Chapter 3 - Goodbye, Old Love

I became puzzled by his question.

‘Have I ever been angry with him? I don’t think so.’

Mikhail was Jubelian’s love of her life and the novel’s male lead. But now that I saw him, my heart was terribly still. A despondent feeling rose inside of me. 

‘I used to be so infatuated with him, but I feel nothing now.’

In the past, Jubelian treated Mikhail like her savior. She longed for his love and hung on his every word. At the slightest change of his expression, she became anxious and was constantly afraid that he might leave her as well. 

However, my experiences in the modern world changed Jubelian’s personality completely. I had to take care of tuition costs, keep my grades up, look for jobs, and pay living expenses all by myself.

‘I don’t need someone to be my savior. I can change my future myself.’

After coming to this conclusion, I opened my mouth.

“I’m not angry.”

I simply didn’t want to waste any more time and feelings on him.

“Jubelian.” Mikhail stared at me with a slightly annoyed expression. 

Although our relationship had been forcefully started, it had endured two years nonetheless. I could understand the weight of his words just by listening to the tone of his voice.

“If you pursue small matters this way, isn’t it possible to have problems in our relationship?” 

It was not a request but a thinly veiled warning. He was telling me to stop bothering him.

I smiled innocently like I always did. Except this time, I was being sincere. 

“I’m not angry. I was joking when I scolded you for being late.” I spoke pleasantly to lighten the mood, but it seemed like he was displeased by my response.

He stared at me with a serious expression. 

“A joke? That doesn’t seem like something you would do.” He huffed and observed me with weary eyes. “So, why did you call me here?”

I sighed upon seeing the blatant displeasure on his face.

‘Well, I guess he can’t help but be upset. The past Jubelian often interfered with his training.’

I decided to let him off the hook this time because of her past mistakes.

“Mikhail, could you please…”

“You said you only needed me briefly.” He cut me off before I even finished talking.

I burst out laughing, but he didn’t look amused.

“If it isn’t anything important, I’ll be going.”

Mikhail was about to leave first, as usual. It seemed like he was too impatient to be near me any longer. Despite his rude attitude, I knew that nothing good was going to come of making enemies with the novel’s male lead.

“It will only take a minute.” 

“I have to go now. There’s an important training session I have to attend.”

When I met his cold gaze, I became irritated.

‘Ah, this is pathetic! He thinks I’m not even worth five minutes of his time!’

Three days ago, I even asked him when he had time for me because I was afraid of interrupting his training. But today, on our promised appointment, I ended up spending three hours in the Imperial Knights’ waiting room. No matter what I did, this man continued to ignore my efforts. He only valued his own time, not mine.

‘Well, there is no reason for me to endure this any longer.’

I set the mood by lowering my voice. 

“Sit down, please. It’ll only take a second.”

“I think I already refused.” 

His voice was threateningly low as if he thought he was the superior one in this relationship. I felt the urge to break his illusion. 

“My father knows that we’re meeting today. Wouldn’t it be odd if you returned early?”

Mikhail’s expression stiffened when I mentioned my father, who was a boss he both feared and respected. 

“Five minutes,” he conceded. 

It seemed that even the strongest knight was afraid of the only Sword Master in the empire. Mikhail sat down in obedience.

‘Maybe I should have mentioned the duke a little earlier.’

I laughed, thinking back to the time I struggled to please the man in front of me.

‘It was all in vain. There was an easy way out all this time…’

At that moment, I heard a stern voice. 

“What’s so funny?”

Mikhail’s expression was filled with annoyance, but it didn’t matter now that I didn’t need his goodwill anymore. 

“For the past two years, we’ve spent quite a bit of time together.” I started with a sentimental opening.

He probably thought I was trying to seek attention from him because he interrupted me with a low voice. 

“Did you call me here just to say that?”

He didn’t even let me finish what I had to say and had already lost patience. It seemed that he really hated being with me.

‘He’s so impatient. I was about to give him a gift too.’

Although I was disgruntled by his words, I gave him an insincere smile I had learned from working at my part-time job. 

“You won’t be busy anymore.”

“What are you talking about?”

I frowned at his attitude. 

‘He’s being too much.’

I honestly wanted to tell him, ‘I’m going to tell my father about this, and he’ll fire you.’ He knows about Jubelian’s powerful background too, and this would teach him a lesson about what power could do. However, my father would never fire a subordinate he cared about. If Mikhail and I came to despise each other, it would only end badly for me. 

‘Let’s not make enemies anymore. My goal is to live a long life.’

I slowly spoke as I reaffirmed this decision in my mind. 

“I’m saying that I’ll let you go.”