One Day, My Fiancé Brought His First Love Along - Chapter 99

“I just found out that your emperor is young and wide awake just like me. That’s great. I couldn’t ignore the opportunity that God gave me, so I took action myself.”

Grinning, Santinu smiled.

“If it weren’t for me, those two would’ve already been turned into test subjects by sorcerers.”

Santinu, who said such cold things without a second thought, smiled and snapped his fingers.

“You should really be thanking me right now.”

“Are we done talking?”

Aireen asked coldly, her expression blank.

“I still need to send you a letter and discuss a few other things, so why are you brushing me off?”

“How many units did you get hit with before that?”

“Why me, though?”

“It almost felt like you saw me struggling in this situation and just watched from a distance, all under the excuse of a test. Shouldn’t you at least pay the entrance fee?”

Finally, Santinu gave in to her icy tone.

“Alright, fine. I’ll be honest. I’ve been watching you ever since you fell into the forest alone. And no—I wasn’t the one who sent the monster after you. I don’t know what happened after that.”

I don’t know if she wants to say it herself or if that supposed alliance was just a rumor. Aireen looked at Santinu, clearly bewildered.

So in the end, he had been watching Aireen wandering around alone in danger from the beginning. And the monsters that started charging toward them after Carlisle arrived—those were his doing.

I didn’t know whether to laugh or be furious. Technically, Santinu was an enemy. But should I be thankful that he didn’t attack when we were already half-dead?

And now, out of nowhere, he was proposing an alliance. In a moment where survival was uncertain, Santinu was already talking about peace.

But he didn’t just stand by and watch—he even sent a demon. And under the name of a “test,” no less.

Aireen’s face grew colder. Even more than that, Carlisle’s expression had completely hardened.

If it were just him left behind, it wouldn’t have mattered if Santinu threw a monster at him or shot an arrow. But Aireen had been there too.

A cruel trick disguised with the fancy label of a test. Carlisle stared at Santinu with dark, sunken eyes.

“Why are you like this? I said I was sorry. I couldn’t help it. I made up my mind and followed through—can’t I at least try something like that?”

Carlisle, having regained some of his strength, approached Santinu from behind. Santinu, sensing the tension, slowly backed away.

Then, for a brief moment, the sharp sound of swords clashing filled the air.

“I’ll show you the way back,” Santinu said. “But I can’t guide you all the way. I’m the leader of the Northern Barbarian Alliance. I can’t form a peace treaty with someone who can’t even survive a bit of hardship. It’s asking too much to assign someone just to escort you.”

After a while, Santinu, dripping with sweat, winked and explained. Carlisle, expressionless, slipped the letter Santinu had given him into his inner pocket.

What that meant was clear—he’d help just enough to stop Carlisle from dying and show him the direction out. But anything beyond that? He’d stay out of it. The way back would not be easy.

Aireen shot a cold glare at his face, which was still trying to appear lighthearted.

“Why are you looking at me like that? I’m even being nice enough to explain how to get out of here.”

“How do I know you’re not leading us into a trap?”

“I promise that won’t happen. Our tribe keeps its word. Besides, I’m the chieftain of this tribe.”

Aireen snorted softly and turned away.

“Then I’ll be looking forward to it. Let’s do better next time.”

With a final few words of kindness from Santinu, Aireen and Carlisle prepared to return.

Carlisle and Aireen made it back safely. Though monsters appeared here and there, they were swiftly dealt with.

The information Santinu had given them had not been false.

“Captain! Are you alright?”

“Captain! Sir Aireen! Why did you only show up now?!”

“I’m just glad you came back safe—even if it’s only just now!”

After what felt like an eternity, the knights erupted in joy at the sight of the two of them. Their sudden appearance felt like a miracle. The image of sturdy knights running all at once was slightly intimidating, but their faces were filled with relief and happiness.

Piel, dark circles under his eyes, was startled and let out a cry when he saw the pair. But after confirming they were moving normally, he breathed a sigh of relief.

That is—until Niar, who had quietly approached Aireen, caught sight of the scars on her back through her torn clothing and gasped.

“Chief, your back—your back! Hurry and get her treated!”

Before entering the barracks on Niar’s back, Carlisle gave a direct order.

