Find the One Who Abandoned Me - Chapter 83

“Haha, this is just the basics. It’s still in the sketch stage, so it hasn’t been made yet. Would you like to see another dress instead?”

“Sure, but not for me that man over there.”

“Sir Jack?”

“Yeah. I’m so sick of seeing him wear the same thing all the time. He’s a noble, for heaven’s sake, why does he dress like that? Get him three new outfits.”

“Understood!”

“Right this way, please!”

“W–Wait, huh?!”

As he was dragged off by the boutique staff, he called out,

“I don’t only have one outfit! I just have several of the same one!”

“What difference does it make? I’m tired of looking at it either way.”

While he was being pulled away, Calliope said,

“Let’s get out of here.”

“Pardon? I get tagging along with a guard, but this crowd is suffocating.”

Sigh…

The escort knight let out a soft sigh but quickly shut his mouth at Calliope’s gentle look.

Feels like we’re going to be ditched one by one, too…

And that prediction turned out to be right.

“Lady Calliope!”

“Run for it!”

Using the excuse of choosing horses, the knights were tricked into test riding and left behind. Even Susan—who thought she wouldn’t be left out—was ditched while she was enjoying dessert at a café. Still, the carriage would remain in the same spot, so they’d all find their way back eventually.

Calliope let out a quiet sigh and glanced around.

“Think they’ll catch up?”

“Probably not, but… why go through all this trouble?”

Isaac stood beside her, looking confused but trusting—as if thinking, Whatever my fiancée does, it must be right. Calliope took his arm and began walking slowly in the direction she had originally intended to go.

“Well, there’s something I want to test. That’s why I brought a sword too.”

“I don’t see a sword.”

“It’s under my dress skirt. Why? Want to see it?”

“…”

“Aw, you’re no fun.”

She pinched his cheek as he blushed and went quiet. Their destination was a magic shop in the city center that sold magical scrolls. With plenty of foot traffic, it didn’t seem like a dangerous area.

She entered the shop and made her way to a display filled with magical items and scrolls, laid out like precious jewels. Isaac blinked slowly.

“If you needed something like this, you could have just told me.”

“Oh, it’s not exactly a necessity. I’ve just taken an interest lately.”

Calliope pointed out each scroll she had in mind, asking the clerk to gather and total them. The number of scrolls she indicated easily exceeded thirty, and the clerk hurriedly scrambled to collect them all.

“Ooh, how about that one?”

She lightly tugged Isaac’s arm and pointed at something. It was a red gem accessory, seemingly meant to be attached to a sword.

“Ah, you have a good eye. That’s a high-purity, grade-2 magic stone. It’s a rare item that boosts the wielder’s strength and mana by roughly thirty percent.”

Thirty percent might not sound like much, but the fact that it was a grade-2 magic stone made it a powerful item. And since it boosted both stamina and mana, not just one or the other, it was likely more useful for knights who wielded aura than for mages. Calliope pointed to it.

“I’ll take one of those too.”

“Thank you very much, miss.”

Isaac nodded slightly.

“It might be wise to keep that on you, just in case.”

“What are you talking about? That’s for you.”

“P–Pardon?”

Even someone as naïve as Isaac knew exactly how expensive that item was. It likely cost as much as several mansions in the capital. He was about to protest when Calliope said,

“You’re going to protect me, aren’t you?”

His hand froze mid-air. She was right. His entire existence was to ensure that not even a single drop of blood would ever touch her. He couldn’t be satisfied with his current strength. He needed to grow stronger—strong enough that no one would ever dare threaten her.

“…Then I’ll accept it. Thank you.”

“See how cute you are when you behave?”

Smiling brightly, Calliope tied the pouch of scrolls to her dress and attached the magic stone to Isaac’s sword hilt. Its color matched her eyes, making it even more striking.

With that, the two finished their little shopping trip and returned to the carriage. There, they were greeted by an obviously upset Jack, Susan, and the knights. While Jack and Susan’s frustration was understandable, she couldn’t quite figure out what the knights were mad about.

Calliope shamelessly smiled and accepted Isaac’s escort as she stepped into the carriage.

“Did you have fun? Let’s head home now.”

“Hmph.”

When someone scoffed in disbelief, Calliope responded with a dazzling smile.

“If anyone feels like running all the way to the estate, then go ahead and open your mouth.”

“……”

“……”

“……”

“……”

“……”

“Thought so. No volunteers? Then let’s get going.”

“Yes, my lady.”

They quietly made their way back to the estate. But when they arrived, Calliope was met with an unexpected message—an invitation from Gillan.

