If it had happened before he left for the Magic Tower, Melissa would certainly have known, and if it happened afterward, she still would have known. The north was where Melissa had lived for the past six years.

Surely she would have known if the future Tower Master had visited.

After pondering briefly, Melissa looked at Edgar. In situations like this, it was better to ask directly than to rack her brain.

“When and where did you see it?”

“After I went to the Magic Tower, at the Magic Tower?”

Edgar answered, tilting his head slightly to one side.

His voice was leisurely, without any trace of anxiety.

‘Really?’

Melissa was about to ask once more but stopped herself.

She shouldn’t reveal too much suspicion toward Edgar. If she did, he might run away before she could properly use him.

Just like he had ignored her outstretched hand asking for help.

“I see. I didn’t know Metus existed at the Magic Tower too.”

Melissa quickly composed her expression as she spoke.

Though she was suspicious because it was Edgar, he might truly have seen Metus at the Magic Tower.

The Magic Tower, true to its closed nature, had extremely limited known information. Especially details about the terrain around the Magic Tower or the monsters inhabiting it were absolutely confidential.

No one knew who might exploit such information.

Originally, a fairly wide barrier surrounded the Magic Tower, making it impossible for non-Tower members to enter.

‘So perhaps outsiders simply haven’t seen it, but Metus could really be there.’

It was easier to think that way.

Melissa cleared her mind of lingering thoughts and asked,

“Can you tell me more details? I’ve never directly encountered Metus either.”

“Of course, Melissa. You know that Metus literally feeds on the fear of living beings, right?”

Melissa nodded.

“Yes. I heard that when facing it, suppressing your fear as much as possible is absolutely fundamental. After that, dealing with it becomes easier.”

“That’s right. That’s what’s known, at least.”

“That sounds like there’s more to it, young duke.”

Lloyd asked with a serious expression.

His face was completely different from when he had engaged in that strange tension with Edgar earlier. Given the serious topic, Edgar also answered with a grave expression.

“Yes. Before I continue, I’m curious about something. Were there any survivors among those who fought Metus six years ago?”

“Not that I know of. They all died instantly.”

“Then it makes sense you wouldn’t know.”

Edgar slightly furrowed his brow as if recalling something from long ago, then continued.

“People generally believe that when fighting Metus, you just need to suppress your fear, but that’s not the end of it. The real reason why Metus is classified as a top-tier monster is something else.”

“……”

“Metus can infiltrate human dreams. More precisely, the unconscious mind.”

“What?”

Lloyd raised his voice, which was rare for him.

But Melissa wasn’t surprised by his reaction. She too was shocked by this unexpected information.

“Tell me more details. How can Metus enter the unconscious?”

“If you’re attacked by Metus and wounded, you essentially open a path to your unconscious. Metus exploits this gap, transforms into what you fear or hate most, and establishes itself there. It can then attack you mentally even without being physically close.”

“But there’s never been a case……”

Melissa stopped herself mid-sentence.

She realized she had asked a foolish question.

Metus had appeared in the Artzen Empire only once, six years ago. Everyone who fought Metus then died on the spot, and after having its fill, Metus leisurely returned to its habitat.

Even if Edgar’s words were true, there would be no survivors to confirm this.

“Is there no way to prevent it from entering the unconscious?”

“Nothing except avoiding Metus’s attacks.”

“Then…… if, as you say, Metus enters the unconscious and transforms into what we fear most, what happens afterward?”

“You die.”

Edgar said in a low voice.

“Humans continuously tormented by Metus don’t live long. Either their bodies weaken, or they give up on life because they can no longer endure Metus.”

“Is there no way to expel Metus from the unconscious?”

“There is. You need to overcome your fear. Or, stop harboring fear altogether. Until Metus judges there’s nothing left to feed on and retreats.”

……What an impossible solution.

Even with minimal thought, one could understand how difficult it would be to overcome one’s greatest fear. Moreover, how could anyone in the world exist without a single fear?

Melissa moved her lips without finding words to say.

And Edgar seemed to notice this.

“Yes, not many people can do that.”

His voice was as dry as winter branches.

Melissa briefly fixed her gaze on Edgar, sensing an inexplicable weariness from him, then looked away. She might have continued staring if Lloyd hadn’t spoken.

