IBWMD 48

~Chapter 48~

…Wow, what was that?

I barely managed to hold back the urge to clutch my chest in shock.

My stomach felt like it dropped, and my heart was pounding.

‘That sounded like a confession… seriously.’

I didn’t think he meant it that way, but still—how could I not misunderstand that?

Honestly, just the thought that someone would feel this way about me was overwhelming. Embarrassing, too…

…No. To be honest, part of me kind of liked it.

‘He said he wants to become a better person.’

If someone started thinking that way because of me, that was something to be proud of.

It even made me feel like I’d become a better person, too. It felt even better than when someone comforted me before. By several times—no, dozens of times.

A warm satisfaction swelled inside my chest.

‘Is this how instructors feel when their students drastically improve?’

But Karl isn’t my student. He’s my…

…Friend, I guess. He’s definitely passed from ‘acquaintance’ to ‘friend’ now.

Even while I was thinking that, the air around us had started to heat up. The atmosphere was definitely getting weird.

‘This won’t do.’

I exhaled and composed myself to break away from his warm, steady hands.

“If I accept any more from you, I’ll end up the one who owes you. You’re already a good person—no need for this.”

“……”

Then I gave the snow globe he’d handed me a little shake.

“But I’ll take this anyway. Like you said, I’ll just think of it as an advance payment from the Duke.”

Of course, that wouldn’t happen if the Duke and I came to a proper agreement.

‘Still feels like I’m accepting some kind of hush money, though.’

Only then did Karl pull his hands away from mine.

“By the way,” I started, packing the snow globe away as something nagged at me—probably because we’d been talking about gifts and the Duke.

“I’m listening.”

“Since we’re talking about gifts… what do you think the Duke would like?”

“……”

His eyes sharpened. The kind of look that asked ‘Why are you trying to give something instead of taking it?’

Feeling wrongly accused, I instinctively defended myself.

“I mean—doesn’t it feel weird to give you a gift but not my husband?”

He was the one who teased me for giving Karl a present before giving one to my own husband.

‘What if someone throws around the word “affair” or something later?’

“The one I should be putting more thought into is my husband.”

At that, Karl’s expression twisted again—like he just had some kind of revelation.

‘He’s going to become a monk at this rate.’

How many times today alone has he found enlightenment?

“…Right. To Elaine,” he finally muttered.

“To me?”

“I’m just me. The Duke is the Duke. We’re two different men.”

I rolled my eyes.

‘Why is he saying something so obvious like it’s a revelation?’

His tone was weirdly tangled. I decided to ignore it and pressed on.

“Anyway. If you know anything the Duke likes, could you make a recommendation?”

“……”

I figured bringing something he liked as a gift would make negotiating with him much easier.

‘Who knows? It might actually go well.’

I turned slightly to leave—but Karl, who had been silent, spoke in a slightly sulky voice.

“You enjoy everything with me first…”

“……”

“And then the moment His Grace returns, you’ll cut me off cold?”

I nearly dislocated my jaw—but somehow powered through it.

Whether good or bad, I was getting too used to this man’s way of talking.

Like someone who’s been jabbed with needles so many times they build immunity. I even felt like I understood what he meant.

Roughly translated:

‘You’re going to stop hanging out with me once your husband’s back, huh?’

He had a strange gift for making normal things sound totally bizarre.

I sighed and rubbed my forehead.

“Well, yeah. You’ve got your real job to get back to.”

“……”

“Do you not want to go back?”

Being a monster hunter was hard enough, and I’d dragged him into guarding me on top of that—surely exhausting.

‘Besides, being my guard was basically a demotion. He’d probably be better off once he’s free.’

Of course, I’d miss having him around…

That’s what I meant, but Karl’s mouth curled up even further.

Gone was the serious demeanor—his lips tilted in that same mischievous angle that always made me uneasy.

“Go back to my real job, huh…”

“……”

“You’re really going to drain me dry and toss me away?”

