"What?"

Luka’s voice twisted slightly at hearing Gerard’s words. For some reason, the very mention of that woman’s existence created a faint tremor in his body. A dull ache rapidly spread through his muscles, making it difficult to move.

’A phantom pain from the original body?!’

The memories with this woman were vague and hazy, and whenever he tried to view them in the past, a sharp pain spread behind his eyes, stopping him.

"Fiancée...?" Iris tilted her head, "then what am I?"

In the past, whenever she mentioned being his fiancée, it sounded like a joke. At least Luka never felt any sense of pressure before. But something about her suddenly changed. The tone of her voice and the way she narrowed her eyes into thin slits said otherwise.

’What changed?’

"I said from the start, if you remember back to the meeting in the tent, before we retook Amol, that there existed a prior promise between my grandfather and the previous Duke of Ironhold City, His Grace Duke Aldebaron."

Though to Luka, these human nobles, dukes, barons, marquises, and even the kings didn’t really hold any sense of importance. Because he knew what would have happened had he failed to stop this assault.

’Come to think of it, in the original world, what happened between Babylon and Ironhold? Once a small Baron, the other a Duke.’

He stroked his chin as the intense reaction faded.

There was a lingering tingle in his chest, but Luka ignored that.

It seemed the original really liked that woman... enough to act like a dog for her.

’I recall that Galatea mentioned being denied entrance to Ironhold City and instead being sent to the south without any aid or help.’

"What?"

Iris lifted her head instantly.

Mildred also stopped mumbling for a brief moment, her pale face looking at Luka with a strange mixture of fear and confusion.

Luka remained seated.

Only his fingers moved, slowly tapping against his knee.

’So she came to Babylon instead of sending a letter. Either she’s here to break off the engagement, or something has happened, and she needs help.’

He wouldn’t be aggressive or treat her badly just because of the memories, because there was always one thing that stood out clearly.

She would kiss Luka and stroke his face with the most intense eyes.

They were so eerie that Luka tried to avoid looking at the lingering memories of her.

’No wonder the kid never looked at Galatea like that...’

He couldn’t tell whether that was bold, foolish, or simply proof of how little respect Ironhold held for Babylon.

Gerard’s voice came from beyond the door again.

"Lord Luka, she arrived with a full escort from Ironhold. They are waiting outside the manor. Sir Zack sent a messenger hawk the moment they entered our territory."

"How many?"

"Twenty riders, five knights, and two carriages."

Luka’s eyes narrowed.

That wasn’t enough to attack Babylon, but it was far too many for a casual visit.

"I see."

Iris slowly released Mildred and turned toward him.

"Are you going back?"

"I have to."

Her lips tightened, but she didn’t argue.

That alone showed she understood the situation.

A duke’s daughter arriving without notice, demanding an audience with a newly inherited lord whose territory had just survived an assault, was not something he could ignore.

But Amol couldn’t be abandoned either.

"It’ll take us an entire day to return. Have you sent word for them to receive her well?" He shouted, while a pale hand stopped him from rising.

"D-Don’t go back..." Iris asked, no begged in a shaky voice. "W-What will happen if you all leave and the goblins return?"

Luka’s heart pounded violently.

He never expected her to be so delicate.

He wanted to continue from before, to kiss her soft pink lips... to pull open that loose blouse, before he managed to control his own lustful urges.

’Damn this corruption, at times it’s a curse!’

Then noticed how she looked at him, and his heart sank, like an anchor tossed into the depths of the sea.

"....Iris?"

Luka never expected such a weakened appearance from Iris, but then again, she had just fought to save her people and seen her beloved maid covered in wounds.

Though the worst hadn’t happened, she was completely insane.

’Communication is important.’

He gently covered her hand, holding it in place.

"Iris, I will be leaving my knights, Sir Gerard, Vaun, Zack and most of those who can fight here; the ones returning with me shall be Galatea, Luvia and..." His gaze lifted to the woman with dark hair and black pupils, who watched him quietly. "Mildred should come with me, too. I can give her a comfortable place to recover."

The distance between them couldn’t increase more than 100 metres at the moment, otherwise she would start suffering intense physical and mental pain.

She didn’t respond at first.

Only glancing up at him with her wet, teary emerald eyes.

