North x Northwest

Lil spoke as she walked towards the centre of the room.

“What bullshit are you talking about?”

“…”

The face that was blankly looking at Lil flinched and narrowed its brows.

“What is there left to say? I already met my brother in person, so my future has nothing to do with you. Get out of here.”

As if Mireille had decided to turn a blind eye to Lil’s tone, his frown was soon masked by a smile.

“You are still so beautiful that I cannot take my eyes off you. It is truly amazing.”

His lusciously lifted lips swallowed his drink, while his eyes were still fixed on Lil like a man appreciating his woman. Savouring the liquid in his mouth, Mireille suddenly snapped his fingers.

The door to the side room burst open, and both Lil and Ed looked in that direction at the same time. People who appeared to be Mireille’s attendants entered the reception room with hands full of flowers. And it wasn’t just one or two people, but a complete entourage. The entire scene looked like a procession as they brought in the flowers and placed them near Lil.

She was surrounded by pure white flowers in no time. Lil remained frozen in place, not understanding the sight at all.

“I prepared your favourite lilies. Do you like them?”

The corners of her eyes twitched.

‘Lily… It’s the flower I forgot I liked.’

“Liloa…”

“..?”

Mireille pretended to be moved and placed his hand on his chest.

“Do you have any idea how much I missed you?”

“Stop making such a disgusting noise.”

‘He’s abominable.’

In fact, Lil felt more than just embarrassed by Mireille’s attitude, to her, it was completely absurd.

‘He’s not this kind of person at all… Far from trying to please me…’

“My little birdy.”

‘…My little birdy?’

It was only when she met Mireille’s gaze, who was still staring at her, that she realised that the ‘little birdy’ meant her. Soon, he reached out to her like he was about to kiss the back of her hand, but Lil reflexively flicked off his hands in disgust.

Mireille pretended to hesitate and then proceeded to smile bitterly.

“You have every reason to be mad at me.”

“..?!”

Lil swallowed her screams.

‘Is he crazy?’

“But please know my true intentions, I never meant to let you go. It was just that I was too young and didn’t know any b…”

“I don’t want to know, get out.”

“Yes. I knew you would say that. I guess it will be too much for you today, but I will keep trying until you change your mind.”

Lil glanced at the basket of lilies surrounding her. The sight of them caused goosebumps to appear on her arms and legs.

‘Mireille’s acting strange. There’s no reason for such a bizarre act. Should I pry him about it or not?’

Reason screamed that she should ask, but her instincts shouted that she should get rid of that guy immediately.

Lil closed her eyes tightly before opening them.

‘Come on. Snap out of it.’

“Why are you doing this crazy thing?”

“Because I want to be forgiven by you.”

“Don’t talk bullshit.”

“You will soon come to realise how sincere my feelings for you truly are.”

“Crazy…”

“But like I said, this is enough for today.”

Mireille bowed to Lil and turned his body. He put his glass down on the table and put his hat back on. The simple movements felt slow as if they were taken a very long time. At that moment, Lil’s heart was already pounding so strongly it felt like bursting in time with the steps he took. This encounter with Mireille gave her the chills more than any prediction she had imagined.

‘What does he want? What is he hiding? Is he even really going to leave this room?’

“By the way, Liloa…”

“..?”

Like a dance, Mireille gracefully turned slightly towards her again and calmly glanced at Ed, who was sitting in a chair across from them. Lil tried to follow Mireille’s glance at Ed, but he blocked her path, thereby cutting off her gaze.

Lil glared at her opponent.

“No matter how carefully I think about it, I feel like I have to ask this.”

Mireille leaned toward Lil and took a deep breath. He puffed out his chest like a predator savouring a certain fragrance, then let out his breath, slowly but steadily. He then opened his eyes at an equally slow pace. Mireille’s exaggerated movements overwhelmed Lil with anxiety.

“..?!”

