CHAPTER 232: BEHIND THE VEIL

"...do you have any more questions?"

"...No," Rosemary replied after a pause. But she did have a lot of questions. However, asking them now might be seen as overstepping her boundaries, or worse, getting a bit too personal.

Still, there was one thing that had been nagging at her from the beginning.

"Actually, I have one last request." She said, raising her index finger. "It’s a bit... unconventional, but it’s really necessary for the ’official business’."

Lumin raised his eyebrow slightly, waiting for her to continue.

Rosemary didn’t speak right away but glanced around instead. Her gaze landed on the curious onlookers, and with a sigh, she channeled her aura.

Another golden barrier formed around the three of them, muffling their voices from outside ears and obscuring them from prying eyes.

"I wanted to take a peek at your wife’s face," Rosemary said in a curious tone and then added with a teasing one. "You will agree, right? Unless... you are jealous of me too."

Lumin studied her for a moment and nodded slowly. "...I suppose that’s reasonable."

He turned to his wife with a kind smile and gentle eyes. "Honey, would you mind?"

The veiled woman, Cassandra, nodded faintly before removing her pitch black veil.

What was revealed left Rosemary speechless.

The face that emerged was nothing short of breathtaking.

High cheekbones framed by cascading golden hair, eyes polished like sapphires that seemed to hold depths of wisdom and mystery, and features so perfectly balanced that they seemed ethereal.

Rosemary, accustomed to any kind of situation, who considered herself a beauty, found herself momentarily stunned. Her breath hitched.

She had seen many beautiful women before, but this woman... she was on an entirely different level, almost... otherworldly.

No wonder he’s so protective of her...

"Alright," Rosemary spoke, her voice a little rougher than she intended as she forced herself to regain her composure. She waved a hand dismissively, though her gaze lingered for another second on Cassandra. "You both are clear."

Then she looked at Lumin with a smile, an understanding crossing her eyes. "And now I understand why you’re so overprotective of her. Keep being a husband like that, ones like you are rare."

She turned her attention back to Cassandra, who had already put on her veil. "You too, lady, you should treasure your husband as well. Don’t ever let go of him."

NovelBin.

"Mmm." Cassandra hummed gently in response, even forgetting the fact that she was acting.

"Finally, I apologize for taking so much of your precious time." Rosemary continued with an apologetic bow. Then she stared at them, her eyes letting up. "Come to think of it, midnight is almost here. The roads can be dangerous at this hour, with monsters roaming around. If you need a place to stay, I can arrange a room at my house. It will be safe and comfortable, and you can leave tomorrow morning."

Lumin shook his head in appreciation. "That’s very kind of you, Captain, but we must respectfully decline. Time is of the essence for us right now. And as you said, we should take our leave before midnight and the city gate closes."

"Ah, alright." Rosemary nodded, dispelling the barrier. "Safe travels then, Mr..."

It was at this moment that Rosemary realized she still hadn’t asked for their names yet. Thankfully, the half-elf responded quickly.

"You can address me as Lumin, Captain." He said before turning away. "Till we meet again."

"Oh, alright, till next time," Rosemary replied, wondering if they would really meet again.

But considering the fact that one had to pass the city to leave this region, she realized meeting again wouldn’t be that unlikely after all. Especially if they were truly working for or with the Luthaire family.

As she watched the mysterious couple disappear into the crowd beyond the gates, she couldn’t shake the feeling that their encounter was far more significant than it appeared on the surface. The wife’s otherworldly beauty, the husband’s unnatural under pressure... There was definitely more to their story than a simple shopping mission.

With a final glance toward the darkness where they vanished, Rosemary turned back to her duties. She had arrested criminals to process, reports to file, three other gates to coordinate with, and so on.

The night was far from over, and there was still much work to be done.

But she still made a mental note to send an inquiry to Baron Nusayel’s territory when she had the chance.

After all, verification never hurt anyone.

And if her instincts were right about there being more to them or their story, she had a feeling their paths would cross again sooner rather than later.

...Let’s start with taking care of the troublemaker first.

_____ ___ _

Cassandra glanced at her husband, ah, no, at Sir Lumin.

’...’

The correction in her own thoughts made her pause mid-step. When did she start thinking of him that way so naturally? Was she too engrossed in the act? Or...

No, no, no...

She shook her head inwardly, reassuring herself it was just a mistake and nothing more.

But...

He hadn’t said a single word since they passed through the gate, his expression calm and unreadable as ever. The chill of the night air was beginning to settle, but she didn’t feel cold, only the strangely familiar warmth of his presence beside her.

They continued walking in comfortable silence, swallowed by the vast expanse of the road ahead.

"...Why didn’t you accept her offer?" She decided to break the silence first.

"...?" Lumin glanced at her, raising his brow. "Ah, you mean the spending the night one?"

"Hm..." Cassandra confirmed.

"Well, I really didn’t lie to her. Time is really of the essence for me." He started explaining. "Besides, I didn’t want to be involved with them any further. They would probably ask us to give testimonies or things like that, which would waste our time and nerves. And..."

Lumin paused, scratching his cheek, as if pondering whether to tell it or not. And that made Cassandra even more curious. What could be the reason?

"...and, we... we would have to share a room together." Lumin finally said it, avoiding eye contact with her. "That would have been... inappropriate."

"!"

Cassandra’s eyes widened, both in realization and in surprise at his admission. She felt her cheeks flush beneath her veil, grateful that it hid her reaction from him.

...Why... Why does my chest feel warm?

...Why am I relieved and disappointed at the same time?