Spica firmly resolved in her heart that it was only ‘for a while.’

When she let out a heavy sigh, Alkaid asked.

“Is there anything I can help with?”

Spica tried to smile. But it didn’t work as she wanted. She had a premonition that tears would pour out if anyone just touched her.

Her face reflected in the well-polished silver helmet.

“……I want to cry, so please lend me your helmet.”

Actually, it was half a joke. He must have some reason for wearing a helmet around.

But Alkaid didn’t refuse. He suddenly took off his helmet and held it out.

“Here you go.”

“……?”

The bewildered Spica looked back and forth between Alkaid and his hand.

“……Do you normally carry spare helmets around?”

Alkaid was still wearing his helmet. The helmet he held was a new one that had suddenly appeared from somewhere.

Where on earth did this big thing come from?

She was so dumbfounded that she couldn’t accept it or push it away, so he asked again.

“Won’t you wear it?”

“I’ll, I’ll wear it!”

If she didn’t put it on quickly, it seemed like it would disappear with a poof just like when he took it out.

Spica hurriedly put the helmet on. Then she thought slightly…… why am I doing this…… It felt like her soul was leaving her body, disconnected from reality.

Looking around while wearing the helmet, it felt like being trapped in a small prison of her own.

‘A prison.’

Spica, who suddenly had a thought, made a sound like muttering without Alkaid noticing.

“Wooooong.”

Oh, it really echoes like a cave.

Alkaid’s low and resonant voice seemed to be influenced by the helmet too.

Beside Spica who was nodding, Alkaid’s shoulders were trembling slightly. She noticed him and asked suspiciously.

“Commander, are you laughing?”

“……No.”

“It seems like you are laughing though?”

“What about you? Dame Atrain, you said you wanted to cry?”

Alkaid immediately counterattacked.

Spica shut her mouth tight. The tears had gone right back in the moment Alkaid pulled out the helmet with a poof.

But if she honestly said she couldn’t cry now that he had set the stage, she felt like she’d have to return the helmet right away.

‘I don’t really want that.’

Spica had already come to feel stability in her ‘small personal prison.’

Then Alkaid provoked her again.

“It seems the tears won’t come.”

“Hueng. Wooeng.”

Spica quickly made crying sounds.

“……Kuk.”

Alkaid’s body began trembling again.

What, he really is laughing.

Spica pouted and looked straight ahead. The bartender still hadn’t returned, as if he had suddenly thrown down his apron and quit.

Thanks to that, the reflection of the two people was clearly visible in the mirror wall behind the rows of liquor bottles.

‘Looking at it this way, we look like a couple wearing similar masks.’

If that were really the case, it would be quite a bizarre couple item.

She was thinking blankly like that when Alkaid patted her back. He seemed to think Spica, who had become quiet, was really crying.

“Don’t suffer too much. From what I hear, he doesn’t seem like a proper person, so he’ll probably be fired from the courthouse before long.”

“Come on…… would he really get fired just for causing a little disturbance?”

Spica smiled bitterly.

Though Lepus was taking steps to become a judge at the courthouse, like anywhere else, personal matters aren’t that important as long as you do your work properly.

The people there seemed to know that Lepus was cheating. Just seeing how the guards were surprised when they saw her visiting after a long time, going ‘Eek, Miss Atrain?’ showed that.

“Well. My intuition somehow says it will happen.”

Alkaid’s voice momentarily turned cynical, but Spica didn’t notice. She was thinking about where she should spend tonight.

‘If I go home now, I’ll definitely run into Lepus.’

Even after hearing him say they should break up and even worse verbal abuse, she didn’t have the slightest desire to try to work things out with him.

Though she was shocked, she was just glad to find out before marriage. Mom and Dad didn’t raise me preciously so I could live watching my husband cheat.

She just felt like if she saw Lepus, she’d want to smash his long, pretty nose once more.

But her conscience as a knight bothered her, and she felt like she’d get sued if she hit him once more…… in many ways, it was better not to run into him.

‘I’ll stay here for a while and pack my things tomorrow.’

The bar the two had visited was run by a hotel.

Spica gauged her bank balance. It would be somewhat burdensome, but it seemed like it would be fine if she found a house as quickly as possible.

‘Even if it’s a hotel, I don’t have to stay in a nice room like when going on family trips. I’ll receive my salary soon too.’

