Chapter 14
Chapter 14: Shut Up, Young Lady 2
“Teacher Sofia.”
Vilodie came to Sofia’s group and bowed.
“Miss Vilodie! You’re so beautiful tonight.” Sofia hugged Vilodie and kept praising her.
“Thank you, Teacher Sofia.”
After a few pleasantries, Sofia suddenly put her hand on Flin’s shoulder.
“This is my good friend’s son. I brought him to the venue today.”
Sofia secretly squeezed Flin’s shoulder, signaling him to say whatever he needed to say quickly.
“It’s been a while, Miss Vilodie.”
Flin nodded slightly with a resigned smile.
“You two chat first. I have some other business.”
Watching Teacher Sofia’s figure gradually disappear, Flin couldn’t help but swallow nervously.
“Miss Vilodie, tonight I actually…”
“Were you kidnapped again?”
Vilodie suddenly interrupted Flin.
“Me? I wasn’t kidnapped.”
Flin looked confused.
“Then why were you feeding Adelina cake and massaging her legs just now?”
Vilodie’s expression became gloomy.
The atmosphere also became very strange.
Flin was stunned.
Vilodie was obviously still backstage at that time. How did she see?
Flin’s mind began racing.
Although she wasn’t his client anymore, don’t forget this was her home turf tonight. He couldn’t say the wrong thing.
Otherwise, he’d face condemnation from everyone at the banquet.
Under Vilodie’s gloomy expression was her empty brain.
She had clearly rehearsed in her mind many times – first greet him, then chat about daily life, then bring up the topic of cake.
But she couldn’t help blurting out the first sentence.
Was it too abrupt?
“At that time, Adelina and I were just acting, like a stage play performance.”
In such a short time, Flin really couldn’t think of a reasonable excuse and could only tell the truth.
He also couldn’t understand why Vilodie would be unhappy about him being with Adelina.
Destruction it is!
Tonight’s situation had completely gotten out of control.
“I see.”
Contrary to Flin’s expectations, the young lady’s furrowed brows relaxed, as if she believed this explanation without probing further.
She just… believed it?
This young lady was too easy to fool.
“Miss Vilodie, it’s not very convenient here. How about we go to the balcony to chat?”
Vilodie nodded and obediently followed behind Flin.
The two stood on the balcony, looking at Seyva’s night view.
From this height, the entire city looked like a canvas dotted with starlight.
The night breeze gently caressed their faces, and Flin’s hair swayed slightly.
The glass door behind them separated the banquet’s noise into another world.
This side was quiet night, with the city’s lights like scattered stars in the distance.
That side was the brightly lit banquet hall, filled with nobles’ laughter and conversation.
Flin often stood at the boundary between these two worlds.
One side was the cruel reality he faced alone, the other was the prosperous world he saw with his clients.
In such intense fragmentation, Flin sometimes felt powerless too.
“Being rich really is nice.”
Flin leaned on the railing and spoke his true feelings.
Vilodie stood beside him, motionless.
He wanted money?
In her mind, Vilodie began thinking about what this man was really thinking.
Even without any experience with the opposite sex, Vilodie was convinced in her heart that Flin had come for her.
A few days ago at her estate, Vilodie could clearly feel Flin deliberately distancing himself from her.
But he came today. Couldn’t he let go of her after all?
Or did he want to see her one last time before completely saying goodbye?
Either way, she should ask properly.
Flin had already seen Vilodie’s mouth open slightly for the eighth time, then close tightly again.
Her expression remained calm, but Flin could see the faint pink at her ear tips.
A drop of sweat slid down her face, dampening the strands of hair hanging by her ear.
Ten minutes had already passed.
Although he wanted to drag this out until the banquet ended, trapping himself and Vilodie on this small balcony.
But behind him was a transparent glass door, and as time passed, more and more nobles would see him and Vilodie standing on the balcony in this strange position.
‘Did you hear? Miss Vilodie and Flin are alone on the balcony saying something.’
