The same day the royal palace granted Catherine temporary entry, Arcus, Catherine, and Eleonora hurriedly departed Victor territory.
They crossed the border without incident and, after about ten peaceful days on the road, had finally drawn within sight of the capital's massive walls.
"It's still surprising they granted permission," Catherine said.
"Well, Your Excellency and my father did a lot of scheming," Arcus replied with a shrug, watching the plains sweep past the window. He knew Alan and Marquis Lucian had pulled strings, but not the details—and he didn't pry. There was no use getting involved where he wasn't helpful.
Reincarnation. A second life. It sounded grand, but Arcus was no superhero. Even with a fortunate start, he was a novice at the etiquette and political maneuvering between nobles. Leave what you can't do to those who can. To think you can handle everything yourself is arrogance.
(Leave it to the specialists… still, I'm sure we're being watched.)
Arcus's gaze settled on the capital's great walls in the distance. Catherine saw them, too; she looked visibly tense. Understandably so—except for crossing the border, no one in the capital knew her face anymore.
From now on, though, they would be in the capital and at the academy. People who recognized her, who knew what had happened—none of them would look at her without curiosity.
"Don't worry. It'll be just at first. You're not the Marquis's daughter anymore—now you're our household's civil servant. If anything happens, I'll protect you."
Catherine gave a small nod to Arcus's smile.
"A master who protects their attendant, huh?"
"Well, I do what fits."
Arcus shrugged; Catherine couldn't help but smile a little. Seeing her relax, Arcus rummaged in his pocket and produced two bracelets—
――――――――――
Time slips back.
On the day it was decided Catherine would return to the academy, Arcus had slipped into the Demon Forest. He had said he was collecting meat for tonight's dinner, but that was an excuse. He couldn't bear to linger at the house and he wanted something else—materials.
"Alright, I think I've got everything I need."
He needed components to make a charm. Escorting Catherine was fine, but Arcus had no countermeasures for subtler threats—poison, for example. With his crafting ability, he could make a simple amulet to guard against toxins.
After hunting and collecting in the forest, he sat down in a clearing and began to craft.
He intended a bracelet-like amulet to neutralize ailments such as poison and paralysis.
(Hmm — what form should I make? Rings might be dicey.)
As he muttered, a giant lizard attacked; Arcus crushed it with one punch while still seated. A Greater Lizard was no weak beast, yet he did it and wrenched out one of its crimson eyes. It glinted like a gem and, in color, eerily resembled Eleonora's eyes.
Perfect.
He combined the pure white magic stone he had with the lizard's ruby eye and forged a small, red-hued magic stone. He discarded the dull red stone in his pocket and pulled out a blue magic stone. Set side by side, the red and blue stones shone like Catherine and Eleonora.
Their light attracted another beast, but it was torn apart before it could reach him.
"Okay, now to assemble this…"
Arcus decided on a bracelet. His mana wasn't enough for a complex device, but simple bands were doable. He reshaped an unused silver dish into a bangle, mixed in materials from beasts resistant to poison and paralysis, and set the stones. After some time, two oddly shaped bracelets lay in his hands—similar but asymmetrical, one with a red stone, the other blue.
(May these two work together…)
When he fit them together, they clicked perfectly into a single bracelet. No gaudy ornament—just the two stones side by side. Arcus felt satisfied, and then a slight doubt prickled.
(Will a handmade trinket be acceptable?)
He had made it with effort, but the recipient was once a marquis's daughter and a great mage in her own right. Would it have been better to ask Lucian for an elegant piece? He decided to test the waters and give it, watching her reaction.
――――――――
So he did. Arcus presented the bracelets to Catherine.
"What's this?"
"It's a charm against status ailments like poison and paralysis—disposable, though."
He handed the blue-stoned bracelet to Catherine. Her eyes lit up; Arcus exhaled in relief. He hadn't expected her to react oddly—she was simply glad.
"Miss Catherine, could you switch with Eleonora for a moment?"
Reading his meaning from the remaining bracelet in his hand, Catherine nodded and swapped places with Eleonora.
"What's this, boy—calling me out like that—"
"It's for you."
Arcus handed the other bracelet to Eleonora bluntly. She blinked and then scoffed.
"One is enough for the little girl, surely?"
