60) Masdura
…
{3rd Pov}
After an entire week of travel, the dynamic between the three of them had become… complicated.
Athena had made multiple attempts to get closer to Ember, each one slightly more direct than the last. However, every single attempt had failed.
Not because she lacked effort.
But because Ember had responded with a level of emotional density that could only be compared to a black hole.
No matter what she did whether it was subtle hints, physical closeness, teasing, or even outright suggestive behavior, he absorbed everything and returned absolutely nothing in that direction, mark of true blackhole, putting even Bell Cranel to shame.
To him, everything was still categorized under “bro behavior,” no matter how questionable it became.
It was almost impressive.
In fact, at some point, Ember had consciously reinforced this mindset just to make sure things did not spiral into something more complicated. He had effectively locked himself into that interpretation to maintain stability in their relationship.
And then there was Merina.
If Ember was the “black hole,” then Merina had unknowingly become his strongest ally.
At first, she had only intended to monitor Athena.
But as the days passed, she began actively interfering, it was subtle but effective.
Interrupting moments that should have been romantical, redirecting conversations and appearing at the worst possible times for Athena ensuring that any romantic momentum Athena tried to build was immediately crushed before it could develop further.
From Athena’s perspective, it felt like her efforts were being systematically sabotaged.
From Merina’s perspective, she was simply doing her duty.
From Ember’s perspective, everything was completely normal.
Eventually, after a week of this ongoing struggle, they continued their journey and arrived at a much more prominent city within the Empire.
Morten.
Compared to Rosemade, this city was larger, more structured, and visibly more guarded.
The roads were wider, the buildings more fortified, and the presence of authority was much more noticeable.
“This city is under the control of a significantly powerful noble family,” Merina explained as they approached.
“There should also be Imperial Knights stationed here. We need to be careful while passing through.”
Her tone was serious.
Unlike the more relaxed border towns, this place had stricter oversight.
Athena, however, looked completely unconcerned.
She leaned back slightly and spoke in a relaxed tone.
“There’s no need to worry, Mary,” she said casually.
“I doubt they even have a Level 3 here… much less someone capable of standing against you.”
Merina’s eye twitched.
“That’s not the point,” she replied, turning her head slightly to glare at Athena.
“I meant we should avoid creating unnecessary trouble.”
Athena simply shrugged.
Meanwhile, Ember silently observed the exchange.
‘…She got ragebaited again,’ he thought.
At this point, he had started noticing a pattern.
For some reason, Athena had developed a habit of provoking Merina deliberately, throwing out comments that weren’t outright offensive, but were just irritating enough to trigger a reaction.
And more often than not, it worked.
Multiple times over the past week, Athena had managed to create small scenes in public simply by pushing Merina’s patience in exactly the right way.
It was almost as if she was doing it on purpose.
Although Merina did not fully understand what was happening, there was a deeper layer to Athena’s behavior that she was completely unaware of.
As the Goddess of Wisdom, Athena did not just excel in knowledge, strategy, and planning. She also had an exceptional talent for provoking people in very specific and calculated ways.
Ragebaiting, in particular, was something she had once mastered to an absurd degree.
Back in the Heavens, there had been multiple incidents where Athena had deliberately pushed other gods to their limits not out of malice, but out of curiosity, testing reactions, and sometimes simply out of boredom.
At one point, she had even provoked Hera so badly that the situation escalated into something extreme, with consequences that affected Zeus himself in ways most gods preferred not to talk about.
There were also cases where entire pantheons had nearly fractured because certain gods could not tolerate the level of psychological pressure she could apply with just words.
It had gotten so out of hand that it almost led to a conflict between pantheons.
After that incident, Athena had been strongly advised if not outright forced to stop engaging in such behavior.
And for a long time, she did.
But now?
In the mortal world?
With her divine authority restrained and her environment far less politically volatile Athena, the once one of the greatest ragebaiters in Heavens, had made a quiet return.
Of course, Ember had absolutely no idea about any of this.
From his perspective, Athena was just… being weird again.
What he also didn’t realize was that this behavior wasn’t random.
It was retaliation.
Merina had consistently interfered with Athena’s attempts to get closer to him. Whether intentional or not, she had repeatedly disrupted moments that Athena had carefully set up.
