“Fascinating.”

“So this will raise my value?”

As Luella gave a confident smile, Kite shook his head as if he had no choice.

“Seeing you laugh wickedly, you must be in a great mood.”

“Of course. I’m a unique healer with unparalleled immense secret skills. What do I have to be afraid of? I might even be able to push the King of Kuran out and become the king myself?”

“That won’t do. Don’t forget that I came here to restore Kuran to Hellane’s territory. Instead, I’ll give you the title of Duke of Kuran.”

“Duke?”

“Yes. How about that? Does it intrigue you?”

He might have been joking, but for Luella, who was left alone in this place, it was an offer that was more than generous.

She decided that dreaming big is always good and thought that his words might be true.

“Of course. It’s a thankful thing to get me out of the situation where I’m immobilized by Balder’s guild. And to give me the title of Duke? I’ll do my best.”

Of course, she must conquer the Duke of Kuran and save her life, but she decided that was a foregone conclusion. Then, the motivation was more definite than anything else. It seemed like there would be no problem as long as things continued this way.

However, she felt something passing by her neck as if warning her for relaxing her guard.

She was stiffening when she felt the chilly foreboding.

“Who’s there?”

Before Luella could react, Kite had already grabbed his sword and leaped toward something coming at them.

Staring blankly at him, a streak of blood flowed from Luella’s neck.

She touched it and felt something slippery. When she looked at her hand, she saw the red blood.

The moment she saw it, she felt a chill down her spine. She would have died on the spot if it had hit just a little off.

While she was standing surprised, Kite came back and checked the injured area.

“Luckily it’s just a graze. Wait here. I must search around.”

“Don’t leave me alone. We don’t know where the attack might come from.”

“Alright. I’ll stay here, so don’t worry.”

Luella belatedly realized that she had tightly grasped Kite’s coat. Kite, realizing that she was scared, softened his stern tone.

“It’s fortunate that it just grazed you.”

“It must be Balder’s guild, right?”

“I’m not sure.”

He didn’t expect that they would attack him directly, thinking that they would merely try to subdue him. Had she ever been this scared in her life?

Her hands were trembling, and a cold chill was flowing through her body. The strength left her legs. She wanted to sit down, but she didn’t want to dirty her only set of clothes on the filthy land of demons.

“I need clothes.”

Trying to distract herself from fear, she thought about being a lone lady, and now her clothes were wet with blood from her neck, so she had no other clothes left.

Hearing her unexpected words, Kite looked at her with a surprised expression.

“Did you lose your mind? How will you endure the harsh times ahead if you’re like this because of a single arrow?”

“What are you talking about? As the guild master said, I almost died, but I’m not so out of my mind over an arrow.”

“Then why are you suddenly talking about clothes?”

“My legs hurt, and since I only have one set of clothes, I can’t sit down. Buy me clothes.”

Kite laughed. Despite the serious situation, her erratic talk made him burst into laughter.

“Let’s go home. It’s too dangerous to stay here when we don’t know how many assassins there are.”

“How did they know I was here?”

“That’s the question.”

Kite wrapped his arm around Luella’s shoulder, watching all sides. They had come quite far inside to gather herbs, so it was a long way to where the carriage was parked.

Walking within Kite’s embrace, Luella asked.

“What’s the question?”

“Lapellian went to apply for the guild, right? So he would have left around the same time as us. Even if he found your name in the guild application, he shouldn’t know that we came here. So, it’s strange.”

“That means I can’t even go shopping.”

“You’re right.”
“Still fussing over clothes?”

Luella pulled out an orange potion and poured it over her bleeding neck, grumbling.

“Imagine not having any clothes to change into. You would feel worse than me. The blood has flowed, so now I can’t wear these clothes even if I want to.”

Seeing the petulant woman, a strange feeling overcame him.

Reviving her had been for exploitation. Grand Mage Senhwi had only known Luella for a mere month.

Facing the opening, Elavbro Balder, Kite, and Luella Rominin were selected as the first trading posts and had paid a visit.

Coincidentally, Senhwi, who was in Elavbro, attended their welcome party in disguise and detected magic within Luella.

Senhwi’s primary mission was to find those with abilities. Among the nobles of Curan, there was no royal bloodline, so no one expected to find a person with abilities, but they unexpectedly discovered Luella Rominin.

Although her abilities hadn’t manifested yet, it was puzzling how Luella Rominin, who wasn’t of Hellanena or Elavbro royalty, or of Leor Duke’s bloodline, had such power.