‘Who could it be?’

Rachel slowly began to think of people who might target Creon. But no matter how much she searched her memories, she couldn’t think of anyone.

It was the same when she compared her past timelines.

[We’ll have to investigate to find out.]

Since Creon also lacked information, he thought Rachel’s priority should be gathering intelligence.

‘At the very least, this means they know what you look like, Creon. Even if they know I’m your contractor, they might not know the exact conditions of our contract.’

[That’s likely. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have targeted you this way.]

As Rachel and Creon were contemplating who might be behind the attack, it happened.

“Rachel!”

Tervan’s voice called from a distance.

Rachel paused in place and checked the direction the voice came from. It was coming from the training grounds.

Looking over, she saw Tervan had spotted her from inside the training grounds and was quickly running toward her.

“What brings you here?”

“Lying in bed constantly was becoming too stifling, so I came out.”

“You should have rested properly while you had the chance.”

Tervan, now right beside Rachel, spoke with concern.

“No. I think coming out was the right choice. Erika isn’t home anymore either.”

“Erika isn’t there? Is the vacation already over?”

Tervan asked Rachel with surprise.

“Of course. She returned to the academy today.”

“Time has passed that quickly already. It feels like just yesterday when Erika said she was on vacation.”

Tervan sighed softly at Rachel’s answer.

“Maybe it’s because I graduated long ago. I had no idea.”

“That’s understandable. I would have forgotten completely if not for Erika.”

“Still, it’s a shame Erika left. I wish I could have seen her once more before she went.”

Tervan said with a slight smile. Rachel nodded but realized he hadn’t approached her simply for gossip.

Yet Tervan kept changing the subject, bringing up other topics.

Rachel crossed her arms and looked up at Tervan.

When Rachel stared at him intently, Tervan smiled awkwardly and avoided her gaze.

“Why, why are you looking at me like that?”

“Nothing. You just seem like you have something to say but can’t bring yourself to say it.”

“…Am I that obvious?”

“Yes.”

As Rachel nodded in response, Tervan scratched his cheek with a bitter smile.

“So what did you want to say?”

When Rachel asked him directly, Tervan moistened his dry lips with his tongue.

“Viola’s birthday party is coming up soon. I was wondering if I could be your partner and escort you.”

“You, Tervan?”

Rachel tilted her head questioningly, not having expected such a request from him.

“Yes. I’ve always been your partner before.”

Tervan elaborated. Rachel stared at him blankly.

It was true that Tervan had been her partner at Viola’s birthday parties in the past.

If he had simply said things should continue as they always had, Rachel would have had nothing to say, but this time was an exception.

“I’m sorry, but that won’t be possible this time.”

“…What?”

Tervan asked with a dumbfounded expression when Rachel refused.

“Why?”

“Edward has already agreed to be my partner. It would be impolite to suddenly change partners after making a promise.”

“…”

“So it won’t be possible.”

After finishing her answer, Rachel waited for Tervan’s response. But even as time passed, he didn’t speak.

“Is that all you wanted to say?”

Rachel, who had been observing Tervan, asked the silent man.

Tervan still didn’t answer.

“Then I’ll be going now.”

“Wait!”

As Rachel finished speaking and turned to leave, Tervan urgently grabbed her hand.

Rachel, suddenly forced to turn back to Tervan, frowned.

“Ugh!”

“I’m sorry!”

Belatedly, Tervan released Rachel’s hand. In his urgency, he had grabbed her in a way that caused her pain.

“Are you okay? Does it hurt a lot?”

Tervan asked while examining Rachel’s wrist.

Rachel shook her head while cradling her hand with her other one.

“I’m fine. Don’t worry about it. So, what else did you want to say?”

When Rachel asked in a stiff tone, Tervan’s lips moved several times without producing any sound. He seemed unable to continue speaking, paralyzed by his own remorse. Rather than rushing him, Rachel calmly waited, giving him space to collect his thoughts and speak when ready. After a moment of internal struggle, he finally opened his mouth to respond.

“What do you think about Edward?”

After waiting so long, Tervan’s question was absurd.

Rachel frowned when Tervan suddenly asked about Edward.

“Why are you asking that all of a sudden?”

Edward was already on Rachel’s mind. His question made her feel distinctly uncomfortable.

“Just. I want to know.”

Seeing Tervan being evasive, Rachel let out a small sigh.

Then she organized her thoughts about Edward.

“He’s a good person. Someone I’m grateful for. And the only person I could rely on.”

Throughout her numerous regressions, Rachel hadn’t trusted anyone her age more than Edward.

To her, Edward was like an older brother, a teacher, and a friend.

Having someone like that around felt like a great blessing to Rachel.

When Rachel honestly shared her feelings about Edward, Tervan stared at her blankly for a moment.

“Are you satisfied?”

Rachel asked with a shrug.

Tervan hesitantly opened his mouth.

“Then what about me? What am I to you?”

Tervan asked Rachel. His voice trembled subtly.

Rachel filled her vision with his blue eyes.

He was someone she had once liked, but now? Not so much.

To Rachel, he had become someone she was obligated to save.

But she couldn’t convey this thought directly to Tervan.

“You’re a friend.”

Instead, Rachel spoke in a plain tone. At her answer, Tervan’s eyes wavered.

“And?”

“What more should there be?”

The relationship beyond friendship had already ended.

Rachel couldn’t understand what Tervan wanted to hear, so she frowned and tilted her head in confusion.

Only then did Tervan awkwardly shake his head.

“…Never mind.”

Tervan wanted to hear more specifically how Rachel thought of him now, but he lacked the courage to hear her answer.

Rachel stared at Tervan’s wandering eyes before turning away, seemingly losing interest.

“Can I go now?”

“…Yes.”

After hearing Tervan’s answer, Rachel immediately headed toward her research room.

Left alone in the middle of the path, Tervan felt somehow miserable.

His gaze lingered on the spot where Rachel had stood.

He knew it clearly too. That to Rachel, he could no longer be more than a friend.

That was the result of choices made by none other than Tervan himself.

He had consistently ignored and pretended not to notice her feelings for him, despite knowing she liked him.

Yet strangely, Tervan now found Rachel’s rigid attitude toward him irritating.

He felt hurt whenever her gaze toward him differed from before.

Sometimes he even felt jealous when she showed smiles to others that she no longer showed to him.

Tervan found himself pathetic and absurd.

‘After pushing Rachel away all this time, am I now craving her affection?’

It seemed ridiculous even to himself.

But regardless of how he viewed himself, his gaze kept returning to Rachel.

He wanted Rachel to look at him, and he wanted her to smile at him.

Especially when Rachel was with Ryan, a whirlwind of hot emotions stirred within him. He wanted to separate Rachel and Ryan right then and there.

But now another figure besides Ryan had appeared, making him anxious.

He knew this emotion could be defined as jealousy.

Then had he really come to like Rachel?

Now, of all times?

Tervan tightly closed his eyes and roughly ran his hand through his hair.

How much better would it have been if he had realized his feelings just two months earlier, or at least before joining the monster subjugation team?

He regretted it belatedly, but regret always comes too late.

Opening his eyes to look in the direction Rachel had gone, Tervan let out a heavy sigh.

It wouldn’t be easy to capture Rachel’s heart now.

However, Tervan decided to be true to his belated realization.

He needed to find a way to win Rachel’s heart before it was too late.

Before Rachel’s heart left him forever.