For a moment, Raeyan’s eyes darkened as he looked at me. It was that look again. Eyes that saw another me through me.

‘Why do I feel like this?’

Just facing those eyes without any conversation made my chest feel tight and suffocating.

I hope Raeyan can be happy without being bound by the past, but that would be too idealistic.

I guess I should be glad that he seems to have a purpose in life while he’s with me. Anyway, I smiled warmly, hoping for Raeyan’s happiness.

At that moment, a strong wind blew from a distance.

Whoosh!

As I tried to hold down my wildly fluttering hair and turned my head again, Raeyan suddenly disappeared from my sight.

“Huh?”

Just as I was about to stretch my head out the window to look for him…

“No, you’ll get hurt!”

Isis scolded sternly and magically slammed shut the carriage window without even touching it…

“Ha…”

Raeyan held the reins tightly with one hand and covered his face with the other.

‘What should I do if she suddenly smiles like that?’

In an instant, his mind went blank, and all he could see in his vision was Elodie’s smiling face.

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He recalled what they used to call it.

’Yeah, dimwit.’

It felt like being a dimwit. Or a fool. Raeyan watched as the carriage moved farther away, then slowly increased the horse’s speed again. He pondered over the conversation Elodie had with the group just before.

“Are the Mercenary King and Miss Elodie… in love with each other?”

“We’re just partners who get along well. It’s not the kind of relationship you’re thinking of!”

A well-meaning partner……. 　 

“Ian and I are not in that kind of relationship at all, so please don’t misunderstand. You understand, Gretel?”

Elodie explained fervently, fearing that the other party might misunderstand their relationship as being ‘in love.’

What did she hope to achieve with such a proactive defense? That thought led him to question himself.

‘So, what do I want to do?’

A miserable past, someone who suddenly appeared and shook up his life only to disappear just as suddenly. He paid a price to reunite with her. At that time, his sole purpose was simply to ‘meet again.’

But when he did, Elodie was already dead, and she hasn’t stopped dying ever since. His goal then changed to ‘saving Elodie.’

Finally, he achieved his goal.

In this current life, Elodie was undoubtedly alive and breathing.

That should be enough.

But gradually, his desires grew.

The desire not to remain just a partner. The moment when that desire peaked was when First Prince Adenmir changed his attitude toward Elodie. He abandoned the subtle distance and approached her first.

Elodie still doesn’t know why Adenmir treats her differently now.

If the oblivious Elodie were to find out the reason, what would happen? This is also one of his desires, to keep her from knowing.

Raeyan slowly looked into his heart.

His feelings towards Elodie couldn’t simply be expressed with the word ‘love.’ So what were these feelings? Regardless, what mattered was that he wasn’t content to just only stand by her side.

But he had nothing.

Moreover, the formidable Mercenary Corps, which once soared in the sky, wouldn’t exist without Elodie.

There was one thing that used to be his but wasn’t anymore.

 ‘……Vietan.’

If he could reclaim the title of the Duke of Vietan, he’d have something to show. It was then.

Carlot and Jansi, who had been following Elodie, caught up to Raeyan on horseback.

 Carlot asked Raeyan bluntly. 

 “What’s up with you lagging behind? Do you have something to tell us?”

 “Wouldn’t Elodie be in danger if her escort fell behind?”, Jansi added.

Raeyan glanced back at Jansi and answered briefly.

“The carriage is accompanied by the Lord of the West Tower. It’s fine.”

“If it’s the Tower Lord, then it should be fine.”

After casting a worried glance at the carriage running far ahead, Carlot asked.

“You didn’t tell sister we were following, did you?”

“No, I didn’t.”

Carlot glared at Raeyan, who spoke in short answers. For a commoner mercenary, he was certainly handsome beyond reputation. But he couldn’t tell what he was thinking. 

 ’Why does my sister keep him around?’

Hmph. I’m thousands of times cuter than this sullen fellow.

***

Elodie’s emotions were renewed as she looked up at the South Tower standing tall in the middle of the sparsely populated forest.

“I couldn’t come last time because of the attack…”

I can’t believe we made it to the South Tower safely! The demonstration of the magic tools was heavily publicized among the nobility, and there were quite a few carriages parked around the tower. Among them, I recognized familiar family crests. 

For example, Angellus. 

 ‘It’s only natural given that Angellus is the family that invests the most in the South Tower.’

She had heard a few things about this demonstration from Columba, the magician brought over from the South Tower. Among them, the most important matter was the whereabouts of Gabe Jenade.

 ’He said there’s a good chance he’ll be here today.’

Considering the high expectations placed on this magical device launched by the South Tower, it was said that Gabe was also paying attention.

It was truly amusing that he was expected to make a grand entrance while launching a product stolen from another Tower.

Until the demonstration started, it was best to remain incognito, so they had made some simple disguises.

Some wore hats with veils covering their faces, and others wore glasses.

They hadn’t forgotten to distribute their roles accordingly.

“I’ll be Miss Elodie’s maid.”

 “I’m a mercenary anyway, so I’ll escort her!”

