Siena Dating Agency - Chapter 111

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

111.

Siena immediately understood what Johan’s words meant.

‘…Johan Beloster.’

You really…

Johan was like that in the novel too.

A person who seemed to back down but never actually left.

A person who endured by putting down roots in one place instead of desperately clinging on.

‘That was your way.’

The hashtag “pure love” wasn’t attached for nothing.

“…”

Siena forcibly steadied her blurred vision and raised her head.

She unconsciously fidgeted with her nose tip, worried that its redness might be noticed.

Her trembling lips finally opened.

“…I’m really curious about something.”

“…”

“Why did you… come to like me?”

She regretted the question as soon as she asked it.

‘Ah, why did I ask that.’

To reject him and then ask why he likes her.

Even she found it absurd after saying it herself.

‘Siena Willow…’

After living 19 years in this flimsy romance fantasy world, you’ve thrown your conscience to the dogs.

Should I start reading self-help books before bed from today?

‘How to Summon Your Conscience That Flew to the Demon Castle’ or something like that.

But… on the other hand, she was genuinely curious.

‘I’m just an ordinary citizen number 1.’

No, to put it nicely I’m a citizen, but in reality I was one among a thousand NPCs.

An extra whose name wouldn’t appear anywhere even if you played the game.

But Johan Beloster was one of the 30 male leads in this game.

‘What on earth do I have that Johan could possibly like?’

She understood why he liked Violet.

She was the Empire’s greatest beauty with an angelic heart to boot.

Even as an NPC, she was someone who looked like a novel’s female protagonist to anyone.

‘But me…’

Short stature, ashen brown hair, ordinary appearance with nothing special.

Even the title of being a count’s youngest daughter had no presence, overshadowed by her brothers.

Her reputation in high society was at the level of ‘Was there such a person among the nobles?’

‘The only noteworthy thing about me is the title of Love Counseling Center Director…’

But even this wasn’t really much in reality.

‘It sounds impressive when you hear it, but the reality is just office work fighting with paperwork.’

For the young head of House Beloster to like such an insignificant person like herself.

It didn’t make sense.

Siena’s golden eyes fixed on Johan’s face.

Her eyes were still hot, but they contained pure curiosity.

Johan didn’t answer hastily.

“…”

He was thinking carefully.

‘The reason I came to like Willow…’

As he pondered the question, the moment he first became aware of her came to mind.

The day he first visited the Love Counseling Center to make a request.

There he saw a woman working silently, surrounded by piles of documents.

“May I… make a request?”

The straightforward gaze that looked up at him when he suddenly appeared.

Though they hadn’t conversed yet, he could tell that Siena was calm and sincere.

He also immediately sensed it.

That the Center staff’s gazes toward her were full of trust.

But that was all.

While he had some favorable feelings toward Siena, they were definitely not romantic emotions.

“…Please fill this out first.”

“Thank you, Center Director.”

The relationship clearly started as ‘Center Director’ and ‘client.’

Then his feelings began to change starting from the day of the Imperial Palace Ball.

“An unexpected situation has occurred right now so we can’t go according to the script. Just follow me…!”

“Ah…, yes!”

When the hall was in chaos due to the sudden mass movement of women, Siena immediately approached Johan.

He thought it was unexpected that she came to take care of him personally instead of leaving it to the staff.

“Marquis, Violet is nearby.

Siena pulled Johan, who was much larger than her, with those slender hands.

Watching that small figure from behind… felt reassuring.

“I’ll move you over there, so naturally protect Violet and slip away…”

And just as she was pushing Johan toward Violet, Siena ended up falling.

That was the turning point.

Johan greatly blamed himself for not being able to catch Siena.

And for not properly taking care of her afterward.

He felt uncomfortable until the ball ended.

So the next day he visited Willow Manor to apologize.

“At the ballroom… I’m sorry for not catching you, Center Director.”

“Yes…”

“If I had caught you, Center Director, you wouldn’t have fallen in the middle of the ballroom.”

However, Siena refused Johan’s apology.

“No, Marquis. This really isn’t something you need to apologize for.”

And she said something unexpected.

It wasn’t simple consolation.

“Even if you had ignored me and caught Violet instead, Marquis, it wouldn’t be something to apologize for.”

“…”

“That’s instinct.”

“…”

“The heart that cares for someone you like, I understand it well.”

Until then, there were many people who said ‘no’ or ‘it’s okay’ to Johan.

Because the so-called ‘romance fantasy speech pattern’ was like that.

Also, most people would bow unconditionally regardless of the situation and not reveal their true feelings.

Because Johan was a noble, they hid themselves in front of him.

And Johan was that kind of person too.

Whatever thoughts he had inside, he rarely spoke them to others.

‘Unless it was meant to consider others, bringing it up would only have a bad influence.’

But… Siena was different.

“Because you like them, your head is filled only with thoughts of that person. In any situation, you end up looking at that person first.”

“…”

“Whatever you hear from people around you, you end up thinking of it in relation to that person.”

“…”

“So the Marquis saw Violet Bringer, who was about to fall, before me.”

She declined Johan’s apology while explaining the ‘reason.’

Moreover, she understood that Johan had unconsciously had no choice but to act that way.

She had seen through the essence that even Johan himself hadn’t properly recognized.

“Anyway, the Marquis has nothing to apologize for. So I’ll return the apology you gave me.”

That day was simply grateful.

‘The Center Director is really a good person.’

It could be called pure gratitude toward someone who understood him.

But after that, things gradually changed.

The time he spent thinking about Siena increased.

‘What kind of day is she having today.’

What her daily life at the Center was like.

What clients she might have met.

Whether she had eaten properly.

He became curious about such trivial things.

What decisively made Johan certain of his feelings was the presence of a certain man by her side.

“Center Director.”

Lian de Vicelle.

The black-haired man who always occupied the seat next to Siena and constantly spoke to her.

At some point, he began to bother Johan.

“No, nothing like that. The Marquis made no mistake.”

“…”

“I simply hope you would conduct yourself so that I don’t commit any impropriety.”

On top of that, the warning Lian had delivered when he came to Beloster Estate kept echoing in his mind.

‘I didn’t know what he meant then, but now I understand.’

It was a warning about ‘Siena.’

Because Lian had feelings for her, he had marked his territory in advance, fearing Johan might approach.

Once he understood the meaning, the emotion that immediately arose was displeasure.

And he realized.

‘…I no longer like Violet.’

That his heart was somehow pointing toward Siena.

Johan decided to acknowledge his feelings and try to be brave.

“There’s one more thing I’d like to ask…”

“…”

“Am I not appealing in Willow’s eyes?”

Even if the result would be complete rejection like now.

Johan, who had been recalling the events in his mind, showed a faint smile.

Though his smile was dimmer than usual, his eyes were somehow clear.

As if he had shaken off something that had been accumulating for so long.

He met Siena’s still puzzled eyes and lifted his teacup.

“…I’ll keep that as a secret.”

It was a gentle but somehow resolute voice.

Siena blinked her eyes blankly.

“What?”

“Because I’m also someone who feels embarrassment.”

“…”

“So I’ll keep just this part as a secret.”

It meant it was difficult to reveal everything honestly after being rejected.

But the deeper meaning was this.

‘Because everything about you that resides in my memory is too precious.’

So… he didn’t want to deliberately examine it.

He felt that something would break the moment he turned these trivial things into words.

Johan wanted to protect his emotions.

Therefore, he chose to keep his mouth shut.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————