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~Chapter 16~
Rena had to pretend to be fine because Calix said he was fine.
“I didn’t have any noble mission to guide him toward the original heroine… but I still couldn’t help feeling indebted to him.”
“…Right. I’m glad you’re okay.”
“Yeah. Thanks for worrying.”
Even though Calix probably knew she didn’t believe him, he said nothing more—drawing an invisible line between them.
She bit her lip hard, thankful that the shadow of the trees hid her expression from him.
After an hour’s ride, the carriage reached the familiar edge of the village. Rena stepped out, spotting someone she knew.
“Rena?”
“Peta!”
Although Calix disliked hearing people call her “Rena,” he seemed to let it go for now.
“Didn’t you leave for good? What are you doing back?”
“Just passing by. Thought I’d check in on people—and I left something behind.”
Peta welcomed her despite the gruff tone, but when he reached out, Calix instantly batted his hand away and pulled Rena close.
“Rena, who’s this guy?”
“A friend.”
Calix looked utterly unconvinced.
I couldn’t exactly explain our twisted relationship here…
Peta started gathering villagers. In a hushed voice, Rena warned Calix:
“Don’t tell anyone who you are.”
“I wasn’t planning to.”
“And don’t mind that guy. Just think of him as someone passing by.”
That seemed to calm Calix a bit.
Villagers warmly greeted Rena. She accepted them all and made her way toward her old house—with Calix in tow.
It had been a shed for tools, now converted into her home. Inside, nothing much had changed except the dust and lifeless furniture.
Calix scanned the interior with a contemplative look. Rena asked:
“What do you think of the house?”
“…It’s fine. Not bad.”
“Why the face then?”
He sighed softly.
“Just thinking… all this time I was looking for you, and you were here.”
“So close. Why couldn’t I find you sooner?”
It was deliberate.
She had chosen an isolated village within an isolated area—so not even a duke could easily track her down.
Maybe it was a mistake to bring him here at all…
But it was too late now.
“Stay here and rest. I’m going to look around a bit.”
“Where?”
“Just going to check in with people—see if they need anything.”
“…Alright.”
She slipped out the back door.
Her house, being near the forest, led directly to its entrance. She checked to ensure Calix wasn’t watching, then entered the woods.
After ten minutes of walking, she arrived at an old, abandoned well. According to Grandma Rico, it had dried up long ago when a new well was built in the village center.
Rena pulled away the wooden cover, looked down into the darkness, and summoned a small magical light.
As the light descended, the stone walls of the well came into view before vanishing again into blackness.
She released a wind-based spell—the same one she used to jump from the inn’s window—and descended into the well.
She had come to retrieve something hidden long ago.
At the bottom, she created more magical lights to see clearly.
“It’s way down here…”
The entrance looked like a tiny moon far above.
She had only been here once before. And she had sworn never to return.
“Still, it kept it safe.”
Sweeping the dirt with bursts of wind, she eventually found what she had buried.
A glint remained on the object, despite years underground.
“The engravings are intact.”
She recognized the feel of it instantly—
The Troxia signet ring.
Why was the signet of the fallen Troxia family hidden in an abandoned well in the forest?
Because she had hidden it here herself.
Five years ago, when the estate was attacked, her parents gave her the ring as their heir. But Rena had no intention of running or surviving.
She tried to end her life in front of Calix.
When that failed, she buried the ring here, intending to forget it forever.
But here it was again, in her hand.
“Why does Calix want this ring so badly?”
If she didn’t know his motives, possessing the ring would be meaningless.
“It’s not that I don’t trust him…”
“But he has that obsessive streak male leads always have. Better to be cautious.”
She wondered how much time had passed—Calix might start searching for her.
Using wind magic again, she floated up out of the well.
“Did you enjoy yourself in there?”
A chilling voice froze her in place.
She looked up—and there he was.
Calix Axel Hertrio.
“How are you… here…?”
She forgot to even hide the ring.
Calix smiled and stepped toward her.
