Ch.294294. Dongseok

“Ahem.”

Erika clears her throat awkwardly.

From her reaction, I could tell she had been waiting for me.

There was even a life-sized doll of me right there.

Of course, seeing it for the first time was a bit embarrassing. After all, there was a doll of me at my fiancée’s workplace, even if it was just on paper.

Thinking about it, my best guess was that Professor Per Petra, who doesn’t understand social norms well, made it and gave it to Erika as a gift rather than Erika requesting it herself.

Even so, what Erika just did was a bit embarrassing.

“Hmm.”

Sitting in the chair with both hands neatly placed on my thighs, I bow my head, my face still burning.

As she acts like some kind of criminal, I consider saying something to her.

[It looks similar, but it has an old feeling to it. There are differences compared to how he looks now after returning months later.]

[It doesn’t have his unique aura either. It really just feels like a doll.]

Hearing the Dark Spiritmaster and Stella evaluating the doll, I’m at a loss for words.

I wondered if there were any legal issues with making something like that without my consent.

“Have you been well?”

In the end, I chose to pretend I didn’t see it.

I didn’t want to cause her any more embarrassment, and seeing her trembling with a red face, I feared she might go hang herself somewhere if I pressed the issue.

“I’m sorry for having it made so presumptuously.”

Tears well up in Erika’s eyes as she whispers softly. I knew that no matter what I said, this would be her reaction.

Erika pretends to wipe her eyes while actually wiping away tears, then straightens her shoulders and looks at me.

“Yes, I’ve been well.”

Though her face is still flushed, she tries to be composed and dignified.

I liked that attitude.

“How about you?”

Erika asks cautiously.

For a reunion, it was a rather light question, and I give the same answer in return.

“Yes, I’ve been well.”

“I see.”

Has the burning sensation completely subsided now? Erika puts on a gentle smile and slowly gets up to sit next to me.

“That’s good then.”

Her hand rests on the back of mine. It’s warm and soft, yet I can feel her firm resolve.

It was her own little procedure to confirm that I had really returned.

“I have many questions, but…”

Squeeze.

Erika applies slight pressure to my hand, as if saying she won’t let go. From that pressure, I could tell how many questions she wanted to ask, but…

“You’re back.”

Erika swallows all those questions and gently leans against my shoulder.

“That’s enough.”

A subtle lemon scent tickles my nose—whether it’s her perfume or her natural scent, I couldn’t tell.

It was truly just a fleeting moment, but somehow, sitting with her in the research lab from early morning made my heart feel strangely full.

[She’s being quite foxy.]

[…Really.]

Yes, I was entranced by her warmth, scent, and weight as if under hypnosis.

The moment the Dark Spiritmaster and Stella spoke up, the feeling that had been like a verse of poetry shattered.

Erika was now clinging to my arm as if holding on for dear life. Her hands were interlocked with mine, and her breath touched my neck.

“Erika, I need your help.”

My businesslike tone instantly dispelled the cozy atmosphere that had settled between us.

Seemingly displeased by this, Erika pressed her chin against my shoulder and asked:

“What is it?”

The feeling of her breath brushing against my ear. I carefully disentangle myself from her and continue.

“Do you have connections with the Wellington Association?”

“…”

Displeased that we were now completely separated, Erika’s eyes narrowed slightly, but she quickly answered.

“I do have connections. They’re so big and widespread that it’s not anything special—most well-known nobles have at least one foot in their door.”

“They never approached me directly though.”

I wondered why the Wellington Association hadn’t approached me, as both a Spiritmaster and the second son of the Verdi family.

“Of course not.”

Erika shrugs her shoulders as if to say, why would you even wonder about that?

“There’s a difference in level. You work directly under His Majesty without subordinates, moving around independently. They know you’re someone they shouldn’t mess with.”

“…”

“From the association’s perspective, you’re like a predator they should avoid, not someone to negotiate or deal with.”

It wasn’t particularly pleasant to learn I had unintentionally become a threatening figure to them.

If that was the case, they would be watching me after my return, which would make it harder to investigate them secretly.

‘No, this might be better.’

If that’s how it is, I’ll confront them head-on. I’ll make sure they can’t easily cut off Goben as a loose end.

For reference, Goben is currently imprisoned in Norsweden. If we sent him straight to Greyford, they might try to conclude the case in a rough manner.

Essentially, he was under Darius’s protection.

“But why?”

Erika asks, finding it strange that I would suddenly inquire about the Wellington Association upon my return.

Without much hesitation, I explained the drug-related case to her.

I told her it was a smuggling case that could potentially be larger than expected, and that a coachman affiliated with Wellington was connected to it.

