The meaning of the mocking reaction was clear.
She won't be able to do this.
Only then did Tilia realize her true level of proficiency, and her mood sank. She remembered her efforts to study during every recess, but she did not often speak out loud. Today was her first chance to talk to someone who spoke the language fluently.
Since there weren't many opportunities to practice speaking, she figured that learning all the examples from the books would be enough.
This all turned out to be a fallacy. Her Ontario was definitely terrible.
Tilia's face became increasingly gloomy, as if she had taken ten steps away from the work that she thought was very close.
- [No. You're good.]
Seeing Tilia's dejected expression, Ilex could hardly contain his laughter and tried to console her.
- [Your pronunciation is precise and your sentences are perfect. You're just... not used to having conversations.]
No, that was no consolation. If that were the case, he wouldn't have put his hand over his mouth to hold back the laughter that threatened to burst out again.
The corners of Tilia's eyes, which had been downcast gloomily, suddenly rose again.
Who does he think he's mocking now?
Irritated, Tilia turned away from him. She didn't have time for this. She needed to quickly get a normal book and correct her mistakes.
But just as Tilia quickly turned to leave, Ilex's words interrupted her steps.
- [Should I help you?]
Tilia's steps stopped at the perfect accent.
Half-turning, she looked at Ilex with a look urging him not to interfere.
- [It's not free. In return, you have to accept one thing.]
Imitating her look, Ilex quickly added a condition:
- [That oath that I made earlier - where I said that I would live in abstinence forever if I lied. I want one exception.]
Ilex looked at Tilia with slight concern, gauging her reaction.
- [When I think about it, I realized that I was actually mistaken in thinking that I didn’t tell anyone.]
- What?
Without thinking, she switched to her native language in response to such a sensitive topic.
- Why are you just saying this now? Who did you tell?
Tilia asked him a question in a sharp voice, and Ilex answered quietly.
- To my assistant.
He shrugged, adding, as if to explain:
- I should have told the assistant, right? Otherwise how would I get the medicine?
-……
In fact, she didn't even think about having an assistant.
It was natural, after all. She had no idea that he would personally get the contraceptive and deal with the consequences himself.
Why did he even mention the assistant?
Noticing Tilia's suspicious look, Ilex smiled, as if begging for forgiveness.
- Show me some mercy.
He added in a low voice, as if it were a really serious question:
- How can I live forever as a eunuch?
***
Tilia granted the persistent request of a man who desperately did not want to become a eunuch.
Honestly, she couldn't refuse.
What could she do? He already told her that he talked about it.
Besides, the assistant didn't count, so it didn't matter.
- Okay, then leave.
With that, Tilia turned away from him and walked out of the used bookstore.
However, what she thought was their last meeting was not really the end.
Top, top. As Tilia walked along the sun-warmed sidewalk, she suddenly stopped.
She felt the footsteps behind her also stop.
-……
Turning her head slightly, Tilia looked back, sighed quietly and walked again.
This time she did not hear the sound of footsteps behind her.
But soon the presence of someone behind her made itself felt again.
Oh, seriously. Taken aback by her growing irritation, Tilia turned her head, her irritation clearly visible.
Seeing that she noticed his pursuit, you would have thought that he would at least pretend to avoid her, but Ilex brazenly met her gaze.
His indifferent expression only irritated him even more. With a cold face, Tilia snapped at him.
- Why are you following me?
But there was no answer. He simply shrugged and looked at the huge building next to them.
This was the first department store building in Acansis, supposedly financed by the Davenport family.
Seeing his actions, Tilia remembered the conversation they had in front of the construction site of the new library.
“This academy is not your property, is it? So why are you acting like you’re the only one allowed to use it?”
Remembering those childish words, more immature than what an eleven-year-old child could say, Tilia looked at him bitterly.
He seemed ready to ask if this street belonged to her, so she simply turned away from him.
"Ignore, ignore, ignore..."
But no matter how many times she muttered it, her patience wore thin before they even walked a block.
