I opened my eyes wide when I saw Alexis.
Alexis put away his sword and looked at me.
“Should we connect the transmission first?”
“Hm? Yeah.”
As I connected the transmission, Balzac’s voice came through.
[Erilot, where are you?]
“I’m taking a short break on the way to Euroseong territory.”
[Ah, got it.]
“What’s going on?”
[We—]
Before Balzac could finish, Joshua interrupted.
[Was the travel difficult?]
“Yeah.”
[That’s a relief. It’s the first long journey by carriage, so I was worried. Even the Duke Ishiron gave the prince a really good carriage.]
My father and older brothers don’t know that I disguised myself as a maid.
They only knew that I was secretly heading to Euroseong.
If they found out not only that it was a long trip but that I rode a cargo carriage, they’d flip out...
‘I didn’t tell them because I was worried... Good thing I didn’t.’
“Yeah, it went smoothly. Don’t worry, just rest.”
[Okay.]
After ending the transmission, I looked at Alexis.
“Why did you come? Just rest.”
“Why should I stay still when you’re going into a forest full of monsters with nothing but your bare body?”
Alexis’s eyebrows twitched.
“I’m your fiancé.”
He’s so responsible, seriously.
“Ombre.”
As I said that, Ombre peeked his face out from the shadows.
As he opened his mouth wide, the swamp fairies Pin and Pipi propped their arms and looked at us.
“The escort plan is perfect!”
The Han Ji-hyuk I brought along is very weak, so in case of emergency, we have to protect him too.
Alexis sighed deeply.
Then he glared at Ombre and the swamp fairies.
A sharp energy spread from his body.
Ssshhh—.
Owls and crows perched on the trees suddenly took flight.
With a rustling sound, snake monsters quickly began to flee.
“Kyaa!”
My swamp fairies, Pin and Pipi, were so startled they quickly hid inside Ombre’s throat.
Ombre tensed up and began to take shape.
Alexis raised his eyebrows.
“If a trained real assassin is here, shadow monsters or swamp fairies don’t stand a chance. You experienced it at , didn’t you?”
“......”
“If you want to talk about an escort plan, bring at least the Crimson Ghoul or Lagon.”
I looked at Ombre with a displeased expression.
“Ombre is a strong kid, right?”
Ssssss.
“Remember I said nothing can attack you as long as you’re not scared?”
Ssssss...
Ombre sulked and wrapped himself around my ankle, stretching out.
Alexis pressed down firmly on my head.
“The shapes forming are the shadow monsters’ instincts. They’re monsters because they can’t control those instincts.”
“You think you’re so great.”
“I know. So this time, just do as I say.”
“......”
Alexis continued speaking as he tidied his messy hair.
“Stay close to me.”
“......”
“I’ll protect you by any means.”
“...You’re annoying every time you pretend to be a man.”
“That’s a good sign.”
Alexis stepped away from me and began walking outside the forest.
“You need to be conscious of me.”
“Damn it...”
Alexis smirked.
Then at that moment,
we heard footsteps from afar.
Crunch, dry grass being stepped on.
Alexis and I looked forward simultaneously.
“Ah... young master...!”
Bloni covered her mouth with both hands and opened her eyes wide.
She shyly shrugged her shoulders.
“I was just going to look around for a moment... Did I interrupt your rest...?”
Look around, my foot.
Her hair was undone and neatly combed, and her face had makeup.
She even wore a fancy hairpin I hadn’t seen before.
She must have dressed up to follow Alexis.
Bloni glanced at me.
“But why are you here, Rilu?”
I couldn’t believe this was the same person who had treated me so harshly before.
Her voice was unbelievably gentle.
Bloni approached me and said,
“I can’t let you disturb the young master’s rest.”
“......”
“Masah and Mari seem to be looking for you. Shouldn’t you go? Hmm?”
“Yes.”
I pretended to greet Alexis and bowed my head.
Then I quickly left the forest.
I glanced back.
Bloni was blinking shyly, covering her mouth and looking up at Alexis.
When I left the forest, Masah and Mari really were looking for me.
Mari, who spotted me first, approached.
