Home/My Youngest Keeps Bringing Me Male Leads/ch 43

Chapter 43

"Me, you mean?"

"Uh-huh. You protected me in the Crack and got us out alive. And you took down the dragon with Cesenor."

Actually, Amy had no memory of the past year.

From the moment she was sucked into the Crack, it felt like she'd just woken up after a single night's sleep.

She had returned to this world as if she'd never fallen into a Crack at all, and at the same time, she realized this world was the novel she'd read in her past life.

She'd closed her eyes and opened them to find a year had passed, but Rupert hardly told her what had happened in between.

He just smiled calmly, as he did now.

"I'm not sure myself."

But as if taking responsibility for making Amy uneasy with his careless words, Rupert spoke softly.

"Still, if something like that happens, I'll do my best to stop it."

"Really?"

"Of course."

"Why?"

Rupert just smiled and didn't answer.

Looking at his reliable, solid build and trustworthy face, Amy fell into thought.

'Can I trust Rupert?'

Since regaining her past-life memories, his existence felt even stranger.

'Isn't he just an ordinary servant? Why does he go this far to help...?'

If she had to find a reason, maybe it was because he'd lived alongside her sister even longer than she had.

'Rupert is one year older.'

So he must have been with her sister ever since she was born.

In other words, they were childhood friends.

'Should I ask?'

But she felt he wouldn't answer, so Amy kept quiet.

Before she knew it, an island was visible in the distance.

This was the last one.

It wouldn't be long before she could return to her sister.

---

Arriving at the estate, Agnes spotted a familiar figure in the garden and beamed.

"Marquis, you're back!"

Cesenor was seated at a garden table.

He wore a black shirt and jacket with a soft sheen, his long hair neatly tied back.

As she approached with eager steps, he looked down at her with a gentle smile.

"Was the Crack resolved? Are you hurt?"

She examined him with a worried expression, but thankfully, he seemed unharmed.

"Do you want to check more thoroughly?"

Cesenor spread his arms as if inviting her to look closer.

Feeling a little shy, Agnes shook her head.

"No, I'm just glad you're alright!"

As Agnes waved her hands, the bracelet on her wrist sparkled.

He glanced at it briefly but didn't mention it, mindful of Ignitan behind her.

He knew that the more people knew a secret, the harder it was to keep.

"Is that the giant who came this time?"

"Yes! This is Ignitan!"

Agnes's face as she called out was even more vibrant than before.

Her hair, lightly braided and tucked behind her ears, glistened like sweet caramel, her eyes shone like fresh green shoots, and her cheeks bloomed with a rosy glow.

In just a month, she'd filled out perfectly, and her pale pink dress looked lovely on her.

'Compared to the noble ladies of the capital, Kavas, it's overly modest, but...'

A fully bloomed peony is beautiful, but common daisies and daffodils have their own charm too.

"Where have you two been? Did something good happen?"

"Yes, so much has happened!"

Her expression was subtle—neither smiling nor frowning—but her complexion wasn't dark.

At least it seemed the outcome wasn't bad.

"Ignitan helped me a great deal. Without him, something terrible might have happened."

At that, Cesenor's eyes narrowed slightly.

Giving a short, affirmative laugh, he bowed his head to Ignitan.

"I'm glad to hear that. Thank you for protecting Lady Agnes while I was away."

It was an arrogant remark, as if treating Agnes as his possession, but Ignitan passed by Cesenor without any reaction.

"I'm going in now."

"Pardon? Without even exchanging greetings?"

"With who?"

Ignitan blatantly ignored Cesenor as if he didn't exist.

Flustered, Agnes silently mouthed to Cesenor.

'Have you met before?'

Cesenor quietly shook his head.

He'd once set foot in the giants' territory while wandering the world, but he hadn't encountered anyone.

In the meantime, Ignitan opened the door.

"I'll go in first."

"Oh, Ignitan!"

As Agnes called out urgently, Cesenor stepped in front of the door.

His opponent was a giant.

Looking up at him was enough to feel an overwhelming pressure, but Cesenor wasn't the type to be cowed by such intimidation.

Tilting his head with a smile, Cesenor whispered.

"First an elf, now a giant. Have you all got some grudge against me?"

"Marquis!"

It was a sharp response, but since Ignitan had started it, Agnes fidgeted anxiously and grabbed his arm.

Or rather, she placed her slender hand on his thick, solid forearm.

Watching her touch with displeasure, Cesenor continued.

"I'll speak with him separately. Lady Agnes, would you mind preparing some refreshments in the dining room?"

Agnes looked back and forth between them with uneasy eyes.

But seeing Ignitan standing silently without any retort, she nodded.

"Yes, I'll do that."

