IBWCD 25

Chapter 25

That afternoon.

Evelyn heard Kalian’s call and left the lobby, ready for her outing.

After walking a short distance through the sunlit outdoor corridors, she saw him stroking a bluish-black horse.

His silky black hair and cloak fluttered in the breeze.

Evelyn approached him, feeling her heart flutter in her chest. He handed the horse’s reins to his escort and put his hand lightly on her shoulder.

“I’ll be leaving to request the tombstone. I have a stop to make before then, so come with me.”

Evelyn was taken aback.

“If it’s a crystal ball…”

“Yes, the offer you made me last night. I’ve done the math, and it seems to do more harm than good.”

“What about meeting with Count Martin? I was wondering if we could minimize the damage to civilians by producing and distributing crystalline stone as a natural enemy of demons.”

She made the suggestion, but she wasn’t sure he would accept. The cost of producing artifacts was beyond his imagination.

Evelyn blinked in confusion.

“Wouldn’t that be too tight a time frame?”

“That depends on the quality of the maker.”

How to stop the plague-infected humans, the Tainted, was beyond her.

In her last life, Kalian had defied Litchev and headed north, and by the time she’d gotten there, the Imperials who’d quarantined the town had burned the living to the ground.

‘It was a horrible sight. Something I never want to think about again.’

Somehow, among those who survived the horrors were those who were tainted, who spontaneously recovered after the dust settled.

‘Maybe we can find the source of the plague at the Gate.’

The most important thing was to isolate the infected from the rest of the town.

Of course, even then, it would be difficult to keep the town safe from the demonic forces pouring out of the gate.

Then she remembered Count Martin, who refines magic stones to produce various artifacts.

If he could make and distribute them, he could at least stop the chaos in the village.

He didn’t think about it for long, so it was clear that he had a heart for it.

Either that, or he was planning to solidify his reward from the Emperor once this was done.

Clenching her sweaty hands, Evelyn turned to her well-maintained steed, shifting her gaze to the horse.

“So, where is the first place we need to stop?”

“You’ll know when you get there.”

No sooner had she finished her noncommittal reply than her vision snapped up. Kalian wrapped his arm around Evelyn’s waist and lifted her into the saddle.

“The carriage will follow, and you can ride in it on the way back, but for now you’ll have to come with me, even if it’s uncomfortable.”

Without a moment to compose herself, Evelyn slid up behind her, and Kalian spurred his horse into a gallop.

* * *

After some time, they arrived at a bustling commercial district.

Gazes were understandably focused on the two as they dismounted.

“We’re not even officially married yet, are we allowed to wander around like this?

Evelyn blushed and let him lead her into a mysterious shop.

A rattle.

Evelyn’s face stiffened at the sight of the clear bell as she gazed into the exposed space.

Showcases arranged in a ‘T’ shape, the air glistening as if sprinkled with jewelry dust.

It was a jewelry store.

‘They say a single ring can pay for a decade’s worth of living expenses for most noble families…’

A woodcut of Eric’s mysterious jewelry ring hanging from the ceiling confirmed her suspicions.

It was a place she had heard about countless times in conversations with noblewomen in the past.

“If the Grand duke is Eric’s patron, and his wife doesn’t have a ring, doesn’t that mean that things aren’t going well between them?”

She could hear the sneers of the ladies as they stared at her empty finger, as if they were listening.

Suddenly, she had a question.

Have they ever held hands or shown affection in front of others?

…Well.

They had kissed, touched, and whispered their love countless times, but in public, he was always a cold and distant husband.

‘He didn’t even have that common wedding ring.’

Evelyn looks around the store with wide eyes.

At one end of the store, a middle-aged man with brown curly hair and wire-rimmed glasses held out a thick brochure to Kalian.

“Let’s take a look at the catalog before you decide. Tomorrow is the day we unveil our new collection.”

Eric held out the design book he had prepared for the imperial family.

“Let’s make it as strikingly large as possible.”

“Oh, no, that won’t be enough for the lady’s slender fingers, will it? Please listen to the other side, big isn’t always better.”

“Bigger isn’t always better?”

Kalian, who had been talking to Eric, turned to Evelyn and gave her a quizzical look.

Evelyn shook her head nonchalantly at the question that seemed to solicit an opinion. The ring resembled a giant candy bar and didn’t have the slightest hint of practicality.

Kalian, who had been watching, let out a low chuckle and straightened up.

“If you say no, then I want the most expensive and shiniest design you can find. Deadline is two days.”

There was a dull thud as he set the purple velvet pouch down on the shelf.

Eric opened the pouch to see the size of the jewelry and gasped.

