“Um, there. Eric?”

Alicia looked around nervously, but Eric ignored it and hugged her even tighter.

“Just a moment. Stay like this for a bit. Let me check if you’re alright.”

At Eric’s seemingly desperate voice, Alicia put down her sword and hugged Eric back.

She thought that would reassure him, but Eric embraced her even more strongly.

It’s hard to tell who’s worried about whom.

Clearly, it was Eric who fought fiercely at the forefront.

“I told you not to worry. That you trust me.”

“I did, but I couldn’t help it.”

“I understand.”

Alicia burrowed deeper into Eric’s arms.

“Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Of course. I’m not hurt and I’m fine. How about you?”

“Me too. I even caught a demon beast. Just one though.”

Eric burst out laughing at that.

But soon he released Alicia from his embrace, grabbed her shoulders, and said sternly, pretending to be angry.

“You promised to return safely. How could you do something so dangerous? And with that rusty sword.”

“I know. If it weren’t for the rusty sword, I could have caught one more.”

“That’s not the point.”

“I came back safely to you, didn’t I? Isn’t that enough?”

“…Let’s say it is because I like that better.”

Eric hugged Alicia again.

Feeling truly safe in Eric’s strong arms that were firmly enclosing her and his stable embrace, a comfortable smile naturally formed on Alicia’s face.

“I feel safer in your arms now than being at home.”

That statement from Alicia made him happy.

So Eric smiled and tightened his arms around her even more.

[This is the timeline separator]

“We probably won’t be able to go back in for a while.”

Eric said as he helped Alicia into the carriage.

“I expected that. It’s not the first time.”

“Just in case, stay in one place, either at Russell’s estate or Lancaster’s, and try not to move around.”

“Alright. You worry about yourself.”

As Eric didn’t let go of her hand, Alicia quietly looked at him and then placed her hand on Eric’s face.

Liking the warm and soft feeling, Eric placed his hand over hers and met Alicia’s eyes.

Then a gentle smile bloomed on Alicia’s face.

“I’ll miss you.”

At those words, Eric took Alicia’s hand that was on his face and kissed it.

“Commander! Hurry up!”

Allen’s voice could be heard calling from afar.

Eric said goodbye with a regretful expression.

“I’m going.”

“Take care.”

After kissing Alicia’s hand once more, which he had been reluctant to let go, Eric closed the carriage door and set it in motion.

Alicia kept watching Eric through the window as he grew distant.

Eric too kept watching the departing carriage when Allen approached.

“Wow, that’s too touching to watch. I’ve lived to see such a side of you, senior. I guess it’s really time for me to die.”

“Shut up.”

Embarrassed, Eric scolded Allen without looking at him and asked nonchalantly.

“What about Commander Edinburgh?”

“Oh right. That’s why I came. He says to come quickly. It seems the cleanup will take quite a while. The building debris is no joke.”

“When was it ever not like this?”

With the Emperor present, such an incident occurring means the Imperial Palace will be in an uproar again.

“Let’s go. Let’s start with the cleanup first.”

“Yes.”

Eric moved towards the scene again with Allen.

[This is the timeline separator]

Inside the carriage, Alicia rested her forehead against the glass window.

‘Why is it always like this.’

Honestly, Alicia had high expectations for today.

At first, it was about watching the opera, but from the moment they sat alone in the box seat, an unexpected anticipation arose.

After the lights went out, they could have sat more comfortably and spread out, but they didn’t move their seats, which made her feel even more so.

The feeling of their shoulders touching as they sat close, and the occasional brush of their hands was thrilling, and the sincerity felt when he held her hand was comforting.

‘No, I can’t. This isn’t the time to think about such things. The demon beast came so close.’

Alicia shook her head.

Then she looked down at her hand.

Her hand was all scratched up from the impact of taking down the demon beast, and only now did it start to sting and hurt.

‘I guess I won’t be able to see him for a while again.’

Now Eric will be constantly troubled trying to figure out if more demon beasts will appear and why they appeared in the first place.

Loving a high-ranking military officer is a difficult thing.

To the point where she couldn’t even think of the advantages her mother mentioned, like high salary or danger pay making them financially comfortable.

It’s more waiting and worrying than expected.

Yet, she keeps waiting because that person-.

‘What should I do. I already miss him.’

She repeatedly wrote and erased his name with her finger on the cold glass window of the carriage, then rested her forehead against it.

[This is the timeline separator]

‘I’m tired.’

Eric was returning to the Imperial Palace after attending a long meeting at the Grand Temple with Prince William.

Eric rubbed his face wearily and stared blankly out the carriage window.

He couldn’t even remember how many nights in a row he had stayed up.

Although everyone was working hard, Eric and Lord Edinburgh, as the Knight Commander, had a much higher workload with various meetings on top of everything else.

William, looking equally tired, spoke with little energy.

“Why do you look so rotten?”

“I feel like I say this every time, but please be careful with your word choice.”