As soon as Agnes's figure disappeared into the mansion, the air between the two men froze coldly.

The smile that had lingered on Cesenor's lips was gone.

To be honest, he was very annoyed.

Not only had another rival appeared, but he was so openly hostile.

At this point, he almost preferred Silmare, who had treated him with contempt from start to finish.

"Then let's hear it. What's your reason?"

"Reason?"

The way he asked back as if they'd met before was infuriating.

Cesenor dropped the pretense of politeness and spoke bluntly.

"Yes. The reason you're all hostile toward me."

"I won't tell."

There wasn't a hint of hesitation in his short reply.

Despite his insolent attitude, his gaze as he looked down at Cesenor held no trace of anger—only an unreadable blankness.

Cesenor twisted his lips and sneered.

"You won't even tell me why, and yet you're this rude to someone you've just met? It seems giants have forgotten basic civility during their isolation."

"Mage."

At that moment, with a growling voice, Ignitan suddenly reached out toward Cesenor.

His rough hand shot straight for Cesenor's throat.

Just as he was about to grab him—

Flash!

A sharp light cut between them.

Ignitan stepped back, his hand red with burns.

Looking down at it with a condescending gaze, Cesenor curled his lips.

"You must think I'm a joke."

Another sharp light flew at Ignitan's feet.

Drops of blood splattered, but Cesenor flicked his hand, and they burst into flames and vanished.

Where weeds had once grown wildly, now a path of modest stones had been laid.

Leaving bloodstains on them would upset Agnes.

Despite his wounded hand and ankle, Ignitan's expression remained overly calm.

Meeting his gaze without any sign of pain, Cesenor pressed him.

"Tell me the reason. If it's not a grudge against me personally, is it against Celesta?"

Ignitan slowly shook his head.

"I don't trust you."

"What?"

"We are taught from birth never to trust a 'mage.'"

As he spoke those words.

Deep within his old-root-like eyes, a flame seemed to ignite.

"But just the fact that you're by her side is unpleasant."

Reluctantly continuing, Ignitan stepped closer to the door.

"So move aside."

"And if I refuse?"

"It will upset her."

"......!"

Cesenor glanced again at his wounded hand and ankle.

If Agnes returned and saw this, there would be a scene.

Not only that, she'd surely cling to Ignitan, insisting on treating his wounds.

He absolutely didn't want to see that, so Cesenor silently stepped aside from the door.

Ignitan opened it with his unharmed hand.

Just before stepping inside, he left Cesenor with one last remark.

"Just as I thought—she's not your top priority."

It was a dagger-like remark he'd heard somewhere before.

Before he could retort, Ignitan had already disappeared into the mansion.

'If Agnes doesn't choose you, you will leave her.'

'I didn't expect anything anyway. You're a Celesta—all mages are the same.'

"Marquis?"

Only when Agnes called him did Cesenor realize he'd been clenching his fist so hard it left marks on his palm.

Shaking out his stiff hand so she wouldn't notice, Cesenor smiled brightly.

"You're here."

"Where's Ignitan?"

"He said he was going in first."

"Oh... Did anything happen?"

"No. Not really."

Cesenor's complexion wasn't particularly bright, and Agnes furrowed her brow slightly.

'Did something happen?'

She was puzzled too.

Why did both Silmare and Ignitan seem to dislike Cesenor?

'I told you. There would be other prospective husbands.'

'In the end, we are all just candidates to be chosen by you.'

If they were competing to be chosen as the 'World Tree,' all three men should feel uncomfortable with each other, but Silmare and Ignitan were different.

When they first met, the two had been friendly toward one another.

Hadn't Silmare entrusted everything to Ignitan, a stranger, before leaving?

Feeling the atmosphere was growing too heavy, Agnes lightly teased him.

"Did you perhaps do something to earn their dislike?"

"Maybe."

Seeing him shrug as if it were nothing, Agnes recalled what Ascer had said.

'The way he treats me—if I offer a word of advice, he seals my mouth with magic so I can't even breathe...'

'When I bring him research results I've painstakingly put together, he spends all day tearing them apart... He's even hung me from the ceiling when he wasn't pleased.'

Perhaps he was only kind to her, and ruthless to those unrelated to him.

'That can't be. Above all, he said this was his first time meeting Ignitan.'

Still, it bothered her to harbor such doubts about Cesenor, who had helped her in so many ways.

She decided to find out what had happened today when she had the chance.

Just then, Lilia brought out refreshments.

As they sat facing each other, savoring the fragrant tea, Cesenor's expression gradually softened.

'Thank goodness. It must not have been anything serious.'

Just as she sighed in relief and smiled, Cesenor spoke.

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