Chapter 83 – Starting as Friends

Evelyn found herself staring at Khalid’s striking features, so perfectly sculpted they seemed almost unreal. Then, as he smiled gently, a sudden thought crossed her mind, and she let out a quiet sigh.

‘When he smiles like that… he really does…’

Her clear eyes lit with mischief, and before she could stop herself, the question slipped from her lips.

“Your Grace, is your dog a golden retriever by any chance?”

At that, his blue eyes widened slightly before narrowing again in mild surprise.

“How did you know that?”

Just as I thought! Dogs do take after their owners, after all.

“I had a feeling. Every time I see you, Your Grace, I always…”

Wait, could this be a rude thing to say?

She hesitated mid-sentence and cast a cautious glance at the man before her to gauge his reaction.

“…You remind me of a golden retriever.”

It was too late to take it back now, and her heart fluttered with unease, unsure of how he might take it. Had her comment been too careless?

But to her relief, Khalid didn’t look the least bit offended.

Instead…

“It seems you’ve been thinking about me, my lady.”

A gentle smile spread across his lips, and his clear, radiant blue eyes were fixed solely on Evelyn. Her eyes darted back and forth before she replied, a slightly bewildered expression settling on her face.

“I just meant… you feel kind of familiar, I suppose?”

What am I even saying?

It was true she felt strangely at ease around the male lead of the original story, but she inwardly sighed. She was well aware how odd she must seem, babbling nonsense like that.

‘Then again, what does it matter?’

She was only a side character. It wasn’t as though their paths would cross often. With that thought, she let her smile relax just a little.

Khalid, who had been gazing at her intently, let his vivid blue eyes glint with quiet light.

“Then let’s start as friends.”

“…P-Pardon?”

Evelyn blinked rapidly, convinced she must have misheard.

‘What did he just say?’

She hadn’t even considered becoming the male lead’s female friend…

“Does being friends make you uncomfortable?”

As Khalid lowered his gaze slightly, Evelyn found herself missing the perfect moment to refuse. Before she knew it, she had somehow accepted friendship requests from both main characters, and her already muddled thoughts grew even more chaotic.

Why does everyone suddenly want to be friends with me?

This sort of development had certainly never appeared in the original story. The plot had already long since strayed from its intended course. Even so, the thought of growing closer to Khalid left her with a tangle of emotions she couldn’t quite sort out.

‘What if things start to diverge from what I know?’

On the other hand, she couldn’t help but wonder if getting closer to the two main characters might be the key to avoiding a doomed ending. If they were truly on her side, there could be no greater shield.

‘They are the main characters. Surely, they wouldn’t pretend not to know me later, right?!’

Forcing down the flicker of unease in her chest, Evelyn steadied herself and reached out a hand toward Khalid.

“I look forward to getting to know you.”

She had only meant to offer a handshake to ease the awkwardness, but somehow, the air between them felt even more hesitant now.

Was making friends always this difficult?

Just as she was about to withdraw her hand, his firm grasp met hers. The warmth of his touch lingered, and a gentle smile curved the corners of his lips.

“The pleasure is mine.”

︵‿୨ ₊‧꒰ა ཐི༏ཋྀ ໒꒱ ˚₊ ୧‿︵

“My lady, look at this one! Don’t you think it would suit Martin perfectly?”

Larie shyly pointed to a pale sky-blue linen handkerchief, her eyes sparkling. Evelyn tilted her head slightly and smiled.

“You’re right. It would suit him quite well.”

Larie and Martin had been close friends for years, only recently taking the step into romance. Evelyn had been the first to hear the news of their budding romance, and she had offered her heartfelt congratulations.

‘They really do make a lovely pair.’

With joy radiating across her face, Larie beamed.

“Please wait here, my lady! I’ll go pay right away.”

“I’ll keep looking around. Take your time.”

“Yes, my lady!”

With a lively nod, her maid darted off toward the counter, her steps quick and eager. Evelyn watched her trusted maid with a soft smile.

‘They’re in that sweet, fluttering phase.’

In the late afternoon, the fabric shop bustled with customers, all looking to purchase handkerchiefs. It was tradition during the Hunt Festival to gift an embroidered handkerchief bearing wishes for good fortune.