Spoken gently and plainly, so it was even crueler. Akkard was speechless for a moment.

“What the hell, you’re a woman…….”

Akkard opened his mouth without knowing what he wanted to ask or say. But before that mystery could be solved, someone intervened.

It was Lessid who stood in front of Akkard, which deterred him.

“Lady Damia.”

Lessid, with a smooth, elegant movement, chinned towards the mansion as he glided between them. He reported the progress in a flat deep tone.

“Miss Cecil is resting inside. She just got a little hot, so she’ll be fine soon.

“… Thank you.”

Dami, who knew better than anyone that Cecil was a fake patient, smiled awkwardly.

Now that Lessid was back, there was no need for her to continue to converse with Akkard.

She secretly hid her released hand behind her back and decided to run away from her spot.

“Then I’ll go see Cecil. It was nice to meet you today. Sir Akkard and Father Lessid.”

The tight-lipped Akkard didn’t respond. Instead, Lessid uttered the appropriate good-bye:

“May the Goddess always be with you.”

Damia, who was lightly addressed, moved away. Maybe because she was a beauty, even her back and figure was uselessly perfect.

Her hair was like petals flying in the wind, showing off her feminine body line in her fluffy skirt.

“You are going to stare a hole in the back of her head.”

Lessid pointed out in a harsh, angry tone. In response, Akkard stuck back fiercely, his thick eyebrows frowning.

“Then why don’t you put your eyes away.”

Lessid didn’t answer back. Instead, he clicked his tongue and whispered, lowering his voice.

“Even if you can’t control your wandering eyes, don’t forget what you need to do.”

Akkard’s face turned cold as the talk of work came out.

That’s right.

Akkard Valerian suddenly came to the far north because there was a secret ‘mission’ to do here.

Lessid’s words pinpointed this fact. He subtly reiterated himself to the unresponsive Akkard.

“Even if I am presumptuous, please understand. I even chose this side, betraying the temple. So I don’t want things to go wrong because of personal feelings.”

“… I know well.”

Akkard answered slowly. His voice was as hard and cold as iron. After hearing his clear answer, Lessid’s severe expression was lifted a little.

“Okay, let’s concentrate together and do our job well, for the poor South suffering from ‘pollution.’”

“Indeed.”

Akkard nodded. There was a short tight bond between the two men united by the same goal.

Until Lessid opened his mouth again:

“Oh! And don’t get too close to Lady Damia.”

“Why? You think I’ll be blinded by a woman and mess up the mission?”

Akkard asked back, infuriated. No matter how much they were on the same side, there was now an insurmountable wall between Lessid and himself. Lessid had crossed a line.

Akkard was a top predator in name and substance. He had never let anything crawl under his feet. A completely unexpected reply came out of Lessid as Akkard gritted his teeth and waited for his answer.

“No, because I like Damia.”

“….. What?”

“What are you so surprised about? She’s so pretty and smart. It would be weird if you didn’t like her.”

Lessid, who answered calmly, looked at him with a rather sour, strange look. He seemed to have no idea that Akkard had already slept with her.

As a result, Akkard, lost in the absurdity of the situation, remained silent for a while. Taking advantage of the gap of silence, Lessid added in a quick tone:

“I’m telling you beforehand, don’t touch Miss Damia. As soon as this is done, I’m going to take off my new uniform and confess immediately.”

Lessid, who recited the cliche lines from popular romance novels, quickly walked away.

Akkard watched the swaying blonde, bewildered.

“…But I’ve already touched her first.”

Akkard’s stomach was boiling.

No matter how bad his reputation was in the capital’s society, it was very unfair to him this time.

He was a victim of Damia’s relationship with him. Dami seduced him by tricking him like a worn-out, broken woman from the very beginning. And after using him for her first experience, she ran away—as if it weren’t her who seduced him in the first place!

This situation alone was driving him crazy— but now even Lessid was afraid of being discarded like a single, lonely dog by Damia.

An angry Akkad lashed out with a small curse,

“Damn it.”

It was clear that he did not fit well with Northern soil—goddamn it all.