I reflexively caught what he tossed.
It was a small vial tied together with a note and a key.
“I kept my promise.”
He said that and walked away.
“Kept his promise? No way...!”
I quickly unfolded the note.
It had a location written on it—apparently, I could enter using this key.
“So this is the warehouse where they’re hiding the magical soldiers.”
I clutched the note in awe, when a voice spoke from behind.
“I asked what you two are.”
I hid the note and key behind my back and answered.
“I said we’re not close.”
“You’re not, but does Prince Brickt treat you that familiarly?”
She didn’t seem inclined to let it slide easily.
Well, I guess seeing my pride get trampled...
“Seriously, the pride of Astra’s direct line.”
Still, I couldn’t exactly tell her I t him at Baran.
“I was kidnapped by Baran’s crown prince. At that ti, I had a chance to talk with that group.”
“.......”
Her expression showed doubt about whether to believe .
I quickly added,
“I’m the victim of the kidnapping, right? I have to persuade them sohow, so I act like a friend. See, this is a bribe too.”
I shook the vial slightly, and her expression softened a little.
“......Really?”
“Yeah.”
Lizzy cleared her throat.
“Well then... you know, we’ve never had a al together before.”
“......?”
“Want to do it tomorrow?”
“Why?”
“The cousins are forming alliances. Liantin and Dionera paired up, Selene and Milan paired up. The others also found allies.”
“So?”
“You’re the only one without an alliance.”
Lizzy cleared her throat again.
“Well, we could let you join ours.”
‘I wonder who Lizzy allied with.’
It would definitely help to know the alliance structure.
“Alright, I’ll join for a al.”
Her expression brightened.
“Okay. I’ll send soone in the morning. See you tonight.”
“Okay.”
“Then bring that person with you!”
She smiled, waved, and disappeared.
‘That person?’
No way... Heban?!
“Wait! Wait, sis!”
I shouted, but Lizzy was already humming away in the distance.
Han Ji-hyeok approached smoothly.
“Can you bring Heban Brickt?”
“Can I?!”
I might be acting like a pure-hearted guy now, but he’s crafty—who knows what he’d demand in return.
I pouted, and Han Ji-hyeok muttered in exasperation.
“Why are you mad at ?”
The next day.
I glared at the invitation Lizzy’s person had delivered.
[ Grimie Annex of the Jurisdictional Estate, 20:00 ]
Rubbing my forehead, Han Ji-hyeok asked,
“If you don’t want to ask Heban, don’t go.”
“But it’s Grimie’s jurisdictional estate.”
“How can we et in his estate if Grimie isn’t there?”
“Aunt Kalia, Lizzy’s mother, manages Grimie’s estate.”
...Well, she basically just stamps the pre-prepared papers.
Han Ji-hyeok nodded emphatically.
“Then we have no choice. We have to go. It’s an opportunity to scout the inside.”
“Yeah, we have to go.”
I covered my face with both hands and sighed.
“Contact Heban...”
“Yeah.”
“But will he even co? I was extrely annoying last ti.”
“...We’ll have to hope he’s magnanimous.”
“I don’t think so...”
“Still, you gave him the potion, right?”
“...I think it was to make him look awkward in front of Lizzy. That snake.”
“Well then...”
We said simultaneously,
“We have to hope.”
“Hope.”
Han Ji-hyeok patted my shoulder.
“He knows when to swallow his pride, so it’s easier to work with him.”
“I don’t have much pride in these matters. Been in society long enough.”
“That’s lucky. Rub your palms together a bit.”
“It’s my specialty.”
The worry was what Heban might demand in exchange...
At that mont, I felt soone watching from behind.
Conrad was staring at us, exasperated by our chatter.
“You might have co from another world, but here, nobles and pride are synonymous. Don’t forget that.”
“Not in front of others. Ji-hyeok, contact him.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to go directly? Makes it feel like we’re reflecting.”
“Right? Then let’s head to the castle.”
“Wear black, look disheveled. Hands politely together.”
“You little... you’ve tried apologizing, huh?”
“XTube. XTube apology video.”
I giggled, and Conrad pressed his temple in exasperation.
Iseze, seeing that familiar expression from Kansis, muttered,
“It’s amazing that such a kind person has given up maintaining his expression.”
But pride can’t be sacrificed when there’s gain involved.
I changed clothes and headed to the divine priest at Gongjak Temple.
Luckily, Heban was alone.
‘I was worried Laon might be there.’
When he saw , Heban furrowed his brow.
“You look...”
“I got the warehouse address and thought it over.”
“Thinking enough to beco a crow?”
“Did I read your mind too easily...? You must have been torn between the country and affection... that’s what I thought.”
I looked at Heban with a wistful expression.
He gazed at steadily, reflecting my lowered eyebrows in his pupils.
He slowly spoke.
“What else do you need?”
Damn, he’s quick.
“Need... I wanted to apologize...”
“Spill it right away, I’ll consider it.”
“Go with to et Lizzy!”
I blurted out nonstop, like a rap, and he chuckled wryly.
“I think last ti I clearly said I liked you.”
“.......”
“Do you ask a man who likes you to et another woman?”
“No, it’s not like you’ll only ever look at ... and Lizzy is nice, no grudges. Also—”
“I’m not going.”
Heban stood up.
He seed about to go elsewhere, so I hurried after him.
“Think carefully. Lizzy inherited the Ekan lands from her late uncle Joslran. The natural resources there are enormous...!”
I froze mid-sentence.
Heban grabbed the dressroom doorknob and turned to look at .
“You still want to follow while I change?”
“Your clothes are fine now. No need to change.”
