TDVIATD 24

“I’m just someone who happened to pass by. I can’t tolerate seeing a child being beaten, but stealing from others is wrong as well.”

The boy bit down hard on his lip.

“…If I don’t steal, I can’t survive.”

“You could have been killed. You should try to live differently—”

“This is the only way I can live.”

The boy spat the words out, ignored Leah when she tried to stop him, and ran off.

There were many pickpockets and beggars in the entertainment district.

Wasn’t there some way to improve this situation?

Watching the boy’s retreating back, Leah crossed her arms and fell into thought when a voice sounded behind her.

“You’ve got quite the nerve, miss.”

(That voice—!)

Leah spun around.

“Werner…!”

A tall young man dressed entirely in black, wearing a hat of the same color.

His skin was tanned, his eyes sharp, his nose well-defined, and his lips sensual.

Because he wore an eyepatch, only his pale green right eye was visible—but he had heterochromia.

He was a remarkably handsome man.

—Werner Hönes.

“Huh… miss, how do you know my name?”

Because you were my companion in my previous life.

She had come here hoping to meet him, but she hadn’t expected to actually succeed.

It was lucky—but if she told him about her previous life, would he believe her?

Leah pressed her lips together.

He possessed a special ability, but there was still a high chance he wouldn’t believe her.

As she wondered what to do, she studied him.

Werner looked about six years younger than when she had first met him in her previous life, and there was still a trace of boyishness in his cheeks.

(This feels strange somehow.)

Without thinking, a small smile spread across her lips.Who Are You?

She had known the current appearances of the others, but she hadn’t met Werner at this age before.

This was their first meeting in this life.

“Hey. Why do you know my name?”

“I guessed. I just thought you looked like someone named that.”

“………… You guessed it exactly.”

“Really? I might be amazing!”

She covered her mouth with her hand and pretended to be surprised.

However, Leah was terrible at acting, and Werner stared at her suspiciously.

“That gust of wind just now—you caused it, didn’t you?”

“A gust of wind?”

Leah blinked innocently.

“Now that you mention it, it did seem like the wind blew…? But that wasn’t me—”

“There’s no point hiding it from me, miss. You’re a mage.”

So even in this life, he still possessed his ability.

Everyone else was the same as in her previous life, and events were unfolding the same way, so she had expected as much.

—Werner had the ability to see the souls of mages.

In her previous life, he had been both the owner of a high-end gambling house and a magical detective.

If he found a mage with dangerous ideologies, he belonged to an organization that reported them to the Empire.

He had once explained why he belonged to such an organization, but since he hadn’t liked talking about it, Leah hadn’t pried further in her previous life.

Both of them had abandoned their pasts and lived as adventurers.

They were companions, nothing more—there had never been any romance between them.

“That kid just now is someone I know. I was about to step in and help him when you showed up and drove those men away. Thank you for helping him.”

Leah shook her head slightly.

“I didn’t do anything.”

“You’re a ‘wind’ mage, aren’t you?”

He narrowed his eyes as he looked at Leah.

“…Still, your magical power is unusual.”

It would be troublesome if he realized here that she was actually a dark mage.

Leah didn’t have any dangerous ideology, but there was no guarantee a dark mage wouldn’t be judged as dangerous.

She began to panic slightly.

“Mr. Werner Hönes.”

“…Did you guess my surname from the atmosphere too?”

“…Yes.”

Ah—she was digging herself deeper in her panic.

“…Who exactly are you?”