Unwanted Information

Ihan hadn’t particularly wanted to know, but thanks to a certain informant—who rivaled even a regressor in terms of detailed knowledge—he ended up learning more about Loen’s romantic life… or rather, his divorce story.

“Judea Pierre, according to her background, was one of the orphans rescued by Cardinal Raphael during a pilgrimage. Out of gratitude for being saved, she joined the temple but somehow ended up as a Heretic Inquisitor… and somehow also ended up cross-dressing as a man.”
“That ‘somehow’ is really piquing my curiosity.”
“I… I’d love to tell you, but unfortunately, I don’t know either. I only know the basic setup since I avoided spoilers for the game and just followed the planning team’s instructions….”
“…Sometimes you’re incredibly useful, but other times you’re absolutely useless.”
“You’re so mean….”

Ignoring the excuse, Ihan dismissed him coldly, leaving Derek sulking.

“Anyway, how did those two end up getting married?”
“Oh, that, I know.”
“…You only know the weird stuff.”
“Well, anyway.”

Derek began recounting what he knew.

“Judea Pierre, after becoming a Heretic Inquisitor, was assigned as a spy to infiltrate the revolutionary army led by Duke Loen. As a spy, she gathered intelligence and delivered it to the temple. Her next mission, however, was to seduce and ‘eliminate’ Duke Loen.”
“Eliminate?”
“Well, Duke Loen, as the leader of the revolutionary army, must’ve been a huge thorn in the temple’s side. And beauty traps, while classic, are still one of the most effective methods. So….”
“…He fell for it?”

Knowing Loen, Ihan found it hard to believe he’d fall for such a ploy.

“Well, it wasn’t easy, but, uh, somehow, it worked out….”
“And what exactly is that ‘somehow’?”
“…I wonder too?”
“……”
“Please don’t look at me like that.”
“That damned ‘somehow’ again.”
“Anyway, moving on!”

Taechang, eyeing the situation carefully, continued explaining what he knew about Judea Pierre’s story. Ihan, pretending not to listen, actually focused intently.

“Of course, Duke Loen being seduced wasn’t without reason. Later, just before the wedding, Judea Pierre’s identity as a spy was revealed, leading to her swift exit from the story. She’s a late-game villain, and she’s considered one of the ‘Three Great Villainesses’ because she causes the most harm to Duke Loen.”
“Hm.”
“She committed crimes ranging from sowing discord to spreading false information. Because of her, the revolutionary army suffered astronomical losses. To make matters worse, some of the knights Duke Loen cherished died because of her.”
“Sounds like a legitimate grudge.”
“Well, yes, but considering this all happened in the future, isn’t it a bit unreasonable to hold a grudge now…?”
“…You’re pretty arrogant to say that.”
“What?”

Ihan questioned the clueless Derek, who seemed unaware of what was wrong with his statement.

“If… Karin had died, would you still say that?”
“……”
“It might be a dilemma. Sure, it’s the future, and it hasn’t happened yet. But people aren’t that rational. Look at your face right now. You’re terrifying.”
“?”
“Go look in a mirror, kid. Your face is seriously scary.”
“……”

Following Ihan’s advice, Derek touched his face and was shocked by how stiff and tense it was.

‘Ah, so this is what it feels like.’

Derek acknowledged his arrogance and began to understand why Loen’s gaze toward Judea Pierre was so filled with murderous intent, even if she was just a young girl now.

‘Forgiveness is something that should never be carelessly suggested.’

A Talent for Trouble

At least Derek was quick to admit his mistake. It wasn’t that Taechang was a bad person; he just had a tendency to view the world a bit too optimistically.
Sometimes, this lack of malice led to comments that could spark unnecessary conflicts.

‘At least he only acts like this around me. He wouldn’t do this with anyone else.’

Given that Taechang’s communication skills were abysmal, Ihan reasoned that he was unlikely to make such careless remarks in front of others.

‘The guy’s basically like a vibrating massager in conversation.’

Taechang wasn’t one to have meaningful interactions outside of this group.

‘Though, he does have a girlfriend, right?’

And not just any girlfriend—a smart and beautiful one at that.

‘…Guess he’s not so pitiable after all.’

Ihan felt an inexplicable pang of envy. The happiness of others had never irritated him so much.

The Confrontation

“Seeing a temple hound acting like this is amusing.”
“……”
“Actually, calling you hounds is too generous. You’re nothing more than rats who’d switch masters at a moment’s notice. Disgusting.”
“……”
“Silent treatment, huh.”
“…I don’t understand why you’re suddenly provoking me, young lion. I don’t recall doing anything to earn your ire.”
“……”
“If you have an issue with me, feel free to challenge me. Of course, only if the knight allows it.”
“…One day, our blades will cross.”
“Is that so? I’ll look forward to it.”
“……”

Crack!

“Careful, or you’ll break your teeth.”

Ihan wondered how things had reached this point.

Loen, usually calm and collected, was visibly furious, veins bulging on his forehead as he taunted Judea Pierre. Meanwhile, Judea remained unfazed, meeting his hostility with nonchalance.

