“You’re awake…”

Irene lay beside me, pressed close as if embracing me from above. After confirming I had regained consciousness, she sat up from where she had been sprawled on the bed, leaving behind a faint smile of relief.

“That’s a relief. You wouldn’t wake up, so I was getting worried.”

The fox whispered softly. There was a change in her demeanor; the sharpness she usually carried was nowhere to be seen. I, still dazed, stared at her with confusion as she turned around and handed me something.

It was a glass cup that radiated warmth.

“It’s a tea brewed from Seolhanchos. It’s good for regaining strength, so make sure to drink it.”

“…”

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing.”

Confused, I took the cup she offered. The lukewarm heat seeped into my fingertips. As I sipped the tea quietly, Irene stood beside me, watching intently, her black eyes blinking slowly.

“…”

The gaze felt strangely heavy. Trying to shake off the awkwardness, I finished the tea in a few gulps, and the lingering drowsiness faded somewhat. With my mind clearing, I turned to Irene and asked a question to understand the situation.

“So… how long has it been since I lost consciousness?”

“Two full days.”

“Longer than I expected. Did anything happen while I was unable to move?”

“Nothing special. We just kept sailing.”

Irene recounted the events in detail—from pulling me out of the sea to encountering Nameless, who left without further incident, and moving me to the cabin while I was unconscious. It was more or less what I had anticipated.

‘That’s a relief.’

I smiled belatedly in relief. As I straightened my disheveled hair, Irene, who was sitting beside me, suddenly asked a question, her expression curious.

“That person, Nameless… why did he leave us alone?”

Given how tense the confrontation had been, it was understandable for her to be puzzled about how it had ended so inconclusively. I responded with a vague smile instead of an answer.

“Well, I wouldn’t know.”

“Nameless said to ask you. That there’s a reason he couldn’t kill you.”

“Hm.”

It seemed Nameless had left unnecessary remarks behind. I propped my chin up and reminisced for a moment. It was a tale from when I once roamed the underworld, a story tangled with the dirtiest depths—not one I wanted to share. I deflected, as I always did.

“That’s a secret.”

“I thought so.”

Irene nodded, but something was off. Normally, she wouldn’t have cared much and would have let it pass, but today, her expression was unusually bitter, as if she were disappointed.

“I’m sure you have your reasons for keeping it a secret.”

Despite saying she understood, her expression suggested otherwise. Was Nameless’s presence still on her mind? I hadn’t expected her to be so interested. Awkwardly, I changed the subject with a laugh.

“By the way… Miss Irene?”

“Yes?”

“Earlier, on the bed… I woke up entangled with you. I was wondering how that happened.”

“Oh, that…”

She paused for a moment before answering with a calm voice. Her tail swayed slightly.

“I was watching over you by the bedside. I didn’t know when you’d wake up. I must have dozed off after staying awake until dawn.”

“So you watched over me for two days?”

“It wasn’t anything that grand… I just stayed by your side through the night.”

“That’s more than enough. I’m touched.”

Without thinking, I reached out and patted the fox’s head. Her crimson hair, soft under my palm, carried a tender warmth. As I savored the gentle touch, I expressed my gratitude.

“Thank you.”

“I’m glad… that I could be of help.”

A faint smile appeared on Irene’s face. Her drooping ears perked up, revealing her emotions clearly. I tilted my head, puzzled.

‘What’s this?’

She had been oddly kind since earlier. Almost compliant. It felt unfamiliar—her usual cold demeanor seemed dulled. I pondered this for a moment but soon dismissed it.

‘I don’t know what’s changed her mindset, but…’

Seeing her smile like this was nice. I’d worried about her constant stony expression, but maybe she was starting to relax. A positive change like this was always welcome.

I gently petted the fox. As we shared this quiet moment, a thought struck me.

“Ah, now that I think about it. What happened to the others?”

“The others?”

“The ones who were captured as illegal slaves. I recall them being confined in the lower deck.”

“I freed them. They’re staying in the second-floor cabins now.”

“I see.”

It seemed everything had been handled well. I stood up, intending to check on them myself. Although I’d gotten a glimpse earlier, confirming the count and assessing their condition was necessary for what came next. Some might still be unwell or injured.

“I’ll take a quick look around.”

“I’ll come with you.”

Irene followed as we put on our coats and stepped out of the cabin.

We walked around the ship’s interior, meticulously checking everything. The vessel was several times the size of a regular passenger ship, so the task took quite a while. It felt more like a fortress than a ship. There were probably only a handful of people across the continent who could afford such extravagance. I found myself marveling at the capabilities of the businessman who owned it.

‘I’ve received quite the gift.’

This ship was now mine. That meant I could use it as I wished. With such superior base specifications, a few modifications could make it highly functional. I set a new destination: a port under the jurisdiction of Astro.

‘I’ll need to send a message ahead.’

Someone would need to move the ship safely on our behalf since we still had school trip activities to complete. Having been away for two days already, I planned to return to our accommodations by tomorrow.

With a rustle, I released a crow made of shadows. Its black wings flapped, sending a simple message. By tomorrow morning, it would reach headquarters. Lena would see it, open a portal, and we’d switch roles, allowing me to return to the trip’s activities. She could also help transport us instantly when it was time to go back.

‘Perfect.’

The return plan was flawless. The students might find my reappearance after a three-day absence odd, but as the head assistant, I could silence any inquiries. That was the whole point of my authority in the first place. Besides, our supervising professor for the trip was Selena. Our mentor would take our side, so minor disturbances wouldn’t be an issue.

“Hmm.”

I smiled, satisfied, and continued walking. The ship remained in good condition.

