Calix had no idea how Waldemar had got there. Yet he crossed into the secured area so easily that it seemed as though he had been part of the group all along.

Reaching out, he took Selina’s hand from where Calix had been holding it, gently but unmistakably pushing Calix aside. His movements were effortless — so natural that they seemed like the simple act of reclaiming something that had always belonged to him.

Calix stepped back a pace.

Waldemar took a step closer to Selina.

“Did she inhale smoke?”

After briefly examining Selina, who seemed to be holding her breath, Waldemar clicked his tongue and loosened his cravat. Then, as though they were longtime lovers, he bent down and kissed her.

Callios watched the scene in silence, his hands folded behind his back.

No one noticed that he had clenched his fists so tightly that blood seeped into his palms.

***

Selina walked towards the lakeshore.

The water was so cold that thin sheets of ice had formed on its surface, but she didn’t notice — or perhaps she simply didn’t care.

A voice whispered to her.

If she stepped in, she would be able to meet Calix.

Whether that was true or not no longer mattered.

Right now, she needed something — anything — to cling to. She had lost the people who were most precious to her, and even the faintest possibility of finding Calix had disappeared.

There was nothing left for Selina to hold on to.

‘If I keep going deeper… will Calix be there?’

Suddenly, she had the thought that it would be sad if Calix were in such a cold place.

He had been like the sun.

A midsummer sun — utterly unsuited to the frigid north wind.

As she thought this, she realized that a frozen lake was not a place for someone like him.

“D*mn it.”

A low curse slipped from someone’s lips.

Startled, Selina hurriedly turned her head, wondering if someone else was there—

“I told you—if you’re going to die, do it somewhere I can’t see.”

A cold, sharp voice cut into her ears like the ice on a winter lake.

Selina grabbed its owner with all her might.

If there was only one thing left in this world that she could hold onto, she thought, it was him. She clung to his arm as though she would never let go.

“I’m relieved to see you’re safe.”

When she opened her eyes, the man sitting in front of her was not who she had expected.

It was Waldemar.

Looking around, Selina realized that she was not standing on the edge of a frozen lake after all, but inside the barracks where she had originally been staying.

“W-what… what happened?”

Her voice thickened with confusion as she stammered.

In hindsight, the scene she had witnessed by the lakeshore seemed strangely hazy and indistinct; it could easily have been a dream. Yet just before that, she had collapsed in the basement corridor. She was certain that no one would come to help her, and that it would not have been unusual for her to die there, buried in smoke and darkness.

So why was she here now?

And why was Waldemar at her side?

“You collapsed in the basement where the criminals were being held.”

Reading the confusion on her face, Waldemar gave a brief explanation.

“You disappeared without saying a word, so naturally everything turned upside down. I asked Lucas where you’d gone. Fortunately, he told me.”

“…Did you come there yourself, Commander?”

“Yes. The woman who’s to become my wife seemed determined to earn merit, so of course I went to help.”

He gave a faint chuckle and lifted a strand of Selina’s hair. Selina bit her lip and pulled away from his touch. She disliked the fact that he had come looking for her and did not appreciate being referred to as his future wife.

However, there was something she needed to clarify.

“I was definitely trapped in the basement. Did… did someone rescue me?”

Selina recalled the voice she had heard in her dream. Although it was muffled and difficult to remember clearly, she felt she could not afford to forget it.

‘If that voice belonged to the person who saved me…’

Just as that thought crossed her mind—

“The one who saved you was me. When I arrived, you were nowhere to be seen, and the basement was on fire. I had a bad feeling, so I went inside—and found you collapsed.”

Selina could not answer.

Her intuition had been wrong.

She had been certain that someone else had saved her. Yet to think it had been Waldemar—

“…So it was you who rescued me, Commander.”

“Yes. They said that if I’d been even a little later, it would have ended badly.”

He went on to describe just how dire the situation had been, explaining that after carrying her out, he had realized she was barely breathing and had had no choice but to force air into her lungs. He was enraged by the clothes the slave traders had made her wear. He described how all of the traders had been captured, leaving no one left to fear.

Each detail could only have come from someone who had truly been there.

