“If you’re worried, feel free to do as you please.”

Brody pulled her into the adjacent room, her own quarters, and extended her cheek towards Aidan, who had just been brought there.

There were small scratches on her cheek from just now, trying to stop Caleb.

“……. ”

The meaning behind Brody’s actions was evident.

It was an invitation to lick the wounds for healing, which could, in turn, inflict a thorny headache on Aidan.

Aidan silently brought a medicine box for treatment and offered it to Brody.

“Treat… make sure to do it.”

Brody looked at Aidan without accepting the medicine box.

Then he averted his gaze.

‘As expected.’

Brody didn’t think he would easily give in. What she did wasn’t an attempt to break his will.

“It’s fine. Just a couple of scratches.”

Turning her head quickly, Brody tried to leave the room again.

Aidan blocked the door and lowered his head.

“Brody… please.”

Aidan pleaded with a pitiful expression.

‘…’

Brody’s heart was slightly shaken by his expression.

Because… for the past few days, while being together, Aidan had been continuously silent and lifeless.

To other people, he might have appeared as a grim and unsightly Ice Wall Grand Magus, but Brody saw it all. The constant vigilance and the awkwardness were clear to her.

‘Ugh, what can I do? I’m really weak to that face.’

With that in mind, Brody gave him another chance. An opportunity to treat the headache and overcome this stiffness.

They couldn’t continue working together as lovers, but they still had to be partners working together for the North.

So, swallowing her pride, she extended her cheek again…

But this time too, Aidan took a step back.

‘Sigh, stubborn. If you’re going to be like that, just don’t pay attention to me. Why do you keep coming into my sight?’

While the two distanced themselves, during their daily lives, whenever Brody raised her eyes at a certain moment, Aidan appeared in front of her.

Around corners, behind pillars, behind a tree, etc. He frequently seemed to be observing Brody.

So, whenever a problem was about to occur, he would appear in front of Brody like this, flashing from east to west.

‘Come to think of it, it’s a bit strange. Even if he’s keeping an eye on me, the timing is weird. If he’s put someone on surveillance, it should take some time to observe and report, right?’

Brody stared directly at Aidan, lost in thought.

Aidan, holding the medicine box, blocked the door with the door handle behind him and did not meet Brody’s gaze. Instead, he sweated nervously under Brody’s sharp gaze.

“Your Excellency.”

Brody called Aidan with a suspicious voice.

Aidan, with an impressionless face, nodded his head. It meant to speak.

“How did you find out?”

Suddenly, at her question, Aidan’s grip on the door handle behind him tightened.

‘Hmm?’

Sensing his unusual reaction, Brody questioned him.
“I knew you were watching me. Oh, don’t pretend otherwise. Do you think I don’t know how many times our eyes have met? But just because you’re watching doesn’t mean you know everything happening inside the building. Isn’t that right?”

Aidan, who had been biting his lips, sealed his lips again. Brody continued to inquire.

“Did you put me under surveillance? It seems too perfectly timed. You’d need some time to observe and report, right? But the information arrived promptly. Today as well, and not long ago in the kitchen where the chief of staff was attacked. Of course, you knew the exact location. You came straight to the kitchen then, and today you even infiltrated through the window on the second floor.”

“……. ”

“What is it? Is there something? Is this also the ability of the Ice Spirit…?”

“Hmm, well, ahem, ahem.”

In the end, Aidan coughed as if he was bewildered.

Brody raised her eyebrows and took another step towards Aidan.

“It feels like there’s something very important. Hurry up and tell me.”

Aidan, stuck between Brody and the door, looked at her with a troubled expression.

“If you don’t tell me…”

Brody reached out and pulled the edge of Aidan’s cloak around his neck, bringing him close enough to feel each other’s breath.

At such a close distance, Brody’s sharp green eyes shining brightly below her sweet-colored eyelashes stared at Aidan.

Brody smiled slightly, feeling his stiffness, and said, her lips tingling near his chin.

“I’ll bury your story in my lips.”

“……. ”

What kind of threat is this? Anyway, Aidan probably doesn’t mind it. Oh, of course, it’s not that Brody wouldn’t mind healing his wounds. Well, it’s a win-win threat.

But Aidan was startled.

“Brody, please…”

“If you’re uncomfortable, just do it. You’ve already experienced it once, so the second time should be more familiar.”

In the end, Aidan, caught in Brody’s coercion, opened his mouth.

“Yeah… It’s because… I can trace the surroundings with the Ice Spirit’s protection. Since this is the North, where the power of spirits is strong, even without ice…”