"Isn't it magic?"
"No."
Eustaf did not criticize her for saying something wrong, but answered seriously. Ran flipped around after holding her hand open in front of her boat.
Eustaf told her.
"Promise me that you will run away without coming at me."
"..."
"Ran."
"I promise."
She nodded and replied, so Eustaf smiled softly. When I saw that face, I thought it was good that Ran promised.
"So, what is it, actually?"
As Ran reached out and said, Eustaf naturally held the hand together and asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Crystal."
"I told you it was fate."
Eustaf secretly pressured Countess Lieselotti to wipe her mouth with the crystal she had paired with Ran.
Didn't you actually ask for it?
Ran's green eyes narrowed and soon drew a line.
"If the Lord says so, it is my duty to believe."
Eustaf smirked and reached out her hand.
"Crystal, please."
Curious yet Ran gave away her crystal found in the shrub, and when the two crystals touched each other on Eustaf's palm, the color changed to a rainbow color, and there was a vision of flowers and star dust falling everywhere.
Ran burst into laughter.
"Really. That's a good idea. It's pretty. It's shiny."
Ran touched the welcome magic a few times and lowered her hand.
Something came into Ran's line of sight to say, "I like this one-"
Something shiny is flying.
As soon as she thought about it, Ran pushed Eustaf reflexively.
Chwang!
With a sharp sound, a commendation was lodged in her side.
"Ran!"
As soon as Eustaf grabbed Ran and pressed her to the floor, several more commendations flew in.
At some point, a sword was pulled out of his hand and the flying commendations were thrown out. The bay-shaped commendations had bumps like fishing needles so that they would not fall out when stuck.
In the middle of the commendation on the floor was a small ice crystal, and it began to vibrate small.
Ran, who was lying under Eustaf's body, unconsciously lowered her eyes to the commendation on her side, and Eustaf whispered.
"I'm sorry."
When he pulled on the commendation on her side, the dress sounded torn. As soon as he threw it, the commendations exploded.
'Oh, my God.'
Ran tried to lift herself up, but Eustaf's hand was pressing her firmly and couldn't move. The next moment, something flashed and blue flames rose.
"Argh!"
The sharp scream turned Ran's gaze unknowingly.
A person fell from the tree. The man in the flames fell. Blue flames were rising from his mouth and eyes.
"!!"
It was so horrible that Ran took her breath. The flame, which seemed to burn everything, subsided slightly, and he began to roll over the floor, whether he was trying to extinguish it or because of pain.
He burnt to death.
Ran stared blankly at it and looked up at Eustaf. His face in the blue flame was so cold that Ran grabbed him by the shoulder without realizing it.
"Eus."
When she gasped and spoke softly, Eustaf's eyes fell on her and shook for a moment. He clenched his teeth, lowered his hand, and tingled his finger at the person, and with a small sound, the flame became stronger and the person soon became powdery without leaving any shape.
Then he pressed her on the side and said,
"Are you okay? If you wait a minute, you'll--"
"Eus, I'm fine. I didn't even scratch it didn't scratch. I was wearing armor inside."
Ran's voice was shaking, but it was conveyed, and Eustaf looked dazed for a moment.
"Armor?"
"Yes."
After hearing about the kidnapping, Ran was always wearing the Nadium armor that Jetura gave her as a gift.
"It's just a rip. I'm fine."
Now not only her voice but also her whole body was shaking. Eustaf slowly got up on her body.
People were flocking because of the disturbance.
Ran tried to raise herself up, but it didn't work out. Eustaf held her up so she could get up.
"Did, did you do that earlier?"
"Yes"
"Should...should you have killed him?"
The words didn't come out right, so Ran bit her lips tightly because she felt like she was frozen.
Don't be nervous. Don't cry.
"Are you alright?"
"What's going on!"
People's shout broke the small silence and got closer, and Eustaf whispered quietly.
"Are you afraid of me?"
Ran's lips trembled. Her breath trembled together like butterfly wings and she said, "Of course!"
Whispering, Ran held him tightly. Tears burst out of her eyes.
"Noonim, Ran, it's my fault. Don't cry."
As Eustaf soothed, Ran shed even more tears.
I'm scared that a bomb flew in to kill myself. It is also scary to see a person burn to death in front of her eyes.
Eustaf hugged her.
"Duke?! "
"Earl!"
"What the--"
The soldiers and people who came running asked, Eustaf said.
"There was an assassination attempt."
"What!?"
"What happened to the assassin?"
"Ran away."
While Eustaf answered all the questions one by one, Ran buried her face on his shoulder. I think I heard Countess Lieselotti fainted, and there were stories of some frail ladies collapsing, but through the commotion - half ignoring it - Eustaf got on the wagon heading for the green arch.
Ran murmured on his shoulder.
"Do you have a handkerchief?"
Eustaf crossed his handkerchief without saying a word, and Ran wiped her face and exhaled.
She looked up and said,
"Sorry."
"What do you mean?"
"Because I let you deal with it alone."
Eustaf frowned.
"I can do that much."
"Still."
Ran twisted her body down from his leg and sat on the opposite chair. She looked down at her side and said, "Can we fix this?"
"Well, I don't know."
"It's a waste to throw it away."
"Let's leave it to the maids."
"Yes..."
While Ran blanked out and touched the hole in her clothes, the stillness filled the carriage.
This silence would have been heavier if it had not been for the cheerful sound of the wagon wheels rolling on the floor.
