Eve swallowed hard. Noelier is beyond this door.
'It can’t continue like this.'
Eve knocked with firm determination.
“Come in.”
The servant opened the door with a cold voice.
As they stepped inside, Noelier, who had been staring at the documents, looked at Eve with a surprised expression.
"... Eve?"
"Noel, are you busy?"
Eve smiled awkwardly and approached Noelier. Noelier, who had been looking back and forth between the documents in his hand and Eve, slowly nodded.
"...Yes. There is quite a lot of work."
"I see"
Eve slowly nodded and nervously wiggled her feet while looking around.
"...Do you have something to say?"
"Ah. Please don't worry about me. I'll tell you after work."
Eve approached a corner. Noelier asked in a puzzled tone.
"...Why are you going there?
"I didn't want to get in the way of your work. You haven't even shown your face lately. It's like you're avoiding me."
"..."
Eve deliberately emphasized the last word. As if choosing his words carefully, Noelier parted his red lips.
"It's just that I had a lot of work."
"Okay."
"..."
Eve quietly nodded. Then Noelier put down the documents he was holding.
"...And I just finished everything."
"..."
“Really.”
"...Really?"
Eve craned her neck and scanned his desk. Squinting, she saw a pile of documents stacked high.
“It seems like a lie..."
Eve muttered to herself. At that moment, a soft puff of air escaping was heard. It was Noelier laughing.
"...!"
The stiff expression on his face softened. He finally smiled. Seeing that face for the first time in so long, her downcast heart returned to its normal state.
“It’s really over.”
"Then, can I go closer and speak?"
"..."
Noelier's smile faded slightly.
"...Yes, of course."
He nodded slowly and stood up from his seat. Eve did not refuse and scurried over to Noelier's side.
"...?"
However, Noelier did not sit on the sofa, prepared to sit on one side. He simply stood and looked down at her.
'Are you telling me to just get straight to the point?'
Eve, who suddenly found herself standing face-to-face, opened her mouth while mumbling.
"...Um. You know that day. The day I was drunk."
At Eve's words, Noelier's face instantly clouded over.
"I really did do something wrong!" Eve blamed her past self and cautiously parted her lips.
"If I've done anything wrong, I apologize. I don't really remember, but..."
"..."
Eve screamed, squeezing her eyes shut as she looked at the unresponsive Noelier.
"You can do it exactly the same way!"
It was an unexpected remark. Noelier blinked and asked back.
"... Yes?"
"I'm telling you, you can treat me exactly the same way!"
Eve spread her arms wide.
She was confident that she wouldn't be ashamed even if she threw up, got kicked, or crawled on all fours on the floor.
"..."
Noelier looked at Eve without answering.
He had been trying so hard to avoid her, but to suddenly come and say he could do the same...
Moreover, the moment he saw those red lips that had been bothering him for a while, he began to tense up again.
It was a dilemma. He controlled his emotions so that Eve wouldn't notice, but the hot thing welling up from deep within—that is, the heat and something else entirely—showed no signs of subsiding.
“Eat it.”
At that moment, a strange voice echoed in his head once again. It was the voice he had started hearing ever since he came into contact with Eve.
Even though he tries not to focus on that voice, he keeps...
"Eat it all up without leaving a single bone fragment."
"Just as you want..."
"...!"
Noelier, having regained his senses, quickly stepped back.
"...Noel?"
The voice calling him was tinged with embarrassment.
Her red eyes trembled violently. Noelier, who had been looking at her with confused eyes, muttered in a suppressed voice.
“...Go back.”
“Noel.”
"I cannot talk about it now. Please go back, Eve."
"Please," Noelier said, turned around, and walked forward. It meant that if Eve did not leave, he would leave.
Eve, who had been staring blankly at his broad back, quickly chased after him.
"Noel, wait a moment...!"
"Why is he walking so fast?" Eve gasped for breath and urgently grabbed his hand.
"...!"
But he shook off his hand.
"...Ah."
Noelier also looked back and forth between her and his hand with a surprised expression.
"...I'm sorry."
Noelier apologized, but Eve could not say a word.
"..."
Noelia turned his body again. As if waking from a long sleep, he was stimulated down to every single nerve cell. An unbearable heat rose deep within his body.
"..."
Eve, having no idea what was going on, had to stand there blankly, unable to say a word
***
A rough sandstorm swirled. Under the scorching, intense sunlight, a woman with her orange hair tied up in a single bun sat.
It was the leader of the West, the lion beastman Ryan Nilar.
"Is that really true? And not a lie?"
Ryan asked back, her eyes shining. The man in front of her nodded.
"Yes. I definitely heard it. When my subordinate went to make a delivery to the South, a prisoner working at the castle said that. As quickly as possible! It's the Boss's order! Make sure it's very, very fresh! The person eating it is pregnant, so make sure the best possible. You have to pay attention to that!"
"Okay?"
A mischievous smile played on Ryan's lips.
She was wondering why the atmosphere in the South had changed lately. Did something that serious happen?
"Why are you telling me this first? Given your personality, you would have rushed over right away."
Ryan looked down at the woman in front of her. She was neatly dressed in a black tuxedo again today.
There was only one person who could say such audacious words to her: the leader of the West.
It was Miya Tuna, a cat beastkin who had taken deep root in other regions beyond the West.
The Tuna family had a knack for business for generations. They went beyond simply buying and selling goods. They regarded information as a commodity as well.
They purchased it on the condition that they not reveal information they considered useful to others.
Those who violated the conditions and sold information elsewhere were naturally charged a price.
Those who use money to make money and know how to oppress others.
This was the reason the Tuna family was able to maintain their position as the head of the merchant guild for a long time.
Miya smiled as she looked at Ryan.
"You are well aware of the legend. If what that beastman spoke of was a 'wolf,' the relationship between the North and the South will be severely twisted."
"So, are you planning to expand into other businesses with this?"
"Of course, that is correct, but..."
Miya trailed off.
"It suddenly occurred to me. Why did the Southern leader bring that wolf here quietly? According to the legend, he could have just ripped out its heart and made it his own."
Ryan shrugged her eyebrows as if to say more.
"I'm not exactly the type to be interested in romance, but... it suddenly occurred to me that the Southern Leader might be head over heels for the wolf."
"What?"
Ryan burst out laughing. Her husband, who had been quietly standing by her side, covered his mouth and exclaimed, "Good heavens!"
Ryan, having barely managed to stop laughing, said.
"That's nonsense. There is no way someone with such a cruel nature, devoid of blood and tears, would do such a thing."
“That’s why I’m telling you.”
Miya quickly chimed in.
"This information might be incorrect. My hypothesis might also be a wild imagination, but what would you do if it were all true?"
“Hmm.”
"I am leaving for the South to verify. I intend to go and see with my own two eyes whether it is indeed the legendary wolf. Therefore, please help me return safely, Leader."
“Specifically?”
"Please do not let the leader of the South kill me."
Ryan narrowed her eyes. This money-blinded merchant seemed to believe her hypothesis was true. Ryan's husband also looked intrigued.
It was preposterous. The leader of the South talking about love? Ryan let out a hollow laugh.
"Are you aware that the leader of the North is absent?"
However, that laughter stopped abruptly at a single word from Miya.
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