"He's dead. And I killed him!"

My hands unconsciously clenched tight at Angelica's words.

Certainly, I expected her to have some sort of resentment towards her days at the Frost Estate. But hearing it in person was not pleasant in the least.

"Sir! You hand!"

Ezra's frantic outburst once again reminded me of where I was. His actions were warranted since it was not the right place or the right time for me to act out impulsively.

Time can change many things.

With time, wounds heal, memories fade, and even reality changes to the point of infinity. For some, it turns into a book of a past journey to look at and learn from. But for others, it could become a prison with no way to escape.

Time wields such a power that it could change a person completely, so much so that they couldn't identify their past selves when they turn back to look at who they once were.

If I was the same person I was three years ago, I would have raided the small village Angelica was hiding in with an army of Knights and taken her away even if by force. But I knew by heart, if I were to conduct such an act, I would have found my wife but lost Angelica in the process.

Still, these thoughts keep circling my mind every time I look at her.

In the art of war, there are moments when one should take two steps back in order to be four steps ahead of the opponent.

Therefore to not cast any doubt, I had only brought Ezra with me while the rest of the Dark Wolfs were stationed outside the town.

'Even the slightest mistake could come at a great cost' I recited to myself. If I were to involuntarily reveal myself at this moment, all will be for naught.

"I'm fine"

The spilled wine from the broken glass dripped from my hands onto the table like droplets of blood. It reminded me of the morning after Angelica broke into my vault to take the alcohol within.

"Everything is fine" I repeated trying to keep myself as calm as possible, so as to not attract further attention.

Nevertheless, if things were to follow the same route as three years ago, I had a good idea of what was to come next.

I reached for the cufflinks in my shirt that activated the glamor. As much as I would like to appear before Angelica in my true form. I could not do that for obvious reasons.

Since extreme emotions could tamper with the effects of the magic cast, I had to check to see if the glamor was still in effect.

Sure enough, the red ruby on the cufflinks had a faint glow that momentarily flickered before regaining its color. It meant that the magic had returned to its stable state after a moment of disruption.

Fortunately, the hood covering my head was doing a good job hiding my face. No one seems to have noticed the change when the glamor came undone.

Since the Dark Wolfs were away during the period Angelica was in the Frost Estate she did not have an opportunity to run into them. So she will not be able to recognize Ezra or the rest of the squadron. But the same could not be said of me. My face, I'm certain she will recognize in a moment.

'I can't have the glamor being undone in public. I have to be careful to avoid accidents'

Emotions are not something that can be controlled at all moments, especially if I am around someone as cautious as Angelica. I need to replace the glamor with stronger magic so that it does not malfunction in critical places.

Just when the thought crossed my mind, my assumption had turned into reality.

"I can practically sing a song as to why he deserves it. Wanna hear?"

Before long Angelica had climbed on top of the table and started singing, a behavior she exhibited only in an intoxicated or overly stressed state. Her face was flushed red as if to prove how drunk she was.

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger! Stand a little taller!..."

Groups of strangers started to gather around her table to witness the sudden uproar.

'Haah...' I took a deep breath to calm my nerves before standing up to join the crowd.

Almost immediately, I noticed a young man who belonged to the Wayward merchants staring at Angelica with obvious adoration in his eyes. It was the same person who invited her to drink with his people which in turn led to the turn of events.

It was not only him but there were many men surrounding her and taking glances from time to time that made me unpleasant. In all honesty, it made me want to pluck out the eyes that were looking at her with immoral intentions.

Right when I was about to reach for my sword, an intoxicated Angelica slipped on something and fell backwards toward me.

I reflexively reached out and caught her as she fell, having her in my arms after three long years of unrelenting search.

"Woah! Thank you man" Angelica exclaimed, as she turned around and looked at me.

For some reason, I could feel my heart beating faster. It was strange how the presence of the familiar warmth in my arms had changed my aura.

Right then, the cufflinks started to flicker on cue. The man reflected in Angelica's clear emerald eyes was the same man she had abandoned years ago.

"Have we met before?" Angelica asked trying to focus her eyes.

When our eyes locked, for a moment, it seemed as if she had recognized me, the very person she was passionately singing about.

"Today is the first time I have seen you with my eyes" I confessed in an earnest voice.

Unlike her, I did not lie. Since it was in fact the very first time I had laid my eyes on her.

"Then why do you feel... oddly familiar?" Angelica frowned, moving a bit closer as if to take a better look. Her face mere inches away from mine that I could feel her breath on my skin.

Oddly enough, the blood lust I had felt a few seconds ago vanished without a trace. However, it didn't last long with the arrival of yet another stranger.

"I will take her from here"

"Raedennnn..." Angelica called out in a loving voice.

But the man on the receiving end of the loving voice was not me but a wolf beastman. Just from a glance, I could guess the intentions hidden behind his grim persona.

Angelica's response to the new stranger had the opposite effect as it only made me tighten my hold on her. This one seemed different from the rest of the fleas that surround her.

After thinking for a moment, albeit reluctantly I let her go with a light nudge. For now, I will retreat.

"Yaay" Angelica happily jumped into his arms like a child.

"Thank you for your help" The wolf beastman cast a glance my way before walking out of the tavern followed by other beastmen.

All the while, I stood there planted, my eyes trailing behind Angelica being carried away in the arms of another. I put down the hand that had unconsciously reached out.

