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-All Valkyries are gorgeous…

-My new dream is to become Odin from today.

-Viola is pretty, but Beim’s vibe is top tier.

-Right? Belveim’s chic charm is killer.

-Beim’s aura is unmatched LOLOLOL

The viewers were clearly entertained by the appearance of another beautiful woman. Despite the lengthy stream, the viewer count rarely dropped below 10,000.

In fact, it was steadily increasing.

『Viewers: 17,144』

17,000 viewers.

If this trend continued, the highlight of the trial could attract over 20,000 viewers. The reason was apparent from the stream title.

『Title: Continuous Clear in Progress. (No communication) #SuperBeauty #DoubleValkyrie』

Valkyries appearing on the stream, and they’re beautiful. The title drew attention quickly. Just as many viewers came to see the Valkyries as they did to watch Lee Suhyuk.

-This place is literally a flower garden…

-I hoped you’d be happy, but not this happy.

-What’s this trial even about?

Grateful for the no-communication message, Suhyuk felt it was a blessing.

“Please, this way.”

They reached their destination. Belveim guided them to a grand mansion located near the city center.

A mansion so enormous it could be called a small island. The garden was as large as a park, and there were at least ten gardeners tending to it.

“Is this your house, Belveim?”

Suhyuk was awestruck by the opulence. Compared to Viola’s condition, Belveim’s situation was poles apart. Viola had been hiding in a cave, fleeing from demons. In contrast, Belveim was living openly in a city known to harbor demons.

And in such a conspicuous mansion, no less.

“Yes, it is. My home.”

“But how…”

“We’ve been here for five hundred years. Amassing this wealth is natural.”

Belveim misunderstood the question, but it was understandable. It did raise the curiosity of how a Valkyrie acquired such a mansion.

One thing, however, piqued another doubt, Glancing at Viola, considering Belveim’s statement, what about Viola?

Sensing Suhyuk’s gaze, Viola explained, “I’ve been living as a knight in the Count Vinzen family for a long time.”

“A knight?”

Viola nodded.

“There’s a legend in the Vinzen count family. Among the knights, there’s an ageless guardian knight.”

Scratching her cheek in embarrassment, she continued, “That’s me. I’ve been living there, changing my name constantly.”

“The Vinzen count family is the closest to the Thunder Throne. They guard the royal family.”

Belveim added, clarifying why Viola chose that path. While exchanging a few more words, Suhyuk, Viola, and Vigo were guided by Belveim to the upper floors of the mansion.

“I’ll prepare some food since you must be hungry. Please, make yourselves comfortable.”

In the room prepared with pristine white bedding. Viola smiled brightly at the sight of a bed she hadn’t seen in ages.

“Thanks, Belveim.”

“It’s nothing. You’ve had it rough. Rest well, Viola.”

The warm atmosphere filled the room.

“It seems safe here.”

Suhyuk’s words felt like a splash of cold water.

“It’s strange.”

“Sorry?”

“One of you is running from demons, yet the other is relaxing as if it were your own house.”

Suhyuk looked at Viola, demanding an explanation. She had asked him to save her comrades. At that time, Suhyuk assumed they were in grave peril. Viola must have thought the same.

“The danger applies to me as well.”

Seeing Suhyuk’s words as an accusation, Belveim began to explain.

“That’s why I couldn’t move, even knowing Viola was being chased.”

“What do you mean?”

“The ones whose identities were exposed were Viola and Elaine. But the demons knew there were three of us.”

Three Valkyries. The demons started pursuing Viola and Elaine.

“If I move outside the city now, the demons will notice. Valkyries are so distinct and, well, they’re on high alert for me.”

Suhyuk nodded. Believable explanation. If true, staying put for now might indeed be the safest bet. Hide a tree in a forest. Hide a person in a city.

Belveim was just following that principle to the letter.

“But, Viola.”

Belveim raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t think you’ve told me who this person is. Who is he?”

She asked Viola about Suhyuk. Belveim could have asked directly, but the roundabout way seemed to reflect her annoyance from being questioned.

“He’s someone who came with me to rescue you.”

“To rescue me?”

“Yes. This man is—”

“Just a wandering swordsman.”

Swish—

Suhyuk gestured towards Vigo, who stood behind Viola, with his sheathed sword.

“I knocked this guy out in one hit, so Lady Viola hired me as a mercenary.”

“Huh?”

Vigo looked puzzled, not understanding why he was being roped into the explanation. But Belveim seemed quite taken aback by it.

“Vigo?”

While not on par with a Valkyrie, Vigo was still a formidable fighter. A human who could knock him out in one blow?