And Athena, in her own way, had decided to respond through the glorious art of ragebaiting.
“Shhh,” Ember suddenly said in a low voice as they approached the city gate.
“We’re about to get in line.”
Both women immediately stopped.
Athena clicked her tongue softly.
Merina narrowed her eyes.
The two of them exchanged a brief glare which silent, tense, and filled with unspoken competition, pouted and then almost at the same time, they looked away in opposite directions, pretending nothing had happened.
Ember let out a quiet sigh and guided the carriage into the line. There was nothing special about the process it was slow, routine, and honestly a bit tiring. They ended up waiting for nearly half an hour before their turn finally came.
When they reached the front, the city guards stepped forward and began their inspection.
The process was standard. They checked identification, asked a few basic questions, and took a brief look at the goods in the wagon. Since Ember, Merina, and Athena were traveling under the identity of ordinary merchants and were carrying perfumes as trade goods, everything lined up perfectly.
Their documents were valid, their story made sense and nothing about them raised suspicion so, without much trouble, they were allowed to enter the city.
After that came the usual sequence of boring but necessary tasks.
First, they had to find an inn.
Then, they arranged for their carriage and horses to be placed in a nearby stable.
After that, they took some time to eat and rest.
Only after completing all of that were they finally free to move around the city.
Or more accurately Athena was finally free to drag Ember around.
She was the one clearly eager to explore.
Using the excuse of “finally getting to see the outside world after centuries,” she had positioned herself in a way where she could justify stopping at every notable location, wandering through markets, and spending time outside without raising suspicion.
But beneath that excuse, her real intention hadn’t changed.
She wanted to get closer to Ember.
Unfortunately for her, the past few days before this had not gone well.
In fact, they had been frustrating.
Ember had adapted at some point during their journey, he had essentially become immune to her teasing.
Every time she tried something whether it was getting physically close, teasing him, or making suggestive moves he responded in the most inconvenient way possible.
When she tried to kiss him or nibble his ear again?
He would immediately grab her cheeks with both hands, squishing her face into an almost comical shape, like a duck, before pushing her away to create distance.
If she tried to suddenly jump toward him?
He would simply dodge.
The result was always the same Athena either stumbled forward and nearly fell or ended up face-first in dirt, grass, or whatever surface happened to be there at the time.
There was no smooth recovery.
No romantic moment that she dreamed of, only failure upon failure.
Merina had witnessed these interactions several times.
Each time, her heart nearly stopped.
Watching the Goddess of Wisdom...her Goddess get her dignity completely dismantled in such a ridiculous manner was not something she was prepared for.
There were moments where she genuinely questioned reality.
However, after thinking it through, she forced herself to accept it.
From her perspective, Ember was doing the right thing.
He was maintaining distance.
He was not taking advantage of Athena’s behavior.
He was preventing things from escalating.
So despite how painful it was to watch, Merina chose to ignore it.
For the greater good that is.
Even if it meant witnessing her Goddess repeatedly lose what little dignity she had left in those moments.
‘Hmph! Tet, this time we will definitely kiss! Lip to Lip, heart to heart! Defeat is something I have never known!’ Athena thought, her determination burning with the same stubborn intensity as a hardcore gamer who simply refuses to accept defeat no matter how many times they lose.
Her frustration had reached a new level.
And with that mindset, she immediately locked her arm with Ember’s again and started dragging him forward without giving him any time to react.
“Come on, let’s go there!” she said, pulling him toward the central plaza of the city.
Ember didn’t resist, but he already had a bad feeling about where this was going.
Meanwhile, Merina followed closely behind them, her expression already filled with suspicion. She had long since learned that whenever Athena took the initiative like this, it usually led to something troublesome.
Soon, they arrived at the center of the city.
There, a large fountain stood prominently, drawing the attention of anyone passing by. At its center was a detailed statue of a man and a woman embracing each other, their forms sculpted with artistic precision. Water flowed around them, creating a calm and visually striking scene.
Merina stopped and looked at it for a moment before asking, “This is…?”
Her tone carried a hint of confusion, not because she didn’t recognize what a fountain was, but because she was trying to understand why Athena had specifically brought them here.
