Chapter 133

‘Still, I’ve got to do what I have to do.’

I replied offhandedly while scooping up a warm spoonful of mushroom cream soup.

“I’m leaving to serve the Duke, so are you out here chanting curses for something bad to happen to him right now?”

“What?”

“Ah, no, that’s not what I meant…”

Noah, who had somehow ended up right beside me, reprimanded Bridget’s group with a disappointed look, telling them they wouldn’t even get their money’s worth so why bother acting like that.

“Y-You can’t even take a joke, good grief.”

“Never mind the small talk, you guys have a lot on your plates too, so hurry up and pick up your spoons.”

With my words, Bridget’s trio silently and hurriedly began shoveling down the hot soup.

“Where are we even heading for evacuation?”

Around the time we had finished half of our meals, Noah asked.

“Mmm, looks like we’ll be heading to the southern provinces for now. Though I doubt it’ll come to that, magic beasts surely won’t invade all the way down south. They’ll be wiped out before then.”

“Otherwise, we’d have to cross all the way over to Marquis Pland’s territory, but official notices accepting refugees still haven’t come out yet…”

Faced with the reality of having to leave their hometown, Bridget’s group grew visibly gloomy.

“We’d better pray it doesn’t come to that.”

“True. Well…”

“Belita, are you done eating? We need to start getting ready soon, too.”

“Yeah. Let’s go, Noah.”

As I picked up my tray and tried to get up from my seat, someone grabbed the hem of my skirt from behind.

It was Bridget, who had been sitting next to me.

Rolling her eyes, Bridget looked straight up at me and spoke.

“Hey. To be honest, I don’t really like you that much, but since there’s at least the unpleasant affection of having known each other this long, I’ll tell you this.”

“……”

“Be careful.”

…Was she seriously not on it until now?

…Oh, so it wasn’t a negative affection score.

Besides, considering how much she bullied me up until now, that’s remarkably high.
I suppose an affection of around 5 was just enough to warrant giving a brief word of encouragement to a comrade heading off to a treacherous battlefield.
I found myself replying in kind.

“Thanks. You guys evacuate safely too. Take good care of Io and Isabella.”

“What’s your deal, getting all cheesy out of nowhere.”

I have no idea why she’s acting like that when she was the one who started doing cringe-worthy things first.

Leaving Bridget behind with a deadpan, chilled gaze, I tried to head on my way when a familiar blue window blocked my view.

Is the protagonist finally settling things with the Duchess now?

‘If this is the case, they won’t be able to come right away.’

The ducal domain currently desperately needed every single unit of combat power.

‘Robert will probably try to summon the protagonist, though.’

The protagonist will likely try to rush over with reinforcements as soon as he hears about the ducal domain’s situation.

With high probability, Ivanke will insist on coming along, too.

If the Saintess comes, the magic beast issue in the ducal domain will be definitively resolved.

However, the county and the ducal domain are quite far apart.

Meaning it’ll take a while before the protagonist can actually join Robert’s forces right away.

‘There’s no telling how fast the magic beasts will spread, nor do we know their exact numbers.’

Regardless, it was clear that the ducal domain was facing a desperate situation on multiple fronts.

…Well, no use thinking about it now.

First things first, should I go secure the carriage fare for the Duchess’s escape?

“Belita. Did you actually bring it?”

“Yeah, I came out with exactly fifty gold, neither more nor less. Thanks for buying me time.”

“Uh, but if this gets found out later….”

“Is that really what you’re worried about right now? With all this chaos going on, they won’t even notice.”

“Well, still….”

I didn’t have the cash on hand to give Sera right away. I had zero intention of carelessly handing over an earring worth a hundred thousand gold, so I needed to scrape together enough cash to cover the carriage fare.

Wondering where I could possibly source it, I asked Noah for advice and learned that Villero always carried cash on him just in case of unexpected situations.

So I covertly swiped that cash from Villero’s room.

I planned to pay it back as soon as I fenced the earring and secured cash, so since I didn’t ask permission, I’ll just call it ‘borrowing’.

I felt like I had done something similar in the past, though… is this deja vu?

Well, anyway.

The cash was kept inside a cash bag with a lock, but it popped right open when I put a little muscle into it.

It was pretty shoddy. I guarantee someone else must have shaken it down before, even if it wasn’t me.

Villero only had himself to blame for not buying a more secure bag.

“So how much was in there?”

“…Didn’t count, so I don’t know. I just grabbed exactly as much as I needed and came out.”

“Ah, I see.”

I didn’t bother asking why he was curious about that.

For your reference, there had been a hundred and fifty gold inside, and I pocketed eighty.

“Where on earth did you sell that gutsy attitude of trying to push someone off a cliff, only to turn into a jittery coward over mere theft?”

“P-Panicking? Rather than panicking, it’s more like…”

“Tsk.”

I had just tossed fifty gold to Sera, tucked the remaining thirty gold into my pocket, and felt pretty good playing with it, but Noah slightly ruined my mood.

