Ines’s steps were hurried as she left the inn. Though she had spoken harsh words herself, her expression was dark as if she wasn’t feeling good about it.

Jade carefully followed behind Ines as she walked, roughly leaning on her cane. After cautiously observing her mood, he hesitantly opened his mouth.

“Lena.”

At the voice calling her name, Ines stopped walking and turned around. Only then remembering Jade’s presence, Ines called his name.

“…Jade.”

“Are you alright? You don’t look well at all.”

“What wouldn’t be alright?”

Ines answered, forcing a smile.

“Well, if you say so…”

Trailing off, Jade bit his lip. In truth, he had roughly figured out what was going on from the earlier situation. Though he was too far away to hear their entire conversation, he had noticed that the man from before was the one who had sent the gifts.

And that Ines was rejecting him.

After hesitating for a moment, Jade gathered his courage and voiced the curiosity he had been holding back.

“That man from earlier sent you those gifts, right? Has he been pursuing you since before?”

“That’s…”

Though there were complicated circumstances that Jade didn’t know about, Ines couldn’t explain everything, so she simply nodded in response.

“I knew it…”

Hearing her answer, he clenched his fist as if he had expected as much.

‘He seemed like a nobleman.’

According to what other contestants at the arena were saying, he was either a wealthy merchant or high-ranking noble. Either way, he wasn’t an ordinary person. For such a man to show interest in Ines – it was an unsettling situation for Jade.

Lowering his head, Jade recalled when he first saw Lena.

He had fallen in love with Lena the moment he first saw her. It would be accurate to say it was love at first sight. Quiet and somehow noble in bearing, Lena had an atmosphere quite different from other women in the village.

With her gentle nature, she got along well with Greta, and though initially reserved, she eventually became part of the village. Though it had been almost two years since he started secretly loving Lena, Jade hadn’t rashly confessed his feelings. He didn’t want to appear frivolous, and he was waiting for Lena to open her heart to him a bit more.

Just when they had been growing notably closer recently and hope had started to build – looking at today’s events, it seemed that if he stayed idle, this rolling stone might dislodge the embedded one.

‘This won’t do.’

If he remained complacent like this, it felt like Lena might be stolen away by some unwanted man. Just looking at the gifts that filled the room today, he couldn’t even gauge how wealthy that man was. One thing was certain though – it would be incomparable to himself, who was stuck in this rural village.

Even though she rejected him now, if that man kept pursuing her like this, surely Lena’s heart would waver someday. That man didn’t seem like he would give up on Lena easily either. Because Lena was that beautiful.

Her value was so great that it would make one quickly forget about her being lame – that man had recognized this too.

The man’s face from earlier flashed through Jade’s mind. Even to another man’s eyes, he was quite handsome. Moreover, his sturdy build like that of a sword-wielding knight was enough to make any woman’s heart flutter.

Growing anxious, Jade chewed on the inside of his mouth. Originally, he had planned to proudly confess after winning the martial arts tournament. But even before the competition began, feeling an inexplicable sense of defeat, Jade raised his head with frustration.

“Lena, you don’t like that man, right?”

At Jade’s direct question, Ines hesitated before answering.

“Huh? Oh, yes…”

“Then use me.”

“What?”

Jade grabbed Ines’s hand and continued.

“If we pretend to be lovers, he won’t be able to do anything more to you.”

As he said this, Jade’s eyes trembled. He seemed nervous, not knowing how Ines would respond.

“Jade…”

Ines was grateful to Jade for being so considerate of her. If it had been some unknown man pursuing her instead of Carlos, this might have been an effective strategy.

But Carlos, having already completed his background check, would know that she and Jade weren’t lovers. Moreover, it wouldn’t be right to use Jade while knowing his feelings.

So Ines shook her head.

“Thank you just for offering. But I’m fine. I think I explained things clearly enough today.”

“Still…”

“Let’s go back to the lodgings. Greta will be waiting. You need to practice at the arena too. The competition isn’t far off.”

Not getting the answer he wanted, Jade responded with a dejected face. Ines patted his shoulder a couple of times before turning away.

Watching Ines walk ahead, Jade’s eyes sparkled as if he had made some decision.

* * *

As soon as they arrived at the lodgings, Ines and Jade set out for the arena with Greta. Due to the commotion earlier that morning, they were running late, and the three walked hurriedly toward the arena.

The one who greeted the three as they belatedly entered the arena was none other than Carlos.

The moment they spotted Carlos, both Ines and Jade’s faces crumpled. Unlike the two whose moods had sunk, Carlos watched Ines from not far away as if he had been waiting.

“Haa…”

Soon, Ines let out a heavy sigh. Even though she had rejected him and pushed him away with harsh words, he was being so persistent. She felt at a loss for what words to use to send him away now.

Just as Ines was letting out another sigh due to her frustrated and irritated feelings, Jade, who had been quiet despite seeing Carlos, clenched his fist. Then, as if having made some decision, he suddenly turned toward Ines.

“Lena.”

Ines, who had been tiredly looking down at the ground, raised her head at the voice calling her. Then Jade reached his hand toward her face.

His hand naturally brushed across Ines’s face.

“There seemed to be something on your face.”

Unlike usual, his voice was smooth without a hint of trembling as it echoed in her ear.

“On my face?”

Hearing something was on her face, she wiped the spot where Jade’s hand had touched with the back of her hand. However, nothing came off.

“There doesn’t seem to be anything…”

“Yeah. It’s clean now. Because I wiped it off.”

“Really? That’s strange. There shouldn’t have been anything…”

As Ines tilted her head in confusion, Jade smiled at her and slightly turned his head to look at someone. Sure enough, his eyes met those of a man whose fierce gaze looked ready to tear him apart.

Despite never having exchanged a single word, the two men were sending murderous glares at each other.

But that lasted only a moment before Jade naturally wrapped his arm around Ines’s shoulders.

“Let’s go to our seats. We’re already running quite late.”

Then, acting as if nothing was unusual, he walked with Ines to their assigned seats.

Watching this, Carlos’s insides were practically turning over.

If looks could kill, his eyes would be doing just that right now. His fist was clenched so tightly that the blood had drained from it.

As Carlos stared for a long while at Ines fumbling with Jade’s unfamiliar body, his eyes burning with rage, two people sitting near Carlos whispered while looking down.

“Look at that bastard Jade, sticking right next to Lena. He was so happy when Lena said she’d be going as medical staff, and now he’s really enjoying himself!”

The man next to the snickering one chimed in.

“I heard he’s planning to confess to Lena if he wins the martial arts tournament? The prize money isn’t bad either – it would be good for newlyweds to start with.”

“After following Lena around like that. They look good together. There’ll be a big celebration in the village soon.”

Not realizing that the person listening to their conversation was Lena’s former husband, the two men walked past him, laughing heartily.

Carlos’s lips twisted as he silently listened to their words.

“He’ll propose if he wins?”

He muttered, as if wondering if what he had just heard was true. To propose to my wife, of all people? A bug like him?

Carlos let out a hollow laugh like someone who had just heard an absurd story. But unlike his laughing mouth, his eyes were colder than ever.

He had barely been suppressing his irritation until now, but this attitude that seemed to be provoking him was making his blood boil.

“Who says I’ll let that happen?”

As if he had never been laughing, he stared at Jade with a face devoid of any trace of amusement.

His gaze was ice-cold.

—

T/N: I can’t with the “his wife”, “his Ines”, and the whole jealousy thing going on. You literally revoked your rights bro. Delulu!