Chapter 80 - Introducing My Boyfriend

The knights became flustered by her story for a while, then gave sinister looks at Max. ‘How dare a commoner do such a thing.’ It was understandable that Jubelian thought and acted this way, as she was someone who possessed no awareness when she was blindly in love. However, they couldn’t help but think that it was absurd for a commoner to not know his place and attempt to court the daughter of a duke. 

Max realized that the knights were trying to intimidate him by giving him menacing looks. ‘How irritating,’  he thought to himself. He was already out of patience from what happened with Baron Gordon not so long ago. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say it was a miracle for him to remain so composed until now, as he had never endured people who acted belligerently towards him. ‘Right, I should stomp on these bugs who think they can intimidate me,’ he thought to himself. After coming to this decision, he conveyed clear antagonism using his eyes. The knights who received his sharp, vicious energy head-on flinched and instinctively reached for their swords. 

‘What…is that man?’ Through the sheer force he had emitted, they could tell he was someone who walked the path of swordsmanship rather than knightship. ‘He’s strong. Where did a man like him suddenly appear from?’ His gaze was so dangerous that it ignited the knights’ impulse to draw their swords and prepare themselves for an opponent’s attack. However, they couldn’t act rashly because Jubelian stood right next to him. At that moment, a cold voice broke the silence. 

“Excuse me. Are you all threatening my boyfriend?” Jubelian asked. 

‘We’re the ones being threatened!’ the knights lamented silently in response. Feeling as if he was being treated unfairly, one knight tried to confess the truth. “That’s not it, my lady…”

He trailed off when Jubelian narrowed her eyes at him. “What do you mean by ‘that’s not it?’ Did you think I couldn’t see the frightening expressions you all were making at him?”

“That’s not it, Jubelian. What happened just now—” Geraldine tried to tell her that there was someone even more frightening behind her, but Jubelian continued to rattle on without giving him any more time to explain himself.

“He’s so terrified that his hands are shaking!” she exclaimed. Max, who was standing behind Jubelian, smirked at her words. The sight appalled the knights. 

‘Please look behind you,’ they wanted to desperately tell her. However, Jubelian continued to look at them. 

“As a group of people daring to intimidate a single person, you’re the same as the noblewomen back then. You all should be ashamed!” 

The knights tried to suppress their dissatisfaction when she spoke sternly, but they recalled the duke’s orders. “Please protect my daughter,” he had said. Until now, the knights had guarded Jubelian wordlessly due to their loyalty to the duke. Although it was part of their job to frighten others, they truly believed that this situation was unjust because they hadn’t done anything. 

“My lady, we really…” Todd trailed off when Jubelian turned around as if she couldn’t even bear to spare another glance at the knights anymore. 

“Are you okay?” she asked Max.

He nodded slowly. “Yes, my lady.”

The man who had been looking at them with a bloodthirsty gaze suddenly hid his hostility, acting innocently in front of the lady. ‘Seriously, what kind of person does that?’ The knights gaped in astonishment and couldn’t help but wonder if the man had deliberately set up the situation at the banquet to get close to Jubelian.

“My lady, that man…” Geraldine tried to warn her, but Jubelian held Max’s hand tightly and glared at the knights.

“Just know that we will be going back to the mansion for now,” she said coldly. Then she directed her next words at Max and lowered her voice to whisper. “Don’t worry. I will protect you no matter what.”

Max furrowed his eyebrows, then let out a sigh. ‘A weakling like you…’ Her words were preposterous, but for some reason, he didn’t mind her nonsensical words nor the warm hands around his.

* * *

When we arrived at the mansion, the butler looked at Max with surprise. “My lady, how did you come back with…?” Perhaps it was because he knew Max was my father’s disciple, but Derrick was unable to continue. ‘If I’m going to tell everyone anyway, I should make it clear at the start,’ I thought to myself.

“He’s my guest,” I said. 

I couldn’t tell what Derrick was thinking when I said that, but he let out a sigh. “Ah, I see. Then I’ll take him to the drawing room—”

I interrupted him. “He’s also my boyfriend.” 

Clang!

At the sound of something falling to the ground, I turned around and saw my father looking at us with an astounded expression. “Jubelian, what did you just…” He trailed off. On one hand, I felt nervous that the very situation I had been planning for finally arrived. On the other hand, I felt hopeful because I could finally get rid of the problem that had been bothering me. I wore a satisfied smile and opened my mouth. 

“Max, say hello. This is my father.”