Ch.351Side Story 1 – Journey to the Southern Continent (6)

“Hello. I’m Elduna.”

Following Bella to the table, I saw a woman sitting there.

Her name was Elduna.

Her black hair shimmered softly under the candlelight, and her large eyes sparkled like those of a curious deer.

Before I could speak, Jawil Wilson, who had gained some confidence, smiled brightly and opened his mouth.

“Hello. I’m Teiran.”

We had already agreed on using aliases since revealing our real names could expose our identities.

Both of us had come to the Baltican territory to earn money as mercenaries. Jawil Wilson’s alias was Teiran, and mine was…

“Hello. I’m Cassian.”

After joining them at the table, I slowly picked up my glass.

However, before I could even take a sip, Bella initiated the conversation.

“By the way, Mr. Teiran, do you always exude such an elegant aura?”

…Huh?

Her gaze was fixed solely on Jawil Wilson.

Elduna too was quietly holding her glass, blinking her large eyes while staring at Jawil Wilson.

“Elegant aura? You flatter me too much.”

Jawil Wilson waved his hand with a pretend-humble smile, but the corners of his mouth kept curling upward.

I let out a quiet sigh.

‘…He’s really in his element.’

I tried to raise my glass again, but soon realized something.

No one was acknowledging my toast…

‘Come on, couldn’t they at least clink glasses with me?’

In gatherings like this, it was natural to toast by clinking glasses with others.

But right now, Bella and Elduna were only smiling at Jawil Wilson.

Annoyed, I downed my drink alone, and at that moment, Elduna quietly spoke.

“Rather than elegant, Mr. Teiran has a truly mysterious aura about him.”

Wait… who?

I almost spat out my drink.

Jawil Wilson?

A mysterious aura?

Just by changing his transformation leather, his reception had changed this dramatically…

The response was even better than I had anticipated.

‘Well, Jawil Wilson deserves to enjoy himself too.’

How many continents had Jawil Wilson traveled with me until now?

Each time, he must have felt like this.

That’s probably why he desperately asked me to make transformation leather, despite knowing how expensive it was.

I felt a slight sting in my eyes.

I realized I might have been too self-centered while traveling across continents.

Today, I definitely needed to support Jawil Wilson.

“Teiran is also excellent at hunting monsters.”

Just by mentioning “Teiran,” Bella and Elduna finally looked at me.

Well, their gazes quickly returned to Jawil Wilson anyway.

“Really? We’re mercenaries too. Would you like to go hunting with us sometime?”

“Mr. Teiran, we happen to have a hunt tomorrow evening. How about it?”

In response to Bella and Elduna’s invitation, Jawil Wilson straightened his back and thumped his chest with his palm.

“For a man, monster hunting is life itself. Let’s go together.”

Is this guy crazy…

Going monster hunting when we barely have time to enjoy ourselves?

And why is he deciding such important things on his own?

As my expression hardened, Jawil Wilson looked at me and gulped nervously.

“…Is that okay?”

No, it’s not okay at all.

I was planning to drink, lounge in bed all day, and then visit the Blue-Red House again. What nonsense is this about hunting monsters?

‘Sigh…’

Instead of getting angry, I took a deep breath.

They say even the wishes of the dead are granted, so how could I refuse the wish of someone living?

Besides, I couldn’t go back on my promise to help him.

“Sure, let’s do that.”

As I nodded, Bella looked at me with a tilted head.

“Mr. Cassian, are you from a noble family?”

“…Pardon?”

“You seem to have a certain dignity about you.”

“Ah… Yes, I am of noble birth. Though my family fell into ruin when I was young.”

“I see. Being from nobility, mercenary work must be tough for you. Are you managing?”

“It was difficult at first, but I can handle it now.”

“Mr. Cassian, you don’t have to force yourself to come tomorrow. The monsters we’re hunting are just goblins, so Mr. Teiran alone would be enough.”