I took pride in having lived as a proud, law-abiding exemplary citizen of the Republic of Korea.

I might have temporarily set my ethical boundaries aside since coming here, but I hadn’t dropped them so low that I’d let myself be lectured by an attempted murderer.

“Keep your meddling to yourself. It’s not like you have any other ideas. Or unless you do?”

“No…. I don’t.”

Noah answered, lowering his head glumly.

‘Figures.’

With this, the Duchess was safe, Noah kept his job, and I achieved my objective.
Since the marital relationship between the two of them was effectively terminated, I could now woo Robert fair and square.

“S-Say. Belita… Then what happens to our fake relationship?”

…Ah. Right. There was that, too.

Now that the Duchess’s affair was resolved, the necessity of a fake relationship was pretty much gone.

‘Considering Robert’s bizarre fixations, keeping up the relationship probably makes sense, though.’

Does this guy still have feelings for me even after literally trying to choke me out?

“Th-That! Belita! Choking you out was a mistake! I didn’t mean i-it wasn’t sincere…!”

He does? That’s surprising in its own right. His affection had dropped, but since it was still in the 60s, it wasn’t a small amount. Could that be why?

“Would you want to get close to a guy who pulls a stunt like that if you were in my shoes?”

“…Th-Then, is this really the end for us…?”

Moisture welled up in Noah’s large brown eyes.

When he lifted his gaze pleadingly, he looked just like the innocent eyes of a cow I’d seen once.

…I might have snapped out of irritation and spoken too harshly, but Noah still had utility value.

Of course, the fact that he tried to kill me despite having high affection was nothing short of shocking.

Still, since it was likely driven by his loyalty toward Robert, now that that loyalty had faded, things might be a bit better.

‘Ugh, whatever, I don’t even know anymore.’

“Rather than an end, let’s just take some time to think….”

“Noah! Belita!”

Turning my head toward the other end of the corridor where the voice was coming from, I saw Villero running over, breathing heavily in a desperate rush.

‘Did we get caught?’

Noah wore a complexion just as cold and spine-chilling as mine.

Fortunately, Villero spat out completely different words.

“We have a crisis! The Duchess’s shoes were found near the cliff at the back of the mansion! They’re searching the coastline right now, but… they’re critically short-handed. You two join in and help out right away!”

…Noah and I exchanged a split-second glance through the empty air.

The Duchess’s shoes had been perfectly fine.

Considering how sturdy her heels were, they had stayed securely on her feet even through all that physical scuffle.

Which meant those words were nothing more than Robert’s stage-managed scheme.
Still, we couldn’t let on that we knew, so we acted according to Villero’s orders.

Hours later, unsurprisingly, the Duchess was not found.

Despite the servants’ desperate search down below the cliff.

Everything flowed precisely according to Robert’s design.

Even without saying it aloud, everyone had naturally reached the same conclusion.

That the Duchess must have suffered an accident off the cliff.

With one misfortune piling upon another, an unsettling, gloomy air hung thick over the mansion.

“To think we have to set off for the wall in an atmosphere like this, what a pity. And to top it off, it’s pouring rain.”

“Well, yeah.”

Only thirty minutes until departure.

The Duchess watched me check my luggage one last time from behind and spoke.

“Will that be enough?”

It was going to be a grueling journey.

We had to push through the magic beasts to reach the defensive wall.

The less luggage, the better.

I planned to bring just one large piece of luggage that I could easily carry in hand.

“Still, you’ll be safe as long as you’re by Robert’s side, so don’t worry too much.”

If things escalated to a point where Robert was in danger, it meant the subjugation force itself had failed, so until then, staying close to Robert would be the safest bet.

“I’d recommend you set off on the evacuation path too, but since you insist on going, I’m just telling you this.”

‘It’s raining, so I stuffed my spare clothes deep inside the pouch, and everything else I need is here.’

Zzzrt! Click!

“And also, um…”

…? What on earth did she want to say to build up the tension like that since a while ago?

When I turned around, the Duchess scratched her cheek, looking slightly embarrassed, and continued.

“Well, it’s about Hereis.”

Why the protagonist?

“He’ll probably have Hereis called to that dangerous place, so if possible, could you look after him a bit?”

“…Me?”

“I know it’s a difficult favor to ask, but just, well, keep an eye on him to make sure he eats well and….”

How old was the protagonist again? I think he was around his mid-twenties….

I figured he was well past the age where someone needed to look after his meals.

“I’m just worried, that’s all.”

Goodness, always saying he was all grown up and she’d let him go, yet here she was.

Well, I couldn’t completely fault that feeling, though.

Even though Som-i had reached adulthood, in my eyes, he still looked like a little kid; to the Duchess, the protagonist must have looked the same way.

I nodded and replied.

“Understood. If I happen to cross paths with him, I’ll look after him well.”

“Thank you!”

There was no guarantee we’d even run into him, but whether she knew that or not, the Duchess looked as happy as a child.

Five minutes before setting out.

