Lily stopped walking instantly.

Her eyes narrowed at the closed carriage door in complete disbelief.

For three whole seconds, she simply stared at it.

Then...

"What?"

No response came from inside.

The white-haired menace had entered the carriage, sat down comfortably, and closed the door directly in her face without even acknowledging her existence.

Lily felt personally attacked.

Her mouth fell open slightly before outrage exploded across her expression.

"Excuse me?!"

Still nothing.

The coachman sitting at the front looked like a man desperately pretending he could not hear anything.

Lily marched toward the carriage immediately and knocked hard against the door.

"That is my carriage!"

Silence.

"Hey!"

Nothing.

The man inside remained completely unmoved.

Lily looked utterly offended now.

"This lizard-looking man has lost his mind," she muttered beneath her breath.

Inside the other carriage, Rosaline pressed her lips together very hard to stop herself from laughing.

It failed almost immediately.

A quiet snort escaped her.

Xandros, seated comfortably across from her, merely glanced toward the chaos outside before looking entirely unbothered.

"Ignore them," he said calmly.

Rosaline blinked at him. "You caused this."

"I corrected a transportation issue."

"That is not what correction means."

Outside, Lily was still glaring at the carriage like she wanted to physically fight it.

"Open the door!"

The coachman cleared his throat awkwardly. "Lady Lily..."

She turned dramatically toward him.

"What?"

The poor man instantly regretted speaking.

"You could perhaps..." he hesitated carefully, "...sit beside me?"

Lily froze.

Then slowly...

very slowly...

she turned back toward the closed carriage with betrayal written all over her face.

"You are doing this intentionally," she accused loudly.

Inside the carriage, Kiel finally spoke for the first time.

"Yes."

Lily looked ready to collapse from irritation.

Rosaline covered her mouth immediately while laughter shook her shoulders.

Even Xandros looked mildly entertained now that Kiel responded.

Lily straightened with wounded dignity afterward.

"Fine."

Her voice carried the deep bitterness of a woman wronged by society.

"I did not even want to sit with you anyway."

The moment she turned around, however, her expression became murderous.

She climbed up beside the coachman stiffly while muttering several very creative insults beneath her breath.

The coachman wisely remained silent.

The journey began shortly afterward.

The cold wind swept through the streets as both carriages moved through the capital roads beneath pale sunlight. Merchants shouted from distant stalls while crowds filled the city with restless movement and noise.

Inside the carriage, Rosaline occasionally peeked through the small window toward Lily sitting rigidly at the front like a soldier heading to war.

"She looks miserable," Rosaline whispered.

"She’ll survive."

"You’re cruel."

"So I have been told."

Rosaline shook her head softly, though amusement still lingered in her eyes.

Eventually, the scenery around them began changing.

The wealthier districts disappeared behind them little by little until wider streets filled with darker buildings and louder crowds replaced them. Strange shops lined the roads while cloaked figures moved through the streets with suspicious urgency.

Then Rosaline recognized it immediately.

Her eyes widened slightly.

"Virellion Square?"

The carriage slowed near the crowded entrance of the district while voices and music echoed loudly through the air outside.

Rosaline turned quickly toward Xandros.

"You brought me back here?"

Xandros rested one arm lazily against the carriage wall.

"This part of the square isn’t only a market," he explained calmly. "It also contains the underground trade routes."

Rosaline blinked once.

Then..a visible beam of excitement appeared across her face.

Xandros frowned immediately.

"...Why do you look pleased?"

Rosaline turned toward the window again excitedly.

"A black market?"

"That is not something normal people say with enthusiasm."

"But I’ve never seen one before." Rosaline replied.

"That is because they are illegal."

"That makes it more interesting."she argued back.

Xandros stared at her silently for several seconds.

Then sighed.

"You are strangely fearless for someone who nearly got burned alive here."

Rosaline crossed her arms proudly.

"Well..." she lifted her chin slightly, "...you’re here to protect me."

The words slipped out naturally.

Too naturally.

The second she realized what she had just said...

heat exploded across her face.

Rosaline froze.

Xandros raised one brow slowly.

Her panic worsened instantly.

Without another word, Rosaline shoved the carriage door open and escaped as fast as she could.

Xandros watched her disappear outside before a low chuckle escaped him unexpectedly.

Rosaline stood outside beside the road now, pretending to admire nearby stalls while internally dying from embarrassment.

