Silence took over the room. Valerie looked surprised when I greeted her—as she should have if she wasn't hiding her true identity—but that surprise faded from her shocked face as quickly as it appeared.
I knew it would be like this. She is a quick-witted person. Even in my dreams, she had been one of those ready to confront problems.
"So, you knew."
That was all she said. She is in a position where her identity had been discovered—which, I believe to be a big deal—yet she sat comfortably, eating fruit from the plate.
"Mhmm."
Her reaction didn't shake me either. I cut the steak into small pieces and took a bite. Apart from us, Ducas watched with a fork in his mouth, his eyes darting between her and me.
"Did someone from my family send you?"
"No, Miss Valerie."
I gave a clear-cut response to the question I had most expected. TO her logical thought I could be someone sent by her family. It could have been a plausible scenario, but it wasn't.
"So, how do you know?"
This time, she looked at me with genuine, innocent eyes, searching for an answer.
I casually shrugged under her curious gaze.
"I just know."
Valerie didn't say anything and nodded as if accepting that I was simply someone who knew her identity.
No one would believe she actually accepted my bullshit, but I know she did. That is just how Valerie is—she trusts her gut feeling.
"You don't doubt me?"
I raised an eyebrow, feigning confusion. I already knew she didn't doubt me, but asking made me seem less suspicious than I already was.
Valerie paused at my question, as if searching for the right words to describe her emotions.
"Sir Arthur... Every now and then, I get this feeling that you know far more than you let on."
Her response made my face wrinkle slightly in surprise. Do I really come across that way? I studied the woman in front of me, considering her words.
I stifled a laugh. Why was I even surprised? I had seen her in my dreams many times, and every time, she had been like this—her answers unexpectedly accurate, her intuition sharp.
"Um... Sir Arthur?"
While I was focused on Valerie, Ducas spoke, pulling the fork from his mouth. I realized the boy had no idea what we were talking about.
I glanced at Valerie, lifted my wine glass, and took a sip before saying,
"Miss Valerie, why don't you tell him?"
With a simple smile, Valerie turned to Ducas.
The subject of this conversation revolved around Valerie's identity, and I thought it was best that she explain it to Ducas based on how much she trusted him.
Valerie didn't hold back, which was a good indication for me—I had expected as much. Ducas was someone who had selflessly saved her, and they spent most of their time together in class. She obviously should have found him trustworthy.
At the very least, he is more trustworthy than me—a stranger who mysteriously knew her identity.
After Valerie finished explaining, Ducas looked at her with slight confusion.
"So... you're the daughter of Duke Davison?"
The Cloud Continent is a place where social hierarchy was defined by titles like Queen and Archdukes. The society tried to embrace medieval traditions as much as possible.
At first, I had been on an island, then caught in a nerve-racking incident with Timothy, followed by my meeting with Bob and his family.
None of those places had made me feel it, but ever since enrolling in Trivia—a school filled with aspirants seeking ties to high-ranking royals—it had become so common around me that I'd even picked up some of the formal speech.
"Yes."
Valerie gave a short reply to the question she had already answered. The silver-haired boy pressed further, still seeming confused.
"And you're studying at Trivia while hiding your identity?"
"Technically, yes," Valerie responded vaguely.
Ducas, though still a little lost, seemed to grasp part of it. He stared at Valerie for a few seconds before saying something that caught her off guard.
"Doesn't that make you royalty?"
Valerie wore an awkward smile and a defeated expression. She gets embarrassed when people call her royalty. Royals are treated differently—essentially like government officials, similar to Earth, but with their own territories and privileges.
I took another sip of wine, glancing toward the street. The wine was expensive and delicious. To break the awkward silence, I casually remarked:
"She's hiding her identity, Ducas. No need to be formal."
Valerie smiled at my response, her expression one of gratitude.
"Yes. Sir Arthur is right."
I knew her personality—it would be strange if I didn't, considering I'd watched her in my dreams, achieving great feats. She is skilled in magic, and Ducas has insane stats. Together, they could become formidable in the future.
I was satisfied with the situation. Looking at them—a potential team that hadn't existed in my dreams—I imagined them clearing future events when the inevitable overload occurred.
I hoped they would succeed, so I wouldn't have to do much.
Silence returned, but we continued eating, exchanging casual conversation. I took the last bite of my steak and gazed out the window.
"Miss Valerie, aren't you suspicious? I could be a bad person. I might become a hindrance to you in the future."
As I spoke casually, I considered my own words. I could do many things—act like a villain and ruin this world, or strive to save it. I am someone who has seen this world's past, present, and future.
