Immediately after that, Raeyan lost consciousness.
Despite being a direct descendant of the one of the Six Great Families with a physique stronger than that of an ordinary person, he had used his abilities too much, and the bleeding was too severe.
However, Raeyan couldn’t sleep for long.
His life was a constant state of tension. He always had to be alert and vigilant, never knowing what would happen while he slept.
In fact, there had been an incident where a hired escort, taking advantage of his sleep, had attempted to steal his belongings.
Waking up in a daze, Raeyan heard a voice.
“The demise of Vietan… 300 years ago… the past… whole…”
A voice he didn’t recognize but had heard before. A woman’s voice.
A chill ran down his spine as Raeyan opened his eyes.
His body moved instinctively.
He subdued the woman who had been sitting on the edge of the bed and summoned a shadow sword using his abilities.
Everything happened in an instant.
Thump, thump.
He could distinctly hear the pounding of the woman’s heart.
“…… Are you trying to kill me?”
“…….”
Raeyan silently raised his sword. As he did, he felt the woman’s body stiffen with tension.
“Is this how you treat someone who saved your life?”
“…….”
“More importantly, your body is still not well enough to use your abilities. You’re seriously injured.”
Her words were true. Raeyan’s physical condition was extremely poor. He had lost so much blood that even sitting up made his vision blurry, and cold sweat trickled down his face.
But he couldn’t lose consciousness by the side of someone whose identity was unknown.
‘This woman, how does she know I have powers?’
He distinctly remembered her saying that when she found him on the verge of death.
“I found you, Raeyan.”
……She said that.
He had used different aliases every time he worked as a mercenary to avoid being identified. No one knew his true identity because he never used his abilities in front of others.
But who was this woman?
There were too many uncertainties to kill her rashly.
“Are you curious about who I am, that’s why you can’t kill me?”
“…….”
“First, lie down. Your body hasn’t recovered yet, okay?”
It was strange. At the sound of the woman’s soothing voice, Raeyan’s powers were drawn back.
‘If she wanted to harm me, she would have killed me already.’
That’s right. She saved him for a reason. So, there’s no need to be on high alert right now. That must be why.
Raeyan stared at the woman who still had the blade threatening the nape of her neck. She was a woman with an unfamiliar appearance.
Overall, she had a delicate aura. She had light platinum hair and rose-colored eyes like spring flower petals. The woman, who smiled without a hint of shadow, was undeniably beautiful in Raeyan’s eyes.
With such striking looks, there was no way he wouldn’t remember her.
“Who are you?”
In response to his inquiry, the woman’s eyes widened.
“Oh, to have Raeyan speaking informally…”
“Answer me, woman.”
There was no room for accommodating impertinent remarks. In response to Raeyan’s questioning, the woman cleared her throat and introduced herself.
“Call me Lili.”
“I didn’t ask for your name.”
“Sorry, but that’s the only answer I can give. I have my own circumstances preventing me from saying more. But I absolutely have no intention of harming you. I’m only here to help.”
“…….”
“Well, I guess you can’t believe me, huh…?”
Raeyan’s life had been too cruel for him to believe those words.
To trust someone while working as a mercenary was no different from walking into the jaws of death.
He had a goal of surviving at all costs, so he trusted no one.
The woman in front of him named Lili was no exception.
“I understand. You can’t trust a woman who just appeared out of nowhere and knows your name and secrets.”
“You know it well.”
“Okay. It’s okay to be suspicious.”
The woman spoke as if she understood his skepticism.
“It’s okay to be suspicious?” Raeyan repeated.
“If you’re suspicious, then be suspicious. But let’s make a deal. I’ll take care of you until you’re fully recovered, and you’ll find out who I am. How does that sound?”
What do you mean, how does it sound?
It sounded like –
‘Bullsh*t. ‘
Raeyan had no desire to associate with suspicious individuals. However, he felt that he couldn’t just kill or send away someone who seemed to know something about him.