Luka looked down at her.

"You asked for work, a role and true authority, didn’t you?"

Her mouth opened, then closed again.

"This village will become New Amol. The first priority is the western pass. Block it with a proper wall, not wooden stakes or broken stones. I want layered defences, watchtowers, murder holes, and enough space behind the wall for archers and reserves to move. Not the handful we have now, it needs to be able to support thousands of troops, and resist ten times that number."

Gerard seemed to inhale sharply.

"That will require manpower, stone, tools, a tremendous amount of money and time."

"Then take them, whatever you can, if it belongs to Babylon, use it to help Amol. I have given Vaun the location of some easy-to-access ores and mineshafts. Have the dwarves help you create a future resource for our people. For now, strip the ruined houses if needed. Zack will handle patrol routes and scouting. Vaun will organise materials and workers. You will train the militia and keep discipline."

Luka paused.

"And if anyone refuses Iris’ orders, treat it as refusing mine, because from this moment on, she is both the Lady of Amol and Babylon."

This time, Iris stared at him without hiding the shock on her face.

Her small hands clenched his as she caressed his long fingers.

"...You really mean it."

"I don’t enjoy repeating false promises, My Lady."

Luka gently slipped free before leaning closer to her and kissing her forehead. "I swear to keep my word, lest the Creator smite me." After his oath, which held more meaning than Iris could understand, he stepped toward the door.

"Prepare two horses. Galatea and Luvia will come with me."

"What about Mildred?!" Iris asked.

But before he could answer, a soft chuckle came from the shadow near the window.

"Hmph, do you only remember me, after playing with that midget, my lord?"

Luvia stepped out from the darkness as if she’d been standing there the entire time. Her dark skin looked almost blue beneath the dim light, while her white hair draped over one shoulder like pale silk.

Her golden eyes curved with a bizarre sense of amusement.

Iris instantly stiffened.

"You were listening?"

"I am an assassin~ and the Lord’s other half... what are you shrieking about, little one? Do you want some candy from mommy?"

"Y-Y-You!?"

Before Iris could snap back, the door opened, and Galatea appeared in the corridor, already dressed for travel. Her blonde hair was tied back, and her sharp blue eyes moved from Iris to Luka.

"Lord Luka, your horse is ready."

Luka nodded.

"Good. We leave for Babylon now."

Iris looked as if she wanted to say something, but swallowed the words. Instead, she stood straighter, forcing herself to appear composed.

"Then I will begin with the western pass."

"Mhm, if you do well in my absence, the next time we meet. How about we continue what happened before?"

He smirked back at her as Mildred followed him back outside the door.

"B-Before?"

Iris tilted her head before her cheeks slowly grew redder and redder.

Luka left with this chance; though he might have loved to stay and flirt with the Dwarven Princess, there was something important to deal with.

Ironhold could crush Babylon as it stood right now.

’Annoying...’

He stepped outside, where the horses waited beneath the dim afternoon light. Galatea held the reins of Furia, who appeared larger, with glossier fur and mane than before, as she stood with a calm discipline. To the side, Luvia leaned lazily against Reina, almost hidden by the dense fur, her golden eyes watching Mildred with open curiosity.

"Can you ride?" Galatea asked.

Mildred stared at her for a moment too long.

Then her lips twitched.

"...I dislike your face."

Galatea’s blue eyes narrowed slightly, but she said nothing and just glanced at Luka before shaking her head.

Luvia burst into a soft laugh. "Oh? I like this one already."

Mildred slowly turned toward her, blinking several times before giving a strange, almost childish nod.

"You smell better than the blonde."

With that, Luvia started to brag, and the two women started to argue, but Luka focused on his horse. He gently reached out, hesitating at first to stroke Furia’s nose, and he felt a heavy sense of guilt in his stomach.

"Please don’t run away like that again. I thought I’d lost you forever."

Furia’s dark eyes watched him quietly before she snorted and pushed forward against his palm, stroking herself with it. It was almost as if she were saying.

"Stop being so dramatic, I am not so weak..."

With his mount now accepting him again, Luka looked between the bickering women and sighed.

’This journey back will be troublesome.’

Still, he mounted his horse.

"Enough. We return to Babylon."