Eyolian stood on the rooftop of a distant house, watching as the giant magical projectiles rained down. Her gaze was cold and distant, as if what was happening did not concern her at all.

  Even though the situation looked dire, it was not entirely out of control yet. Only one of the five supply points of the town’s barrier had been destroyed.

  The barrier functioned at full strength only when all five mana supply points were active in perfect synchronization. However, it could still operate and provide protection even if one of those points was destroyed—just at a weaker state than before it had been reinforced.

  So instead of strengthening the barrier and improving their situation under siege, they had only made things worse.

  Eyolian’s eyes shifted to the massive opening in the barrier. The giant magical projectiles rained through the gap, completely obliterating the fifth supply point.

  The surrounding houses were in a pitiful state, their remains engulfed in flames. Fire spread rapidly through the area, consuming everything in its path—wood, stone, or human all together.

  It was a tragic sight.

  Watching people rush out of their homes in search of safety, only to be swallowed by the raging fire.

  Despite the falling snow, the fire showed no signs of stopping.

  It was a special kind of flame, Eyolian realized—one that prioritized destruction above all else.

  She turned a deaf ear to the rising screams of pain and death, focusing instead on Mr. Eldric, who sat with his back to all of it, as if refusing to listen.

  Eyolian moved to sit beside him, placing her sword aside so he wouldn’t see it.

  "I did what I had to do to get you out. Time wasn’t on our side, and you did what you could," she said, trying to reassure him.

  Though he hadn’t suffered any physical injuries, he had drained himself of mana, leaving him unable to move.

  Eldric turned his head toward Eyolian. His expression remained as calm as always, but there was a hint of despair in his eyes.

  "I know. No one is to blame for today’s failure," he said.

  He reached out and placed his hands on her shoulders, pulling her into an embrace.

  Eyolian didn’t move, allowing herself to sink into his arms.

  She hadn’t expected Mr. Eldric to be this composed about their failure, but she also understood his way of thinking.

  Mr. Eldric valued logic above all else. He had likely seen the failure coming but had still wanted to do what he could.

  What she didn’t understand was why he had resisted retreating and fought against her pulling him away.

  Lost in his embrace, Eyolian raised her head to look into his golden eyes, ready to ask.

  But before she could, he answered as if reading her thoughts.

  "I was trying to completely sever the fifth supply point from the formation. It wouldn’t have strengthened the barrier, but it would have helped more than the current situation," he explained, his gaze calm.

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  Eyolian pulled away from his embrace, her eyes wide.

  "So, you would’ve done that in time before the projectiles hit?" she asked with a slight frown.

  Eldric observed her expression for a moment before replying.

  "No, I would’ve failed."

  Eyolian didn’t fully believe him, but she wasn’t going to burden herself with the matter either.

  What mattered to her was that she had managed to get him out safely.

  As for the others… she sympathized, but in the end, she didn’t care enough.

  She simply nodded and said nothing more.

  Turning her gaze forward, she looked out over the vast green forest in her field of vision.

  Beyond that forest lay the Adventurers Guild.

  The forest itself gave no direct sight of the guild, nor of how half of Borderward’s forces were under siege there.

  That alone showed the depth of the enemy’s planning.

  Eyolian was almost certain that the forest was filled with enemies, cutting off anyone who might try to investigate.

  No information would return to the town that could turn the situation around.

  The only source of information would be whatever the enemy allowed them—by sending only two old couple.

  It was a pathetic, even humiliating, situation…

  "What are you thinking about?"

  Eyolian turned to meet Mr. Eldric’s concerned face.

  He probably thought she was blaming herself for how things had turned out, which couldn’t be further from the truth.

  She didn’t want him getting the wrong idea and blaming himself for telling her, so she shifted the conversation to something else she had been meaning to mention to him anyway.

  "I was thinking of telling you something… something Noah said to me," Eyolian hesitated as she began.

  She was going to inform him about her relationship with Noah.

  But not because Noah had asked her to—she also wanted him to know before anyone else.

  And certainly before Lady Aileen.

  She knew exactly how her reaction would go.

  A flicker of curiosity lit up Eldric’s eyes as he asked, "What did Noah say that I need to know about it?"

  Eyolian wasn’t sure why, but she felt nervous bringing this up in front of Mr. Eldric.

  For a moment, she considered leaving the task to Noah—he was the male in the relationship, after all.

  But she had started this, so perhaps it was better to continue.

  "He… asked me to go out with him," Eyolian said, avoiding Eldric’s gaze.

  Silence stretched between them.

  Then, after a few moments, Mr. Eldric’s voice reached her ears.

  "I see."

  Though his tone remained calm, there was a mixture of surprise and curiosity in it.

  "And when did Noah ask you out? I don’t see when he would’ve had the time for that," Eldric added.

  Eyolian lifted her head slightly, regaining her composure.

  Mr. Eldric was right.

  Yesterday had been the day Noah woke up from his short coma.

  Immediately after, both of them had been thrown into the castle’s cells for what they had done to the imperial knightess on the library balcony.

  There hadn’t really been any time for him to ask her out.

  "He asked me the moment I saved him from falling off the castle," Eyolian recalled, rolling her eyes.

  "In fact, he asked me while I was still holding him by the wrist!"

  Mr. Eldric let out a rare chuckle and remarked, "He certainly doesn’t waste time! … And what was your answer?"

  His golden eyes remained on her, filled with nothing but curiosity and kindness, waiting for her response.

  "I didn’t say anything at the time," Eyolian admitted honestly.

  "But he asked me again in the cell…"

  She fell silent for a moment, wondering how Eldric would react.

  But she had to say it.

  She couldn’t leave him waiting just because she was afraid of his reaction.

  "I said yes," she confessed, looking away as a faint blush colored her delicate features.

  Mr. Eldric didn’t say anything at first.

  But his warm hand rested gently atop her head.

  "If that’s what you want, then good for you," he said.

  Somehow, his voice sounded happy.

  "I would have preferred to hear it from Noah himself—to ask me! But he’s had a rough time with everything going on around him."

  Eyolian lifted her head again to meet Eldric’s gaze.

  "He said he wanted you to know before anyone else… I just beat him to it."

  "Oh? If that’s the case, I suppose I can forgive him."

  Eyolian smirked mischievously, a thought passing through her mind.

  "Do you know who won’t forgive him?"

  Mr. Eldric looked confused for a moment before quickly coming to the same conclusion.

  "Since he was the one who took the initiative to ask you out, I doubt he would ignore such details… but don’t worry, Elowen will be there to keep her mother on her toes!"

  Eyolian laughed in response.

  She would love to see that.

  No, she would see it, without a doubt.

  After sharing a few moments of laughter, Mr. Eldric slowly stood up, his mana recovered enough to support his movements.

  "Alright, let’s head back," he said, stepping forward.

  Eyolian moved, placing his arm over her shoulders.

  She grabbed him by the waist and leaped off the rooftop they had been sitting on.

  She landed lightly, her feet touching the ground first before gently setting him down.

  "Let’s go."