“Hoooo, this is the finest I’ve ever seen, and I think it’s a loot that can only be found on the fourth floor of a dungeon, at least…”

Eric looked at Evelyn with a sidelong glance.

“Two days should be enough. I’ll post a message.”

Eric’s eyes couldn’t have been kinder, but Evelyn, standing in front of the shelves, couldn’t bring herself to interrupt their conversation.

“Are you trying to give me…?

Otherwise, there was no reason to bring her all the way there to ask her opinion.

She’d been without a wedding ring in her previous life, so she figured she’d be the same this time.

When she realized that the ring belonged to her, her heart swelled in her chest and an unknown sense of anticipation blossomed.

Even though it had a predetermined end, it wouldn’t be a sad marriage.

“Well, go ahead, then.”

Evelyn bowed to Eric, who bowed back, and left the shop with a smile on her face.

* * *

Arriving at Eldin, in the southeastern part of the Empire, via warp gate, Kalian made his way to the forge where Count Felix Martin was waiting for him.

Count Martin has been refining and smelting magic stones for generations.

It is processed so that it can be handled by those without magic, it has enriched the lives of his people.

“Welcome home. You’re alive and well after your near-death experience.”

Wearing a large magnifying glass, Count Martin was a man of unusual appearance and history that could be called eccentric.

A bushy mustache, overalls with a top and bottom, and wiry blond hair.

He looks far from aristocratic, but he was once the head of the Alchemists’ Guild and a close friend of Tristan, the Grand Duke.

“I’m afraid so.”

Pulling a bundle of papers from his arms, Kalian handed them to the Count.

“You know the gist of it, but I’d like you to hasten the work, as we need to limit the damage to civilian life.”

“Of course.”

Taking the paper, the Count scanned it with a fierce glance and started toward the lab.

“By the way, Matthias tells me that you have brought a certain lady with you, what is it?”

Kalian smiled once, then answered nonchalantly.

“It was love at first sight.”

“I’ve lived too long, you hear things that don’t mean anything.”

“Don’t doubt my sincerity.”

A laugh escaped the Count’s lips as he rolled up the confirmed order and tucked it away.

“Why don’t you put some spit in your mouth, it’s not as if you don’t know how much trouble you’re causing the Senate with your lack of interest in women.”

Kalian frowned at the sudden realization.

The sweet voice, the flushed cheeks, and the blurred, tear-stained eyes were all too clear in his mind.

She was beautiful, of course, even when she didn’t look like that.

Apart from her mysteriously colored hair and eyes, which would be indistinguishable if he took her to a snowfield, she had a look that was hard to forget once he saw it.

It was for the same reason that people who had a similar reaction to the Count’s were united in their acceptance of her appearance. She was like a well-crafted sculpture.

At best, mesmerizing, at worst, dangerous.

Though for many reasons, she was more of the latter to him.

At some point, Kalian had found himself pushing her, not for the purpose of healing and cleansing, but for personal reasons.

It was similar to what he felt for a woman he had loved, long before he could remember.

Longing and lust.

Once he recognized it, he would kiss her and stop as soon as he felt the urge.

‘It would be better if it were all about sex,’ he thought, ‘because it’s an emotion that will eventually cool off after you’ve held it for a while.’

But curiosity and instinct weren’t the only feelings he had, and the complexity of his emotions was a dangerous sign.

His lips twisted up at the corners, skillfully tapping into the emotions beneath the surface.

“You are overly concerned.”

“Don’t be angry. I’m only saying this out of old age, as someone who wants your happiness more than anyone.”

Her eyebrows drew together.

The count, who had been watching the scene with suspicion, hesitated as if he had something to say, then opened his mouth.

“By any chance, is the woman you are with the ‘lady’ you speak of?”

Kalian’s eyes darkened for a moment at the cautious Count’s question.

“You are… mistaken.”

“I have misspoken. I thought you’d found her on your own.”

True to his word, for a very long time, Kalian was tormented by the memory of a woman.

Dazzling silver hair, clear green eyes.

The memories of their love and her smile had faded in the ravages of time, but one thing was certain.

Evelyn bore a striking resemblance to the woman he loved.

Perhaps that’s why the first time he saw her, a red light went on in his head.

Kalian smiled slowly.

“I realize now how reckless it is to cling to an illusion.”

“I’m sorry, but I sympathize. I can only hope that your Fiance is not a substitute for ‘the lady’.”

Stretching as if to shake off his thoughts, the Count grabbed the doorknob of his study.

For a moment, Kalian thought of Evelyn’s face as she warned him to return safely, but then she followed him with a calm step.