Ran looked up after a long daze.
"Are you okay, Eustaf?"
"Yes"
"That's how you use your blue flame-"
"That's fine."
"Really?"
"Ran."
"Huh?"
"You can be angry."
Ran looked at Eustaf, turned her eyes and sighed. The breath felt like a dagger, so Eustaf flinched.
Ran got up from her seat and bent awkwardly due to the low ceiling of the carriage, pulling his cheeks.
"?!"
Eustaf's eyes opened wide by an unexpected action, and Ran said.
"I have to say, "Thank you for saving my life," in this situation. Besides-- yeah. I'm scared of Eustaf. I saw a scene like that, and it's obvious, right?"
Grumbling Ran said aloud. Or maybe she cries. Ran laughed like she twisted his lips.
"But I still like Eus."
His eyes did not fall, and Ran looked straight at him as if she were measuring her sincerity.
"If anyone blames me for liking someone like you, that's up to me. 'Cause I like Eustaf Labán de Lazia."
I could smile more naturally this time.
"Is this gonna be a question?"
"kkyak"
At that time, the wagon's wheel was rattled, and the wagon shook, and Ran's was shaken by Eustaf and asked to sit on his leg.
"That's the answer."
"Really, why are we dating? It's obvious, isn't?"
"It's not that-"
He smiled strangely while talking, and Ran pulled his Cravat and questioned him.
"It's not?"
"Ran's sweet."
Eustaf looked at her.
"You want to stay in Lazia, or someone else asks you to do it, or- because you feel sorry for me."
Ran opened her mouth wide. What should I say?
It was unbelievable that it came from the mouth of Eustaf, who always seemed confident.
"That can't be right, can it?"
"Is that so?"
"I don't do dating with that."
Speaking sternly, Ran said after a moment of thought.
"No, even if I can be so sociable, that's not why I am dating Eustaf."
"That's a relief."
Eustaf said so and smiled quietly. It's not the face of a man who killed so cruelly.
'If you look at it.'
Eustaf already killed several times.
This was definitely self-defense again.
"Who the hell is this?"
Ran leaned against him and murmured.
"This time, it was not the kidnapping, but killing."
Eustaf kissed her temple and said,
"I'll catch it in a minute."
He has lost his temper.
Thinking Ran was hurt, I couldn't think properly.
All I could think about was the most brutal, horrible, slowest death it ever done to her-He breathed out and swallowed the sweet smell from her hair. Then suddenly, I clearly remembered how she did at first.
"Ran"
"Huh?"
"Why did you do that?"
"What?"
"Why did you push me?"
"I don't know what it was, but I was afraid Eustaf would be hurt."
"You can be beaten."
"I can't?!"
Ran swerved and protested.
"I'm wearing some armor, but Eustaf didn't have any equipment."
"Because I have the stamina to endure."
"You don't have to suffer from physical pain."
"And isn't this armor only protecting the torso? What if you were hit by the leg, an arm, somewhere else? And what if it was poisoned?"
"That's the same with Eustaf."
"Not the same."
"That's the same. Is Eustaf resistant to poison? Or-"
"There is."
"....Huh?"
"I'm resistant to poison. I've been developing tolerance since I was young. So, please don't do such a reckless thing."
Ran hesitated at the words and sighed.
"I'll try."
"Ran"
"There's nothing we can do about the body moving by itself, right? But I'll try."
At Ran's words, Eustaf frowned and nodded with a sigh.
At least she'll try.
'But.'
When I thought of stupid Viridescent Shadow, my teeth cracked naturally.
What do you do with escorts?
Doesn't the owner come even though he's in danger because he's lost somewhere?
I won't let him go when I get back, he thought.
******·
"Everyone's dead."
The second reported with his head down. His voice was infuriated, rather low and soft.
Eustaf sat cross-legged and asked back.
"All?"
"Yes, The Viridescent Shadow got two on them, and both of them have found their bodies."
Eustaf knocked on a special armrest.
"He used a unique weapon. He used magic handcraft as a weapon. And the last attack was magical."
"Magic weapon?"
The second, raised his head and asked, and Eustaf thought and answered.
"It wouldn't be hard to find the source of such a unique artifact. Besides, the assassin guild we talked about before- have you got the location?"
"Yes."
"Then"
Eustaf made a bloody smile.
"Then how long have we been together?"
The Second, blinked his eyes and answered as if singing lightly.
"It's an honor, Lord. To participate in the group of Blue flame."
"Welcome."
*******
Poakin swallowed all kinds of foul language in his mouth.
'It's not human. It's not human.'
A blue flame flies, and swords and windows soar in the shadows. The flame didn't go out, and it swallowed everything in one breath.
'The Guild Master,xx-'
All I could think of was that he was the one who got all this excited. The whole body trembled. Poakin shivered in the corner of the closet several times.
He could easily think that none of the guild members left the guild tonight.
Then the closet door opened roughly.
"Oh, my?"
"Eua, euaaaa!"
A smiling mouth came into his eyes as the opponent looked just black due to the backlight.
"Master, there's still someone left."
"That's a relief."
The second smiled and grabbed Poakin's hair and pulled it out of the closet.
"Hi, hii, haak!"
Poakin trembled as he was thrown to the floor. Blood- soaked black boots came into view.
Without even thinking about raising his eyes above it, Poakin put his forehead on the floor.
"Sa, sa, Save me."
"If you answer my question correctly."
"As, as much as you want!"