“We need to get ready to depart now.”
“Okay.”
The lower-ranked servants put the unloaded luggage back on the cargo carriage and started tidying the surroundings.
Han Ji-hyuk grumbled while loading the luggage.
“Thinking about getting on that raggedy carriage again is already exhausting.”
“Hang on a bit. On the way back, we’ll get off in the middle and use the Blessing Stone for travel.”
“Blessing Stone?”
“Yeah. I got it from Lord Richmond.”
“...Bloni’s been gone for a while, right? And your fiancé too.”
Han Ji-hyuk spoke quietly.
I glanced at him as I wiped away the ashes.
“Why?”
“You really don’t care at all, huh?”
“I do care.”
“Do you?”
“Yeah. He’s my fiancé after all, so anyone approaching him recklessly is disrespecting the Astra count family.”
“...What about Alexis?”
“Hm?”
“Don’t you care about Alexis?”
I tilted my head, and Han Ji-hyuk looked back at the forest with a pitying face.
“Poor guy...”
“You didn’t not know, so just ignore it?”
It was Alexis’s voice.
Han Ji-hyuk flinched, and the lower servants widened their eyes.
“Y-young master, is there anything you need?”
“No.”
Alexis said that and headed toward his carriage.
Then he glanced back once.
“You.”
“Yes? Me?”
When Han Ji-hyuk pointed to himself and asked, Alexis said,
“Rearrange the luggage again.”
“W-why? I already finished it...!”
“You don’t look good.”
“...!”
Then Alexis left.
The lower servants gathered around Han Ji-hyuk, asking,
“Why? What happened?”
“Did you get on the young master’s bad side?”
“Well, since he told me to, I guess I have to rearrange it again.”
Han Ji-hyuk grit his teeth and began rearranging again.
I chuckled watching the scene.
Meanwhile, Bloni returned.
Her group of servants swarmed around her, asking various questions.
“How was it? Hmm?”
“Just...”
“Just what, huh? Hm?”
“I might share a carriage with the young master on the way back.”
Bloni chuckled, and the others gasped.
“Servants like us in the family carriage?! Not even the head butler?”
“That’s what I’m saying.”
The servants fussed about.
‘That’s Bloni’ they said.
Some even asked if they should start calling her ‘little mistress’ now.
Other servants looked at her with disbelief.
“Does the young master really like Bloni that much?”
“No way...”
“Ugh, whatever it is, I hope it’s not true. If she becomes little mistress, how much more will she torment us?”
Masa looked at Mari with an anxious expression.
“Do you think it’s true?”
“She must be delusional.”
“But if she’s that confident...”
. Many servants thought like Mari.
But soon, the senior servants approached.
Bloni bowed.
“What is it?”
“We need someone to serve the young master in the family carriage. Since we have a stop on the young master’s orders, we need to be thorough.”
“Yes.”
The other servants looked shocked.
“Was it really true?”
“Oh my goodness...!”
Even the senior servants looked at Bloni with strange expressions.
It was understandable.
They sent other servants away and insisted on having a lower-ranked servant serve.
They guessed something was going on between Bloni and Alexis.
Bloni smiled arrogantly.
“Then Thompson, Matilda, and I will move to the family carriage—”
“No, you, Rilu, and Mari move to the family carriage.”
“...Yes?”
“Someone has to read the documents instead of the young master. Since Mari is the only one who knows Ipsun’s language among you, it’s better to send her.”
“But why me...?”
The servants murmured and looked at me.
“It seems he wants to watch over someone he knows.”
“......”
The servants nodded with an “Ah.”
“Well, maybe like a teacher’s child?”
“Yeah, that’s probably why he accepted you without a resume.”
...I am indeed someone he knows.
I’m my father’s child, who is to be Alexis’s proxy representing Duke Ishiron.
As I thought that, I felt Bloni’s sharp gaze.
‘That look is totally a challenge.’
I had a feeling this was going to be troublesome.
“Hurry and move then.”
“...Yes, butler.”
“Bloni probably knows the young °• N v l i g h t •° master’s things well, so take your coat and blanket and move.”
“Yes.”
Bloni glared at me as she answered.
