************
For once, his master didn't scold him.
They were aligned in hatred.
Rylander softened his tone.
"It's late. I'll end the call now. I'll update you when I find something new."
« "Fine. Be cautious. Don't expose yourself. Silveria has too many nobles—and avoid the Royal Family, Rylander." »
The connection faded as the magic circle dissolved into shimmering light.
The earring vanished once more, becoming invisible.
Rylander—Ryan Wayne—let out a deep breath and sank onto his bed.
His thoughts swirled, heavy and tangled.
Scarlette Overland…
Even thinking her name made his chest tighten.
He didn't know what she was.
Didn't know what she wanted.
Didn't know why she had chosen him.
And now…
She might be connected to the one he was searching for.
Why her? Why is she involved?
Is it fate? Coincidence? A cruel twist?
He rubbed his forehead.
His mission wasn't simple.
It wasn't small.
It wasn't just another assignment.
It was personal.
His master had searched for that person for years—desperately, painfully—and still found nothing. Rylander had taken the burden onto his own shoulders.
He couldn't fail.
He WOULDN'T fail.
But this second trace…
This unexpected piece connecting to Scarlette Overland…
It shook him.
Deeply.
If she's involved… then this mission just became much harder.
And I can't let her know. Not yet. Not ever.
He groaned and flopped onto his back.
The ceiling of his room blurred as exhaustion crept in.
His alias… Ryan Wayne…
His true name… Rylander…
His master's trust…
His mission…
Scarlette's suspicious decision to choose him…
Everything piled up in his mind like heavy stones.
He didn't know what tomorrow would bring.
But he knew one thing:
Walking beside Scarlette Overland wasn't an opportunity.
It was a gamble.
One wrong step…
and everything could crumble.
Still…
He would face it.
He would follow her tomorrow.
Investigate quietly.
Observe silently.
And uncover the truth.
Whatever that truth might be.
Rylander finally closed his eyes.
Tomorrow…
The real test would begin.
........
.............
..................
Scarlette Overland was a woman shrouded in mystery—so dense, so palpable, that anyone who encountered her could not help but feel a certain weight settle on their shoulders. It wasn't simply her silence or the chilling aura she carried… it was the sense that something hidden lay beneath her calm exterior. Something far older, far deeper, far more dangerous than anyone could name.
Ryan had thought the same before falling asleep—his mind racing with everything he had learned about her, everything he had witnessed today.
Scarlette Overland… what exactly are you? And why… why do you carry something connected to [THAT PERSON]?
The moment that last question formed in his mind, his consciousness slipped into darkness, and exhaustion finally claimed him.
The moon shone softly above the inn.
Outside, unseen by him, a silhouette stood in the shadows of a nearby rooftop.
Scarlette.
The black‑hooded woman watched the dim light beneath Ryan's room. Her mismatched eyes reflected the moonlight—cold, sharp, and contemplative. She said nothing, only lingering long enough to confirm something.
Something she alone had sensed.
Something she alone could see.
Then, without another breath, she turned away and melted into the night.
As though she had never been there to begin with.
......…..
...............…..
........................…
>>>THE NEXT MORNING
"You've got to be kidding me?!"
Ryan shot up from bed so violently that he fell off the side and landed on the floor in a tangled mess of blankets.
He scrambled up in panic.
I overslept—AGAIN?! No, no, no! Not today! Not when Scarlette told me to meet her! Damn it—!
He rushed around the room, changing into his traveling clothes at lightning speed, almost tripping twice as he tried to lace his boots. He grabbed his dimensional pouch, slung it over his shoulder, and sprinted out the door.
By the time he burst out of the inn, his breathing was uneven, and he prayed to every deity he knew that Scarlette wasn't the type to abandon him for a single mistake.
(Though… that felt like something she might do.)
The Central Plaza was bustling, even this early in the morning. Adventurers, merchants, guards, travelers—every corner was alive with movement.
Ryan scanned the crowd desperately.
Where is she? Did she leave? Did she get annoyed waiting for me? Am I dead?
His shoulders slumped.
'She left… didn't she…?'
"You're here."
"GYAHHH—!"
Ryan shrieked and spun around so fast he almost fell backward.
Right behind him—silent as a ghost—stood Scarlette, arms crossed, staring at him with eyes so cold he felt frostbite prick his spine.
"You're late."
Ryan bowed immediately, nearly hitting his forehead on her boots. "S‑SORRY! I—I overslept! I'm really sorry, Scarlette—Lady—Scar—uh—Over—"
"Ryan."
"H‑huh?"
She stared at him flatly.
"Stop babbling."
He froze.
Scarlette hummed low under her veil, raising an eyebrow before turning away. "Let's go. Capital gate. The wagon."
"What?"
Scarlette exhaled in a long, suffering sigh.
She clearly disliked speaking more than necessary, but she repeated herself anyway.
"Our wagon is ready. Hurry."
Then she walked off without waiting for him.
Ryan snapped upright. "W–wait for me!!"
He broke into a jog, eventually catching up to her side as they walked through the morning crowd.
Scarlette pretended not to notice him gasping for air.
.........
...............…
.....................…
>>>THE ROUTE AHEAD
They reached the outskirts of the Capital, where wagons, horses, and travelers congregated.
Scarlette handed Ryan a folded parchment.
"We need to cross two cities before Fordel Village," she explained, tapping the map. "We stop at Mirken City first."
Ryan blinked.
This was… a whole sentence. More than one.
He looked at her slowly with amusement dancing in his eyes.
Scarlette noticed.
Her eyebrow rose. "…What?"
Ryan couldn't hold back a small grin. "Nothing… It's just… you can speak normally."
Scarlette stared at him.
"And yet you never did yesterday. Do you know how hard it was trying to guess what you meant every time you spoke in single words?! I thought my brain would fry!"
"Troublesome," she said immediately.
Ryan's jaw dropped.
"Seriously?! That's your answer?!"
Scarlette turned away, ignoring him.
Ryan looked like he aged five years in an instant.
***********