Part 2 Chapter 99
“I…”
While I was wondering how to clear up the misunderstanding, Daniel spoke first.
He glanced at his father, hesitated for a moment, and then said,
“…I’m a person who works as a bodyguard for employers. I’m sorry.”
“What?!”
Oh, for heaven’s sake!
Then why would I be here to hire you, if not for bodyguard work?!
“Wait, I think there’s a big misunderstanding here…”
I tried to string some words together, but nothing came out right.
If I had really planned to abduct a handsome man, even if I reassured him that my intentions were pure, I could just change my story later — so no matter what I said now, it wouldn’t sound sincere.
Realizing that, I sighed and turned to Ryan.
There was no choice. Time to send an SOS.
I tugged on his ear and whispered,
“Sorry I couldn’t tell you earlier, but he’s Krista’s boyfriend. After the regression, they never met again, so I wanted to help them meet.”
“What?!”
Ryan blinked in shock, then looked between Daniel and me. Once he grasped the situation, he stepped forward and said smoothly,
“Don’t get the wrong idea. The reason we asked about your relationship status was to gauge how committed you’d be to your work. The last guy we fired was too distracted with romance.”
Ah, my lion. Always so quick and natural in handling crises.
Daniel’s eyes widened.
Then, flustered, he bowed deeply.
“M-my apologies! I misunderstood and acted rudely out of baseless concern. I sincerely apologize.”
“Haha, it’s fine. Anyone could’ve misunderstood. I’m not the kind of petty person to get offended over something like that!”
“Still… I’m very sorry.”
“I said it’s fine.”
Sure, I’d been mistaken for some crazy woman trying to buy a handsome man’s body with money, but since that wasn’t the truth, who cares?
In fact, it was a good thing — I confirmed that Daniel is the kind of upright man who rejects improper advances without hesitation!
“Do you have anyone you’re seeing?”
Ryan asked next. Daniel immediately shook his head.
“No, I don’t.”
“Phew!”
I cheered. Both Ryan and Daniel looked at me.
“…I mean, I’m just happy to be able to hire you.”
“Thank you for considering me despite my limited skills. But if I become a personal guard, does that mean I can’t take other assignments through the guild anymore?”
“Right. You can’t. If we make a contract, you’ll live at our estate and provide 24-hour protection for a young lady who currently doesn’t have a guard.”
“…”
Daniel’s face darkened. He hesitated before speaking.
“Actually, I’ve received personal guard offers before, but taking jobs per assignment pays better, so I’ve been doing that.”
Oh-ho? A salary negotiation in progress?
Knows his worth — I like that.
“Our family pays its guards a starting salary of sixty thousand gold.”
“W-what?!”
Daniel’s eyes almost popped out of his head.
“So? Better deal than running around all day for the guild, right?”
“Ah… yes.”
He stammered, clearly stunned by the enormous amount, then looked suddenly wary.
“Um, may I ask which family this is for…?”
“Good question. This here is Count Belzer.”
I gestured to Ryan proudly.
“The hero who saved the nation! Surely you’ve heard of him.”
Daniel froze, mouth hanging open.
In the past, if you said “Belzer,” most people outside the eastern region would’ve asked, “Where’s that backwater territory?”
But now?
‘No one doesn’t know!’
After the Bassenberg Massacre Incident, anyone who didn’t know “Belzer” or “Ryan” might as well be called a spy.
“By the way, that must be your father. He looks very ill.”
“Ah! Y-yes…”
I moved past Daniel and approached the frail, sickly old man.
He looked too weak even to speak or stay conscious.
Seeing me step behind his father, Daniel trembled.
After hearing “Belzer,” he must have guessed both Ryan’s and my identities — that we were people with extraordinary powers.
That’s why his eyes now carried a desperate sort of hope.
“Don’t think of this as a debt you owe, all right?”
<Mirror’s Eye – Fountain of Purification>
A soft white light washed over the sick man’s body. Daniel could only stand frozen, speechless.
“Shall we go sign the contract now?”
Ryan slung an arm over Daniel’s shoulder.
“The bunny doctor’s treatment is free, so it won’t come out of your pay. Don’t worry.”
“…”
Daniel, eyes glistening, stared silently at his father for a long time before finally nodding.
“Yes. Of course.”
***
“…Congratulations, truly.”
Nike spoke absently.
