Episode 38
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“Yes, haha. I really do love training. Even though the sun’s already down. Haha… Well then, safe travels!”
Dering walked off awkwardly, forcing a smile.
As they made their way back toward the entrance, Anna kept sneaking glances at Awhin’s face before finally speaking up.
“Um, Sir Knight, I’ve been wondering something… May I ask?”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“Can you actually feel divine power inside you?”
“Yes. It feels like a warm energy flowing through your body.”
“Then… if you go somewhere cold, do you not feel the cold?”
“No, that’s a bit different.”
“Oh… I heard you can’t use divine power to heal yourself. So does it make you tired if you use too much?”
“Yes. It’s like using your physical strength.”
Their light conversation continued as they reached the temple’s front gate—until Melody suddenly spoke.
“…Oh!”
Someone was standing next to the duke’s carriage parked outside the temple. Tall, in a cloak dark as night, silver hair glowing golden under the lights—Deonis.
“What?! It’s the Duke! When did he wake up? Is he here for treatment?”
Anna whispered rapidly, but Melody couldn’t answer. She just stared in shock as Deonis spotted her and walked over.
“Thank you for escorting me,” she quickly told Awhin. “We’ll be going now.”
Awhin seemed like he was about to say something, but Melody didn’t hear it. She rushed straight toward Deonis.
“Duke! Why are you here? Are you hurt?!”
“I came to pick you up,” he said, his eyes fixed on her with quiet seriousness.
“You just woke up—why are you even out here?!”
He must still be in pain, even if it wasn’t as bad as before.
“I told you. I came to get you.”
With an unreadable expression, Deonis suddenly looked past her shoulder—his eyes cold.
“My magic tool maker disappears for a second and she’s already with another man.”
That familiar tension returned, heavy in the air. Melody sighed inside. Were all three male leads doomed to fight the moment they saw each other?
It felt unfair. Rihelin hadn’t even entered the picture yet. Why were things heating up already?
“All of this is for your sake,” she muttered.
“For mine?” he raised an eyebrow.
“Just… get in the carriage, please.”
She stepped toward it, wanting to get away from the temple—but he blocked the door.
“Wait. The carriage is high.”
“I’ve ridden it before—”
Before she could finish, her view suddenly rose. He had picked her up.
“Wait, hold on—!”
It was night, and there weren’t many people around—but Anna was still there. So was the coachman. Even Rohan was staring in shock. Melody was gently lowered into the carriage, but it was incredibly awkward.
“All set,” Deonis said, brushing it off like nothing had happened. He climbed in after her, and the door closed with a soft thud.
Melody, her face now bright red, glared at him. She noticed him fiddling with his gloves—right where he’d touched her.
“There were people around! What were you thinking?!”
Trying to steady her voice, she finally snapped.
“I thought I didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable,” he replied plainly. “Then I wondered why you went to the temple. What kind of relationship did you have with the captain? If I should cut his throat.”
“Don’t joke about that!”
He muttered something that sounded like “I wasn’t joking,” but she ignored it.
“Are you feeling okay?”
“I’m not dead, so I guess I’m fine.”
His casual answer made something stir in her chest. He looked at her like it was no big deal, then smiled faintly.
“So… what were you doing at the temple for me? Don’t tell me you were praying.”
He clearly wasn’t going to drop it. She had planned to tell him eventually, so it wasn’t a big deal.
She pulled out the bag of stones. His brow furrowed.
“I needed divine energy for the magic-nullifying machine. I went to get materials.”
“Blue quartz?”
“You know it?”
“I’ve seen it before. The royal family uses it.”
He examined the quartz and started asking questions with a sharp look.
“You and the captain—do you go way back?”
“Not that long.”
He didn’t like that answer. He tapped the bag with a pouty gesture.
“That rule-loving knight gave you blue quartz, for free? Out of kindness? Even though you’re not close?”
“I paid for it properly.”
But his frown didn’t fade.
“If it’s for me, then I should be the one paying. What did he want?”
“Repairing magic tools.”
“Even though they have magic tool makers at the temple? And he wanted *you* to do it?”
“I’m kind of amazing. Maybe my genius just leaked out.”
“Hmm. The crown prince said the same thing. How convenient.”
His voice sounded like a growl. Melody waved her hands.
“No, really…”
“Whatever. Don’t do it. If you need more quartz, I’ll get it.”
“I already have enough.”
“Then I’ll get more. Just to make myself feel better. Are you sure this is really for me?”
“It’s for me too, okay? So just drop it—”
*Grrrrgle…*
Her stomach growled.
Deonis tapped the carriage wall and called out to the coachman.
“We’ll stop to eat.”
“Let’s just go back to the mansion! You’re still not well.”
“I don’t care.”
“Well *I* care.”
“So do I.”
After a bit of childish back and forth, Deonis won. The carriage stopped at the start of the night market.
Melody leaned out and pointed to a stall selling round snacks.
“Okay, then just… buy those for me. And one for Anna. And the Duke too. Oh! And—”
“Buy everything on the table,” Deonis told the servant.
Soon, the carriage was filled with snacks. There were so many that they even spilled onto the floor.
Deonis picked up a hollow cookie and raised an eyebrow.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a cookie you smash before eating.”
*Smash!* She broke one on her palm and popped a piece into her mouth.
“Eat yours back at the mansion.”
As she crunched, Deonis watched her, then turned his head toward the window.
“…It’s my first time at a night market.”
He hadn’t had the chance for this kind of everyday fun—not with all his pain. The lights of the market cast shadows on his face. Melody tightened her grip on the quartz bag.
“When I finish the machine… let’s come back here again.”
“Will you promise?”
She hadn’t meant to say *together*, but when she saw the calm look in his eyes, she couldn’t say no.
“…I promise.”
She held out her pinky finger.
—
When she opened her eyes, she was in bed.
Melody instinctively snuggled deeper under the warm, soft blanket.
“…She was always busy with her research. And she’d visit the Duke whenever she could.”
“…I know.”
Not far away, two people were talking.
It was Deonis and Anna.
“She seemed really worried about you.”
Then came the rustling sound of something being unwrapped.
“He said he bought it for you, Anna.”
