Light in the Darkness.
Even though it was the middle of the night, the inn was as brightly lit as its name would imply.
It was Rosa’s second visit, but it was the same then as it was now.
It was always noisy and crowded. Among the patrons, there were some who enjoyed fighting as entertainment.
"Haha! One more bottle!"
"Did you just hit my shoulder? Do you want to die?"
"Fight! Fight!"
She didn't want to go inside. She stood there, maintaining her distance.
If one waited at the entrance like that, a waiter would come first.
"Are you here to stay?"
It was as expected.
An employee, who had been busy serving, came up to her.
"I’m looking for someone here they call ‘that crazy guy’."
"What? Crazy guy?"
The employee tilted her head as if recalling all the strange names she knew.
"I don't really know because I've only been here for a few days. Wait a minute. I'll call someone else."
After asking for Rosa’s understanding, the employee rushed to another part of the inn.
She approached a group of mercenaries drinking heavily nearby. Perhaps she was trying to ask another employee who was serving the table.
They talked for a while.
"What?"
However, perhaps overhearing the employees’ conversation, a mercenary jumped to his feet.
He looked around with a very sad look.
Then, as though no one was watching, he grabbed and shook the employee's collar while shouting something.
"Where's that crazy guy? Huh!?"
Probably one of the people who had a grudge against Enoch.
Rosa’s head was throbbing.
However, since Enoch was known as ‘that crazy guy’ he would have incurred the grudges of more than a few people.
Rosa shook her head and lost interest.
Still, from the reaction of that mercenary, she could see that Enoch was not there.
"Where the hell are you?"
‘He can’t have already left for the Magic Tower.’
Enoch didn't have enough money to hire a mage yet.
Not only that, he didn’t even know the way to the Magic Tower.
He could get help from Lysander, but he’d already been back at the Tower for a few days.
"Tsk. Just meet me."
‘I won't let him leaving, without telling me properly, slide.
Rosa’s thoughts were complicated by a mixture of anger and worry.
She shook her head.
‘Okay, first, I’ll get out of here and go back to the duke's castle.’
Tomorrow was the day Enoch said he would come back anyway.
She just had to wait a day.
Since she had nothing more to do, she began moving her body to go outside.
Just as she started to do that, the employee approached her.
"I asked other people and they said it's been a while since he stopped showing up."
"I see. Thank you."
Once she briefly thanked him, Rosa immediately turned around. She grabbed the rusty door hook and tried to open the door.
"Hey, there!"
A thick, hairy hand grabbed her wrist.
It then forcefully turned her around.
"Why are you looking for that crazy guy? Did you make a bet with him?"
It didn't seem like he was trying to hurt her.
He seemed like a man who had a grudge against Enoch and was regarding her as a comrade.
She calmly responded,
"I made a request, not a bet. I came to catch him because he broke his promise and ran away."
"What? I thought he was at least reliable when it came to requests...…. Well, it seems like we both have unresolved business."
The mercenary put his arm on her shoulder.
Then he pushed her back and tried to have her join him at his table.
"It's fate that we met like this, so let's drink together!"
"I have to go."
She knew he meant no harm, but it was uncomfortable to pretend to be friendly.
She wanted to go back quickly.
However, the mercenary wasn’t listening. He kept forcefully dragging her along.
"Oh, let's sit together!"
She was annoyed because he kept doing this to someone who clearly didn't want it.
She struck the mercenary's arm hard.
Then, she tried to go back past the mercenary to the entrance of the inn.
She heard the words of the mercenary chasing her from behind with a huff.
"What? I was just suggesting a friendly drink...….”
He blocked her way and suddenly started to pick a fight with her.
"That petit frame and strange way of speaking; are you an aristocrat? A woman?"
She had clearly expressed her intentions.
It was the mercenary who ignored her words and acted as he pleased.
But the mercenary was angry as if she had picked a fight with him.
It was a situation she didn't understand.
However, she had no intention of turning a blind eye to this person who was being so recklessly belligerent.
"There is a rumor that he became the lover of a nobleman...…. Could that be you?"
The mercenary reached out.
He intended to lower the hood of her robe.
"Let me see your face."
Aside from her family's ability, she had learned quite a bit of self-defense and swordsmanship as the next head of the family.
