“Is it for real?”

“Then, are we really going?”

What’s this? Is Seth really planning on going for an outing as a change of pace?

It was quite unusual for him to go so quietly, like a thief in the night. I asked why he chose to go in the middle of the night, suggesting that it wouldn’t serve the purpose of a change in mood.

“I don’t want my master to be seen by others.”

“Why? Does anyone else know who I am?”

“…No?”

Although it was for a brief moment, Seth hesitated while answering me back.

“But how did you, um, figure out….. that I’m the author?”

I asked, genuinely out of curiosity.

“Well… how do I know?”

Seth chuckled softly.

“I’ll tell you when you sign the marriage certificate.”

“Seth, why do you keep telling that to me? I really have nothing. You’re wealthier than me and stronger too. You have nothing to gain from me.”

“You’re truly dense, Master.”

After shaking his head, Seth embraced me tightly. Then, he began showering small kisses and pecks all around my face, from my forehead to chin, he did not even leave a single gap unattended. 

This continued until we arrived at our destination. Honestly, I enjoyed it and I felt a bit disappointed when the carriage stopped.

“Is this the place?”

“Yeah.”

The strong wind caused my hood to fly off.

Since it was only Seth and his attendants who were present, I didn’t bother to cover my face.

“Yeah, this is it.”

It was a place I could never ever describe in my whole life.

“What is this……?”

Perhaps because of my lack of experience, I hadn’t noticed it before, but something sparkled at regular intervals on a stone platform.

Upon closer inspection, it seemed to be a unique pattern or inscription, not easily distinguishable between a design or characters.

“What happened master?”

I leapt to the side of the stone, and Seth rushed to my side. Well, he tried to come closer to me.

Sssh.

It wasn’t the sound of grass rustling in the wind, but a noise that sounded as if it was artificially made, and I lifted my gaze from the stones.

Clang.

A metallic sound echoed.

“Seth!”

Beneath his pale face which was illuminated by the moonlight, a threatening black blade extended.

“Master.”

Seth reached out his hand, but the blade blocked him, preventing him from moving forward.

“Step back.”

A voice as cold and chilling as the sharp blade cut through the air.

“You there, come this way.”

In response to the precise address referring to me, Seth’s face contorted, and I turned my body towards the direction where the voice came from.

Amidst people wearing cloaks and hoods, a cold beauty, resembling something sculpted from ice, revealed himself.

Even in the moonlight, I could see that he had dark blue hair and eyes.

Dietrich Beluga, another male protagonist of this novel.

A sword master and the captain of the knights. With navy-blue hair and eyes, the man looked neat and precise, as if he was sculpted and made out of ice.

“You, Come this way.”

He reached out his arm, extending a gloved hand toward me.

My reaction was a mixture of surprise that this newcomer knew me and I was concerned for Seth.

The situation was clear.

In this place where the sea wind blew fiercely, Seth had brought only a few people with him.

On the other hand, Dietrich, as if seizing this opportunity, had mobilized a large force and was lurking around him.

For what purpose?

“Seth.”

I reached out my hand towards the seemingly nonchalant Seth. As I did, his eyes widened for a moment, but soon formed a crescent shape.

Then he held out his hand to me.

Seth looked incredibly happy out of the blue.

“Hey!”

But the swordsman interrupted, drawing his sword even closer, as if to say that he would not tolerate Seth.

“Seth!”

The one I felt more comfortable with, having met and spent more time with, was the dark chancellor. Even more so after seeing his dark side up while being this close to him.

“Hey, woman.”

Dietrich approached me.

“Come this way.”

“What’s the meaning of this?”

I wore a puzzled expression.

“I’ve come to get you.”

Seth and Dietrich didn’t get along.

One of the few opponents who could interfere with Seth’s work was Dietrich, who strongly disliked Seth’s methods.

Seth regarded Dietrich as a thorn in his eyes.

In the first place, Dietrich is not a person who snatches or plots schemes like this. It means that he always believed in fighting back from the front and not being the type of person to behave like this.

