“Now that Davian has appeared, the conditions for me to leave this palace are met. Your Majesty, you can’t deny that.”

Shuher himself had accepted this, so he had nothing to say about it. Who could have known this situation would arise?

“Actually, my original intention was to leave without looking back. I wanted to live quietly in a place where no one knows me.”

But that was not the end of her words.

“But when it comes down to it, I hesitate. Even I think I’m crazy. What good has happened to me here? Even now, I’m surrounded by people who are displeased with me. Why would I willingly walk on a thorny path?”

Evenel said this while showing a smile, as if she herself couldn’t believe it. She looked both disheartened and somehow relieved.

“I couldn’t make up my mind before coming to meet Your Majesty. Whether to leave, just as I had originally planned.”

“So you’ve made a decision now.”

“Yes, I just completely made up my mind.”

Shuher waited for her next words with an anxious heart. Even in situations where he had faced numerous monsters, he had never been this tense.

Evenel looked directly into his eyes without wavering and made her answer filled with conviction.

“I want to stay here. This time it’s my own will.”

If her initial decision to stay in Karies had been a reluctant choice, this time she wanted to be here of her own volition.

“I’ve worked hard to build up what I have, and I also have some grudges, it seems. I guess I’ve grown attached to this place.”

She really didn’t want to admit it, but the truth was she liked the people she had met in Karies. The Knights, Emil, Hibr, Henea. They accepted her as she was.

Evenel suddenly raised her voice, feeling awkward that Shuher wasn’t reacting. She wished he would say something.

“Why aren’t you reacting? Shouldn’t you be happy?”

“Why should I be?”

“Of course you should be happy. A talented individual is staying.”

When she spoke defiantly, placing a hand on her chest, a deflating laugh came from him. The tension she had felt until then vanished in an instant.
In truth, he had been relieved without even realizing it, at the fact that Evenel wasn’t leaving.

In that brief moment, numerous thoughts had crossed through Evenel’s mind. What she should do if she really were to leave, whether she would have to resort to cruel measures as a last resort.

Even though Davian was around and there was no need for it now, Shuher had instinctively wanted to tie her down. He felt that Evenel should be by his side.

Since Shuher did not answer definitively, a slight worry began to creep into Evenel.

“Did you think this was a good opportunity to get rid of me, and that’s why I moved forward alone? That would be quite embarrassing now.”

“I see you’re forward.”

“So, what will you do with me? Will you leave or stay?”

Shuher was about to voice the response that had already crossed his lips at her defiant tone.

“I see no reason to kick away prey that comes rolling in.”

“Nice expression. What’s wrong with just saying you like it?”

Having said all she wanted to say, Evenel stood up from her seat, her face relieved.

“I’ve taken more time than expected, so I’ll go now. You must still be busy, working even at this hour.”

As Evenel was about to leave, an unfinished thought came to her mind and she turned to ask him.

“So what will you tell the nobles? They won’t easily accept it just because Davian is here. They are already pondering how to kill me.”

Stopping on his way to his desk, Shuher looked at her, then asked in a voice lower than before.

“How did you find that out? Did you hear it from Demil?”

“No. Actually, I accidentally met Duke Harlan, who is going to today’s meeting. He said it openly. They’ll decide today how to kill me.”

He asked almost suspiciously, as she spoke so dispassionately, as if discussing the weather.

“Why do you think I would agree with their opinion? Such a promise can easily be broken.”

Undeterred by his incomprehensible gaze, Evenel answered without hesitation, as if certain there was no other answer.

“Your Majesty wouldn’t have agreed.”

“And how can you be so sure? I’ve told you many times that I could kill you.”

“Don’t you think it’s too late for that statement?”

True to her words, Evenel’s face still exuded confidence, even though she knew Shuher could kill her.
The moment he seemed to be mocking himself and was about to speak, she closed the distance between them in a few strides. Holding her gun behind her back, she leaned slightly toward him and spoke with a voice tinged with laughter.

“Forgive me, but from the moment you gave me this gun, you revealed that you won’t kill me.”

Evenel looked at him with challenging eyes, as if daring him to counter her argument. Even before hearing Demil’s story, she felt certain from the moment he entrusted her with his belongings that he would not harm her.

A ripple effect took place, as if a droplet of water had fallen on a still pond. In his cold, black eyes and in Shuher’s heart, which had been devoid of warmth.