“Why should I trust you and vacate the sleeping chambers?”

The cold air emanating from the holy sword Ielro began to frost over Ricarion’s neck with a white layer.

“You’re an irresponsible person who barely visits the magic tower you own once a year.”

The cold air made the fine hairs on his neck stand on end, covered in frost, and the creases of his shirt from shoulder to waist froze stiff along the grain.

“The master of Gaius, who didn’t budge even when an emperor ascended or barbarians crossed the border, why would he disguise himself as a lowly coachman and cling so closely to my wife? His intentions are also very suspicious.”

The frost rapidly spreading over Ricarion’s entire body began to build up layers of white, covering even the holy sword Gaius aimed at Frost’s neck.

“Above all, the problem is that I can’t be certain your intervention is what my rain desires.”

Frost’s gaze turned to Yuriella sleeping soundly on the bed.

Seeing her face paler than yesterday, he had checked her warm breath by placing a finger under her nose several times today too.

Even that wasn’t enough; he had to put his ear to her chest and feel her faint breathing to be reassured.

‘Yuriella… What is this man to you?’

Is this the culprit who made me a cast-off wife, as reported by the butler?

The one who made you cry and hurt you.

Now, if he belatedly regrets and tries to return your soul and claim credit for it.

Will you… accept it?

Frost’s expression darkened as he dug himself deeper into a pit of misunderstanding.

“I simply can’t stand it anymore, Your Highness.”

A deep burgundy aura rippled beneath the layers of frost that had turned Ricarion into a white statue.

Pop! It shattered and pushed away the frost shell all at once.

The fine frost fragments scattered around the room like sleet.

Frost’s brow furrowed as he glimpsed some of it settling on Yuriella’s cheek like dewdrops.

“If you’re going to pick a fight with force, I don’t want to back down either.”

As the Magic Tower Lord adjusted his stance, his black cloak fluttered, and a fierce energy shook the stone and earth walls and ceiling.

The floor where Frost stood also trembled and rumbled, with broken stone fragments jumping up, but

Frost’s solid body didn’t waver at all. Only the cold killing intent burning in his blue eyes intensified.

“Ricarion Greco. Why did someone of your stature as Magic Tower Lord specifically linger around my wife?”

“I’d like to know too. Why I specifically chose Yuriella.”

“What?”

Ricarion was genuinely curious.

Why was Yuriella Grande’s body specifically the perfect match for Solas Moretti’s soul?

Thinking she was just a dancing girl from a medicine peddler’s troupe, he had asked Aerie to breathe Solas’ soul into her lifeless body.

Ricarion, who was watching over her disguised as a coachman to see if Solas’ soul was adapting well to the new body, was quite surprised when the Grande Duke’s people barged in and forcibly took Yuriella away.

“Why, of all people, were you specifically her match?”

He had long ago heard from the medicine troupe members that Yuriella’s mother was a lowly maid working in a noble house. And that she was driven out when discovered to be pregnant with Yuriella.

But he had no idea that the biological father was the Duke of Grande, the second-in-command of the North.

He knew that the northern nobles diligently sent marriage proposals for their daughters or branch family ladies to the Grand Duke, but he really couldn’t have imagined that Duke Grande would make Yuriella a sacrificial lamb for a political marriage.

Why, of all people.

Ricarion’s kind eyes directly faced the master of the North, exuding icy coldness.

Why, of all people, was it you?

“I want Yuriella to be happy.”

“My person’s happiness is my concern. It’s not your place as Magic Tower Lord to wish for that either.”

“Please vacate this room. I don’t have time for pointless arguments with Your Highness.”

Ricarion said with a serious expression.

“The one who should get out of this room is you.”

Frost ground his teeth and snapped at Ricarion, growling like a loyal dog determined never to leave its master’s side.

“If that’s how it is, I’ll have to change my plans too. There’s not much time left, you see.”

As Ricarion struck the floor with Gaius, which looked like a long wooden staff, the stone floor Frost was standing on tore open and surged up violently.

“I’ll take care of Yuriella for a moment.”

Not missing the moment Frost staggered, Ricarion leapt onto the bed and reached out towards Yuriella.

