Chapter 70: Chapter 70: Trust and Action

Within the Golden Maple Leaf Trading House, the fact that reinforcements were coming to Birch Town was originally known only to him, Reya, and Rosalind.

But since Reya was going out today, she must have expanded the circle of insiders through certain channels beforehand.

That way, if a mole tipped off outsiders, allowing the Blood Eye Association’s assassins to strike during their "last chance" before reinforcements arrived, the list of suspects would be narrowed down to that circle of insiders, making them easier to identify.

And the assassins would also face a counterattack from two Official Level Professionals.

However...

"Why are you telling me all this? Aren’t you afraid I’m the mole and will spill all your plans?"

Jon put down his knife and fork, sounding a little helpless.

"Hehe..."

"Because I trust you, Mr. Jon!"

The girl’s eyes were fixed on the man before her. He was as tall as a mountain and gave her a powerful sense of security. Her voice carried an obvious warmth.

"If you had intended to harm me, who knows what would have become of me by now?"

"If I can’t even trust you, who else is there to trust?"

Jon fell silent.

Ever since he brought Reya back from the Domain of Knowledge, the girl had never hidden her affection for him, but he had dodged the subject, intentionally or not, every single time.

Because, unlike the "transactional" relationship he had with Rosalind, this girl was serious.

He had no doubt that if he reciprocated her feelings, Reya would launch an even fiercer offensive until they were truly together.

But how could he possibly accept these feelings?

As someone from the modern world, he wasn’t afraid of putting on an act; he was afraid of genuine sincerity.

To be blunt, he was a bit of a coward.

He was afraid that if he accepted these feelings and let himself fall for her, he would slowly lose himself, forget his past life, and even give up on his goal of returning home. He would become a true person of Yino—and he didn’t want that.

Perhaps his mind would change as he spent more time in this world, but not now.

So, Jon could only use the act of eating to avoid the girl’s gaze.

"Hah. Maybe I’m just plotting something bigger, aiming to cause even greater destruction."

Seeing her "offensive" thwarted, Reya wasn’t discouraged. She just grinned and made a joke.

"In that case, I’m afraid I’ll have no choice but to give this life you saved right back to you."

"Smart mouth."

Jon lowered his gaze, reached for the box he’d brought from a nearby chair, and handed it to the girl across the table.

"This is for you."

"What is this?"

Reya blinked, rising to accept it with both hands, and turned it over curiously.

The box was a common type used by the trading house. The item inside didn’t seem very large, and it made a faint clinking sound as she moved it.

"Is... is it a gift?"

"You could say that. Keep it on you. Close to your body."

"Think of it as another layer of insurance."

Jon offered no further explanation. He just swallowed his last bite of tender stewed beef, then stood and picked up his helmet.

"Let’s go. We can head out now."

The girl watched his broad back, clutched the box in her hands, and answered softly, her eyes tender.

"Yes."

...

「Nearing noon.」 The snowstorm in Birch Town had eased slightly.

A seemingly unremarkable convoy departed from the Golden Maple Leaf Trading House’s warehouse, heading toward the Sun Church in the south of the city. The central carriage, surrounded by numerous guards, was being driven by none other than the renowned "Stone Sword" Evans himself!

This move, impossible to conceal, immediately drew the attention of certain interested parties.

From a residence beside the main road, a sinister voice quietly emerged.

"Go. Tell ’Old Ghost’ the target is on the move."

"Yes, Boss!"

The waiting gang member immediately took off, deftly slipping into the house’s cellar and vanishing to parts unknown.

Only the owner of the sinister voice remained, staring intently as the convoy receded into the snowstorm.

’Is this a trap, or just a reckless move...’

’Hah, let them fight! The ambitious and the nobles... the more viciously they tear each other apart, the better...’

On the other side of the town’s main road, a woman in a black cloak stood silently in a dark alley. Even the wide cloak couldn’t conceal her curvaceous, mature figure.

From her position, she too could see the distant outline of the convoy.

"Little Reya has grown up. She’s Yed’s child, all right... just as brave as he was in his youth..."

The woman murmured, her low, hoarse voice reminiscent of delirious whispers in the dark.

"Let’s just see which blind fools dare to target this child..."

As her words fell, the shadows in the alley seemed to come alive, morphing into hideous, abstract monsters that gathered at her feet.

"Go, my hounds. Follow that carriage and sniff out anyone nearby with malicious intent."

The woman waved her hand. The monsters let out a collective, guttural growl and began to move, following their master’s will. They sank into the shadows of buildings and debris, giving chase to the convoy.

The woman herself pulled her cloak tighter, dissolved into a bewitching mist, and vanished without a trace.

...

Jon blended in at the rear of the guard detail. Beneath his cloak, his fingers unconsciously stroked the hilt of his sword as his gaze instinctively scanned every closed window and dark alleyway on both sides of the street.

This was experience born from countless NPC escort missions he had undertaken as a protector.

Not even the snowstorm could obstruct his observations.

He never for a moment doubted that the Blood Eye Association would attack.

After all, from what he knew of them, the Blood Eye Association—infamous as an "extremist restorationist organization," "the black-gloved hand of the powerful," and "a pack of rabid dogs"—would never pass up any chance to strike while Reya was out in the open.

Since they had targeted Reya, they would be absolutely ruthless in finishing the job.

But the convoy crossed half the town and came to a stop before the Sun Church, right in front of the bronze gate etched with ornate patterns, and still the expected crossbow bolts, explosions, and Magic never came.

’This isn’t right... Since when have those lunatics been so patient?’

But the fact remained—no attack had occurred the entire way.

Jon was inwardly puzzled, but he didn’t slow down.

He walked to the carriage door and "casually" exchanged a look with Evans at the reins.

’Be careful.’

’Understood.’

Though no words were exchanged, Jon knew the head of security understood his meaning.

Evans then handed the reins to another guard, his hand resting on his sword hilt as he personally opened the carriage door.

Reya stepped out, wrapped in a thick fox-fur cloak. Her fiery red hair was strikingly conspicuous against the snow-white world.

After nodding her thanks to Evans, she walked forward, protected by a human wall of guards, until the group set foot on the thirteen steps leading up to the Sun Church.

At this point, everyone breathed an unconscious sigh of relief. Even Jon couldn’t help but stretch his stiff neck.

Everyone knew this was the Domain of the Sun God Poao. Anyone who dared commit a crime here would face divine punishment!

However, just then, an overly sweet, shrill voice rang out abruptly.

"Why, if it isn’t Miss Rhea!"

The great doors of the Sun Church swung open, but it was not a benevolent Priest or nun who greeted them. Instead, it was a foppish, blond young noble who reeked of powder and perfume!

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