Anticipation or nervousness? Brody eagerly awaited the evening with an anxious heart.

‘I don’t really know how to handle this.’

It was understandable; it was his first time. Well, he vaguely remembered trying something similar back in elementary school in his previous life.

Still, this seemed completely different from ‘that.’

‘Yeah, it’s more like an opening ceremony. Something similar. But back then, I just drank and had no fun…’

And at that time, being Student 1 was enough. But now, he held a somewhat prominent position.

Madam, we are planning a welcome party tonight. Would you like to join?

Brody’s dilemma began with none other than Connie’s invitation. Connie and other captive women wanted to welcome Brody and asked him to attend the party.

It was okay to step forward in crowded places, but only when doing work. Just work. As long as he was sure about what he had to do.

But what exactly was expected at the party? It was fine to just be there as Participant 1, quietly fading into a corner. What should the party host do?

‘Having fun is too difficult.’

Brody sighed deeply.

However, he didn’t want to reject Connie’s invitation either. Perhaps because of the camaraderie they had built risking their lives, he was curious and worried about how the women were living here.

‘Alright, let’s think about it as just seeing their faces. Just saying hello will take up all the time. Don’t be nervous. Don’t be… Oh, why is this more nerve-wracking than a potato seminar!’

While mulling over these thoughts, evening had silently arrived.

“Are you going?”

Brody looked at the approaching Aidan once again.

Luckily, thanks to the promise with the women, the awkwardness between Brody and Aidan had somewhat dissipated.

“Yes, she said you’d have dinner with the knights.”

“Hmm.”

Aidan sent a gaze that seemed to ask if she should go to her.

‘Yeah, probably. There must have been a reason he came to talk to awkward me.’

Knowing it might be a concern about something happening, Brody treated Aidan’s vague question as a vague answer.

‘In any case, no need to worry.’

Even if someone did something wrong, Brody, at least, had confidence that he wouldn’t die. If someone attacked with a weapon, he could bind them with vine plants, and if poisoned, he could mix an antidote and chew it immediately.

It was hard to imagine anyone among them being a more competent assassin or herbalist than Brody. If there were, they would have come forward when he was captured as a prisoner.

In the worst-case scenario, he might get caught as a plant magician.

‘Even so, I can somehow hide it if I just bring a little foliage.’

Brody had a precious friend, the useful ‘dream seat’ leaf, after all.

So, there wasn’t much to worry about.

Actually, he was more concerned about how to enjoy the evening.

“Alright, I’ll be off.”
However, Brody didn’t reveal such anxiety to Aidan.

It wasn’t to avoid causing worry; it was just his nature.

Yet, Aidan still seemed unable to shake off the concern and tried to accompany him.

“As expected, going with me…”

“Are you going to be the center of attention among the women?”

“I’ll stay quietly in a corner. Silently. Like a mouse.”

“…Ah.”

Oh my. As Brody, the Grand Commander of the Ice Wall, silently observed about 60 captives, who were once captives of , in a corner of the banquet hall, it would surely be entertaining.

Seeing Brody’s expression, resembling a disgruntled expression as if complaining about something, Aidan shrugged her shoulders. He wasn’t entirely oblivious to her expression.

The two who had come out of their lodgings headed to their respective dining places.

Brody headed to the banquet hall in the building with the large women’s dormitory.

Aidan headed to the banquet hall in the building with the large men’s dormitory.

They called it a banquet hall, but, in fact, it was a large hall created to be used as a multi-purpose space. The hall, installed on the first floor of the public office building, was usually left empty and was used as a banquet hall when needed, a meeting room when needed, or various other shared spaces.

It was likely a modest size since it was in a small village. It resembled more of a village community center than a glamorous noble’s banquet hall.

Exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale.

Brody arrived at the door and took a deep breath.

After calming the tension for a while, he knocked on the banquet hall door with a calm expression, but a heart pounding with anticipation.

‘Hmm? Why is it so quiet?’

However, the door that he expected to open immediately remained firmly closed.

After a moment of waiting, when Brody was about to raise his hand to knock again, the door opened slowly with a creak.

“Connie?”

However, the interior was pitch dark, making it impossible to confirm the presence of people.

What’s this? Suddenly, without figuring it out, a hand emerged from the darkness.

“Ah!”

That strong hand pulled Brody into the darkness, and she was pulled in without resistance.

As the door slowly closed with a creak, there was a sound.

Thud.