She didn’t know how fortunate it was to have income.

Come to think of it…… she had joined the knight order because of Lepus too.

It was when she was living in seclusion after Father passed away. When a senior’s proposal to write a recommendation letter for joining came in, Lepus had strongly urged her to apply.

‘I thought I was grateful then, but maybe he was preparing to kick me out from that time?’

Indignation welled up and her hand holding the glass trembled.

Then Alkaid spoke.

“How about staying here until you find a house? Since it’s a hotel run by my family, you can stay comfortably.”

It was a proposal that seemed to read Spica’s thoughts. Perhaps thinking she would refuse this time too, he added before she could respond.

“I cannot tolerate my adjutant sleeping on the streets. You must think about your dignity as a knight too.”

“That is true, but……”

She was going to sleep here anyway. She was about to say that, but Alkaid was faster.

“I’m saying this because you’d probably find it more burdensome if I lent you my building.”

She absolutely couldn’t accept that.

After thinking for a bit, Spica decided to accept Alkaid’s kindness. The Winterhold ducal family was both the leader of the north and a famous wealthy family.

‘I might as well benefit from having a rich superior this time.’

She should think of it as good fortune that followed bad events. She also felt sorry for constantly refusing his kindness.

Spica said “Thank you.” and smiled.

“I’ll find a house quickly and move out.”

“It’s fine even if you stay for about a year.”

What a joke. Spica laughed and rolled her eyes, but her face was also hidden behind the visor so it wasn’t be visible.

“Since I’ve received kindness in many ways, I’ll definitely repay you. Since you’d refuse money, I’ll do it with something else.”

Only then seeming interested, Alkaid looked straight at Spica.

“Not money, but with what?”

“I’ll help you whenever you need help.”

“Any kind of help?”

“Yes, anything.”

The refreshing answer made Alkaid’s temples throb.

Anything? Did she know how dangerous those words were? Just himself alone……

Alkaid habitually swallowed the various words rising from within and gave a firm warning.

“You must not make such promises anywhere else. Do you understand?”

“It’s fine with you right, Commander? Since I already promised, I can’t back out.”

“……Only to me.”

He had no intention of telling her to take it back. Yet Alkaid’s voice had definitely become softer than before.

He stood up from his seat and said.

“It’s late. Let’s go up now.”

These words made Spica’s alcohol buzz, which had been gradually wearing off, disappear in one shot.

Could it be that he made her drink and was planning to do this and that? Did he have ulterior motives toward her? Then all the things he was going to do……?

Countless thoughts came up in disarray, and Spica froze for a moment, unable to react at all.

Whether he knew this or not, Alkaid casually snapped his fingers. Then a staff member who hadn’t shown even a trace until now appeared quietly from the shadows.

Spica belatedly noticed the presence and was so startled she almost fell off her chair. Alkaid naturally caught her and handed her over to the staff member.

“Please escort the young lady to her room.”

“Yes.”

“Then…… what about you, Commander?”

Spica herself was dumbfounded by the question that popped out without her knowing. Didn’t it seem like she was asking him to come along?

She frantically waved her hands.

“I, I don’t mean anything strange.”

“What do you mean by strange?”

Alkaid, who chuckled, gave his farewell.

“I have things to handle. Then rest well and let’s meet tomorrow.”

He left without further delay.

Spica also went up to the guest room following the employee in an embarrassed state.

‘I should stop drinking alcohol now. I should stop reading romance novels about one-night stands too.’

Setting aside that Alkaid was Spica’s superior, he was the person who saved her from almost being hit by a carriage.

To think of such a person as a scoundrel who would deliberately make her drink and do bad things.

Spica suffered as soon as she was left alone in the room, holding her head.

“Even though it was just for a moment…… huh?”

But somehow, the sensation touching her palm felt strange.

Looking in the mirror, she was still wearing the borrowed helmet.

“This can’t be. Even if humans are animals of adaptation, is it okay to get used to prison this quickly?”

Was Alkaid still in the hotel? Spica hurriedly took off the helmet and went down to the lobby.

“How should I find him? Should I call a staff member and ask?”

Spica looked around this way and that while tightly hugging the helmet.

Then someone’s back came into her view.

“……Commander?”

Alkaid was talking with someone who appeared to be the manager.