If He Makes It

After Myrin called them in, Colt lingered near the doorway, intending to stay outside with the guards.

But then Myrin and the other two turned back and looked at him with a faintly sad smile.

This time, he hadn't meant to play on their emotions this time; it was what he needed to do as a commoner—yet somehow, it hit even harder.

I shouldn't keep doing this, he thought.

They were going to be his friends again. He knew how much it bothered them when this happened.

So, with a quiet sigh, he stepped inside the modest two-story house.

There was nothing noble about the place. The plain furniture, the worn walls, the scent of old wood—it all screamed commoner.

Seeing Colt's surprise as he glanced around, Myrin offered a soft explanation.

"This was my mother's house."

Colt paused. He remembered from his past life that Myrin's mother had passed away, but he'd never known the details.

She continued, her voice calm and steady. "You probably already know that my house doesn't allow us to marry outsiders if you know my name.

That's not entirely true. We can… but only after producing an heir. That's what my mother did.

She had me first. Then she married a human she loved and moved here. I used to visit often.

But one day… everyone in this town vanished. No one knows what happened. When I came back to see her, the whole place was empty.

My mother, her husband, and their two children were gone along with the whole town."

Colt froze.

He hadn't known this. Not the depth of it. Not this kind of loss.

And the worst part—he had a good guess at what might have happened here. But he couldn't say anything. Not yet.

He was just a commoner from another country. He wasn't supposed to know anything.

I swear I'll help you get your revenge one day, he promised silently.

But Myrin, perhaps sensing the weight in the room, suddenly brightened her tone.

"Anyway! That's enough of the sad story. Let's eat something, shall we?" she said cheerfully.

And just like that, the moment passed.

It was now Colt's time to shine.

---

About two hours later, everyone was gathered at the table—everyone except Colt, who watched from the side.

"I didn't believe you when you said you could cook," Hei said, his mouth full. "This is amazing."

"There's no need to flatter me. It's just something I threw together quickly," Colt replied.

Originally, the plan had been simple. When it came time to eat, Myrin suggested taking them to the village's only inn, where meals were available.

It was also where her guards and maid were staying.

But Colt had another idea—he offered to cook for them instead.

He could tell the guards outside had overheard. Not long after, they called Hei and Seila out for a private conversation.

Colt didn't need to guess what it was about.

They were warning them: Don't eat anything he makes. It could be poisoned.

But, especially after the emotional abuse outside, they rejected the idea.

In their minds, they were strong enough to see through anything Colt might do.

After a bit of discussion, a compromise was reached—the guards would taste the food first.

In some ways, that was even more insulting than rejecting his offer outright. But Colt didn't mind. If anything, he appreciated their caution.

They were just doing their job.

If he wanted, he could easily poison them, and the two wouldn't be able to see through him.

Of course, he wouldn't do that. But Hei and Seila didn't know this. So they should be more careful.

Meanwhile, Myrin tried to insist there was no need for him to cook when a warm meal could be had at the inn.

But Colt stood firm. This was an opportunity he didn't intend to waste.

And now, he was watching that opportunity turn into reality.

Seila was eating.

She hadn't said a word about the food, not even a glance his way—but she hadn't stopped eating either.

It was a simple fried chicken dish, but it was her favorite. Seasoned just the way she liked it.

Every detail was deliberate, and Colt didn't care if it was calculated. These moments mattered.

"I live alone," he said casually, after another round of praise from Hei and Myrin. "So I had to learn to cook."

That, of course, led to the unspoken question—What about your family?

But they kept it to themselves.

After the meal, Hei and Colt left the house together. They'd be staying at the inn with the guards, while the girls remained here with their maids.

Colt had no concerns. Even their maids were level-100 guards.

---

Seila and Myrin were sharing the same room.

They hadn't seen each other since Myrin's birthday, so they needed time to catch up.

After a while, Myrin shifted the topic. "So... what do you think about that Colt?"

"What about him?" Seila asked, tying her hair back as she got ready for bed.

"Well, he's a good cook. And he seems gentle. What's your impression?"

"I don't really care," Seila said flatly. "It doesn't matter. I'm not interested in being friends with him. If he doesn't pass the exam, we'll never see him again."

"And if he does?"

"Then maybe we'll become friends, maybe not. You know I don't have any biases."

"I know," Myrin said with a smile. "But I wasn't asking about friendship. I think he might fancy you."

"We don't know that. And even if he does, he doesn't know me. We just met. I don't like people who judge others based on appearances."

She paused, then added, "And he's not a noble. I don't discriminate, but that doesn't mean I can do whatever I want."

"Hehe, I thought you'd say that," Myrin said. "But I don't think he is just appearances."

Seila shot her a look. "Then why don't you try your chances?"

"Haha. Maybe I will."

"Wait, seriously? You like him?"

"I don't know," Myrin said, shrugging. "He seems nice and good looking. And you didn't notice, but while we were eating, he kept watching you, not us.

I think he was hoping you'd say something about the food. If he hadn't looked at you like that, I might've already made a move."

"That pervert," Seila huffed. "Staring at someone while they're eating isn't nice. And what do you mean, 'made a move'? Doesn't your house have rules?"

"It does," Myrin said. "But you know what my mother did. Maybe I can do the same, if I find someone who'll accept the conditions."

Seila let out a quiet sigh. "I see... Well, the food was good. But I still don't care. And you shouldn't be too hasty either. We don't even know if he'll make it into the academy."

"You're right," Myrin admitted.

"Commoners don't have the same resources we do. It's hard for them to pass the entrance exam."