“Leaving? Where to……”

“Here. This boring place.”

Was he simply testing the waters? But Lebel’s eyes were unwavering and clear. He straightened up again and looked around. Everyone was so absorbed in chatting and drowning in alcohol that they didn’t even glance at the two, let alone pay attention.

Ilarid instinctively looked towards where Cledius and Selina were. The two were already embracing each other, whispering intimate words. As expected. A short sigh escaped her lips.

But no matter how indifferent the surroundings were, one always had to be careful. If someone were to spread the fact that she went out with an outsider mercenary, it would be instantly distorted in strange ways.

“As there are many eyes watching, we must always be cautious. It’s dangerous to leave like this.”

“Then, let’s do it like that day.”

Lebel brought his index finger to his lips. Was it a sign to be quiet? Ilarid found herself nodding without realizing.

He soon extended his hand towards Ilarid. Not understanding his intention, she blankly stared at Lebel’s palm.

The worn surface of the black leather glove was clearly visible. For a moment, she was seized by the urge to see his bare hand without the glove.

“Will you take it?”

Her face flushed at his words. It felt as if he had read her inner thoughts. Ilarid carefully took his hand.

Unable to grasp it fully, she barely managed to hold onto his fingertips.

Lebel smiled softly at her and said,

“From now on, don’t look at anyone. Consider that there’s no one around Your Majesty the Empress and me, only the two of us exist.”

How is that possible with so many people around? But as she had experienced before, she knew his words were not lies.

And she didn’t want to be left alone in this dreadful space just by hesitating aimlessly.

“Alright.”

She helplessly placed her hand on Lebel’s outstretched palm. As soon as she finished speaking, Lebel turned his back while holding onto Ilarid’s fingertips.

Lebel’s steps were careful but unhesitating. The people around seemed to have completely forgotten the existence of the two, each focused on their own affairs.

Ilarid concentrated all her attention on him walking ahead, as Lebel had cautioned.

It felt as if time was slowly revolving around the two of them. A time flowing solely centered on them, unnoticed by anyone else.

Was it just her imagination? Even amidst the noise, his footsteps alone could be heard clearly.

Fragments of light falling from the chandelier scattered brilliantly above Lebel’s head. The reflected light on his black clothes continued endlessly. It was a magical, fleeting moment.

Perhaps he was a magician disguising his identity as a mercenary. Just as this thought crossed her mind, the cool outside air touched her skin.

There was no one around. Somehow, they had come far away from where the banquet hall was. Ilarid looked at Lebel with surprised eyes.

“It’s really… like magic.”

“If Your Majesty the Empress felt it was magic, then it must be magic.”

“At this rate, if I say ‘the sunlight is dark’, will you consider it dark?”

“From today on, I will think so.”

Ilarid chuckled, brushing off the nonsensical remark, but Lebel didn’t laugh. Could it be that this person was being serious?

“Everything Your Majesty the Empress says is a rule and law to me.”

If Ilarid were to call darkness light, all the darkness existing in Lebel’s world would shatter and shine brilliantly. Lebel believed this without a doubt.

Is it okay for someone you’ve just met to say such resolute words? Ironically, Ilarid, who had decided to use him, was flustered and had to rack her brains to find something to say.

“You always… speak as if I’m your entire world.”

“Is that not allowed?”

Why did a chill run through her at his question? It wasn’t just because of the cold night air.

Ilarid recalled Lynette’s warning. To be careful of Lebel. That what he might be after could be the Empress herself.

Come to think of it, they were still holding hands. Realizing this belatedly, Ilarid quickly withdrew her hand. As if somewhat regretful, Lebel’s black-gloved hand stirred the empty air.

To change the awkward atmosphere, Ilarid spoke in a forcedly cheerful voice.

“By the way, how do you do it? It doesn’t seem like an ability that can be used without any conditions.”

“It requires quite a bit of careful attention. You have to maintain a state of concentration; if you get distracted even a little, you’ll be caught immediately.”

“It seems you’ve been caught before.”

“It happened once.”

Lebel smiled briefly, as if recalling that incident. If it hadn’t been for that, he probably wouldn’t have caught Turgel’s eye, and joining the Rikas mercenary group would have been impossible.

A series of coincidences upon coincidences. Perhaps coincidence is fate in disguise, an inescapable destiny.

Lebel disliked the word fate. But if it was the power of fate that allowed him to stand before Ilarid, it might be worth believing in just once.

The moonlight, momentarily obscured by clouds, descended to the ground. The well-honed white light cut through the darkness and illuminated the two.

Now Lebel’s appearance was properly visible. His face, which couldn’t be looked at directly in the banquet hall, shone clearly in the white light.

It was a relatively handsome face, unlike his rough profession. The shadow created by his lowered bangs settled gently above his brow bone.

The blue-gray eyes visible between his eyelashes every time he blinked. It was the color of dawn chasing away the winter night.

Though dressed in black clothes, buttoned up to hide his skin, he didn’t look frail at all. If a statue cast in bronze were standing before her, would it not look like this?

He stared at Ilarid without saying a word. There were very few people in the imperial palace who could meet the Empress’s eyes. Only Lynette or Cledius, who could speak comfortably in private settings.

