In the borderlands, there was a custom of not giving horses to first-timers due to the rough forest terrain, so Lydia and Robert, being newcomers, had to rely on others.

Since Randel was also part of today’s inspection team, there was no need for Lydia to dismount from Randel’s horse and ride another, and no one felt such a need.

Except for Arsen, who was barely, just barely, maintaining his center amid the whirlwind of jealousy.

Anyway, as the mine inspection concluded and Lydia had to choose a horse to ride back on,

‘Ah, this is awkwardly uncomfortable! My body’s all twisted up!’

Kedrick, having read the subtle atmosphere between Arsen and Randel, silently screamed,

“……”

“……”

Randel and Arsen deliberately avoided looking at each other while stroking their horses’ necks.

However, the person who actually had to make the choice was too preoccupied with the mine to read the atmosphere.

In truth, even if that hadn’t been the case, Lydia would likely not have noticed.

Lydia wasn’t good at picking up on these subtle dynamics.

That’s why in the past, she only realized and regretted after Richard and Giselle were practically openly having an affair.

There was no way such a Lydia would notice two expressionless men avoiding each other’s gaze in a power struggle.

So Lydia didn’t particularly deliberate or choose.

She simply, out of habit, chose the horse she always rode.

“I can mount by myself.”

Lydia primly told Arsen, who was bending his knee to offer his thigh as a step.

“I know. I just want to help you.”

“Well, if that’s how you feel.”

Lydia stepped lightly on Arsen’s thigh and mounted the horse.

After confirming Lydia was properly seated, Arsen smiled faintly, then his eyes met directly with Randel’s.

Randel nonchalantly avoided Arsen’s gaze and swiftly mounted his horse.

Then he quietly waited for Arsen to give the departure order.

Arsen tightly closed his eyes at his own pettiness, then opened them.

He had lost count of how many times he’d done this.

Is this normal? Does liking someone make a person petty and mean? Shouldn’t there be peace in one’s heart, even if the world doesn’t turn pink or bells don’t ring as in fantasies?

Rather than becoming so affected by such small things,

“……Ah.”

Arsen, mounting behind Lydia, suddenly realized what he had just admitted.

That he had come to like someone.

There was no need to explain who it was; the answer was already clear.

* * *

On a night when sleep simply wouldn’t come.

Arsen swung his sword in the moonlight, unable to handle the confusion that had hit him like a storm.

From the moment he fled the capital to the Edis mansion, the sword and training had been the only answers given to him.

If you’re strong, you can protect. If you’re strong, you can win. If you’re strong, if you become strong, you must become strong……

And so he became strong. Fighting demonic beasts and sometimes people, he entered the path of the strong.

But what about this problem? How should he handle a problem that can’t be solved by fighting?

“Commander.”

Arsen lowered his sword at the voice calling him.

Randel, dressed comfortably, was approaching with a wooden practice sword.

“Can’t sleep either, Commander? How about a sparring match with me?”

“Not a bad idea.”

There was no reason to avoid it. Arsen waited briefly for Randel to warm up before clashing swords.

Only the sound of their breathing and swords colliding echoed through the training ground.

When sweat was pouring like rain and breath was reaching the limit, Randel’s wooden sword finally broke.

“Haah.”

Looking at the broken sword, Randel sat down heavily on the ground with a relieved expression, practically lying down.

“Please let me take charge of the mine development. I’ll do it.”

“…Why?”

“Just…… I think it’s time for me to let go.”

For some reason, he was smiling.

Taking on the duties related to the development of the mine meant he would mostly stay near the mine and rarely visit the mansion.

That meant he would hardly ever see Lydia.

“If that’s what you want.”

Arsen couldn’t say anything else.

And so he thought he had removed a competitor from Lydia’s side.

* * *

“Next patient, please come in. Oh my, you’re badly injured.”

Though there were no worshippers at the temple, it was always full of people. Thanks to Wellington.

Wellington, now properly focused on his duties as a physician, set aside specific times to provide free medical care to nearby residents.

Byron had to attend to the constant stream of people who came without even time to pray, yet he never lost his warm and friendly demeanor.

Thanks to his attitude, some people occasionally stayed to pray before leaving, so it wasn’t entirely without benefit.