Moreover, his current physical condition was at its worst. It would take at least a week of rest and care for him to be able to move somewhat comfortably.
After a moment of contemplation, Raeyan came to a conclusion.
“Okay. Let’s do it.”
“Really? Thank you so much!”
Although Lili greeted him with a wide smile, Raeyan avoided her gaze.
‘I’m just using you. ‘
The conditions were in his favor. As long as she took care of him during his vulnerable state, he would find out her true intentions.
Lili, who had no idea that he had such thoughts, seemed cheerful and full of energy.
What could be so enjoyable for her?
Seeing Lili’s bright demeanor, something twisted in Raeyan’s heart.
***
After that, Raeyan fell into a deep sleep as if he had fainted. When he woke up, his physical condition had greatly improved.
“Are you awake?”
He looked at Lili, who entered the room with a tray with breakfast, and asked instead of answering.
“Where are we?”
“Home. I bought it yesterday. Now it’s your home.”
“…What?”
She bought a house. He didn’t know the location, but if it was a decent place like this, it must have cost a considerable amount.
As Raeyan was constantly changing his identity, the missions he could take were risky and didn’t pay well.
In addition, as someone who needed to secure funds for revenge, Raeyan couldn’t afford to spend money carelessly and often stayed in cheap lodgings.
It had been a long time since he opened his eyes in such a clean place.
‘This joke is not even funny. ‘
Raeyan dismissed Lili’s claim of buying a house as a joke.
Lili set the tray with food on the bedside table.
“I haven’t cooked in a while, so I don’t know how it turned out. Give it a try.”
Instead of taking a bite, Raeyan just stared at Lili, who smiled wryly at the burdened gaze.
“Aah……. Do you think it’s poisoned?”
“No. If you wanted to kill me, you would have done so already,” he responded bluntly.
Although she must have had a motive for approaching him, it didn’t seem like her intention was to kill him.
Raeyan looked at the food on the tray. It was a stew with lots of meat and white bread.
Having been trapped in the cave for over a week without being able to escape, Raeyan hadn’t had a proper meal for a long time.
“It may not be to your liking but think of the effort that went into making it.”
Lili said, as if she was being considerate of his inability to eat easily.
Raeyan scooped some stew onto a spoon and put it in his mouth.
…It was delicious.
It was just a simple dish, but incredibly tasty.
He’d eaten better food than this countless times in his time as the heir to Vietan, but this was better than anything he’d ever tasted.
Why? Perhaps it was because it had been a long time since he had a proper meal.
Raeyan silently chewed the food in his mouth.
Lili watched with a smile as Raeyan ate his meal.
***
Lili really did stick to the purpose of ‘taking care of the patient’.
She disinfected his wounds once a day and cooked him meals three times a day. She never showed any signs of displeasure.
The more she did the things she did, the more confused Raeyan became.
She didn’t seem like a commoner, but her carefree attitude didn’t resemble that of a noble either.
Once again, Raeyan observed Lili as she tended to his wounds today.
“Hey.”
“It’s not ‘hey,’ it’s Lili.”
“…Lili.”
At the mere mention of her name, she made a face of excitement and clasped one of Raeyan’s hands in both of hers.
Raeyan frowned at the sudden contact.
“Let go.”
It was only natural to feel suspicious or uncomfortable after being abruptly touched in such a manner.
“But it’s refreshing, isn’t it…?”
Lili laughed even more.
‘What is she thinking?’
The more she acted this way, the more puzzled Raeyan became.
“But why did you call me?”
“Because I think I’m completely better now.”
“What do you mean ‘completely better’? You’re still covered in wounds.”
“…….”
“Are you getting frustrated by staying cooped up in the house? It’s okay to go for a walk.”
Lili acted as if she were the one protecting him. It felt strange because he didn’t have any memories of being protected like this since the mansion burned down and his parents died.
It wasn’t suffocating but being in the same space for too long felt uncomfortable.
Feeling Lili’s persistent gaze, Raeyan left the house. She followed closely beside him.
