The welcome party was over.

I’m not sure if I should hate missing the only welcome party completely, or if I should like that it ended quietly without getting involved with people.

One thing I can definitely be relieved about is that my attendance at the welcome party was recognized. It seems my presence on the Lurat was counted as attendance. They didn’t seem to check attendance separately at the welcome party.

I guess they were busy playing, eating and talking. While someone was fighting a fierce battle for survival during that time.

“Riley!”

Hila clung to Riley dramatically, like a separated family member finally reuniting.

“Are you allowed to be out already? How’s your body? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, it’s nothing.”

“It looked really serious at first glance…?”

“It just looked worse on the outside, they said it wasn’t actually that bad.”

“Really? That’s a relief… I’m so glad…”

Hila buried her face in Riley’s shoulder, her eyes welling up with tears.

She seemed to have been really shocked by this incident. Well, it was shocking. Someone disappearing right next to her, then returning badly injured. Riley shook her head in dismay as she imagined the reverse situation. Just thinking about Hila going through something like that was horrifying.

“Hila, I’m sorry.”

“What are you sorry for?”

“You couldn’t even enjoy yourself properly because of me. You were looking forward to it so much…”

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

“…”

“Do you know how shocked I was? You came back all battered… What in the world happened?”

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

“But why were you hurt so badly?”

If she said she got injured from the backlash of attempting magic, how would Hila react?

Wouldn’t she say something like, how incompetent at magic do you have to be to hurt yourself that badly from lack of control? If she mentioned not being able to use magic, Hila might suspect she was a parachute student.

After pondering, Riley gave a vague excuse.

“I ran into a huge mabeast, so um, while I was trying to protect myself from it…”

“Are you saying they sent you to a mabeast habitat? Who would do such a horrible thing… No, why?”

“I don’t know…”

“It couldn’t have been someone from the academy, right?”

“…Come on, would they go that far to torment me? Besides, they’re all running away treating me like a ghost.”

“That’s true… I don’t understand. It wasn’t even an odd hour, but in that crowded place… Someone used magic on you right next to me, and I didn’t notice at all until you disappeared. They must be quite skilled at magic.”

Riley recalled the masked man fighting Ben.

Though she didn’t know much about magic, even to her untrained eye his skills seemed extraordinary. What happened to him? Givnen said he had already disappeared. Does that mean he managed to escape alive? If he died, wouldn’t there be a corpse left behind?

Someone that skilled wouldn’t be easily taken down by mabeasts either… No, he could have already been dead and his corpse eaten by mabeasts.

“By the way, Riley.”

“?”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Tell you what?”

“About your relationship with the Matapju-nim.”

Hila looked around before whispering in Riley’s ear.

“That you’re engaged to be married. I was really surprised.”

I see. Since Givnen came to Lurat, our relationship was bound to be exposed.

Riley blinked, suddenly very conscious of her surroundings. Then she replied in an equally tiny voice like Hila.

“Sorry, I meant to tell you… but I just couldn’t bring myself to say it.”

“I was really shocked. I was totally out of it for a while, you know? But as I was zoning out, at some point I started to understand… I probably wouldn’t have been able to say it easily either if I were you. After all, you and I have only known each other for a month.”

“Actually… I was planning to tell you when the wedding date was set, closer to the ceremony. Right now we’re just engaged, nothing’s been arranged yet.”

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

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

Riley couldn’t help but laugh. She completely agreed with Hila’s words.

In fact, even now she sometimes wonders if this is a dream or reality. Even after being here for a while, the marriage to Givnen still felt completely unreal every time she thought about it. Probably anyone would have the same reaction.

“I think so too… Anyway, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier, Hila. Are you very disappointed?”

“Disappointed? No way! Just thinking about getting to know you better… Oh my, I’m so excited just thinking about it, it’s thrilling! It’s going to be so much fun!”

“…?”

“Well, other people’s love lives are always more interesting. And a friend’s love life is even more interesting than a complete stranger’s. But your husband is that man? The one involved in all kinds of scandals and controversies? Wow… it’s exciting just imagining it.”

Riley smiled awkwardly at Hila’s extremely excited appearance. While she was relieved Hila didn’t seem disappointed, this could become exhausting in a different way.

Just as Hila was about to unleash a barrage of questions, the professor entered.

It was a moment when the tiger-like professor suddenly felt like an angel.

After the lecture ended, Riley was planning to go find Ben. She felt she needed to repay him somehow for all his help.

But Hila, who had been asking questions about Givnen all day, suddenly said something unexpected. That he had been hospitalized.