He had just been about to head home after morning duties with the knights when he heard the happy news —
The Crown Princess was pregnant.
“Thank you. Please tell the Crown Prince’s consort as well — that it must be thanks to the tea she sent me, and that I’m very grateful.”
The radiant Crown Princess Hildegarde smiled blissfully.
“Tea?”
“Ah, yes,” replied her husband, Prince Bain.
“She’d sent us some rare tea leaves she’d managed to find. Hilde’s been drinking it often. I don’t know if it really helped with conception, but…”
“I’m telling you, it did!”
Hildegarde playfully slapped Bain’s hand and giggled.
“How else could the long-awaited news finally come just two months after I started drinking her tea?”
“Haha, maybe you’re right.”
Bain’s smile didn’t fade — and Nike had never seen his brother look so genuinely happy, which made him smile too.
“Actually, the Crown Princess was the one who’d been praying the hardest for a royal heir.”
Hildegarde stroked her still-flat belly, cheeks flushed.
“She kept saying Bain should be the one to have a child first, and that she was praying night and day for it. It was so adorable.”
“Really? Hah, yes, now that you mention it, she did once look at me with those fierce eyes and say she wanted a baby too. She’ll be thrilled when she hears.”
“So now you two should start planning for one as well.”
At that, Nike smiled faintly.
“We already made a promise — we’ll think about it after the second royal baby is born.”
“Oh my, really? Then I suppose we’ll have to work a bit harder for your sake.”
“Hahahahaha!”
After offering another round of congratulations, Nike left the palace.
As he walked, his thoughts drifted to Bania.
After the second baby is born…
That had been his suggestion.
He thought his wife was still too young, and he knew a child would inevitably change her life — so he wanted to wait.
Besides, he just wanted more time alone with her first…
Well, truthfully, beyond all that—
“A child?”
The idea still felt a bit heavy to him.
Because the thought of having someone he might love as much as Bania… terrified him.
He didn’t know what he might do, how far he might go, for love.
If there were two or three Banias in the world…
Hmm.
He’d probably lose control — maybe even sell the country again.
Let’s not do that.
So lately, Nike had been trying to discipline himself — not to love her less, but to stop losing his mind every time.
To accept that while they might be each other’s first, they weren’t each other’s entire world.
That realization came after Bania began spending more time away, visiting her family.
Funny, isn’t it?
Before, when everything tried to keep them apart, they felt like they were each other’s whole universe.
Now that peace had come, he could finally see that she had other people to love, cherish, and protect.
He had to accept that.
Even if he sometimes felt lonely, he had to be understanding.
Marriage made them family and guardians to one another — not owners.
Yes, even without obsession, Bania was already deeply, irrevocably his, and he hers.
“‘If Your Highness weren’t handsome, Bania would never have gone flower-viewing with you.’”
Haha. Those teasing family members!
As if he’d care about such jokes.
After everything they’d endured, after all the years and hardships — they had finally, finally found each other.
Their love wasn’t something so shallow.
So no, Nike wasn’t upset or hurt by yesterday’s teasing.
Not at all!
Really!
I mean, would Bania really waver if some other handsome guy appeared?
Would her love fade just because his looks changed with age?
She was a stunning beauty herself, but even he felt her looks were just a tiny part of the thousand reasons he loved her.
If it were just about appearance, would he have sold a nation for her?
Of course not — and the same went for her.
…Right?
He stopped walking.
He had arrived at the count’s estate.
Beyond the wide-open gate came Bania’s familiar laughter.
It was a bright autumn day.
She sat at a garden table, smiling.
Across from her sat a man he didn’t recognize — tall, broad-shouldered, and annoyingly handsome.
His sharp eyes caught that detail instantly.
“Since you were little, you always said you’d marry someone handsome.”
…Who’s that guy?
And why is she laughing that hard?
Not that he was jealous, of course.
Whoever he was, they must have had some business to discuss.
Talking. Yes. People talk. Bania’s free to do that — she has eyes, a mouth, and a right to socialize.
…Ha.
Then why was he so mad?
“Whoa!”
“Ah!”
Ryan suddenly appeared beside him, making him jump.
Ryan looked at Bania’s table, then back at Nike — studying his face before grinning slyly.
“What?”
“Hee~?”
Ryan pressed a finger to his lips, crossed his legs, and said teasingly,
“Why so angry?”
“…”