‘Impressive.’

Nameless’s work was evident. He had dealt with the remaining crew without leaving a trace of blood. The soldiers’ bodies had likely been disposed of at sea. It was typical of the Sovereign’s right-hand man to handle cleanup so well.

‘He’s improved quite a bit.’

Reflecting on that, I heard Irene speak beside me. She, too, had questions about Nameless.

“Nameless… he seemed afraid of you.”

“Well, that’s likely.”

“Even after you lost consciousness, he couldn’t come any closer, sweating nervously.”

“Pity I didn’t get to see that rigid expression break.”

“Why does he fear you so much?”

“Who knows.”

It was inevitable. Two years ago, during the war that unfolded in the underworld, anyone who had faced me then would harbor similar fear. Especially since I was at my most volatile back then.

“Let’s just say… a lot happened.”

Again, I gave an evasive answer. Irene seemed to have expected this and simply nodded quietly. We walked in silence for a while.

Half a day passed before we managed to inspect the entire ship. As expected, there were no issues. All systems were functioning normally.

“Thank you for saving us…!”

The freed slaves seemed to be doing well. Those weary from their harsh life behind bars responded with tearful gratitude when they saw us, their rescuers.

“We thought we’d never see home again, sob, thank you…”
“If it weren’t for you two, I don’t know what would have happened to us…”
“It feels like a dream! I thought we’d be sold off to another country!”
“Big brother! Big sister! Thank you so much!”

I lost count of how many times we were thanked. It felt nice to be appreciated, but being the center of attention grew overwhelming, so I slipped away.

After a chaotic day—

“…”

We returned to our cabin late at night. The clock’s hands pointed to the early hours.

“It’s later than I thought.”

“There was a lot to see. Plus, we kept getting stopped by people.”

“We should prepare for sleep. We have plans again tomorrow, so it’s best to rest early.”

“Right, I got it.”

Given the late hour, we quickly showered and changed before getting into bed. There was only one bed, sized for two, so we had to lie side by side. We could have resolved it if one of us moved to another room, but—

“Don’t go.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s fine… just stay here.”

Irene held onto my sleeve, her eyes looking up at me steadily. After what happened a few days ago, it seemed she was uneasy about being left alone. Her fingers trembled slightly.

“Understood.”

I nodded. It was rare for Irene to ask for anything first. Besides

, it wasn’t a difficult request.

‘It shouldn’t be a problem.’

We were already sharing a room, so staying together like this seemed fine. Irene didn’t appear to think much of it either. We settled under the blanket, keeping an appropriate distance. As I waited for sleep, Irene suddenly spoke.

“Are you awake?”

“Still awake.”

“Sorry if I woke you. I just wanted to talk.”

“Can’t sleep?”

“Yeah…”

“Alright. Is there anything specific you wanted to discuss?”

“Yes. There are things I’ve been wanting to ask.”

We exchanged a few words. Though we had shared conversations before, talking while lying in the same bed felt like a new experience. Her voice filled the delicate space between us.

“When you were fighting the Hound… you mimicked my mentor’s voice.”

“I did.”

“You knew, didn’t you? About my past.”

“So you figured it out.”

“It was odd. You knew something I’d never told anyone about.”

“I wasn’t trying to deceive you. I just didn’t want to bring up something painful for you.”

“Yeah… it was a painful memory.”

The fox muttered faintly. Unresolved questions lingered in her voice as it dissolved into the dark. Her black eyes glanced at me sideways.

Did she suspect me? It made sense for her to feel uneasy when someone who shouldn’t know anything about her mentor spoke his words so accurately. I offered a troubled smile.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to touch on an old wound.”

“It’s okay… because it’s you.”

“Thank you for saying that.”

“If I asked how you knew about my mentor, would you say it’s a secret again…?”

“I would.”

There was no way to explain it. I couldn’t reveal it was from the original story. Claiming I found out through simple investigation wouldn’t hold up either. The best option was to maintain silence.

“…”

Irene’s expression grew complicated, as if deep in thought. She bit her lip for a moment before murmuring, her tone subdued.

“You… seem to have so many secrets.”

“That’s harsh. I consider myself quite transparent, you know.”

“Liar.”

The denial came from right beside me. I turned to find Irene’s face much closer than before, her warm breath brushing my cheek. The gap between us had nearly disappeared, close enough for our noses to touch.

“Miss Irene?”

I raised an eyebrow at the unexpected proximity. Before I could react, Irene pushed herself up from where she lay. Her slow, deliberate movement intertwined us, and before I knew it, she was straddling me, sitting atop my waist.

“What is this all of a sudden…?”

The sudden act left me stunned. Her unique scent filled the air between us. Clad only in light sleepwear, we could feel each other’s contours clearly through the thin fabric. As I froze, her slender fingers touched my chest.

“You…”

The heat from her hand reached my heart. Slowly, her fingers started to undo the buttons of my shirt.

This can’t be—

“Miss Irene.”

I realized something was wrong. I called her name too late, for the shirt was already fully unbuttoned. My bare skin lay exposed beneath the open fabric. Irene stared at it blankly.

“What… are you hiding?”

Her voice trembled, not with desire or excitement, but with shock and sympathy. She clenched her fists as she whispered.

“What… have you been keeping from me?”

Clear eyes reflected the scars covering my body—cuts from blades, puncture wounds, burn marks, odd surgical traces. Not a patch of unharmed skin remained.

“…”

I closed my mouth without thinking. The expression on my face grew cold, devoid of any smile, only an indifferent calm remained. I spoke in a quiet, detached tone.

“Ah.”

So, she found out.