We were given some time to say our goodbyes to our roommates.

“Haah. Of all people, for you to be drafted… Listen. Isabella. Can’t we hide Lita behind their backs?”

“Obviously we can.”

“I’m fine.”

Io and Isabella, looking thoroughly distraught, shouted at the same time.

“We’re not fine!”

“I’m going.”

I turned around coldly so my roommates wouldn’t hold onto any lingering hopes.

“Ah, Lita! You have to be careful!”

“Noah, take good care of Lita!”

Hearing their parting words trailing behind me, I swung up onto the saddle.

Whinny!

Simultaneously with the sound of horses neighing from all around, we left the Edin villa behind and set off toward the wall.

We headed to Muelzer Castle first.

Muelzer Castle was the rallying point for the knight orders marching together to the wall.
Crossing the moat of Muelzer Castle after a grueling four-day, five-night ride and passing over the drawbridge, we entered within the gray stone walls that radiated an ominous and gloomy atmosphere.

The castle gates were immensely chaotic because knight orders arriving from various regions were busy filing in one after another.

With the magic beasts drawing closer, I could definitely feel a denser aura of demonic energy.

Perhaps it was because I had plenty of experience traveling through demonic energy during the first run. Just sensing the atmosphere gave me a clear read on the situation.

“Whew. Belita. How are you so good at riding horses?”

Noah dismounted with legs trembling like a newborn calf, speaking up.

“I ride often.”

Strictly speaking, I had ridden them in my past life, but since the memories and experiences remained intact, it wasn’t a lie.

My past struggles alongside the protagonist in the county hadn’t gone to waste.

“…That’s amazing.”

Noah marveled, explaining that while noble women learned horsemanship as part of their refinement, commoner women rarely ever got the chance to mount a horse.

“I’ve ridden short distances often, but this was my first long-distance ride.”

Noah scratched the back of their head in embarrassment.

“Noah, Belita, what are you doing? Dismount already.”

Villero pulled on the reins of a massive black horse and stood before us.

It was the horse Robert had ridden. Sleek and glossy, it was clearly a high-end horse that had been meticulously cared for.
Robert had dived straight into a meeting the moment he arrived, and we had to sort out the logistics behind him.

I took my left foot out of the stirrup, pushed off with my right foot, and hopped down in one smooth motion.

“Return the horses nicely to the stable. Ask the knight order’s attendants for directions to your quarters. I’m going to the Duke. Understood?”

“Yes.”

“Yes-sir.”

We nodded side by side with somewhat wistful expressions.

Then, staring at Villero’s retreating back, we muttered.

“…He really has no idea.”

“Totally.”

It was because looking at Villero, who was treating us so kindly without even realizing he’d been robbed of his money, felt rather pitiful.

For your reference, he took Sera’s disappearance in stride, too.

He must have anticipated that a few people like that would pop up.

“Let’s go.”

Returning the horses, we grabbed Robert’s luggage from the suitcases strapped behind our mounts in both hands and approached the massive castle gates.

Showing our identification passes and passing through the gates revealed a sprawling village enclosed by stone walls.

And beyond that, up on the hill, stood the main keep.

‘So this is a medieval castle.’

Unlike the extravagant imperial palace, it looked like a place designed solely to serve the purpose of war and defense fortifications.

It was relatively narrow and rugged, but the bustling crowds added a sense of liveliness that made my heart race.

Personally, this kind of vibe was more my style.

“This is my first time at Muelzer Castle.”

I guess I wasn’t the only one fascinated.

Looking excited, Noah glanced around the castle here and there.

“I heard that in the past, the Rubel family used to live right here… As expected, it’s a place worth moving from. Though this barren land isn’t somewhere you’d want to live long-term.”

…This was my first time hearing that piece of backstory.

Naturally, since Lemir State wasn’t the stage of the main game to begin with.

“You didn’t know? After the threat of magic beasts stabilized and the wars came to an end, they designated Ketlini as the central city and built the mansion there, you know.”

Perhaps sensing the bewildered look on my face, Noah kindly added an explanation.

“There’s no way someone from Lemir State wouldn’t know about this… Don’t they teach history classes at the orphanage? Did you hate studying? You were always good with physical stuff, though.”

In an instant, I was reduced to a strong-yet-brainless dummy…

The original Belita would have known, so I felt a little sorry for the body’s original owner.

Abandoning any thought of rebuttal, I decided to change the subject instead.

Just as I was about to ask which way we should go to receive instructions, someone grabbed Noah by the shoulder.

Startled, Noah spun right around.

“Noah! Long time no see.”

“…? Huh? W-What?”

Noah recognized the identity of the person calling out to him and gasped in absolute shock.

“How did you get here? What about Sir Hereis?”

Turning around right alongside Noah, I couldn’t close my mouth either.

A name floating in the air. And an appearance I had seen somewhere before.

The youthful young man with pink hair identical to Mina’s smiled brightly, his signature red eyes crinkling into soft crescents.