“Where do you think−”

Frost jumped up high, aiming to stamp down on Ricarion’s shoulder with his leather boot, but noticing something, he cursed and twisted his body, crashing onto the floor with a thud.

The Magic Tower Lord, who had instinctively flinched at the impending attack, raised his head with a puzzled expression and looked back.

“You dared to try and steal my rain with such a frail body.”

Frost got up with a groan and nodded towards Ricarion’s back.

“Go get your wounds treated.”

Under the Magic Tower Lord’s cloak thrown back, his clothes torn and burned in places were visible. The bruises, scratches, and red swollen burn marks looked quite serious.

These were traces left from wandering volcanic areas to return Solas’ soul back to Yuriella’s body.

“The one who needs to get wounds treated is you, Grand Duke.”

Ricarion’s gaze lingered on Frost’s blood-stained shirt. It seemed the impact from falling had reopened the wound from the magic poison.

“At least change your bandages. I’ll wake Yuriella in the meantime.”

Frost frowned and glared at the Magic Tower Lord.

He was reluctant to entrust Yuriella to him, but the judgment that not much time was left seemed correct.

Yuriella’s complexion was paler than yesterday. No, even more so than this morning. Her labored breathing seemed to indicate that her fragile body was in an increasingly worsening state.

His desolate blue eyes landed on the Magic Tower Lord’s wounds before moving to his unwavering purple eyes.

“Do it in front of me. Whatever it is.”

He had already made the foolish mistake of leaving his wife to an untrustworthy person once; that was enough.

Frost approached Yuriella and gently wiped away the traces of frost that had turned into droplets on her cheek.

“This is the second time. Breathing a soul into this body.”

Frost’s hand stroking Yuriella’s cheek stopped.

As I thought. It wasn’t just a passing connection.

Not knowing the depth and reason for that connection irritated Frost to no end.

Frost slowly straightened up and turned around.

“The second time?”

“A few months ago, when Yuriella was very ill. I breathed a soul into that body.”

What he breathed in then was Solas’ soul, but since Solas is now Yuriella, it’s not entirely wrong.

“Why?”

“Pardon?”

“I’m asking why the esteemed Magic Tower Lord would show such kindness to a mere dancing girl.”

Ricarion’s gaze naturally turned to Yuriella.

“A very long time ago, I received help from Yuriella.”

A gentle smile appeared in his deepened eyes.

“It was such a small thing that Yuriella probably doesn’t remember, but I was glad to repay that beautiful heart in my own way.”

“It’s surprising that the Magic Tower Lord, famous for being heartless, would bestow repayment twice.”

Frost sneered.

“This repayment is actually the third time.”

A bitter smile formed on Ricarion’s lips.

Was it really repayment? Guiding her to the fire sword Flama.

The burning red hair of the young beggar child showing remarkable talent with the sword naturally reminded him of the crimson phoenix. Thinking that a pure and innocent soul would suit it well, he had led her steps.

As he had guessed, they made an excellent match.

But that unparalleled talent, the glorious position as the master of the holy sword Flama, ultimately led Solas Moretti to the misfortune of having her head severed and hung on the city walls.

What shines in my eyes is dazzling to others too, and

Among those who flock to that brilliant light, there are many who harbor impure intentions to take or destroy it. I knew this all too well, and yet.

So while I myself avoided it so desperately, what kind of pit did I end up pushing her into?

By the time I regretted it, that clear and lovely soul had already been deeply stained with indelible blood.

“My first repayment became poison instead. Yuriella… experienced too much pain that she didn’t have to go through. I shouldn’t have given such an inconsiderate repayment… I should have watched over her properly… I regretted it. No, not just watching, I should have done something for her−”

Frost raised an eyebrow crookedly and coldly cut off his words.

“Write your stupid regrets in your diary when you get home. If you want to do something for my wife, do it properly in front of me.”

“The stupid one is you, Grand Duke. After I’ve said this much, can’t you just shut up and leave? If something happens to Yuriella at this rate−”

Frost approached without a sound, grabbed Ricarion’s collar, and gritted his teeth.