“Is it okay to share this information? Won’t the Tower Master take issue with it……”

“It’s fine. This isn’t highly classified. The Tower Master won’t mind at all. I just mentioned it because you need to be more careful in the future. Once wounded by Metus, you can’t escape anymore.”

Melissa exhaled deeply as she listened.

Metus was indeed a frightening monster.

‘I never saw Metus before my regression, so I didn’t know. Even if I had known, I wouldn’t have had the mental capacity to worry about it.’

If she were attacked by Metus and it entered her unconscious, she might face bigger problems before even considering life and death.

Such as ‘precognition.’

‘My fear includes the pain of precognition.’

Metus, once in her unconscious, would certainly notice this.

It would definitely try to exploit this somehow. Perhaps it could maximize the pain or trauma from precognition. So if she began to fear the act of precognition itself……

‘……I might become unable to use it.’

For Melissa Lucid, precognition had always been like a tag following her. Thinking she might suddenly lose this ability gave her a strange feeling.

If she lost her power of foresight and became an ordinary person, would anyone still stay by her side?

‘……Probably not.’

Melissa’s fists clenched involuntarily.

There had never been anyone.

No one who sought just ‘Melissa’ rather than Melissa ‘Lucid.’

‘What am I even living for?’

Just as she thought this, something soft touched her hand.

She knew without looking.

It was the familiar texture of the glove she had held many times before.

“Don’t worry too much, Melissa.”

Edgar gently opened Melissa’s hand with a leisurely touch.

Then he softly caressed her palm, which had turned red from being tightly clenched.

“I told you I’ll always protect you.”

Lies.

When it’s not even sincere.

Melissa’s eyelids fluttered as she pulled her hand away.

“……Stop saying that already. How many times are you going to repeat it? Like someone who has that phrase ingrained in their mouth.”

“Perhaps it really has become ingrained, as you say.”

Edgar smiled faintly.

Looking at his face, Melissa suddenly thought:

Perhaps meeting Metus would be no different from what she had already experienced.

To her, Edgar was no different from that monster.

‘Stop acting like that.’

Like you really care about me.

Like you’ve become a completely different person from my past life.

Like our ending could be different.

‘It’s too painful.’

If she collapsed even in this life, it would be the end.

Melissa wasn’t confident she could rise again. So she wished he would leave her alone as she struggled to endure.

Whether aware of Melissa’s feelings or not, Edgar simply smiled quietly while looking at her.

He turned his head only when someone called out to him.

“Ex-excuse me, mage!”

A man ran toward them from a distance.

He spoke while catching his breath.

“Y-you were here. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

“What’s the matter?”

“There’s a wall we’d like you to reinforce with magic. Do you have time?”

“Please lead the way.”

“Th-this way!”

The man’s face brightened as he moved ahead.

Edgar was about to follow him but paused to say,

“I’ll be right back.”

“……Alright.”

After Melissa answered, Edgar greeted Lloyd and finally turned away.

Melissa kept watching his retreating back.

Her head felt dizzy.

* * *

With Edgar, one of the guide’s subjects, absent, the northern tour naturally paused.

Following Lloyd’s suggestion, Melissa sat on a nearby bench. Sitting naturally beside Lloyd, she suddenly remembered what situation they had been in.

‘Ah, come to think of it, our conversation ended awkwardly.’

Because Edgar suddenly appeared while they were talking.

Recalling how they had started the northern tour, Melissa lowered her head and fidgeted with her hands.

She knew it was best to resolve such issues quickly, but Lloyd’s silence made it difficult to bring up the subject.

If only he would speak first……

“Lady.”

Then, as if on cue, Lloyd opened his mouth.

Just as Melissa had hoped.

The problem was what came next.

“Are you really dating young duke Shortiras?”

He asked with suspicious eyes.

“Ah.”

Melissa let out a small exclamation.

She hadn’t expected Lloyd to get straight to the point.

‘He must have been waiting to ask this all along.’

Quite some time had passed since then. He had been patient for a long while.

This behavior was typical of Lloyd Helia Artzen.

Melissa cleared her throat, which had become dry from all the explaining, and immediately spoke. It was a question that required no deliberation.