Wait a minute…

Is this just a roundabout way of saying “don’t come tomorrow”?

At that moment, Jawil Wilson laughed heartily.

“This friend may look thin, but he’s incredibly skilled.”

“R-really…?”

Bella glanced at me with a skeptical expression, clearly unconvinced.

Then, reluctantly, she nodded.

“Well… then come along.”

This was worse treatment than I’d ever received in my previous life.

It was almost offensive.

If I had known it would be like this, I should have asked the alchemist for a more average-looking transformation leather, not an ugly one.

And.

After that.

When I raised my glass to drink,

When I quietly nodded,

When I sat with my elbows on the table.

No one paid any attention to me.

Instead, Bella and Elduna would occasionally glance at me as if to say, “Oh right, this person is here too.”

Even those glances were merely out of courtesy, with no intention of including me in the conversation.

‘Living with an ugly face is lonely, huh.’

What good would it do to lament my situation?

It’s not like I could take off the transformation leather.

As I sipped my drink alone, Jawil Wilson, still loyal as ever, leaned towards me and whispered in my ear.

“Young master.”

“I’m fine, you three can have fun.”

“That’s not it… Bella is mine. You should go for Elduna…”

I looked at Jawil Wilson with a shocked expression.

But he just gave a gentle smile and winked.

I take back what I said about him becoming more perceptive.

‘Sigh.’

I took another sip of my drink with a deep sigh.

And that’s when it happened.

As if cutting through the flow, the air around us quieted before people started whispering.

-Oh! She’s pretty!

-Was there such a beauty at the Blue-Red House?

-Should I ask her to have a drink with me?

I naturally turned my head too.

The first thing that caught my eye was her attire.

She wore the sturdy leather armor typical of monster-hunting mercenaries, boots that reached her knees, and a well-worn dagger gleaming at her waist. Her cloak swayed gently with her movements, brushing against the floor.

However, her appearance contrasted sharply with her tough clothing.

She had a sharp jawline, a slender neck, and impressively smooth skin.

Her fingers were thin and delicate, making one wonder if she really wielded a sword on countless battlefields.

‘Among all the women I’ve met in the Southern Continent, she’s the most attractive so far.’

Her eyelashes were long and full, and her eyes shone with a deep, clear light.

She had a presence that was more than just pretty—deadly yet mysterious.

As she slightly curled the corners of her lips and glanced around, the atmosphere rippled strangely.

Her mere gesture commanded attention, exuding an overwhelming presence.

But then.

Without any warning, the woman sat down at our table.

She didn’t say a word, acting as if she had always belonged there.

Though she sat quietly, trying not to draw attention, her presence was already intense.

‘She’s even prettier up close…’

As I was unconsciously staring at her, Bella gestured lightly and said:

“Ah, this is Jena, our companion.”

Jena showed no particular reaction to Bella’s introduction.

She just gave a brief nod, reached for the bottle, poured herself a drink, and silently sipped it.

‘What’s going on?’

Usually, when joining a new table, there would at least be some awkward greetings, but this woman named Jena didn’t seem to care.

However, Bella and Elduna weren’t bothered by her behavior.

They seemed used to it.

“So, Mr. Teiran, do you come to places like this often?”

“Haha, well, I might or might not…”

“Oh my, aren’t you being too evasive?”

Bella and Elduna turned their attention back to Jawil Wilson and continued their conversation as if nothing had happened.

Here we go again, I thought.

I also silently sipped my drink, feeling the bitter yet smooth flavor spread across my tongue.

‘…!?’

That’s when I felt it.

A strange gaze.

With the glass still at my lips, I slowly turned my eyes to the side.

There was Jena, staring intently at me.

It was quite awkward, so I spoke first.

“Ah… I’m Sel—no, Cassian.”

Again, she just stared at me without saying anything.

As I tilted my head in confusion, she stood up.

Then she approached me and whispered softly in my ear.

“Would you like to drink somewhere quieter with me?”