‘Why? What’s wrong? Why does he have to slouch like this?’

Suddenly, the violent pounding of her pulse increased again, but Lil tried to assess the situation calmly…

“Perhaps… Did you take a bath with Sir Edgar?”

“..!”

Mireille lifted his nose and sniffed the air in an exaggerated manner. It was nothing short of theatrical. Like a man trying to enjoy a perfume that didn’t exist. But to Lil, it wasn’t funny at all.

“You both smell the same.”

He approached Lil for the second time.

“Am I correct?”

Lil looked up at the Duke, who stood tall and strode closer with great strides.

“It would be very sad if that was the case…”

Mireille stretched out his hand to Lil. Of course, Lil took a step back, but he caught up with her nonetheless.

“…because I still love you…”

Lil tensed her limbs, ready to attack at any opportunity. But his finger only slowly cut through the air and drew circles along her cheek.

Unable to bear the gesture, she swatted away his finger…

“…very much.”

The back of Lil’s head was suddenly grabbed. She reflexively tightened her neck, but it was too late.

‘…Why grab my neck?!’

Without even having time to look for an answer for her own question, her body was pushed forward, and Mireille’s other hand roughly grabbed her chin just as she was about to respond to the strange attack. Lil tried to escape by lowering her upper body, but her torso was lifted upward until her face ended up right in front of Mireille’s nose. Only then did Lil realise what Mireille was trying to do.

At the same time, the man’s lips approached.

Lil clenched her fists and raised them without even thinking. As she was locking her lower jaw, a black object thrust between her and Mireille. The ebony cane hit him hard on the throat, and the man’s body was instantly pushed back, causing the hand that grabbed Lil’s neck to fall off. The golden heel of the cane then struck Mireille’s remaining hand, holding on to her chin.

Staggering herself, Lil wiped the corner of her mouth with her crooked sleeve. Even though he never reached her lips, she felt an unbearable discomfort.

‘I readied my fists to take action at any moment, but I never expected him to attempt something like this…’

Lil reflexively glanced to her side and saw Ed looking down at Mireille like he was looking at trash. Lil then followed Ed’s line of sight and lowered her gaze as well…

To the man lying at their feet.

René Mireille.

“Duke. You, on the other hand, smell like sewage.”

Mireille’s entire face turned red. When his emotions got the better of him, he opened his shaking eyes. His chin was hit, and so was his collarbone, causing him to temporarily lose his mind. His carefully brushed hair was dishevelled, and through his strands of hair, Lil met his bloodshot eyes. She reeled and thought she was being sucked into them. Right into the dirty memories writhing in those red orbs…

‘…No, actually… the memories I want to forget the most can be erased right now, right in front of my eyes. I can strangle him, or pull out the dagger from my belt and stab him to death. If I kill him, will those horrible flashbacks end? Will I break free from the heights of the past that are constantly holding me back? Mireille is an opponent I can easily kill. He has no combat experience or fighting knowledge. I was just caught off guard by his unexpected action earlier, but I won’t be careless anymore. I won’t let him…’

“Liloa.”

“..!”

Just before she was overcome by impulse, someone grabbed her fists.

‘…Familiar hands…’

As her vision was blocked by the man who came to stand in front of her, she looked up and realised it was Ed.

“If you kill him here, things will get worse.”

Roahn’s soldiers stormed into the guest room after hearing the commotion but Mireille’s servants tried to stop them from coming any nearer. Amidst all this, the Imperial Army just stood there awkwardly. Behind the Imperial Army were people standing close to the stair railing to watch the situation unfold with interest.

“…Your Grace!”

Lil recognised the face of the man who ran into the room.

“…Enzo?”

“Oh, Miss… Ah, uhm, how have you been?”

As if his voice couldn’t come out yet, Mireille pointed his finger at Ed in raging anger. Ed merely stood aloof and tilted his head.

“…What? Do you have something to say, Duke?”

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