Chapter 43
After resting during the day, the two of them prepared to head out as the sun began to set.
Lerajie asked Calliope,
“Just the two of us moving?”
“Of course. After all, there’s hardly anyone on the entire continent who can handle a Sword Master and a Mage at the same time.”
Any additional manpower would only get in the way of a covert infiltration.
“We’ll pretend to be asleep and then slip out of the estate unnoticed.”
“In other words, I’m carrying you again.”
“Think of it as training your stamina.”
Lerajie let out a dry laugh.
But when the time actually came, without another word, he lifted Calliope into his arms with ease.
The two slipped out of the mansion and soon arrived at the meeting spot revealed through interrogation.
They hid themselves atop a tall building overlooking the location.
Calliope glanced down and murmured,
“How much longer?”
“About an hour.”
Resting her chin on her hand, Calliope let out a long sigh.
“This is going to be boring.”
“Then take a nap.”
“If I sleep outside, my face will freeze.”
It wasn’t wrong—compared to the capital, Verdi territory was colder on average. Now that evening had fallen, it was even chillier.
“Ugh, I should’ve dressed warmer. I forgot what the weather was like here after staying in the capital. And I can’t even use magic.”
Using magic always altered the flow of mana in the air. If their target sensed it, they could run. So magic was off-limits.
As Calliope shivered, something heavy yet warm settled over her shoulders.
“Huh…?”
Her eyes widened at the large men’s coat draped over her like a cloak.
She looked up at Lerajie in surprise.
“If you’re cold, wear it.”
“…What about you?”
“I’m not sensitive to cold, unlike someone I know.”
Then he straightened up.
“I’ll take a look around.”
With a light step, he suddenly leapt into the air and disappeared from sight.
“Seriously. He could’ve just said he doesn’t get cold—why does he always have to sound so annoying…”
Muttering, Calliope clutched the coat’s front closed.
It was big enough to cover her whole body as she sat, like a cloak. Made of fine cloth, no wind seeped in, and it still carried the lingering warmth of its wearer.
“It really is warm…”
Calliope buried her face into the coat.
The faint scent clinging to it tickled her nose—fresh, yet warm and gentle.
“Unexpected…”
She had always thought of Lerajie as brash, impulsive, unrestrained to the point of rudeness. Warmth and gentleness had never seemed to suit him. And yet…
‘Was I wrong?’
Since their contract as lovers began, she had occasionally glimpsed sides of Lerajie different from what she once believed.
No—often. In fact, quite a lot.
Like right now.
Her heart gave a strange flutter, her mind growing restless.
‘What am I even thinking in such a critical moment?’
She quickly shook her head, driving away foolish thoughts, and focused her eyes on the alley below.
Work was the best cure for distractions.
Lerajie returned from scouting, and soon, midnight—the appointed time—arrived.
Holding their breath, they watched.
Jorge had arrived early and was pacing in the alley. But even after a long wait, the broker never appeared.
‘…?’
Calliope mouthed silently to Lerajie,
‘Why isn’t he coming?’
‘Maybe just late.’
Exchanging noiseless words, they continued to observe.
Another hour passed. Calliope dropped onto the ground with a sigh.
“…He’s not coming, is he?”
“Yeah.”
Lerajie signaled Jorge that it was safe to leave. He waited until Jorge’s escorts surrounded him before sitting across from Calliope.
Lost in thought, she murmured,
“If they knew there were survivors among the miners, they should have come to eliminate them…”
“Maybe they figured we’d show up and pulled out early.”
“Ah, then that makes things more complicated.”
That would mean there was another mole in the security force.
Calliope rubbed her temples.
“At dawn, I’ll question Jorge again to see if he left anything out. Let’s return for now.”
Lerajie stood and offered her a hand.
“We can’t just leave it like this.”
“Calliope!”
Before he could stop her, she leapt from the roof.
Thump! She landed lightly on a translucent violet magic trampoline, bouncing down onto the ground.
“Hey! Don’t scare me like that—”
“Quiet, you’ll ruin my focus.”
She cut him off sharply as he hurried after her.
“They must’ve left traces somewhere.”
Calliope stretched out her palm toward the ground.
Violet mana rippled across the floor, forming a magic circle. From it, rays of purple light spread outward—search magic.
“You’ll wake people up with this.”
“Mana waves aren’t visible to ordinary eyes, just like your sword aura.”
For a Sword Master, he really knew shockingly little about mana. The world must be ending.
Clicking her tongue, Calliope focused. Soon her lips curved.
“Got a bite.”
White glowing marks appeared, scattered like stamps across the purple-lit ground.
“I told you, coming into contact with a lot of magic stones leaves a trace.”
The alley was too narrow for a cart, meaning someone had carried them directly.
“If they hauled it in sacks, the weight must’ve been enormous…”
“And they set it down along the way?”
“Exactly. That’s why it left marks, like stamps.”
Calliope grinned, spinning slowly in place.
“Jorge entered from that direction… so…”
She pointed to the opposite side where the glowing prints continued.
“The broker’s path is over there.”
Without a hint of fatigue, Calliope skipped off energetically.
“Hey, be careful. You’ll trip.”
Grumbling, Lerajie followed.
Whenever the glowing prints broke off and Calliope faltered, he used his Sword Master’s eyesight to spot the next one for her.
They tracked the marks for a long while until Calliope’s eyes lit up.
“Wait… what’s that?”
She had spotted something wedged between a stack of wooden crates piled to waist height.
She rushed over, bent down, and stretched out her arm.
“Got it—kyaaah!”
But the old, rotten crate collapsed, and Calliope lost her balance, falling through.
“Hey!”
Luckily, Lerajie caught her before she could hit the ground disgracefully.
Breathing out in relief, she wiped her forehead.
“Phew, thought I was done for.”
“I told you to be careful.”
“Ugh, nagging again…”
She trailed off, staring at him.
His golden eyes gazed at her intently beneath a faint frown.
‘Wait… was he worried about me?’
The thought struck, startling her.
“There’s no way!”
“…What do you mean, no way?”
“A-ah, nothing. I misspoke.”
Flustered by her slip, Calliope quickly brushed it off.
Lerajie’s eyes narrowed.
“You…”
“Anyway, look at this.”
She opened her hand, revealing what she had grabbed.
