Although it was true that all of their purchases thus far would be delivered to her estate, they had only just met earlier that day.

"My lady, you can't….!"

"Please reconsider!"

"The head butler would not approve of this…!"

The knights quickly interjected, attempting to put a stop to this. It was already bad enough that they were forced to bear witness to Aziel's discourtesy—they had no intention of sitting idly by and allowing this to happen.

Eleanor shrank back in the face of their persistence, second guessing her previous decision.

Watching all this unfold, Aziel couldn't help but think that Eleanor was quite ridiculous. She had daringly invited him over without an ounce of hesitation, now she had become indecisive due to the urging of others.

'What a shit-show.'

Noticing Aziel's slightly ridiculing gaze, Eleanor felt her heart tremble for the first time. It was as if this was a defining moment, an impasse to decide whether or not she was deserving of his attention.

If she truly wanted something, she couldn't back down. She had to be bold and assertive just like he was, pushing toward her desires with an unflinching gaze.

Eleanor Von Saville….had to become an unstoppable force.