Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

Lorene's future husband looked like a noble merchant possessing an air of refined charm and approachability. With a slender frame that carries an air of grace, he stands as a testament to both his noble lineage and his keen sense of style. His clothing is tastefully tailored, a blend of rich fabrics and intricate details that denote his status.

His eyes hold a warm twinkle, and his genuine smile is quick to greet those he encounters. Soft waves of chestnut hair frame his face, adding a touch of youthful vitality to his overall appearance. Despite his noble origins, there's a lack of haughtiness in his demeanor; his easygoing nature and friendly disposition make it easy for others to feel comfortable in his presence.

With a large smile on his face, he ran toward Lorene, and she did the same. Both of them smiled while holding each other's hands for a long while. Rain felt like he wanted to roll his eyes, but then he saw the female guard looking more pissed.

"I get it now… unrequited love, huh?" Rain thought. "It must be tough. You don't get my pity, though."

It was a common occurrence, a frail-looking guy making a strong and rugged woman fall in love with them because he treated her like an ordinary girl. Rain didn't know if it was the thing between them, but he could bet that it was a bit similar.

"I have been waiting for you, my dear," The man said.

"Oh boy… the cringe!" Rain thought.

"I heard that you were coming with only a single guard, but… I am thankful for keeping her safe," The guy said. "My name is Orcis Viola. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Rain just silently nodded. He thought a few times why the guy didn't come to the capital instead to visit her… he assumed that he had important business to do in his hometown, but even so, was that enough reason to risk the safety of his bride? It wasn't his problem, but Rain would rather keep his distance from such people.

"We will have dinner soon. Please, take a nice bath and change your clothes," Orcis said.

"Yes," Lorene said while showing a weird smile.

Lorene looked like a girl crazy in love; her head was probably filled with flowers right now, and she looked like a totally different person… in any case, Rain couldn't keep an eye on her all the time now. Still, he made sure to use his tracking spell to make sure that no one suspicious would approach Lorene while she was away from him.

The mansion was big, but Rain would be fine since it wouldn't require much mana from him.

"Once again, thank you for bringing Lorene here safely," Orcis said. "Branden said that someone reliable would do that, but I didn't think that it would be someone so young."

"I just did my job," Rain said.

"Right… he also said that you don't talk much," Orcis said and then sat down. "Please, have a seat. I want to hear the details about your trip with Lorene."

That was part of the job, so Rain gave his report last week. Nothing major happened Aside from a few encounters with monsters. Orcis asked if Rain felt them being watched, but he confirmed several times that they weren't. Orcis didn't seem completely satisfied by his words, but he didn't seem that suspicious either.

"... I suppose they might try something while we are together," Orcis said while looking at the table in front of him. "It is only a matter of time before they find that she is here… I can't keep her here all the time either; that would be a waste."

It would be a waste, but it also would be the best option… as expected, Rain confirmed once again that nobles had poor judgment skills when it comes to risk-taking. They didn't mind the risks of relaxing a little since they had guards, and those had to offer their lives to protect them.

Still, that might be a good thing… If Rain keeps his distance from them, he could find the suspicious individuals when they try to target them… it will be hard to stay hidden at such times, though. So, he might risk revealing himself and his skills.

"My job is to protect her, and I will do it, even if you put her at risk or she put herself at risk with that kind of decision," Rain said.

Rain heard the guard touching the pommel of her sword; it seemed that speaking frankly to nobles in those parts was an alien concept for them. Still, she didn't do anything aside from that. Otherwise, Rain would have to bury her alive.

"My apologies for increasing your workload, but I will trust you to keep her safe," Orcis said. "Besides, Lorene knows that staying hidden would only make the enemies more eager to target her since that would make her look like she feels unsafe."

"I suppose that makes sense," Rain said.

"Since you are her guard, you can take the room next to her," Orcis said. "Julie, please pick the one on the other side and work together with Rainendall to keep Lorene safe."

"Yes, my lord," Julie said and then bowed.

It seemed that Julie did some bad things in her past life to deserve that kind of job… maybe she was just that unlucky, but Rain didn't pity her in the least. He didn't have to like someone who always looked at him with pissed eyes from the very moment they met.

In any case, Rain unpacked his things in his new room, which was pretty fancy. He felt a bit troubled by it since he was getting used to sleeping while sitting on the ground.

Rain soon left to follow Lorene since she was going to have dinner with Orcis. Julie did the same, and soon Rain confirmed that this one would be one hell of a job.