“Really? Not pretty enough for my eyes.”
He insisted on entering the dressroom.
As he began undoing his shirt, I quickly turned away.
‘Why is he making a scene changing clothes when there’s soone else?’
I couldn’t miss this chance to explore Grimie’s estate.
I faced the opposite side of the room.
“I wasn’t asking to go for free. Tell what you need, I’ll consider it!”
“Then how about the Red Flag? Seeing it surrounded was spectacular.”
Would that work?
The Red Flag symbolizes the duke’s personal troops. Exposing it to foreigners could cost one’s head.
I swallowed my sudden anger and said,
“The Red Flag is out. Suggest sothing else.”
“Then how about a dragon?”
“Don’t joke...!”
At that mont, I felt a presence directly behind .
I turned slightly. He was watching quietly, wearing a thin undershirt beneath his shirt.
The thin fabric revealed the toned lines from training.
“Stop following, okay?”
“......Take to see Lizzy. And finish putting on your shirt.”
“What? You saw train shirtless at Baran Castle too... ah.”
He smirked mischievously and leaned close to my face.
“Have I beco too much of a man since the last ti you saw ? I have grown a lot.”
“Stop talking nonsense.”
“You.”
“......What?”
“If I say the only thing I want is you, would you give it?”
“No.”
He smiled strangely.
“See? You can’t give what I want most.”
“.......”
Heban lightly grabbed my nose and straightened his posture.
“I’ll go with you.”
“Really?!”
“I’m such an idiot too.”
“.......”
“Even if pride is crushed and it’s miserable, I can’t refuse your request.”
“.......”
He ruffled my hair lightly.
“Do whatever you want. Whatever you wish.”
“......Don’t suddenly act cool.”
“Was I cool? Then break off your engagent.”
“Shall I?”
I tilted my head, and he flinched slightly, staring at .
“If you have the guts to turn your back on Laon.”
“......You’re ruthless.”
“No, you can’t betray a lifelong lonely friend, nor kiss right now.”
Heban’s gaze deepened.
“Can your current fiancé do that? Friend, family, companions... if you want, I could kiss you imdiately.”
“I can say confidently.”
“What?”
“He’ll do whatever I want... even if it’s to die, he’ll die.”
Alexis is entirely devoted to .
If I wish, he’ll abandon the throne, abandon vengeance, and just quietly take my hand.
Heban asked,
“Why does he do that?”
“......Because he loves .”
“You knew that?”
“How could I not? Those eyes that always find , no matter when or where.
Ever since I was very young, when our gazes t, those eyes said:
‘I like you. You’re precious. More than anything. More than anything at all.’”
Heban gazed at silently.
“Is that the difference between and him?”
“.......”
“Friend, family, companion. He would give up everything for you.”
“......No.”
“He would.”
“......He would never reveal his feelings.”
“Not a particularly admirable point, I guess.”
“No, that’s the most admirable point.”
I smiled bitterly.
“For the sake of who doesn’t want to lose a friend, he gives up even his own feelings and remains my friend.”
Then—
Clatter.
A faint sound from outside the room.
Followed by a light jingling.
Startled, I ran to the door.
“Erilot?”
Heban called from behind, but I had no ti to turn.
I saw a familiar robe around the corner...
Alexis’s robe.
I stood frozen, clutching my forehead, and gritted my teeth.
Then I dashed after Alexis frantically.
“Erilot!”
Heban’s voice was gone.
The afternoon sun was sinking.
Alexis was in the back courtyard of the barracks.
Soone approached the bench where he sat.
“I’ve been looking for you for a long ti.”
“......Yeah.”
“Disappearing after just saying that?”
Alexis looked at the woman muttering in a shaky voice.
The red sunlight fractured on her hair.
A faint fear flickered in her red eyes.
“Erilot.”
“......Yeah.”
“Hearing that doesn’t change .”
“......”
“You’re the kind of person who does whatever I want, right?”
“......”
“Die if I say die, stay as a friend if I say stay.”
Erilot’s expression twisted painfully.
“That’s not what I ant.”
She lowered her head, unsure what to do.
Just like when she was very young.
Alexis watched her silently and slowly reached out.
His hand brushed her cheek through her hair, and Erilot flinched, looking at him.
“I... I just...”
“Yeah, just like that.”
“......”
“It’s okay to pretend not to notice, as always.”
“......”
“If you don’t want it, I’ll never speak my feelings aloud.”
“......”
Alexis smiled faintly at her.
“It’s hot. Go back.”
He rose from the bench.
As he took a few steps—
Pat-pat-pat, she ran up and wrapped him tightly.
“I didn’t take your feelings lightly!”
“......”
“I’m just a coward.”
“......Yeah, I know.”
“Know? What do you know! Why didn’t you speak even when hurt!”
“......”
“You call cowardly, accuse of cruelty!”
“Yeah. You’re cowardly and cruel.”
He released her hands and turned his ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) head.
“And so am I, cowardly and cruel.”
“......”
“Because I knew you couldn’t reject while in debt to your own heart, you couldn’t abandon .”
“......Alexis.”
“So it’s not your fault.”
“......”
“Not your fault, so don’t cry, Erilot.”
Erilot squeezed her eyes shut.
‘Why are you such a good person?’
To her, he was endlessly kind.
Even talking about emotional debts was ultimately for her benefit, she knew.
“I... Alexis, I...”
“I know you have a secret.”
“......!”
“Your father and brothers, Conrad, Michelan, Han Ji-hyeok... they know too.”
“......”
“You must have reasons for not telling . Reasons you couldn’t speak until now.”
“......”
“So you don’t have to say a word.”
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