The market was still lively and loud.
June walked through the crowd with light steps, holding a small paper bag of sweets she had just bought.
She happily ate one while walking.
"Mm… this is good."
Her long ponytail moved behind her, and the small bangs on her forehead gave her that playful look again.
To everyone around her, she was just a cheerful commoner girl enjoying the market.
But not far away…
Someone had just arrived.
A tall figure stepped into the busy street.
People moved aside without even realizing why.
The man's presence was simply… overwhelming.
It was Lucas de Hein.
His black hair moved slightly in the wind, and his silver eyes scanned the crowd calmly.
He rarely left the Magical Tower.
But today something unusual had caught his attention.
That strange magical presence.
And now…
He had found it.
His eyes landed on June.
She was standing at another stall now, laughing while arguing with a merchant over the price of a ribbon.
Lucas watched silently.
"…That magic…"
His voice was low.
It was faint, but he could feel it clearly.
Powerful.
Unusual.
And it was coming from that girl.
Meanwhile, June finally bought the ribbon and happily tied it around her ponytail.
"Much better."
She turned around—
—and almost walked straight into someone.
She stopped suddenly.
"Ah—sorry!"
June quickly looked up.
But when her brown eyes met Lucas's silver ones…
For a brief moment, the noisy market around them seemed to go completely silent.
Lucas looked down at the short girl in front of him.
His expression didn't change.
But his eyes sharpened slightly.
June blinked.
Then she smiled politely like any normal girl would.
"Sorry mister, I wasn't looking where I was going."
Lucas stared at her for a second longer.
Then he spoke in his calm, cold voice.
"…You should be more careful."
June tilted her head slightly.
Something about this tall man felt… strange.
But she couldn't quite explain why.
Neither of them realized it yet.
But this small accidental meeting in the market…