“He’s in the hospital?”

“You didn’t know?”

“No…”

Givnen hadn’t told her he was hospitalized. He just said it was the kind of injury that would heal with some rest and good food.

“Want to go see him? The hospital is right nearby.”

“How do you know?”

“Well, Sir Sack told me. He said that senior would be transferred to the Horizon affiliated hospital.”

“Ah… If he’s hospitalized, he must be badly hurt.”

“If you’re going to visit, let’s go together. I want to thank that senior too.”

“Okay, but it feels wrong to go empty-handed… Should we buy some food to bring?”

“There’s a fruit stand nearby. Let’s buy a fruit basket to bring.”

Riley felt uneasy about Ben being hospitalized.

Well, it was a really fierce battle. Considering the intensity of the fight, it was amazing he was even alive.

From Givnen’s perspective, who shrugged off deadly poison like it was nothing, Ben’s injuries probably seemed minor, so he said it wasn’t a big deal… But honestly, if he needed to be hospitalized, it must be at least a serious injury, right?

If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have made it out of there safely, let alone become food for mabeasts. Even if I had luckily escaped from the mabeasts, that masked man would have gotten me.

So I’m incredibly grateful, but also sorry. The responsibility for his injuries from willingly taking on this dangerous task is entirely on me.

“That senior may be prickly and talk rudely, but he doesn’t seem like a bad person.”

“Yeah, I don’t know how many times I’ve been indebted to him… Honestly, I feel terrible. He got hurt because of me.”

“Me too. I was the one who asked that senior for help…”

“You did?”

“No one would believe me. Even the student council turned me away, telling me not to bother them. And the police… didn’t seem to take your disappearance seriously. They seemed to think it was just a simple runaway or that you were lost somewhere. That senior was the only one who actively helped.”

Hearing Hila’s words made Riley feel even more apologetic.

Just buying him a meal wouldn’t be nearly enough. How could I ever repay this debt? Is it even a debt that can be repaid in the first place? I owe him my life, after all.

She kept wondering how to properly thank him as they bought the fruit basket and entered the Horizon affiliated hospital. During that time, the receptionist gave them the room number, and they used the teleporter to arrive at Ben’s hospital ward.

When they opened the door and entered, they saw Ben sitting with his eyes closed.

His face, basking in the sunlight streaming through the window with closed eyes, looked like a finely crafted, beautiful work of art. His full, long eyelashes stood out prominently. The smooth, sharp line from his nose to his lips was also artistic.

The slightly angular jaw seemed to balance out his otherwise pretty features, making them more masculine.

It was another moment of realizing that good-looking people are beautiful even when they sleep.

Both Hila and Riley stood there briefly in a daze.

“Why are you standing there like idiots?”

A prickly voice shattered the beautiful reverie. He opened his eyes that had been closed. Then he crossed his arms and made a displeased expression.

“Are you voyeurs? Why are you standing far away and staring?”

“What are you saying? We were hesitating whether to come in or not since you were sleeping!”

As Hila bristled, Ben gestured.

“Come in. Hand over that fruit basket first.”

He snatched the fruit basket and started eating eagerly. Even though he looked awful with bandages all over his body, the fact that he was eating well seemed to indicate he was recovering decently.

“Are you okay?”

Ben glanced at Riley’s question and answered.

“Do I look okay? I’m in agony.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not something you need to apologize for.”

“…Will it take long until you’re discharged?”

“I should be able to leave next week.”

“I’m glad you’re recovering well.”

“What about you? You look fine.”

“I’m okay, they said I wasn’t badly hurt.”

Ben looked Riley up and down as if dumbfounded.

“And that’s not considered badly hurt?”

“The doctor cast healing magic on me all day. So I recovered quickly, and they said the internal injuries weren’t severe.”

Ben blinked with an incredulous expression. Then he laughed as if he couldn’t believe it.

“I really can’t tell if you’re a genius or an idiot.”

“?”

“Do you remember the situation when you used magic?”

“…Not at all.”

“That’s why you say such stupid things.”

He clicked his tongue and said as he put a peeled tangerine in his mouth.

“But seeing your monstrous recovery ability, maybe you’re closer to genius than idiot?”

“?”

“Hey, why do you keep calling our Riley an idiot? Riley’s not an idiot!”

“She is an idiot. An idiot who’s also a genius. Something like that.”

“If she’s a genius, she’s a genius. What do you mean an idiot who’s also a genius?”

“That kind of thing exists.”

Hila stared at Ben for a moment, then seemed to realize something and smacked her palm with her fist.