Athena immediately turned toward her with a straight face.
“A water fountain,” she replied casually.
“Mary, have you perhaps never seen one before in your life?”
Merina froze.
“(⊙x⊙;)”
Athena didn’t stop there.
“Or maybe your memory has rusted like iron?” she continued, her tone completely serious despite the nonsense she was saying.
“I suppose you’ve stopped maintaining it properly. Honestly, you should have just stayed back in Altena. At least then you wouldn’t have lost your common sense.”
Merina’s expression darkened instantly.
“(╬▔皿▔)╯”
It was complete nonsense.
And that was exactly why it worked.
The number one rule of ragebaiting was simply say something that triggers the other person, and if it makes little to no sense, even better. It becomes harder to respond logically, which only increases frustration.
Ember, standing beside Athena, watched the interaction unfold once again.
For what felt like the hundredth time.
He slowly turned his head and looked at Athena with a wary expression.
‘…Does Athena have some kind of divine authority over ragebaiting or something?’ he wondered silently.
At this point, it no longer felt like mere skill.
“I was asking what kind of special landmark this is, you bitch!” Merina finally snapped, her voice rising despite her usual discipline.
The moment the words left her mouth Athena smirked internally.
‘Fish had successfully taken the bait.’
Her expression on the outside remained completely innocent, but in her mind, she had already confirmed success. The reaction was exactly what she had been aiming for.
Merina, on the other hand, realized what she had just said a second too late.
Her face turned red almost instantly equal part anger, part embarrassment.
And not just because of the words themselves it was the fact that she had just cursed openly in public, despite being a regal Elf.
If someone had told her a few weeks ago that she would end up shouting like this, losing her composure, and even insulting Athena in the middle of a city, she would have dismissed it outright.
She was Merina.
One of the most composed and mature adventurers in Athena’s familia.
And yet here she was, snapping out again and again just due to the mere words of her ESTEEMED GODDESS.
Worse, her voice had drawn attention.
A few nearby people had already turned to look at them, curiosity and mild concern visible on their faces. In a place like this, even small disturbances could attract unnecessary notice.
Merina clenched her fists.
She wanted to say something else.
She wanted to continue.
But she forced herself to stop.
They were traveling under disguise.
They could not afford to stand out.
She took a slow breath and suppressed her anger, even though it was still clearly visible in her expression.
Meanwhile, Athena casually moved behind Ember, using him as a shield as if nothing had happened.
Ember, caught in the middle, looked completely speechless.
He didn’t even know what to say anymore.
Merina glared at Athena, her frustration only increasing at that reaction. This wasn’t the first time it had happened either. Over the past few days, she had lost her composure multiple times like this.
And every single time Athena had been the cause.
But in the end, Merina had no choice but to remain silent.
She understood the situation.
They were not in Altena.
So she swallowed her anger and endured it.
“…How about we leave this place?” Ember said quietly, his tone calm but firm.
At this point, he was genuinely getting tired.
At first, he had assumed that someone like Merina would never fall for such obvious provocation. But after witnessing it happen repeatedly, he had completely given up on that expectation.
She fell for it.
Every time.
Without fail, as if she had become a fish from an Elf.
And Athena kept doing it.
Again and again.
Ember rubbed his temple slightly.
‘Seriously… where did all that divine wisdom and mature aura of them go?’ he complained internally.
‘Give it back.’
A few months ago, both of these women had seemed far more composed and dignified.
Now?
This was something else entirely.
He had heard of character development in his previous life.
But this? It felt like the exact opposite.
Character degradation in real time.
(A/N: Spiderman authors: “Allow us to introduce ourselves.”)
Merina, meanwhile, shifted her glare toward Tithonus rather, toward Ember as if he were somehow responsible for this entire situation. Her expression was still tense, though she was trying to maintain control now that people had begun to notice them.
Gradually, the attention from the surrounding crowd started to settle, but not before a few whispers spread among the nearby onlookers.
“Is that… a lover’s quarrel?” one woman murmured quietly to her friend, her eyes fixed on the trio.
Her companion leaned slightly closer, narrowing her eyes as she observed the scene.
