Starchis understands through his conversation with Rose.

Luss knows the name “Rose.”

Their first meeting was when Luss was looking for Rose. She had heard that a young lady had gone missing, and she was searching for Rose. When Rose met Luss, she was scared of being captured and gave the name Elza.

So, it’s not good for Stion to mention the name Rose here. If that name keeps coming up oddly, it’s only natural for Luss to become suspicious.

“...Ah... Elza...?”

Starchis responded with a bit of effort.

He didn’t ask or add anything, fearing it would seem awkward. Such things were only possible when Luss wasn’t around.

“...Elza?”

Luss murmured. The name Elza kept appearing in front of her just when she was about to forget.

Even though Starchis was angry right now, his anger was on her behalf.

She also stuck to her opinion out of care for him, but in this warm atmosphere where they were thinking of each other, she intruded again.

“...Is it a marriage meeting?”

Luss asked with difficulty.

She had learned through Elza that Starchis was going to meet Elza’s father.

But back then, Starchis said it wasn’t a marriage meeting, just a simple meeting.

So Luss thought only Starchis would go... but now, Stion was going too.

Considering that Starchis’ family and Elza’s family were meeting each other, it was indeed a marriage meeting.

But that wasn’t what Luss was asking. She wanted to know if it was a meeting to get approval for marriage or just a simple meal.

And everyone present understood that her question was about one of those two things.

Aide’s party members, who knew Luss liked Starchis, were watching Luss carefully. Stion was no exception.

Even though it hadn’t been long since Luss had come to the base, Stion couldn’t deny that Luss was a good person.

Luss rolled up her sleeves and ran around helping the party members, whether it was retrieving equipment from the blacksmith or cleaning. She tried to be helpful in any way she could.

After venting the negative feelings he had built up from listening to Starchis’ stories, he couldn’t find any flaws in the child.

If it weren’t for her past misdeeds, he might have even cheered for Luss and Starchis’ love. He might have thought of them as bridges supporting each other.

With such thoughts taking root in just one day, Stion’s heart softened at Luss’ question about the marriage meeting.

Asking if the man she loves is leaving her is not an easy thing.

He didn’t want to lie to her here just to hurt her more. After all, it wasn’t a marriage meeting, just a meal.

“...It’s not that kind of meeting.”

“It’s not that kind of meeting.”

Stion and Starchis speak together.

Starchis didn’t want to tell an irreversible lie. After all, he couldn’t maintain the lie of having a girlfriend forever.

Eventually, he’d have to say they broke up. If he said they had gone as far as a marriage meeting, it would be hard to retract the lie later.

‘Weren’t you serious enough to think about marriage? Why did you break up?’

Thinking about answering that question gave him a headache.

In fact, it wouldn’t matter if he already said he broke up with his girlfriend.

With his injured arm hindering his gathering activities, he had plenty of rest time.

There was no reason for him to be in danger in the dungeon.

‘...Or is it?’

Again, Starchis changed his mind. Maybe his party members would take him around saying they wanted to do something good for his arm.

Thinking that way, he found another reason to maintain the lie.

Anyway, the biggest reason Starchis wasn’t giving up on the current lie was to keep things natural. Saying they broke up now would be unnatural. It was too short a period of dating.

It’s not that people don’t break up quickly, but it’s much more natural to say they dated for a while before breaking up.

If he said he broke up with a girlfriend he hadn’t even been dating for a month, it would show a difference from his usual behavior of always saying he’d treat his girlfriend well.

If an unavoidable situation came, he wouldn’t care about the dating period and would say they broke up, but he didn’t think that was necessary now.

In that sense, thinking about the breakup situation as well, he didn’t want to lie to the point where he’d be caught.

“...Is it not a marriage meeting?”

Luss quietly nodded. Everyone at the base was unconsciously overwhelmed by Luss.

She didn’t know it, but all eyes were on her as she lowered her head.

Luss felt relieved that it wasn’t a marriage meeting, but now she wanted more.

She just wished Starchis wouldn’t go. She disliked the idea of him meeting Elza’s parents.

Suddenly, noticing the change in atmosphere, Starchis patted Luss’ back and asked.

-Tap Tap!

“Hey... why’s the atmosphere like this? Luss, why are you like this all of a sudden?”

-Slap!

Boyle hit his forehead from behind.

When she didn’t respond, Starchis looked at Stion, seeking his cue. Maybe his brother knew the answer.

Before that, Luss opened her mouth.