“Sir Aireen, examine her thoroughly. Start with her ankles. Piel, make sure to check for any lingering effects.”

“Yes, sir!”

Without saying a word or even glancing at Carlisle, Aireen turned away.

After confirming that Aireen had left with Piel, Carlisle entered the barracks, finished his own treatment, cleaned up, and changed his clothes.

The medicine Santinu had given them worked astonishingly well. Their wounds had nearly healed completely. It might’ve been thanks to those medicines that they had managed to fight back against the empire, despite the brutal conditions.

“Bring Boris.”

The first person he sought was Haller, currently disguised as Boris—if not immediately, then eventually. His testimony would be crucial in bringing down the Marquis of Hesiden.

“Father, did you call…?”

Haller stammered as he knelt down, bound. Carlisle looked at him with lifeless eyes and spoke flatly:

“You’d better not even think about lying. Time will make one thing very clear—if you lie, you won’t be safe.”

It was chilling. The moment Haller had realized Aireen and Carlisle were missing, he had already planned to tell the Marquis of Hesiden everything upon returning.

From all the conversations I’d had with the Marquis during this expedition, it became clear—he had a hand in their disappearance.

However, Carlisle and Aireen had returned safely, rendering the Marquis’s hopes meaningless. Although they showed signs of injury, neither of them had any trouble wielding their swords.

Haller bit down on the inside of his cheek in frustration. He had to tread carefully. A single misstep wouldn’t only doom him, but could also result in Count Peter losing his head.

“It would be in your best interest to make up your mind sooner rather than later.”

At the sound of the calm voice, Haller shivered and rubbed his arms, goosebumps rising along his skin.

When Carlisle and Aireen returned, the northern barbarians and the monsters abruptly stopped attacking—as if by magic.

More precisely, the intense attacks that had continued for a time gradually weakened and then suddenly came to a complete halt after their return.

The baron and the knights of the castle feared another raid might follow, but Carlisle reassured them firmly that it would not happen.

This matched what Santinu had told them. It was clear the northern tribes would need time to regroup—after all, the previous battle had taken a heavy toll on them too.

“Take care!”

“See you next time!”

“Wait, if we see each other again, doesn’t that mean we’re under attack again?!”

“Oh, right… then I’ll miss you, but I hope I never see you again!”

Many heartfelt farewells rained down like flower petals as the knights returned. Aireen left the Hanilom Mountains with a strange, unfamiliar feeling in her heart.

Although there had been some twists and turns, I returned safely after completing my first mission since coming back. I was deeply moved—both emotionally and mentally.

Behind it all, however, there lingered complicated emotions. They remained unspoken, quietly tucked away, triggered by the truth Aireen had heard from Carlisle. She didn’t bring it up—whether consciously or not.

The curse Carlisle carried, which she hadn’t known about. The same curse Edith had known. The hidden ties between the Marquis of Hessiden and the northern barbarians—connections Aireen hadn’t been aware of, despite being in command. And Santinu’s true intentions.

Carlisle wasn’t the only one who had kept all of this from her. But somehow, the weight of her anger, resentment, and confusion settled more heavily on him than on Edith.

Now, as she emerged from the dream-like battlefield and returned to reality, Aireen felt only revulsion as she thought of the people she would soon face. She said nothing, suppressing her emotions, and rode her horse in silence.

Meanwhile, Carlisle had a rough idea of what she was feeling. He couldn’t not know. Ever since their days at the Academy—long before they became lovers—he had always been attuned to Aireen’s emotions.

How could he not notice? He had observed her so closely, remembered every little detail—right down to the smallest wrinkle that appeared when she frowned.

That’s why Carlisle felt even more anxious. Though he rode at the front, pretending outwardly to be fine, he was deeply unsettled by Aireen’s quiet presence beside him on the right.

It was something that should have remained a secret forever. Even if it meant nothing to him—perhaps, just perhaps—the Levart family’s silence could have made Aireen happy.

After parting ways with Santinu, Aireen remained completely silent. She kept her distance the entire time they traveled, not even allowing the slightest closeness between them, making sure there was enough space so they wouldn’t accidentally brush against each other.

Even though the moment he had wished for so desperately had finally come, Carlisle,  could not smile.

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