Chapter 54: How a Mercenary Brings Her Husband Home (3)
“No, she said she was sick.”
“Hmph, but if you ask me, that kid Rozie’s just sulking a little.”
When Regina tilted her head in confusion, Maut nodded toward Rozie’s room. The hallway still carried a faint chill.
“She was really hoping she’d be assigned to the night mission. I heard she even bought drinks for Sylvie, the second daughter of the Kor Merchant Guild.”
Regina sat across from Maut, her expression darkening.
She had been the one to exclude Rozie from that mission, so hearing that Rozie had been excited made her feel uneasy.
Still, her decision stood firm—Rozie simply wasn’t ready for a high-risk rescue mission.
“But Uncle Maut, you know as well as I do. A mission like that would’ve been too much for Rozie.”
“I know. That’s why I feel the most guilty. It was me, in my rush, who tried to assign her to it in the first place.”
“Uncle… Mercenaries who take on missions they’re not ready for always get hurt. Some even die.”
Maut nodded, accepting her scolding, and gently patted Regina’s head.
She might be the kind of person who recklessly took on any mission to earn money, even risking her own limbs,
but when it came to the others, she was always careful, always trying to protect them from injury.
That kind of seriousness in someone so young—it made his heart ache.
“Sorry I made you worry, kid. You’ve already got enough on your plate.”
“It’s okay.”
Maut was the only person Regina allowed herself to lean on like a child.
Hearing his honest words, her face softened instantly.
“But more importantly, that Duke guy—is he alright? He hasn’t caused any problems?
He’s not throwing around his title and pushing you around like a jerk, is he?”
The moment he said “problems,” the incident from a few nights ago flashed in her mind—
what would people say if they heard a royal prince had knelt in front of a woman?
‘They’d all freak out. I still can’t believe it myself.’
But even so, she didn’t feel uncomfortable or bothered by what Valentin had done.
The memory kept coming back on its own.
Maybe… she even liked it a little.
‘But what’s certain is—he’s not a bad person.’
At the very least, he truly cared about her well-being.
From tending her injuries himself to worrying about her bare feet touching the ground—he was, surprisingly, a very gentle client.
“…Kid? Regina?”
When Regina didn’t respond, Maut’s voice grew heavier.
Though he smiled, the way his legs bounced showed he was ready to storm Valentin’s room with every mercenary in Persona behind him.
“He’s kind. Don’t worry.”
“Hmph.”
Maut snorted and relaxed.
Even if he ran down the hall now, she’d probably block the door herself.
‘Doesn’t look like that kind of man…’
Maut narrowed his eyes.
Regina might have been a bit slow to pick up on it,
but Maut could tell.
That man—Valentin—had the instincts of a beast hiding under his fancy robes.
Even if he acted gentle, there was something in his eyes.
Someone like Maut, who was especially sensitive to danger, could feel it immediately.
‘He probably makes enemies without even realizing it, just by being himself.’
And more than anything, Regina’s uncertain, hesitant tone bothered Maut.
Maybe he should bring out a few extra crates of the liquor he’d set aside.
After all, you really got to know a man after a few drinks.
Whether royal or duke didn’t matter to the mercenaries of Persona.
To them, he was just a client who had taken Regina away for too long.
They’d already chewed on some tree berries said to help with hangovers—just in case.
“So, was that all you came up here to ask?”
“Haha, that, and… I just wanted to see your face again.”
“And those guys outside?”
Regina chuckled, already aware of the others loitering in the hallway.
She opened the door and leaned against the frame, staring out at the mercenaries crowded outside.
A bunch of rough men gathered together really did look like a giant lump of shadows.
“Well, it’s just—you’ve locked yourself in a room since you got here.”
Their sheepish smiles were filled with both happiness and concern.
Bringing Valentin with her and now being seen as a proper lady of the duchy… they had probably figured out parts of what had happened.
“Yeah… only Uncle Maut got to see you…”
Their voices shrank with awkwardness. Despite their size, they sounded like little boys.
Regina smiled softly, and Maut stood up from his chair with a huff.
“You fools! You couldn’t wait until dinner?!”
“Maut!”
