Until now, Tanacia’s affectionate advances felt as if they weren’t truly his. Since he couldn’t share any memories or emotions, it felt like her affection was not entirely for him.

But imagining that it would now be entirely his…

He didn’t dislike it.

‘Maybe because it’s the first time having such an experience.’

Askan was strong. He knew it well, and everyone around him knew it too.

So, no one had ever tried to embrace Askan.

Askan could strengthen his body, so he rarely got hurt. If someone else took the attack that he couldn’t avoid, they would suffer more significant damage, so no one stepped forward.

But Tanacia was different.
At that moment, it felt more comforting to think that she was the one getting hurt rather than Askan.

Tanacia, being the heiress of the Brellof family, a prominent aristocrat in the Arwen Empire, or a genius in the field of magical engineering, didn’t attract his interest.

Her straightforward affection toward him was starting to bother him. It was almost amusing, as if she felt jealous of herself.

Lost in such thoughts while gazing at the carriage Tanacia was riding alone, one of the guards approached Askan. A man with a large build named Calton.

“Commander, there’s still a considerable distance to the village. How about lunch?”

Only then did Askan realize how time had passed.

He turned his head and surveyed the surroundings. There were plenty of trees nearby, and the flat ground seemed suitable for a brief rest.

“Let’s take a short break here and have a simple meal.”

“Yes, understood.”

Following Askan’s order, the long procession came to a halt.

The guards and members of the Brellof family each took out simple snacks they had brought.

Tanacia didn’t come out of the carriage, possibly due to her sprained ankle. Although the people from the Brellof family would surely take care of her, something crossed his mind.

He recalled her complaining a while ago about how uncomfortable the carriage was.

“The carriage is too uncomfortable. The cushions seem to have died after a few days, and sitting continuously like this makes my body all sore.”

Eventually, the conversation ended without any solutions or alternatives.

‘Is it still… uncomfortable?’

Once he became aware, it continued to bother him.

While Askan wasn’t directly responsible for Tanacia injuring her ankle, he still felt some sense of responsibility.

He moved too hastily, fearing that she might get hit by an arrow at any moment. If he had been a bit more composed, she might not have been hurt.

To check on how Tanacia was doing, he approached the carriage. He initially intended to observe her discreetly from a distance, but…

Just as he happened to look around, Tanacia, who was also turning to look, met his eyes in mid-air.

Askan currently didn’t have a mask on his face. The mask he had been wearing, a remnant from rolling on the floor in Tanacia’s laboratory and the previous day, was completely damaged.

Originally, he wore the mask because of the Sun Emperor. However, with Helcyon becoming the emperor, there was no longer a need to hide his face.

As he attempted to turn his head away, Tanacia, revealing her bandaged ankle, spoke in a slightly pained voice, as if telling him to listen, “Ugh, it hurts to death.”

Askan unintentionally looked at Tanacia again. Then, she gestured as if inviting him closer.

Last night, he had told her that he wouldn’t reject the attention she was giving him, regardless of the past.
It was difficult to express in words, but I honestly didn’t expect Tanacia to call me like this in less than a day.

‘What could be going on inside that small head?’

I gradually became curious about her.