Chapter: 10
By the time we arrived at the castle, the sun was setting.
The moment I passed through the castle gates, I let out a long sigh.
It’s over…
Now that I had brought the girls safely inside the castle, the exam was truly over.
Waiting to receive our search party and the girls were the members under the Vice Captain’s command.
The reddish-brown-haired man I had seen every time I submitted assignments to the Vice Captain led them.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
As I bowed politely, the members under the Vice Captain also bowed in return.
The reddish-brown-haired man asked,
“Where is Miss Marina?”
“I haven’t seen her since we separated at the dry riverbed. Since the forbidden barrier was broken, I think she probably ran away.”
After all, she must have realized the girls would reveal everything she and the viscount had done.
“I see. From this moment onward, we will take responsibility for the young ladies’ safety.”
The girls flinched.
The youngest girl, who had chatted with me several times on the way here, grabbed the hem of my skirt nervously.
Nicola’s face had also turned pale.
I looked back at them before speaking to the man.
“Um… These people didn’t do this because they were greedy for treasure.”
“We saw everything through the Mirror Realm. Please don’t worry.”
“Then…”
“We will remove the forbidden seals and secure their testimonies. They will bear some responsibility for cooperating, but they will be treated humanely.”
Only then did the girls’ expressions brighten.
I nodded in relief.
The Vice Captain’s members surrounded the girls.
As Nicola walked away with them, she suddenly stopped and turned toward me.
Then…
“Thanks to you, I was finally able to speak. Thank you.”
She bowed deeply.
Seeing Nicola do that, the other girls hesitated before looking at me as well.
“Thank you.”
“Thank you for saving us.”
“I’ll never forget you. The little hero who resembles Lady Dia.”
The youngest girl’s eyes were filled with determination.
The girls kept their heads bowed toward me for a long time.
Even after they left, I remained standing there absentmindedly, watching them disappear.
The search party members—or rather, now simply fellow members—looked at me curiously.
“What’s wrong?”
“They thanked me.”
“Huh?”
“They said thank you. People my own age.”
I smiled brightly.
“I’d only ever heard that from Chary before. Ever since I came here, so many good things have happened.”
It was something I never could have dreamed of while living in Andres.
My father had been strict.
Judge coldly. Never reveal your feelings. Be suspicious of kindness. Everyone is your rival.
I had heard those words so often they were engraved into my ears.
And I had treated my father’s words like divine revelations.
No one liked the version of me that lived only to become the child my father wanted.
Not only did I have no friends, there wasn’t even anyone who ever thanked me.
Even when I tried to be kind, all I heard were sarcastic remarks.
“Well, of course the noble young lady of House Andres would do something like that.”
But after coming here… I’ve heard “thank you” from people my own age so many times.
The atmosphere around the members suddenly felt strange.
Wondering if I had said something wrong, I blinked.
One of them spoke.
“So that’s why you entered the exam?”
“Huh?”
“Because Chary thanked you. You were so happy that you entered an exam you were obviously going to lose.”
“Well… that was part of it, but honestly my bigger plan was to prove my abilities through the exam. It was actually a pretty calculating scheme.”
“You don’t have to fool yourself. We know.”
“The little teacher is an idiot.”
“A kind-hearted idiot.”
“…?”
Unlike my puzzled expression, the members all looked gloomy.
“Then I’ll thank you plenty.”
“Thank you—for teaching us to read.”
“And for giving us a reason to throw that bastard out.”
“Yeah… and for the braised ribs.”
The members all started vigorously ruffling my hair.
Before I knew it, I was surrounded by giant men, groaning helplessly.
No, I really was being calculating…
This is so unfair.
Several hours later, in the underground prison.
“…And that’s why she entered the exam.”
The members of Antonio’s squad tearfully relayed the story of “the noble Yustea who risked her life just because someone thanked her” to two men.
Antonio and the Vice Captain.
Leaning against the wall, Antonio let out a sigh.
“What an idiot. She risked her life over something like that?”
The Cloud Fang mercenaries the Viscount of San Miguel had hired for this incident were vicious criminals.
Fortunately, Yustea’s quick thinking had worked.
If it hadn’t, she would almost certainly have been murdered.
Grabbing the bridge of his nose, Antonio glanced to the side.
“And the one who immediately threw such a pitiful child into the jaws of death shouldn’t even be called a person.”