Why would she say something like that?!

Her cheeks still burned furiously.

A shadow suddenly approached from behind.

Rosaline turned quickly...

then visibly relaxed upon seeing Lily.

"Oh thank gods."

Lily looked deeply offended already.

"That white-haired demon locked me outside the carriage."

Rosaline blinked innocently.

"Really?"

"Yes really!"

Behind them, Kiel stepped down from the carriage calmly.

Lily instantly glared at him.

A dangerous glare.

Kiel ignored it completely.

Rosaline watched the interaction carefully before slowly smiling.

Oh.

This was entertaining.

"You seem upset," Rosaline said sweetly.

"I am upset." Lily replied not knowing that she was being teased.

"You’re glaring very hard."

"Because he exists."

Lily pointed accusingly toward Kiel, who continued walking beside Xandros like none of this concerned him.

"That man is rude."

Rosaline tilted her head thoughtfully.

"I think he enjoys annoying you."

Lily looked horrified.

"That makes it worse!... cause why me?"

Rosaline laughed softly before linking her arm through Lily’s and pulling her toward the crowded streets ahead.

The market looked just as alive as Rosaline remembered.

Colorful fabrics hung from nearby stalls while merchants shouted over one another loudly. Strange scents drifted through the air...spices, smoke, perfume, alcohol and something metallic beneath it all.

Yet this time...

the fear she felt during her first visit was gone.

Because now Xandros walked behind her.

And somehow...

that alone changed everything.

Rosaline glanced briefly over her shoulder toward him.

Xandros noticed immediately.

Their eyes met for one short second.

Then Rosaline quickly looked away again before he could say anything dangerous.

Lily caught the entire interaction.

"Oh no," she muttered dramatically.

Rosaline frowned. "What?"

"You’re doing the look."

"What look?"

"The in-love look."

Rosaline nearly tripped.

"I am not in love!"

"Mm."

"That sounded judgmental."

"Because it was." Lily said straightly.

Rosaline huffed softly and refused to continue the conversation.

Behind them, Xandros watched the two women quietly while Kiel walked beside him in silence.

The white-haired man finally glanced toward Lily again.

"She talks too much."

Xandros looked amused. "And yet you keep listening."

Kiel said nothing after that.

Ahead, Rosaline slowed slightly near one part of the square.

Her expression softened.

"This is where it happened," she murmured quietly.

Lily followed her gaze immediately.

The exact section of the market where the Rogith incident had occurred remained partially damaged. One wall still carried dark burn marks from the earlier chaos.

Rosaline stared at it for several seconds.

Then...

someone slammed directly into Lily.

Hard enough to nearly knock her sideways.

"Hey—!"

The man stumbled backward immediately.

"Sorry, I wasn’t..."

He stopped.

Lily froze too.

Recognition struck both of them instantly.

Brown hair.

Sharp eyes.

Familiar irritated expression.

Matthew.

Lily stared at him like the universe had personally betrayed her again.

"Oh absolutely not."

Matthew looked like a man whose soul had just abandoned his body.

His eyes widened slightly as he stared at Lily in disbelief.

Unfortunately for him...

Lily looked equally horrified.

"You again?" she asked flatly.

Matthew immediately frowned. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means exactly what it sounds like."

Rosaline looked between them with growing interest.

"Oh, this is personal."

"It is not," both of them answered instantly.

Rosaline blinked once.

Then slowly smiled.

Interesting.

Matthew clicked his tongue afterward before brushing dust from his sleeve dramatically.

"I was literally apologizing for bumping into you."

"You nearly knocked me into another kingdom." she said exaggerating the issue.

"You were standing in the middle of the road!"

"I was walking!"

"That sounds inaccurate."

Lily looked ready to fight him publicly.

Rosaline wisely took one step backward.

Somewhere nearby, a merchant loudly shouted about fresh fruit while people continued moving around them without concern. The chaos of Virellion Square carried on naturally despite the rising tension between two very irritated individuals.

Matthew exhaled deeply afterward like a man exhausted by existence itself.

"Forget it."

He turned slightly before suddenly spotting someone farther within the marketplace.

His expression shifted immediately.

"Oh...Jeremiah!"

A tall man wearing dark brown robes looked up from beside a nearby stall filled with strange silver trinkets. The moment he recognized Matthew, he raised one hand casually in greeting.