But this unfamiliar man neither avoided nor ignored Ilarid’s gaze.

Lebel took in that gaze entirely. Beautiful eyes holding deep verdure. If only he could swallow all of her gaze. Even if it was a poison he dared not digest, he would accept it.

“Your Majesty the Empress, shall I escort you to the Empress’s Palace?”

There was a hint of playfulness in his questioning tone. Ilarid seemed to have an ‘oh no’ moment at Lebel’s words and fumbled a bit.

“Ah, yes… please do.”

It had been a while since she had a night walk. Occasionally, when she couldn’t sleep, she would come out and walk a little, but it often had the opposite effect of waking her up more.

Sometimes she would end up staying awake all night, so Lynette chose to force Ilarid to sleep instead.

If you just cross the garden diagonally and keep going straight, you’ll soon reach the Empress’s Palace. When going to the banquet hall, it seemed quite far, but why does it feel so short now?

“Were you born in the North?”

Ilarid asked first. It was pure curiosity rather than an intention to find out about this person. She wanted to know a little about this mysterious man.

“I think so, probably.”

It was an ambiguous answer. Complicated circumstances that would be advantageous to hide trailed at the end of his words. Noticing the bitterness on Lebel’s lips, she hurried to stop his following words.

“You don’t have to say if……”

“My first memory is of a vast plain. I remember standing with someone, fully exposed to the sharp cold wind.”

It was a faded memory. Perhaps the closest memory to birth. But that memory was cut off abruptly.

As if it had been separately cut out and discarded. Whether it was due to shock or someone’s intention, he couldn’t tell.

Or perhaps it was a defense mechanism wanting to forget a terrible memory.

“I was a battle slave.”

“Since when……”

“Well, from around ten years old, I suppose.”

It was a horrific statement that didn’t match his calm tone.

Ten years old should be a time when sneaking sweets becomes the worst deed of one’s life, while still clinging to parents.

Lebel quickly realized that if he didn’t kill others, he would die.

He learned how to dodge flying swords and survive while being pierced by shrapnel. What flowed under his skin was survival instinct before blood.

He was sold countless times repeatedly. New wounds appeared before old ones could heal. He covered the bleeding and festering wounds with bandages and clothes.

But while scars could be hidden, they couldn’t be completely erased.

When Lebel turned around, Ilarid was standing still a few steps away. Surprised, he immediately went back to Ilarid and checked her complexion.

“I apologize, Your Majesty. I spoke unnecessarily.”

“No, it’s not that. I asked first.”

It seemed like she had stirred up painful memories unnecessarily. Lebel slowly took Ilarid’s hand and led her again.

“Then, I’ll tell you about happier times.”

Ilarid raised her lowered head and met his eyes. A faint joy emanating from Lebel as he recalled good moments flowed out.

“Do you know what the first name I remember is?”

“…I wonder.”

“‘Squirt’.”

With this build? Ilarid bit her lip hard to keep from laughing out. Whoever gave him that name, they probably didn’t expect Lebel to grow this much.

“Then someone like a master gave me a name.”

It was the name he now bore. Lebel. He remembered the laughter that erupted around him when he first heard that name.

‘As always, our young master has a knack for naming things.’

‘Why, it’s good, isn’t it? Seems like he’ll overturn everything someday. Above all… I like these eyes.’

The man’s large, long hand resting on top of Lebel’s black hair. A master who was like an older brother, who first inscribed the meaning of ‘family’.

Lebel stared at the paper with his name written on it. And he decided. To tell this name first to the one who had opened his first beginning.

But that person had already left. They said it would be really difficult to meet him now.

As he was feeling down for a while, his master came and sat down next to him, suggesting,

‘You know what? If you enroll in the academy and maintain a high rank, you can apply for the Imperial Guard. Then you can go to the imperial palace. Those guys are a bit annoying, but… what do you think? Go there and change the atmosphere a bit.’

‘But my background…’

‘I tore up your slave documents while sneezing, remember? And there’s someone who rose to the position of Imperial Guard Captain from a commoner background. There’s a stubborn old man named Kailem Western in the palace.’

The man, confirming that Lebel’s expression had brightened, added one more thing.

‘We’ll vouch for your identity. Try it when you become an adult.’

The days of marking the calendar with X’s every day until he became an adult. The adults living with him would make Lebel stand against the wall and draw lines to check how much he had grown.

Would those traces still remain in the mansion?

“Your master seems to have been a good person.”

“…Yes.”

Ilarid felt somewhat relieved as she listened to Lebel’s words. A person like a solid rope appearing in a life that was like a sticky swamp. It was fortunate that he had such a person too.

People often regain the strength to live by recalling moments of good memories.

This time, the situation became one where Ilarid gradually took the lead. Lebel moved his feet endlessly as she led.

Suddenly, Ilarid’s back view resembled Lebel’s master a lot. The straight shoulders, the long silver hair flowing down to her back. And even the flexible temperature that could be cold yet warm.

‘Young master.’

Lebel recited his master’s name in his heart.

Limless Rowen Melpiram. The man who was his benefactor and set the milestone of his life.

And now, he had come here for his benefactor’s sister, another savior.