“Hey, I say, are you really not planning to continue adventuring?”
“Yeah.”
In the early evening of Florence, inside a tavern filled with a slightly tipsy atmosphere.
A young woman stood gracefully.
Her hands were on her slender waist, tightly bound by a dark rose evening gown, and below the hem were her long legs wrapped in black silk.
Even though she was blocking the passage, no one would resent her for obstructing the way.
On the contrary, everyone in the tavern was willing to stop and linger for her moonlit silver hair and pretty face.
Because she was Kalandria.
The famously renowned young lady of the Duke’s family, the captain of the “Swan Lake Adventurer Team,” and the dream lover of every male in Florence, unattainable and beyond reach.
–That’s what everyone thought.
Except for Loya.
He just wanted to finish the wine in his oak cup quietly and go back to get a good night’s sleep.
But even this little bit of happiness seemed impossible to satisfy tonight.
Ever since Loya left “Swan Lake,” Kalandria would come looking for him every now and then.
Previously, she would either wait on his usual route, pretending to run into him by chance, or make an excuse to strike up a conversation.
After being brushed off several times, today she wasn’t even pretending, just directly blocking the door.
Kalandria stopped Loya in front of a table and continued her previous questioning:
“Then, what’s the reason?”
“I’ve earned enough money. There’s no need to live a life of risking my neck just to make a living—is that explanation satisfactory to you?”
Loya took a sip of wine casually, pretending to raise his hand, as if to show off his leisurely day.
“See, like this, eating and drinking whatever I want every day, waking up naturally, without having to worry, how great…”
“–You’re lying, Loya.”
Kalandria interrupted him, delivering her verdict coldly.
“Who was the most active in preparing before each departure? Who always rushed to the front first? Who risked their lives in every battle?
Now, the guy who ranks first in the team for being reckless says he’s scared, cherishes his life, and doesn’t want to take any more risks.
Who believes that? Your sword is always hanging at your waist, and your metal gauntlets are polished and shiny.”
Caught out on a neglected detail, Loya subconsciously hid his equipment.
She could always see through his lies.
If we’re just talking about caring about teammates, then Loya thought Kalandria would definitely make a good captain.
However, behind this seemingly caring facade, there was a complete lack of boundaries.
During his days in “Swan Lake,” it wasn’t just the equipment on his body.
What items were in his bag, how many gold coins were in his purse, even what time he went to bed and what time he ate, where he went every day, who he met and talked to… she had to know everything in detail.
There was no personal privacy in the team, and the various rules and regulations were so strict that it didn’t feel like a team, but like a prison.
Loya had nothing to say to someone who just wanted to coax him back into prison to serve his sentence.
“Can’t find a reason, so you’re pretending to be mute again? See? You’re always like this.”
Kalandria raised an eyebrow.
“I want to hear the truth, not for you to fob me off with reasons that are more fake than fake, time after time like this.”
Another commanding tone, with the arrogance typical of nobles.
It sounded more like a scolding from a superior to a subordinate than an inquiry between companions.
It seemed as if Loya’s withdrawal was a terrible mistake, and he had to write a self-reflection report before leaving.
Unable to communicate, he could only shrug as if giving up resisting.
“Okay, Kalandria. If you insist on hearing the truth, then it’s that I’ve deeply realized that there’s a chasm-like gap between me and you geniuses.”
Although it was also an excuse, it was a fact recognized by everyone inside and outside the team.
Loya had no magical talent and mediocre physical abilities.
Just an ordinary person.
“So, with a useless guy like me around, the team would be a burden, right?
Look at the Adventure Guild’s team member ratings, I’ve always been at the bottom, haven’t I?”
“—Bang!”
Kalandria slammed the table.
“Why do you take that rating so seriously! It distorts people’s efforts!
I see everything you do, all the specific hard work you put in. Aren’t we a team? Why bother about those things?”
Sounds reasonable, right? Loya smiled wryly, awkwardly but politely.
If you think it’s right, then you’ve been successfully gaslighted by the young lady.
Only emphasizing effort, not mentioning gains—classic leadership rhetoric, Loya was already tired of hearing it.
During team rest, when everyone was relaxing, he was the one who tallied and calculated the team’s expenses.
He was also the one who stayed up all night searching for and investigating monster information to prepare guides, and meticulously drawing maps of investigation points.
He was still the one who prepared props and medicines in advance, and took care of the team’s meals for the trip.
Even if everything was done in an orderly and impeccable manner, these trivial matters would not be recorded in the mission reports submitted to the guild, and would not be included in the adventurer’s personal evaluation.
The only reward was just Kalandria’s initial few polite thank yous.
Later, these trivial chores were also defaulted to be Loya’s responsibility.
Now, the young lady was actually condescending enough to come to him personally, persuading him to return to the team.
But Loya completely saw through her intentions.
It was just that there were no more useful beasts of burden, and she wanted to feed him chicken soup and draw big cakes to lure him back, so that he could continue to be a s*ave.
If he really took the bait again, wouldn’t he become an iron tortoise?
Loya downed the wine in his cup, exchanging it for a burst of unburdened relief.
“Anyone can do things like pouring tea, serving water, finding strategies, and scouting the way, right?
It doesn’t have to be me. Or rather, it would be better to find someone more experienced.”
“Enough!”
Kalandria finally lost her patience, angrily snatching the wine glass from Loya’s hand.
“Even if you don’t say it, I know what you’re really thinking. You’re just throwing a tantrum because I didn’t respond to your love confession, right?
I understand… but these are two different things, right? You don’t have to quit directly!
Don’t let our issues affect the team! “Swan Lake” has other people, doesn’t it?!”
She shouted out in one breath, her soft chest heaving violently, her cheeks flushed with a rosy glow.
“Ah O_o?”
Loya stared at the young lady’s delicate face, while his own face was only filled with surprise.
Wait… I confessed my love to you? I didn’t know that?
He could feel the gazes from the people around him in the tavern becoming obviously strange, starting to whisper.
This was the only thing Loya wanted to clarify, but he didn’t have the chance.
Kalandria’s attitude suddenly did a one hundred and eighty degree turn, and she calmed down again.
“Of course, if you still insist on leaving, I will respect your choice. But I also want to say, Loya, I hope we can still be friends.”
It wasn’t the expected relentless nagging and coaxing.
Along with her words, she took out a black leather-bound invitation card with a crystal flower pinned on it and pushed it onto the table.
Loya accepted it out of courtesy.
“…What’s this?”
“I’m planning to hold an engagement ceremony next month.”
Kalandria paused solemnly.
“If you still consider me a friend, I hope you can come to attend.”
Examining the aristocratic family crest printed on the cover of the invitation, Loya pinched his chin.
When he looked up again, at Kalandria’s jewel-like, beautiful crystal blue eyes—
“If I have time…”
His smile seemed to hook a trace of cunning that had long seen through everything.
“In any case, I’ll wish you a happy wedding in advance.”