“What’s wrong with it? It’s just us.”

“It’s fine in front of me, but I’m worried you might slip up elsewhere.”

“…Why are you so low-pressured?”

“It’s because I’m tired.”

“Hmm. It’s not the first time we’ve had this much work. Only now?”

“……”

“I guess you’re getting old too.”

At William’s words that sounded like a lament, Eric turned his head towards the window, as if he didn’t want to answer.

But what William said was right.

Usually, this amount of work would be tiring, but he could handle it easily.

The reason he wasn’t feeling great now wasn’t just because he was tired.

How many days had passed since the opera house collapse incident?

So, how many days had it been since he last saw Alicia?

It felt like about a year had passed. It felt long enough to feel that way.

‘I miss her.’

So he was irritated at himself for being carried away in this carriage like this.

“Damn it.”

“What’s wrong, really? Did something go wrong? Why are you making me nervous?”

William was startled by the harsh words that unconsciously escaped Eric’s mouth.

“It’s nothing.”

“Nothing? You’re sitting there with a face full of complaints about the world?”

“……”

“What is it, really? Is it time for you to die? Why are you doing things you never used to do?”

“…Can I have just one day off?”

“Are you asking to be fired? A day off? The Knight Commander? In this state of emergency? Even Father and I can’t rest right now?”

“I was just saying.”

“Do you have to say it like that? Are you the only one tired? Are you the only one having a hard time?”

In fact, Eric also thought it wouldn’t be possible. He just said it on the off chance.

William looked at the silent Eric and sighed.

“Haa. I’m sorry, Eric. I’ve been a bit tired lately too. I often have headaches, can’t sleep, and it’s been tough, so that’s why.”

“I know. It’s alright. What did the court physician say?”

“The usual. That I’m overworking myself.”

William, feeling sorry for speaking harshly as he had been constantly stressed lately, apologized while holding his head.

“Huh?”

Eric, who was looking outside again, stared intently at a familiar figure he glimpsed, then knocked on the coachman’s seat.

“Stop, stop the carriage!”

As Eric hurriedly prepared to get off, William asked in surprise.

“Hey, what are you doing? Are you crazy?”

“I’ll be right back. I’ll return within an hour, so please leave one escort carriage and go ahead.”

“Where are you going?”

Eric quickly got out of the carriage and started running.

“Hey, Eric!! You bastard!!”

Despite William’s calls, Eric crossed the street in an instant and vanished swiftly.

“What kind of rebellion is this in such a state of emergency? Are you really acting out because there’s no alternative to you?”

William watched with a dumbfounded expression and then sighed.

Honestly, he had been working Eric hard.

He knew that Eric had been involved in this incident from the start, attending on-site verifications, related meetings, and even enduring the Emperor’s nagging.

“Well, an hour should be fine. I can attend this meeting alone.”

William rearranged the positions of the escorts to leave one carriage as Eric had said, then got back into his carriage.

In any case, he had to return quickly as the Emperor was waiting at the Imperial Palace.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Chase.”

“Oh, brother?”

Eric, who had run over, stood in front of Chase, who was sitting at a table outside, forcing a smile.

“Wow! It’s big brother!”

“Waaah! Big bwother!”

Ryan and Layla, who were sitting in chairs, shouted with joy and spread their arms, asking to be hugged.

Chase smiled as he watched Eric familiarly pick up the twins in both arms.

“Oh, this is interesting. Ryan and Layla are following you so well.”

“What are you doing here?”

“As you can see, I’m looking after Ryan and Layla.”

“What? How long has it been since the demon beasts appeared, and you’re out with the kids?”

“Come on. This area has already been reopened. You know that well.”

“Even so, in the current situation-”

“But what brings you here, brother? I heard you’ve been so busy you couldn’t even go home these days.”

Chase interrupted Eric and asked with a grin.

“I saw you while passing by and thought I’d stop for a moment.”

“Ah, I see. I don’t think you recognized me because you were glad to see me. Aha. You came to see these little ones, didn’t you?”

“Well, something like that.”

“You must really adore them, huh?”

“……”

“This works out well. Could you watch the kids for a bit?”

“What?”

“I have somewhere I need to stop by briefly, and I was wondering what to do. I’ll leave them in your care, brother.”

“Wait. Where are you going?”

Chase stood up and picked up the bag he had hung behind him.

“You can eat that ice cream. I’ve already paid for it.”

“This isn’t about the ice cream right now, when will you be back?”

With the kids in both hands, Eric couldn’t grab Chase, so all he could do was call out to him.

“I’ll just be a moment. I’ll be right back!”

“Stop right there! Chase! Chase Spencer!”

Eric stood there for a moment, dumbfounded, watching Chase disappear like a mirage.

“Big brother?”

“Big bwother?”

“……Haa.”

The twins patted Eric’s head from both sides as he hung his head low.

“What should I do now.”

Eric just stood there with a dejected expression, letting the twins now shake his head from both sides.