Chapter 55

“…..Eryte?”

Even in my foggy field of view, only his golden hair was clear. Eryte’s foot, which jumped so high that it passed over my head, fell into the center of the forehead of the monster who was targeting Lady Freiselben.

“Eryte, take this!”

I threw the sword at him reflexively before I could even check where he jumped out from or how injured he was.

It is said that the body of a monster is hard to cut, but it’s simple if it’s with a sword containing mana.

The monster, who struggled to drop Eryte, eventually met its end by the sword. The thick fishy smell spread everywhere.

Gr, grr—

Eryte, who gently jumped from the monster who fell with a rough sound, approached me.

Then he pointed behind my back. I slightly frowned at the terrible appearance.

“…….What’s that?”

“Did you burn the monster that I caught with your magic….?”(Eryte)

When I looked back, there were two monsters who were grilled as if moisture had evaporated and would crumble any time.

“Don’t tell me, the one who was going through the woods…”

“Yeah, it was me! I brought it to brag!”

In a situation where I was bewildered, I couldn’t help but laugh. Well, there’s no way that Eryte will lose.

He put his hand on my shoulder and asked.

“Now, I’m a cool brother, right?”

Eryte’s unique bright smile instantly melted my nervous heart. Naturally, a smile bloomed on my face, too.

“…..Yeah, you’re indeed a cool brother.”

As if his smile were a dream, Eryte knelt down on one knee and collapsed.

“Urgh…..”

“Eryte, are you okay? Let me see.”

I forgot to ask because he was so calm and the embarrassment didn’t go away. He fell from that height, so he can’t be safe.

I looked straight at the feet Eryte was clutching. Since he gave me his other shoe, the foot with only socks, had blood flowing from it.

“My goodness, the blood……”

It looks like she didn’t run away, but Lady Freiselben  who appeared from behind the tree, covered her mouth and looked at Eryte.

“This is nothing, ugh………”

Eryte, who bravely stood up, grabbed his foot and collapsed again

“Let me see.”

I had to shake off Eryte’s hand desperately covering the affected area before I could see the state of his foot properly.

I heard that there were poisonous monsters, I don’t know if it was because of that kind, but the socks were black with something that was anything but blood.

My heart pounded and seemed to have drop sharply, but I couldn’t even show my bewilderment.

I shut my mouth and gave it my whole strength so that my voice wouldn’t tremble.

“…..For now, let’s cut it off.”

“C, cut it? What? My ankle?!”

Eryte clutched his foot in surprise. I sighed and shook my head.

“The socks. They’re badly stuck to the wounded area that it’s hard to take them off, so there’s no choice but to cut them.”

The exposed affected area was more serious than expected. It was not broken or bruised, but blood was constantly flowing from the affected area that seemed to be burning. It looked really strange.

“What happened with this wound? Was it the monster?”

“…..No, it’s not because of the monster….”

Eryte, who shook his head somehow suspiciously, rolled his eyes. Was it when he fell? Whatever is fine. For now, I have to be grateful that it’s something that is not poisonous.

“We have to disinfect it, but we don’t have medical supplies, so let’s stop the bleeding first.”

I took off the shawl I was wearing and hurriedly wrapped it around Eryte’s foot. Eryte’s frown added to my worries.

I slightly bit my lips and looked him in the eye.

“Does it hurt a lot, Eryte?”

“No, I told you I’m okay.”

Eryte smiled gently at my concern. However, as if proving that it was a lie, cold sweat was flowing on his forehead.

The moment I stopped the bleeding of the wound with my strength, my eyes turned white momentarily. It seems that the side effects have come because of the mana I poured out at once.

I hurriedly clenched my trembling hands (into a fist) and said.

“I can’t be certain because we’re under the cliff, but I’m sure someone who felt the mana will come here.”

“That’s right. I’m sure someone will come.”

Lady Freiselben agreed with me. First of all, I spoke out to solve the situation, but only breathed out a sigh of frustration, then I heard the sounds of a horse from somewhere.

Was there a road nearby? I raised my head and looked at the place where the sound came from.

The sound got closer and as if it had stopped at a point, it became quiet. And I heard an artificial sound of going through  the bushes.

“Rosiane?”

“Brother?!”

I jumped up from my seat without hiding my surprise. The identity of the person who approached through the thick bushes was Nanuk.

“Goodness, what’s all this blood? Are you hurt somewhere?”

