IDMWE 10

Chapter 10

“That bastard… Ahem.”

At Leona’s blunt words, the Commander, Miles, cleared his throat.

Rigan narrowed his eyes, looking at the suddenly murderous Leona and the Commander sweating nervously.

‘Spirit Masters and Necromancers have abilities passed down through bloodlines. And most of them are nobles.’

Given the Commander’s reaction… it seemed like it wasn’t a collateral line, but a direct line. And from a fairly prestigious family at that.

As Leona and Rigan each fell into thought, the Commander’s office became so quiet that one could hear the Commander’s eyes rolling around.

“Ahem, so that’s why I called you first to ask.”

Forcing a smile to lighten the chilly atmosphere of the room, the Commander opened his mouth.

“If you want, I can transfer you to another center.”

Saying that, Miles thought he was a truly considerate and generous Commander.

Normally, he wouldn’t have bothered considering the personal relationships of mere new recruits.

‘But this time…’

Miles looked at the new recruit in front of him, who was like a wild beast.

She was constantly breaking records as a ‘first woman’ following her grandmother and mother, and she had created countless issues at the academy, even gathering a huge fanbase.

‘There’s even talk that His Highness has his eye on her as a potential daughter-in-law.’

If it were him, he would absolutely refuse such a strong-willed woman as a daughter-in-law, but it seemed the higher-ups had a different capacity for things.

Anyway, rather than letting them clash and turn the Central Branch into a mess, it was better to sort things out in advance.

However, contrary to the Commander’s expectations, Leona refused.

“I appreciate the thought, but I don’t care about that guy anymore. He can come or not, I don’t care.”

Miles scanned Leona’s face. Her tone truly sounded like she didn’t care at all.

‘She really has guts.’

Miles recalled what the problematic new recruit had said upon receiving his assignment.

—

“If Leona is uncomfortable with me, I will go to another branch.”

—

‘Can’t have that, can’t have that. When someone of such high status comes, the budget numbers change.’

As if seeing through Miles’s ulterior motives, Leona spoke in a sharp voice.

“If it needs to be done, he should go to another branch. Why should I be the one to move?”

She enunciated each word, *ab-so-lu-te-ly*, staring wide-eyed with such ferocity.

Her red eyes seemed to be burning with intensity.

Afraid that if he forced her to go elsewhere, she might stage a protest in front of the branch, Miles quickly backed down.

“Ahem. I understand. If that’s your firm decision.”

He averted his gaze from Leona and quickly changed the subject.

“Ah, since you’re both here anyway, we might as well discuss business.”

With that, the Commander handed over a single document.

The document was labeled <Garal Island> and contained various information.

“Is this a mission?”

“It’s a lead from interrogating the Aether criminals you caught yesterday.”

According to the temple’s investigation, the two criminals didn’t remember anything about what they had done.

Why they tried to attack the Vatican checkpoint, why they executed a pincer movement with a sniper… they remembered nothing.

The only commonality between the two was that the last place their memories cut off was Garal Island.

“And coincidentally, a report came in last night about missing workers at a mine on Garal Island.”

Initially, the district office tried to handle it, but due to the connection with the previous incident, it was transferred to the Special Forces.

“Alright, then I’ll tell them to prepare the portal. Once your hands are free, get ready and head out.”

“Why wait! It’ll probably come apart on the way there. Rigan, you’re fine with that, right?”

At Leona’s words, Rigan pondered for a moment.

For Garal Island, after going through the portal, they’d have to take another boat.

‘I don’t know the boat schedule, so it’s better to hurry.’

Better that than missing the boat and having to spend more time with Leona.

Coming to that conclusion, Rigan nodded and spoke.

“Then we’ll depart immediately.”

The two packed lightly and headed to the portal in the basement of headquarters.

The staff operating the portal looked at the two holding hands with bright, curious eyes.

“Um… there was an accident during a mission…”

“Ah, I see.”

At Leona’s explanation, the staff returned to their usual bored expression.

“I’m connecting you to Mivatosh, the city closest to Garal Island.”

Following the staff’s guidance, the two passed through the portal and arrived at the Mivatosh portal office in the blink of an eye.

“First, let’s check the boat schedule.”

Fortunately, the pier wasn’t far from the portal office.

The two crossed the lively fishing village.

With the appearance of a handsome man and a beautiful woman holding hands tightly, the street vendors became busy.

“Come try Mivatosh’s famous seafood stew~.”

