Rina thought she would be bedridden for a day but she underestimated her and Ethan's strength.

As a mage,she has rarely trained herself physically; one rough knight was enough to keep her in bed for days.

As for calling Priest,she felt shy whereas potion was an over kill.

Rina accepted the glass from Ethan and took a small sip. The cool water soothed her dry throat, and for a moment, silence filled the room. The morning sun cast a gentle glow across her face, highlighting her soft features and the faint tiredness in her eyes.

Ethan sat back in his chair, watching her quietly. "You should take a few days off," he said, his voice calm and even. "You've been through a lot lately. Both physically and mentally."

Rina placed the glass down and gave a faint smile. "You make it sound like I'm fragile," she said softly, brushing a few strands of hair behind her ear.

"You're strong," Ethan replied. "But even strong people need to rest sometimes."

She looked at him for a moment, her expression thoughtful. Then she sighed and leaned back slightly against the pillows. "So, what are you planning to do now, Sir Ethan?"

Ethan folded his arms and looked out the window for a brief moment before answering. "I'll stay here for a short while to accompany you," he said.

"The villagers still need some help rebuilding after the dungeon break.My men will help. I'll make sure everything settles down before leaving."

Rina nodded slowly. "You're unexpectedly kind for a noble."

Ethan gave a faint smile."Why?"

"Its because you haven't seen politics and fight among nobles."

Rina watched him closely, then her tone softened. "I meant what I said last night. You're not like other men and nobles I've met. There's something… different about you."

He looked back at her, his eyes calm yet sharp. "Different, maybe. But I'm still just a man trying to protect what's mine."

Rina smiled faintly.

Ethan looked at Countess Rina and asked, "So what's your plan?"

Rina met his gaze, her crimson eyes reflecting a mix of calm and regret. The emotion in her eyes was clear enough for Ethan to read even without words. She sighed softly and gave a faint, bitter smile.

"Sorry, Sir Ethan," she said quietly. "I can't marry you."

Ethan raised his brows to ask calmly"Why? Is there trouble?"

Rina nodded slowly. "Yes. Very much so," she said with a weary tone. "After leaving everything behind, I will be discarding my current identity. Soon, I will take over the position as the head of a merchant group, and I won't be appearing much in public anymore."

She then reached out gently, her fingers brushing against Ethan's cheek. Her touch was soft, almost hesitant. "But after what happened between us," she whispered with a small smile,

"I've already vowed to be your wife in my heart. After all, who can resist the allure of such a vigorous young man? So, make sure to soothe me sometimes."

Ethan chuckled at her words and reached for her hand. He raised it and kissed the back of it lightly, his eyes calm yet curious. "Before that," he said softly, "I need to know something."

Rina tilted her head slightly. "What do you want to know?"

"Your rank," Ethan said firmly. "You're hiding it, aren't you?"

For a brief moment, Rina's eyes flickered. "How did you know?" she asked, genuinely surprised.

"When we were together last night," Ethan replied, his tone serious. "I could feel your energy. You didn't seem like an ordinary noble or mage."

Rina blinked, thinking back for a moment. Then she sighed softly. "Fair enough," she said at last. "I'm an Advanced Rank Mage. I've been concealing my strength so as not to attract unwanted attention. With such power, the King would grow uneasy and might even see me as a threat."

"The King?" Ethan asked, leaning slightly forward. "What kind of person is he?"

'The King…Why do I feel I will butt heads with him sooner or later…"Hearing this Ethan thought for a moment.

Rina paused, thinking carefully before answering. "He appears weak," she said slowly, "but he's sharp and crafty. You should exercise caution if you ever have to meet him. You come from a commoner origin, which will make him wary of you."

"Also he is quite a narrow minded fellow."

Ethan nodded. "I'll remember your words."

...…..

A few days later, the Countess fulfilled her duties. She personally oversaw the distribution of rewards and compensation to the soldiers and mercenaries who had fought during the dungeon break. After finishing, she handed over the administration of the land to the Imperial Envoy who had arrived to take charge of the region.

As Ethan stood nearby with his children, he heard Miranda's voice. "Papa… it hurts!" she whined.

Ethan turned and laughed when he saw Rina gently pulling Miranda's chubby cheeks. "Such a beautiful girl," Rina said with a warm smile. "If I had a daughter, she'd probably be as big as her by now."

Miranda puffed her cheeks and pouted. "Aunt Rina, stop it!"

Rina chuckled softly, clearly amused, and let go. She brushed Miranda's hair affectionately. "You're adorable," she said fondly.

Ethan watched the two of them and couldn't help but smile. For now, Rina would be leaving to focus on her business, but she had promised to visit the estate soon for further discussions. Everything seemed peaceful until a tall man in fine attire approached them.

"Sir Ethan," the man greeted with a broad smile. "Just as the rumors say, you look as meticulous as a godly sculpted man." He extended his hand politely.

Ethan returned the gesture with equal formality, his grip firm yet calm. "It's just false praise, Sir Draco."

"You shouldn't humble yourself so much," Draco said with a light chuckle. He was a well-known noble with a sharp tongue and observant eyes. "You really have a good presence of mind."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Presence of mind?" he repeated.

Draco nodded, smiling as if he had found something amusing. "I'm talking about how you used the loopholes to abstain from fighting in the war," he said casually.

The moment Ethan heard those words, his expression stiffened. The faint smile that had lingered on his lips faded away instantly.

There was a long silence.

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