Dalia, who meticulously observed every aspect of his daily life, the woman who loved him so deeply and knew everything about him.

Yet her eyes were undeniably cold. The once vibrant green eyes, now shattered like broken glass, looked at him with a lifeless emptiness, like a desert devoid of life.

Despite this, Curtis’ daily life remained unchanged. Even though the vitality Dalia once radiated was gone, her behaviour remained the same…

Why? What had happened? What was she thinking?

The questions he could never find answers to continued to haunt Curtis’ mind. And so he had to find the answers for himself.

To restore the tranquillity of his life, the life that had once been perfectly organised and unchanged. But in truth, this was only the reasoning of his mind.

“It’s uncomfortable when you’re around.”

As his questions about her grew, so did the confusion in his mind. And that’s why he turned away from Dalia.

That seemingly insignificant incident, like a thorn under his skin, continued to haunt him. It wasn’t until he had lost Dalia completely that he finally understood – 

It had never been just a little thorn. 

And so, for the first time, Curtis began to follow his heart. 

A man who had long been numb to emotion – one who had remained unaffected even by the magic of Irvelyn – now found himself awakening to feelings he had never fully grasped. His heart trembled. His stomach churned. 

The first emotion to surface was regret. 

Unlike the people or things he had lost before, the loss of Dalia was the first time Curtis had truly felt the pain of loss. A loss that settled deep within him and refused to fade. 

But simply waiting and drowning in regret did not suit Curtis. 

So he made a decision. 

He would investigate Dalia – her death, the so-called poisoning, and the truth buried beneath it all. 

The thought that had once seemed impossible – unthinkable – now whispered to him, smiling in Dalia’s absence.

***

Dalia shivered involuntarily and tilted her head in confusion. 

The weather was quite pleasant, so why was she suddenly so cold? 

Rubbing her arms with both hands, she continued to chew diligently on a dried apricot, trying to satisfy the hunger pressing against her back. Meanwhile, Delphion devoured a sandwich of dry, crumbly bread and meat so tough and salty that it felt like eating pure salt – as if he were absorbing it rather than eating it.

When they had eaten enough to catch their breath, their eyes met as if in unspoken agreement. 

“Um, well… I was just really hungry. Maybe I ate a little too fast.”

As Delfion awkwardly scratched his cheek, belatedly realising how hastily he had eaten, Dalia just shrugged. 

“I’m the same way. After pushing ourselves so hard, it’s only natural.” 

True to her words, since they had decided to travel together, they had set off for Gruy territory without delay. Dalia had been riding as if something was following her, urging her on. 

Her intention to extract information from Delfion along the way was clear, but more than that, she simply wanted to return home – to the Gruy territory – as soon as possible. 

“I guess I was a little impatient. If it’s too difficult for you, we can…..” 

“That’s nothing,” Delfion interrupted. “But you should eat more. You’ll need your strength. Here, have some of this.

Delfion handed Dalia the honeyed dates, and after a brief thank you, she put them in her mouth and began to chew.

A relatively quiet silence fell between them, not uncomfortable enough to make her body twist, but not comfortable enough to induce sleep.

Delfion thought about the silence again. He realised that since their first meeting, they had talked during their time together, but silence had often prevailed.

Isn’t it harder to endure silence with someone you know a little than with a complete stranger?

But in all his time with Dalia, he had never felt so uncomfortable.

In all his time with Dalia, he had never felt uncomfortable. This simple fact made Delfion involuntarily sigh. 

Could such a person really exist? 

Even though they’d only exchanged a few words and hadn’t even properly exchanged their names, the ease he felt in her presence was undeniable. It was surprising – how someone could bring such comfort when they were little more than a stranger. 

He felt satisfied with his decision to keep his questions about Dalia – her past, her true identity – to himself. He couldn’t afford to let someone like her slip through his fingers. 

Beyond mere advice, perhaps… they might even become friends. 

And in his heart, Delfion believed that if he felt at peace in her presence, then surely Dalia must feel the same.

“Thank you. Honestly, when I ride and something builds up inside me, I feel nauseous, so I try to empty it on purpose”.