Belveim nodded, thinking that it made sense why Viola would choose to travel with Suhyuk.

“Your skills must be impressive. Quite something for a human.”

“I can manage.”

-Quite something, indeed LOLOLOL

-But he’s right LOLOLOL

-Look at Belveim’s expression

-I’d be stunned too LOLOLOL

Belveim stood momentarily stunned before shaking her head and turning away.

“I’ll get the meal ready. You must be tired from the long journey, so rest well today.

Creak—

Thud—

The heavy wooden door closed smoothly. Once the three were alone in the room, Viola cast a sharp glance at Suhyuk.

“Why did you do that?”

“Which part do you mean? Questioning your friend? Or interrupting halfway?”

“Both.”

At Viola’s response, Suhyuk stood and paced around the room.

“Don’t you find it strange?”

“What?”

“That only this place is safe. If there really are hundreds of demons in this city targeting Valkyries.”

A large mansion. When they were on their way back to the city, they hadn’t expected such luxury. Belveim’s claim that staying put was the safest option seemed plausible, but the underlying oddity couldn’t be ignored.

Viola seemed to feel the same. She hesitated, unable to immediately rebut Suhyuk’s argument.

“It’s odd, yes. But…”

“But?”

“Does it really matter? Belveim isn’t going to harm us.”

Suhyuk internally sighed in relief at her response.

‘So, she’s not entirely clueless.’

He had worried that she might be a simple-minded warrior, but she too had noticed the strangeness. The reason she hadn’t shown it was clear.

‘Trust.’

Faith in her friend and comrade, Belveim.

“Ten years, Suhyuk.”

Suddenly, memories of the day he died came flooding back.

“I’ve only prepared for today. So you need to understand.”

What nonsense. Taking a moment to gather himself, Suhyuk slowly voiced the words he had been reluctant to say.

“…Try to question her.”

He knew how difficult it was. Faith wasn’t something that could be shattered just by deciding to doubt.

But.

“You have to.”

Failing to do so could lead to a fate similar to his own.

*

After the meal, Belveim urged Suhyuk and Viola to rest. They were given three rooms. In a mansion this large, there was no shortage of rooms.

Rustle—

As the sun began to set in the evening, Viola lay on the bed, covered in delicate sheets, looking out the window. How long had it been since she last lay on such a comfortable bed with soft bedding?

Since hiding in the cave to avoid the demons about a month ago, she hadn’t even bathed properly.

“…Try to question her.”

Suhyuk’s words lingered in her mind. The man with the power of lightning. His casual remark carried significant weight.

The issue was that she couldn’t determine whether she kept thinking about his words because he possessed the power of lightning or because they made sense.

Question her?

It wasn’t something she wanted to do. To question Belveim, a friend she had spent countless years with. But there was no denying the truth in his words.

This whole situation did feel off.

Moreover,

‘Belveim…’

Was it just her imagination?

Compared to five hundred years ago, there was something different about her aura.

Swish—

In the end, Viola got up from her bed. Her eyes landed on the sword she had placed by the bedside. Should she take it?

As she hesitated, Suhyuk’s voice echoed in her mind again, urging her to question everything.

Grip—

Finally, she took her weapon and stepped into the hallway. The sun had set outside, leaving the corridor dark. It was silent, devoid of any sound.

Walking through the scarcely touched hallways, Viola felt a weird sensation. Why was that?

Despite this place being supposedly safe and comfortable, the long hall felt more perilous than the cave she had been hiding in.

‘Something’s off.’

What was this feeling?

The strange sense of unease from Belveim. The cold, alien feeling emanating from the grand mansion. And the loud warning bells ringing in her instincts.

It was too much to attribute to the words of someone she had met just yesterday.

Step, step—

Turning a corner in the hallway. She heard another set of footsteps.

‘Belveim?’

If it was her she encountered here, what should she do?

Should she be honest and tell her that she doubted her?

Or should she stay silent and continue to distrust?

As Viola pondered, caught in indecision,

Step, step—

Her steps brought her closer to the corner. The approaching footsteps did the same. The two met around the corner as if on cue.

“Gasp—.”

“Viola?”

A startled Viola exhaled sharply while Suhyuk relaxed his tense expression. Relieved, Viola placed a hand over her heart and asked,

“What brings you here?”

“I was actually heading your way.”

Indeed, the direction Suhyuk was heading in was towards Viola’s room.

“To my room? Why?”

“I misinterpreted who to rescue.”

“What?”

“It’s not Belveim.”

The target of the second rescue scenario. The name of the scenario that they assumed was about Belveim was not.

“It’s you.”

It was Viola herself.