Looking at the two of them, Ihan couldn’t help but sigh.

“This is a mess.”

The sight was a stark reminder of how ugly things could get between a broken couple.

+++++

To Summarize: Ihan Refused Loen's Proposal

The reason?

“Well, it’s simple. People aren’t objects, Loen. She’s not a real slave or anything.”
“Given her current situation, she’s worse off than a slave.”
“She’s an intern, isn’t she?”
“…What exactly is an intern?”
“It’s a position lower than an assistant. Sure, they’re under me right now, but that doesn’t mean I own them. I’m supposed to use them well and then return them later.”
“…Are you sure you’re treating them as people?”
“Stop nitpicking. If you really want her, convince her yourself. I won’t stop you from trying.”
“……”
“If you feel like stabbing someone, just say so. I’ll arrange a spar.”
“…Tempting, but I’ll refrain. I suppose I need to cool off for a few days. I’ll be stepping away for a while.”
“Taking an absence openly, huh?”

Judea Pierre, or “Red,” as Loen disdainfully referred to her, temporarily escaped further trouble. Ihan clicked his tongue in annoyance.

It’s all so complicated…

‘The old priest asked me to keep an eye on her. Taechang says she’s dangerous. Loen wants to kill her….’

The situation gave Ihan a headache.

‘What’s so special about her, anyway…?’

He glanced over at Judea.

“……”

Even as the other inquisitors groaned under the pain of the Sacrificial Barrier and endured Damien’s relentless tirades, Judea quietly went about her assigned tasks. While the others followed orders out of submission, she appeared to comply simply because she had lost. There was no sense of willpower in her actions.

Watching her brought to mind an emotionless doll, making Ihan wonder if she even had feelings.

‘A villainess and an inquisitor? It doesn’t suit her.’

He remembered the moment she had aimed a gun at her own head without hesitation after being defeated—a cold, mechanical reaction devoid of the will to live or any noble purpose.

‘Even villainous acts require some emotion, don’t they?’

Ihan understood the kinds of malice and ideals that typically drove people to villainy.
But Judea Pierre didn’t exhibit either malice or ideals.

If he had to sum up his impression of her in one line:

“…She’s an anomaly.”

Neither a villain nor a hero, she was simply out of place.

That was Ihan’s evaluation of her.

A Bizarre Presence

“What do you think of her?”
“Hm, she’s definitely a bit… unusual. Her energy feels different. At first, I thought it was just divine power, but now I’m not so sure.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, sir!”
“Hm… But hey, chick.”
“Yes?”
“…Why are you still here in the second semester?”
“……”
“Why stay?”
“W-Well, I wanted to take your class again, Instructor!”
“……”
“Uh, could you maybe say something nice?”
“Didn’t think spellcasters were such an idle lot.”

Ihan poked Irene Windler’s soft cheeks as she blushed in embarrassment.
He sighed.

There were plenty of other classes she could take to fulfill her credits, so why was she insisting on retaking his?

‘I appreciate the sentiment, but this is getting too much….’

Ihan could guess why this clingy “chick” of a mage kept latching onto his swordsmanship class. It gave him a headache.

As much as he wanted romance in his life, he had no desire to get involved with someone like her—a character with so much troublesome baggage.

A transmigrator. A spellcaster. Young and immature. And most of all…

…a spellcaster.

He had more than enough reasons to turn down her affections.

“What did I do to deserve this…?”
“Yes?”
“Never mind. Go sign up for another class. There’s still time to adjust your schedule.”
“No way! I want to stay in the Swordsmanship Department!”
“The top student in the Magic Department?”
“C-Can’t I be an honorary Swordsmanship cadet?”
“…Do you think that’s possible?”
“…Hmph.”

Her shoulders slumped, and Irene pouted, looking dejected.

Seeing her like that, Ihan felt his resolve waver.

Even if it was just one semester, spending time together had inevitably built a sense of camaraderie.
Maybe he should just let her stay.

‘…She’s fragile, after all.’

Though healthier than before, her frail appearance tugged at his sympathies.

Just as he was about to relent, Irene handed him something.

“Oh, right! This was from that creepy old guy. He asked me to give it to you.”
“??”
“I didn’t want to, but he begged me to deliver it… Sorry.”
“……”
“Uh, you’re okay with it, right? Hehe.”
“Stop smiling.”
“Ow!”

Even with a light tap, Irene went flying, but Ihan didn’t concern himself. Her telekinetic abilities would keep her from hitting the ground.

More pressing was the letter in his hands.

“I knew I should’ve gotten rid of him sooner.”

The letter bore a crest resembling rippling water. Despite being just stationery, it glimmered faintly with jewel dust, a symbol of extravagant wealth.

There was only one family in the kingdom capable of using gemstones as ink.

‘One more reason to steer clear of them….’

The Galahad Family.

Looking at the invitation from the current head of the ducal family, Ihan let out a deep, exhausted sigh.