Side Story 1 – Chapter 6

 

* * *

 

Embarrassed, Loretta looked at August with a sulky face.

When he asked “Well done?” with just his mouth shape, Loretta shook her head wildly.

‘Well done my foot!’

Sure, it was really nice to spend the ceremony with Evan.

‘But if Evan shows up looking this dashing.’

Loretta turned her head and carefully looked up at Evan.

‘I think I’ll end up liking him even more…’

No, Loretta was certain she already felt that way. Loretta let out a small sigh.

 

* * *

 

Actually, Evan didn’t like August very much.

Perhaps because their first meeting left a bad memory.

When they were young.

August, who came to the palace following Duke Samuel, would run up to Evan and greet him whenever he caught his eye.

And after that, he would always start by saying, “You know, Loretta…”

Evan was always envious of August’s status that allowed him to confidently call the lady precious to him by her name.

No, to be honest… He was jealous.

Even after learning that August and Loretta’s relationship was really just close “friends”.

For that reason, when August came to ask him to be a witness to the marriage, Evan had no choice but to refuse.

Because that was a position that should be taken by people who sincerely love August.

Moreover, that wasn’t the only reason.

“If I stand by Miss’s side as a witness… Duke Baldwin will be uncomfortable.”

“But the Duke said otherwise.”

“Pardon?”

“On that day, the inside of the temple will be filled with light using mana stones.”

“…”

“Duke said he would be at ease if Magician Evan is by Loretta’s side.”

“Even without me, Miss has maintained a stable condition for a long time.”

Even while answering like that, Evan couldn’t hide his constant uneasy look, and in the end, he accepted it.

Loretta and mana stones.

Anyone who remembered the past incident would naturally feel fear about having these two in the same space.

 

* * *

 

Evan glanced to the side and looked at Loretta standing next to him.

Upon hearing that the ceremony would start soon, Loretta seemed very nervous, hunching her shoulders and even hanging her head.

‘Could it be… Miss also heard about filling the inside of the temple with mana stones?’

Seeing her so anxious, Evan felt very sorry for taking the seat beside her.

If Jeremiah were here, no matter how many mana stones there were, Loretta would have been able to feel at ease and enjoy today.

“Don’t… worry too much.”

At Evan’s carefully spoken words, Loretta turned to look at him with round eyes.

“Uh, yeah?”

“Although I may be lacking, I’ll do my best to protect you, Miss. So you don’t need to worry about the magic stones.”

“You… me?”

“Yes, I may not be as reliable as Teacher, but I’m still his disciple for now.”

Just then, the bell signaling the start of the ceremony rang, and the footsteps of people going back and forth inside the waiting room started to get busier.

Mindy, who had just finished preparing, was pushed out by the maids while half-crumpling her  shoes.

August coolly embraced Mindy’s waist as she was about to fall.

Because the attendant had opened the waiting room door wide at that very moment, August and Mindy ended up showing their passionate appearance to all the nobles of the capital.

Just then, a priest began to play a soft-sounding string instrument.

In time with the music signaling the start of the ceremony, the families of August and Mindy began walking down the center aisle of the large temple.

After that, a procession of temple priests holding mana stones followed.

The mana stones, glowing in different colors, soon escaped the priests’ hands on their own and began to slowly float throughout the temple interior in unison.

Loretta and Evan, who had left the waiting room, were at the very end of this procession.

As witnesses to this sacred ceremony, they had the duty to participate in every moment from the closest distance along with the priests.

Evan held out his hand to Loretta, who kept looking at the mana stones.

“…?”

“Will you… hold it? I thought you might be scared, Miss.”

“Ah, yes.”

She nodded slightly and quickly placed her hand on top. Soon their perfectly touching hands grasped each other.

 

* * *

 

Meanwhile, Loretta was feeling tremendous guilt.

Evan was already a worrier, but today he was openly treating Loretta like thin glass.

Actually, Loretta wasn’t scared of mana stones at all.

She was just a bit nervous because Evan looked so dashing.

