TMWSH 06

~Chapter 06~

Life is Mortgaged

With those final words, he stepped back and straightened his slightly disheveled tie.

“Well then, I should get going. I’ll be back this evening.”

Irina, who had been holding her breath, exhaled faintly and glared at him.

“I couldn’t care less.”

“If you need to go out, tell Casey. Anything else… we’ll talk about it when I return.”

There was a brief back-and-forth after that, but he must have truly been busy; he didn’t linger any longer and left the dining room.

Irina glanced at the food laid out on the table, then soon left as well.

As soon as she exited, Casey approached quickly.

Howard had apparently already departed in his carriage—he truly did seem to be in a hurry.

Of course, he’d left behind a number of knights to “escort” her—though, really, it felt more like surveillance.

‘More like guards than escorts.’

Returning to her room, Irina packed her belongings once again, double-checking that she had everything.

She looked around the room one last time, but no matter how much she stared, she still couldn’t believe it was his house.

Just what had happened during those few years?

Lost in thought, she gathered her things and stepped outside.

“If I leave this mansion, you’ll follow me wherever I go, won’t you?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Hm. Did that bastard specifically tell you to follow me everywhere?”

At the words that bastard, the knights flinched slightly.

“No, ma’am. We were only ordered to prevent any danger.”

So they hadn’t been told to monitor her every move.

Since they were only following orders, pressing them further would be pointless, so Irina nodded.

“Danger, huh… Well, I need to go out anyway. Can you escort me to the marketplace? I also have business at the temple—somewhere close, preferably.”

Her polite request seemed to melt the tension from the knights’ faces.

“Yes, of course, my lady. We’ll ensure your safety.”

Irina said she would depart immediately.

The carriage was prepared quickly. She adjusted her bonnet, climbed in, and soon the carriage rolled away from the estate, heading toward the heart of Voltier.

Compared to Arendor, the fourth-largest city on the continent, Bormann was a much smaller nation.

However, it was wealthy—its trade in magic stones was abundant, and its mild climate made the four seasons rich and generous.

Especially Voltier, often called the City of Gold, thanks to the prosperity brought by its central trading hub, the Arena. Merchants from other lands filled the streets, turning them into a bustling sea of commerce.

It was a land anyone would envy—yet no nation had ever succeeded in conquering Bormann.

That was largely because of its close alliance with the continent’s greatest empire.

There was even a saying that all of Bormann’s underground was a vast network of mercenary bases—so no one dared to invade.

Irina had only ever heard such rumors before; seeing it in person now, she couldn’t help but stare out the window.

‘Doesn’t look that different… but it does feel foreign somehow.’

She thought to herself, hoping they’d reach the city center soon.

“We’ve arrived, my lady.”

Irina stepped out of the carriage and looked around. It truly wasn’t Arendor.

“So this really is Voltier. Damn him.”

She muttered under her breath.

To use this country’s teleportation gates, one had to present proper identification and get authorization—something she definitely wouldn’t be granted.

So, if she wanted to get back to Arendor, she’d have to go on foot. Without being a mage, how on earth could she manage that?

It was absurd.

Having confirmed her location, she decided to head toward the temple to settle her debts—but she soon felt eyes on her.

When she turned her head, she saw townspeople sneaking glances at her as they passed by the carriage.

They were likely surprised to see a noble lady from House Ringester step out of the carriage, but Irina had no way of knowing that.

“Is there something on my face?”

“What? Oh, no! You’re beautiful, my lady!”

Casey answered hastily.

Ah… that wasn’t exactly what she’d meant.

Flustered, Irina glanced down at her outfit.

Maybe her noble attire looked shabby here? Her cheeks flushed slightly.

Given how wealthy this country was, she supposed it was understandable.

So instead of heading straight for the temple, she decided to stop by a dress shop.

Though she was a noble, she was a foreigner here—and if people were staring, she’d only draw suspicion. Better to buy a local-style dress.

She’d planned to use her savings for living expenses once her deal with Marquis Aire succeeded, but now she’d have to spend some early.

‘Oh well. No choice.’

Lifting an eyebrow confidently, she pushed open the boutique door.

The staff immediately bowed at a ninety-degree angle toward her.

“Welcome! Welcome to Lianthe!”

‘Not bad.’

The building hadn’t looked that big from outside, but inside, it was long and spacious.

A designer wearing a stylish wine-colored hat approached her.

“Welcome. Would you like a custom dress, or something off the rack? If you’d like a custom order, please come this way.”

She gestured down a long corridor to her left.

Irina shook her head slightly.

“I need something I can change into right away.”

“Ah, of course! Please, this way. You may choose a design yourself, or we can make recommendations if you’d like.”

“Hmm. I’d like to take a look myself.”