Erika nodded as if she understood.

“Should I help too? Even if the lady is capable, there must have been limits to gathering information in Norsweden.”

“Do you have other ways to find out?”

“I can talk to my family. If that doesn’t work, I could also request support from the Zeronia family.”

Building goodwill with both families was proving helpful. I nodded in agreement.

“Please do.”

“Sure, don’t worry. But how long will you be staying? The investigation will take some time.”

“I can’t stay long. I need to inform the royal family of my return first.”

“I suppose so.”

In truth, this was just a brief stop on my way to Greyford.

Erika seemed somewhat disappointed by this, but she didn’t say anything more.

She was exercising restraint, knowing she shouldn’t hold me back.

“Hey, Deus.”

“What is it?”

“You won’t… suddenly disappear somewhere again, will you?”

For the first time in our conversation, she revealed her anxiety. The subtle tremor in her voice gave the impression she was forcibly holding back.

“No, don’t worry.”

Erika smiled brightly like a child at my answer.

Perhaps because her smile was so pleasant to see,

I added more details.

“I’ll retire from being a Spiritmaster. There will be some confusion. I caused quite a commotion through the series of events.”

The fact that I had collected all the souls on the continent was information known to everyone.

And inevitably, there would be people who would either covet or try to check such power.

Lanhart the hunter was just the first to make a move, but in the future, it wouldn’t end with mere mercenaries.

“But I won’t suddenly disappear like this time.”

When I stated this firmly, Erika clasped her hands together as if in prayer.

“Thank you for answering.”

Having regained her composure, Erika takes a deep breath and nods.

Afterward, we continued to talk a bit more, enjoying a warm time together.

* * *

Robern Academy had wooden outdoor tables placed throughout the campus.

Usually, students ate in the cafeteria, but these places were set up for cadets who prepared their own meals or brought food from outside.

They were placed in less frequented areas for aesthetic purposes, which was fortunate, or perhaps not.

People who stood out, like Aria and Elenoa, typically had their lunch there.

“I’m hungry!”

Aria’s exclamation echoes loudly. As she slams the table and laughs, Elenoa, sitting across from her, rests her chin on her hand and responds indifferently.

“What are you, a primitive? Making such a fuss about eating.”

“Because I’m in a good mood today! I feel like something good is going to happen!”

Though not at Findenai’s level, Aria’s intuition as a former hero was quite sharp.

Of course, Elenoa, who had no way of knowing this, was just annoyed watching her rival and friend get excited for no reason.

“If you’re that excited, give me that.”

Elenoa points at the fried food in the lunch box Aria had brought from town.

Her fork had already snatched the fried food and popped it into her mouth.

“You’re crazy.”

Aria changes her previously smiling expression and becomes serious.

“You’re a princess and you’re stealing a commoner’s lunch? You’ve really gone mad!”

“I’d like you to know for sure.”

Elenoa answers seriously while chewing the fried food.

“I didn’t really want to eat the fried food. But I ate it because I didn’t want to see you enjoying it.”

“Your personality is just rotten to the core.”

Despite complaining, Aria starts eating her lunch box relatively calmly, and Elenoa doesn’t deny the accusation as she takes out her own lunch for the day.

“…What is this?”

Inside, there are only meager items left. Instead of thick grilled meat patties, there’s only sauce with the flavor of meat patties remaining.

“I was hungry earlier so I ate some of your lunch box.”

When Aria answers nonchalantly, Elenoa looks at her with an incredulous expression.

“You ate mine?”

“Yes. I need to eat mine at lunchtime.”

“And you called me nasty? You nasty girl!”

Elenoa shouts angrily. Thinking she got her back, Aria cackles with laughter.

In the end, it was a tragicomic situation where they had both eaten each other’s lunch boxes. The two continue to bicker, and the heat of their conversation gradually rises above that of their meal.

“But why do you even eat food? You’re flat as a washboard anyway.”

“At least the nutrients go to my brain, unlike yours. And I’m small-chested, not flat!”

“You know what? Your friend Leorus asked me how to get along with you. I told him to practice licking brick floors or walls. They’re similar to your chest.”

“Wow, thanks, you crazy bitch. Leyton also asked me how to get along with you. So I told him to go to the art department and be a nude model. That’s your taste, right?”

As their conversation devolves into an all-out verbal brawl…

“May I join you?”

A deep voice interrupts.

Though he asked to join, he had no lunch box, just a coffee in hand.

“Huh?”

“What?”

The person approaching their table was none other than Deus Verdi, whom they had been waiting for so eagerly.