The welcome party came to an end.

I’m not sure if I should dislike the fact that the one-time welcome party was entirely blown away or if I should appreciate that it ended quietly without getting involved with people. One thing I can be sure of is that attendance at the welcome party was acknowledged. It seems that even getting on the Lulat line was recognized as attendance. There didn’t seem to be a separate process for checking the number of people at the welcome party.

They must have been busy playing, eating, and talking. While some were engaged in a fierce struggle for survival during that time.

“Riley!”

Hila rushed to Riley, hugging him as if they were a separated family who had just reunited.

“Can you come out already? How’s your body? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, really.”

“It looked like you were severely injured at first glance…”

“I just got superficially injured. It wasn’t as severe as it seemed.”

“Really? I’m glad… I’m really glad…”

Hila pressed her face into Riley’s shoulder, shedding tears.

She seemed genuinely surprised by this incident. Well, it was indeed surprising. Someone disappeared right next to her, came back severely injured. Thinking about the reverse situation, Riley shook his head with disgust. It was terrible to imagine Hila going through such a thing.

“Hila, I’m sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?”

“You couldn’t enjoy it properly because of me. I had high expectations, but…”

“Riley, you’re more important than that welcome party. I’m just happy that you came back safely.”

“…”

“Do you know how surprised I was? You came back all beaten up… What on earth happened?”

“I don’t know… Suddenly, when I came to my senses, I was in a different place.”

“Why is your body so injured?”

If Riley says he got injured while attempting magic, how would Hila react?

Wouldn’t she ask how someone who can’t control magic to the point of hurting themselves even tried it? If he says he can’t use magic, wouldn’t she suspect a parachute?

While contemplating, Riley vaguely explained, “I encountered a huge monster, so, um, trying to protect myself from that monster…”

“Did you say you were sent to the habitat of those monsters? Who would do such a terrible thing… No, why?”

“I don’t know…”

“Could it be someone from the Academy?”

“…Oh, come on, would they go to such lengths to harass me? Besides, they treat me like a ghost and avoid me while running away.”

“That’s true… I don’t understand. It’s not even an unusual time, and how could someone do such a… And why, in a crowded place like that… How could someone use magic on you without noticing until you disappeared? Clearly, they must have an advanced level of magical ability.”

Riley remembered the man with the masked face he fought against.
I don’t know much about magic, but even in my ignorant state, he didn’t seem to have ordinary skills. What happened to him? According to Gibnen, he’s already in a vanished state. That means he probably escaped alive, right? If he had died, wouldn’t there be a corpse left?

A person with that level of skill wouldn’t easily fall victim to a monster… No, he might have already died and been devoured by the monster.

“But, Riley.”

“?”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“About what?”

“Your relationship with the Matron.”

Hila looked around and then whispered to Riley.

“You’re supposed to be engaged. I was really surprised.”

I see. Since Gibnen came to Lulat, it was inevitable that the relationship would be exposed.

Riley unconsciously held his breath, blinked his eyes, and looked around. Then, like Hila, he replied in a very low voice.

“Sorry, I was going to tell you… but my mouth just wouldn’t open.”

“I was really shocked. I was out of my mind the whole time, you know? But as I spaced out, I suddenly understood… Even if it were me, I don’t think I could have easily said it. Anyway, it’s only been a month since you and I knew each other.”

“Actually… I was planning to tell you when the wedding date was set and it got closer. Right now, we’ve only promised to get married, and nothing has been done yet.”

Hila stared at Riley’s face for a long time and then suddenly began examining him all over, stroking her chin. Her expression was like that of a biologist who discovered a very rare creature.

“What should I do? You’re so different from the woman I imagined that it still doesn’t feel real.”

Riley laughed and replied. He 100% agreed with Hila’s words.

In fact, even now, there are times when he gets confused about whether this is a dream or reality. Despite being here for a long time, marriage with Gibnen was unreal whenever he thought about it. Probably anyone would show such a reaction.

“I think the same… Anyway, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you in advance, Hila. Are you very disappointed?”

“Disappointed? What nonsense! Because I plan to get to know you… Just thinking about it makes me happy. It’s so exciting! It seems like it’ll be so much fun!”

“…”