“Where are you going? There’s a low hill nearby, do you want to go there?”
He pretended not to hear her and kept walking. He could feel people’s eyes on them.
Lili was a woman who naturally attracted people’s attention. Whether she was pretending not to notice or genuinely didn’t know, she followed him without a care.
While doing so, she chattered incessantly, like a baby chick.
“Am I your noona now? Raeyan, call me your noona. Noona!”
“…..I don’t want to.”
“If you don’t want to, then don’t.”
The residence Lili prepared was located slightly away from the center of Somnia.
To avoid being recognized by any nobles who might know him, Raeyan pulled his hood down deep.
“Who’s that? I thought you were dead, but you’re alive and well?”
Raeyan stopped in his tracks at the teasing voice. At the end of his gaze stood a middle-aged man.
He was the employer who had lured him into the cave for this particular mission. A small to medium-sized merchant owner.
There were many who intentionally tried to eliminate him. After all, humans are a race that enjoys trampling upon those weaker than themselves, reveling in their own cruel nature.
But as his status could bring trouble, Raeyan avoided conflicts. The more he did so, the more those people acted like tyrants, no matter how pathetic they were.
‘Has my existence already been pinpointed? It would be best to avoid Somnia for a while.’
As he thought this, the man grinned.
“To crawl out of the cave like that, it’s impressive. But why didn’t you come to collect your reward?”
Chuckling, the man took out a pouch from his pocket and casually tossed a gold coin onto the ground.
“Here, it’s your payment. Pick it up.”
“…….”
Raeyan silently stared down at the gold coin. He felt no emotions. Feeling angry or embarrassed would be a luxury for him.
That’s when it happened.
Thunk. A small foot ruthlessly trampled the gold coin.
When Raeyan raised his head, Lili, who usually had a bright and cheerful face, was now glaring at the merchant with a cold expression.
‘Is this the kind of expression she’s capable of making?’
Lili turned to him and asked, “Is that guy the one who put you in the cave?”
Raeyan said nothing.
Then, sensing Lili’s presence, the merchant looked her up and down with a blatantly lustful gaze.
“What’s this, mercenary? Is she your woman? To be going around with a woman who looks like that, you must be quite proud.”
He may be a small to medium-sized, upper-middle-class merchant master, but he’ll get you in trouble if you mess with him. From what he had experienced, it’s all the more because he has a nasty personality.
Raeyan tried to shield her, but it was no use. Lili stepped in front of him and glared at the merchant.
“Shut up. Your breath stinks.”
“What?”
“I can smell it from here. You, do you even bathe?”
“What nonsense are you spouting, you wench!”
“Ew, it stinks.”
“Sh-shut up!”
The man raised his huge hand. Raeyan tried to subdue him, but Lili was faster.
A chill suddenly shot through the air, and the man’s arm froze in place. The merchant’s eyes widened.
“Are you ……ma, mage?”
“So what? “
Mages were treated as quasi-nobles, even if they were commoners. Even the most powerful of the higher-ranking merchants could not ignore a mage.
“I-I apologize for the rudeness.”
“What should we do with this man?”
Lili asked Raeyan casually, as if the decision was up to him.
“Just let him go.”
“Hmm.”
She glared at the merchant as if displeased.
“Live a good life from now on.”
“Yes!”
“Now go away.”
Whoosh!
A burst of heat surged, and the flames shot up. The man’s frozen arm melted in an instant.
“He-heuk!”
He hurriedly left the scene.
Raeyan looked at Lili, who still had the same face. Using elemental magic, she really must be a mage.
Then again, he could tell she was strong just by pulling him out of the demon-infested cave.
But it had nothing to do with him. He drew a clear line.
“Don’t involve yourself with me anymore. It has nothing to do with you.”
“I just helped you out because he was an ass, that’s all.”
It’s ridiculous. How could she claim she subdued and threatened a stranger she just met because he seemed like an ass?
However, Lili’s expression as she made that argument was so serious that Raeyan couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.
She was truly a strange woman.