DRD3

Chapter 3

Enya turned her head, unable to tell whether she was more surprised that he had sat beside her—or by his voice.

He sat next to her with a faint, almost imperceptible smile, though he looked utterly exhausted. Up close, his appearance was even more astonishing—so unreal it hardly seemed human.

Of course, his build beneath that refined exterior was solid, almost intimidating—but not threatening. Despite his polished looks, there was something about him that felt like a wild beast raised in the untamed. Gentle, yet rough—a man of contradictions.

“Would it not be alright… for me to have that drink?”

As he gestured toward her glass, Enya finally snapped out of it and lightly shook it. The ice clinked against itself.

“This?”

“Yes, that one.”

“I’ve already been drinking from it.”

“I don’t mind. If you’re alright with it.”

He seemed genuinely desperate for a drink, so after a brief hesitation, Enya handed him the glass. Their fingers brushed slightly as she did. Even from that fleeting contact, she could feel how rough and hardened his skin was compared to hers.

Judging by the veins on the back of his hand, he was clearly someone accustomed to holding a sword. Enya assumed he was a knight who had only recently entered the palace. Whoever his family was, he must have been hounded endlessly by nobles who favored handsome young men.

“It’s quite bitter.”

After taking a gulp, he rubbed his chin. He must have been extremely thirsty—he drank it all in one go, leaving a drop of liquor clinging to the tip of his chin. Enya stared at the empty glass, eyes widening.

“Don’t tell me… you drank it all?”

“…Ah! My apologies. I didn’t realize…”

“It’s fine. It’s cheap anyway. Not quite to His Majesty’s taste.”

At the mention of the emperor, his eyes darkened briefly, as though recalling something unpleasant. Enya said nothing further, simply waving her empty hand. There was no reason to pry just to satisfy her curiosity.

“Give me the glass back. I’ll at least chew the ice.”

As she rolled her tongue and mimicked eating ice, he flushed slightly at the ears and handed it back, looking oddly apologetic. His awkwardness reminded her of herself a few years ago, and the tension in her shoulders eased. Would he get offended if I laughed? she wondered, pressing her lips together to hold it in. Then she tilted her chin toward the fountain.

“If not, you could always drink the… water from that guardian statue.”

“A guardian…? Ah!”

The “guardian” she referred to was the statue in the fountain across from them. It depicted a small guardian spirit spurting water from between its legs. Seeing it, he let out another soft laugh. Enya watched the curve of his lips for a moment before gesturing again.

“The glass.”

His eyes, still tinged with laughter, softened further as they met hers. Yet, perhaps because of his naturally sharp gaze, he didn’t look entirely gentle. Without breaking eye contact, he handed it over. Enya took the glass and turned her gaze back into the air, saying nothing.

She had come here precisely because she didn’t want to talk.

It seemed he felt the same. Sitting quietly, he let the breeze wash over him, his gaze drifting between the dim sky and the carefully trimmed garden.

As if by unspoken agreement, neither of them asked about the other’s name or origin. Enya found herself thinking that if this were all their connection would ever be, it was quite a pleasant one—when he spoke again.

“I actually ran away. From people.”

She glanced at him with just her eyes, and he gave an awkward smile.

“I’m not used to gatherings like this…”

Perhaps it was because he admitted something so vulnerable so easily, but Enya found herself smiling back before she realized it. Then she quickly composed her expression, surprised at herself, wondering what to say next.

At a glance, he was clearly a novice knight attending such a banquet for the first time. She, too, had once been like that. Her social skills were terrible—partly by nature, partly from years of isolation—but surely she was still better than him.

Should I help him? …It should be fine.

As she hesitated, their eyes met again. His were dark, like a forest steeped in night.

In the end, she gave in to a rare impulse of kindness.

“Do you know that the center of a typhoon is quiet?”

Even as she spoke, she knew this wasn’t something she would normally do. But what were the chances a mere knight and a reclusive tower master would meet again? A little kindness wouldn’t hurt.

“But step just outside that center, and chaos is waiting. That’s exactly how it felt for me among all those people. I’m calm here—but one step out, and it feels like I’ll be cut apart.”

“……”

“So for now, enjoy the calm center. It’s alright.”

He visibly relaxed compared to before—just slightly, but enough to notice.

“…So it’s alright to enjoy it.”

“……”

“It was something I could enjoy.”

His last words were almost a whisper.

As if experiencing something unfamiliar, he flushed faintly and rubbed his chin. At that moment, a silver ring on his left ring finger caught the light. It looked too plain to be a wedding ring, yet too worn to be decorative.

So he has a lover.

Enya found that only natural. It would be stranger if someone like him didn’t.

His green eyes, which had been fixed on the air, slowly turned back to her. He asked carefully,

“Have you… grown used to the typhoon?”

“Clearly not. I ran away too, didn’t I?”

She swallowed the nearly melted ice and gave a crooked smile.