Before the sun rises, everything that needs to be done will be completed. The wheels of fate had already been set in motion and there was no stopping it.











The next morning, it was time for us to meet officially. Although it had only been a few hours since I last saw her, I could not help but find myself feeling fascinated at the sight of her.

The blue mane that adored her locks glistened like the morning sky as Angelica's emerald eyes weighed me up and down as if to calculate my true intentions.

"Gentlemen, this is Ann. She is a prominent member of the Nero mercenaries. Ann this is..."

When the Sehra merchant Elijah made our introductions, it would be a lie to say I did not hold any anticipations.

However, contrary to my expectations, those eagle eyes of hers could not find what they were looking for beneath the guise. In fact, I could read her expression like an open book.

Besides, the suspicion of the likes of the strangers that walked in their territory, she did not seem to find us hostile. It was not just her but the small beastmen village that Angelica had made her home seemed to hold similar thoughts of doubt.

Even from a distance, it was clear how close they were together as a mercenary group. It was indeed a wise decision to bring the Sehra merchants they were familiar interacting with. Otherwise, it would not have been easy an task to have them trust us.

Although it was not my first time moving around in disguise. After the incident the previous day, I had to reinforce the glamour magic that I had been using. And seeing how Angelica reacted it proved to have worked its charm.

"Kalan" I answered instead, much to the confusion of Ezra and Elijah.

It was only natural they would be confused. For I had revealed for the first time a name the world was not aware of.

'Edward Kalan Frost' A smile crept to my face as I recited the name inside my mind.

In the Orion Empire there existed a custom that has been followed even from before the foundations were laid. Be it commoner or nobility, a person's baptismal name was an intimate existence that was known only to their spouses or close family of the person's choice.

Ever since I first learned of it on the day I came of age, it did not hold any significance to me until this very moment.

Kalan. It was a name that only Angelica had the right to know and the right to call.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you" I held out my hand to greet her.

"Likewise" Angelica said with a skeptical expression on her face before accepting my greeting.

Soon the conversation changed to that of the reason for our presence in the small village.

Before I came to the tavern to meet Angelica, I had made the Sehra merchant Elijah reach out to the local guild master to place a request.

To have Angelica come back on her own into the Orion territory, it must be through a way she would feel secure doing and not be suspicious at the same time.

Since she was part of a mercenary group the most effective scheme was to have her escort a group of merchants carrying valuable objects across the border while in reality, it would be the other way around.

The Orion merchant group the Nero mercenaries would be escorting will consist of actual merchants who are traveling to the capital on business along with Dark Wolf Knights mingled in disguise.

The rest of the squadron would be scattered across various checkpoints along the path with some following our trail while maintaining a certain distance. Their duty would be to take care of any external factors that might disrupt the trip while I was by her side at all times.

With the stage set before we even stepped inside the village, all Angelica had to do was sign the contract.

However, things took an unexpected turn when outright Angelica, refused to accept the request.

"No. When I speak, I speak for all of us as a pack. You should find someone else" Angelica's firm gaze was directed at me.

'Did she catch onto something?' I wondered, while maintaining a calm expression.

"Why?" Elijah voiced out the same question in my mind.

'Why, in fact?' Why would Angelica refuse a well-paid job that could also raise their reputation as mercenaries in the guild?

"That's my question as well" Angelica went on to explain her question.

Being the wildcard she was, I had thought of every single possibility when I organized the well-constructed scheme. Thus I had come prepared for any scenario she might put forth before me.

When the situation regarding the Orion relic was settled, yet another obstacle arose when Angelica demanded the destination to be changed before Napal.

Turns out she only wanted to move the destination to a few cities before Napal under the unlikeliest of events of running into her husband who held the ownership of the town.

Aside from the sudden change, I was honestly surprised to learn she remembered anything from that night of alcohol and intoxication.

I had initially chosen to have Napal as the destination point only because it had caught Angelica's interest back when she lived in the Frost Estate. It did not matter to me where we stopped as the end goal was to bring her inside the Orion territory in her own violation.

The city of Parthellam is under the Herrmann territory. Now that I remember, Marquis Hermann had come to visit me personally after I had regained consciousness.

"We'll agree to your terms" I accepted Angelica's altered conditions whilst containing the smile that threatened to appear across my face.

If we were to stop at Parthellam instead of the original Napal, we would be an entire week ahead of schedule. This was the reason why I find myself unable to let go of Angelica. Just when I think there was nothing left inside the box, like a fox she would always find a way to leave me amazed.

"Parthellam. It is" I muttered under my breath.

If anything, the sooner the better.

'And once we get to Parthellam...'

"Pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Kalan" Angelica's voice snapped me back from my thoughts.

"Ah... The pleasure is mine"

I took the hand Angelica extended, concealing my thoughts behind a hidden smile.

In a matter of a few hours, a lot of changes happened around the small Velven village.

The Wayward merchants had gained a new trade deal that sent them all the way to the other side of the continent. It was estimated that the journey could take at least five years to return.

The Golden Lion mercenaries got drafted by the Agrichian military to support the local lords with their emerging monster problems in the deserts.

And finally, a large group of Orion merchants in association with the Sehra merchants of Agrichia had acquired the services of the Nero mercenaries to escort them safely across the borders into the Orion Empire with the destination set at Parthellam.

The change in seasons had brought new winds to the village, yet no one knew the truth behind the veil.