Chapter 78

As I clung to the side of the fortress wall, I regained a sliver of composure and started to think.

Am I going to get in trouble for this?

I don’t think there’s a specific law against scaling the city walls, but I have a feeling I’ll get a stern lecture if I’m caught. Still, I’ve climbed more than halfway up already; turning back now would be a pain. I might as well finish the climb.

I put strength back into my weary limbs and scrambled over the edge in one final burst.

“……”

Is this a dream? Or am I seeing things?

“Juliana…?”

Standing right before me was the Saint, wrapped in a white fur coat. Juliana stared into my face, appearing entirely unfazed.

“I believe we have met before. If I recall, you were the servant of that beautiful Knight Bachelor.”

Dammit, she recognized my face. And she even knows my affiliation.

“My Lady!”

Seeing a suspicious person suddenly appear, the escort knights came rushing over. They drew their swords without a second thought—what a hot-headed bunch.

“There is no need for that. You all stay back and wait over there.”

At Juliana’s command, the knights sheathed their swords with a dejected look and moved away. Their obedience was on par with trained guard dogs. My fellow soldiers tease me about being Lady Clara’s dog, but even I’m not that far gone.

“What were you doing?”

Juliana asked, looking genuinely curious.

“I was climbing the wall.”

I ended up giving a blunt answer. I couldn’t help it. The very person I was investigating as a murder suspect had suddenly popped up right in front of me. More than that, I didn’t want her to realize how fast my heart was racing just by being near her.

“I see, you like climbing the city walls too.”

Actually, I’m mostly regretting it.

“I like it here, too. After all, the moon feels so close, doesn’t it?”

As she spoke and looked up at the sky, she gave off a mystical radiance under the moonlight.

Damn it! I found myself staring in spite of myself. Feelings of loathing and adoration welled up simultaneously; my thought process was on the verge of short-circuiting.

“Is the Saint out for a stroll?”

I couldn’t just stay silent, so I managed to mumble some words out.

“Oh, come to think of it, didn’t you call me ‘Juliana’ just a moment ago? It was so natural I almost didn’t notice.”

“Not at all! I… I accidentally called you Lady Juliana out of a misplaced sense of familiarity. Please forgive me.”

I decided to lie my way through this.

“I don’t mind particularly. What is your name?”

I didn’t want to tell her. But it would be rude not to.

“I am called Hinoharu.”

“Hinoharu… what a curious name. You’ve piqued my interest. Would you mind if I asked you a few things?”

I had things I wanted to ask her, too. I felt a sudden impulse to just lay everything out on the table.

“Tell me, Hinoharu, do you dislike me?”

I tried to maintain a poker face, but my body betrayed me with a slight twitch.

“Not at all. The Saint is loved by everyone.”

I tried to patch over my agitation, but Juliana began to laugh as if she found the whole thing hilarious.

“I am asking about your feelings, Hinoharu.”

“We are essentially strangers. I don’t believe there is any reason for me to like or dislike you.”

Juliana took a step closer to me.

“If that is the case, then why do you fight so hard against my technique?”

This girl… I knew it!

“By ‘technique,’ do you mean Charm magic?”

This was exactly what I had wanted to confirm.

“Yes. Normally, people around me develop feelings of affection even if I do nothing. That is simply a trait I possess. However, I cast a minor spell on you specifically. Do you remember? It was when you were with the Knight Bachelor the other day.”

Of course I remembered. It was the day of my first date with Lady Clara.

“Why would you do such a thing?”

“Because you and the Knight Bachelor looked so very close. It was a bit of a mischievous whim.”

You little brat!

Do you have any idea how much I’ve suffered because of that?

“And yet, listening to the way you speak now, it seems my magic isn’t very effective on you.”

That wasn’t true. To be honest, I was so obsessed with her I could hardly stand it.

“Hinoharu, won’t you become mine?”

Me, the Saint’s property?

I shuddered, imagining myself serving at Juliana’s feet. Terrifyingly, alongside the loathing, I felt a surge of joy. I had a feeling that if I let this continue, I’d be ruined. It was better to settle everything here and now. If this dragged on, I might succumb to her Charm completely.

“Hey… you…”

For a moment, the Saint didn’t seem to realize she was the one being addressed. She had likely never been called “you” so bluntly before.

“Didn’t you kill a man named Kuntz in the sewers?”

The Saint gave a thin smile.

“I wasn’t the one who physically killed him. Though I was the one who ordered it.”

So that was it. I appreciated her honesty, at least.

“Why?”

“For trivial reasons. Because he felt lust for me, and because I wanted to watch him die. That sort of thing.”

Just as I thought. I’d learned what I needed to know. I was satisfied. There was no evidence anyway, and for a mere soldier to prosecute the daughter of a Count was a burden too heavy to bear. But I had to do something about this spell.

“O Saint… I challenge you to a duel.”

“Oh my!”

Juliana’s eyes sparkled with delight, but the knights around her bristled. After silencing the escort knights—who were shouting and condemning my insolence—Juliana continued.

“And why a duel, I wonder?”

“Because you trifled with my heart. If I win, I want you to break the spell you cast on me.”

Juliana’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Why? You should be under my spell; you should be captivated by me! How can you even say such a thing?! You… you truly are fascinating.”

How? That was obviously thanks to Lady Clara. Because she was close to me, I’d managed to keep my sanity.

“Very well. In exchange, I shall set the conditions.”

If it was going to be like this, I was going all the way.

“First, I shall appoint proxies. I cannot fight myself, after all. My proxies will be the knights present here. Do you object?”

Five knights, huh? It would be a hassle, but I had no choice.

“One against five sounds like a challenge. I’ll accept your terms, but in return, I want this to be a Red Duel.”

At my words, Juliana’s excitement finally reached its peak.

“Wonderful! I want you more and more now. Even if you are wounded to the brink of death, I will have the healers favored by House Cebarai treat you. Rest assured. However, if you lose, you belong to me.”

“Fine. If your side wins, I shall become your servant. But if I win, you break the spell. We have an agreement?”

It was nothing more than a verbal promise. In this place, with no witnesses or third parties, there was no guarantee Juliana would keep her word even if I won. And yet, I couldn’t stop myself from challenging her.