The villagers all rushed into the clean river.
It was dark and cold, but none of that mattered. From that point on, it was like a festival.
They were shedding tears of joy as they enjoyed this moment. And everyone praised Rosa at the same time.
"Ah! The woman in purple!"
"She’s done something the saint and priests couldn't even do!"
"A saint for our empire."
The more they spoke, the more fierce the eyes of Yura and the priests toward Rosa became.
Yura, in particular, seemed like she would grab Rosa by the collar right away if it weren't for the villagers approaching them.
On the other hand, Rosa was relieved.
This may not be the end but, for now, she had hindered them.
With this, the unconditional faith in the Holy Kingdom would dissipate like fog.
The empire would be a truly independent country.
“……I just want to sleep now."
Now that she felt it was over, Rosa wanted to go to sleep.
With the tension gone, her legs relaxed. In fact, she even fell into deep, dirty water.
The fatigue washed over her like a wave.
Her body, which had been quietly resting in the river, swayed for a moment.
Then, she felt a strong grip from behind her sharply pulling her shoulders.
"Your Majesty? When did you get here…….”
‘How long has Theodore been here?’
Theodore smiled softly when he heard her embarrassed voice.
Then he criticized and praised her at the same time.
"Do you know how dangerous it is for a woman to go outside alone this late at night, but...… You have shown me that my choice was not wrong."
"Thank you."
"I’m the one who’s grateful to you. If you’d like, when we go back to the capital, I could give you a seat by my side...….”
Before Theodore could properly make his offer, someone pulled Rosa’s body in the opposite direction.
"Oh, my."
She was surprised for a moment.
Seeing something the color of the dark night sky tickling her face, she quickly realized whose arms they were.
But she couldn't say his name here.
He called her instead.
"I figured that, since I was done with my business, I should go back home."
Ironically, while Enoch was talking to her, his eyes were turned towards Theodore.
When he called her name, he made sure to hug her tightly into his arms.
"Rosa."
***
A wolf-masked man appeared and tried to take Rosa with him.
It was a sudden situation.
Theodore tried to stop him because he was an unknown party.
However, the man did not readily return Rosa. Rosa also took no action to stop him.
"Rosa, do you know him?"
"Yes, he’s an acquaintance."
When she said that, Theodore was able to relent and let her go.
‘The purpose of bringing her here has been achieved…….’
But Theodore's heart did not agree. He didn't want to give Rosa to another man.
He couldn't let go of Rosa's wrist easily.
Eventually, Theodore made a proposal.
"But it would be safer to go back with me."
As soon as Theodore's words came out, he heard a laugh tinged with venom.
It was the man in the wolf mask.
He pushed Rosa behind him like he was hiding her, and he leaned his face toward Theodore.
The area around his pupils seemed hollow.
Maybe that was the reason.
He felt this man was really bizarre.
At the same time, he was able to focus more on the man's voice.
"It's funny. There's no place that you don’t involve yourself in. You...….”
For some reason, Theodore felt that the man's voice was familiar.
The somewhat languid voice reminded him of a certain man.
‘Yeah. This voice is like...….’
"Well, it doesn't matter. I'll give you a piece of advice instead."
The man leaned over a little more.
He gave his advice quietly so that only Theodore could hear it.
"Your timing was off from the start. Your chance will never come."
After that lengthy lecture, the man slowly stood up straight again.
As he did so, he continued to say what had remained unsaid.
"I'll protect her."
***
The long journey to Nequitia was concluded because of Enoch.
There was no time to panic.
Because Enoch grabbed her hand and went to jump into the clean water.
"Hold your breath."
At those words, she quickly took a deep breath and held it.
Rosa could feel their bodies slowly sinking deeply below the surface.
At the same time, Enoch clasped her hand tightly.
It was like he would never let go.
Then, he stretched out his other hand, which had started drawing a magic circle like it was a quick sketch.
There was no time to wonder.
This was because a magnificent scene immediately unfolded in front of her eyes.
A column of light soared above the surface of the water through the river. Even though they were submerged below, a group of flashing lights was clearly visible.
Flash.
There was a loud noise as the light burst.
And, with that, the scene in her field of view began to change rapidly.
Bang.
Along with the sound of overflowing water, her body flopped to the floor.
The moment they arrived, she almost fell face first onto a book on the floor, but Enoch quickly caught her.
Although there was no illustration on the cover, her eyes were quickly drawn to the title of the book.
‘Introduction to Necromancy...….’
She pushed Enoch's arm off her waist.
