THMLM Chapter 05

Chapter 5

When the coachman politely asked, “My lady, where shall I take you?” I suddenly felt like a proper noblewoman.

I gave him the name of a shop near where I actually wanted to go — not the real destination.
Then I pulled the carriage curtain aside and peeked out the window.
I didn’t want my face to be seen too openly in public.

“Now that I think about it, the festival will begin soon.”

No wonder there were more people on the streets than usual.
Everyone seemed cheerful and busy with preparations for the upcoming celebration.
Some even glanced curiously at our carriage.

Well, of course — it bore the crest of the Havelion Duchy.
A noble’s carriage like that always drew attention.

Still, I worried that people might see my face when I stepped out.
I wasn’t the Havelion Lady they were expecting.

Fortunately, the coachman seemed to understand my feelings and stopped the carriage in a more secluded area.
And when it looked like a few people were following the carriage, he even offered me his coat.

“My lady, this isn’t much, but please take it. You don’t wish to reveal your face, do you?”

“Thank you.”

Living in the empty Havelion mansion, thanks to Bella’s kindness, was a blessing.
It wasn’t that I was ashamed and wanted to hide.
I was just terrified of what might happen if Viscount Arhen — Bessia’s so-called “father” — ever found out.

That greedy man, obsessed with money and power, would surely try to use Bella for his own gain.

He was the one who once tried to sell his 13-year-old daughter to an old nobleman.

The servants in the Arhen estate had all turned a blind eye to his cruelty,
as if afraid of getting involved in something troublesome.

The Havelion servants, on the other hand, were completely different.
They were kind to everyone — even to me, a mere guest —
treating me with the same respect they gave Bella.

After thanking the considerate coachman, I began walking away from the crowds.

The Havelion carriage was still faintly visible in the distance.

Why are people peeking into that carriage so curiously?

It wasn’t unusual for nobles to travel through the city,
and even if it was a duchess’s carriage, it shouldn’t attract that much attention —
not from commoners, at least.

Did Bella do something I don’t know about?

No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t figure it out,
so I gave up quickly.

The Havelion family had the best reputation among the three ducal houses,
so I didn’t think anything strange was going on.

I kept walking — or so I thought —
but after a while, I realized I was circling the same place over and over again.

There was only one person who would pull something like this.

“Ventian!”

The moment I called his name, snap! — my surroundings suddenly changed.

Ventian had grabbed my waist and was lifting me high into the sky.
A dizzying sense of floating wrapped around me.

“Hello, my lady?”

“…”

A very impolite word almost slipped out,
but with superhuman patience, I swallowed it and gestured for him to put me down.

He just kept smiling cheerfully and continued walking in the air.

I wanted to scream at him to let me down immediately.
Every time he did something like this, I perfectly understood why Bella chose Kahen over this guy!

Ventian Phemen.
One of the original novel’s secondary male leads —
and the character I personally hated the most.

He was an information broker who pursued Bella relentlessly,
even after she firmly rejected him.

Bella treated him kindly, like she would a wayward child —
so I followed her lead and treated him like a rock.
A stubborn, annoying rock.

“Let go.”

I politely began prying his fingers off my waist one by one.

There was red liquid on his hand — blood.

I sighed and met his gaze.

“Are you alright?”

His golden-yellow eyes met mine,
and my suspicion turned into certainty.

Those eyes — usually bright like ripe lemons — looked dull and cloudy now.
A thin layer of sweat covered his forehead.

He’d clearly used magic in this condition.
Just like him.

“No, I’m not alright,” he said with a bright smile.

If Kahen’s calm face made it hard to tell what he was thinking,
Ventian was the opposite — always smiling,
so you could never tell what was real.

Finally, he lowered me to the ground.

It felt like getting off a roller coaster —
though I had to admit, I was starting to get a little used to it.
Not that I liked it.

We landed on the roof of a building,
and I immediately started scanning our surroundings.

He was one of the “Crows,” a network of secret informants —
and he really looked the part, dressed head to toe in black.

I glanced from his blue hair downward.
Couldn’t see much else under all that black clothing.

So, I reached out and started checking myself.

He flinched, startled, but I didn’t stop.
I just wanted to finish quickly and go home to rest.

After all, I’d already seen Kahen this morning.
The world outside my blanket was dangerous —
which is why I usually only went out once a week.

Today had already been too much.

