Chapter 53: How a Mercenary Brings Her Husband Home (2)
“Valentin, your guest room is over there. Rozie is using the room next to mine. By the way, Uncle—where’s Rozie?”
“She went out to run an errand. She’ll be back soon.”
Maut stared coldly at Valentin, who was still smiling like nothing was wrong.
It was hard to tell if Maut was just indifferent or completely unaware, but either way, that smile made him sick.
Even though he knew the marriage was fake, seeing Valentin standing next to Regina like that made his stomach turn.
And the others behind him felt the same.
They didn’t like the way Valentin’s face looked so smooth and perfect, either.
“Let’s go to the room,”
Regina said, leading Valentin inside.
It was Valentin’s first time entering the Persona Guild, and he was too busy looking around to notice all the glares aimed his way.
He had expected a mercenary guild to be rough and messy—weapons lying around, loud swearing echoing in the halls.
But it was nothing like he imagined.
The hallways were clean, fresh air flowed in through large windows, and the building itself was tall, wide, and spotless—like a noble’s mansion.
Regina glanced at the curious Valentin and said,
“Honestly, it wasn’t always like this. We all worked really hard to make it better.”
“No, Regina. It’s all because of you, really.”
Maut joined in, carrying all their heavy luggage by himself with his massive arms.
He stepped in between the two of them, as if to block Valentin from Regina.
“If it weren’t for you, there’d be no Persona. No way we’d have a building this nice either! Haha!”
“Please, not in front of a guest,”
Regina said, embarrassed by the praise.
Maut, smiling proudly at her shy reaction, suddenly turned cold again and looked hard at Valentin.
“There’s no one here who doesn’t owe Regina their life—or something just as important.
She’s that precious to us, so please treat her with care.”
It was both a request and a warning.
Even to a royal, this was something Maut had to say.
The beasts of Persona had no fear of nobles.
“Of course,”
Valentin replied with a respectful nod.
Maut liked that he wasn’t acting all high and mighty—for now.
“So, should I think of this as visiting my in-laws?”
…Well, that good feeling disappeared fast.
“…Excuse me, what did you just say?”
Maut had turned his back on Regina, so she couldn’t see his face.
Now his presence radiated quiet threat, strong enough to scare a normal person.
If this pitiful little royal whimpered even once, Maut would pretend like he didn’t know what happened.
With his rough face and size, no one would doubt him.
But Valentin just smiled—coldly, without warmth.
‘So, he’s got a spine after all?’
Maut’s thick eyebrows twitched upward like a wave.
“He’s just joking. We’re in the middle of a mission, after all.”
Regina stepped between them with a sigh.
Even with his back turned, she had sensed that Maut was irritated.
“A joke?”
“He’s sensitive to stress. You really shouldn’t startle him.”
Sensitive? Him?
Maut scoffed loudly without meaning to.
Look at that giant frame and sharp eyes—what nonsense.
He even started wondering if something was wrong with Regina’s eyesight.
Regina lightly tapped his arm, as if telling him to calm down.
“Let’s just go. After all that time in the carriage, I feel even more tired than if I’d ridden a horse.”
With that tired complaint, Maut finally moved.
He figured he’d have to bring out more drinks from the cellar for tonight’s dinner.
Surely offering a duke some alcohol wasn’t impolite.
Even if the reason behind it wasn’t all that pure…
Rozie’s errand wasn’t a big one.
She had volunteered to go buy pudding—Regina’s favorite.
She’d already bought a ton of pudding, but now she was wandering around outside the guild, unable to bring herself to go back in.
She had been pacing for over an hour.
“Rozie, you’re driving me crazy.”
Sylvie, the second daughter of the Kor Merchant Guild, grumbled beside her.
She didn’t know how many laps they had taken around the alley by now.
She was already annoyed by her father’s nagging, and Rozie wasn’t helping.
“What does it matter what I do? And why are you annoyed at me?
Is it because your dear count hasn’t shown up again?”
Rozie didn’t really dislike Sylvie, but she was the only girl her age in Sector C she could talk to.
They bickered constantly, but they also knew each other’s secrets and worries best.
“Ugh, ever since he visited me that night, he hasn’t shown up again.
Though… he did buy me a necklace before he left.”
Sylvie flipped her long, dark bronze hair and showed off her necklace.
Rozie stuck out her tongue, feeling a little sick.
“Gross. I don’t care if he buys me jewelry—I’d never want a guy like that.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. The most important thing in a man is money.