She had no intention of showing it to Isaac. So, sitting alone in her office, she just stared at it.

A suspicious, irritatingly charming man who’s way too pretty for his own good.

Calliope calmly folded the letter and burned it over a candle. Then she turned to Jack.

“I’ll need to visit the Gillan estate tomorrow. Just a heads-up.”

“Shall I call for Sir Isaac Esteban too?”

“No, not this time. I’ll go without him knowing. He’ll be busy at the palace anyway. If I go while he’s working, he won’t even notice I was gone.”

“That’s unusual of you.”

“It’s been bothering me. I think it’s better to confirm what’s going on before telling him. The same goes for the Marchioness.”

“Can I tell the Marquis, then?”

“Susan, step on Jack’s foot.”

“Gladly!”

“OW!”

Susan didn’t hold back, stomping on Jack’s foot with all the annoyance she’d been holding in. Jack let out a shriek and glared at her, but Susan simply turned her head with a sweet, innocent face that clearly said, ‘Orders are orders—I’m just following them.’

Calliope thought to herself:

I’ll take knights from the Marquis’ house as my escort. I can use this trip as a chance to test some of the scrolls I bought. I don’t expect anything to happen, but Gillan’s intentions are impossible to read.

She watched Jack and Susan bickering a bit more, then dismissed them and changed out of her clothes. Crawling into bed, she allowed herself a short nap. After all, she’d need to wake up early to review some paperwork before tomorrow’s plans.

16. 16. Not Quite the Same

It was just past nine in the morning. Inside Calliope’s study, things were quiet—aside from Jack’s occasional groaning. Even the teacup she set down barely made a sound.

Only the soft rustling of pages being turned filled the space. Around her hundredth document, a knock came at the door. Then silence.

There was only one person who knocked and didn’t say a word afterward.

“Come in, Isaac.”

Her voice was light and amused. The door creaked open, and Isaac stepped inside. He wore a simple shirt and looked slightly awkward.

“I was wondering… if you have a moment.”

“Of course.”

Before he even finished, Calliope was already stacking her papers and rising from her seat. Jack, thinking he was free to go, eagerly got up too—but Calliope didn’t even glance his way.

“Jack, you stay. I’ll check your work when I get back.”

Groaning, Jack sat back down with a sigh of despair.

“What brings you here?” Calliope asked as she stepped out with Isaac. Her hand naturally slipped into the crook of his arm. Isaac, noticing the difference in their strides, slowed down to match her pace.

“I heard you started working at dawn… I just wanted to spend a bit of time with you before I report for duty.”

Calliope laughed.

“Well of course. For something like that, I’ll always make time. How long do we have?”

“I’ve already informed the knight order. I’m free until eleven.”

“The knight order sure can be a pain sometimes.”

“…Should I quit?”

“You really don’t joke, do you? Absolutely not. That place is important to you.”

He nodded quietly. After a short pause, Calliope led him to the library. The sunlight barely reached inside, making it pleasantly cool—an excuse for her to sit close beside him.

Isaac didn’t seem all that interested in the books anymore. He used to love them.

“How about we read this together?”

“Sure.”

Calliope picked up a book that he had once recommended a long time ago. It was a knight’s adventure story—likely something he’d chosen because it was easier for her to read when she was struggling with the Marquis household’s intense education.

They sat side by side, flipping pages together. Occasionally, they whispered to each other or let their fingers playfully brush. Isaac tried to stay focused on the book, but whenever Calliope poked at him teasingly, he’d glance at her with flushed ears and an adorably helpless expression.

“What do you think?”

“It’s… interesting.”

“Right?”

After finishing the book, Isaac answered her next question sincerely.

“Which character did you like the most?”

“I’d say the main character.”

Calliope’s eyes briefly widened in surprise, but she quickly masked it with a smile.

“Oh? Really?”

“He’s brave, confident, strong, and just.”

“That’s certainly how he’s written.”

There was a curious note in her voice.

Calliope couldn’t help but recall a conversation she had once had with the Isaac from the past. Back then, she’d also read the book and felt something off about the main character. When she asked Isaac what he thought, he had replied slowly, with a cool, analytical tone:

“The protagonist is painted as a righteous and noble hero, but I think he’s someone who doesn’t recognize his own privilege. He’s the type who lectures others without understanding how much he was given. A man blind to his own advantages.”

That perspective had changed how she saw the story. The hero was born into a good family, trained by the best, and set off on a journey to fulfill his ideals. But he clung stubbornly to his own worldview, never understanding those who didn’t have his background or privilege. He forced his version of justice on everyone else and the book glorified it.

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