“Two of them are elves, and one is a human…” she said thoughtfully, before her expression suddenly changed into something far more animated.
“Don’t tell me this is one of those stories where the childhood friend gets stolen by an outsider?!”
There was even a faint blush on her face, making it painfully obvious what kind of romantic stories she was used to reading.
Nearby, a few others began forming similar assumptions.
Ember’s eyebrows twitched.
‘…So that trope exists in this world too?’ he thought, momentarily distracted by the absurdity of the situation.
Then he looked back at Merina, trying to figure out how to calm her down before things escalated further.
Unfortunately, things only got worse.
Behind him, Athena had already moved again.
She wrapped her arms around Ember from behind, pressing herself lightly against his back. Her face rested comfortably against him, and she even leaned in slightly, clearly enjoying the moment while feeling the firmness of his muscles.
To any outsider, it looked extremely intimate.
A few people even gasped quietly.
From their perspective, it appeared as though the “human lover” was openly clinging to her partner in front of the supposed childhood friend something that only added fuel to the misunderstanding.
Merina’s eye twitched further seeing their reactions of pity, or some people with weird smirks as if mocking her for being a cuckhold.
And then “This is absolutely not what it looks like!” she shouted in frustration.
“I am not in love with this bitch’s man!”
The moment the words left her mouth she froze completely.
Her mind caught up with what she had just said, and her face instantly stiffened.
Athena, still hidden behind Ember, broke into a silent grin.
‘Hehe… just as planned.’
She didn’t say anything out loud, but her expression said everything.
Meanwhile, Ember stood there, his lips twitching uncontrollably.
Because Merina had just publicly referred to him as Athena’s man in front of everyone even without realizing it.
“Hey, you!”
As if on queue, a group of soldiers suddenly approached, their expressions cautious and their posture firm.
It almost felt like they had been waiting for a disturbance to happen.
“Why are you creating a scene in public?” one of the guards said sternly, stepping forward.
“You are disturbing the peace and drawing unnecessary attention.”
His tone was formal, but his eyes briefly scanned the three of them taking in their appearances, their behavior, and the overall situation.
From his perspective, it looked like a personal dispute that had escalated into something public.
Merina immediately brought her hand to her face and facepalmed.
She was clearly ashamed.
Not just because of what she had said but because she had allowed herself to lose control like that in the first place.
Athena, however, reacted instantly.
She stepped forward with a calm and polite expression, completely shifting her demeanor as if she hadn’t been involved in provoking the situation at all.
“Please forgive us, kind sirs,” she said respectfully, bowing slightly toward the guards.
“My friend here simply got a little jealous and lost her composure for a moment.”
Her tone was smooth, apologetic, and entirely convincing.
Merina’s head snapped toward her.
“What do you mean jealous of who?!” she burst out, unable to believe what she was hearing.
Even now! Even in this situation!
Athena was still pushing her.
Ember, on the other hand, remained completely silent.
At this point, he had learned something important.
The best way to deal with situations like this especially when Athena was involved was simple.
The holy trinity of dealing with ragebaiters were as follows:
Do not engage.
Do not react.
Do not participate.
Because the moment you stepped into it, you became part of the chaos and Ember had no intention of making things worse.
‘Well… Merina is a high-level adventurer, and Athena is a Goddess. No matter how bad the situation gets, no one can really do anything to them,’ Ember thought as he quietly observed the situation.
From a purely practical standpoint, he wasn’t wrong.
In the mortal world, Gods were not beings that could be dealt with casually. Even though their divine powers were sealed within mortal vessels, their existence itself placed them beyond ordinary consequences. And once their identity as a God was revealed, most people wouldn’t even dare to oppose them.
Killing a God was considered one of the greatest taboos in the world.
Even attempting it would invite consequences far beyond what any normal person could handle.
Of course, monsters were a different matter altogether but those were outside human control.
So in Ember’s mind, this situation, while annoying, wasn’t truly dangerous.
Meanwhile “She did it again!” one of the soldiers said, clearly exasperated as he looked directly at Merina.
Before things could settle, another soldier stepped forward from behind.
His posture was more composed, and his tone carried authority, marking him as someone of higher rank.
“We would like you to come with us,” he said calmly.