“Then I’ve interfered unnecessarily.”

“No, I appreciate the suggestion. It’s exactly what I need at the moment.”

Having expressed her gratitude without unnecessary words, Dalia fell silent and Delfion looked at her, his eyes sparkling.

“Dalia…”

Just as he was about to start a conversation, a loud noise interrupted the sounds of the people around them, causing him to close his mouth.

“Oh, right! There’s chaos because the head of the Ackman Trading Company has gone missing!”

“Chaos? The transactions and receptions all went smoothly. You really tend to exaggerate things.”

“That may be, but it’s still true that there was chaos. Do you know the mine the head of the company invested in?”

“Hmm? That mine, the rumour has spread that it’s filled with gold.”

The man who spoke first lowered his voice and answered quickly.

“But there are rumours that say that’s just nonsense. The problem is that the head of the company, who should clear things up and take responsibility, is nowhere to be found.”

He tried to lower his voice, but the loudness of the street vendors, whose voices were anything but ordinary, couldn’t be avoided.

Their strong vocal cords and correct pronunciation conveyed his words very clearly to Delfion and Dalia.

He hadn’t expected rumours of the trading company leader’s disappearance to spread so widely simply because he had gone into hiding. But hearing his own story told by strangers – people who didn’t even know his face – was not something to frown upon, nor was it something that surprised or disturbed him. 

What he did regret was being interrupted just as he was about to strike up a conversation. 

‘I suppose it’s time for me to go.’ 

With that thought, Delfion skilfully packed his belongings and turned his gaze to Dalia. 

Like him, she seemed completely uninterested in the merchants’ conversation. 

And this indifference only fuelled Delfion’s curiosity.

They had just heard about the disappearance of the leader of the Ackman Trading Company and its aftermath – and Dalia hadn’t asked him a single question? 

Wasn’t that a bit… surprising?

If it weren’t just a rumour or an occasional story, news of trouble at the Ackman Trading Company would surely have attracted the attention of the entire continent. And yet Dalia remained completely unfazed.

If she were simply indifferent to worldly affairs, or if this particular topic didn’t interest her, her reaction – or lack of it – might have made sense. But Delfion knew better. 

Even though they hadn’t known each other long, it was clear that she wasn’t the type to ignore important news. Even when she was busy, she always found time to glance at a newspaper if one was available. Wherever she went, she had a habit of listening to the conversations around her, quietly absorbing the events of the world. 

She had once mentioned that she had spent two years in a temple, and it seemed that she was still adjusting to life outside its walls. Her interests were wide and varied, and no matter what topic Delfion brought up, Dalia could easily keep up. 

Now, as he studied her with an unusually keen gaze, he noticed something – she was deliberately avoiding eye contact, her expression carefully composed. 

While the subject of high-level transactions within the Ackman Trading Company was undeniably important, there was no way to verify the credibility of a street vendor’s account. 

Still, her silence was… interesting.

The disappearance of the head of the trading company and a mining scam… Dalia unconsciously started to look at Delfion, but managed to stop herself just in time. 

Right now, Delfion wasn’t the mysterious head of the Ackman Trading Company hiding behind a veil – he was just an ordinary employee of the company. 

Of course, even as an employee, he might have something to say about the leader’s disappearance. But knowing his true identity, there was no point in listening to such a lie – it would only make them uncomfortable.

“How have you been?”
“ I was just about to leave. I hope you can rest comfortably.”
“Oh, I hope you have a safe journey!”
“Thank you. Have a great day.”

As the vendors gossiping about the Ackman Trading Company entered the shelter, Dalia rose first, followed without a word by Delfion. 

As he watched Dalia mount her horse, Delfion spoke with a hint of amusement in his voice. 

“Wouldn’t it be better if we rode a little slower? We’ll have to rest when we reach the next village anyway.”

Dalia agreed to his suggestion and the two rode side by side, their horses moving in sync. 

For a while, only the occasional sound of the passing wind filled the silence – until suddenly Delfion’s voice was heard on the wind.