She then carefully looked around.
As soon as she was sure that this was the Estella Ducal castle, Hubert immediately appeared.
"I didn't expect you to come back so wet."
Hubert held out two towels.
Enoch took it as if it were a given and flippantly put it on top of his dripping head.
Then he turned around.
After making them face each other, he put the other towel on top of Rosa’s head.
"What the hell just happened?"
"When I first got there, I saw the Duke fall into the river and had all kinds of thought rush through my head."
Enoch had slowly begun to explain.
However, from the moment he mentioned her falling into the river, his breathing became ragged.
Enoch, of course, quickly collected himself, although his light green eyes remained very dark.
"If you stay like this, you’ll easily catch a cold."
Despite that, she did nothing. She just looked at him as if to urge him to say more.
Then, Enoch suddenly raised the corner of his mouth and began to gently caress her wet hair.
"But when I saw the light flashing in the water, I thought this might also be your plan."
Still, his eyes did not regain their like.
With such shadowy eyes, Enoch looked at her and continued speaking in a hoarse voice.
“Because I hate being hated as much as I hate you being hurt, I've put up with it again and again. And...….”
He paused for a moment.
Enoch's eyes began to curve, and a gentle smile appeared.
His mouth opened again.
"I added some color to the picture you drew. I hope you liked it."
"I liked it. Even the ending."
Then, someone else's voice cut into their conversation.
It was Hubert.
"I'm sorry to interject in the middle of your cozy conversation."
He looked at them alternately, scratching the back of his head and looking awkward. Then, finally, he carefully spoke to Enoch.
"By the way, the other mages, including Mr. Lysander, are asking if they can leave."
It was about the Magic Tower.
Hubert put his hand to his ear and was mumbling as though he were having a conversation with someone.
Enoch uttered a reply.
"Oh."
He didn't look surprised or embarrassed. He just acted like he had remembered something he had forgotten.
Then he answered bluntly,
"Tell Lysander to lead the rest back."
"Yes."
Rosa felt sorry.
They were definitely talking about the mages they left behind in Nequitia.
I urgently stopped Enoch's hand, which had been busy drying her hair.
She asked him,
"Don't you have to go back quickly and take care of the others?"
"Don't worry about that."
Contrary to her concerns, Enoch's words were very casual. As if it were nothing at all.
He even rolled his eyes.
Finally, he caressed the ends of her hair and put away the towel.
"This should stop him from causing any more trouble."
She immediately knew who he was talking about. Lysander was probably being punished.
She nodded as if she understood.
However, she stopped nodding at Enoch's next words.
"I’ll go back after seeing the duke asleep."
‘You're going back after watching me sleep?’
When she heard that, she felt like she was suddenly hit hard in the back of the head.
Was it because she had been surprised and happy to see him?
Throughout her conversation with Enoch, she had forgotten the purpose of contacting Hubert to ask about him.
‘What a fool. I almost parted with Enoch.’
"Just a moment."
She grabbed Enoch’s arm tightly; in case he tried to leave.
Then she spoke to Hubert.
"Hubert, I'd like to talk to him alone, so I'd like you to go out for a moment."
Following her words, Enoch also ordered Hubert to go.
"Get out."
Hubert left the secret basement straight away.
Once they were left alone in the enclosed basement, they naturally sat face to face at the table.
Enoch tilted his head slightly as he looked at her. Some of his hair fell down, covering one eye.
Enoch straightened his posture and swept back the hair that blocked his view.
Then he said to her.
"It seems that the plan that I was trying to let pass over naturally has fallen through."
“……You seem to know what I'm trying to bring up."
"The reason why I went to the Magic Tower."
Enoch's smile disappeared in no time. He stared at her with very narrowed eyes.
‘Are you trying to read my intentions?’
Enoch stared at her intently for a while, then smiled faintly.
Then he asked her softly.
"Is that correct?"
“……Yes. To be exact, the reason you said you would tell me later. I'm curious about that."
"If you could be more precise, please tell me...….”
"No. Say it now."
This time she couldn't back down either.
The more she talked to Enoch, the more her intuition was shouting out it was Hiorin.
She reached out.
Enoch did not shy away from the hand approaching him.
She once again spoke in a firm voice.
Roughly pulling the leach around Enoch's neck.
"Tell me now, Enoch."
Immediately Enoch stretched forward his upper body and brought his face near.
She could see a swaying light green.
At first, she just blinked because this sudden situation was surprising.
Then, after a while, the corners of Enoch's mouth crept up.
"If you wish."