“I wish you were a rabbit or a deer instead. Then I could at least boast to my wife that I killed you for dinner. Please, know how much incredible patience I’m exercising right now not to spill blood next to my sleeping wife.”

“If you care for Yuriella, then right now−”

“She’s my rain. If you don’t want your tongue cut out, never call her by name again.”

“I met her first! I’ve known her since she was this small, so I have every right to call her name. Yuriell−”

Thwack. Frost’s fist connected with the Magic Tower Lord’s jaw.

Bam. The Magic Tower Lord’s forehead crashed right into Frost’s forehead.

Sparks seemed to fly from the two men’s eyes, and in no time they were entangled, rolling around, hitting and butting heads while growling.

A table fell over, and a vase dropped and shattered.

Dirt and stone dust flew from the bumpy, messed-up floor, and the legs of the bed where Yuriella lay shook with thuds.

[You’re crazy! You’re crazy! You’ve gone mad!]

Aerie, who had flown in on a whirlwind, circled above the Grand Duke and Magic Tower Lord fighting like dogs and shrieked sharply.

[You fools, stop it! Please stop fighting!]

A fierce wind violently shook the heads of the two entangled men.

[Yuriella’s face has become even paler! Even her soul that left her body is getting more blurred!]

At Aerie’s shout, the two men covered in dirt and dust abruptly stopped.

[Frost Ielheim! Get out of this room right now!]

“Why should I−”

[Yuriella doesn’t want you watching here!]

Frost’s shoulders slumped.

He didn’t even realize he was facing the spirit of the holy sword Aerie for the first time, nor did he think to ask why it had chosen his wife as its master.

[Yuriella says to drink a cup of warm tea and come back. No cold water. Even water can cause indigestion if drunk too quickly. While you’re at it, change those dirty clothes and replace the bandages too. You look awful.]

“Alright.”

Watching Frost nod meekly and leave, Ricarion clicked his tongue.

“How pathetic. To think such a guy is the master of the holy sword Ielro.”

[You’re just the same! Oh my. Even a naughty seven-year-old wouldn’t be like you two! What are you staring blankly at? Come here quickly!]

Aerie settled on Yuriella’s long hair scattered on the pillow and scolded the Magic Tower Lord.

Ricarion shrugged his shoulders and quietly approached the bed.

Aerie stretched out her small hands towards the window, and with a clatter, the door opened and a gentle breeze blew in.

Solas’ soul poked her head out and rolled her eyes around, surveying the inside.

The masters of holy swords who have reached the pinnacle of spiritual perception can even detect souls. Depending on their ability, they can perceive them in complete form, so she looked worried that the Grand Duke might accidentally detect her.

After confirming that Frost was gone, Solas’ soul flowed in like a drift on the wind and slowly descended in front of Ricarion.

“Hello, Magic Tower Lord. It’s nice to meet you for the first time.”

“It’s not the first time.”

“Pardon? Ah… I’m sorry. My memory… When did we meet before…?”

The woman scratched her cheek with her finger and smiled awkwardly as Ricarion stared at her blankly.

The red-haired female knight, now so transparent that the background was clearly visible through her body, looked back at him with a worried expression.

“But. Did something happen?”

Her transparent emerald green eyes scanned the Magic Tower Lord’s cloak, messed up from the dogfight, and his disheveled chocolate-colored hair.

“Ah… Nothing much−”

[They fought, Yuriella! Frost and Ricarion fought like dogs!]

Aerie tattled like a mean sister-in-law.

[Punching! Headbutting! How pathetic! How stupid!]

“Aerie. We need to start now.”

The Magic Tower Lord threw a fierce glance at Aerie and turned to Solas.

“Are you… ready to go back?”

“Yes.”

Solas looked towards the door the Grand Duke had left through with an expectant expression. Is he heading to the kitchen down the stairs by now?

‘I miss him, our Grand Duke.’

I miss him.

I want to meet those cool blue eyes. I want to see that faint smile that’s easily missed if you’re not paying attention. I want to hear that gruff but kind voice.

Things I didn’t know when we were just distant comrades who couldn’t even share a cup of tea.

Even if he’s not seeing the real me… I miss him.