"Go freshen up," Dylan said. "We'll be taking a stroll around the village."
"We just got here," I complained.
"Yes," he replied coolly. "And don't forget why we're here."
Right.
Mission first.
I stood up, grabbed a piece of chocolate from the table, and stuffed it into my mouth.
"Fine. Let's go."
Dylan looked me over.
"You're not changing?"
I blinked.
Then looked down at myself.
Oh.
I was still wearing the wedding dress.
"I forgot," I muttered.
I hurried into the dressing room, changed into a soft pink robe, and stepped back out.
While I had been gone, Dylan had changed too.
He was now dressed in a simple white robe—casual, elegant, and annoyingly perfect.
For a second, I just stared.
He looked like an angel.
A very arrogant, insufferable angel.
I kept that part to myself.
Without another word, we stepped outside.
The village marketplace was lively, but something about it felt… off.
As we walked, I could feel eyes lingering on us from different corners.
Watching.
Measuring.
Following.
At this point, there wasn't much we could do about it.
Zadek was probably still suspicious of us and had most likely sent his men to keep watch. If we wanted to move freely, we needed to convince them completely.
And fast.
A thought crossed my mind.
Without warning, I casually slipped my hand around Dylan's arm, pressing closer to his side the way couples did.
He stiffened instantly.
I almost smiled.
"What are you doing?" he murmured under his breath.
I reached up and lightly tapped his nose with a sweet smile.
His eyes widened slightly.
Oh, he definitely hadn't expected that.
"You look especially handsome today, honey," I said brightly.
Maybe this was my chance to get back at him for the pendant.
Also…
I really did have excellent taste in handsome men.
"You're overacting," he muttered.
"I know you can feel the eyes on us," I said, keeping my smile in place. "So behave. Unless you want to lose your head for marching straight into the lion's den as bait."
He looked at me like I had personally offended his ancestors.
I fought the urge to laugh.
Then I pulled him toward a nearby stall.
"I want something sweet for my husband!" I announced loudly.
Several heads turned.
A few women nearby openly stared at Dylan.
"Wow… her husband is so handsome," one of them whispered.
"I wish I had a husband that handsome," another sighed.
"She's so lucky," a third muttered.
I smiled, far too pleased with myself.
The woman running the stall beamed at us and held up a small sachet charm.
"This charm brings good luck," she said. "As long as he carries it, evil will never find him."
"Then I'll take it," I said immediately.
I clasped my hands dramatically.
"I really love my husband, ma'am. I pray the gods truly protect my weak husband."
Dylan turned slowly to look at me.
I kept going.
"I know he has no strength, but I still chose to marry him. You won't blame me, will you?" I asked pitifully. "I mean, who could see such a handsome face and resist?"
I nearly sniffled for effect.
Dylan scoffed.
The stall woman laughed.
"Mr. Handsome, your wife really loves you," she said. "Don't ever take her for granted just because you have a pretty face."
"...I see," Dylan said awkwardly, dipping his head in a stiff little bow that almost made me burst out laughing.
Oh, this was fun.
"I'll pay," I said quickly, reaching into my pocket.
Then I froze.
"Oh…"
I patted my robe again.
Nothing.
I looked up with an innocent smile.
"I don't have any money."
Then I turned dramatically and pointed at Dylan.
"But my husband is very rich. He can pay."
"I think he should," one of the bystanders agreed. "It's the thought that matters."
"That's right!" another chimed in.
Dylan looked at me.
His expression was calm.
Too calm.
But I could feel the warning in his eyes.
I ignored it.
He pulled out a gold coin and handed it over.
The woman returned the change, and I happily snatched both the balance and the sachet charm before he could protest.
Victory.
We had barely taken a few more steps when it happened.
A thug on a bicycle came speeding through the crowded street.
Before I could react, he slammed straight into me.
"Ah!"
I stumbled hard into Dylan, and the force sent both of us crashing to the ground.
Pain shot through my side.
"Ouch!"
The sachet charm flew from my hand.
Dylan was on his feet in an instant.
But instead of reaching for me first, he lunged for the fallen charm.
My mouth fell open.
Before he could grab it, another bicycle rolled right over it.
The little sachet burst open, its contents scattering across the dirt.
Dylan's expression darkened for the briefest second.
Then he crouched and quickly picked up what remained.
I pushed myself upright, wincing.
"So now even a sachet charm is more important than me?" I muttered, forcing a sweet smile for the people still watching.
But inwardly, I understood exactly what had just happened.
That wasn't an accident.
They had tested us.
Twice.
First, by knocking us down unexpectedly.
Second, by destroying the charm in front of us.
If either of us had used magic on instinct, we would've exposed ourselves.
I glanced at Dylan.
He had reacted fast enough to protect the act… and still restrained himself completely.
Not even a flicker of power.
His control was terrifying.
And impressive.
Very impressive.
By the time we returned to our room, the sun had already dipped lower.
Today had been… a lot.
The moment we entered, Dylan headed straight for the bathroom.
I flopped onto the bed with a sigh, then stared toward the window.
I could still sense it.
The presence outside.
They were still watching.
Idiots.
But today had confirmed something important.
They weren't ordinary guards.
They were demons in disguise.
That much was certain now.
I pushed myself off the bed and walked toward the bedside table, searching for my hair band.
A moment later, the bathroom door opened.
And I made the mistake of looking up.
Dylan stepped out wearing nothing but a white towel tied low around his waist.
My brain stopped working.
Droplets of water slid from his damp hair, trailing down his neck… over his chest… lower… disappearing beneath the towel.
He held a smaller towel in one hand, using it to dry his hair.
I swallowed hard.
Oh no.
No, no, no.
He started walking toward me.
I immediately took a step back.
Then he took another step.
I moved again.
He kept advancing.
I kept retreating.
Step after step, until—
My back hit the wall.
Trapped.
He stopped right in front of me.
Much too close.
"What are you doing?" I asked, my voice far less steady than I wanted.
"Behave," he said quietly.
And before I could even process what he meant—
He bent down, lifted me effortlessly into his arms, and carried me toward the bed.
My breath caught.
His eyes locked onto mine the entire time.
Then he dropped me onto the mattress.
Not roughly.
But not gently enough for my heart to survive either.
I bounced slightly against the bed, my pulse racing.
He leaned over me, one hand braced beside my head.
Then he tilted my chin up.
My breath stopped.
For one terrifying, ridiculous second, I thought—
No.
Surely not.
Then, from downstairs, I heard the faint shuffle of footsteps retreating.
The demons outside.
They were leaving.
Oh.
Oh.
This was for them.
He had done all of this… to make them believe we were truly husband and wife.
The realization hit me just as Dylan pulled away.
He rolled onto the bed beside me, staring at the ceiling as if nothing had happened.
Meanwhile, my heart was trying to tear itself out of my chest.
What is wrong with me?
Calm down, Clover.
He's just a man.
A dangerously handsome, half-naked, unfairly built man—
Stop it.
I mentally slapped myself.
"I think they're gone," I said, trying to sound normal.
"Yes."
That was all he said.
As if he hadn't just carried me like some shameless male lead from a romance novel.
"You did well today," he added after a moment.
I turned to look at him.
Before I could respond, he sat up, stood from the bed, and calmly began dressing.
As though the past two minutes hadn't just nearly ended my life.
"Bruno," he called.
Immediately, Bruno appeared.
Just like that.
Out of nowhere.
My eyes widened in horror.
Wait—
Had he been here the whole time?!