‘I will make you fall for me.’
Edgar gritted his teeth. Rubica was completely toying with him, so that was going to be the fastest way to get his revenge. He had traveled for hours in the carriage without getting a moment of sleep just because he had been terribly worried. He was going to take that debt back, with interest.
Anyway, what you have told me so far is normal. Isn’t there any special story? Like something that made you fall for him decisively.
Why on earth was he asking such a thing? It had nothing to do with finding Arman.
Something that made me fall for him…
She recalled the time Arman made soap after weeks of studying just for her.
There was something I needed for work. It wasn’t necessary, but it was going to make my work much easier. He didn’t know anything about that area, but he studied hard and invented it just for me. Many people also benefited from it.
He invented it?
Yes, even when inventing things probably wasn’t part of his profession. Isn’t he great?
He must have been very smart.
Rubica nodded to that since Arman was very knowledgeable.
I’m also good at inventing things, and I am smart too.
Why was he bragging about himself when they were in the middle of talking about Arman? Rubica pouted as she ate a piece of asparagus.
Is he more handsome than me?
Rubica almost dropped her fork as he had been asking really childish questions.
Why are you asking that?
Information about appearance is the most important when searching for a person.
That applies to asking about the colors of his eyes and hair, but does it matter whether he is more handsome than you or not?
Of course. If he is more handsome than me, I will be able to find him in less than a week.
Edgar crossed his arms and answered confidently.
He was so full of himself. Sadly, he was telling the truth. If there had been a man more handsome than Edgar, the world wouldn’t have left him alone.
He isn’t as handsome as you. He is tall, but he is always slouching and has many scars.
He had a scar on his face. His nose was broken and distorted, and his chin wasn’t in the right place. He had told her he had been wounded severely because of the war. Maybe the face Rubica knew was very different from how Arman had looked in his youth.
Death had been very close during the war and many had gotten hurt enough to look like different people.
‘Maybe finding him will be even harder if I talk more about his appearance.’
It was possible that the current Arman looked completely different from what she was imagining. So, she decided to talk about something else instead of describing his appearance.
And he is extremely smart. He can speak the language of this kingdom, he is fluent in the ancient language mainly used in the holy books, and he speaks good Sharman. Oh! He is also good at the language of the empire. He once told he used to attend Aron’s Academy.
He is good at the empire’s language? He used to attend the Academy?
Not many people could study at Aron’s Academy. To start with, it cost a lot, and graduating wasn’t easy for those who were not good enough. The place was where the continent’s geniuses gathered. If Arman had really attended there, finding him would be easy.
And how did you get to meet him?
… I met him while I was doing charity work.
Charity work? At the abbey that was near Berner Mansion?
Edgar raised his eyebrows. Rubica didn’t know this yet, but he had already received a report about her. She had gone to the abbey to pray from time to time when her mother was sick, but she hadn’t been able to go there even once after her uncle and his wife took over the mansion.
Maybe she had met Arman during her childhood.
Arman liked strawberries and hated cinnamon. Also, he didn’t drink or smoke.
Edgar stared at the strawberries on her plate. He also liked strawberries, hated cinnamon, and didn’t drink or smoke.
He’s diligent.
Yes. He was always working and reading. He lived so diligently that looking at him made me think I should also do something and work harder.
However, Edgar also lived really hard. He had always been struggling and fighting. Edgar used his fork to eat a strawberry, feeling somewhat annoyed. It felt so tasteless after finding out that Arman also liked strawberries.
After that, Rubica kept talking about Arman, like which books and songs he had liked. She was so cute as she twittered like a canary, but what she was saying was more than enough to irritate Edgar. However, he put all of the information into his head with great care.
What he paid the most attention was what that Arman had done to make Rubica happy and which things she had liked about him.
‘Being diligent is easy. That’s how I usually am. I can also invent and give her anything she needs. And I am also supposed to comfort her when she’s stressed? Is that all? Hmm…’
In conclusion, Arman was a ‘kind man’. It looked like Rubica was drawn to kindness, but that was what Edgar was the least good at.
‘But that is the only thing where I’m not better than him.’
Edgar was handsome, smart, rich, and had a high title. He couldn’t let that Arman get ahead of him and win Rubica’s love.
‘So, all I have to do is to be kind.’
It would be hard, but it wasn’t impossible since he was great at everything. He was confident he could become the kindest man in the world if only he wanted to. He would get some goosebumps when he spoke kindly, but some inconvenience and effort was the necessary price to get what he wanted.
So, Edgar made up his mind and put everything Rubica said into his mind. When she had been happy and when she had been moved, he memorized all of it.
And when did you share a kiss with that Arman?
What?
Rubica had been ripping out a piece of bread after eating the food Edgar had given her, but she dropped the bread in surprise.
How can you ask that?
… you said you were in love with each other, so of course you must have shared a kiss.
Of course not!
Edgar widened his eyes in shock at this.
You never kissed him?
Of course not!
You’re not lying, are you?
Why would I lie about that? Our relationship was pure.
But there’s nothing wrong with a couple sharing kisses.
Rubica blushed hard.
No, we never kissed. He didn’t even know that I liked him.
Really? You didn’t kiss him?
Edgar couldn’t hide his joy as he asked. However, Rubica felt both embarrassed and sad.
Arman… I just liked him alone. I didn’t even get to say I liked him.
However, Edgar was sure that Arman had liked Rubica, maybe even a lot more than she could imagine. What kind of man would make a bouquet with blind eyes just because a woman he doesn’t like is crying?
Anyway, Rubica hadn’t kissed Arman. However, she had already shared more than one kiss with Edgar!
Maybe she was already in love with him, just like he was. She was a firm person, and a little bit of fondness couldn’t have been enough to let him kiss her. She had to be denying her own feelings about him just because she couldn’t get over her first love yet.
There were many sayings about love, and one of them was ‘She will eventually choose the man with her.’ So, Edgar was eventually going to be the winner of this fight.
That was why he couldn’t even guess he was being portraited as the most horrible womanizer in Rubica’s mind.
That much information should be enough.
Really? You can find him with it?
Rubica asked in doubt. Although the conversation had been pleasant, she had provided only vague information about Arman. She didn’t even describe his appearance. Edgar, however, had started the conversation to find out about which part of Arman she had liked, but she didn’t know that purpose.
Of course I can. He’s blind and his name is Arman, right? There can’t be many like him among those who attended Aron’s Academy. I just need to find men who quit the Academy because of eye diseases.
You think he quit the Academy because of an eye disease?
It is impossible to get admitted to the Academy when you are blind. Plus, you said he and I are of the same age. Less than half of my peers have graduated by now. Two third of the rest are still studying and the last one third left the Academy after failing the test that takes place once a year.
However, Rubica’s eyes widened at hearing that. Arman had told her he was born blind.
