An Unplanned Tryst

Just how the hell did things end up like this?

I glanced at Sylvia sitting in front of me and couldn’t help but let out a short sigh.

Her heterochromatic eyes, each bearing a different color, gazed at the scenery outside the carriage before eventually turning to me.

Slightly taken aback, I subtly averted my gaze and turned my eyes to the scenery outside, which I wasn’t particularly interested in.

Sylvia, who had been staring at me silently, wore a slightly bitter expression and opened her mouth.

“Was I being a nuisance after all?”

“A nuisance? What do you mean?”

“It’s just that Layard-gongja’s expression hasn’t looked too good since earlier. I was wondering if my company had become a burden…”

“No, it’s not particularly like that. Don’t worry about it.”

It’s not to the point of being a nuisance.

It’s just that my mood isn’t particularly good because of the off chance that I might put her in danger.

I don’t know the purpose of the ‘Eyes of Dawn’ group as I am now, but just seeing that the guy who contacted me before my regression gave me the mission to kill Sylvia, it’s clear that Sylvia is an annoying existence to them.

And the Ruben we’re heading to might be a place used as a base by those bastards.

The fact that I allowed Sylvia to accompany me to such a place is something I can’t forgive myself for, which is why I’m in a bad mood.

“More importantly, are you alright, Gongnyeo?”

“Alright? What do you mean?”

Somehow, it felt like we were just repeating the questions we had exchanged earlier, only with our positions reversed.

“I mean, aren’t you uncomfortable being with me?”

“Hmm. Is there any reason for me to be uncomfortable?”

“I think there are more than enough reasons.”

Tilting her head and blinking her eyes with an innocent expression, I was the one who felt frustrated instead.

It was already surprising enough that she came all the way to the castle to meet me, but to think that she would even consider going to a faraway place like Ruben alone with me.

Frankly, what did she think I would do to her there, and why is she so indifferent?

I don’t know if she just trusts people too easily, or if she doesn’t even think about it because she lacks general knowledge in that area.

“What would you do if I laid a hand on you, Gongnyeo?”

I asked, trying to sound serious to make this innocent woman aware of the horrors of the world, even if it was just a little.

But it was of no use at all. Sylvia, with an exaggerated gesture as if saying, ‘Oh, I’m surprised,’ instead threw the question back at me.

“Oh my, were you planning to do that?”

“It’s just a hypothetical situation.”

I felt like I was getting caught up in her jokes like in the old days, so I raised my voice slightly and retorted.

In response, a smile formed on Sylvia’s lips.

“Hehe, I’m just kidding. Of course, I’m not completely ignorant of the world, so I know what dangers are involved in going to a faraway place like Ruben with a man.”

“Is that so.”

Thankfully, she knew.

If it were the Sylvia I knew, I thought there was a possibility that she wouldn’t know, but it seems that’s not the case.

“However, I do have eyes, you know. I’m capable of distinguishing between men I can trust and men I can’t.”

“So, does that mean you think I’m a trustworthy man?”

“I suppose so.”

“Your eyesight isn’t very good, then.”

“Is that so? Even so, I think I’m good at judging people.”

My firm tone could have been unpleasant, but Sylvia nonchalantly pointed to her eyes with her index fingers and said boastfully.

“By the way, are you alright, Layard-gongja? You’re going to such a faraway place with the witch of Kaintreche Castle. She might pounce on you in a flash when you least expect it, you know?”

Then, as if retaliating for what I had said earlier, she used herself as a topic and launched a counterattack.

Mimicking the paws of a beast, she half-closed her hands and made a ‘Kuaang’ sound with her mouth. There wasn’t even an ant’s tear of a witch’s dignity to be seen in her.

In the meantime, I was still uncomfortable hearing her call herself a witch with her own mouth, but getting overly sensitive here would only make the atmosphere strange, so I also took it as a joke.

“Does the witch of Kaintreche Castle perhaps suck out the livers of men? If so, I should reconsider.”

“Eung, that’s not what I meant… but let’s just leave it at that.”

“……?”

Then, she, who had been shamelessly joking until just now, suddenly blushed and turned her head to the side.

I don’t know what part she’s embarrassed about.

“Ah! Layard-gongja, did you see that just now? There’s a squirrel between those trees…!”

“……”

Anyway, I’m really pathetic.

It feels like just yesterday that I thought I would be satisfied just watching her regain her freedom and be happy from a distance.

Here I am, feeling joy at the fact that I can see her smile up close like this.

But someday, I’ll have to erase this feeling.

You shouldn’t get any closer to someone like me, Sylvia.

***

Fortunately, we were able to arrive in Ruben earlier than I had initially worried.

It seems that because it’s relatively close to the dimension stone, the actual distance traveled wasn’t that far, so we arrived much earlier than expected.

“Kkeueueung…!”

Unlike me, who got out of the carriage and first surveyed the scenery of Ruben, Sylvia, who got out late, stretched and tried to activate her stiff body.

She was bending her arms so vigorously with that slender body that I wondered if she would break something.

As I stared at her silently, Sylvia seemed a little embarrassed and turned her head away as soon as our eyes met, staring at some random place.