Valerie opened her mouth to reply, but the silver-haired boy beside her spoke first.
"No, Sir Arthur! You're not a bad person!"
He didn't just speak—he nearly shouted. Both Valerie and I were startled, turning to him. I was confused by his reaction. Why couldn't I be a bad person? I am a bad person—or at least, I didn't consider myself good. And why did he shout?
His eyes widened slightly, realizing how loud he'd been. He sank back into the sofa and muttered, staring at the table:
"If it weren't for you... many would have died. I'd still be rotting in that place..."
This time, his voice was so low it was almost a whisper.
Valerie was surprised by the bold words that came out of Ducas's mouth—her hand instinctively flew to her lips.
Death and life are weighty words. No one can prevent death; once you're gone, you're gone. At that thought, I muttered to myself, There are ways to reverse death to a certain extent, but... I set that thought aside for now.
Ducas turned toward Valerie, who was already looking at him. Her gaze was curious, while his expression was dead serious. The contrast between them felt almost comical.
I thought I should say something to break the tension, but before I could, Ducas spoke up.
"Sir Arthur saved many lives—mine included. Everyone would've died, no question. And after rescuing us, he didn't ask for anything. He just left, telling everyone to stand on their own two feet."
He sounded like a spokesperson. And to be honest, he seemed pretty good at it.
"Aww, it's like watching a kid defend his superhero."
Persephone's voice came from behind me. I almost laughed at her comment.
Yeah, watching a hundred-and-something-year-old "kid." She thought it was funny. She knew the truth—and she knew exactly how I left.
Valerie looked even more surprised at what Ducas had shared. Her gaze turned to me, eyes filled with a complicated mix of emotions. I waved a hand dismissively.
"It was a total coincidence. That's why I left."
Ducas looked like he was about to speak again, but I cut him off before he could, this was getting annoying.
"Eat your fish."
At my sudden, sharp tone, Ducas immediately clamped his mouth shut and returned to his meal. Valerie stayed quiet for a few moments, then finally spoke.
"You're a very interesting man, Sir Arthur."
"No. I'm just an ordinary person currently working as an assistant."
"That only makes you more interesting. Not everyone helps others without asking for something in return. And instead of taking credit, you encouraged them to stand on their own."
+
[The Nubecula 'Raziel' is nodding his head in agreement.]
[200 points donated]
+
I frowned slightly. Valerie's words sounded sincere, which caught me off guard. Then, a familiar notification blinked into my peripheral vision—Raziel again. He sent a subtle nod of approval and even donated some points. Although points are always welcome.
I noticed Ducas nodding slightly as well. I turned to the red-haired girl and gave a small smile.
"Thank you."
Valerie returned the smile. "I meant it."
Hearing that, my smile shifted into a sly smirk.
"So… will you let me off the hook with Miss Lisa?"
Valerie didn't respond—just smiled. It was the same kind of smile, but hers was far more graceful.
Damn it. She didn't say anything, which meant I am still a competition in her eyes. I just wanted some peace.
After that, we finished our food. I ordered more wine and asked the butler to pack a bottle of the one I had earlier. I really liked it. After paying the bill, we stepped out of the hotel.
We walked back along the same street we'd come from. It was around three o'clock—barely an hour had passed, so the scenery hadn't changed much.
"They're still following."
Nothing really changes, I thought to myself as Persephone reminded me that the same people from earlier were still tailing us.
—It's okay.
I wasn't too concerned. They could be following any of us—but most likely, they were after Valerie.
Noticing my relaxed attitude, the beautiful woman beside me narrowed her eyes in suspicion.
"You don't look concerned at all. It's like you're just out for a stroll."
—Well, it's better this way.
I answered with a relaxed smile as we walked.
I had often seen people tailing Valerie in my dreams. She had serious rivals—some who just wanted to understand her, others who were more malicious. Sometimes, even her own father sent people to watch over her.
Most of the time, she was aware but didn't react. It didn't affect her directly. But every now and then, things got serious.
One such time was when Ducas had saved her. Another incident—if I remember correctly—was supposed to happen in the future, within the school campus.
Knowing all this, I wasn't too worried. But still… being followed was unsettling.
—How many people are there?
I asked through the Chatbox out of pure curiosity. Persephone blinked slowly—an unusually long blink—and replied,
"Hmm… a dozen of them."
A dozen? That many people? No one would send that many just to spy. Something felt off.
—Can you—
I was about to ask something else through the chatbox when Persephone suddenly shouted behind me, sharp and impatient—
"Get down!"