The Vice Captain, who was changing his blood-soaked gloves, replied,
“Even ‘bastard’ is still a word used for people.”
“Pay attention to the context.”
“You know what ‘context’ means?”
“I learned it from the little teacher last week.”
Antonio puffed out his chest proudly.
“Go get me another pair of gloves.”
“At this rate, we’re going to run out. Why don’t you just admit it already?”
Standing crookedly, Antonio looked down at the blood-covered man.
The viscount was tied to the torture device known as the Witch’s Chair.
He was no longer recognizable as a person—only as a mass of mangled flesh.
Antonio crouched down until their eyes met.
“Even if you walked out of here now, you wouldn’t be able to live like a human anymore. Why not stop resisting?”
“Ghh…”
“You don’t actually think leaving you with one eye, one ear, and your tongue is the Vice Captain showing mercy, do you?”
Antonio smiled as he lightly tapped the exposed nerve beneath the viscount’s jaw.
With his pain sensitivity increased thirtyfold, even the slightest contact with the nerve made the viscount twist violently as an agonized scream tore from his throat.
“It’s so you never stop seeing.”
“…”
“Never stop hearing.”
“And never stop feeling.”
“A fear you’ll never grow accustomed to.”
“A… AAAAAAH! AHHH…!”
The viscount sobbed as bloody saliva dripped from his mouth.
The Vice Captain held out his hand.
His adjutant placed a red-hot iron rod into it.
“Let’s begin again.”
The night of terror had only just begun.
That night.
Chary grabbed me and hugged me tightly three separate times.
She was so strong that little groans escaped me each time.
“Thank you, little teacher. I’ll definitely repay this kindness.”
That was already the third time she had said it.
Actually, I’d been hearing “thank you” all night long.
The other members were even hiding behind the pillars…
“Thank you so much…”
“I’m not your age, little teacher, but I’m grateful too…”
…looking at me with distant, emotional eyes as they thanked me.
I’m happy, but really… it’s okay now.
Chary said with sparkling eyes,
“Hey, want to have dinner together?”
“Sorry. I have to go to the guard barracks and collect the sentries’ assignments.”
“You’re checking homework again today?”
“Yep.”
I couldn’t let a little success make me become lazy.
My salary and my job were precious.
Besides, I might not become the Vice Captain’s adopted daughter after all.
The girls had returned safely.
Since they had only been unable to take the exam because the Viscount of San Miguel had threatened them, a retest might be held.
I couldn’t relax yet.
Chary smiled.
“Okay. Then I’ll work on my assignments too. If you’re working this hard, little teacher, then I’ll work hard as well.”
I beamed and nodded enthusiastically.
After saying goodbye to Chary, I headed straight for the guard barracks.
To get there, I had to cross a huge garden.
Or rather, calling it a forest suited it much better.
Every time I came here, chills ran down my spine.
Considering how much the Viscount of San Miguel cared about appearances, it was surprising he had never bothered to tidy this place up.
Then again, this region really is that poor.
It was the most run-down territory in all of Esgarott.
It was vulnerable to droughts and natural disasters, making it unsuitable for farming.
Being far from the city also meant there was little hope for commerce or industry.
As a result, it had been practically abandoned by Esgarott.
Which was probably why the Irregulars had chosen it.
Still, it’s incredible. They infiltrated one of the great noble families and swallowed an entire territory.
Judging by how they were replacing the lord again this time, they seemed to have connections even within House Esgarott.
The Vice Captain hadn’t even needed to act personally.
Just sending a hawk to break the forbidden spell was enough.
Their capabilities were honestly frightening.
That’s exactly why I have to stay here.
I clenched both fists.
Just as I was about to hurry along before it got any later—
“You look happy.”
A sudden voice came from behind me.
That voice…
Startled, I turned around.
A hooded figure stood there.
Slowly, the person pulled back the hood.
It was Marina.
Her face was deathly pale.
Her lips were cracked.
Her eyes were bloodshot.
And in one hand she held a dagger.
She looked anything but normal.
“How did you…”
I muttered.
Marina staggered toward me.
“I went back to my estate. You know—the beautiful mansion with the rose garden.”
“…”
I instinctively took a step backward.
Marina giggled.
“But that beautiful estate was completely destroyed by the Irregulars. My beautiful roses were trampled into the dirt. My servants and my parents were all taken away.”
