Long Story | Romance Fantasy | Assumptions Are Not Easily Broken -2-

"You have quite an ugly face, Lid."
Seti said to the young man in front of him in a teasing tone.

The young man who had been called ugly to his face—Ridolf Klein Anari—did not seem to care at all. As he had been doing for a while, he remained silent and carried food to his mouth with mechanical movements.

"This face is how I was born."

Seti gave a bitter smile at the reply, delivered in the same cool tenor as always. Ridolf was impossible when he spoke like this. In their long acquaintance, he had learned that all too well.

"Do cheer up already."

Seti also reached for the herb-stewed vegetables served on a large platter. Most of the dishes arranged on the wooden round table were made only of vegetables and herbs, which Seti had ordered for the vegetarian Ridolf.

"I am not in a bad mood. I am merely lamenting your shallow behavior."

Seti put his lips to the wine filled to the brim in his cup.
The wine, which had an unusual scent, was so strong it made the tip of his tongue numb.

"You were the one who helped, Lid."

"I am also sufficiently regretting my own lack of foresight."

Seti couldn't help but let out a smile at his characteristically stiff way of speaking.

A simple linen robe made of natural, undyed fiber, and a shaved head. Ridolf did not drink a single drop of alcohol, kept to a vegetarian diet, and never missed his morning and evening prayers. Even after leaving the temple, there was no sign of him being tainted by worldly desires.

"Anyway."

Ridolf wiped his hands and mouth with a cloth, and finally turned his narrow, sky-blue eyes straight toward Seti.

"Even if you do nothing, you attract enough attention. Could you please be a little more aware of that?"

Ridolf found it doubtful whether Seti truly understood how many gazes were focused on him because of the way he leaned his elbows on the round table, raised one eyebrow, and smiled.
Seti was too beautiful.
His golden hair, left to flow carelessly and long enough to cover his shoulder blades, was as lustrous as silk thread. His nose bridge was straight, and his slightly thick lips were a beautiful pale pink. His face, constructed with an exquisite balance that perhaps no famous sculptor could ever recreate, looked like a work of art if he remained silent, possessing a hard beauty that was overwhelming.

But—

"I am trying to be aware of it."

On that perfect face, his emotions—joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure—were clearly visible without any regard for onlookers.

"To the point of being sick of it."
Seti looked into the distance and muttered as if he were fed up.

What gave his beauty even more charm and a mysterious allure were his eyes.
Seti possessed rare eyes, the color of pale purple with just a single drop of silver added.
Those fantastical-colored eyes changed hue under sunlight and moonlight, and emitted completely different brilliance depending on the angle.

"There is no need to be so nervous. This is a town on the border. No one knows what that means."

Seti lowered his voice slightly and continued.

"No one will think that you and I are that pair."

Ridolf glanced briefly at the trio of young men sitting at the table behind them, then returned his gaze to Seti.

In Aiden, this small port town located on the border between the great northern power of Nadir and the now-great southern power of Geises, everyone was talking about one topic. Even in this tavern, that was all the customers were discussing.

"There are not many people who have eyes like yours."

"Assumptions are not easily broken."

What the townspeople were looking for was the woman who had appeared out of nowhere about two hours ago, performed a dance, and then vanished—a woman so beautiful she seemed not of this world.

"I hope so."

It was certainly difficult to connect this young man, who was drinking wine with one knee up on his chair, to the dancer who had captivated the people in the square a short while ago.

Stopping Ridolf as he began to open his mouth, Seti said,

"I won't do it again."
It didn't seem like such a big deal to Seti. However, he was tired of listening to Ridolf's nagging any further.

"I was just a little bored, that's all."

Ridolf's eyes, as he gazed at Seti, were like those of a mother watching over a mischievous child.

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