Portrait of An Arrogant Master - Chapter 46
Even though she had become more comfortable around him.
Macy wasn’t the type to play pranks on Eren. And he didn’t seem like someone who would take them well, and she wasn’t the kind to fret over never having had a first kiss. When these topics came up with Anna, she was usually too embarrassed to even acknowledge them.
It wasn’t like Eren didn’t know how shy and reserved she was.
In the silence that followed, only the faint sound of insects filled the air. The longer the silence stretched, the more dazed Macy felt.
‘I’m ruined…’
She felt like she had only made things worse by trying to fix them. But even so, she couldn’t let go, tightening her grip on Eren’s sleeve out of fear that he would leave.
“That wasn’t what I’d call a kiss.”
“What?”
It wasn’t long before Eren spoke again.
“What you did, it wasn’t a kiss.”
All her fears about him realizing she had lied seemed unfounded as he seemed to focus on a different issue entirely.
“Then…?”
“So, you haven’t had your first kiss.”
“Oh, right…”
Was he really emphasizing the word ‘kiss’? It was a bit much. Macy knew her attempt had been clumsy, but to point it out like this? She felt both embarrassed and a bit wronged.
“Is there someone you want to kiss?”
“Well, yes…”
“Who?”
You. Of course, she couldn’t say that out loud.
“The boy you went to the festival with?”
“No! He’s just a friend!”
“Then is it Kieran, who you met today?”
“How could I have feelings for someone I just met!”
“Then who?”
He was surprisingly persistent.
“Who is it?”
She considered making up a name, but she couldn’t bring herself to tell another lie. Instead, she cut him off.
“I don’t want to tell Eren that.”
Her tone might have sounded defiant, but she couldn’t help it. She felt he would keep asking until she gave him a name. She didn’t want to lie about who she wanted to kiss. It felt too wrong.
“Then I can’t help you.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Literally.”
Eren’s words left Macy questioning her ears.
“Do you mean you’d help me if I told you who it was…?”
“It depends on who it is.”
Macy froze, unable to believe what she was hearing. Meanwhile, her heart pounded erratically, as if there was an earthquake inside her chest.
‘No, Macy, stay calm!’
This was an incredible opportunity. She took a deep breath, trying to think quickly. Who could she say to make him agree to be her practice partner? What answer would seem plausible?
‘But why does it matter who it is?’
Understanding this was crucial to finding the right answer, but no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t figure it out. In the end, she settled on a hesitant response.
“I originally wanted to with Hils…”
“I figured as much.”
What did he mean by that? Eren kept making odd assumptions, and Macy wasn’t sure whether to be glad or worried about it.
“But today, seeing Kieran made me think…”
Eren let out a dismissive laugh.
“Any man will do, huh?”
“Kieran is a boy, but he looks pretty. So…”
“Isn’t Baron Shearton quite a looker too?”
“But he’s your friend.”
“How remarkably moral of you.”
She thought he might find it offensive if she showed interest in his friend, but he didn’t seem relieved by her answer. The atmosphere grew tense, and Macy started to doubt if he ever intended to agree.
“When you kissed me the first time, I thought it was odd.”
Eren spoke as if reflecting on the past.
“The Macy I knew was someone who understood her place and never crossed the line. You never had the courage for something like that.”
He was right. Macy had always been timid and fragile. In front of Eren, these traits were even more pronounced. She feared that if she displeased him, he might stop the Name treatment.
But once she started to like him, she grew ambitious. Her desire to be close to him and to be special to him overcame her fear.
“It seems I misjudged you.”
Eren didn’t understand Macy’s true feelings, thinking he had simply misjudged her. Or that he was tricked….
There was a moment of panic as she wondered if he now saw her as a woman who would throw herself at him, just like on the first day of their name treatment.
“I’m sorry. I―”
“I should have anticipated that an artist would have strong curiosity and stubbornness.”
Huh?
Eren tilted Macy’s chin up, tracing her lips with his fingers. The touch felt strange and thrilling, making her body stiffen.
“I’ll make sure you learn your lesson. You need to understand how dangerous a man can be.”
Before she could question his words, his warm breath invaded her senses.
