Chapter 5 (Part 2)

Grace grabbed some preserved food from the kitchen and entered the reception room. There, she met eyes with Leonardo, who was already there.  

“Eat up.”

Seeing her, Leonardo gestured to the opposite side with his gaze. Grace looked there and bit her lower lip.  

There was a meal prepared for her.  

But the feeling she got from seeing it was strangely one of betrayal.  

“You’ve prepared a meal again?”

At Grace’s sharp words, Leonardo remained silent, focusing on eating without even raising his head.  

Grace glared at Leonardo, who was concentrating on eating, without answering.  

“Well, since it’s here, I’ll eat it.”

Grace pushed aside the preserved food she had brought and sat down.  

The moment her lower part touched the chair, she felt a sharp pain and flinched involuntarily, but she pulled the chair closer and sat as if nothing was wrong.  

Unaware that Leonardo had seen it all.  

Grace scooped a spoonful of soup and slightly furrowed her brow.  

‘Ah, really! Why is it so delicious!’  

It was annoyingly delicious.  

Moreover, it was filled with the meat she liked, cut into perfect sizes. 

How did he make it so tender in such a short time?  

Grace pouted, holding the spoon in her mouth.  

‘Is he trying to tame me with food or what?’  

If it weren’t for what happened earlier, she would have praised him, asking how he made it and saying it was so delicious.  

But now, she didn’t feel like doing that at all.  

On the other hand, seeing Grace eat the soup, bread, and simple vegetables with a prim face, relief spread across Leonardo’s face.  

“Listen while you eat.”  

At his words, Grace nodded.  

Seeing her continue eating, he went on.  

“Tomorrow, I plan to capture the Pla watching this place. I’ll send it to the Mage Tower.”  

At his words, Grace put down her spoon and looked directly at Leonardo, asking,  

“What if you fail?”  

“I’ll do my best to prevent that… but if it happens, we’ll return.”

Hearing that they would return home, to their respective lives, Grace felt more anxiety than relief.  

Grace spoke with a slightly raised voice.  

“Return like this? Do you think people will believe what happened to us?”

At her words, Leonardo calmly explained in a composed tone.  

“We will return, but we’ll go to the other’s house. So, I’ll go to the Marquis’ house, and you’ll go to the Duke’s house.”  

“…What?”  

Seeing Grace look at him as if he was talking nonsense, Leonardo continued explaining.  

“Even with the potion, the time we can move in our original bodies is short. Besides, staying here won’t yield any more information. It’s just a waste of time.”  

At his words, Grace fell silent.  

She already had little appetite, and hearing his words made what little appetite she had left disappear.  

Leonardo continued to persuade the silent Grace.  

“And we’ll drink the potion twice a day, at set times. Around the end of the workday and the start of the workday should be enough.”  

Grace closed her eyes, trying her best to think rationally.  

As he said, they had found all the clues they could from this place. There was nothing more they could do by staying here.  

Here, there was only a mage who couldn’t use magic and a swordsman who couldn’t wield a sword.  

So instead of blaming each other and being isolated from the world, it would be better to go back and research solutions.  

‘Then, what about our relationship?’  

The thought suddenly popped up, and Grace bit her lip. She had decided not to care about it, yet she was worrying again.  

She knew that if they stayed here, this worry would only grow, not lessen, so she nodded.  

“Alright. Do you have a plan?”  

When Grace agreed, Leonardo stood up and brought a map of the area.  

Pointing to a spot on the wide-open map, he explained.  

“This is the shelter. The spot where the Pla frequently appear is here. We’ll switch bodies an hour after breakfast and slowly head into the forest, pretending to take a walk.”  

“If they’re watching us, they’ll definitely follow.”  

“That’s right. That’s when I plan to capture them.”

Grace reviewed Leonardo’s plan carefully and nodded.  

In fact, there couldn’t be a better plan than this.  

“As you said, Sir, the time we can stay in our original bodies is limited, so it’s best to finish quickly.”  

