"Nolan Rook!"

The echo of his name faded as they left it behind.

Nolan walked beside Emily in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

The sound of their footsteps mingled with the murmur of the wind, dragging dust and dry leaves along the streets.

As they distanced themselves from the scene, the weight of what had just happened began to dissipate, though Nolan still felt a faint vibration of anger in his chest.

A few seconds passed, perhaps minutes, before Emily finally broke the silence with a low, trembling voice.

"I'm sorry..." murmured Emily, looking down at the ground.

Nolan glanced at her, somewhat confused.

"Why are you apologizing?" he asked softly but sincerely.

Emily, without lifting her gaze, ran a hand through her hair, intertwining her fingers in her chestnut curls as her face displayed a look of shyness.

"I caused you trouble... I didn't want you to get involved because of me."

Nolan watched her for a moment.

The way she touched her hair and the expression on her face seemed incredibly sweet, and although the situation wasn't particularly cheerful, he couldn't help but smile.

"It's nothing," Nolan replied with a calm smile. "Really, don't worry about it."

Emily, however, didn't seem convinced.

She pressed her lips together and insisted again, this time lifting her gaze with a mix of regret and concern.

"Seriously... I'm really sorry."

Nolan let out a small laugh before responding.

"Relax, I doubt this will escalate."

Emily's eyes widened slightly, surprised by the confidence in his voice.

"Why do you say that?"

Nolan maintained his smile as he glanced at her, his expression more relaxed than before.

"It's just a feeling."

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Emily nodded, though still with a slight trace of worry on her face. Determined to change the subject, she asked quietly,

"Where were you going?"

Nolan, who had been absorbed in his thoughts until that moment, suddenly remembered his original purpose.

"Oh, right, I was going to the church..."

Nolan lifted his hand to his chin, rubbing it as he tried to recall the exact direction.

However, at that moment, Emily noticed something that made her frown.

Nolan's knuckles were bruised and slightly swollen. The injury that had gone unnoticed amid the chaos was now clearly visible.

Emily stopped abruptly and, with a concerned expression, asked,

"Are you okay? That injury..."

Nolan, at first not understanding, followed her gaze to his own hand. He shrugged, downplaying the situation.

"It's nothing," he said calmly.

However, Emily didn't seem convinced.

She hesitantly extended her hand to touch his, as if trying to assess the damage for herself.

Feeling the soft contact of her fingers on his skin, Nolan couldn't help but notice how delicate her hands were.

She gently squeezed, feeling the swelling in Nolan's knuckles.

"It's swollen," Emily said softly, clearly worried.

Nolan managed a half-smile, trying to reassure her.

"Really, it's nothing serious. Besides, I was going to the church; they can probably help me there."

Emily looked up, her concern still evident in her eyes.

"Are you going to the main church in the city?"

Nolan nodded without thinking much.

"Yeah, that one."

Emily's eyes widened slightly as she recalled what it meant to pass through the main streets.

"The main church...? If you go that way, we'll have to pass by the exit where that noble was..."

Nolan paused, processing what she was saying.

He had no desire to encounter the duke's son again, so he looked at Emily, intrigued.

"Really?" he asked, though something inside him had already suspected it. "Isn't there another church around here?"

Emily took a second to think, her expression contemplative.

"I think there is…" she replied innocently. "Do you know where it is?"

The silence that followed was palpable.

They exchanged looks, feeling a bit awkward, until Nolan, unable to help it, burst into laughter.

"Honestly, I have no idea where it is," he admitted between laughs.

Emily's face showed a look of bewilderment at his reaction, but soon her laughter joined his, though hers was much more timid and restrained. She covered her mouth, but the small spark of humor that arose between them made the awkward moment fade away.

Though the situation was a bit strange, Emily couldn't shake the feeling that, unlike the noble who had humiliated her earlier, Nolan wasn't a bad guy.

He was... different, and that shared little laugh made her lower her guard a bit.

Suddenly, the sound of approaching armor caught their attention.

A group of knights was patrolling the streets, and one of them stopped in front of them, watching curiously.

"Excuse me," said the knight in a firm voice. "Where are you headed?"

Nolan, still recovering from the laughter, turned to the man and replied without missing a beat.

"We're looking for a church. Do you know if there's one around here?"

The knight nodded confidently and pointed eastward.

"Yes, there's a church not too far from here, though it doesn't have a conventional appearance. It's easy to miss."

Emily, embarrassed, looked down, clearly ashamed for not having recognized it earlier.

Nolan smiled and nodded, grateful.

"Thanks," he said politely.

The knight, however, turned his gaze to Emily, whose clothes were still dirty and disheveled from the incident.

"And her?" he asked with a slightly inquisitive tone. "What business does she have here?"

Before Emily could respond, Nolan intervened, his tone firm yet calm.

"She's my companion. Is there a problem with that?"