Chapter 3. Just Find Me One Woman

My name is Lina.

I arrived in Shutzen just yesterday, and in the words of the city folk, I could be called a country bumpkin.

For someone like me who had lived simply all my life in a small village… no, in the small Hildein Forest beside it, Shutzen was overwhelming. So vibrant, so bustling, with so many sights that I didn’t know where to look!

“Sorry to Lionel, but running away was definitely the right choice.”

I smiled awkwardly as I recalled the single note I’d left behind. Guilt slightly raised its head, but I couldn’t help it.

What was I supposed to do when he kept preventing me from going anywhere? Something about the world being dangerous. Something about our cottage being the safest place in the world.

He kept saying such closed-minded things, but from my perspective, it only amplified my curiosity.

Just how dangerous could it be?

No matter how dangerous, children, adults, and the elderly were all living their lives just fine, so what exactly was so dangerous? I couldn’t sleep wondering about it.

And curiosity is a great driving force that moves people.

Based on information I happened to obtain from the village near Hildein Forest, I secretly planned my grand escape. The source of the information was a guild merchant.

<Your skills are too good to waste in the countryside.>

<Thank you for the compliment. But I have no choice but to waste away in the countryside. Haha. I have no connections in the city, and making a living would be difficult.>

<What are you talking about? You’d be accepted just by applying to the Magic Tower.>

<The Magic Tower? But I don’t know any magic at all?>

<The Magic Tower doesn’t only employ mages. With skills like yours, you could definitely get hired. I guarantee it.>

<Really?>

<Of course. My household has become much more comfortable since I started supplying your potions. That’s how excellent they are.>

The merchant said it was a small way to repay me, but he wanted to help my future. Even though he would no longer be able to receive my potions if I got a job at the Magic Tower, he said he had already made enough money and was planning to retire anyway.

What a refreshingly straightforward person.

The world was still worth living in after all.

I had simply sold potions for money, yet he showed such selfless kindness.

With his help, I was able to apply as a researcher for the potion department laboratory at the Magic Tower. Since it was obvious that Lionel would impose a catastrophic level of scolding and prohibit me from going out if he knew, I moved very carefully. Of course, all of this was possible only with external help.

<You’re even providing a temporary address where I can receive documents from the Magic Tower. Why are you helping me so much? Are you an angel?>

<I’m just very grateful to you, Lina. My household has become much more comfortable.>

I had only sold him potions for a fair price. It was nothing special, but it was embarrassing to have someone be so grateful for such an ordinary act.

Anyway, I was grateful to Lionel in many ways. After all, it was Lionel who taught me how to make potions, which allowed me to run away.

“There are so many pretty things.”

My eyes were about to roll back in my head.

Despite living a poor commoner’s life, I had unusually high standards. I couldn’t help it—I could naturally distinguish cheap ornaments, and I could tell whether fabric was high quality just by touching it. Even my taste in food was picky.

Of course, in the small, nameless village next to Hildein Forest, there weren’t many things that could be labeled as luxury.

Not wanting to burden Lionel, I always treated ordinary things as if they were beautiful treasures. Naturally, my friend’s heart always felt more valuable than those treasures.

But Shutzen was the real deal.

The shop windows along the streets lined with clothing stores and jewelers proudly displayed magnificent items that made my jaw drop at every other building.

One-third curiosity, one-third excitement, one-third fear.

I had come all the way to Shutzen with these complicated feelings, and truly, it was a choice I didn’t regret. I would bury my bones here for the rest of my life.

Lionel’s face flashed faintly through my firm resolve, but I couldn’t give up on this city.

Taking a deep breath that filled my lungs completely, I sent a mental letter to Lionel.

I’m sorry, Lionel.

Once I settle at the Magic Tower, I’ll definitely contact you.

If my childhood friend heard this, he would grab his neck and collapse…

“…Ah!”

Suddenly, someone grabbed my shoulder with strong force. Before I could react, my body turned halfway around.

“Renéee? Renéee! It’s me, it’s…”

A handsome blond man suddenly embraced me tightly. His grip was quite strong, and I was too stunned to push away this stranger for a while.

What’s going on? Is he sick? Or is he mistaking me for someone else?

“Um, who are you?”

Whatever the case, this didn’t seem right, so I carefully opened my mouth. From the looks of it, he seemed to have some pitiful circumstances.

The man’s body slowly moved away from me.

