Arne blinked slowly while looking into Cedric’s red eyes, the same as Vivian’s.

‘How can I make you trust me?’

Holding only Cedric’s hand that had been gripping her neck all this time, Arne slowly reached out and wrapped her hands around Cedric’s neck, whispering.

At that moment, Cedric’s body stiffened. His icy pupils trembled as he stared at Arne. The thick knuckles that were tightening around her neck loosened.

“Cedric, I’m here because of a mana surge. You must know I’m a grand mage. The first time we… met, you recognized my face.”

Nobles of high rank are taught to remember faces as well as the genealogies and portraits of other nobles, including the interests, power, influence, or weaknesses that must be remembered.

Even I, who was adopted as a foster daughter, knew this, so Cedric of the empire’s only Grand Ducal family would not be unaware that I am a grand mage.

‘You must have heard rumors about me too. I don’t know how accurately though.’

Arne swallowed her bitterness and squeezed out a hoarse voice from her scratchy throat.

“I have very unstable mana, so mana surges happen often, and when they do, I don’t know what will happen. When mana explodes, I lose consciousness and often teleport to remote places, like now.”

Except for the last sentence, it was true. Perhaps the most suitable excuse to convince you.

“Cedric… My Lord, I’ve really caused you a great offense. But a mana surge is an accident I can’t consciously control. It wasn’t done with bad intentions. I’m half-conscious… to the point I can’t even remember dates properly.”

Arne hurriedly corrected herself as she was about to call him ‘Cedric’ out of habit. The feeling was strange.

‘It’s ‘Lord Cedric’ now.’

Arne met Cedric’s trembling eyes with a faint smile, waiting for his thoughts to settle while endlessly staring at his red eyes like Vivian’s.

‘Perhaps by now you’re examining the truth in my words and feeling a bit guilty. Destroying a mana core is akin to murder, it’s too harsh for a young lady who just made a mistake. Because that’s the kind of person you are.’

When many lords were busy dismissing knights to save costs after the war ended, he did not dismiss a knight crippled from war but promised lifelong rehabilitation and pension.

That’s why he had many followers. He promised protection and responsibility to his people to the end and was more lenient towards those who lost their usefulness, were injured, or sick.

‘If it’s because of him. Whether it’s the result of their loyalty or his own mistake.’

Cedric’s gaze lingered on Arne’s chest where a faint purple hue surrounded the mana core. It was a persuasive argument. Noticing his disturbance, Arne continued.

“Cedric… My Lord, you would know since you have a core too, but it’s not easy to create one. Usually, it can only be made after years of training or when you’re growing old. Or unless they’re a blessed child who inherited special talents from one of the four founding families, like you.”

But among ordinary people, there were those who created cores at a young age.

Those who paid a price surpassing long time and effort, talent, and even divine blessing, created cores with their life force. Thus, for them, the core was life itself, like Arne’s mana core.

The painful truth flowed from Arne’s mouth, whom he previously thought was lying.

“I may be called a princess of Ronia, but I’m not of Ronia’s bloodline. You probably already know that. So, my core was made in exchange for life force. If Lord Cedric breaks it further, I’ll become a charming corpse. Could you please show generous mercy?”

Despite her hoarse voice, her gaze shone with strength and vitality. The chilling aura that made countless people lower their heads in fear when they were young, she faced Cedric’s gaze calmly.

There was no fear visible in her, despite being threatened with her life, nor was she so craven as to tarnish the dignity of a lady, but there was a polite humility that seemed to beg for mercy.

It was too elegant a request and threat for someone supposedly uneducated and prone to wickedness.

‘…She’s different from the rumors. Besides, if I don’t want to deal with a corpse, should we settle the situation here appropriately. Or maybe it’s a request for cooperation. The lady’s words are true. It would be troublesome if she were to die.’

To think she would negotiate with Cedric of Renigrad, her courage is admirable. Enough to pique the interest of a knight.

‘But, my lady.’

Cedric, with a gracefully lifted corner of his mouth, pressed down even harder on Arne’s lower abdomen, making sure she couldn’t move an inch without any gaps.

