107. The Proposal
"In the end, the expedition force, even pushed back in battle, had no choice but to retreat. They couldn't even catch a glimpse of the bandits' faces before returning to Fernin. I'm just coming back from hearing the full report on the before and after, and getting the Aiter alchemy professor's opinion on that 'composite beast' my knights witnessed."
"Hmmm..."
Eunhyeon fell deep into thought after hearing everything Riod had to say.
He sorted through the stories in his mind, lining up the key keywords.
Bandits who raided the village.
Mysterious beasts encountered during the expedition to subjugate them.
Beasts that were composites of humans and monsters.
There's still way too little information.
He could come up with any number of guesses and hypotheses, but they were all useless without confirmation.
"How much damage did we take?"
"Two knights with minor injuries, one serious. Among the soldiers, thirteen minor, four serious, and one dead. Damn it..."
"You..."
Terezia gently stroked Riod's shoulders, comforting him as frustration leaked from his tightly bitten lips and clenched fists. It was only natural he'd feel responsible for this incident.
"This isn't ordinary. You'll head out again, right?"
"Of course. For my injured knights and soldiers—and I can't just leave those beasts that overwhelmed them be."
"Good. Then I'll join too."
"...Really?"
Riod asked again, as if it were unexpected.
To him, Eunhyeon was always a reliable pillar to lean on and consult, but few knew of their close relationship.
Riod knew Eunhyeon had no intention of revealing it publicly or stepping forward, so this was an unexpectedly welcome surprise.
"No reason to hold back anymore, and this is a matter of your reputation too."
Word of Artia knights failing an expedition under Riod's lead would spread like wildfire through noble gossip.
Factions hostile to Riod, eager to undermine his prestige, would latch onto any excuse.
The best move was to resolve it quickly before rumors spread further.
"Time to boost your value a bit while we're at it."
"My value? What do you mean?"
"How do you even live like this? You're one of the great heroes who saved the world, yet you're just getting checked by other nobles, not getting proper treatment from the kingdom. Despite holding the title of the kingdom's greatest knight, its core figure."
Having made his name across the continent as one of the war-ending heroes, the Pernias Kingdom he belonged to naturally gained fame and influence.
They should have all—royals and nobles alike—showered him with honors, but instead, they resented his growing power and itched to bite and restrain him.
"To hear that from you of all people—it's beyond infuriating; it's absurd."
Riod let out a hollow laugh.
The greatest contributor to ending the war wasn't the public heroes including himself, but Eunhyeon, whose existence remained hidden from the world.
The man who led them and ultimately sacrificed his life had revived for some reason, refusing to reveal the truth, demanding no reward, and living carefree.
And he still helped when needed.
To outsiders ignorant of Eunhyeon's motives, it was incomprehensible.
"From what you said, seems like something happened with Queen Regent Dianne too. What the hell did you do to earn such grudge?"
The root reason nobles could slight Riod was the Pernias royals' disdain for Riod Olivion.
"Ah, that..."
"Terezia."
Riod cut off Terezia as she urgently tried to explain to Eunhyeon.
A glance signaling silence made her sigh and slump her shoulders.
"Hmmm, guess there's something you don't want to share. Fine. But use this chance to improve your standing here. This kingdom survives on your prestige in rivalries with others, growing into a powerhouse—yet it's full of trash who feel no gratitude, just desperate to devour you. Let's make sure they can't crawl back up this time; set the board properly."
"No, this is your lead, so I'm just..."
"What do you think, Marchioness?"
"Hehe, sounds good."
Ignoring Riod—the plan's center and star—Eunhyeon sought Terezia's approval.
As he stood, she rose too, taking his offered hand in a firm shake.
Eunhyeon highly valued her skills: lifting Riod from despair after the war and Eunhyeon's "death," dominating high society to support her husband, seating him where he was now.
Especially her cunning in inciting Illyana to land a blow on him indirectly, all from the shadows—it even gave Eunhyeon chills.
"Not just Lady Illyana; I think I can maintain a very good relationship with you too, Lord Eunhyeon."
For Terezia, her husband's capable friend stepping up personally to bolster him was pure joy.
"Haa..."
As the silver snake and golden lioness exchanged sly smiles, the brown-maned lion sandwiched between shot them a weary glare and sighed.
"Oh, and Riod—sorry, but I want some compensation this time."
"Compensation?"
Riod's face showed surprise at the unexpected word from Eunhyeon.
He'd helped countless times without asking for anything.
"Well, you see..."
Seeing Eunhyeon's hesitant expression, Riod tensed too.
If it troubled Eunhyeon this much, it had to be no small matter.
"On this, you're better than me, so I want your advice."
"Me? Better than you?"
Riod looked baffled, while Terezia beside him stifled giggles.
"I... this time..."
Riod watched Eunhyeon hesitate, listening quietly with suspicious eyes.
The moment he heard Eunhyeon's lifelong request, the entire Olivion mansion echoed with the lion-lord's booming laughter.
