Shortly after, Edwin stepped out of his room, freshly washed and well-groomed.
In the lobby of the lodge, Dana was waiting, her face filled with unease. The sight of her worrying so much about him was truly endearing.
As soon as she spotted Edwin, Dana quickly stood up from her seat.
“You must be hungry after hiking through the mountains since dawn.”
“You’re the same, Senior. Let’s head to the dining hall.”
Since they had spent a lot of time receiving medical treatment and cleaning up, most people had already finished their meals.
By the time they arrived at the dining hall, it was nearly empty, except for a few knights. These were the ones who had also gone hunting monsters with Edwin and had ended up eating late.
When they saw Dana and Edwin enter, the knights hastily shoved bread into their mouths.
“Cough! Cough!”
One knight, struggling to swallow, dashed out of the dining hall with the bread still in his mouth.
The others hurriedly picked up their soup bowls and chugged them down as if they were in a race.
Avoiding any chance of making eye contact with Edwin, they quickly exited the room.
“What’s wrong with them?”
Dana asked, watching them with a bewildered expression.
Edwin elegantly scooped up a spoonful of soup before replying.
“They got scolded by you earlier.”
“…They’re acting like this just because I reprimanded them?”
Those knights were at least twice, if not three times, Dana’s size.
Edwin spoke with a serious expression.
“I heard that the captain here is usually quite lenient and lets things slide with his subordinates.”
“And just because they got scolded for the first time, they’re behaving like that?”
They’re acting like little kids…
Dana tilted her head in confusion.
‘Am I actually that scary when I get mad?’
She realized that she might come off as more intimidating than she thought.
Somehow, this discovery made her feel rather good.
A sense of confidence swelled up within her, making her face shine with pride.
Trying to stifle his laughter, Edwin poured water for her, even brushing away the crumbs of bread that had stuck to the corner of her lips.
Meanwhile, contrary to Dana’s belief, the knights were heading toward the training ground with exhausted expressions.
“Wow, good thing we ate earlier.”
“We almost lost our appetite!”
The knights weren’t actually afraid of Edwin or Dana’s scolding. They were simply worried that Edwin’s affectionate gestures might completely ruin their appetite.
“They’re leaving this morning, right?”
“Yeah, they just need to deliver the proposal about the potions.”
“No one should go with them.”
Everyone nodded in agreement, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
***
Upon arriving at the Palace, the knights went to the infirmary for medical consultations, while Dana and Edwin headed to the conference room.
The room had a large table in the center, surrounded by plush sofas. Despite the spacious setting, only the two of them were present.
Instead of sitting anywhere else, Edwin took the seat right next to Dana. She accepted his presence naturally—after all, he had been following her around ever since she joined.
Spending time with Edwin, from morning till late at night, had become an everyday routine.
Since childhood, Dana had always felt a void inside her.
Perhaps that was why she had grown accustomed to the cold emptiness that lingered in her heart, the silent loneliness that always surrounded her.
‘But when I’m with Edwin, I don’t feel that way at all.’
Being near him felt like being wrapped in soft cotton, filling the emptiness inside her.
A ticklish warmth spread through her chest, and before she knew it, a quiet smile crept onto her lips.
But then, a sudden thought struck her—What if things with Edwin came to an end?
Her body stiffened.
It was as if someone had poured a bucket of ice-cold water over her head.
“Edwin.”
Her voice was clear and firm.
“Yes, Senior?”
Edwin looked at her with the same warm gaze as always.
“I told you we would meet for just a week, right?”
“…That’s right. You gave me a chance for a week.”
“A chance? I never said I was testing you.”
She had never meant to test him.
Even if only for a short time, she had simply wanted to feel warmth.
“I know. But I still wanted to prove myself.”
“…Prove what?”
Edwin responded with a quiet smile instead of answering.
Dana’s expression was uncharacteristically complicated, her thoughts tangled.
Though Edwin remained outwardly calm, his entire focus was on her.
Why had she suddenly mentioned the one-week timeframe?
Their promised time together was running out.