“You’ve worked hard, Eleanor-gongnyeo. I’ll find a suitable accommodation, so please relieve your fatigue there first.”

“No, I’ve only followed along, so it’s better for you to take care of your business first, Layard-gongja…”

She seemed worried that my schedule would be disrupted because of her, so she said with a worried expression.

However, I would rather have her rest comfortably in the accommodation and wander around alone, so that’s why I said that.

“It’s alright. It’s not an urgent matter.”

I waved my hand lightly and politely refused her consideration, then immediately moved my steps to an accommodation nearby.

By the way, it’s surprisingly lively.

Since I had heard about the Order of the Moon, I expected Ruben to have a closed and gloomy atmosphere, but it was the opposite.

Rather, more than any other city I’ve been to, the residents’ faces were filled with happiness, and the streets were so clean that it was very comfortable to walk around.

No, in terms of size, it’s more appropriate to call it a village than a city.

“Are you from out of town?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I thought so. I hope you have a peaceful and enjoyable time in Ruben. May the blessing of the moon be with you.”

“Thank you.”

Moreover, the passing residents, or should I call them believers.

The people walking around the streets wearing thin, navy blue veils that are the symbol of the Order of the Moon greeted us with smiling faces every time they saw us.

The rumor that they are friendly to outsiders seems to be true.

“What should I say, it’s a very comfortable village.”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

Sylvia also seemed to have similar feelings, whispering to me as if conveying a secret.

Of course, just as it’s difficult to judge an individual based on their external appearance alone, I don’t know what’s happening behind the scenes in this place, Ruben, unlike its outwardly vibrant impression.

But at least it doesn’t seem like a dangerous place to the point where I have to worry about Sylvia’s safety, so I should be thankful for now.

“By the way, what business did Layard-gongja have in this faraway place?”

“It’s not important enough to mention. I just came because I had something I was personally curious about.”

“Is that so? I thought you were thinking of joining the Order of the Moon.”

Was it my imagination that the words she casually said while heading to the accommodation felt strangely probing?

I felt like the gaze I felt from the side had become more intense since arriving in Ruben, but I didn’t show it and silently moved my steps.

“Welcome.”

As I entered the accommodation, a woman who looked to be in her 40s greeted me kindly.

I could tell that the accommodation was quite clean from the outside, but I felt a little more relieved when I saw the inside.

At least I won’t have to put Sylvia to sleep in a shabby inn where rats might suddenly pop out.

“I’d like two of the best rooms, please.”

“Oh my, what should I do? Actually, all the rooms are taken right now. There’s only one good room left on the top floor…”

“One, you say?”

As I inwardly cheered and requested two rooms, the owner made a troubled expression and trailed off.

At that, I stuttered at the unexpected situation and glanced at Sylvia for a moment.

Even though she must have been listening to everything I said earlier, she just had a carefree expression and was smiling.

“Excuse me, is there another accommodation nearby?”

“No, this is the only accommodation in Ruben.”

“……”

Well, since the people living here wouldn’t intentionally use the accommodation, it’s practically a place only used by outsiders.

But perhaps because of the aversion to the fact that it’s a village where the Order of the Moon believers live, outsiders don’t visit often, so the number of accommodations has naturally decreased.

It’s only because this accommodation is so large that it can handle that number of people.

Anyway, it’s very difficult.

“Eleanor-gongnyeo, please sleep here for now. I’ll go out for a while and see if there’s a place to sleep.”

In the end, I had no choice but to leave my luggage and Sylvia here and decided to go out for a walk.

I wasn’t planning on staying here for long anyway, and I’m planning on going back tomorrow evening, so it wouldn’t be a problem if I didn’t sleep for a day or so.

“Yes? Why?”

“Why, you ask…”

With that thought, I paid the price and was about to turn around and leave when Sylvia suddenly tilted her head as if she didn’t understand.

I wondered if this was a part that needed explanation, and as she looked at me with an absurd expression, she opened her mouth again.

“I meant, shouldn’t Layard-gongja sleep here too?”

“No, I can’t. Have you forgotten what I said in the carriage earlier? You lack awareness of the danger.”

“That’s a separate issue. It’s a special situation. You’re going to leave Layard-gongja alone outside because of something that hasn’t even happened yet? If that’s the case, take me with you instead.”

“……”

Anyway, I can’t break that stubbornness.

I was wondering how to persuade her, who was acting like she didn’t care, when…

“Excuse me, does the room only have one bed?”

“No, it has two. It’s a room that was originally made for two people.”

“See, it has two. It’s a waste for me to use that big room alone, a waste.”

It’s a truly funny situation.

I, who am paying the money, don’t think it’s a waste for her to use a large room alone, but she, the person in question, is constantly mentioning waste as if she’s caught something and is trying to persuade me.

“Besides, I’ve never stayed in such a remote accommodation before, so I’m scared to sleep alone. So, would you please give in just once for my sake? Ne? Ne? Layard-gongja.”

“…Alright. I’ll do that.”

I had resolved not to give in this time, but because she desperately asked with a nasal voice, I had no choice but to raise the white flag in the end.

Yes, it’s only because it’s dangerous to leave Sylvia alone that I agreed.

Trying to rationalize it that way, I awkwardly went up the stairs with her.