[Have you finally made up your mind?]
"Yeah. Pretty much."
Eunhyeon nodded with a wry smile at Verdandi's question.
[I'm overjoyed by your decision, my child.]
Verdandi beamed with pride and warmth at Eunhyeon, who had finally resolved his long deliberations.
"...Is it really such a happy occasion?"
[Of course. You've chosen your own happiness of your own will. I've always hoped you'd make this choice.]
"......"
Walking under the dark night sky, Eunhyeon quietly stared into the void.
It was a perennial dilemma.
Did he even deserve to pursue happiness?
He who distinguished between lives he could save and those he must, arbitrarily assigning weights and values—saving some while abandoning others.
Standing here on the stepping stones of others' lives, was there a path to his own happiness? He pondered.
Voices of the lives he'd forsaken—"Why didn't you help?" "Why did you abandon me?"—still echoed, chaining his heart in torment.
Thus, in 400 years mingling with countless people, he'd never formed a lover's bond with a woman.
Illyana was an extreme exception.
Her blowing wind into his wandering post-resurrection heart was one reason, but he couldn't reject hers either.
[Fate is truly capricious. That 'witch's descendant' of all people, back then.]
Guilt and responsibility were the biggest triggers for accepting Illyana's feelings.
But to say no love grew from their bond? No.
"Still, I've made my decision now. It's really... okay? If I do what I want."
[Naturally. I wish only for your happiness.]
"Thank you."
Eunhyeon nodded gratefully at his goddess's boundless benevolence, bowing his head slightly.
Her permission granted.
All that remained was conveying his heart to her.
Just as Illyana had confessed without waiting longer, now Eunhyeon resolved to do the same.
"Ah, Hyeon. You're back?"
Entering home, Erin greeted him from the living room.
"It's late—have you washed up?"
"Ehehe, I did a bit of training."
"Good girl."
"Hehe."
"Come here; I'll brush your hair."
"Yeah!"
Eunhyeon fetched the comb, gesturing to the chair. Delighted, Erin sat.
He toweled her shower-damp hair, then used warm wind magic to dry it.
Creak.
"You're back?"
Illyana, roused by the noise, rubbed her eyes to greet him.
"How long have you slept?"
"About... three hours?"
She naturally slipped behind, hugging his waist.
"Change clothes first."
Still in expedition gear, half-asleep Illyana got a scolding; she scowled.
"Too bothersome... You dress me..."
Her drowsy, languid voice from lack of sleep drew a sigh. Finishing Erin's brushing, he said,
"Done. School tomorrow—bed now."
"Okay!"
Erin nodded eagerly, darting to her room.
Eunhyeon disentangled Illyana's tight hug, slid hands under her waist and legs, scooping her up.
Undressing her, he admired her familiar nudity, then fetched pajamas from the closet and dressed her.
"Illyana, I'm joining Riod's expedition this time. I'll be away for a while."
"Mmm... How long?"
Her eyes closed, half-dozing yet responding clearly—Eunhyeon chuckled.
"Dunno—a few weeks, maybe?"
"And me?"
"You've got library duties. Can't leave Erin alone."
"True."
"And..."
Damn... This is total flag territory. Really don't wanna...
Saying it now screamed impending disaster, yet he couldn't not.
Heart set, but reasons piled up, words stuck.
This timing felt like a death flag.
Torn in dilemma, Illyana opened her eyes, glaring.
"What? Why the suspense?"
"When I return from the expedition... wanna get married?"
"......"
Silence filled Illyana's room after his words.
Seconds passed; she snapped alert, eyes wide, glaring murderously.
"Say it again."
"Huh?"
"Say it again. Quick!"
"Uh, I'm joining Riod's exped—"
"Not that! After that!"
Dismissing her friend Riod's issue as "that"—he'd scowl and call her spinster if he heard.
"When the expedition ends..."
"Yeah."
"Wanna get married?"
"...Haaaa."
Illyana clutched her chest, exhaling deeply.
"Hey."
"Yeah?"
"What kinda proposal is that garbage?"
"Uh..."
Her nonchalant reaction left Eunhyeon speechless.
"That one phrase was so hard to hear, right?"
"...Sorry. I'm the asshole."
He smiled bitterly, nodding.
"Dying without confessing, leaving me single till forty—and now marriage? Marriaaaage? This sudden?"
"Don't want to?"
"Who said that?! Obviously yes, you idiot!"
Grabbing his collar, Illyana kissed him fiercely.
"Puha... No good... Strip."
"What?"
The exposure training from their last Illusion World had awakened odd tastes in her; she didn't realize her switches flipping strangely.
"Strip, now—my belly's throbbing. Do it right now."
"Hey, we both have stuff tomorrow. After the exped—"
"Can't wait!"
Fully awakened lust made her yell.
"Expedition's weeks? You made my body like this—where you running? Satisfy me fully before you go. So I behave till you return."
"......"