Still, it looked like he talked with the Count...
Lowell was curious what Felix and the Count had discussed, but for now, he kept it to himself. He could only guess the Count had dressed up the scolding from a few days ago into a more polite version and delivered it directly to Felix.
He probably said something like:"Since this is a sacred pregnancy, but you must report before the marriage. Once you're wed, Lowell Clarke will no longer be part of our house."
Even a few days ago, the Count had said nothing about protecting Lowell—only barked warnings no to bring shame on the family.
"I'll prepare for departure."
"Will you be alright?"
The voices calling him back to reality snapped Lowell out of his thoughts. Right now, getting to Felix's territory was the priority. They had originally planned to travel by carriage, but Felix had suddenly switched to teleportation. Since the fee was more than twenty times higher, only Lowell, Felix, and two guards would make the trip.
The rest would follow later with the original carriage.
"You'll need to dress more warmly than that."
Even in hot Phoebos, Felix had insisted on wrapping Lowell in entra layers and still wasn't satisfied.
"I'll put on more as we go. If I wear too much now, I'll end up with a rash."
"He's not a child. He can take care of himself."
Tony interjected with a tone that made it clear he wasn't pleased. He'd been eyeing Lowell disapproving the whole time.
A loyalist, huh. He probably thinks I'm just using Felix and is on high alert.
Lowell wasn't the least bit offended by the hostile gaze. Someone disliking him just meant they cared that much about Felix. That was actually reassuring.
Was this the one who stood in Felix's way when he turned into the Demon King?
The incident during Felix's demonic transformation had only been mentioned briefly by a supporting character in the original novel, so Lowell couldn't be sure. Still, he had a gut feeling that Tony was the one who'd tried to protect Felix.
So at least one person genuinely cared for Felix as a person.
But that loyalist hadn't helped steer Felix in the right direction.
Because that kind of loyalty isn't quite like love. It can end up feeling like pressure—especially for someone with low self-esteem.
Lowell hoped the two could form a better relationship this time.
"We'll begin teleportation now. There will be a total of seven jumps, and the total duration will be about five hours."
"Wow"
After the first jump, Lowell let out a dazed exclamation. The scenery whooshed past, constantly shifting. It felt like something straight out of a sci-fi movie. Even after getting somewhat used to magic over the past few weeks, this still amazed him.
"First time teleporting?"
Felix asked, suddenly wanting to stick a finger into Lowell's open mouth. Oblivious to the mischievous thought, Lowell just gave an embarrassed smile.
"Yes."
Each individual jump didn't take long, but some preparation was needed at each transfer station, which meant waiting around an hour to an hour and twenty minutes before the next move.
"Aren't you cold?"
Just as Felix had said, the temperature dropped more with each jump. Now Lowell understood why Felix had been so insistent about layers. At the fifth stop, it got so bitterly cold that he had no choice but to put on the coat he'd been saving.
"Cold, isn't it? It bet a city boy like you who's always lived in the capital never imagined this."
Tony teased, pretending to joke, either unaware or ignoring the warning glances Felix sent his way. Lowell held back from saying he came from a country where summer a hit over 30°C and winter dripped below -20°C—he figured Tony wouldn't believe it anyway.
I'd love to let Tony experience Korea's four seasons—like being dunked in ice water.
*If you're cold, wear my coat too."
Felix was ready to strip then and there, but Lowell, already warm enough in his outerwear, politely refused. Any more layers and he'd start sweating.
"The next jump is scheduled to begin shortly."
Tia, always strictly professional, have the update in a crisp tone. Lowell sighed inwardly. Even the brief flicker in vision during each jump made his stomach churn—despite having eaten almost nothing.
If we'd traveled by carriage for two weeks, it would've been a nightmare.
No matter how expensive it was, Felix had made the right choice.