“High Priest, I’ll be heading to the mansion for a bit.”

“Take care, Priestess Lydia.”

Lydia headed to the library at the Edis mansion at Wellington’s request.

Originally, she had arranged for Wellington to stay at the temple so he could help with temple duties when he wasn’t busy, but somehow Wellington had become the busiest person at the temple.

What could she do? As a priestess without a single worshipper, she had no choice but to run errands.

“Priestess Lydia, what brings you here today?”

Kedrick, whom she met by chance, waved and approached Lydia.

Lydia showed him the list of books Wellington had asked her to borrow and explained she was heading to the library.

“All medical books? The Edis mansion has quite a collection of medical texts, so look around carefully. Ah, would you like me to help you search?”

Kedrick asked while escorting Lydia to the library.

“No need. I can manage this much on my own. But why do they have so many medical books? Was someone from the Edis family a physician?”

“The borderlands have always lacked physicians. We thought we should try treating minor illnesses ourselves, and naturally, the book collection grew. Now with Wellington here, we feel so much more at ease.”

Having arrived at the library, Kedrick opened the door with an exaggerated gesture as if he was opening ballroom doors.

Lydia burst into laughter at his antics.

If nothing else, no one in the borderlands could match Kedrick’s sense of humor.

“Well then, enjoy your time.”

Thud— the door closed.

The library was quite spacious, but the books were even more numerous. Those that couldn’t fit on the shelves were piled on the floor, so Lydia carefully watched her step as she searched.

Sitting, standing, rising on tiptoes, diligently reading the spines of books, Lydia suddenly stopped as if entranced in front of one particular book.

“This is……”

Lydia pulled out the book and opened it. Standing in the dusty library without even a chair, Lydia became absorbed in the book.

She was so focused that she didn’t even hear Arsen enter.

Informed by Kedrick that Lydia was in the library, Arsen had come to help her find books.

No, that was just an excuse. A more accurate reason was that he simply wanted to see Lydia’s face.

He still hadn’t clarified his feelings toward her.

Even if he admitted he had feelings for her, his reality remained unchanged.

He could die at any moment. Arsen didn’t want Lydia to bear the heavy burden he carried.

Besides, didn’t Lydia want to leave for a warm southern island?

Arsen hoped that when she leaves, he wouldn’t become the shackles holding her back.

Perhaps all Arsen could do for Lydia was to be her “friend” as she wished.

Help with her revenge and support her as she started a new life unburdened.

His mind thought this way, but his heart grew greedy.

Couldn’t she start a new life here too?

When everything was over, couldn’t he quickly put down the burden on his shoulders and reveal his feelings?

“……”

The voices of his head and heart fell silent the moment he saw Lydia holding a book.

Even in her plain priestess robes, Lydia stood out.

Was it because of that pale pink hair that looked like it would melt in the sunlight?

Arsen suppressed any sound to avoid breaking Lydia’s concentration. He simply didn’t want to disturb her.

While Lydia read the book, he wanted to take in the sight of her reading without any interruption.

If only it hadn’t been for the title of the book Lydia was holding.

‘Ludger’s disease…… isn’t that the imperial family’s hereditary disease?’

Lydia was holding a book about Ludger’s disease. She wasn’t just holding it but was so deeply immersed in it that it wouldn’t have been strange if she had been sucked into the book.

There was only one reason she would be reading a book researching Ludger’s disease:

Richard, heir to the imperial bloodline.

The previous emperor had also suffered from Ludger’s disease and died from it, so Richard had always feared contracting it.

Yet here was Lydia, reading a book about that very disease.

Had she still not forgotten Richard?

Suddenly, Arsen recalled Lydia’s face when she used to look at Richard.

Even Arsen, who hadn’t known about Lydia and Richard’s relationship then, immediately recognized Lydia’s feelings from that expression.

That gaze, that expression, that atmosphere.

He learned then for the first time that there are ways to express love without saying it.

‘Even after knowing he was having an affair with the empress, her gaze toward Richard remained the same.’

That wasn’t to say Lydia still felt that way now.

Just that someone she had cared for so deeply might have left some residue in her heart.