Episode 05
In a social world filled with hollow words and hidden blades, the naive thought that making even a single friend wouldn’t be so bad had won out.
But contrary to his hopes, she had shown no intention of telling him her name.
So instead—
He had tried to remember her.
Every detail.
He himself didn’t understand why.
And yet, how had it all ended?
“Yes. I am the Master of Morgenda Magic Tower.”
Her face had turned in an instant, declaring her identity with cold arrogance.
“Your little dog called my name as if we were friends. I merely punished him for his insolence. How is that a crime?”
She had tried to kill Gray—
As if it were nothing.
She was exactly as rumored.
A hypocrite who wore an innocent face while having killed her own master to seize her position.
A deceiver no different from the nobles in that banquet hall.
To think he had spoken so freely in front of such a person—
The shame made his heart pound.
And there was something else—
A ridiculous sense of betrayal.
Helios had faced countless kinds of people.
Those he fought beside.
Those whose throats he had to cut.
Allies who could betray him in an instant.
Enemies who crumbled from the smallest fracture.
In the end—
Only people remained.
And people were everything.
That was precisely why—
He never trusted them easily.
Those he kept by his side were chosen only after enduring countless betrayals, filtered through ruthless rejection.
To Helios—
Enya Valencia was like a wildfire he had no desire to touch.
And yet—
Why did it leave such a bitter aftertaste?
His brow furrowed as irritation surged.
“Marie. Bring me reports on other Tower Masters. Leave out your personal opinions—focus only on achievements.”
“But the other towers are already contracted—”
“Marie.”
His voice cut in, sharp.
“I said I don’t need your opinions.”
There was nothing more to consider.
The connection had already been ruined.
And yet—
He had reread the report about Enya from the night before.
Over and over.
Still, his judgment hadn’t changed.
The fact that he had even looked at it again made him scoff at himself.
It almost felt—
Like regret.
“Answer.”
“…Understood. But Commander—if you could provide an example of someone who meets your standards, I’ll use that as a reference.”
“……”
Marie stood her ground, watching his eyes shift as he considered.
This was the man who had slain the Demon King.
A Holy Knight in name only—he had survived ten years in the wastelands under his own brutal standards.
Was there even anyone who could meet them?
Marie had expected him to falter.
To say nothing.
But instead—
“Ogotai…?”
“…Are you serious?”
Marie nearly smacked her own forehead.
The truth was—
Helios was an avid reader of the novel The Wasteland, whose protagonist was none other than Crown Prince Ogedai.
It was his only indulgence.
He read it so often the pages had nearly fallen apart, though he tried to hide it.
Among his close subordinates, it was an open secret.
Ogedai, the Crown Prince—
And the incarnation of the northern god, Haan.
Governor of Kastamonu.
A knight of iron blood.
His achievements were undeniable.
But his personal life?
Utter chaos.
He cared not for gender—men or women alike.
Being a woman himself, he claimed women were convenient for avoiding pregnancy, and men were enjoyable in their own way.
In short—
A capable lunatic.
And yet Helios used him as a standard.
Marie rubbed her temples.
“Commander. Are you saying the Crown Prince’s… questionable personal life is acceptable?”
“His Highness simply has an open view on relationships. Mind your words.”
Marie was left speechless.
The very man she warned him not to trust—
He defended.
“But Commander—”
“My knights aren’t exactly paragons of purity either.”
Marie stiffened.
Most of the knights from the west—including herself—had lived far less restrained lives before coming to the capital.
In the west, such things were little more than rest.
They didn’t interfere with killing the Demon King.
If anything—
They helped.
But the capital was different.
Every word, every action—
Was judged.
Helios knew this.
And yet he deliberately brought up her past to silence her.
Worse—
He himself had never once taken a lover during the campaign.
There was no argument she could make.
As Marie let out a quiet groan—
A priest burst into the room.
“Sir Helios!”
At the thin voice, both their expressions turned cold.
Even within the temple—
Those not from the west were not considered allies.
Under the knights’ icy gazes, the trembling priest hurriedly presented a silver tray bearing a letter.
“A message from His Highness the Crown Prince.”
Helios glanced at Marie before sliding a dagger beneath the wax seal and cutting it open.
Marie smirked.
“A letter from His Highness and his open views on relationships, I presume.”
“Marie. Enough.”
He read silently, his expression unchanged.
Watching him, Marie felt her frustration grow.
She knew Ogedai supported Helios in every way.
The endless banquets hosted by the emperor—
All influenced by him.