“That’s right! That’s right!”
Their voices grew louder and rowdier.
It was the usual chaos—but the issue was, Rozie and Valentin were staying in the nearby guest rooms, and they needed peace.
Even though Regina was happy to see them again, she had to send them away.
“I’ll hang out with you all during dinner. But we have a guest, so let’s not cause a scene now.”
“Right, Regina. You should rest for a bit too.”
Maut kicked them down the hall—literally.
They shouted and protested but didn’t resist as he herded them away.
“Kid, take a break and come down for dinner later!”
“Hurry up and rest! We’ve got so much to talk about!”
Even as they left, the hall was noisy until the end.
Regina waved at them casually before closing the door.
Then she stood still for a moment, noticing the silence pressing in again.
“They’re all the same as ever… not that I expected anything different.”
Regina glanced around her room.
Even though it had been a while, not a speck of dust could be seen.
Someone had been cleaning it regularly.
‘It must’ve been Gyle.’
Only a few in Persona were as tidy as him.
And truthfully, Regina herself had never been good at cleaning.
Even when they were kids, Gyle used to tidy her room for her.
Valentin, now settled into one of the few guest rooms in Persona, looked around slowly.
He’d been told to rest and had been left alone for an hour, so he passed the time by exploring the room.
It wasn’t especially big, but the furniture was high quality.
Maut, who had helped move his luggage, had even bragged about it a little.
“I heard Persona Guild was tight on money.”
So, before Maut left, Valentin had taken a little jab at his pride.
“Who says that kind of thing?”
“Just rumors. But when Regina came to the duchy, I thought it might be true.”
Crunch.
The sound of Maut’s strong grip crushing the luggage handle filled the room.
“…Even if that’s true, don’t you dare look down on her for coming to the duke’s estate to save our guild.
If it weren’t for the damn penalty fee, she wouldn’t have needed to.”
“I never looked down on her.”
Valentin’s tone turned cold.
Not once had he treated Regina with disrespect.
Maut quietly let go of the now-dented handle and turned to leave.
“Good. I’m glad to hear that.”
It seemed that no matter what, Maut would never accept Valentin—
not if he treated Regina lightly,
and not even if he treated her with the devotion of a man in love.
That penalty clause…
So that’s why Persona was financially struggling.
Valentin realized again just how serious Regina was about her work—
and how seriously Persona viewed her, too.
‘Triple penalty for mission failure. What pride… or was it confidence?’
He remembered the line at the bottom of the contract he’d signed with her.
When he’d asked about it, she had said it was simply the rule Persona lived by.
At the time, he thought it was arrogant bravado.
Now, he saw it differently.
‘Regina Lofman isn’t just a member of Persona… she’s its leader.’
He had realized it the moment he stepped down from the carriage.
The others had eyes only for her, like loyal dogs waiting for their master.
They had stared at him like a thief stealing something precious.
Those eyes were sharp, ready to draw swords at a single misstep.
These people would kill a royal for her if they had to.
They looked like wild hounds that existed only to protect Regina.
Valentin leaned against the back of the sofa, then stood up and opened the door just a little.
He’d heard noise from outside.
Even through the small crack, he could tell where the noise was coming from—
the loud voices of the mercenaries gathered around Regina.
‘She’s smiling.’
Regina was laughing among them, a gentle, relaxed smile—
so different from how she smiled at the duke’s estate.
That Regina felt unfamiliar to him.
Like someone he didn’t know.
So when the group finally dispersed, he stepped out and knocked on her door.
Knock, knock.
While waiting, Valentin tapped the top of his cane with his finger—like a silent clock ticking.
He didn’t even realize he was doing it.
“Valentin.”
When their eyes met—his tapping stopped.
“There was a lot of noise.”
“Oh, did it disturb your rest?”
“Mm… also, the room’s a bit chilly. The weather’s turned, and there’s no firewood in here.”
Regina glanced at his coat. It was made from excellent material and should have been warm—
especially now that winter had passed.
Still, when a guest said he was cold, she didn’t hesitate.
“I’ll light a fire for you.”
Without a second thought, Valentin stepped into her room and took a slow look around.