Mari and I headed first to the family carriage.
As soon as I sat down on the chair inside, I sighed.
“Ah, now I’m saved.”
Alexis chuckled.
Mari bowed to Alexis and said,
“Then please give me the documents.”
“No need.”
“...What?”
I leaned deeply into the soft chair and said to Mari,
“Alexis also knows Ipsun’s language. He knows the Pai continent language and the ancient Aligiosa script. His interpretation is more accurate than mine.”
I had made sure to teach him foreign languages from a young age.
In case we had to evacuate to a foreign country.
Mari’s eyes widened.
“Then why me...?”
“He seems to be worried about your condition.”
“...Ah.”
Mari looked at me, then cleared her throat and sat down.
“...Because of you, I have to be uncomfortable in the young master’s carriage.”
I chuckled and pointed at Mari.
“This means you should thank me, Alexis.”
Mari gave me a glare.
Alexis smiled softly watching me laugh.
Soon after, Bloni came in carrying Alexis’s luggage in full.
The carriage started moving.
Moving in the comfortable carriage, time passed quickly.
When I got off the carriage, I looked around.
“So this is Euroseong territory.”
They said it was a more shadowy version of Astra, and it really was.
Even at dawn, the castle lights shone brilliantly.
‘They said this place is mostly active at night.’
We moved following a servant from Euroseong territory.
They gave us guest rooms at the servant quarters, and they were luxurious.
Masa jumped up happily.
“It’s my first time seeing a bed like this! Wow, it’s amazing!”
The other servants were also excited.
“Thanks to Bloni, we’re living it up. The young master must really care about her.”
“Uh...”
Bloni smiled, pretending not to care.
Then she clapped her hands.
“The senior servants will arrive in the morning, so we have to prepare before then. Let’s hurry.”
“We need to unpack the young master’s luggage, right?”
“Of course.”
“They said there will be a welcome party for the young master. At this dawn, no less.”
Bloni replied arrogantly.
“He’s the son of Duke Ishiron. Of course, there’ll be a grand welcome, even at dawn. Now, let’s move.”
The servants changed into uniforms bearing the Ishiron crest.
Then they headed to the welcome party hall.
I left last to gather transmission stones and other things just in case.
As I was about to step out into the corridor,
thud!
Some of Ishiron’s servants blocked my way.
‘Bloni’s gang.’
Bloni, who was at the front, looked at me.
“You know.”
“......”
“You keep being annoying. If you keep being so annoying, I don’t know what I might do.”
Bloni pushed my shoulder hard and said,
“If you keep acting like you have a pretty face, you won’t have a good time.”
“......”
“Ishiron isn’t a place for vulgar people with unknown origins like you. Got it?”
“......”
I stared at her intently.
‘What should I do.’
If she keeps challenging me like this, it’ll be hard to move.
But if I flip out, all eyes will be on me.
‘Which risk is bigger?’
While I was pondering, Bloni clicked her heels and entered the room.
Then she grabbed the suitcase that was by my seat.
“Your belongings.”
“Put that down right now.”
“Huh?”
Bloni’s face twisted.
She held my bag and twisted her mouth.
Then...
“What are you going to do to me for touching your dirty bag?”
She said and roughly threw the bag on the floor.
Something jumped out of the bag and rolled on the floor.
It was a gift my father gave me on my fifth birthday.
Every birthday, my father and brothers wage a gift war.
To win that war, my father pulled a move unbecoming of a noble.
He embroidered a handkerchief by hand.
‘Because I don’t have a mother to embroider a handkerchief for me.’
Instead, my father did.
With his big hands that barely held the needle, pricking his fingers all over...
That was one of my treasures.
No matter how much money I was given, I would never sell it.
Bloni chuckled bitterly as she saw the handkerchief worn like cloth.
“You really carry something that dirty?”
Then she stomped on the handkerchief.
“If you don’t want to end up like this, get your act together. Understand?”
“......I’ll give you choices.”
“What are you saying?”
Bloni laughed incredulously, and I stared at her expressionlessly.
“First, kneel and apologize.”
“Are you crazy?”
“Second, die by my hand.”