Chapter 5
For the potion management department staff, lunchtime without Leighton was true freedom.
Most employees spent it napping at their desks or resting, but Tony used the time entirely for gossip.
Today, as always, he was eagerly spreading rumors about the Third Prince, gesturing wildly as he spoke.
“Calling him crazy is harsh,” Kira frowned, speaking politely as always.
But Tony ignored her and continued.
“Everyone calls him crazy, not just me!”
When no one responded, Tony pouted.
He was always hungry for attention.
“What’s so unusual about him?” someone asked.
Tony’s face lit up. He dragged a chair to the middle of the office and sat down excitedly.
“Well, you know the royal family has dragon blood, right? So each of them is born with a special ability.”
“……”
“The Third Prince can control fire. At six, the nursery wasn’t open, so he blew up the door.”
Quite a troublesome child.
Dana twirled her pen, barely paying attention.
Tony continued.
“At ten, he got bored of a minister’s long sermon, so he set his beard on fire!”
Edwin listened quietly to the ridiculous rumors about himself.
In reality, the door he broke wasn’t the nursery—it was the Emperor’s audience hall.
A bribed minister had been whining for three days asking for forgiveness, which annoyed him.
His father, the Emperor, was too weak to act, so the dutiful son—Edwin—set it on fire.
As for the minister’s sermon… six hours is unreasonable.
He had simply intervened on behalf of the bored attendees.
Even as a child, I was clever.
Looking back, it had been a choice he had no regrets about.
Tony, lamenting the dwindling lunchtime, went on about the Third Prince.
“And the Rune Knights, the craziest knights in the empire! Their captain is the Third Prince!”
“The Rune Knights? The ones in charge of defending against northern monsters?”
Kira perked up, and Tony replied happily.
“Yes! They send all the uncontrollable crazies there!”
Really? Edwin thought of his subordinates.
They weren’t all that bad, actually.
A bunch of foolish but obedient and aggressive men.
“Anyway, he’s terrifying and brutal, so everyone be careful!”
With that, Tony returned to his seat.
Dana couldn’t understand.
‘Why all the fuss when there’s no chance of meeting him?’
Edwin then asked her.
“Senior, what do you think of the Third Prince?”
“Hmm…”
Edwin’s face was serious as he asked.
Dana couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight.
“You’re scared, aren’t you?”
“……”
Mistaking his serious expression for fear, she teased him.
“Don’t worry. If you ever meet him, just hide behind me.”
“…So you’d be there with me?”
“Of course.”
The closer atmosphere made Edwin’s eyes sparkle.
He wouldn’t miss this opportunity.
“I am scared, senior.”
“You look like it.”
Dana patted his back playfully.
Edwin accepted the gesture with pleasure.
And he realized something.
Dana had a soft spot for the weakness of others.
“Dana, working late again today?”
“Yeah, see you tomorrow!”
After her final goodbye to Kira, Dana settled in for overtime.
In the dark office, she relied on the faint magical lamps, working alone…
“Senior.”
Startled, Dana turned toward the voice.
Edwin had entered, carrying a picnic basket.
Caught off guard, Dana gaped.
“I’m staying late too.”
He smiled around the office.
“It’s just the two of us, right?”
He seemed to emphasize ‘us’ for some reason.
Dana nodded, and he sat beside her.
Soon, a few cookies and apple juice were placed on her desk.
“What’s this?”
“When working, you get bored, right?”
“You’re working late too?”
“Yes, to learn from you as well.”
He offered a piece of cookie toward her mouth.
Dana, taken by surprise, tasted it. Her eyes widened.
Delicious…!
Had it been so long since she’d had something like this?
No—it was different from any childhood cookie she remembered.
Crispy yet chewy, with rich flavor, it made her eyes roll in delight.
Before she knew it, she had eaten three cookies, and Edwin placed the juice near her.
“Take your time. Sip the juice too.”
His gentle touch made Dana nod repeatedly.
‘This… feels like being pampered.’
But she couldn’t refuse his kindness.
The sweetness, long forgotten, brought vitality back.
“Thanks, Edwin. This is really good. Where did you get it?”
“I brought it from home.”
Edwin smiled, pleased at the sight of her chewing happily.
With her hunger partially sated, Dana opened documents and asked,
“Isn’t it hard to work late from your first day?”
“…There’s overtime pay.”
Dana’s expression turned serious.
‘Could his family situation be difficult too…?’
Asking directly would be rude.
She shifted the topic, smiling.
“But your family must be waiting for you.”
“Well… they don’t really care about me.”
“….”
Perhaps Edwin was in the same situation as her?
Dana’s expression grew more serious.
‘No, that would be rude to assume.’
She tried to shake the thought, but it lingered.
If he were in the same position, she wanted to warmly comfort him.
So instead, she decided to be kind in her guidance.
“Then today, I’ll teach you while we work late. See these potion reports from various knight orders?”
“Yes, senior.”
“Organize them by category. Note any side effects or unusual points in the middle.”
“Understood.”
Edwin was smart.
Even when he could have asked his mentor, he categorized the content correctly.
Having a competent new employee made Dana’s work much easier.
After several hours of organizing reports, her full stomach made her sleepy.
“……”
Dana’s eyes kept closing.
Her heavy head kept nodding forward.
No! Dana shook her head forcefully.
Edwin, watching, fetched a blanket from somewhere.
“How about a ten-minute break? I’ll wake you up.”
“Really? Thank you.”
Delighted, Dana rested her head on the desk.
Edwin draped the blanket over her.
Soon, her breathing evened out.
“You must be very tired.”
Edwin gently brushed her hair behind her ear.
Her black hair fell softly.
Since parting on the battlefield, he had often imagined her elusive image.
What color were her eyes? How was her hair?
On the day of her magic department interview, he finally saw her behind the curtain—an image he would never forget.
Dana was more beautiful than any image he had imagined.
Jet-black hair, striking blue eyes, etched into his chest.
Her voice, unforgettable.
‘If I had known, I would’ve thought of you every time I looked at the night sky.’
Edwin smiled silently.
Still…
‘Dana works late again today?’
It seemed she always worked overtime.
‘That can’t be good for her health.’
Why was she so attached to working late?
Was there a situation he didn’t know about?
He had assumed she was fine while he fought monsters.
‘I should find out for sure.’
Edwin pulled the blanket higher over her.
Thanks to him, Dana sank into a sweet, deep sleep.
Meanwhile, in the Imperial Palace…
“Where’s my cookie? I eat orange jam cookies whenever I work on state affairs!”
The Emperor pouted.
A flustered attendant bowed.
“W-Well… the Third Prince took them.”
“Edwin?”
“Yes…”
“Hmph.”
Other snacks were offered, but the Emperor’s mood didn’t improve.
Seeing this, the attendant hesitated.
“Shall we… tell the Third Prince?”
“To our youngest? No, no!”
He’s too scary, the Emperor shook his head.
“Hmph.”
