He won't tell anyone?
Tilia's gaze dropped to the floor before rising again and she spoke rather harshly to Ilex, who seemed tense.
- How many people have you already told?
- Not one.
At this answer, Tilia's eyes, which had briefly flashed a glimmer of interest, became irritated again.
Yes, sure. As if she would believe it.
She looked as if she would shake off his hand and leave immediately, prompting Ilex to speak urgently.
- This is true. I swear to God.
Despite his words, Tilia's expression was still full of doubt.
Seeing that she clearly didn't believe him, Ilex brought her hand to his chest. With a serious expression on his face he said:
- If I lie, I will go to a monastery and live in abstinence for the rest of my life.
She felt his heart beating under his slightly clenched fist. It was pounding as hard as if he had collided with a wild animal, and he was shaking violently.
What was he running from that his heart was pounding so much?
She was momentarily curious, but Tilia did not ask.
-...Swear again.
Instead, she spoke the words she needed to hear.
“If you lie, you will live as a eunuch for the rest of your life.”
At that harsh word, which she deliberately chose, Ilex's lips curved into a perfect arc, forming a wide smile.
“I swear,” he whispered, pressing Tilia’s hand to his chest for emphasis. - You can trust me. If only because I am afraid of the condition on which I swore.
Certainly. That's why she set such a condition.
With a cold nod, Tilia announced that their contract was concluded.
She shook off his hand and took a few steps back.
Ilex, realizing that she wanted him to hide away, followed her to the corner of the old bookstore.
Soon the door opened and the tramp of heavy military boots was heard.
Standing at the end of the wall lined with bookshelves, Tilia glanced at the door before looking back at Ilex.
He stood awkwardly, leaning his whole body towards her, but not hiding.
“Why is he so slow? If he gets caught, everything will be ruined."
Fearing that he would be caught and break the contract, Tilia grabbed Ilex by the collar of his shirt and pulled him towards her.
She didn't even tug hard, but he moved easily.
But still, his pose remained ambiguous. He had his elbow resting on the bookshelf and his upper body was leaning towards Tilia.
What are you doing? She called him to action with a look. Ilex looked down at the floor for a moment, then looked back up at her.
Without further hesitation, his hands moved to the back of Tilia's head and waist.
She felt the strength in the arms that held her, and Ilex leaned closer, bowing his head, as if he could kiss her at any moment.
- Hmm!
It seemed that the knight who had come looking for someone noticed him and cleared his throat.
Even after finding the pair sharing an intimate moment, the knight seemed unwilling to give up and continued his search in the bookstore.
Footsteps were heard nearby.
Hearing this, Tilia lowered her eyes and bit her lip slightly.
He shouldn't have come here.
They couldn't be caught. If they get caught, she'll lose leverage over this guy.
Focusing entirely on what was happening behind her, Tilia did not replace anything.
Even though they were close enough to feel each other's breath, the man in front of her didn't move at all.
It was as if he had stopped breathing, holding his breath from intense tension.
Unlike Tilia, Ilex's gaze was directed directly at the girl in his arms.
He slowly lowered his gaze, tracing her neatly lowered eyelashes, round nose and, finally, slightly pouting lips. Ilex's Adam's apple moved and his tongue wet his dry lips before moving back inside.
But Tilia, completely absorbed in the knight's movements, missed all this.
- Sir, I don't think he's here.
Finally, a young voice was heard, and the sound of a retreating knight was heard.
Luckily, it wasn't someone meticulous.
Sighing with relief, Tilia quickly escaped from his arms.
The warmth that remained on her neck and waist was strangely unpleasant.
Rubbing her neck and looking up, she saw Ilex with a cold and indifferent expression on his face, a stark contrast to the warmth he left behind.
- We're done, right? Keep your promise,” Tilia said sharply, snatching the book from his hands. It was a book of spoken Ontario that she had been looking at before he arrived.
One problem solved. Now that he had sworn, he would not spread rumors recklessly.
Thinking carelessly, Tilia flipped through the pages of the book.
She didn't know what was going on, but she felt like she did everything she could for him.
He should have left here by now.
Unlike this idle young master, Tilia was busy. Turning her back to him, she quickly ran her eyes over the book.
-……
However, even after Tilia finished reading the entire book, Ilex Davenport still did not leave the bookstore.
Finally, Tilia sighed quietly and slammed the book shut.
Why doesn't he leave?
She ignored him, thinking that maybe he was waiting for the knights to leave the street, but that didn't seem to be the case. The tingling sensation she felt on the back of her head told her otherwise.
Tilia turned her head, irritation clearly visible on her face.
But just when she was about to say something...
- [Are you interested in the Ontario language?]
A voice whispered in fluent Ontarioese into Tilia's ear.
Surprised by the unexpected language, Tilia listened to him explain himself.
- [I lived in Ontario briefly when I was younger. My mother is from Ontario.]
Then she remembered. Serafina Davenport, Duchess of Davenport, had a maiden name of Bardeen. And Bardeen is a royal family name in Ontario.
Ontario, which bordered Acansis, was famous for its culture and art. Therefore, it was common for young nobles to study there in order to develop artistic abilities.
- [So why Ontario? Looks like you're studying at a fairly advanced level for a simple trip.]
It appears that Ilex, second son of the Duke of Davenport and son of the former Princess of Ontario, was one of these nobles. His smooth pronunciation and perfect accent proved that he had indeed studied there for a long time.
Leaning against the wall, Ilex stood up straight and quickly scanned a bookshelf filled with books on Ontario conversational language.
- [If you want to improve your speaking skills, these books will not help. There is a limit to what you can learn from books.]
How much practice does it take to pronounce words like a native speaker?
While Tilia tried to mentally reproduce his accent, she did not dare to speak.
But this hesitation was soon overcome by desire.
He was right. For the interview, not the written test, she needed in-person practice.
She didn't like Ilex, but... there weren't many opportunities to communicate with someone who spoke so fluently.
Remembering her goal, Tilia finally spoke slowly.
- [Should I ask you to teach me?]
Her voice was a little harsh, showing her wariness towards Ilex. Her eyes were as wary as ever when she looked at him.
- [I don't have to answer.]
But unlike her native language, her use of Ontaroan sounded unnatural.
- [Leave me alone.]
Using an archaic phrase from classical literature, Tilia turned away abruptly.
But unlike the previous time, when she completely ignored him, this time Tilia continued to glance at Ilex.
She was interested in finding out the level of her own skills.
Watching Ilex nervously, she noticed his reaction.
Momentarily frozen by her Ontarioese, he turned away as if nothing had happened.
But Tilia, who was watching him closely, noticed. He bit the inside of his mouth as if trying to suppress his laughter.
After a moment's hesitation, Tilia asked cautiously:
- [Is my pronunciation... really that bad?]
In response, Ilex finally turned his back to her, bending slightly.
Looking at his slightly trembling back, as if he was trying to hold back his laughter, Tilia's lips slowly moved downwards.