Wait, but his eyes…

“…Don’t you recognize me?”

This is really uncomfortable.

Still, he seemed to have a sad story, so I should be kind to him.

My shoulder, which had been grabbed by him, was throbbing, but I curved my lips upward as gently as possible. I was going to say “You’ve got the wrong person,” but something else came out instead.

“I’m sorry, but I have amnesia.”

“…Amnesia?”

The man’s pupils shook violently.

I swallowed nervously. Perhaps this man knew me from my past.

“Renéee Iblaine. You have amnesia?”

Ah, right.

The name is different.

“I’m not the person named Renéee.”

I replied bluntly.

Come to think of it, could this be what Lionel warned me about?

<So why is the city dangerous? I’m asking for specific examples.>

<Strange men will touch you and make advances.>

<Advances?>

<They try to seduce pretty women. You’re pretty, so the city is dangerous for you.>

<That’s such a stretch…>

<You’re stirring the potion too much! It’s burning. Look, black smoke is rising.>

<Aah!>

He looks familiar. I’ve seen him somewhere before. He resembles someone I know. Now that I think about it, it’s similar to the example Lionel gave me.

Wow. These advances involve more sophisticated acting than I expected?

As expected of the city.

Experienced, dark, dangerous, fun, never boring.

“If you’re hitting on me, I’m not interested. You’re not my type.”

Having seen through the man’s dark intentions, I waved my hand as if shooing away flies and continued on my way. I was worried he might grab me again and get clingy, but fortunately, he didn’t.

He must have just been testing the waters, as Lionel said.

* * *

“Your Highness, Duke Hilgrit is waiting for you.”

“Evan?”

‘I don’t know what state of mind brought me here.’

Having arrived at Breton Palace with a dizzy mind, Karsion pressed his temples firmly. He was tired. He wanted to be alone.

But at Doiman’s gentle suggestion, he reluctantly nodded.

“You’ve been waiting long.”

“…Medicine. My head hurts.”

“I’ll bring it right away.”

Doiman looked at his lord with a worried face before bowing and withdrawing. In a corner of his heart lingered memories from Iblaine territory that he still couldn’t shake off.

Those were good times. Those times were heaven.

Compared to then, now felt like being trapped in a cold ice castle. Everything had changed since Renéee Iblaine’s death five years ago.

If only he could restore his lord’s happiness, he would do anything, but all Doiman could do was bring medicine.

Watching the head servant withdraw from the corner of his eye, Karsion headed to the reception room. As soon as he opened the door and saw Evan, a self-deprecating smile escaped his lips.

“Another fruitless search, I see.”

The two had formed a bond during the dragon subjugation five years ago. And for three years, they had saved each other’s lives multiple times, developing a relationship beyond that of a loyal servant and lord.

Because of this, Evan couldn’t freely return to his northern territory and was bound by Karsion’s orders for all seasons except winter.

“At this point, we should consider it dead.”

“Indeed.”

Karsion murmured as if chewing on the words.

“It’s been two years.”

Not two years, but five years…

As he continued his thought, Karsion closed his eyes tightly. Seeing him, Evan, who had been reporting matter-of-factly, changed his tone as if admonishing him.

“Your Highness Karsion. The Black Dragon is dead.”

“We haven’t found the body.”

If it hasn’t been found, it’s not dead.

“It fled with fatal wounds. Given a dragon’s nature to go somewhere no one can find and die alone when it’s about to die, it’s natural that we can’t find it.”

“But it must be somewhere.”

“Somewhere no one can find, that is.”

They had combed through the Denivbruk Mountains meticulously. The world believed the Black Dragon had been subjugated, but in truth, they hadn’t seen it take its last breath. Perhaps out of frustration, Karsion had been sending search parties every year.

“I need to find the body and kill it again.”

A savage anger emanated from Karsion as he gritted his teeth.

Seeing this, Evan was surprised.

It was a sight he hadn’t seen recently. As if all his emotions had died, Karsion had been merely cold, just cold, always cold.

But this hot anger…

“Forget about the Black Dragon.”

“…Really?”

Though he had been trying to persuade him, Evan hadn’t expected much. Every year he had said the same thing, and Karsion had never even pretended to listen.

But what was this unexpected change?

Evan looked at Karsion with a bewildered face. Then, at his lord’s next words, Evan’s brow furrowed as if he had heard something strange.

“Instead, just find me one woman.”