 “Kyu!”

Gretel and Urania volunteered to be my maid and escorts

Greed snuggled quietly into Gretel’s arms and let out a playful whimper, pretending to be a fox.

That left Raeyan and Isis.

Urania chuckled and quickly assigned roles.

“The commander will be the lady’s husband, and Isis can play the role of their child!”

 “……?”

Raeyan is the husband, and Isis is the child……. 

“Tsk. What the h*ll kind of b*llshit is that, to play the child of two young people!”

Naturally, Isis protested vehemently. Elodie pointed out a fatal flaw in Isis’s statement.

“Raeyan is older.”

Elodie turned her head suddenly and locked eyes with Raeyan.

The slightly crooked glasses suited him quite well. Without any hesitation, he replied.

“Alright.”

“What’s alright?”

“Husband.”

“Really…?”

“Yes.”

With Raeyan’s enthusiastic agreement, only Isis was left. He puffed up his cheeks and turned his head sharply.

“Let’s talk after the demonstration. I won’t let you off easy!”

In any case, he accepted. Before ascending to the magic circle at the Southern Magic Tower, Raeyan reached out his hand to me.

“We are a couple, aren’t we?”

I glanced at his hand for a moment.

If Raeyan seemed hesitant, it must have been a misconception. As soon as I laid my fingertips on top of his palm, a large hand closed around mine’s. 

With a grip that wouldn’t let go. 

 ‘Raeyan is truly sincere about playing the part of a couple.’

Clearing my throat, I ascended onto the magic circle. In an instant, the scenery changed.

The South Tower opened up into a vast expanse.

 Unlike the light and openness of the West Tower, the South Tower’s interior was dark and imposing.

Familiar faces were scattered throughout, as they promoted the event to nobility. It was speculated from the carriages outside, but indeed, Duke Angellus also attended the demonstration.

It was best not to draw too much attention before the start of the demonstration. We moved to a corner as soon as we entered.

“Miss, aren’t you thirsty?”

“It would be nice to give our child a drink.”

“I don’t need it!”

Of course, they didn’t forget to play their designated roles.

Isis, who claimed he didn’t like it, perfectly portrayed the role of an obstinate child.

I observed each person sharply. As expected, Gabe Jenade was not here.

‘Will he appear once it starts?’

It didn’t matter if he didn’t.

As they waited for the demonstration to begin, Raeyan leaned over to me and whispered in my ear. 

 “Lili.”

 “Mmh?”

“Look at the man over there.”

The husky voice rolled in, threatening to melt my eardrums.

I turned my gaze to where Raeyan had gestured, trying not to be too conscious of his close proximity. There, standing there, was a mere young man. 

 “What about him?”

“He’s the coachman who drove the carriage that Gabe rode in when I went after him during the Demon subjugation. The carriage had no distinguishing marks.”

As Raeyan’s explanation grew longer, people around them glanced at them discreetly. Raeyan pretended to tidy my hair, playing with my hand as if we were a real couple.

 “I see.”

I replied, but he didn’t move away from me.

 Did he not hear me?

In response to my touch, Raeyan pulled away from me. In a regretful manner.

Gretel, who watched the scene from the sidelines, blushed. 

’Ah! Elodie, you liar, saying you’re not in love.’

If such a natural touch didn’t belong to lovers, then what did? Fluttering with excitement as she secretly watched, Elodie turned to Gretel.

“Gretel, I have a favor to ask.”

“Yes, yes.”

Here it comes. Gretel nervously met Elodie’s eyes, her heart pounding wildly due to her shyness. Elodie gestured towards the man Raeyan had pointed out.

“Do you see that man over there?”

“The guy with the brown hair?”

“Yes. Please make contact with that man.”

Gretel nodded stiffly, frozen with fear now that the moment to act had arrived, despite having followed Elodie this far due to her request.

“Can I really do this? What if I fail? I, I-“

At that moment, Elodie placed her hand on Gretel’s shoulder.

“If you think it might be difficult, it’s okay to come back right away.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course. Your safety, Gretel, is the most important.”

Surprisingly, Gretel’s wildly fluctuating emotions calmed down. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

“Pull yourself together, Gretel Sangpan. This is your chance to repay a favor to your benefactor.”

She couldn’t keep trembling in fear forever. The only thing she could do for someone who believed in her was to repay the faith. 

 “You can do it, Gretel!”

 “Thank you, Urania.”

With Urania’s encouragement on her back, Gretel approached the man Elodie had mentioned. Her target was the beverage table next to the man.

“My lady likes sweet drinks…,” Gretel muttered to herself as she carefully selected a beverage. Then, turning around, she accidentally bumped into the man, spilling the drink all over his clothes.

“Oh no! Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

The man brushed off the spilled drink from his clothes, looking a bit uncomfortable.

“I’m sorry. Please take this.”

With a distressed look, Gretel handed him a handkerchief. As he reached for the handkerchief, their hands brushed against each other.

’That’s it.’

The clairvoyant’s condition had been fulfilled. It was then.