“Yes. And whether we succeed in capturing it or not, we’ll return to our respective places.”  

At the mention of returning to their respective places, Grace nodded.  

The thought of having to go to the Duke’s residence was certainly burdensome, but she figured as long as she kept her mouth shut, she wouldn’t be discovered.  

“Then… it would be good to share any precautions we need to be aware of.”  

“Let’s do that.”  

Hearing his answer, Grace stood up with her bowl, which was still half full.  

Leonardo looked at her with surprised eyes, and Grace said as if it was nothing.  

“I don’t have much of an appetite. Thank you for the meal.”  

Normally, she would have eaten everything and more, but Grace really had no appetite.  

Watching her head to the kitchen, Leonardo buried his face in his hands. He really felt like such a fool.  

The sound of dishes clattering as if she was washing them was heard, and then Grace went straight into the lodging.  

As her figure disappeared, Leonardo sighed and pulled out the communication device.  

[Yes, Commander.]  

“I plan to capture the Pla tomorrow.”  

[Is there anything I can assist you with?]  

At his words, Leonardo’s gaze naturally turned towards the men’s lodging.  

After a brief silence, he replied.  

“When we return, please take good care of Sir Grace Lowell.”  

[I will do so.]  

Even with the Commander’s sudden and unprecedented request, Caleb answered calmly.  

“Has the healer to be dispatched here been decided?”  

[Yes. It’s Sir Aki Marin of the 4th Knight Order. They are said to be exceptional in purification.]  

“What about the investigation I requested?”  

[There are too many stories about the Golden Day Primrose, so I’m sorting through them. I will inform you once it’s finalized.]  

At his report, Leonardo sighed.  

“I’ll hear it when I return. Then, I’ll end the call now.”  

[Yes, Commander. Please be careful.]  

After staring at the temporarily disconnected communication device for a moment, he leaned back in his chair and looked up.  

Through the window, he could faintly see the twinkling stars. He chuckled softly and covered his eyes with his hand.  

“Well done, Leonardo Fernandez.”  

After telling himself that several times, Leonardo was finally able to calm down.  

After tidying up the surroundings and taking a quick wash, he entered inside to see Grace holding a small piece of paper. She seemed to be waiting for him somehow.  

“Have you finished organizing already?”  

At his words, Grace nodded and stood up, approaching him.  

She handed him a piece of paper with something written on it and gave him a word of caution.  

“My mother is someone who has reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship, so you must be careful.”  

“I will keep that in mind.”  

“And Becky, the maid close to me, is quick-witted, so it’s best to be cautious around her too.”  

Honestly, Grace herself didn’t know how to be cautious.  

She had never experienced a similar situation or had to deceive those around her.  

But Leonardo just nodded.  

Watching him quietly, Grace lay down on the bed.  

‘Will it be okay?’  

She missed the faint warmth left on her fingertips.  

Grace had been tormented by him all afternoon. Even earlier, she had shown signs of discomfort.

‘Can she even wield a sword with that body?’  

The ‘woman’ Grace Lowell is weak, but the ‘knight’ Grace Lowell is not.  

Even though Leonardo knew that better than anyone, he was very worried about the small woman lying over there.  

Forcing himself to shake off his thoughts, he sat at the small desk and took out a piece of paper.  

In any case, he too had to write down precautions for Grace. That way, she could pretend to be him and stay in the suffocating prison-like Ducal residence.  

‘As long as she avoids my sister, she won’t be caught.’  

He planned to tell her that if worst came to worst, she could handle meals and lodging in the lab.  

Since there was a small room he had made for the days he couldn’t enter the house, she could live there without worrying about being noticed.  

He meticulously recorded everything and gazed at Grace’s back, who seemed to be asleep.  

‘I want to hold her.’  

He wanted to sleep with that small body in his arms.  

Leonardo hid the desire he couldn’t voice and continued writing, thinking somehow that the night felt long today.