The negotiations with Tower Master Lows—
Also his doing.
And yet—
That was precisely why she couldn’t trust him.
Unmotivated devotion was something to fear.
Helios would act as he saw fit—
But even Marie couldn’t always understand him.
Her gaze lingered on the unseen contents of the letter.
If only it were just insults written inside…
As if her silent curse had worked—
Helios’s brow slowly creased as he read.
Marie hid her anticipation.
“What is it?”
“My sister wants to see me before the banquet.”
“…That’s not a problem. You should be pleased.”
Even her sarcasm failed to pull his attention away from the letter.
“…Together with the Master of Morgenda Tower.”
At this point—
It was fate’s cruelty.
Enya stared at Helios standing beside her like a statue, utterly dumbfounded.
Summoned early in the morning by the Crown Prince, she had hurried over—
Only to find him waiting there.
Sunlight streamed through the windows, striking his neatly styled golden hair, breaking against the sharp line of his nose.
His uniform was immaculate.
A white cloak trimmed in gold rested over his shoulders.
He looked every bit the noble figure—
Too perfect.
Helios tilted his chin slightly.
“The Master of Morgenda Magic Tower.”
“Sir Helios Defert.”
Their greetings were stiff.
Unexpected as this meeting was, Enya failed to fully mask her expression.
And Helios’s gaze toward her was no kinder.
Anyone could see it—
A dog and a cat that didn’t get along.
Watching them from a large sofa, Ogedai raised an eyebrow in surprise.
“Well now. I regret not introducing you properly last night—but it seems you’ve already met.”
“Yes… well… his achievements are rather hard to miss.”
“Of course. Our Helios needs no introduction—though Enya…”
Ogedai clicked his tongue, looking her over.
“How much did you drink last night? You look terrible.”
“‘Terrible’? What exactly is that supposed to mean?”
Enya muttered, blowing her fallen bangs aside.
She had drunk heavily out of irritation—
But after everything she’d seen on the battlefield, why should this matter now?
I even brushed my hair.
She glanced sideways at her reflection in the arched window.
Messy hair. Dark circles. A simple robe.
No different than usual.
Laila had dressed her properly for the banquet—
But today, suffering from a hangover, she had sent her back to the tower.
So Enya had prepared alone.
Why is that bastard glaring at me?
Standing beside someone as immaculate as Helios only made her look worse.
And his sharp gaze only made it more irritating.
She glared back.
Their eyes met in the reflection.
Under sunlight, his green eyes were like clear gemstones—
Transparent with emotion.
Easy to read.
The contempt.
The shock.
Ah—
So that’s it.
He didn’t like the way she spoke so casually to the Crown Prince.
Close siblings, are they?
Turning away from the window, her gaze cooled.
Noble blood.
Great achievements.
A loving family.
You have everything.
A voice surfaced in her mind—
Her half-brother’s voice.
“You carry filthy blood.”
Ah.
How irritating.
“Your Highness. Is there something you need from me?”
With a bright smile, Enya perched herself on the armrest of his chair.
Leaning back lazily, crossing her legs—
Helios’s expression darkened instantly.
She raised her chin, mocking him.
Unaware of the tension, Ogedai responded cheerfully.
“What’s this? You’re being cooperative for once.”
“It’s a bit late, but I thought I’d start currying favor before you ascend as the true power of the continent.”
“My, my. What a dangerous thing to say while my father is still very much alive.”
The Crown Prince leaned forward, fingers interlocked, resting his chin upon them.
He, too, was striking.
Messy red hair like a lion’s mane.
Golden eyes, like molten gold mixed with darkness.
As Enya watched him, thinking how little the siblings resembled each other—
Helios sat down across from them with perfect composure.
“Sister. You must have a reason for summoning both the Tower Master of Morgenda and myself. Would you care to explain?”
His tone was polite.
Harmless.
Enya narrowed her eyes.
So he wasn’t just some naive rookie—
Calling the Crown Prince “sister” so deliberately in front of others…
A calculated move.
And it worked.
Ogedai turned to him, tapping his knee lightly.
“Ah, yes. I called you both because I have a request.”
Helios felt a flicker of relief as the conversation finally reached its point.
Enya’s disheveled appearance had been bothering him the entire time.
Her heavy-lidded eyes.
Her slightly damp black hair.
And that scent—
The same as last night.
Deep.
Lingering.
Strangely rich.
How can she be so… unguarded?
In a place like the palace—
That was no different from walking a battlefield unarmed.
