Chapter 137
To think she used to be even more rude and insulting than the noblewoman outside, thought Kaichen. Kaichen was no longer surprised. After two years together, he had learned quite a lot about Dalia. She had become a completely different person from the woman he had met as a child. Even if it was assumed that she had changed, this complete change was too drastic. Even the doctor suggested that she had developed a completely different personality.
When Dalia was young, she was so rude. She didn't even consider the common people as humans. If someone was not of noble blood, she didn't mind mistreating them. But now... she jumped at every change to defend the commoners. She went so far as to fight the nobles even if it meant she would be at a disadvantage. He wasn't surprised by her picking fights with others because he had spent the majority of his time cleaning up the mess.
"Dalia..."
"I'm sorry, Teacher. But I feel like she is ruining the atmosphere."
She didn't look sorry at all. She smiled innocently. Kaichen ran his finger through his hair and sighed. I am really going to go crazy one of these days.... When she smiled like that, he could not ever go against her. The mole around her eyes became lost somewhere as her eyes crinkled. He liked to see her smiling like that. He was enamored by it physically and mentally. He felt something stirring in his lower body. He endured it for the past two years. Dalia was unaware of the sweet pain she caused him.
Soon the heels came clicking on the floor. "You!" said a sharp voice. "You were saying that to me, weren't you?"
Kaichen thought he recognized that voice. He had heard it somewhere before. He was used to taking care of the mess that Dalia created by getting into fights. But this was Heulin, not Acrab. Everything got troublesome in Heulin.
Kaichen looked at Dalia once more. It was a gaze that was meant to warn her to shut it, but she looked right back at him and narrowed her eyes, as if to say, "Leave it to me."
For the past two years, he discovered how pathetic and helpless a man in love was. His desires and l*wd thoughts piled up every day and he couldn't express it. At this rate, he thought he would lose his reason and pick a stupid fight like Dalia. He practiced swordsmanship at night to get rid of his thoughts. He had developed a hobby of practicing swordsmanship at night for these two years.
Like a fool, he couldn't control himself and did everything for her. She occasionally told him to stop doing everything for her lest she become dependent on him. She would tell him that she is developing a bad habit of relying on him for every small thing. But he was the one who had picked up the bad habit and couldn't stop himself from doing everything for her just to see her smile.
Julius would look at him, shaking his head and say only one thing. "Crazy bastard."
He wasn't wrong. Kaichen thought so too. He was a coward who couldn't confess to her but lingered near her all day so that someone else wouldn't sweep her away from her feet. What made that possible was the 'Teacher and Disciple' thing that existed between them. He always covered his obsession under the façade of being a warm teacher who does things for his favorite disciple. He was definitely insane.
"I wasn't exactly saying it to you. But why did you feel like it was directed at you? Are you guilty of it?"
He was brought back to the present by Dalia's voice. This was not the time to be lost in thoughts. Kaichen watched without intervening. Not yet anyway.
"Do you even know who I am? I know you said that to me! How impudent! How dare you?"
"I never took your name or even looked at you. I guess you know deep down you were being childish, so you feel guilty all by yourself. I think it is impudent when someone barges into a restaurant, argues with the staff, and thinks money can solve everything. Oh, when you list down the things, I guess it fits you perfectly."
"You really want to die? How dare a commoner speak like this?!"
"No one wants to die. In fact, I want to live a long and full life. Also, I am not a commoner if that is what is offending you."
"Well, I don't know which village you slithered out of even if you are a noble without learning proper etiquettes. But you are making a big mistake. Don't you know who I am?"
"Unfortunately, I really don't. You have asked me twice now, but I really don't know who you are. Are you supposed to be famous around here?" Dalia smiled mockingly at the woman.
The woman clenched her fists and trembled in barely contained rage. She did not back down even in the face of such blatant insult. Dalia sat calmly in her seat and smiled even when the woman looked as though she would lunge at her any minute.