“...Chis, I’ve been meaning to say this, but I actually don’t really... like Elza.”

“Uh... huh?”

“You’re too good for her. You’ve lived so earnestly. You can meet a better woman. She dresses plainly, and her, uh, face... isn’t very pretty...”

Unconsciously, Luss belittled Elza.

It was the first time in her life she had done something like this.

She had never once engaged in common backbiting. Even when the kingdom’s guards would badmouth their superiors, she would quietly distance herself to do other things.

But now, words came out of her mouth on their own.

“...I feel uneasy. She seems like someone with hidden motives. It feels like she’s hiding her true self.”

Stion and Starchis felt a pang of guilt at Luss’ thoughtless words. They worried if she instinctively sensed their lies.

“Meet someone who can be devoted to you. She... she made you do all sorts of things! Asking you to get her water, wipe her mouth... she, she does that often, doesn’t she?”

“She’s just cute, that’s all. Starchis, did she really?”

Stion shamelessly helped his younger brother. Starchis also went along with the flow.

Right now, he felt that Luss had sensed something, and he wanted to get through this situation smoothly.

“Haha... isn’t she cute? Elza-”

“-Not cute. What’s with a grown adult acting like that?”

Luss interjected, but Starchis, his eyes twitching, continued.

“-Elza has a cute side. Luss, don’t be so harsh. You’ve only met her a few times. She doesn’t have any hidden agendas... come on... you’re overthinking it. H-Hyung. Anyway, got it. We’ll be here tomorrow, right?”

“Chis, are you listening to me? Do you really have to meet her family tomorrow?”

Since Starchis didn’t know about the promise to meet Rose’s family, Stion stepped in.

“The promise is already made; we can’t cancel it now. It’s not your place to interfere.”

Knowing Luss’ intentions, Stion felt bitter but continued the lie for his brother’s sake.

The promise to meet Rose’s family was none of Luss’ business. Stion reminded her of her place.

“Starchis, you should go. See you tomorrow.”

At his brother’s words, Starchis quickly said his goodbyes and left the base.

Luss lifted her head to watch Starchis leave. He didn’t look back and hurried away.

Fioren, seeing Luss’ face, was startled.

Luss’ dark eyes were deep and ominous.

The downstairs dining hall was getting noisy, and as Starchis grew hungry, he knew it was almost time for the appointment.

The previous day, when he hastily fled from Aide’s party, he had worried about being caught, but now it seemed everything had ended without a hitch.

He trusted that his brother had covered for him well.

Starchis finished preparing and left his room.

Meeting Rose was an unexpected event, but he had an idea why it might be happening. ...He thought it was probably a thank you for receiving the vampire’s blood.

He had survived thanks to the Nisty family, so it made sense to bring a token of appreciation and offer a simple greeting.

Thinking he could just drop off the gift and leave, he reassured himself that he might not have to face Rose.

He didn’t know how he would face her. He still couldn’t understand why she had made such a request of him.

Was she always like that? From what he’d seen of her, it didn’t seem that way.

Was it because of the alcohol? ...The alcohol must have played a big role.

Starchis shook his head. Thinking about it wouldn’t give him any answers.

With a sigh, Starchis stepped out of the lodging building.

As he was about to head towards Stion’s base, a clear voice stopped him.

“S...! Starchis!”

Turning around, he saw Vienna standing there.

“...Vienna?”

“..Where are you going?”

Starchis was surprised by Vienna’s sudden appearance. Somehow, she always seemed to show up in unexpected places.

“I have something to do. What are you doing here?”

“...”

Starchis looked at Vienna.

“...Dressed up like that.”

“...Sometimes I feel like dressing up too, you know?”

Vienna replied curtly. Starchis found her lack of honesty amusing and smiled.

Seeing Starchis’ smile, Vienna blushed. Unable to meet his gaze, she pulled out a vial from her waist.

“...Here. Take this.”

“This is... the same medicine from before?”

“You need to take it regularly to see the benefits.”

“Did you come all the way here just to give me this?”

“....”

She wanted to say no out of embarrassment, but this time Vienna craved praise. So she kept her mouth shut and stayed still.

“You went through all this trouble... Vienna, thank you so much.”

“....”

Vienna’s lips twitched as she lowered her head.

Appreciating her effort in bringing or making the medicine, Starchis drank it right there. Despite its beneficial properties, it tasted awful. It seemed nothing Vienna gave him ever tasted good.