"Even if there's one body, you two are separate. Her body is Catherine's; I have to protect you both."
Arcus's tone made Eleonora grin appraisingly.
"How dutiful. You treat me like a person, do you?"
"Of course. You and Catherine are different people. Strange as you are, you're you. Of course I treat you separately."
Eleonora laughed. "So you're in love with me, then."
"What? No—"
She continued teasing, and Arcus, flustered, shot back, "If you ever regain your original body and become a proper beauty, I'll consider it."
They both laughed. Eleonora returned her consciousness to Catherine.
"Bong-kyu-bong?" Catherine echoed uncertainly.
Arcus panicked and waved his hands. "I was joking, I was joking!"
Catherine smiled and joined the two bracelets on her wrist.
"They're beautiful—our colors, Catherine and Eleonora. Lord Arcus… thank you."
"You're welcome."
Relief washed over Arcus, until Catherine spoke again and froze him.
"Lord Arcus… since we'll be together, would you speak to me as casually as you speak to Eleonora?"
"Huh?"
Arcus immediately protested—no way would he speak casually to the marquis's daughter—but Catherine persisted: "From now on I'm your attendant."
"Well…that's true," Arcus admitted.
He stammered, "Then, at least in front of others—"
He noticed, just in time, a flicker of disappointment cross Catherine's face.
"Understood," he said, slapping his thigh.
"Okay. Master and servant it is, so I'll talk casually—but don't expect me to hold back."
"Yes!"
Catherine's happy face made Arcus breathe out as if he could finally relax.
"For now, let's activate the amulet."
Catherine looked down at the bracelet.
"If I channel magic through each stone, the effect activates. Even if the body is the same, the mana tied to each soul differs—Catherine and Eleonora."
Arcus almost called her by a pet name but chickened out, which left Catherine slightly dissatisfied. He slumped inwardly.
Catherine passed mana through the bracelet and swapped with Eleonora again.
"You're surprisingly cute sometimes, you know," Eleonora teased as she laughed, and Arcus snapped, "Shut up."
"Well then, boy—I'll grant you the right to give me a pet name."
"No thanks. That's harassment."
"Don't be shy."
"Who's shy—"
Arcus turned on her, and Eleonora's joking gaze betrayed a sliver of seriousness.
"…All right. The ancient archmage's real name might be awkward."
"You're clever."
Arcus sighed. (Eleonora… Eleonora. Nora would be too stern.) He'd been granted the right to give a nickname, so he decided to tease her with something cute.
"I've got it. Your nickname will be 'Ellie.' Cute, right?"
"What's that insipidly cute name!?"
"It's a nickname. Cute."
Arcus grinned maliciously and clapped Eleonora's shoulder. She couldn't back down; she forced a smile.
"I'll allow only you and that little girl to call me Ellie."
With that, she slipped back to being Catherine—but Catherine's expression looked a little envious when she returned.
"Catherine?"
"Yes?"
She smiled, but it was tinged with something else.
(Maybe I should give Catherine a nickname too?)
Arcus stared her down; Catherine tilted her head in response.
(Guessing the right move… I'll go for it.)
He plucked his courage and spoke.
"I realized something—calling you 'Catherine' every time sounds stiff. 'Liza' belongs to the Marquis family, right?"
A flicker of expectation appeared in her eyes.
"Well… Catherine, hmm."
('Betty' would be ordinary—but that's awkward here.)
"How about… 'Liz'?"
"Yes! Please call me Liz from now on."
Her radiant smile blinded him.
(Who was the idiot who called her the 'Ice Beauty'?)
Relieved at his success, Arcus made one more proposition.
"When it's just the two of us, you can call me Arcus. I'm not good with stiff formality."
Arcus shrugged; Liz nodded.
"Understood. Thank you, Arcus."
The double whammy of a smile and a nickname hit him hard.
(If Your Excellency finds out, he won't drown me in the sea, right?)
Arcus's worry aside, the carriage reached the capital soon after.
"Nicknames between master and servant smell of sinful romance," Eleonora declared.
"Shut up! You're the one who should shut up!"
"We're pure—absolutely pure—"
From inside the carriage came laughter. Harrison, the driver, looked up to the blue sky and murmured softly,
"It's good to be young."
His words drifted away on the coolening breeze.