The way he said “served you with sincerity” sounded almost shady.

‘Drained him dry’? Who says that with a straight face?!

“…As if I ever drained you.”

“……”

“I’m pretty sure I gave you more bitter than sweet.”

Actually, it was more like alternating between bitter and sweet. Like switching between ginseng candy and lemon drops.

Snarky, kind. Kind, snarky.

‘Though overall, I guess I’ve been good to him.’

Even just now—he’d said something nice enough to make my heart drop.

Karl pursed his lips slightly and whispered,

“Would you prefer if I made it even sweeter from now on?”

“…Excuse me?”

A chill ran down my spine.

Sweeter? No. Please don’t. You’re going to bewitch someone like that.

‘You were already sweet enough earlier!’

Panicking, I waved my hands quickly.

“That’s not what I meant… I just think it’d be better if you stopped hanging around me. You’re busy as it is.”

His lips twitched, clearly dissatisfied. I gave him a firm pat on the back.

“Cut the nonsense and let’s head back. We’ve got to start prepping that blue titanium.”

I subtly linked my arm with his. After all, to get through the illusion magic, I needed to stay close.

Karl opened his mouth like he wanted to complain—but then shut it awkwardly.

“Hurry. We still have to meet the pickpockets and get info.”

When I pressed a little closer, he finally began to move.

We had just stepped out of the tower and taken a few steps along the shimmering winter lake when—

Between the glimmering lights all around us, Karl whispered,

“I’ll also look into what His Grace might like.”

“……”

‘After all that attitude, he’s still going to help anyway?’

I simply nodded and tucked the snow globe away in my pocket.

Turning back to look at the lake and the tower, I felt something stir in me.

‘Now that I think about it… this place itself feels like a snow globe.’

Peaceful, frozen in time. Small, beautiful.

Maybe the dragon had wanted to give this feeling to their partner.

Not death and parting—but warmth that stayed behind.

A beautiful scene that would never change, no matter how many times they returned.

“Shall we go?”

My wandering thoughts halted the moment Karl’s arm gently circled my waist.

“……”

When I gave him a look, he just shrugged slightly.

“The lake is still dangerous.”

“I’m not slow enough to fall through without noticing the ice cracking.”

“You never know.”

His insistence made me chuckle in disbelief.

I didn’t have the heart to coldly brush him off, so I allowed his arm to stay and walked forward together.

With every step, the ice crunched beneath our feet. The snow globe in my pocket radiated warmth.

No—that warmth was coming from the body right beside me.

A single snowflake landed on Karl’s eyelashes.

I couldn’t help but stare at it, mesmerized.

The flake scattered again, fluttering downward…

‘Wait, what?’

I abruptly stopped walking.

“What’s wrong?”

Karl turned to me as I stared down at the lake below us.

“It’s just…”

“Is something wrong?”

I narrowed my eyes and looked again.

Right beneath my feet, there was the dragon’s head—same as before.

But just now…

‘Didn’t its eyes open?’

I could’ve sworn I saw a flash of gold.

Yet when I looked again, the eyes were tightly shut—just like always.

As if it were only a lifeless husk.

‘Did I imagine it?’

I rarely missee things. As a former sniper, my eyesight was top-notch…

“You’re staring too long. I might get jealous.”

“Karl, you really do get jealous of the weirdest things.”

I gave him a disgusted look.

“Guns weren’t enough—now you’re jealous of dragons?”

“I’m equally jealous of living and non-living things.”

That was… embarrassingly bold.

“Seriously. It’s not like you actually mean it.”

Karl’s lips curled upward rebelliously. Not that I was wrong.

He just liked teasing me.

I was just debating whether to flick that smug lip of his when—

His golden eyes suddenly caught my attention.

‘Come to think of it…’

They looked familiar.

That golden light I thought I saw earlier…

‘Karl’s eyes… they looked just like it.’