His purpose today was to get me.

This made me feel half-certain that Dietrich knew I was the writer and not a commoner woman.

“Come to my side.”

Dietrich still held out his hand to me.

I didn’t have any choice, but to ask.

“Are you going to kill Seth?”

My first thought was that I didn’t want Seth to die. My concern was that the story shouldn’t be unbalanced.

“Unfortunately, the Empire needs the chancellor, so I won’t kill him.”

Contempt flashed in Dietrich’s blue eyes as he stared at Seth.

“This way.”

As Dietrich urged me forward, I couldn’t take my eyes off Seth.

For some reason, Seth had a look that seemed like he might cry, making my heart even more uneasy.

“Seth.”

In the end, I ran back to him.

“Master.”

“You must eat well and sleep well. Got it?”

Despite the metal against his neck, Seth reached out and grabbed the back of my head. His lips touched mine, then fell away.

“I got it, so don’t worry.”

Seth smirked for a moment, then his face twisted.

Dietrich, who had approached me, wiped my lips with his thumb. And the captain removed my previously worn cloak and replaced it with a new one around me. 

It was a chilly night, and the sea breeze was very cold, so I didn’t object him much.

Next to me, Dietrich spoke with a blunt tone to Seth, who was glaring at him.

“That was uncharacteristically sloppy, Chancellor.”

“It was you who first revealed the fact that you know how to use your head, huh?”

Seth openly teased him, not seeming afraid of the sword hovering near his neck.

“Someone made me use it.”

“You don’t have the brains to use it, do you?”

Seth, you still have your head intact on your shoulders and it is mainly because Dietrich is not a fool.

Of course, my liver was too small to get these words out of my mouth.

“There’s nowhere else for this woman to go but here, right?”

An undeniable truth slipped out of Dietrich’s words.

This man knew that I would come here?

“I miscalculated the timing and didn’t meet her here. You stole her, Chancellor.”

“Well?”

Seth chuckled as if he had no intention of revealing the truth.

I can tell you something, Seth. I have caught you lying to me.

You said you were the only one who knew my identity!

“Well, it doesn’t matter if you don’t say it. I think my head can handle just this much.”

After a brief pause, Dietrich’s gaze briefly shifted towards me.

“According to the chancellor, it’s worth it to use my foolish head.”

“Dietrich Beluga…… !”

What did you read in Dietrich’s eyes?

Seth unusually showed intense emotions, and as if he did, people around him raised their swords against him.

The blades glimmered white with impeccable movements.

Are they going to stab him?

As I took a step forward, Dietrich’s gloved hand carefully grabbed me, and he stepped forward on my place.

“Seth Milan.”

Dietrich’s profile, which was shimmering by the touch of the moonlight, gleamed sharply.

“You would have whispered all sorts of sweet nothings to get this person on your side.”

Well, I can’t deny it. But Seth wasn’t happy from the beginning either.

“Well, now those efforts went in vain.”

Dietrich was blatantly sarcastic.

“But it’s unpleasant.”

Emotions seeped onto Dietrich’s voice, which had been indifferent all along.

“I lost her to something filthy like you.”

I knew that Dietrich hated Seth to the extent of disgust, but witnessing it firsthand felt strange.

The knight’s captain’s dislike for the chancellor was because of me.

I felt sorry for Seth.

“Let’s go.”

“Do I have a choice?”

So, I said something that needlessly pricked Dietrich. His deep, ocean-like eyes stared at me silently.

“No, I was just saying that.”

Feeling like I vented my frustration on Dietrich for no reason, I avoided his gaze. Without another word, he held out his hand to me again.

I hesitated, then placed my hand on it.

“Seth.”

I looked at him, worried, and he smiled back at me.

“I’ll come get you soon.”

It seemed that Seth wasn’t particularly concerned about my life or living.

This meant that Dietrich wouldn’t play games with my life and harm me. In that case, it was easier to deal with him.