Realizing this made his mouth go dry.
It felt like he had been soaring through a clear sky, only to suddenly crash into the ground.
He poured Dana a cup of tea from the set on the table.
A delicate chamomile scent filled the air.
***
As Dana had expected, not a single knight came looking for them all morning.
Once their work was done, the two of them, along with the palace officials, stepped through the portal.
In an instant, the swirling white light transported them back to the underground chambers of the Ministry of Magic.
Since Rayton couldn’t tolerate his subordinates wasting time, Dana and Edwin had no choice but to head straight to the Potion Management Division.
“Let’s finish the report quickly and go home.”
“Yes, Senior. You must be tired.”
At his words, Dana smiled—a relaxed and natural smile.
They had undoubtedly grown closer after this trip.
Edwin was pleased by that, yet the memory of Dana’s conflicted expression earlier still lingered in his mind.
Suppressing his unease, he pushed open the office door.
“We’re back.”
“…….”
“…….”
No one responded.
The office was eerily quiet.
Kira shot Dana a concerned look.
Sensing the strange atmosphere, Dana glanced around.
Then, her eyes met Toni’s.
He was staring at her with a resolute expression.
The silence was broken by Rayton’s sharp voice, directed at Edwin.
“Hey, rookie!”
“Yes, sir.”
“I heard you like Dana?”
His tone was mocking.
Only then did Dana understand the situation.
After she rejected Toni, he must have gone straight to Rayton.
And without a doubt, he had badmouthed Edwin the entire time.
That loose tongue must have spread rumors all over the office.
It was such a childish and pathetic move.
The employees pretended to be focused on their work, but they were actually eavesdropping on the conversation.
Edwin responded nonchalantly, as if nothing was wrong.
“That’s correct.”
Rayton had thought he had caught him off guard, but the newcomer remained composed.
So, Rayton decided to nitpick as much as he could.
“Stop with the useless emotions! They’re getting in the way of work!”
“I’ll handle that myself,” Edwin replied indifferently, further irritating Rayton.
This time, Rayton turned his frustration toward Dana.
“That guy’s the only one who’s head over heels! Why are you ignoring a decent man?”
A decent man? No way…
Dana’s brow furrowed.
Rayton spat out his words, practically foaming at the mouth.
“Look at Toni! He’s diligent and upright. Isn’t he a great guy?”
Ah, so they had already discussed this beforehand.
No wonder Kira had looked at her with concern.
Rayton glanced around at the other employees, pressuring them to react.
“Don’t you all think so? They make a great couple, right?”
“…Yes, I suppose so…”
“Y-Yes, that’s right…”
Since Dana hadn’t accepted the confession, Rayton was trying to force the atmosphere in Toni’s favor.
Toni barely suppressed a grin, satisfied with how things were playing out.
The corners of his mouth twitched, making him look like a grinning frog.
Then, Edwin smiled brightly.
His eyes curved beautifully, but the atmosphere around him turned ice cold.
Even Rayton, who had been running his mouth non-stop, fell silent.
Edwin’s chilling voice echoed low.
“Our dear senior has no pride, does he?”
His crimson eyes locked onto Toni.
“Not only did you get rejected, but you went whining about it to our superior?”
At the mention of his rejection, the employees exchanged surprised glances.
Toni’s face flushed red with embarrassment.
Edwin took slow, deliberate steps toward him.
“This is pathetic. How much lower can you sink?”
Just the sight of Edwin walking toward him was enough to make Toni feel suffocated.
His legs lost strength, and he couldn’t even stand up from his chair.
All he could do was stare at Edwin, his body trembling with fear.
There was no way he could endure the killing intent of someone who had spent years on the battlefield.
And that murderous intent was directed solely at him.
The managers who didn’t know Edwin well looked at the terrified Toni in confusion.
Unable to stand it any longer, Rayton shouted at Edwin.
“Hey, rookie! What gives you the right to interfere?”
Anyone would think you were her lover or something!
Rayton sneered mockingly at Edwin.
At that moment, Dana parted her lips to speak, addressing everyone.
