Iola pressed his chest with the tip of his finger. He, who was on the verge of stumbling, regained his composure.

“Shall we continue?”

“Yes.”@@novelbin@@

It felt both reassuring and yet strangely empty.

It should have been a decision to celebrate, but a pang of guilt tugged at the corner of her heart.

She wished for the success of this adventure more than anyone, but what awaited at the end might not necessarily be what she wanted.

“Of course. I can’t trample on my father’s wishes without catching the dragon. And the position of Chancellor was taken from my younger brother as well.”

“What’s left for me is only you, Viretta,” he said with a playful grin, causing Viretta to chuckle and pull her knees up.

“If we succeed, I’ll be free,” she said.

“If we fail, then we’ll be getting married,” he replied.

The fact that marriage was seen as a symbol of failure was bittersweet, but there was a certain charm to the engagement.

Even in failure and despair, having something to hold on to was more comforting than expected.

The atmosphere, tinged with a playful tension, was interrupted by Ranken’s sudden intrusion.

“…So what happened?”

His yellow eyes gleamed sharply, like a cat’s.

Viretta, whose cheeks were flushed, and Iola, who wore an expression of indifference, both quickly avoided Ranken's gaze.

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