Handsome nobles? Nah, rich nobles are way better.”
“You’re already rich. You’re just greedy—and your stomach must be made of steel.
Or maybe your greed is stronger than your stomach?”
Being the merchant’s daughter, Sylvie lacked nothing.
But her desires were endless, and the Kor Guild Master was famously stingy.
With six daughters to manage, he definitely couldn’t satisfy them all.
Sylvie shrieked like she’d been stabbed with a needle.
“You like money too! And you’re not even pretty, yet you only like good-looking guys.
You only like Gyle because he’s handsome.”
She said it just to annoy Rozie—and it worked.
“That’s not true! I’m not that shallow!”
“Ha! You say that, but how about directing that fiery temper of yours at Regina Lofman for once?
You’re always angry at me, but never at her.”
“It’s not anger. It’s… it’s just frustrating. I can do well too, but I never get the chance!”
“That chance was stolen by Regina Lofman, wasn’t it?
She raised you—but now she’s scared you’ll catch up.
That’s why she’s holding you back.”
Rozie regretted confiding in Sylvie.
She hadn’t expected the conversation to mess with her heart like this.
“She wouldn’t do that. She’s already way stronger than me.”
“Exactly. That’s why. She’s proud too, right?
You said it yourself—only two female mercs in Persona.
Trust me, I’ve got lots of sisters. Never trust people blindly.”
“Stop saying weird things!”
Rozie finally snapped and turned away with a shout.
This was how their conversations always ended.
Rozie thought—again—that if there had been any other girl her age in Sector C, she wouldn’t have wasted time talking to Sylvie.
But for some reason, Sylvie’s words kept echoing in her head.
“Hey! Rozie, what took you so long?!”
“Huh…?”
Still fuming, Rozie found herself walking right into Persona’s entrance out of habit.
She saw Regina and gave her an awkward smile.
‘I almost didn’t recognize her.’
Had she been living it up in the duke’s estate?
Regina looked even more beautiful now.
Her skin was glowing, and her hair looked silky and shiny.
With how elegant she looked, no one would think she was a mercenary. She looked like a noble lady.
“Rozie?”
“…It took longer than I thought.”
“Perfect timing. Come to the room with me.”
Rozie couldn’t shake off Regina’s hand as she led her.
Up close, she even saw a little jewel pin nestled in Regina’s shiny hair.
‘Seeing her in person makes me even angrier.
She took me off that job and still had such an easy, luxurious mission she could look this pretty.’
Was she really holding Rozie back because she felt threatened?
As they walked upstairs, she kept thinking about what Sylvie had said.
This ugly feeling inside—she blamed that conversation for it.
“What is it?”
“I have something for you.”
Regina opened a large trunk in the room.
Inside was a beautiful yellow dress.
She had asked Joy to make it just for Rozie.
And resting on top of it was a small cluster of sparkling jewels.
“I thought it would look good on you. I guessed your size, so I hope it fits.”
Whenever they were near nobles, Rozie had always admired their dresses from afar.
She pretended she didn’t, but Regina knew.
She believed it was natural for a young girl like Rozie to admire such things.
She had always wanted to give her a custom dress one day.
“Don’t you like it?”
Rozie looked down at the dress with empty eyes.
Instead of looking happy, she seemed to be holding back tears.
“…What’s the point? It’s not like I have anywhere to wear it.
It’s not like I lucked out and married someone in a fake wedding like you did.”
Regina frowned slightly at the harsh words and tilted her head,
but Rozie quickly tried to explain.
“I’m sorry. I’ve caught a cold—I didn’t mean to say that.”
“Are you really sick? Do you have a fever?”
Regina’s mood instantly shifted.
She stepped closer and gently touched Rozie’s forehead.
It had been a lie—just an excuse to avoid being scolded.
But seeing Regina rush over like that made Rozie feel even worse—guilt mixed with resentment.
“I-I’m fine. I’m going now.”
Rozie pulled away and left the room in a hurry.
She was so flustered that she nearly ran into Maut, who had just arrived at the door.
“Uh…”
“Huh? What’s with that face?”
“Rozie, go rest. I’ll bring you some medicine.”
Regina came after her and spoke gently.
Rozie didn’t even glance at Maut and just stared at the ground, muttering,
“It’s okay. I’m going to sleep.”
And with that, she went straight into the room next door.
Maut handed Regina a mug of warm tea and asked quietly,
“…Did something happen?”
