Clay sat on the horse, his hands loosely holding the reins as his gaze followed Cerys, who had just finished killing the wild boar. For a moment, he said nothing. He only watched her.
Cerys was practically glowing.
She jumped once. Then again. Then she spun around, her long hair swaying behind her as if she had just accomplished something grand beyond imagination. Her laughter rang out, bright and clear, echoing across the quiet road as if the entire forest existed just to hear her joy.
"Young master! Young master! Did you see that?" she called out, her voice filled with excitement.
She ran toward him, then stopped halfway, then ran again, as if she could not decide whether to approach him or celebrate on her own.
"The inheritance made me strong! The inheritance made me strong!" she repeated, her eyes sparkling.
She raised her hands and looked at them, clenching and unclenching her fingers as if testing her own strength again and again, her expression filled with disbelief and excitement.
"I did not expect this! I really did not expect this!" she continued, pacing in small circles before him. "That wild boar was so big, and it looked so scary, but it was nothing! Nothing at all!"
She laughed again, covering her mouth for a moment as if embarrassed by her own reaction, but the excitement was too much for her to hold back.
"Look, young master, look!" she said, pointing at the fallen beast as if presenting a grand achievement. "I defeated it! Just like that! One strike!"
She mimicked her own movement, stepping forward and swinging her arm, her body full of energy as she reenacted the moment.
"The inheritance is amazing! It is really amazing!" she continued, her voice growing louder and louder. "I feel like I can do anything now! I feel like I can protect you properly now, young master!"
She jumped again, her feet barely touching the ground as she turned to him with a bright smile.
"Did you see it? Did you see it clearly? I was not clumsy at all, right? I was strong, right?"
Clay blinked.
Then he blinked again.
His expression remained calm, but inside, his thoughts were moving once more.
This girl is indeed strong.
But he frowned.
But too strong.
He watched her carefully, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly as he observed her movements, her excitement, her energy.
She killed a wild boar just like that.
He leaned back slightly, still silent.
Earlier, he had teased her, and she could barely handle it, turning shy and flustered. Then she said she needed to practice the inheritance. That part made sense.
But this?
Her first kill after obtaining the inheritance was powerful enough to kill a Holy Knight and now, the second one? This is too much…
Too clean.
Too fast.
Too easy.
He exhaled quietly.
Is she really not the Final Villainess?
The thought surfaced again, stubborn as ever.
But then he shook his head slightly.
No. Enough.
He was tired.
Tired of thinking too much. Tired of doubting everything.
Maybe she was just talented.
Maybe she was also strong enough to gain a powerful inheritance.
Plus, he helped her get it.
If she were the final Villainess, she wouldn't need him.
Plus, she already swore her loyalty to him through both Mana Oath and Blood Oath.
There was no need to doubt her further.
Meanwhile, Cerys continued her performance.
Inside, she was exhausted.
Her excitement was not entirely fake, but she exaggerated it. Every movement, every laugh, every word was carefully chosen.
She knew she had gone too far.
That strike earlier had been too clean.
Too decisive.
If she continued like this, the young master would suspect her again.
So she pushed even harder in the opposite direction.
She clapped her hands together and bounced lightly on her feet again.
"Young master! Young master! Look at me!" she said, her voice rising.
She ran in a small circle again before stopping in front of him, her cheeks slightly flushed.
"The inheritance made me strong! The inheritance made me strong!" she repeated once more, as if engraving it into his mind.
She even raised her hands again, waving them slightly.
"I still need to practice! I need to practice more!" she added quickly, trying to balance her display. "This was just luck! Yes, just luck! If I do it again, I might fail!"
She laughed awkwardly, scratching her cheek as if embarrassed.
"But still… did you see it, young master? Did I do well?"
Her eyes shone as she looked at him, waiting for his response.
Clay opened his mouth.
Then suddenly, a voice interrupted them.
"Thank you for saving me from the wild boar, ma'am and sir."
Both Clay and Cerys turned.
The woman from earlier stood there, her posture straight, her expression calm, though there was a hint of gratitude in her eyes.
Clay nodded once.
Cerys gave a small smile, though she remained silent.
The woman hesitated for a moment, then spoke again.
"May I know your names ma'am and sir?"
Clay and Cerys exchanged a glance, then both of them simply nodded again, as if acknowledging her words, but made no move to answer.
They turned slightly, preparing to leave.
"Hey, that's rude."
A voice came from behind the woman.
Clay and Cerys turned again.
The young man stepped forward, his expression exaggerated as he pointed at them.
"She just wants to remember your names so she can thank you properly, and you are just going to walk away like that?" he said, shaking his head dramatically.
He placed a hand on his chest and sighed loudly.
"This is exactly what is wrong with people these days," he continued, pacing back and forth as if delivering a speech to an invisible audience. "No manners, no respect, no proper conduct."
He stopped and pointed at Clay.
"You look like someone from the Holy Kingdom, right? Carrying holy magic like that, walking around like you own the place, and yet you cannot even introduce yourself properly?"
He clicked his tongue.
"What would the elders say if they saw this? What would the priests say? What would the knights say?" he continued, raising his voice as if addressing a crowd. "A user of holy power acting like this? It is disgraceful!"
He crossed his arms and shook his head again.
"Honestly, if you were in the academy, you would have been scolded for this behavior," he added, his tone full of mock disappointment. "You might even be punished."
His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked Clay up and down.
"And what is this posture? Hands in your pockets while on the top of your horse, riding away from someone who just thanked you? Are you trying to act cool? Or are you just that arrogant?"
He stepped closer.
"You think having holy magic makes you special?" he continued, his voice turning sharper. "There are countless people with holy magic in this world. You are not the only one."
He smirked slightly.
"If anything, your attitude makes you look worse than those who do not have it."
Cerys's expression darkened.
"Do not you dare be rude to my young master," she said, her voice cold.
The woman immediately raised her hand.
"Please, do not mind him," she said quickly. "He speaks too much."
She turned to Clay again.
"I still wish to know your name," she said calmly. "If I have the chance in the future, I would like to repay you properly."
Clay looked at her for a moment.
Then he spoke.
"I am Clay Valmont," he said simply. "And you?"
But that seemed like the struck of a cold Ice Age.
The woman froze.
Her eyes widened slightly.
For a moment, she said nothing.
The young man behind her blinked and looked at her, then at Clay, then back at her again.
Why is she reacting like that?
The woman slowly raised her hand.
Cold air gathered around her.
Frost formed, spreading outward as a faint aura of ice surrounded her body.
Clay's eyes widened.
His entire body stiffened.
Cerys looked at the woman, then at Clay, then back at the woman again.
"Young master… do you know who she is?" she asked quietly.
Behind the woman, the young man frowned.
"Frazanna… who is he?" he asked.
At the same time, Clay and the woman spoke.
"He is my fiancé."
"She is my fiancé."
Silence fell.
Cerys's eyes widened.
The young man's mouth opened slightly.
"What!?"