Hearing the sound of footsteps that seemed to be getting closer, Tilia finally couldn't contain her irritation and turned around.
- Ilex Davenport.
- I have nowhere to go.
But before Tilia could get angry, Ilex spoke first.
- I was kicked out of the house.
Tilia lifted the corner of her mouth, looking at him speaking so pitifully.
- So what?
What does he want her to do?
Despite her cold response, Ilex did not look discouraged as he looked at her.
- So I just wanted to follow you.
“Why do you, of all people, follow me?” - Tilia snorted and crossed her arms over her chest. - Go to those girls you are involved with. Many will offer you a room right away.
- Really?
- Yes. I guarantee it.
In response to her sarcastic words, Ilex smiled with his characteristic lazy smile.
- Well, I doubt they'll give me a bed.
His gaze slid over Tilia and then back up.
- Not every girl who has been involved with me actually likes me.
Hearing a remark that was clearly directed at her, Tilia realized something for the first time.
When you are very irritated, you feel a warmth in the back of your head.
“Be patient, Tilia.”
Barely able to contain herself, Tilia took a deep breath. It was only after repeating to herself countless times that she would not be able to cross the border if she committed murder that she managed to turn around and take a step forward.
Now that she noticed that he was following her, Ilex boldly approached her and asked:
-Where are we going?
…We!?
For a moment Tilia imagined herself in prison, but that thought quickly disappeared.
She gritted her teeth, gathered her courage and walked faster.
"I'll never look back."
If she doesn't respond, he'll soon give up.
But he easily destroyed this determination.
- That new bookstore by the bridge in the old town, right?
...How did he know?
Tilia's eyes narrowed slightly, her expression sharpening as he pointed precisely at the bookstore she was heading to.
But she quickly wiped that expression from her face and focused on her goal, rushing forward.
Ilex kept pace with Tilia, his long legs moving lightly as he muttered in Ontario.
- [You only looked for books in Ontario at a used bookstore and didn't buy anything, which means the book you were looking for wasn't found there.]
Thanks to his Ontario mother, his language skills were surprisingly fluent and smooth.
- [If you head to another bookstore without finding a book in a used bookstore of that size, then it makes sense to go to the largest and most modern bookstore. Oh no, I was wrong.]
Ilex easily caught up with Tilia, who was trying to walk as quickly as possible to get away from him, and continued the conversation.
- [It's not that the used bookstore didn't have the book you were looking for, but that you discovered your weak spot and now you need another book.]
This is why insightful people are the worst. Especially if they are men from high society.
Ilex matched his steps to Tilia's as she stopped shaking him off and resumed her normal stride. He turned his head slightly in her direction.
- I'll help. We agreed before, didn't we?
At that moment, Tilia understood why he had mentioned the assistant, who they had implicitly agreed would be the exception.
From the very beginning, it was all just an excuse to help her.
- Hey.
Tilia's face became even harder than before, she understood his plan.
- What are you doing?
Tilia's gaze, looking at Ilex, now expressed not just irritation, but hostility.
She expressed her intention not to tolerate this anymore, conveying a message with her entire body as she said:
-Go your way. I'll go mine. Isn't that what we agreed on?
At the reminder of their past agreement, Ilex's previously relaxed expression changed.
Watching Tilia openly express her dissatisfaction, Ilex laughed quietly.
Is he laughing?
- Tilia.
In a quiet voice, Ilex called out to Tilia, who was full of hostility.
“Do you really think I like you or what?”
-……
- I'm not interested in you. Just like I did to you.
Sticking both hands into the pockets of his perfectly pressed trousers, Ilex continued:
- That's why I want to follow you. Unlike those girls who would give me a room if I showed up, you have no interest in me.
Perhaps it was because of how clearly he showed his indifference. A feeling of pressure crept up her legs.
- Unlike those girls, you won't bother me, right? So...
His indifferent gaze slid over Tilia.
- So use me however you want. You want to learn Ontario properly, don't you?
With a blank look, he smiled faintly and said quietly:
- I just want to forget about boredom for a while.