“And I had to run away again.”
“That’s because of the crimes you committed.”
“Why does everyone think I’m the only bad one? Those girls were blinded by money too. They cooperated with me.”
“They were threatened.”
“If you’d only offered money, they never would have done something so horrible.”
“…”
“Even now, go surrender yourself to the Vice Captain.”
“You still have a chance to atone.”
“Shut up!”
Marina shoved me violently.
The blade in her hand sliced across my cheek.
I fell to the ground and looked up at her.
If I can just deal with the weapon, I can subdue her… Wait.
A piece of red paper was sticking out from the pocket of her hooded robe.
It looked like a talisman.
I had seen it before in the game.
An Explosive Talisman!
Explosive Talisman
Touching it causes an explosion.
Its power depends on the creator’s skill, and it can also be set with a timer.
If you’re lucky, you’ll only lose part of your body.
If it sticks to your head…
Your life is over.
If I disarm Marina and she panics and uses the Explosive Talisman…
I couldn’t move.
Marina removed her hood completely.
“Answer me.”
“Everyone commits little and big sins in life.”
“So why am I the only one who has to lose everything?”
“…Why did you prepare an Explosive Talisman?”
Those things cost a fortune.
Very few mages were even skilled enough to create one.
Why would she prepare such a rare and expensive item?
The answer came almost immediately.
“You never intended to let the girls go from the very beginning.”
She had planned to eliminate both the Cloud Fang mercenaries and the girls at the same time.
To erase every witness.
Every piece of evidence.
Marina smiled.
“I’m leaving to start over somewhere else.”
“But I can’t leave you alive.”
I pushed myself backward with my hands and feet.
Please…
The most painful part wasn’t the situation.
It was that nothing came after the word please.
Children cried while calling for their parents.
But I had no one to call.
Mother was someone I had to protect.
My father and my older brother, who had abandoned me, would never come.
I gritted my teeth.
Don’t give up.
You’ve always lived feeling like you were alone in the world.
Marina’s laughter echoed above me like the blade of a guillotine.
I wanted to run.
But terror made my legs refuse to move.
Please… move!
No one was coming to save me.
Just like always.
I had to save myself.
But if I ran, she would throw the Explosive Talisman at me…
Is there really no way…?
No solution came to mind.
Marina raised her sword.
Its blade flashed brilliantly.
A chilling voice escaped her twisted lips.
“Go to hell.”
At that very moment—
“AAAH!”
The scream hadn’t come from me.
I looked up in surprise.
Marina’s sword clattered across the ground.
She was clutching her hand as though something had struck it.
Standing behind her was—
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“…”
I had become so accustomed to never calling anyone when I was in trouble that the words refused to come.
Instead, heat filled my eyes.
My throat tightened.
Forcing my mouth open, I finally called out to him—
No.
To them.
“Vice Captain… Antonio…”
The one who had asked if I was hurt was the Vice Captain.
Antonio kicked off the ground and rushed forward.
Startled, Marina hurriedly reached toward the pocket containing the Explosive Talisman.
But in a single instant, Antonio seized her arm and slammed her face-first into the ground.
“AAAH!”
“Shut up.”
“You’re making it hard for me to stay patient.”
The Vice Captain walked toward us.
Toward me.
“You should have called for help.”
“…”
“You should have screamed.”
“There was… an Explosive Talisman…”
“I didn’t want… other people… getting caught in it…”
“I’m sorry… for causing trouble…”
“Please stop apologizing!”
The Vice Captain shouted.
I flinched.
Antonio, who had already confiscated the Explosive Talisman from Marina, frowned at him.
“Why are you yelling? You’re scaring the kid.”
“Be quiet.”
“Honestly…”
The Vice Captain knelt in front of me.
Without warning, tears streamed from my eyes.
I stared blankly at him.
His black hair fluttered gently in the wind.
His gray eyes reflected the frozen, foolish Yustea.
Taking a handkerchief from his pocket, he gently pressed it against the cut on my cheek.
“From now on, if anything happens…”
“Call for us.”
I opened my eyes wide in surprise.
The way he spoke had changed.
Maintaining his usual calm expression, he quietly continued,
“No matter when it is…”
“We will always stand by your side.”
“Vice Captain…?”
He smiled.
A smile so radiant it almost dazzled me.
“We’ve come to escort you home, my lady.”