Perhaps he really had saved her life.

Selina had never held Waldemar in high regard, which was why she had avoided anything involving him whenever possible. Now, however, she owed him her life and turning away from him so easily was no longer an option.

“…Thank you.”

In the end, Selina bowed her head to him. He responded with a faint smile.

“I only did what was necessary.”

Then he added calmly.

“The Duke will be arriving soon. He’s probably coming in person to celebrate the victory. We’re having dinner together this evening, so make sure you’re ready.”

He spoke as if it were no big deal. But Selina knew her father well: unless there was a particular reason, he wouldn’t have come all this way himself.

‘Did something go wrong?’

Had he noticed that she had secured an antidote?

Carrying that unease with her, Selina attended the evening banquet.

“Ho ho ho. It’s been a while.”

Duke Bryson appeared at the dinner gathering. Due to the ongoing war, there was no suitable venue, so a modest meal was held inside a large tent.

Those present included Selina and Callios, who were both key figures in the victory.

After praising everyone who had distinguished themselves, the duke stopped in front of Selina.

“Selina.”

He placed a hand on her shoulder and spoke with a serious expression.

“When you first said you were joining the Knights of the Sun, I had my doubts. You were still inexperienced, and I couldn’t fully trust you. But you’ve done far better than I expected.”

“You flatter me.”

Selina lowered her head politely, then cast a brief glance toward Callios standing beside her.

‘I thought he would have reported to Father that I can handle spirits.’

Yet judging by her father’s mild reaction, it seemed that information had not been passed along. Moreover, he said nothing about her visit to the slave traders’ village.

‘I have no idea what he’s thinking.’

They hadn’t spoken since they returned from the village, which made her even more uneasy. Selina also had something she wanted to ask him.

‘I wanted to ask what happened to Alter…’

Selina had heard from Waldemar that the slave traders had been caught, but she still didn’t know what had happened to Alter, the person who mattered most to her. Furthermore, neither Lucas nor Alter’s younger brothers could be found anywhere near the barracks.

Anxiety gnawed at her. She wanted to ask Lucas about Alter, but they never got the chance to talk properly.

“Yes, yes. I hope you understand how proud I am of you.”

The duke lightly patted Selina on the shoulder, then turned back to Callios. Leaning in, he murmured something in Callios’s ear. His expression stiffened slightly in that instant.

‘What did he say to him?’

Selina found herself watching Callios’s face. Then—almost meeting his gaze—she startled and quickly looked away.

‘Why am I even paying attention to Callios?’

They had never been on good terms to begin with, and getting involved with him would not end well. At best, they were the kind of people who should keep their distance and remain politely indifferent — nothing more.

‘I must be losing my mind after nearly dying. Besides, Callios left me behind in the basement. There’s no way he saved me.’

Selina shook her head and took her seat at the banquet table. The Duke sat at the head of the table, with Waldemar and Selina seated beside him. Although he was trusted by the duke, Callios was of low rank and was therefore seated at the far end of the table.

“I’ve heard that Commander Waldemar has been spending quite a bit of time with my daughter lately.”

“What we discuss is purely official matters. All of it is thanks to the deputy commander’s outstanding performance.”

Selina forced herself to turn her attention away from Callios and focus on the duke’s words.

“Haha. Hearing my daughter praised so openly to my face leaves me at a loss. Is that praise born of deep regard for one’s subordinates—or….”

At that moment, the duke asked Waldemar in a deliberately casual tone.

“Do you hold any personal affection for Selina?”

The air inside the tent sank at once. Everyone glanced at Waldemar, gauging his reaction.

‘What is this supposed to—’

Selina knew only too well what it meant when such a question was asked in front of everyone. She raised her glass, intending to change the subject.

“Yes. I do.”

Waldemar was faster.

He raised his dark eyes and looked straight at Selina, deliberately, before continuing.

“If you would grant your permission, I would even wish to marry Lady Selina Ilios Axell.”

Duke Bryson narrowed his eyes and smiled like a fox who had just heard exactly what he wanted to hear.

Only then did Selina understand why her father had come all this way in person.