Chapter 46: Different Beds, Same Dream

After parting with Fratina, Lucia slipped into the crowd, found an inn, and booked a room. She donned her cloak.

Before leaving, she eyed the food on the table—leftovers from today’s packing. Not wanting to waste, she ate it all before heading out.

The innkeeper saw a cloaked figure descend, unsure which guest it was. Muttering about the oddity, he let Lucia leave.

In her cloak, Lucia stood out but was safe from ill intentions.

A mysterious figure—appearance, gender, and build hidden—deterred troublemakers.

Fratina, after parting with Lucia, felt a pang of loss.

She always wanted more time with Lucia, but her schedule was tight, and Lucia had her own affairs. Forcing her to stay wasn’t right.

Sighing, Fratina held a flicker of hope.

They were fated to meet; surely they’d cross paths again.

With that thought, she returned to the inn.

After tidying her things, she grabbed the packed food from today and knocked on Lucia’s door next to hers.

No response came.

“Lord Lucius, are you there?”

Fratina leaned close, asking softly.

Silence.

She pushed the door open, scanned the empty room, and left the food on the table before stepping out.

Footsteps approached. Lucia, cloaked, appeared behind her.

Fratina turned, spotting her. “Lord Lucius… were you out?”

“Yeah, got hungry, grabbed some food. You?”

“Oh, I had an eventful afternoon and just got back. I left some packed food in your room.”

“Oh?”

Lucia feigned curiosity. “What happened? Care to share?”

“How about we talk inside?”

“Sure.”

Lucia nodded, and they entered her room.

Seeing the food—items she’d bought for Fratina—her lips curled slightly.

Fratina was growing more respectful, just as planned.

Sitting at the table, Lucia looked at Fratina. “So, can you tell me now?”

“Yeah…”

Fratina recounted meeting Lucia that afternoon.

Lucia, sensing Fratina’s warming attitude, felt a secret thrill.

“So, this Lucia girl sounds pretty interesting.”

“Right? And her name’s so similar to yours, Lord Lucius. Plus, she was in the valley.”

Fratina held back a thought.

If Lucius weren’t known to be male, she’d suspect Lucia was him.

But such a jest might upset him, so she kept quiet.

Listening, Lucia asked curiously, “So, this food’s from your afternoon with that Lucia?”

“Yeah, but I wasn’t hungry, so I didn’t eat.”

Fearing misunderstanding, Fratina clarified.

“I don’t mind.”

Lucia unwrapped a pastry and ate.

Inwardly, she marveled at her strategy.

Fratina’s food and money came from her, circling back perfectly.

She’d gained Fratina’s favor as the merchant’s daughter, not the dragon.

But it didn’t matter—Fratina wouldn’t uncover her identity.

As Lucia ate, Fratina’s thoughts lingered on the afternoon’s girl.

She’d not only paid generously but boosted Fratina’s view of her master.

They shifted to the commission.

“By the way, Fratina, did you find any worthwhile tasks at the guild?”

“Oh, yes.”

Fratina nodded. “There’s one to clear bandits in Londe. They’ve grown bold enough to attack Londe’s army.”

“What? That’s practically a rebel force.”

“Yeah, they’re odd. They’ve got support from nearby villages. When Londe’s army moves in, they hide in the deep woods. When the army leaves, they strike again.”

Lucia recalled a tactic from her past life—guerrilla warfare.

It demanded high discipline, harassing enemies and pinning them to strongholds.

But on less disciplined troops, it risked collapse.

It also needed a steady supply base.

Those villages were likely the bandits’ lifeline.

As Fratina continued, “Their tactics make large armies or adventurer groups unsuitable. Small, elite teams are rare, so the task fell to me.”

Lucia nodded. “These bandits might be tougher than you think.”

“No worries, just bandits.”

Fratina, thinking Lucia offered help, took the task herself.

But Lucia pivoted. “If they’ve got village support, they might not be pure evil. Be careful with them.”

Fratina paused, mulling Lucia’s words.

“But… they’re bandits…”

“If they were truly heinous, would villages help them? They might be better than Londe’s army, earning the villagers’ goodwill.”

“Once we get there, investigate. Gauge the villagers’ sentiments to understand the bandits’ nature.”

After planning to leave tomorrow, Fratina excused herself to her room.

Late at night, on the inn’s hard bed, Lucia tossed and turned, brows furrowed in a nightmare.

Her cheeks flushed faintly.

“No… stop.”

In her dream, she was back in her cave.

Facing Fratina, her eyes filled with panic.

“Lord Lucius… no, should I call you Lady Lucia now? Dorothy told me everything. Seeing your true form sure surprised me.”

Dream-Fratina was unexpectedly bold, closing in and cornering Lucia by the bed.

“No… it’s not what you think. I’m not Lucius, I just got lost…”

Lucia tried to deflect, but spotting her magic cloak in the distance, despair sank in.

Fratina, following her gaze, smirked. “Still thinking of hiding with that cloak? So cute~”

Before Lucia could react, Fratina pinned her to the bed, eyes glinting.

“Lady Lucia, you fooled me out there.”

Leaning close, Fratina’s tongue brushed Lucia’s earlobe, freezing her.

It was her first time so close to a beautiful girl.

“How will you make it up to me?”

Outside the dream, Lucia’s breathing grew heavy. As dream-Fratina began undressing, she jolted awake.

Checking her sweat-soaked back and intact cloak, she sighed. “Just a dream.”

Recalling the dream, her cheeks burned. “Why such a weird dream?”

“But it can’t be real. Fratina’s not like that.”

Unbeknownst to her, in the next room, Fratina had also woken from a dream.

“Why did I link Lucia with Lord Lucius…”

Patting her chest, she tried to banish the dream.