“You will need to pay a fine for disturbing the public and creating unnecessary commotion.”
There was no aggression in his voice, only firm enforcement of rules.
Merina’s shoulders dropped slightly.
It was as if all the energy had suddenly drained out of her.
For a brief moment, she looked like someone who had completely lost the will to argue.
The situation hit her harder than expected.
Just a short while ago, she had been one of the highest-ranking members of Altena’s inner circle a respected adventurer, a core member of Athena’s familia, someone others looked up to.
And now?
She was being told to follow city guards for causing a public disturbance.
The contrast was almost absurd.
Merina let out a quiet breath, her expression turning dull.
Somewhere along the way, things had clearly gone very wrong, and that very wrong was absolutely gleeful on seeing Merina's defeat.
'Hope this makes you stop interfering with my plans for Tet' she thought and then stepped forward.
“It seems we have no choice but to pay the fine,” Athena said with a small shake of her head, her tone calm and compliant on the surface.
However, as she spoke, her gaze lingered on the man in front of them for a moment longer than necessary.
She studied his face more carefully.
And then she noticed it.
‘There’s lust in his expression…’ she thought immediately.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, though her outward demeanor remained unchanged.
‘And now that I look properly… he’s not just a regular guard. He’s a Captain. That means he holds a certain level of authority in this city.’
Her mind began processing details rapidly.
The subtle shift in his posture.
The way his eyes moved around their bodies as if analyzing prey.
The faint sharpness hidden beneath his otherwise formal tone.
‘There’s also a trace of shrewdness in his gaze,’ she concluded.
Athena’s thoughts moved quickly, almost mechanically, as she calculated possibilities.
‘The most likely outcomes…’
She didn’t need long.
‘He could attempt to extract a bribe.’
‘Or… given our appearances… he may have more unsavory intentions.’
Her expression did not change, but her internal conclusion was already forming.
‘Rape… or trafficking.’
It was not a pleasant thought, but it was not unrealistic either.
Athena had observed the mortal world for thousands of years. She had lived among humans long enough to understand their tendencies, their weaknesses, and the darker sides of their behavior.
This kind of situation was not unfamiliar to her.
She wasn’t naive the only reason she ever appeared foolish or careless was because of Ember.
Because she was in love with him.
For everyone else?
She was still the Goddess of Wisdom.
And if she chose to act seriously, she could become a manipulator far more dangerous than most people could imagine.
Without drawing attention, she gently pinched Ember’s hand.
The action was subtle, but deliberate.
Ember immediately noticed.
He turned his head slightly and saw Athena looking at him with a calm smile.
Then she gave a small wink.
Her eyes briefly shifted toward the Captain before returning to him.
That was enough.
Ember followed her gaze and looked at the man more carefully.
And then he noticed it as well.
The expression, the way his eyes lingered unnaturally on them
Ember understood.
It wasn’t uncommon for people to react that way.
Even while hiding their true identities, Athena and Merina were still exceptionally beautiful. Drawing attention was inevitable.
But that wasn’t the issue.
The issue was Athena signaling him.
She wouldn’t do that without a reason.
Which meant something was definitely wrong.
Ember finally decided to stop being a mute.
He stepped forward calmly, positioning himself slightly ahead of Athena and Merina, and addressed the soldier with a composed expression.
“Sir, I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience we caused,” he said politely, his tone measured and respectful.
“How about I pay the fine here, right now, and we make sure nothing like this happens again?”
As he spoke, he reached into his pocket, pulling out a few gold coins.
His intention was simple.
Resolve the matter quickly, avoid unnecessary escalation, and move on without drawing further attention.
However, the officer did not seem willing to cooperate so easily.
“We cannot simply let you go like this,” the Captain replied, his tone firm.
“The fine must be recorded at the guard station. Otherwise, it could be considered unregistered money by the authorities.”
On the surface, his explanation made sense.
There were procedures records had to be maintained.
Ember acknowledged that but something still felt off.
So, he responded calmly again.
“I understand, sir,” Ember said, nodding slightly.
“But I can see that one of your men is already carrying a notebook for recording fines.”
He gestured toward another guard standing nearby, who indeed had a ledger hanging at his waist.
