🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 13
“What?”
At Rovellin’s words, Ian frowned and turned toward the door.
As she had said, footsteps were approaching up the stairs.
“W-what do we do?”
“Shh. Come behind me.”
Ian signaled for her to stay quiet, pressing a finger to his lips as he pulled her behind him.
He carefully focused on the sound outside, judging the situation.
‘One… no, two? If it’s just that many, we can handle it. But if there are more downstairs…?’
He hesitated.
If he were alone, he could have taken the risk—but with Rovellin here, it felt far too reckless.
“Your Highness! Over here!”
While he was still thinking, Rovellin quickly found a hiding place and called him over urgently.
There was a sliding-door wardrobe in the corner.
It was barely large enough for Rovellin—let alone Ian, who could barely sit inside it.
“No. You hide. I’ll—”
“T-they might be armed! Just get in already!”
Before he could finish, Rovellin practically shoved him into the wardrobe.
Ian found himself pulled inside before he even realized it.
As soon as Rovellin slipped in and closed the door, the men entered the room.
“……”
Peeking through a crack, Ian saw a large, rough-looking man and a small, timid one fawning beside him.
“Security’s tight. Just buying a bit of herb, and it’s this much trouble.”
“Hehe, please understand. There’s been heavy crackdown on poison herbs in Centerfield lately.”
Poison herbs.
At the words, both Ian and Rovellin sharpened their attention.
“Could they be talking about the Demon of Pernin?”
“Most likely.”
So this really was the place.
Ian focused on their conversation.
“…where… supply…?”
“…lord… cultivation…”
But the men spoke too quietly, too carefully concealed to catch properly.
‘Damn it. If I just get a little closer…’
Ian instinctively leaned toward the door—
Then suddenly froze.
Something gripped tightly at his chest.
“Wha—!”
Looking down, he saw Rovellin, also straining to listen outside, completely unaware that her right hand was clutching his coat.
“Hey…”
Ian’s voice dropped low.
Startled, Rovellin looked down—and realized what she had done.
She was practically lying over him, pressed into the narrow wardrobe.
“Rovellin Dines. This is… rather stimulating.”
His voice had grown rough, right by her ear.
Only then did she realize—
Her hand was on his upper chest.
She could feel his heartbeat hammering violently beneath her palm.
“Hah! I—this isn’t—”
“Shh!”
As her voice rose in panic, Ian quickly covered her head and pulled her closer to silence her.
“W-what is this…?”
“Quiet. Just bear with it.”
Now fully pressed against him, Rovellin’s mind spun.
Yet there was nowhere to move in the cramped space except against Ian’s chest.
His deep, warm scent surrounded her.
And then—
Footsteps approached.
It was the smaller man, the one with the squeaky voice.
The tension made both their hearts pound violently.
“Something wrong?”
“I thought I heard something over here.”
The man reached for the wardrobe door.
Inside, both of them felt their hearts drop.
Rovellin buried her face deeper into Ian’s chest without thinking.
The door was about to open.
‘Should I take him out now?’
Ian’s hand moved toward the dagger at his waist.
At the same time, his other arm tightened around Rovellin’s shoulder.
‘If I strike his arm first… then move as soon as he hesitates…’
He calculated the moment the door would open.
The man’s hand touched the door—
Then—
“Hey, this one’s defective.”
A rough voice from outside stopped him.
“Defective?”
“I said defective. Come here and look properly.”
“Y-yes sir.”
The small man stepped away.
Footsteps receded.
“Phew.”
Only then did Rovellin lift her head slightly from Ian’s chest.
“Rovellin Dines… are you alright?”
“Yes… just a little startled.”
Through the fabric, Ian could feel her heartbeat still racing.
And that awareness made his breathing slightly heavier than before.
All his senses seemed drawn to her.
‘…small.’
Only now did he realize how small and fragile she was.
And the thought of that designer touching her while taking measurements made irritation rise in his chest.
‘Once we’re out of here, I’m canceling that order. Even if I have to pay triple the penalty.’
As Ian made that decision, the negotiation outside ended.
“We’re done here. Don’t make mistakes again.”
“Yes, yes sir…”
The rough man threw the “defective item” to the ground and left.
The smaller man muttered and followed after him.
The door closed.
Footsteps faded.
“Th-they’re gone!”
“Wait a bit longer—”
But before Ian could stop her, Rovellin stood up too quickly.
She lost balance in the cramped space, twisting awkwardly.
“Ah—don’t move like that. Please.”
Her movement only pressed her further against him.
The sensation was far too intense.
“W-what is this?!”
And Rovellin, feeling something unfamiliar and heavy beneath her skirt, panicked.
“H-hey, don’t touch my waist!”
“I’m not touching it!”
Ian was offended—partly.
He was only trying to keep her from falling.
“Let’s just get out!”
The wardrobe suddenly felt even hotter than before.
Rovellin pushed the door open.
The dusty warehouse came into view.
“That was close.”
Ian exhaled, brushing dust from his clothes.
They left the building carefully.
Outside, dusk had fallen and lights were beginning to flicker in the streets.
The woman from earlier was gone.
They quickly left the area.
“I’ll walk you back.”
“You? I can just take a public carriage.”
“It’s inconvenient for me. I’m still in disguise.”
“…Then I can take it and you can just—hey! I’m not finished talking!”
But Ian was already walking ahead.
‘Honestly… he never listens.’
In the end, Rovellin followed behind him.
“Still, it wasn’t a total loss.”
“Loss?”
With a proud expression, Rovellin pulled something from her pocket.
A small plant.
The Demon of Pernin.
“W-when did you take that?!”
“They dropped it earlier when they said it was defective. I picked it up to report it to the guards.”
“Are you crazy?! Hand that over right now!”
Ian snatched it immediately.
He did not want something so dangerous anywhere near her white hands.
“Honestly… calling me ‘lady’ while treating me like this…”
“Anyway, don’t get involved in this. I’ll handle it.”
“Fine, fine.”
Rovellin nodded obediently.
If the state was handling it, there was nothing she could do.
But one thing still bothered her.
