Benjamin was still certain that Yerena was alive.

There wasn’t even a shred of doubt.

His excellent intuition, befitting his S-class ability, assured him of her survival.

Benjamin, who had momentarily paused, started moving again.

Instead of chasing after the carriage that had disappeared from view, he entered the cathedral.

The cathedral was still in an uproar.

Yerena’s parents, demanding compensation for her death, were entangled with the Center staff trying to stop them.

Benjamin approached Yerena’s parents, who both resembled and didn’t resemble her.

“Our daughter, what if she goes to hell after dying unjustly!”

“Center staff! Please compensate us for our daughter’s death!”

Eventually, he walked up to the altar and quietly looked down at the coffin.

A few chrysanthemums were placed on Yerena’s fake corpse, covered with a white cloth.

Benjamin took a chrysanthemum from a nearby Center staff member.

His movement was so graceful and dignified that the staff member who lost the flower couldn’t say a word.

Even Yerena’s parents were captivated by Benjamin, momentarily pausing their protest.

Benjamin placed the flower next to Yerena’s face.

“How pitiful.”

One word was enough for the tribute.

Yerena’s mother, who had been quietly observing, addressed Benjamin.

“Wh-who are you?”

Yerena’s mother was intimidated by the intense aura Benjamin exuded.

But even so, she immediately grasped the luxuriousness of his uniform, his handsome face proving he was from a powerful family and his innate dignity.

If this nobleman who sympathized with Yerena’s death could help them get compensation for their child?

Her eyes filled with greed.

Benjamin met Yerena’s mother’s gaze and gave a thoughtful smile.

“I am the captain of the knight order to which Guide Yerena belonged.”

“…Kn-Kn-Knight Captain…!”

Although Yerena’s parents were ignorant of Center affairs, they knew which knight order Yerena belonged to.

It was their only bragging point in the gambling dens where people with hard lives gathered.

For a while, they went around boasting, “Our daughter is a guide in the Alan Knight Order, the most famous knight order in Chelsea Center!”

Of course, not many people believed those words.

Anyway, coming back to the point, Yerena’s parents also knew who the captain of the Alan Knight Order was.

The heir to the Vicente Duchy, whom even the Emperor couldn’t control, was the strongest man in the Empire.

“Are-are you, Lord Benjamin?”

Benjamin nodded just once.

“If it’s not too presumptuous, I’d like to invite you to our duchy to talk. What do you think?”

Yerena’s parents had no reason to refuse.

They agreed almost shouting, before Benjamin could change his mind.

“Yes, yes! Thank you!”

“Then, I’ll escort you.”

As Benjamin led the way, he could hear the sound of these pitiful people following behind.

‘This could make things interesting.’

His life, which had been unbearably dull, felt a little more exciting.

***

“You can come out now.”

At Duncan’s words, I stretched my body that had been curled up in a dark, narrow space, and crawled out.

What I faced then were the eyes of Duncan and Evans.

I was greatly relieved not to see Benjamin’s eyes.

“I thought we were in big trouble.”

As the tension eased, I couldn’t move for a moment.

I slumped down on the carriage floor and let out a sigh heavy with worry.

If I hadn’t done as Duncan had whispered, I would have inevitably faced Benjamin.

Before boarding the carriage, Duncan had whispered to me like this:

“My assistant is in the carriage. Give him the robe you’re wearing, and hide under the carriage seat.”

I was so confused then that I followed Duncan’s instructions without questioning anything.

Evans also helped me hide under the seat without asking anything.

There was a space under the carriage seat where a small adult woman could hide.

I curled up in there and quietly eavesdropped on the conversation between Duncan and Benjamin.

Throughout the listening, I worried about being discovered and whether Duncan and Evans would get in trouble because of me.

I couldn’t even breathe properly, just trembling like an orphaned baby animal.

Fortunately, Duncan managed to send Benjamin away.

But I couldn’t be completely at ease.

Although he withdrew obediently for now, it didn’t seem like he would let Duncan have his way.

Moreover, since he had lost the war of words with Duncan…

I could tell how flustered Benjamin, who had never experienced defeat in his life, must have been, even without seeing his face.

To think that the great Benjamin was driven out of a carriage!

It must be a situation that money can’t buy.

But I wonder if the flustered Benjamin knows. That I, too, was surprised by his actions.

I wondered why he came to my funeral, interrupting his mourning for Diana on her death anniversary, and why he tried to confirm my existence even to the point of arguing with Duncan.

If by any chance Benjamin finds out that I’m alive…

‘What would happen next? I’m no longer a Center-affiliated guide, so I don’t need to follow Benjamin’s words.’

What did Benjamin want to do after confirming my survival?

Did he want to take revenge for the fact that I had deceived and misled him?

Revenge and Benjamin. It was a combination that didn’t fit at all.

I couldn’t really imagine Benjamin taking revenge on someone.

…But I could be the first target.

My body trembled at the thought of his cold gaze, devoid of any affection, being directed at me.

I was genuinely scared.

I felt I could die horribly at Benjamin’s hands, not from a spider monster.

At that moment, I felt someone’s jacket draped over my shoulders. I looked up at the owner of the jacket.

“This is the third coat.”

Duncan, who covers me with a coat whenever I feel scared or cold.

How do you understand me so well, sharing warmth at the right moment?

I didn’t dislike the warmth permeating from his jacket, so I pulled it closer around me.

Perhaps because it was filled with his warmth, I had the illusion of being embraced by him.

I felt my gaze towards him might have become somewhat intense.

For just this moment, I briefly wished I could really be held by him.

I expressed my gratitude before it was too late.

“Thank you, Duncan. I’ve kept the coat you gave me last time safely at the Center and in the log cabin. I’ll return it to you later.”

“It’s alright. It’s not like I’ll be in big trouble without a few coats.”

“….”

“More importantly, I’m worried about Guide Yerena.”

For some reason, at that moment, I was reminded of the calculating Guildmaster.

The Guildmaster was a harsh person who tried to charge me even for cutting and dyeing my hair.

‘Wow, they’re both masters of an organization, but can they be this different?’

I vowed to become a leader like Duncan. I should be kind, thoughtful, and warm to others.

But to those who harm me, I should treat them like the Guildmaster. Without mercy, coldly!

“Why that expression? Was my kindness unpleasant?”

My face must have scrunched up as I recalled the calculating Guildmaster. I slowly shook my head.

“No. I just suddenly remembered someone I know.”

“Ah.”

“That person tries to calculate even small things, demanding payment for cutting my hair even though they offered first… They should be more generous like you, Duncan.”

But I had the ambivalent thought that perhaps it was because of living that way that they were able to grow the guild.

“So do you dislike that person?”

“…No. I don’t dislike them.”

I was surprised by my positive answer which flowed out without much thought.

I didn’t dislike the Guildmaster who had treated me harshly.

It seemed I had already grown fond of that man who had never shown his face or told me about his circumstances.

I suddenly recalled the Guildmaster’s red lips, shiny with grease, from the day we ate french fries together.

Just judging by the lips, their beauty might be no joke. Surely it’s not just the lips that are pretty.

“Then do you like that person?”

The follow-up question, thrown suddenly as if probing for a weak spot, was startling.

I looked up sharply at Duncan, but despite my puzzled gaze, Duncan’s face remained as calm as a still water surface.

I couldn’t read any emotion from him.