Hello, Readers! I am celebrating my birthday with extra chapter updates, so please enjoy this special chapter release of 4 bonus chapters! 🥳

(Lurelia’s Birthday Bonus – Update 2/4 🎉)

♡ To all readers who purchased these chapters before my Birthday: I can’t express this enough – Thank you for your support. (*ˊᗜˋ*)/ᵗᑋᵃᐢᵏ ᵞᵒᵘ*

All along the forest path, silence enveloped us.

Usually, he would be chattering endlessly about “darling this” and “darling that,” and how amazing he was, but now he was as quiet as if he’d eaten honey, making me nervous about his mood.

I kept glancing at the Guildmaster’s face.

Maybe it was because I came alone to what could be a dangerous place. Or perhaps he was displeased that I touched his face.

If not that, then maybe he wasn’t happy about saving Lambert.

There were too many things weighing on my mind today. That’s why I couldn’t act shameless or confident as usual.

But as time passed, I couldn’t bear the uncomfortable atmosphere.

I finally apologized to him.

“…I’m sorry.”

“Pardon? Why are you apologizing suddenly?”

“Because you’re angry because of me.”

“Me?”

“Yes…. Maybe I should have left Sir Lambert alone. Whether he ends up unable to walk, or something happens to his head… I should have watched his misfortune.”

Though I said this to appease the Guildmaster, truthfully, even if I could turn back time, I would still have guided Lambert.

Even if her parents who sold Yerena to the Center were in danger, I would have helped them too.

What could I do about my inability to be cruel?

Unless I was reborn, there wasn’t much chance of my nature changing.

“Darling, your nose will grow very long if you lie.”

“You noticed it was a lie?”

“Yes.”

“You’re too quick to notice, I can’t say anything.”

“But you’re saying plenty right now.”

“Haha….”

This man is definitely angry.

Otherwise, there would be no reason to pick at my words like this.

“I’m not angry.”

This man seems particularly good at reading my mind today.

I cleared my throat with an “ahem.”

“I was quiet because I was thinking, not because I was angry.”

“Thinking?”

“Yes. Thinking that despite everything, I still like you.”

“W-why are you suddenly confessing!”

This man seemed to be falling for me more and more.

But the Guildmaster poured cold water on my thoughts.

“There’s an Imperial saying: ‘Listen to people’s words until the end.'”

“It wasn’t a confession?”

“No.”

Too cold!

“I meant I like how you can’t ignore those in crisis even when you clearly know there are risks.”

“….”

“Not a confession of love.”

“…You should have said that from the start then.”

“Why? Did you want me to love you?”

“I can’t say I didn’t.”

Having abandoned Yerena’s life, I was now dreaming of love.

Though I hadn’t imagined becoming lovers with the Guildmaster, it didn’t seem like a bad idea.

The Guildmaster was wealthy after all. Hehe.

Having thrown out the bait about wanting to be loved, I expected a fitting response. However, the answer that came was ambiguous.

“Hmm.”

“Hmm?”

“I’ll take note of that for now.”

“Is what I said homework?”

At my questioning tone, the Guildmaster finally burst out laughing. He avoided answering while giggling.

Oh well, here I am imagining becoming lovers with the Guildmaster again.

It seemed more likely to become lovers with Duncan than with the Guildmaster.

“You see, I once abandoned someone in crisis and ran away.”

This was the first time hearing about the Guildmaster’s past.

Though he spoke with a voice full of laughter, as if it was nothing, the bitterness in his words couldn’t be hidden.

“Well… if you’re scared, you can run away. It’s your life! You should be your own priority above anyone else!”

“Yes, that’s right. That’s why I was impressed that you made a different choice from me.”

‘Could that impression not lead to romantic interest?’

Despite having just given up on becoming lovers with the Guildmaster, I was once again hoping for his affection.

Is it okay for my heart to be this fickle?

But what could I do when I liked the Guildmaster this much?

I spoke what my heart dictated.

“The person in crisis, was it a woman?”

I asked hoping it wasn’t a woman.

