Chapter 9

Viretta took the remaining half of the raspberry tart and shoved it into Lanken’s mouth. With his mouth full, Lanken quieted down a little.

"You’ll join me, right? Become my sword and shield, and walk beside me on this glorious path to hunt the dragon?"

Anyone with a shred of common sense would respond to such an invitation by calling her "crazy" and spitting on the ground before walking away.

If a king ordered anyone to hunt a dragon with fewer than ten people, desertion or even rebellion would be justified. Such was the nature of dragons.

But with Viretta, there was an exception.

Lanken recalled all the crazy adventures Viretta had dragged him into, only for them to turn out fruitless. Searching for a destined soulmate, hunting swamp monsters, chasing after the legend of the rainbow—all ended in failure. No monsters in the swamp, no rainbow's end, no soulmate to be found.

Viretta was always sincere, but not foolish. She knew when to compromise after bumping into the hard wall of reality a few times.

Hunting a dragon was a far-fetched idea. She’d probably settle for capturing a big lizard or a crocodile and be satisfied. Surely, this would be the same. Lanken was half hopeful, half optimistic. Besides, he had a hard time refusing Viretta’s requests.

This was the best he could do as a member of the mercenary corps after the glory days of great wars were over.

In Phillion, a land enjoying a period of peace, mercenaries were little more than hired muscle, summoned whenever brute force was needed. They mostly hunted wild animals, collected debts, or escorted merchants.

As a rookie mercenary, Lanken’s primary job had been to secretly watch over Viretta, disguised as a friend. It was an open secret in the Medleridge household, and even Viretta herself probably knew.

Cadlen, struggling to keep up with his wayward daughter, had assigned Lanken to tail her for the past five years under the guise of friendship. Though Lanken had initially refused to acknowledge it, he had gradually accepted his role.

Of course, Cadlen was a reasonable man. He’d understand if Lanken refused to go dragon hunting.

But Viretta would surely get herself into trouble if he left her to her own devices. Just like her father, Viretta was notorious for charging headfirst into situations like a wild boar.

If not him, who else would clean up Viretta’s messes?

After seven years of dealing with her antics, Lanken knew there was no one better suited for the job. He swallowed the tart and sighed.

"Alright, fine. Let’s go. To hunt the dragon or whatever."

They’d probably end up slinking back home after a short while. Better he accompany her now and intervene before she ruined her engagement.

Viretta beamed as she saw Lanken give in.

"As expected of my sword, my shield, my knight, and my dearest friend!"

"Truly a noble decision from a loyal and gallant warrior! I’m honored to meet not one but two people brave enough to embark on a dragon hunt. It feels like my mother guided me here to seize this dreamlike opportunity."

"You say you’re willing to call off the engagement because of Viretta’s situation, but you seem oddly excited. Maybe a little too enthusiastic."

Lanken gave Iola a skeptical look, sensing something peculiar about a man who had no objections to Viretta, no aversion to marriage, and seemingly no issues with the engagement itself.

Iola masked his enthusiasm with a sheepish cough.

"Well, it’s a chance to see a dragon up close, and Miss Viretta shouldn’t have to marry against her will. Besides…"

"Besides what?"

Viretta’s mind filled with hopeful thoughts—Could he be falling for me?

"Besides… this is my first time running away from home against my father’s wishes. My heart pounds with guilt and anticipation for what lies ahead. Miss Viretta, this must be your first time running away too. Are you feeling alright?"

"Huh? First time?"

Viretta blinked in surprise.

"Yes, this being your first time running away, you must feel nervous and excited."

First time…

Lanken and Viretta exchanged awkward glances, silently communicating their shared concern.

He actually thinks this is my first time?

Well, I never expected him to be so innocent!

They glanced back at Iola, their expressions equally uncomfortable, before Viretta hesitantly raised her hand.

"Um… When you say running away, you mean leaving the city without permission for more than two days, right?"

"That’s right. If you have permission, it’s a trip, and if you’re back within a day, it’s just an outing."

"Then I guess this isn’t my first time."

"Is that so? I thought you packed so well because you’d done this before. So, this is your second time?"

Their expressions grew even more uncomfortable. They began counting on their fingers, muttering under their breath.

"It was… a month and a half ago, actually."

Iola responded with a calm, "I see," but before he could continue, Lanken jumped in smoothly.

"And then during the flower festival three months ago."

"And there was a quick trip at the end of last year."

"Also during the harvest festival."

Viretta and Lanken continued whispering about whether to include trips of just two days or ones that Cadlen had permitted.

"Then there was last summer…"

"And this spring… maybe four times the year before last…?"

"Honestly, I can’t remember much before three years ago…"

After counting back only three years, they’d already run out of fingers.

Feeling embarrassed, Viretta and Lanken avoided meeting Iola’s gaze.

Confessing their history of frequent elopements felt uncomfortable in front of Iola, who seemed to be a first-time runaway, innocent and sincere.

Viretta had run off many times before. She never intended to leave forever, but it was frequent enough that her family worried about her constantly.

When she doubted she’d get permission, she’d leave a note and escape with Lanken. The notes were never anything remarkable.

[Dear Father! I’ll bring back a perfect husband, so please postpone the engagement by two months.]

[I’m off to find flowers that never wither, perfect for my sister’s wedding bouquet!]

[I, Viretta, aim to become a famous actress. I’ll send you a playbill later, so be ready to build me a grand theater to perform in.]

[I’ll bring you a flaming stone as a birthday gift, Grandpa!]

These were the sort of everyday declarations she’d scribble down. She’d left this time, too, with just a note and little more than a flutter of excitement.

She didn’t feel any guilt about disobeying her father or any burning resolve. She just left.

For all her high-minded ambitions, Viretta never really thought of this as a serious escape.

Iola, though… He was serious, and that was a surprise. Viretta hadn’t imagined that his first rebellion would come so late in life.

A small pang of guilt pricked her heart, as if she’d led an innocent lamb astray. She and Lanken shared a sheepish look as they both realized how this might appear to Iola.

Iola’s eyes widened as they counted off their past escapes, his silence only broken by a wide grin.

"Ah, I see you have experience with running away!"

There was no hint of sarcasm in his tone, and Viretta and Lanken decided to trust that he was sincere. After all, trust was the foundation of any relationship.

"Oh, I didn’t mean that as a criticism. It’s hard to live independently, breaking free of family expectations. Most people can’t abandon their obligations or responsibilities. That might sound harsh, but really, your rebellious experiences make you the perfect person to go dragon hunting. I’m relieved to have such seasoned companions. I look forward to learning from both of you."

But… isn’t there something off about this guy?

At last, Viretta and Lanken began to feel an unsettling hint of unease towards Iola.