"Still alive?" Jeremiah asked dryly.

"Unfortunately."

The two clasped forearms briefly in greeting before Jeremiah’s gaze shifted lazily toward Lily and Rosaline nearby.

"Well," he muttered. "You certainly upgraded your company."

Matthew instantly looked uncomfortable.

Lily looked offended.

Rosaline looked entertained.

"You say strange things," Matthew muttered.

Jeremiah only smirked slightly before stepping aside again.

Yet despite speaking casually...

Matthew noticed it.

The exact second Jeremiah’s expression changed.

Subtly.

But enough.

The other man’s eyes suddenly lifted behind him.

And then immediately lowered.

Respectfully....and then he turned and walked away from there.

Matthew frowned slightly.

Then....

cold air slid down the back of his neck.

Instantly.

Sharp enough to make every instinct inside him scream.

His body stiffened.

Slowly...

Matthew turned around.

And saw him.

The Duke.

Xandros stood several feet away beside Kiel, dark clothing shifting softly beneath the wind while silver-grey eyes rested calmly on him.

The surrounding atmosphere itself seemed heavier around the man.

Dangerously calm.

Matthew straightened so quickly he nearly injured himself.

"Your Grace!"

He bowed immediately.

Very deeply.

Lily watched with poorly hidden satisfaction.

Rosaline tried not to laugh.

Matthew remained bent respectfully before finally straightening again nervously.

"I didn’t realize you were here."

Xandros said nothing at first.

Which somehow made the situation worse.

Matthew swallowed slightly.

"Well then..." he laughed awkwardly, "...I should probably..."

"Stop."

The single word froze him instantly.

Matthew turned back so fast he almost stumbled.

"Yes, Your Grace?"

Xandros looked at him quietly.

"What exactly do you do here?"

Matthew blinked once.

Then twice.

"Me?"

"No," Xandros replied dryly. "The wall behind you."

Matthew nearly sweated.

"I—well—I am a businessman."

Xandros raised one brow slowly.

The silence that followed felt like judgment itself.

Matthew cracked immediately.

"I direct people," he corrected quickly.

"To where?"

Matthew hesitated.

"...places."

Xandros’ expression remained completely unreadable.

"This is Virellion Square," he said calmly. "Most ’places’ here are illegal."

Matthew looked moments away from fainting.

"No!"

The denial came so fast several nearby people turned to look.

Matthew immediately lowered his voice again.

"I mean...I have absolutely no involvement with black market activities, Your Grace. None whatsoever. I am an honest citizen. Extremely honest. Possibly the most honest man here."

Lily snorted loudly.

Matthew glared at her briefly before turning back toward Xandros with survival instincts stronger than pride.

"I merely help travelers navigate the city."

"Mm."

"That is all."

"Mm."

Matthew was starting to panic because the Duke kept making that sound.

Finally, unable to bear it anymore, he blurted desperately...

"Please spare me, Your Grace."

Rosaline blinked in surprise.

Xandros looked mildly unimpressed.

"I was not planning to kill you."

Matthew visibly relaxed.

Then...

"Yet."

The relief vanished instantly.

Lily nearly choked trying not to laugh.

Matthew looked personally betrayed by the universe.

"I have done nothing!"

"You exist loudly."

"That feels unfair."

Xandros ignored the complaint completely.

Instead, his gaze shifted briefly toward one of the darker alleyways farther ahead within the square.

Then back toward Matthew.

"You know this district well."

Matthew hesitated carefully.

"...Yes?"

"Good."

The answer somehow sounded threatening.

Matthew looked nervous again.

Xandros stepped forward slightly afterward.

"Come with me."

Matthew blinked.

"What?"

"You heard me."

Matthew looked toward Rosaline and Lily helplessly like they might save him.

They did not.

Lily actually looked delighted by his suffering.

Traitor.

Matthew sighed internally before nodding weakly.

"Yes, Your Grace."

Xandros turned afterward and began walking toward one of the deeper paths leading further into the market.

Kiel followed silently beside him.

Matthew hesitated only a second before hurrying after them nervously.

Rosaline watched the three men disappear gradually into the crowded streets ahead.

Then silence settled briefly between her and Lily.

Lily crossed her arms immediately.

"I dislike him."

Rosaline smiled slightly.

"Which one?"

"...what?"