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Episode 9
A week later, Rose met Jack, who was waiting in front of the temple gates.
Just like before, Jack stood straight in perfectly neat clothes, without even a speck of dust, and delivered the duke’s message to Rose.
He truly was a servant full of pride.
“The duke says there is something to discuss privately before meeting the priest.”
Kasa and Gray tried to follow, but Jack firmly refused.
“This meeting is about the detailed terms of the guardian contract. The duke does not want any interference.”
Even though Jack was an old man with white hair, the pressure was so sharp that Gray flinched.
Kasa narrowed his eyes and gripped the sword hilt.
Rose stepped forward and stopped them.
“It’s fine.”
“Lady Rose…”
At Gray’s worried voice, even Kasa’s gaze twitched, but neither could go against Rose, and both nodded in the end.
Kasa reached into clothing and pulled out a small dagger.
“If anything useless happens, I’ll stab the heart.”
“What?”
Jack, Gray, and Rose all stared at Kasa in disbelief.
The red-haired mercenary grinned.
“So what? It won’t really pierce the heart. At least it shows I’m not easy to deal with.”
“…What if I die?”
“It’s fine. You won’t.”
The words sounded lazy, and although the tension eased, trust did not.
Kasa gently pulled up the hood over Rose’s black hair and smiled.
“I’ll stay outside. Scream, flip a table, anything—just give a signal. I’ll save you no matter what.”
“No matter what?”
“Yeah. Even if I have to use Gray as bait, I’ll save you.”
Rose finally burst into laughter.
Leaving behind Gray, who looked like swallowing something bitter, and Kasa, who looked shameless, Rose followed Jack.
Inside the temple, Rose entered a sealed room guided by Jack.
The room was closed on all sides, but sunlight poured in through a small window in the ceiling, so it was not dark.
The duke stood beneath that light.
Dressed in black as always, the man turned to look at Rose.
For a moment, the image of Khan from a prophetic dream passed through Rose’s mind.
The duke standing alone in the small, desolate temple room overlapped with the blood-soaked man sleeping in the dream.
Maybe the room was too dark, or maybe Rose had thought about this too much.
Perhaps because faint goodwill remained for the person who once gave brief comfort, Rose felt the stiff back relax slightly.
The duke, who had been watching Rose closely, spoke.
“I didn’t call you here because of contract details. I have something I want to ask.”
“Here?”
When Rose frowned, the duke slowly walked closer and stopped in front of Rose.
“This kind of talk suits a quiet place. It’s also more comfortable for me.”
Still a very direct man.
After silently looking at Rose’s face, the duke asked,
“Are you uncomfortable?”
“If I say yes, will you stop?”
“No.”
“Then just ask.”
At Rose’s cold reply, Khan truly asked.
“I’m curious why you dislike men.”
The unexpected question made Rose blink for a moment.
Remembering that the man was from Aitan, Rose decided it was not bad to draw a clear line in advance.
“Normally, I wouldn’t answer. This is my private life and unrelated to the contract. But I’ll let this one pass.”
With a sigh and a reluctant expression, Rose continued.
“Simply put, it’s not that I dislike men. I dislike romantic relationships. If I hated men themselves, I wouldn’t have built a trading company. A guild deals with people of all kinds to make profit. With narrow thinking like that, success would be impossible. But personal discomfort from private matters is something anyone can feel, even a guild leader. Is that explanation enough?”
The duke lowered the eyes as if chewing over the words, then looked at Rose again.
“A better answer than expected. I need someone who faces difficulties, not someone who avoids them.”
Every time Khan’s deep gaze touched Rose, it felt like being examined inside.
Sometimes, a faint smile warmed the cold face.
Rose frowned.
“Are you… satisfied?”
“Is that a problem?”
The man had a beautiful face and a charm that could attract people, but the cold tone, hidden killing intent, and dry nature erased all of that.
Even Rose, experienced with many people, felt unusually uneasy around this man.
As Rose’s hand brushed the hidden blade in the sleeve, a voice that numbed reason whispered softly.
“Before the oath, do you trust me?”
The sweet, heavy voice sounded almost like temptation.
The black eyes were clearly human, but seeing Rose’s reflection in those pupils caused a chill.
Those eyes, which sometimes showed warmth, felt inorganic, like imitation.
Rose answered,
“No. Not at all.”
“You really fear nothing.”
The duke laughed quietly and stepped back.
“Humans aren’t fit to be trusted. Too selfish. Too fickle.”
The cold voice carried contempt and faint self-mockery.
After looking up at the sunlit ceiling, the duke said time was up and passed by Rose.
The thick cloak swayed, carrying the cold scent of winter.
Then a very faint murmur reached Rose’s ear.
“There’s no need to trust me.”
Rose turned and grabbed the duke’s arm.
Facing the duke, Rose spoke clearly, unwilling to be swayed by vague words.
“I can trust people, but not human nature. Everyone trades others for personal gain. If we can be allies who watch each other’s backs, even briefly, that’s enough.”
Whether they would truly become allies was unknown.
As long as they did not point blades at each other’s hearts, Rose felt that was enough.
When Rose released the arm, the duke nodded with a cold expression.
“…I hope you don’t regret this.”
Only then did Rose understand the duke’s intention.
It seemed the duke wanted to leave room to turn back this deal.
But the duke never said to reconsider.
Just as Rose dragged the duke into a personal war, the duke also wanted to use Rose.
Whether as a fake lover or something else did not matter.
They were using each other.
Strangely, the fact that this cold, inhuman man wanted to give Rose a chance to escape made Rose want to trust him instead.
Even if the Duke of Aitan was a bad man, it didn’t matter.
Rose could strike back just as cruelly.
As long as you help me, I’ll help you too. But if you corner us…
Only one of Aitan or Chaos would survive.
“Let’s go.”
Before the words finished, the duke was already far ahead, crossing the hallway.
Rose did not follow immediately and instead watched the man’s back.
The long shadow of the duke swayed at Rose’s feet.
After looking down briefly, Rose stepped forward without hesitation and walked into the darkness.
