To You Who Will Destroy Me - Chapter 142

“Nice to meet you, Lady Irel,” Phillip returned the greeting unexpectedly warmly.

“Your father, Duke Calver, has done much for the kingdom. We are always grateful for his efforts.”

“Thank you for your kind words. My father would be very pleased to hear that.”

There was no need to ruin the mood when the other party offered flowers instead of drawing a sword. Irel responded with a friendly smile.

‘Impressive. His favorability is at -30, but he’s this calm. He’s not easy to handle.’

A foe who hides their true feelings is always more frightening than one who reveals them openly. Just as Irel was inwardly admiring Phillip’s poker face, their eyes met, and suddenly, he gave her a quick wink.

‘…?’

What was that just now? Does he have dry eyes? As Irel doubted her own vision, Phillip winked at her again.

Blink.

‘So I didn’t imagine it.’

Irel wondered what kind of trick he was up to now. If not for the negative favorability number floating above his head, she might have mistakenly thought, “Does he like me?”

“Oh dear, something must have gotten in his eye.”

Apparently, Varkan also noticed Phillip’s action. Without fear, he stepped right up to Phillip and grabbed his chin.

“Let me take a look.”

“Varkan Ha Mash! What kind of rude behavior is this? Take your hands off me right now!”

Phillip, frowning in annoyance, struggled roughly. But Varkan skillfully dodged his flailing arms and pinned them to his side, forcing Phillip’s eyelid open.

“Let go! Immediately!!”

Phillip ground his teeth and shouted as his most sensitive body part—his eyes—was seized. Yet he couldn’t move carelessly for fear of something poking his eye.

“Ah, just as I thought. An eyelash got in there.”

Holding Phillip’s chin firmly, Varkan spoke nonchalantly. Of course, Phillip’s eyes were pristine, not a speck of dust in sight, thanks to his pampered life in the royal palace.

“I’m fine, so stop talking nonsense and take your hand off me!!”

“No, no. Otherwise, why else would you pull a stunt like winking at my fiancée?”

Isn’t that right? Varkan licked his sensuous lips, and without hesitation, spat into Phillip’s eye.

“Ah, now the eyelash is out! You’re welcome, no need to thank me.”

“You crazy bastard! I’ve had enough…!!”

Finally freed from Varkan’s grip, Phillip trembled with fury, his face flushed red. His hand immediately went to the hilt of the sword at his waist.

“Varkan Ha Mash! I’m placing you under arrest for the crimes of assault and insulting the royal guard. Raise your hands and kneel down immediately!”

As expected, the situation unfolded just as Irel had predicted, and she sighed deeply. Glancing at Varkan, who was still smiling gleefully, she wondered what to do.

“Spare me the empty threats, Sir Phillip Alswaiz. I am here as a guest, personally invited by His Majesty, and you cannot whisk me away. Not until His Majesty himself commands it, at least.”

“You seem to forget that I am also His Majesty’s nephew.”

“Oh? And? Are you now claiming that your authority supersedes His Majesty’s? That sounds dangerously close to treason.”

“I never said that.”

Phillip ground his teeth again, but there was nothing he could do. As Varkan pointed out, the king’s orders took precedence. Since the king was waiting in the audience chamber, Phillip couldn’t act on his own.

“Shall we proceed? Every moment we waste here is time stolen from His Majesty, dear nephew.”

Varkan curled his lips into a sly smile, mocking Phillip. The rage boiling inside Phillip caused his expression to go completely blank.

“…We’ll see after the audience,” he warned coldly before sharply turning away. His cloak fluttered in the air, as if expressing the fury he had to suppress.

‘Ugh.’

Irel, stuck in the middle of the tense exchange, finally let out a small sigh of relief. As she followed Varkan, she muttered quietly.

“For a moment, I thought we were going to visit the royal dungeon before the audience chamber. Do you really have to provoke him every time?”

“I can’t help it. It’s fun.”

“Well, I don’t find it fun at all.”

“Look at him, though. He’s so mad his ears are turning red.”

“That’s not funny?” Varkan raised one eyebrow playfully, gesturing toward Phillip, who was walking ahead. Just as Varkan said, despite Phillip’s sharp, military-like strides, his ears were flushed red, looking like they could explode at any moment.

“Hmph.”

Irel nearly burst into laughter but quickly held her breath. Though she managed to avoid making Phillip angrier, she couldn’t avoid the impending audience with the king.