‘Flin went to find Miss Vilodie again. He’s confessing his love passionately on the balcony.’
Such rumors would probably spread quickly at the banquet.
Then a certain young lady with rose-tea colored hair would hear about it, transform, and go completely crazy.
“Miss Vilodie, congratulations on getting into the Royal Capital Academy.”
“Thank you.”
Flin realized that even if they continued this dialogue for a hundred rounds, they wouldn’t touch on the real core issue.
He had to end this quickly.
“Miss Vilodie, though I’m a bit embarrassed to ask, do you like me?”
Vilodie froze for ten seconds, her breathing quickening slightly.
She bit her teeth and squeezed out three words.
“I don’t.”
“That’s right then.”
Flin’s somewhat anxious heart relaxed.
Although he felt it was unlikely, such things had happened before.
His clients had actually fallen in love with him after their arrangement ended and insisted on marrying him.
That would be very troublesome.
Because Flin was very clear about the gap between himself and his clients. They were just indulging in a perfect relationship and didn’t want it to end.
Given enough time, they would naturally become clear-headed.
If both really fell in love, the only one who would get hurt in the end would be Flin.
The young ladies still had mansions and savings. Flin would only have bread he couldn’t chew.
“I used to like Miss Vilodie, but I don’t anymore. It’s not because Miss Vilodie isn’t good enough, but because I’m willing to face reality. There’s no future between us.”
Flin scratched his head, then propped his face with his hand.
“So I gave up. It’s that simple. I came today wanting to say a final goodbye, as a witness of sorts. Nothing else.”
She stood in the wind, her pink hair swaying slightly to one side.
Her red lips parted slightly.
“Father didn’t thank you today.”
“Thank me?”
Flin recalled Lord Seraphiel saying a long list of thank-yous at the opening.
“I’m just a fallen noble. There’s nothing to thank me for.”
Vilodie shook her head, her earrings making a clear clinking sound.
“You saved me too, in every sense.”
Vilodie wouldn’t forget that Flin wasn’t just a simple suitor.
If not for him, she wouldn’t have had the courage to leave her room and achieve what she had today.
The past times, Flin’s efforts – she remembered them all well in her heart.
Those nobles she had never even met could be thanked.
Those so-called relatives and friends – she hadn’t seen them help her during difficult times either.
Why could they be thanked, but not Flin?
“Father clearly knew, but he didn’t thank you.”
Flin really wanted to tell her that her father had already thanked him with money.
He had even given him a full 500,000 kronor hush money.
But saying this would ensure Seraphiel wouldn’t let him walk out of this castle standing.
“So you want to compensate me?”
Vilodie nodded and hummed in acknowledgment.
“I sold the clothes you gave me last time for about 100,000 kronor.”
Flin turned to look at Seyva’s night view.
“So now you don’t owe me anything either. Though you never should have owed me anything to begin with.”
Vilodie nodded thoughtfully and pulled out a seal card.
“Do you really need money?”
Flin quickly waved his hands. “100,000 is already a lot for me.”
“Then I can hire you.” Vilodie’s outstretched hand still didn’t retract, stubbornly held in front of Flin.
“Hire me?”
Vilodie nodded with a very serious expression.
“Is 200,000 kronor per month enough? If not, I can pay more.”
“May I ask the reason?”
Vilodie pressed her lips together and lowered her head slightly, tucking her hair behind her ear.
Contact with men was the thing she least wanted to do.
So she probably wouldn’t marry anyone or fall in love either.
What was the reason exactly?
She was just used to having Flin by her side.
Whether tying him with money or chains, in her subconscious, she had already assumed he would follow her for life.
“I’m sorry, Miss Vilodie.” Flin showed a confident smile. “Don’t judge by appearances, but I also want to get into the Royal Capital Academy, so I don’t have time to think about other things right now. Allow me to refuse.”
Get into… the Royal Capital Academy?
Then wouldn’t there be a chance to be classmates in the future?
A beam of light shone in Vilodie’s eyes, making Flin wonder if he ha