“He can register it here. That way, there’s no need for us to go all the way to the station.”
For a brief moment, everything went still.
The Captain froze for a brief moment then his expression darkened.
His eyes narrowed as he stared directly at Ember.
“Just… listen to me,” he said slowly, his tone losing its earlier professionalism and taking on a more threatening edge.
Ember’s eyes hardened slightly.
“Hah…”
At that moment, a different thought crossed his mind.
Should he just knock this guy out?
Honestly speaking, whatever the Captain was planning behind the scenes was not Ember’s concern. Whether the man was corrupt, predatory, or simply abusing his position did not matter to him on a broader level.
He was not a hero.
He had no intention of stepping into moral crusades or cleaning up every problem he encountered.
The only things that mattered to him were his own safety and the safety of the people he cared about.
And right now, the situation was starting to cross a line.
So a simple solution formed in his mind.
Deal with the problem directly.
Knock the Captain down, create an opening, and leave with Athena.
Of course, that would come with consequences.
They would likely have to abandon their carriage.
Their identities as merchants might be compromised.
There could even be a minor pursuit.
But realistically, it wouldn’t escalate into something massive like a full-scale manhunt.
Not for something like this and even if it did reaching Argon Town on foot was still possible.
Between a Goddess and two capable adventurers, crossing forests and avoiding trouble would not be particularly difficult.
The plan was rough but it was simple and in Ember’s experience simple plans tended to work best.
“Excuse me, may I know what is happening here?”
The sudden voice cut through the tension.
Everyone’s attention shifted at once.
A carriage had quietly stopped nearby without anyone noticing at first. It was not an ordinary carriage. The design was refined, the build sturdy yet elegant, and most importantly, it bore a noble insignia clearly visible on its side.
The presence alone was enough to change the atmosphere.
A maid leaned slightly out from the window, addressing them with calm authority.
“My Lady has noticed that these three individuals are being surrounded by guards,” she said politely, her tone controlled and formal. “May I ask what offense they have committed?”
The maid had short cherry pink hair and brown eyes, her posture straight and her expression composed. Even though she spoke respectfully, there was an undeniable firmness in her voice.
The Captain immediately straightened.
His demeanor changed almost instantly.
“They caused a public disturbance,” he replied, his tone now noticeably more submissive than before. “We are escorting them to the guard station to process a fine.”
A faint sheen of sweat appeared on his forehead.
The maid listened without interrupting.
Then she spoke again.
“I see,” she said, glancing briefly toward the other guards.
“But that guard is already carrying a fine record book, is he not?”
She paused for a moment before continuing.
“In that case, why not simply record the fine here and conclude the matter?”
Her question was simple, logical and difficult to argue against.
It was clear that she was speaking on behalf of the noble inside the carriage, and that alone carried weight.
Athena, meanwhile, continued to observe everything quietly.
While the others were focused on the guards and the maid, she allowed her gaze to shift subtly toward the carriage window. For a brief moment, she caught a glimpse of the noble lady inside.
That was enough.
Her mind immediately began processing the situation at an incredible speed.
‘The maid responded far too quickly,’ she noted internally.
‘That means they have been observing us for some time already.’
She replayed the sequence in her head.
‘However, the carriage only moved into position recently, and neither Tet nor Merina sensed any hostility or presence beforehand. That suggests they were watching from a safe distance without any malicious intent.’
Her thoughts continued to build.
‘No hostility… which likely means they are not directly involved with the guards.’
Then she shifted her focus to the maid.
‘The maid’s tone is… unusual,’ Athena analyzed.
‘Too authoritative for someone of her supposed position. A normal noble’s servant would not speak like that unless given absolute confidence by their master.’
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
‘Which means the lady inside holds a significantly higher status than what is being presented.’
She glanced again at the insignia on the carriage.
‘Using the emblem of this city’s ruling noble family… that is likely a disguise. Borrowed authority to move freely without drawing attention.’
The pieces began falling into place.
‘Most probable conclusion… a member of the Imperial family.’
She refined it further.
‘Not just any member… a princess.’
Her mind continued constructing possibilities.
‘Reason for presence… likely covert. Either forming alliances, inspecting regional conditions, or investigating something hidden.’