So, she could easily avoid this much and fight back.
She mercilessly broke the mercenary's hand.
She pushed him against the wall, pressing down on his back so he couldn't move.
"Ugh!"
"What does it have to do with you, whether I am a nobleman or not?"
She uttered words, warning him, and threw away the mercenary's hand as if pushing him away.
He was bigger than her, so he didn't fall easily, but she was easily able to get him away from her.
As the mercenary stumbled, his party could be seen getting up from their seats.
She could have fought as much as she wanted.
But she didn't want to showcase her abilities where there were so many eyes watching...….
She immediately opened the door of the inn.
“……You."
Just in time, she made eye contact with someone standing in front of the inn door.
As if her legs were fixed to the floor, she couldn't move at all.
Because there was Enoch.
He bowed his upper body as if to see through the hood, showing off his light green eyes.
And he greeted her.
"I'm here to pick you up."
***
There was nothing to say after that.
As soon as Enoch showed up, several members of the gang confronted him.
And without Rosa stopping him, Enoch used magic.
"Ventus."
There was a sharp wind.
It was a wish that was strong enough to affect Rosa, who had to take a step back.
"What is this...….”
The gusty wind caused her robe's hood to fall off.
She quickly lowered her head, thinking that even the veil might fly off.
Then, the wind stopped in an instant.
Realizing that the wind was no longer blowing, she carefully looked up.
She made contact with light green eyes.
Enoch raised his red lips to the fullest and drew a fawning smile.
"You’re pretty."
“……Are you kidding me?”
Nothing good could be said.
Although she was wearing a veil, she was distorting her eyes to the fullest.
"Where the hell did you go? Why are you using magic...….”
"I told you."
Enoch cut her off.
Then he stuck out his bright red tongue and licked his lower lip once.
It was a very sly smile.
"I needed to break it."
“……How did you get there?"
"I had a communication magical device I got from Lysander."
‘What do you mean a communication magical device?’
She never thought Lysander would give him such a thing.
"Thanks to you, I finished my work quickly."
It couldn’t be over that quickly.
It was called the tower that would never collapse, and it was destroyed in two days?
This was absolutely insane.
But Enoch did it. He did it just to be with her.
"Was it that shocking that I told you not to follow me? Enough to do this?"
[t/n: she’s asking if it was so shocking that she didn’t let him go with her to handle the bug problem that it warranted the destruction of the Magic Tower.]
At her question, Enoch’s mouth frowned as if it were crumbling.
"The only place I have to go back to is by your side, so there’s no way I wouldn’t be shocked if you tell you not to come. But...….”
Enoch's hand came up over her veil as if he were holding her cheek.
And he spoke calmly.
"It was a place I was going to have to get rid of eventually. I just moved up the time."
His light green eyes looked straight at her without even a bit of wavering.
Enoch's hand on her cheek slid down.
And then, someone came into her view.
A man was approaching Enoch from behind holding a thick piece of wood.
She quickly tried to warn Enoch that he was coming.
"Look...….”
But even before she called, Enoch cast a spell.
As if he already knew.
"Florabor."
The floor where the man was standing suddenly gave way.
Just like that, the man plunged into a deep, deep pool, like a sinkhole. With a bloodcurdling scream.
"Argh!"
"Oh my god!"
"Oh, my!"
At the same time, the cries of those around him who were terrified could be heard, but Enoch did not budge.
He just looked straight at Rosa.
Then, very slowly, he held out his hand to her.
"Shall we go now? Du...….”
He almost called her name, but he quickly swallowed his words.
Enoch's lips were tight.
She put her hand on Enoch's hand with a smile on her face.
She told him.
"Rosa."
Enoch's light green eyes were seen getting bigger for the first time in a long time.
She found it quite interesting.
She deliberately wanted to see more of Enoch's embarrassment, so she said it again.
"You can call me Rosa...….”
"Rosa."
Enoch didn't panic a second time.
He called out her name. Then, when she stayed still as though embarrassed, he giggled.
Calling her name once again,
"Rosa."
Suddenly, she felt a strong grip pulling her hand being held by Enoch.
As her body leaned forward slightly, Enoch whispered in her ear.
"I'm back."