Still, Starchis was immensely grateful, so much so that he didn’t know how to express his gratitude.

“Did you come straight after finishing at the medical center?”

“..Yes.”

“You should’ve rested a bit. You didn’t have to go this far.”

“Then get better quickly.”

“I’ve been making good progress lately. I can even feel my mana now.”

Starchis thought.

“Oh, maybe it’s thanks to this medicine I took last time. Thank you, Vienna.”

“..Hmph..”

Vienna’s face melted into a soft smile, though she tried to act tough.

“...So, where are you going?”

Vienna asked.

“..If you’re done with your work, let’s have a meal together. To thank...”

“...Ah.. well..”

Hearing his hesitant tone, Vienna hurriedly changed her words.

“No, you don’t have to buy me anything. Let’s just eat together.. I haven’t eaten yet.”

“No, I already have dinner plans.”

Vienna froze. After a brief awkward silence, she asked.

“........With whom?”

“....With my brother.”

Starchis didn’t want to mention Elza if it wasn’t necessary.

However, Vienna wasn’t easy to get rid of.

“..Invite me to join you for dinner.”

“..And with Elza’s family.”

Seeing that Vienna wouldn’t give up, he spoke honestly.

“.....What?”

“Hyung, what did Luss say?”

After parting with Vienna, Starchis met Stion on the way to the Nisty family’s mansion.

Starchis still felt uneasy about how things had ended the previous day. He was curious about how his brother had handled it.

“What did she say? After I told her it wasn’t her concern, she stayed quiet.”

“Really? ...But did she dislike Miss Rose that much? It’s the first time I’ve seen Luss speak ill of someone.”

Stion looked at Starchis.

“....You’re really dense.”

Stion now understood the full story. Knowing that Luss liked Starchis made everything clear. Of course, Stion had been confused just like Starchis until he heard directly from Luss about her feelings.

But as the saying goes, things look different going in and coming out of the bathroom. Now, Starchis seemed frustratingly oblivious.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

Stion didn’t want to reveal Luss’ feelings. Confessions are personal. It’s not polite to disclose someone’s feelings without their permission.

“Anyway, tell me about Rose Nisty. What’s the story? Why is she Elza?”

“Oh, that.”

Starchis explained everything that had happened to his brother. He had already explained it once in a letter, so this felt like filling in the gaps.

After walking and listening for a while, Stion spoke.

“...It was strange even as I read it. I wondered if you had written it wrong.”

“Right? Even the maid’s name being Elza... such a coincidence.”

“No, meeting her outside in the first place was the coincidence.”

“That too.”

In the distance, the Nisty mansion came into view, already giving off a grand impression.

Walking confidently along the path to the mansion, the two brothers talked in secret. This time, Starchis spoke first.

“...Now I want to ask. Why are we going to the Nisty mansion?”

“Oh, that.”

“Is it to give thanks for the vampire’s blood? I was thinking of showing my gratitude too...”

“It’s just a regular meal. We’re not bringing anything.”

The mention of a meal made Starchis feel uneasy. It didn’t seem like something he could easily escape from. And if it was a meal, meeting Rose was inevitable.

“Really? Then why the sudden meal with the Nisty family?”

“We’re not bringing anything, but it is a form of thanks.”

“Huh?”

Starchis was as puzzled as Stion had been when he received the letter.

“What do you mean? A meal as thanks?”

“Yeah. It seems Rose Nisty is lonelier than she looks. She’s quite... innocent.”

Gulp.

Starchis swallowed hard. She didn’t seem that innocent to him.

“Anyway, she said she wanted a male friend. She specifically asked to have a meal with you. I guess she liked you when we met at the restaurant?”

“..Really?”

Starchis felt a slight stomachache.

Stion looked at Starchis and spoke.

“You don’t have a choice, Starchis. We owe them this much. And when you go, try to make a good impression on her. It’s still a form of thanks. You’ve already gotten to know her a bit, right?”

“....Ahahaha...”

If getting to know her meant knowing her secrets, then yes, they had gotten to know each other. But not in a good way. He might even be the only person who knew Rose’s secret.

They arrived at the large iron gate. Behind it were guards, a fountain, and then the grand mansion.

“We’re here to see Hian Nisty.”

Stion said calmly.

“Stion, Starchis?”

Stion nodded. The gate opened, and they walked in.

And from a distance, a head peeked out from behind a tree.

“...Why such a big mansion..?”

It was Vienna.

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