Her gaze flickered toward the guards again.
‘Given the Captain’s behavior… and the earlier deduction… illegal activities are a strong possibility.’
Her conclusion solidified.
‘Human trafficking.’
Within seconds, Athena had pieced together a full scenario.
The so-called noble lady was most likely a princess of the Empire, currently operating under disguise, investigating internal corruption or gathering information against political rivals.
And in reality she was correct.
The woman inside the carriage was indeed the thirteenth princess of the Empire, present in the city for covert reasons, including collecting evidence against illegal human trafficking networks tied to influential figures.
If Ember had known the extent of Athena’s thought process in that moment, and how accurately she had reconstructed the entire situation from just a few details, he would have immediately reacted in only one way.
‘Sasuga Athena-sama.’
Meanwhile, inside the carriage, the Princess Masdura quietly observed the three figures through the slightly parted window.
Her gaze lingered on the three of them.
First on Ember.
Her eyes lit up slightly as she took in his appearance. His posture, his calm expression, and most importantly his extremely handsome refined face.
Then her attention shifted.
To Merina and Athena.
Her expression changed ever so slightly.
‘Those curves…’ she thought, her interest clearly piqued.
She raised a luxurious fan and partially hid her face behind it, concealing the faint smile forming on her lips.
A small, almost imperceptible movement of her tongue across her lips betrayed her thoughts for just a moment.
It was obvious.
She was not someone with simple preferences.
Masdura was a woman who found beauty appealing regardless of gender.
However, there was one small problem.
Her assumptions because, in reality, the situation was far from what she imagined.
Ember, for one, was completely unaffected.
After growing up surrounded by elves an entire race known for their exceptional beauty his standards had been unintentionally raised to an absurd level. On top of that, after dealing with Athena’s constant attempts to get close to him, he had practically developed resistance to charm and attraction itself.
Compared to that, Masdura’s beauty, while undeniably high, was not enough to make him lose his composure.
He would reject her just as easily.
As for the other two Merina and Athena that was an even worse situation for Masdura's frivolous desires.
Athena was not just any woman.
She was a goddess.
And not just that a semi-yandere possessive one when it came to Ember.
Anyone who crossed a certain line with him would not be treated kindly at all.
Merina, on the other hand, was completely straightforward in her preferences and personality. She had neither the interest nor the patience to entertain such thoughts, especially in a situation like this.
In short Masdura’s imagination was running far ahead of reality, thinking on how to bed them was futile.
Her thoughts, no matter how vivid, had no real chance of becoming anything more than that.
Ahem.
“It is rather insulting for our guards to create unnecessary trouble… especially for such a lovely couple. Why not simply let them go?”
This time, the voice came directly from inside the carriage.
Masdura spoke calmly, her tone smooth and refined, carrying a natural authority that did not need to be forced. Even without seeing her face clearly, the guard instantly understood that the person speaking was someone of high status.
The way she phrased her words left no room for refusal.
“Y-Yes, my Lady… please forgive me,” the Captain stammered, his earlier confidence completely gone. Sweat formed more visibly on his forehead as he quickly bowed his head.
He immediately turned back toward his subordinates.
“Meck, just fine them here,” he ordered, trying to regain some composure.
The other guard nodded and reached toward the ledger at his waist, preparing to record the fine on the spot.
But before he could begin “Leave it,” Masdura’s voice came again, interrupting the process effortlessly.
“Pardon them.”
There was a brief pause before she continued.
“I find myself interested in speaking with such a lovely couple… or should I say, couples?” she added, a faint smile hidden behind her fan as her gaze briefly passed over the three of them.
Her words carried a subtle implication that did not go unnoticed.
Merina immediately turned her head and glared at Athena, her expression clearly saying that this entire situation was her fault.
Athena, on the other hand, simply sighed, as if she had expected something like this to happen sooner or later.
Ember crossed his arms, watching the exchange with a neutral expression.
‘…This is starting to feel like the plot of some cliché novel,’ he thought to himself.
He glanced at the carriage again, unimpressed.
‘Whatever. It’s not like this woman is some hidden princess or anything and we are going to get caught up in political drama.’
And just like that he unknowingly jinxed it.
To be continued…