As expected of a coastal region, seafood shops and restaurants were lined up everywhere.

Freshly fried fish, shrimp skewers with spicy sauce, whole grilled squid…

“That looks delicious.”

Overwhelmed by the food smells filling the street, Leona’s stomach, which hadn’t had a proper meal in nearly a day, growled.

“We’re here for a mission, not for a meal.”

“Who doesn’t know that? I’m just starving to death.”

Leona couldn’t take her eyes off all the delicious-looking food.

Catching her gaze, shop owners actively called out to her.

“Hey there, young man! Looks like your girlfriend is hungry~ Have lunch at our place before you go.”

“That’s not the case.”

“Oh my, don’t be shy.”

The elderly owner lady smiled as if looking at an adorable grandchild.

As they walked through the street, the things they heard were all similar.

“You two look like lovers on a trip. Our restaurant has a great view…”

“We have a couple’s set that’s tasty and even better on price!”

“Hey passionate couple~ Have a meal before you go! Ours is the best!”

Leona got tired of refuting them one by one.

Walking along, plagued by the street vendors, they soon arrived at the pier.

“The next boat is in about an hour.”

It was written that boats to Garal Island ran four times a day.

“Then can’t we eat something? I’m really hungry.”

“Just wait 10 seconds.”

“What?” Leona tilted her head.

*Squelch*—.

“Huh?”

The hands that had been stuck together all this time finally came apart.

Leona, delighted to have finally regained her freedom, moved her hand around this way and that.

“What, were you counting down the seconds? The timing was perfect.”

“That much is only natural.”

Leona inwardly thought that the mages sure were meticulous.

“Anyway, I finally feel alive. That whole day was truly horrible.”

“Same here.”

In fact, Rigan thought the day he spent with this curse—actually the divine beast’s ability—was the longest day of his life.

“Then let’s go eat. That couple’s set thing looked delicious earlier.”

“Fine. Then let’s each eat and meet back at the pier.”

“What?”

Leona asked incredulously, and Rigan replied as if it were obvious.

“It’s not like we’re close enough to sit together and have a meal.”

“Uh…”

“Surely you don’t think that because we spent a day stuck together due to those constellations’ antics, something has changed between us, do you?”

With those words, Rigan turned his back.

“Such a damn jerk. The way he talks is just as annoying as he is.”

Still, they’d been to the Vatican together, trained together, and even slept in the same room.

Did he have to be so cold?

Leona grumbled quietly.

‘I mean, we didn’t have to eat separately, geez. That couple’s set looked so good earlier.’

Leona smacked her lips, then quickly changed her mind.

“No wait, Leona! There’s no rule that a couple’s set has to be eaten by two people! You can do it!”

She patted her own shoulders, hummed a tune, and headed toward the restaurant she had spotted earlier.

“One couple’s set, please!”

And Leona devoured the entire couple’s set by herself.

“Ahh, I’m full.”

Patting her full belly, Leona stepped outside to take a walk to digest a bit and to buy gifts for her mother and grandmother.

“There’s still some time left, so I might as well look around.”

As Leona was browsing the shops,

“Hey, red-haired sister!”

A small child, who had set up a stall in front of a shabby shop inside an alley, suddenly called out to her.

“This is something you absolutely need right now, sis!”

“Huh? Me?”

As Leona pointed to herself and approached, the child nodded and held out a small pouch.

“It’s a good luck charm.”

Leona crouched down to the child’s eye level and examined them.

The outside of the pouch was embroidered with a unique pattern, and inside were dried flower petals she had never seen before. It looked more like a sachet than a charm.

“Did you make this yourself?”

“My grandmother made the pouch, and I picked the flower petals inside!”

Looking closely, the child’s fingertips were chapped.

Leona’s expression hardened slightly with pity, and the child, thinking she wasn’t going to buy it, quickly continued.

“Our grandmother is super clairvoyant! It’s true! She said a red-haired sister would come today, see! You really came!”

“Really? And what else did she say?”

Leona thought it was a fun sales tactic and casually played along with the child.

“She said I absolutely had to give this charm to you…”

“Is that so? Your grandmother really is amazing. I guess I have no choice but to buy it.”

Leona patted the cute child’s head and took out some money.

The child grinned and added one more thing.

“She said if you keep it on you, it’ll protect your chastity when you’re in danger.”

“Ch… what?”

At the unexpected words from the child, Leona couldn’t help but freeze on the spot.