But truthfully, from the Guildmaster who had vaguely confessed his past, I could sense a peculiar air of love.

He looked exactly like someone who had done something regrettable to a lover.

Sure enough, my intuition hit the mark.

“Yes, it was a woman.”

Ah, with this, the possibility of things working out romantically between the Guildmaster and me probably dropped to near zero.

There was nothing harder than making a man fall in love when he couldn’t forget his past lover.

The Guildmaster clearly couldn’t forget her, even while regretting running away from her.

If he had forgotten, he wouldn’t have confessed these remorseful words to me.

‘…Ah. Is this why the Guildmaster didn’t love the female lead in the original story?’

Of course, since the Guildmaster’s story wasn’t detailed in the original work, this couldn’t be confirmed.

“I shouldn’t have brought this up.”

“Why not! You can tell me more.”

“Hmm. I wonder when Mountain Path will return. I hope he guided well? I’m a bit worried since I don’t have Tamer abilities.”

The Guildmaster changed the subject regardless of my words.

I didn’t ask any more about his past. Everyone has at least one past they don’t want to talk about.

Maybe someday, he’ll tell me again on another whim like today.

“That’s true. I wonder if Lady Olivia arrived safely.”

“….”

“But wasn’t Lady Olivia really beautiful? I think she was even more beautiful than Lady Rosie, who’s considered one of the Empire’s greatest beauties.”

“Was she?”

“Don’t you feel anything when you see beautiful women?”

“I suppose my tastes are unusual. I don’t particularly think either Lady Olivia or Lady Rosie are beautiful.”

Could it be that his standards for beauty are incredibly high because his past lover was too beautiful?

Just as I was about to ask what he thought of my face, we heard Mountain Path’s chirping.

He swooped down through the wind and perched on the Guildmaster’s arm.

There was a small note tied to Mountain Path’s ankle. We untied it and read it together.

「Thanks to you, I arrived safely at Chelsea Center. Thank you.」

It was a message from Olivia.

“Good job, Mountain Path.”

Mountain Path tilted his head a few times before flying off somewhere.

‘So Olivia has arrived at the Center…’

Olivia’s entry into the Center was evidence that the time when Yerena would be torn apart and killed by the spider monster was approaching.

Probably when she finishes her matching rate test at the Center and officially deploys, the spider monster will appear. That’s how I remembered it.

I decided not to risk danger like today until that day passed.

Even if I witness injustice, I’ll look away for now. Nothing is more important than my life.

How hard have I worked until now to preserve my life!

I couldn’t let those efforts go to waste.

As I thought about it, even staying in the log cabin started to feel uneasy.

Since I didn’t know which area the spider monster would appear in, staying in Pandora Forest itself seemed dangerous.

“Honey. Could I stay at my office for a while?”

“I don’t mind. It’s your property anyway.”

“Then shall we head to the capital instead of my residence?”

“Let’s do that.”

And so we headed to the capital.

***

“Haah…”

Evans kept catching his breath. Thinking about how tiring it was to act as Duncan’s parrot was an added burden.

‘Should I have delivered the note later?’

But he couldn’t. After guiding her to Chelsea Center, Olivia tied the note to his leg and waited for him to fly away.

Her gaze was so intense that he couldn’t resist.

Evans could easily find Duncan and Yerena who had parted ways in the forest.

When transformed into an animal, his senses became keen, making it easy to detect others’ presence.

The fortunate thing was that even if he briefly left his post, there was someone who could secretly escort Olivia to Duncan’s study.

Having received reports that Olivia would arrive today, he had ordered a trustworthy Center employee to handle related matters.

Of course, he hadn’t expected her to get lost and wander in Pandora Forest.

After returning to the Center, changing back to human form, and hurriedly getting dressed, Evans rushed to Duncan’s study.

He had to welcome Olivia until Duncan returned.

‘When will that guy come back?’

Duncan, who had given him the ridiculous name ‘Mountain Path,’ seemed particularly annoying today.

Next time they meet, maybe he should call him ‘Dungil.’ Really now.