“I have a mage friend who has seen a mana surge firsthand. When a mana surge occurs, it’s hard to maintain consciousness, not to mention the organs get severely damaged and one can hardly move. Crucial patterns formed by mana appear around the core. But you, lady…”

Cedric grazed over Arne’s core as if scraping it out.

“There are no patterns. And you don’t seem to be struggling much either.”

Arne let out a hollow laugh. It was just so typical of you. It would be disappointing if you would easily accept such flimsy excuses considering the reputation you’ve swept across battlefields.

“Lord Cedric, my mana core is located above my chest, so the patterns would appear below my chest. Are you saying you want to check there?”

“……”

Perhaps because he couldn’t ask a lady to undress, Cedric’s lips sealed shut. Arne didn’t miss this opportunity.

“That’s quite rude. If I were to undress in front of you, Cedric, my honor as a princess would be irreparably damaged. Do you really not believe me?”

“To me, you are not a lady but an assassin.”

His icy eyes seemed to contain the blizzards of the north. He was a man called a living war demon who wouldn’t stop even if he was soaked in blood until he cut off the breath of a demon.

‘A man who could be endlessly cruel to his enemies.’

As Arne looked at him motionless again, she spoke.

“What will you do if it turns out my words are true?”

“If you are truly an innocent lady, I will heal the mana core I’ve damaged. I’ll ensure your safety until you’re fully recovered. If you wish to keep today’s events quiet, that too. Whatever the lady wishes, as long as it’s within my power, I will protect your honor.”

“How can I trust you?”

“I stake the honor of Renigrad. Renigrad does not push the innocent to death and turn a blind eye.”

“……You must keep that promise.”

Arne’s burning red eyes ensnared Cedric’s red eyes. Looking straight at Cedric, she slowly pulled one side of the black ribbon. As the cloth brushed past, the fabric covering her chest slid down smoothly.

“……”

Cedric couldn’t take his eyes off it. The patterns that supposedly appear temporarily after a mana surge weren’t just one or two. The patterns spreading below her chest were too numerous to count.

He had heard that those who suffer chronic mana surges have patterns that remain even in normal times. But he had never seen it directly. Such people did not live long.

Yet, as Arne looked up at him with calm eyes, Cedric felt an indescribable emotion stir within him.

“…You were too calm for me to notice.”

“I’m used to it. The mana surges, and.”

Arne’s red eyes blinked wearily and indifferently.

“Being doubted too.”

“……”

Cedric’s pupils shook. Her eyes were similar to those he faced from countless assassins coming for him—tired to the point of disgust and eventually becoming numb.

“I originally have red hair and red eyes. After repeated mana surges, my red hair turned white, and now it’s silver. You could easily verify this if you looked into it a bit, Lord Cedric. Maybe you already know.”

“It sounds familiar.”

Cedric’s gaze followed the silver hair to the mana core and then to the spreading patterns.

Assassination in such a state would be difficult. Hadn’t she been easily subdued by him just now? If she had truly intended to assassinate him, she would have used magic for assassination before he could break her core. That would have been her only chance in such a condition.

“Lord Cedric.”

Arne blinked slowly. Her gaze gently touched Cedric’s thick knuckles.

“You’ve been looking for too long.”

Finally coming to his senses, Cedric hurriedly covered her up. Realizing he had been staring too intently at the patterns, heat coursed through his entire body.

“I’ll do it.”

“……Do that.”

Cedric finally released his hand that was pressing on her core. Then, Arne’s purple mana quickly leaked out through the cracks that had formed.

As the color of the purple mana core turned transparent, Arne’s face also turned pale.

Suddenly, as mana leaked out, it became unstable. Light began to emanate from the pattern that had formed below Arne’s chest. This time, it was truly a mana surge.

“Ah….”

The trembling that started from her fingertips spread throughout her body. Red blood flowed from the corner of Arne’s mouth, which she had clamped shut. Cedric’s pupils slowly dilated.

The moment Cedric reached out his hand, Arne’s eyes gently closed. Cedric’s voice echoed as her consciousness submerged.

“Lady Ronia!”

* * *