Then, near his right side, I felt heat —
the warmth of blood.

I sighed and pressed my hand firmly on the wound.
He let out a faint groan, which quickly faded.

“Don’t get hurt again.”

The rest — “because it’s annoying to treat you all the time” —
I swallowed with a small smile.

Honestly, these male leads really didn’t value their bodies enough.
Even Kahen would throw himself into danger if it involved Bella.

Because he was the main character, of course.

But Ventian wasn’t.
He didn’t have Bella’s love,
yet he still didn’t care if he got hurt.

I couldn’t understand it.
To be hurt because of someone you love —
that didn’t sound happy at all.

“I’ll try not to,” he said with another light smile.

Was he relaxing just because I healed him?

“You’re supposed to be an information dealer. Why are you always injured? Anyone would think you’re a mercenary.”

“Because I wanted to see you.”

“Are you kidding me?”

I snapped back, irritated.
No mercenary got hurt this often, honestly.

But Ventian never seemed to care about his own body —
using dangerous magic even while injured,
just to tease me like this.

“Were you worried?”

“Not at all.”

Even if he got stabbed, he wouldn’t die —
so no, I wasn’t worried.

What a ridiculous buff — even for a sub male lead.

“I wish you’d worry a little,” he murmured.

Then he caught my hand, kissed the back of it lightly,
and spoke without lifting his lips.

The ticklish sensation made me snatch my hand back.

At least he didn’t resist when I pulled away.

There was now a small wing-shaped brooch resting in my palm —
the symbol of his information guild.

“Why are you giving me this?”

“In case you’re ever in danger.
The people who’d cause trouble for you will recognize that mark and stay away.”

I didn’t refuse and slipped it straight into my pocket.
A gift without strings attached? Only a fool would turn it down.

“Well then, we’re done here, right?”

“Yes. But… I wanted to ask you something.”

“What is it?”

“…Never mind. I won’t.”

“Really? You know, there are two ways to make someone angry —
one is to start talking and not finish,
and the other is—”

“I just don’t like it when you think about someone else.”

“Ah… I see.”

Well, sorry, but you’re not the only one in my brain.

But since he looked tired, I didn’t tease him further.
I just smiled and said politely,

“Then goodbye, dear customer.”

And I gave him a little push on the back.

“By the way… do you have a dog?”

“A dog?”

What on earth was that supposed to mean?

Before I could ask, he wrapped an arm around my waist again and leapt off the roof.
He held me tighter this time,
so the distance between us was even closer.

From that angle, I could see his blue hair fluttering in the sunlight —
bright and fresh, like a bluebird’s feathers.

And strangely, another face came to mind.

Kahen.

The empire’s future greatest magician,
who had lost all his magic due to poison.

Thinking of his face made me quickly avert my gaze from Ventian.

> “So you really don’t have a dog?”

“I told you, I don’t.”

Honestly, I wanted to keep a puppy,
but living under Bella’s roof made that impossible.
I wasn’t in a position to take responsibility for another life.

“Then how about keeping me instead? I’m great at guarding the house. I’ll bite any suspicious person that comes close.”

“No thanks. I don’t want a dog that always comes home injured.”

His joking made me laugh in spite of myself.

So that’s why he brought up the dog talk.

“Then tell that to any stray dog you meet, too. See you around.”

He blinked once — and was gone.

The warmth he’d left behind slowly faded from my skin.

“Who was he even talking about?”

Was I destined to meet a lost puppy today or something?

My foresight magic was gone,
but maybe some “main character luck” was still left.

Just in case, I kept my eyes on the ground as I walked.

If fate wanted to throw me into helping a stray dog find its owner,
well — I couldn’t really stop it.

It would be a good deed, after all.

“A dog…”

Since the carriage had already gone back home,
I decided to walk slowly the rest of the way.

Maybe, just like Ventian said, I’d really meet a lost puppy.

After walking for a while,
I saw a face I could never forget — just a short distance away.

“Kahen… no, Lord Cherta?”

Even from far away, he stood out —
his cobalt-blue eyes softly curved as he looked my way.

Ventian’s smile had a playful charm,
but Kahen’s was different — subtle, quiet, rare.

He barely lifted the corner of his lips,
yet somehow, that faint smile reached me more deeply.

Maybe because it was something so rarely seen.

“What a coincidence,” he said, smiling gently.

And just like that, Kahen smiled — beautifully.