“Well… it’s bearable. When I think of what I’ve protected.”

“……”

“So you should endure it, too—just enough.”

Tasting the bitterness clinging to her lips, Enya raised her glass in a mock toast.

“To what we’ve killed—and what we’ve protected.”

“I am Helios Deferet.”

The sudden introduction made her fall silent.

What? Weren’t we not going to share names? Once names were known, identities followed—and with them, distance. This quiet garden they had escaped to would turn right back into the banquet hall.

Enya smiled bitterly.

“Well. Seems I ran straight into the eye of the storm.”

His eyes, which had been watching her closely, filled with panic.

“My apologies. I had no intention of making you uncomfortable.”

“No, it’s fine. There’s nothing to apologize for.”

She had no idea why he suddenly introduced himself, but she had no intention of doing the same.

Of all people… Helios Deferet.

He didn’t seem to be seeking recognition or boasting. It wasn’t unpleasant—but getting entangled with someone of his stature would bring nothing good.

“I should be going now. Sir Deferet, I admire your achievements. Please enjoy the banquet.”

“Wait—”

Her body tilted.

As she stood, he had grabbed her long sleeve. He stared at the fabric in his hand as if he couldn’t believe what he had just done.

The clumsy action made Enya let out a quiet laugh.

“This makes things awkward.”

“Ah—my apologies. I acted hastily.”

Startled, he quickly let go, clearly flustered. Yet his fingertips lingered, as though reluctant.

Cute—or rude?

This is Helios Deferet, the so-called Radiance?

He was said to be the son of the emperor and a concubine. Aside from the difference in coloring, his features and build resembled the emperor strikingly—perhaps even more so than the Crown Prince.

“I only…”

His jaw tightened, as if he had made up his mind. Faint scars lined his chin, proof of hardship, yet they suited his striking appearance like ornaments.

“I wished to see you again. I told you my name so I might learn yours. I did not mean to offend you.”

“If fate allows it, we’ll meet again. But I’m not someone you should seek out.”

“…Ah.”

Even after her clear refusal, Helios stared at her more intently, his gaze sharpening.

Since he couldn’t remember her name, he seemed determined to remember something else. His eyes traced her sharply—from her defined jawline to her long neck, to the strands of black hair scattered across her face, to the slight upward tilt of her eyes.

It didn’t feel deliberate—more like instinct. Like a hunter studying prey.

Rather than unpleasant, it felt heavy—like his gaze might carve into her.

Is he going to devour me or something?

Just as she tried to leave before being completely consumed by his stare, a loud voice rang out.

“Commander! How could you leave me and His Highness behind? What are you—…huh?”

A neatly dressed holy knight rushed out from behind the fountain.

Not wanting her rare good mood to be ruined, Enya tried to leave quickly—but the interruption came first.

“Morgenda… the Magic Tower…”

The brown-haired knight pointed at her, eyes wide with shock.

Her long sleeves, trailing almost to her wrists and beyond. Her blue garment buttoned up to her neck. The silver serpent embroidered on her back. Her long black hair—and cold, black eyes.

This emotionless, oppressive presence. There was only one woman like this.

“Aren’t you the master of Morgenda Magic Tower—Enya Valencia?”

“……”

“The one who killed her own master and—”

Even if he swallowed the rest, the meaning was clear.

Five years ago, Enya Valencia had annihilated her master and fellow mages, becoming the new master of Morgenda Magic Tower.

That was what he meant.

Enya let out an irritated sigh and looked at the knight reciting her name. Disgust and shock slowly filled his eyes.

Those who first encountered Enya usually reacted in opposite ways.

They were either in awe—or afraid.

And they treated her in only two ways.

With contempt—or with forced kindness.

When she shifted her gaze slightly, she met Helios’s stiff expression. Within his rigid face, faint traces of suspicion and disdain had seeped in.

Given her reputation, it was only natural for a hero like him to react that way.

There was nothing surprising about it.

So why did it feel so unpleasant?

Was it because she had spoken more than usual?

What had she been expecting?

…What did I think would be different?

Mocking herself inwardly, Enya tossed the glass in irritation. It hit the ground at her feet, rolling awkwardly without breaking.

Her gaze moved slowly from the glass to the knights.

“Yes. I am the master of Morgenda Magic Tower.”

The moment she admitted it, Helios’s needle-like gaze sharpened into a spear and pierced her.

She was used to it.

Even so, it still hurt.

“But isn’t the temple still subject to the law? Calling my name so casually is quite rude.”

Feeling their stares grow heavier, Enya twisted her lips into a smile.

“If you’re one of Deferet’s men, you must be from the West. No wonder you lack basic manners—being from the wasteland.”

As her fingers curled, a magic circle instantly flared beneath the feet of the knight who had spoken her name. The holy knight quickly released divine power in response—but against Enya’s overwhelming magic, it was useless.