“Very well. Please call me anytime you need assistance.”

Irina followed her to the racks, where dozens of dresses hung gracefully from suspended lines, each one showing off its charm.

After some time browsing, she found herself torn between two dresses—one in a deeper shade, and another in a lighter tone.

Since she’d only brought her personal belongings when leaving the family, her budget was limited.

And she definitely didn’t want to take any more help from Howard.

Then—

“I think the pink dress would suit you wonderfully.”

A smooth, masculine voice came from behind her.

Instinctively, Irina turned around.

Standing there was a man with hair similar in color to hers, a playful yet gentle expression on his face.

His bright blue eyes gleamed like the sunlit sea.

And his charmingly curved lips added to his appeal.

As he stepped closer, Irina found herself tilting her head upward to look at him.

He wore a pale, finely tailored uniform, his tall, well-built frame impossible to miss.

The crest of Bormann gleamed on his chest—he was clearly a noble, or perhaps even a knight commander.

Casey, who had been attending to Irina, bowed politely to the man.

“You know him?” Irina asked.

“Yes, my lady. He’s an acquaintance of the master.”

“Ah, I see—”

‘So he knows Howard. Either he approached me deliberately or this is coincidence.’

Irina thought to herself.

When he smiled warmly and took another step forward, she instinctively stepped back.

He stopped immediately.

“The beautiful lady isn’t from around here, is she?”

He’d seen through her in an instant.

“……”

“Ladies here don’t wear that kind of bonnet. They usually prefer small, high hats like hers.”

He gestured toward the designer’s hat.

Only then did Irina realize why everyone had stared at her earlier.

Her bonnet made her look distinctly foreign. She’d assumed travelers were common here, but apparently not that common.

When she didn’t reply, he awkwardly reached out his hand.

“Ah, my apologies.”

“……?”

She tilted her head slightly, just looking at him, and he gave an awkward smile.

“I’m Damian Beyond Rosette. May I ask the lady’s name?”

But Irina, unimpressed by his supposedly polite gesture, didn’t take his hand and simply stared.

He withdrew it, a bit embarrassed.

Turning back to the dresses, Irina spoke casually.

“Just call it a bonnet.”

Her slightly cutting tone made Damian scratch the back of his head awkwardly.

“If I was rude, I apologize. Sincerely, my lady.”

“It’s fine… not a big deal.”

Well, he wasn’t as handsome as Howard, but handsome enough that she decided to let it slide—just this once.

Irina focused again on the dresses.

Though she would never admit it, the one she finally chose was indeed a soft pink dress—along with a hat of Voltier style, recommended by the shop.

With the staff’s help, she bought them and went to the fitting room to change.

When she emerged, Damian was still there, leaning casually against a small table by the window, looking outside.

She’d taken quite a while to change, so if he was still there, he must have some business in this shop.

At that moment, he turned his head, and their eyes met.

“Wow, you look absolutely stunning. A perfect choice, my lady.”

He even clapped his hands.

At his overly enthusiastic compliment, Irina’s expression soured.

His exaggerated praise made her skin crawl—people in Arendor rarely behaved so flamboyantly.

Unless they were flirts. Or playboys. Or flirtatious playboys.

“Aren’t you busy?” she asked, adjusting the folds of her dress.

“Ah, me?”

“Yes. This is a women’s boutique. So either you have a lover, or you’re buying a gift for your wife—or… you know, maybe it’s your own taste?”

At that, Damian’s eyes widened, then he burst into hearty laughter, raising both palms as if to clear up a misunderstanding.

“Ahaha! No such hobby, I assure you. I simply saw you outside and couldn’t resist introducing myself.”

He sounded sincere enough that the mood felt oddly dissonant from his earlier tone.

“I see. Well, that’s nice, but unfortunately, I’m in a hurry.”

She had no idea how long things at the temple might take—or if they would even go well.

As she tried to excuse herself, Damian quickly spoke again.

“Then, may I at least offer my assistance? I know Voltier inside and out.”

“Hmm, no, that won’t be necessary.”

Her answer came without a shred of hesitation.

Damian’s face fell. Clearly, he wasn’t used to rejection.

“I appreciate your kindness. If we meet again, perhaps I’ll take you up on that offer. For now—may fortune be with you.”

At her polite dismissal, Damian sighed, then smiled good-naturedly.

“And may luck always be with you, my lady.”

Irina smiled back, gentle as spring sunlight.

“Casey, let’s go.”

“Yes, my lady.”

As soon as they stepped outside, the clock tower in the center of Voltier rang out, marking noon.

The chime echoed powerfully through the streets.

Irina looked up at the clock tower—and suddenly, the sound overlapped in her head, ringing again and again, until her vision spun and went white.