“Wait here for a moment.”

After a brief order, Phillip disappeared inside, likely to inform the king of Varkan’s arrival.

‘This won’t lead to anything good.’

Oh well, whatever happens, happens. Irel sighed and glanced around while waiting. The audience chamber was, as expected, grand and luxurious, fitting the majesty of the royal palace. The deep crimson drapes flowing down from the towering ceiling and the stone statues perched on pillars, glaring down in warning, were particularly impressive.

The atmosphere felt suffocating, especially for Irel, who was engaged to a man on the verge of treason. Her chest tightened with anxiety, while Varkan appeared utterly relaxed.

“Ah, no smoking in the palace, huh? Still as boring as ever.”

It was clear that, for Varkan, smoking mattered more than the king or Phillip.

‘He’s just going to smoke those herbal cigarettes anyway, so what’s he complaining about?’

Irel shook her head at Varkan’s carefree attitude despite being in enemy territory. Glancing nervously toward the audience chamber, she whispered, “Now’s not the time, Varkan. What if Phillip seeks revenge after the audience?”

“Ah, is that what you’re worried about, my little rabbit?”

Varkan teased, pinching her cheek. Irel, frowning, pretended to bite his hand playfully, but not hard enough to hurt.

“I’m not joking. We could seriously end up imprisoned.”

“He won’t do anything.”

Or rather, he can’t, Varkan muttered meaningfully, narrowing his eyes. Just as Irel was about to ask what he meant, Phillip emerged from the chamber.

“Go inside and meet His Majesty,” Phillip growled, baring his teeth as if daring Varkan to act up in front of the king. Of course, Varkan, in his typical fashion, responded sarcastically, “How could I dare show such disrespect in front of His Majesty?” making Phillip’s provocation futile.

‘He’s going to get sick from all that stress.’

Strange. Why do I feel bad for him? Irel found herself feeling a strange sense of sympathy for Phillip, though he was supposed to be her enemy. She glanced at him briefly, and before entering the audience chamber, Phillip shot her another cryptic smile.

‘There he goes again.’

Seriously, there must be something off with all these aristocrats. Even someone like Phillip, who seemed to have been born with a silver spoon, wasn’t an exception.

With a sense of pity, Irel turned her gaze away from Phillip’s back. Her eyes met Varkan’s, who had been watching her closely.

“You’re something else,” Varkan scolded, furrowing his brows as their eyes locked.

“Always flirting with other men whenever you get the chance. You’re a wicked woman, truly.”

“Excuse me? Me?”

“Who else would I be talking about? Surely not me, the one who only ever has eyes for you.”

It wasn’t untrue, but why did she feel so strange hearing it? Irel glanced up and down at Varkan, a man who looked more seductive than most women. He noticed her gaze and responded with a thin smile, his slightly drooping eyes narrowing charmingly.

“You told me I was the prettiest in the world once… How heartless you are now.”

Good grief. The sultry tone in that low, rich voice—could he be any more flirtatious? Irel sighed deeply, feeling utterly disarmed by his charm.

“You’ve always been like this.”

“Pardon?”

“You’ve always been the best. How could any other man possibly catch my eye now?”

She’d meant it as a joke, but somehow it came out like a confession. Embarrassed, Irel averted her gaze and fidgeted with his hand.

“Say that again.”

Varkan, who had been momentarily stunned, clasped their fingers tightly and pulled her closer.

“Just one more time. Hmm?”

He coaxed her, his red lashes lowering as his voice dripped with sweetness, rich enough to drown her. Irel felt herself melting, like a syrup-soaked pancake in front of him.

“…You know already.”

This man definitely knew how beautiful he was, no doubt about it. Blushing, Irel grabbed hold of his collar with both hands.

“Stop it, you’re embarrassing me.”

This is driving me crazy. Varkan glanced down at her small hands clutching his collar and sighed softly. Even without looking at his face, she could feel his bright smile, making her cheeks burn even hotter.

“From now on, only adore me. If you start looking at someone else, I might just kill them, no matter who they are.”

Even in this sweet moment, his declaration was as terrifying as ever. But the way her heart was racing—maybe she’d already lost her mind too.

“Varkan Ha Mash. Irel Elorance. Enter.”

At that moment, a stern summons echoed from inside the audience chamber.