‘I should honestly tell Evan that I’m not scared of mana stones…’

When Loretta and Evan sat side by side in the witness seats, she called out to him with difficulty, saying “You know…”

He immediately leaned his whole body towards Loretta. Constantly checking her complexion.

“Are you uncomfortable somewhere? It’s okay, Miss. Don’t worry. I’m right next to you.”

Loretta thought she had to somehow escape this sweet moment created by his misunderstanding.

This was no different from using his concern to satisfy Loretta’s selfish desires.

“You know? Don’t be afraid of anything.”

But the moment Evan completely enveloped her hand with both of his.

“…”

Loretta forgot about her decision to honestly tell him her thoughts and just blankly stared at her hand held by him.

When they were young.

Whenever she begged for mana, Evan would always hold her hand like this.

But after that incident, he not only kept his distance from Loretta, but also rarely held her hand.

‘I thought he would never hold it like this again.’

Looking at Evan again, he was smiling at her as leisurely as possible.

‘Evan, your ears and cheeks are so red…’

From long experience, Loretta realized he was trying very hard to hide his embarrassment.

‘If so, could it be…’

Could it mean that Evan had even a little bit of affectionate feelings for her?

Because he wouldn’t show such a reaction while holding the hand of someone he had no interest in.

‘No, absolutely not! I can’t get my hopes up!’

Actually, Loretta had secretly harbored the hope that “maybe Evan likes me too” several times until now.

Although he never accepted Loretta’s feelings, he didn’t treat her coldly either.

Sometimes he would treat her more kindly than anyone else like this.

But the small expectations she had each time always fell into the abyss.

‘So I can’t misunderstand on my own this time either.’

She had gotten hurt from vainly hoping more times than she was sick of.

Even a heartless stone would not make the same mistake after experiencing this kind of repetition to this extent.

‘Because… Evan doesn’t like me.’

As she was contemplating her sad feelings alone, it was soon time for the bride and groom to enter.

Loretta quickly lifted her head and turned around.

Mindy, whose eyes met hers for a moment, smiled playfully, not knowing Loretta’s true feelings, as if to say “Like it?”

Loretta’s expression became almost tearful, but since it was true that she liked it, she had no choice but to nod.

 

* * *

 

The beautiful wedding of the two proceeded safely.

After the ceremony at the temple, an outdoor banquet was held in a garden overlooking a lake, and here too, Evan never let go of Loretta’s hand.

Perhaps it was because of the mana stones filling the area around the lake.

At this point, Loretta thought it would be nice if mana stones were used in large quantities for all national events.

No, she wanted to fill this whole world with mana stones.

If that happened, every day Evan would…

‘Ugh, no.’

She reproached herself for continuing her selfish thoughts on her own.

Because it would be very hard work for him to keep holding the hand of a woman he doesn’t even like.

“Miss.”

“Yes?”

“Aren’t you tired? Shall I go and get a chair for you to sit on for a while?”

Loretta’s legs and even feet were hurting now, so she was about to quickly nod.

‘But if I sit in a chair… He’ll let go of my hand, right?’

Loretta slyly looked down at the hand he was still holding and gently shook her head.

“Mm, it’s okay. We were sitting the whole time in the temple.”

“You have to tell me if you’re even a little tired. Maintaining your health is very important, Miss.”

He still looked at the distant mana stones with eyes full of wariness.

“Evan, you worry too much.”

“I can’t help it. Because it’s about you, Miss, not anyone else.”

“Ugh…”

Loretta once again had the misunderstanding that his heart might be with her.

How many times does she have to experience this kind of misunderstanding for it to disappear?

Loretta, who became distressed by constantly imagining today’s kindness as a different feeling, pulled his hand towards her for a moment.

Now she felt like she really had to tell him the truth.

That mana stones and such didn’t matter at all.

That she just stayed still because she was happy that the person she likes was holding her hand.

That she was sorry for… constantly misunderstanding on her own.

“Ah, right.”

But just as Loretta was about to speak.

As if he remembered something, Evan touched his reddened cheek and opened his mouth first.