“Is it that? That thing where you want to tease someone you like! The kind of thing kindergarteners do.”

“What nonsense are you spouting?”

“Can’t you be a little kinder? Riley was worried sick about you the whole way here. Do you know how apologetic she felt towards you? And then you’re being all prickly calling her an idiot! What are you doing?”

“What about you? Aren’t you sorry to me?”

“I do feel a little sorry. But not that much! After all, it was your decision to help Riley!”

“You’re right. So don’t you make that gloomy face either. I brought this on myself.”

“…But still, you got involved in my business.”

“When was I not involved?”

Ben seemed to have lost his appetite as he put the fruit basket on the side table and lay down. For some reason, Hila looked at Ben with pity. She probably thought he was upset after finding out about Riley’s husband.

After pondering for a moment, Hila decided to tactfully leave to give some space to poor Ben who had fallen in love with a married woman.

“I’ll go to the bathroom for a bit, my stomach hurts. Must have eaten something bad.”

As soon as Hila left, Ben immediately asked Riley.

“Did they catch that bastard?”

“…No.”

“He was no ordinary guy.”

“I know.”

“Not just him, but all of Givnen Reanster’s enemies will target you from now on. It’s more efficient to attack a weakness than to try and weaken the main body.”

“…”

“Why don’t you break up?”

Riley raised her lowered head in surprise at Ben’s words.

“No, do you think you can handle it?”

“…”

“Horizon’s Matapju is not a man you can handle. Even worse things will happen in the future, do you think you can endure each time? I’m saying this for your sake. You might really die.”

Riley couldn’t say anything.

He hit the nail on the head.

Givnen Reanster is certainly an existence too overwhelming to handle. No matter how careful you are, as long as there are those who deliberately target you, it’s unrealistic to completely avoid danger.

You’ll become an unexpected or very good prey for his numerous political enemies. This incident alone happened at a time and place thought to be the safest.

It’s a really bitter and infuriating thing to become a burden instead of someone’s strength. I don’t want to be a burden to Givnen of all people, but realistically I’m in a position where I can’t help but be his burden. Because I’m weak, because I’m incompetent.

“If you stay by that man’s side, you’ll really be in big trouble. Do you think that man only has one or two enemies? And when you… get married, do you think the arrogant nobles here will just accept it?”

“…Are you telling me to run away?”

“Run away? Since when does breaking up mean running away?”

“For me, it’s all the same.”

Riley clenched her fist and smiled bitterly.

“I know. That I’m incompetent, that I’m just a powerless woman from a humble family who’s holding him back.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“I know. I hate this situation of being a burden to him too, it’s terribly painful, but I won’t leave Givnen’s side of my own will.”

“…”

“Unless it’s his will. I don’t have the right to decide to end this relationship.”

“…What kind of nonsensical sophistry is that?”

“And above all, I don’t want to leave.”

Even if I become his burden and hold him back, I don’t want to leave him. This was the unavoidable truth of her heart.

No matter how dangerous a man Givnen Reanster might be, it didn’t matter. Whatever dangerous things might happen in the future, even if she lost her life in the process, she was prepared to embrace all those dangers and situations.

That’s how much she loved her current life.

She loved Givnen Reanster.

Because she’s happy by his side. She doesn’t want to lose this happiness. She doesn’t want to ruin it.

She wants to keep maintaining her current daily life, life, time, and relationships.

“I’m a selfish, materialistic person. I only care about myself. What’s important to me is my own happiness. I don’t want to live unhappily anymore. So I won’t leave. Without Givnen, I’d be much more unhappy.”

“…”

“So I’ll try harder. Study harder, work harder at magic… I’ll do my best not to be a burden to him. That’s how I’ll try to hold onto him. As long as he doesn’t abandon me, I’ll cling to him desperately. No matter what anyone says, I absolutely won’t let go.”

“…”

“I appreciate your concern, but I can’t listen to that advice.”

As Ben mulled over Riley’s words, he realized.

That this relationship, which he had thought was an ill-matched combination from the start, was twisted in a much more serious and strange direction than he had thought.

Perhaps it was an even more bizarre relationship than he had imagined.

Ben felt bitter at Riley’s firm and resolute answer and said,

“Fine, do as you please.”

Why did he bother to meddle unnecessarily in the affairs of someone he had decided to keep his distance from? It was needless worry and useless concern.

It was a wasted sentiment on someone he shouldn’t get further involved with. This would be the last time he’d help her.

‘Don’t get involved anymore.’

Before it becomes irreversible.