“What… did you just say?”

“I am the same as you, my lady,” Minos said, holding her hands. “I came back to the past as well, though I came back ten years while I suppose yours is nine?”

“How did you—“

Minos held a finger to her lips. “When I first came back, the first thing I did was to travel to this territory to find you. I didn’t know what I was going to do, but I simply needed to see you again.” He looked up. “But when I found you and realized that you were not the same Eva that I had spent my life with, I felt my heart shatter. I couldn’t bear to see you any longer, so I left, though I assigned some men to inform me of your every action. I think I just wanted that affirmation of your safety. I then did everything in my power to uncover your sister’s plot, so I disguised myself as Nikitas and rose in rank until I was the gold key holder.” He looked back down and smiled. “And that was when ‘you’ came back to me. You cannot imagine how surprised I was when I saw you at the arena, and judging from your behavior, I also realized that you were the Eva that I know and love, and I have been meaning to tell you this since.” He scratched his cheek. “I have never been so elated. I was—Wait, Eva, why are you crying?”

Eva touched her face, and indeed tears were running down her eyes. “No, I… I just…” Eva looked up at him and hugged him around the neck. “I am just so happy, Minos. Words cannot describe what I am feeling right now.”

“Me too, Eva.” He stroked her head, running his fingers down her hair. “Me too.”

They embraced for how long she didn’t know, but not for a second did she want to part with him. They didn’t let go of each other even when the door opened.

“What is it?” Minos said with an irritated tone.

Eva looked back and saw the Named People and Sofia. “My lord,” Silas said. “The city guards are searching for my lady since they have been tipped off by her sister, and they are likely to find this place soon. We need to move.”

Minos clicked his tongue, but when his eyes met Eva’s, his expression turned gentle in an instant. “Let us continue this conversation later, my lady,” he said, holding her hand and leading her to the door.

Eva didn’t move with him. He looked back in puzzlement.

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“I can’t go with you, Minos,” she said.

“W-why, my lady?”

“No matter how much evidence we have, we won’t be able to put my sister to justice with that alone. You must have realized this as well, correct?”

Minos didn’t say anything, but he nodded anyway. “I had a hunch.”

“Right. This is a job that only I can do, Minos. For us to achieve peace, I must do this.”

Minos hesitated to let go. His hands were shaking.

Eva came up to him, grabbed his shoulders, and leaned forward, putting her mouth over his. Once again, she hated that she had to release him, but when she did, his hands had already stopped shaking. “I will be alright, Minos,” she said, smiling. “Nothing can stop me from having you.”

His cheeks turned red. He wasn’t good with sweet talks even from back then. This made Eva want to tease him even more.

“My lord.” Silas coughed. “We can’t delay any longer.”

Minos turned away from Eva, but she could still see his red ears. “We will create three squads to disperse our number and stand by near the Vallou Estate. The lady may need our help later.” He then gave out his orders to each of the Named men.

“You will be coming with me, Sofia,” Eva said, turning to her maid whose face turned as red as a tomato.

“Y-y-yes, my lady.”

The Named People left the building, and Minos followed them, but not before he looked back at Eva with his red cheeks and shouted, “Be safe, my lady! I will be waiting for you where we first met!”

Eva waved him off, watching him fondly as he left.

“M-my lady? W-what is—“

“We can talk later, Sofia,” she said, heading for the door. “We need to get back to the Vallou Estate.”

Sofia hurried after. “But aren’t all the guards looking for my lady right now?” the maid asked. She probably had been told of the situation roughly.

Eva exited the abandoned building, facing the city in the grim evening light. There was no one in sight except for Minos and his men in the far distance, and the buildings around here looked dilapidated. She recalled her memories and realized that she was in the Ghost District, a place the merchants didn’t dare to touch due to superstition. It was said that associating yourself with this place would only bring bad luck. She even heard that many lost their lives here, but now that she thought of it, there was a high probability that it was the underground people’s doings.

“We will sneak in,” said Eva, heading off toward the estate. “And, if my intuition is correct, there will even be people welcoming us.”

Eva found a cloak to hide her hair and a robe to hide Sofia’s outfit before they exited the Ghost District. Outside the cursed area, guards were scuttling about seemingly without direction. She heard their shouts in passing and realized that they were given two orders: one was to apprehend the underground personnel, and the second was to capture her. She and Sofia hurried while remaining discreet.

Outside the Vallou Estate, there was no guard, and Eva took that as an invitation. She headed straight for the entrance and entered, and, as she expected, two maids were waiting for her. Her father’s personal maids.

“Lady Eva,” they said, bowing. “His lordship has been expecting you.”

Eva strode over, still carrying the demeanor of a lady. “Lead the way.”