“How did Brother come here…….?”

“I came here because I felt your mana while I was on my way home after receiving a letter saying that a monster was after you.”

Nanuk, who approached me without hesitation, began to lift me up and examine me. It seemed that he was mistaken because Eryte’s blood was on me.

“No, this isn’t my blood. Eryte…..!”

“Eryte?”

Only then did his eyes look at Eryte, who was sitting down. Nanuk lightly frowned, looking at the affected area.

“I’ll need to have a look at it.”

“It’s nothing though…..”

Nanuk, who ignored the grumbling Eryte, peeled off the shawl that was covering his foot.

As if he had guessed something, Nanuk squinted his eyes and looked at Eryte.

“A wound caused by magic… Was there an assassin?”

It’s a wound caused by magic? Also, what assassin? My eyes widened and I looked at Eryte, but he spoke vaguely again.

“No. Uh, somehow……”

“We’ll talk about the details later.”

Thinking it was strange, I looked anxiously at Nanuk, who was touching Eryte’s wounded area, and he spoke in a calm tone.

“It’s not a deep wound. I stopped bleeding for now, so let’s hurry up and move.”

It’s a relief that the wound is not deep. With a sigh of relief, Nanuk lifted up Eryte’s body. It was even in princess style.

“Ah, really! Brother! I can walk alone!”

“Don’t lie. Rosiane, follow along.”

Nanuk, who made Eryte shut up at once, walked ahead, outside of the forest.

When we were almost outside the forest, countless horses were waiting on the road. And at the forefront was Dad with an anxious expression.

“Rosiane!!”

But I couldn’t welcome my dad. This is because my vision darkened after seeing him approaching me together with Baron Freiselben dragging his daughter away.

* * *

It was in the evening, four hours after the incident when I woke up.

Making a fuss, I first asked the doctor and Melissa about the condition of Eryte and Lady Freiselben.

“The prince took a rest after his treatment, and just now, he went to His Majesty’s office to investigate what really happened. And perhaps Lady Freiselben is on her way to the office under His Majesty’s the orders.”

“Dad didn’t call for me?”

“How can he heartlessly call for the person who collapsed because she used too much magic.”

“Where’s the office?”

“Are you going to go?”

Lora, who was standing in front of the door, suddenly stepped in. I nodded my head firmly and stood up.

Still, perhaps because I had slept a little, my condition had improved as the dizziness from earlier had disappeared.

Lora, who knows about my stubbornness, guided me to the office with a short sigh. When I heard that I had to go up further, I climbed the stairs, and saw the back of Lady Freiselben going up ahead.

“Lady Freiselben.”

“…Your Highness? Ah, I see the glory of the Empire.”

“I have no need for the grandiose greeting.”

“… Then can you excuse me for a moment?” [as in allow her to do something not that proper]

Lady Freiselben, who went straight down the stairs at my nod, grabbed my hand. Strange tension lingered in her eyes, unlike the despair I saw during the day.

“Because I don’t think I told you properly. Thank you so much, Your Highness. If it weren’t for Your highness, I would have given up my life today.”

I looked into her eyes for a moment. Strong waves were raging under her calm lake-like eyes.

“No, you wouldn’t have done that. Since my lady is an upright person, you would have survived even without me.”

“No. I was in the state of giving up everything. I’ve lived thinking that I can’t trust anyone. But when Your highness was ready to risk your life and grabbed my hand, I saw hope in being able to live a new life. Please let me pay you back in the distant future.”

The voice of Lady Freiselben was resolute.

Isn’t it good that the villain of the future will be on my side? I held her hand slowly.

“Your words. I won’t forget them. So, my lady, live your life now.”

“Your Highness….”

With a weak warmth, I felt her breathing gradually calm down. Somehow I felt sorry for her, so I had no choice but to look after her endlessly.

Another victim caused by the absence of my soul. However, the path that went wrong due to God’s mistake has now returned to its original track.

“……I don’t know how my lady will take it, but don’t walk the path created by someone.”

I hope our future won’t be the same as the story in the novel.

I hope we don’t meet as enemies.

* * *

Eryte’s voice was excited. It was natural because another cool and very perfect story had been added to his own epic stories.

Contrary to his expectations, however, the longer Eryte spoke, the more the atmosphere froze.

Erdos, who decided to listen to it until the end no matter what happened, clenched his fists and repeated it countless times, Nanuk sighed as his head wrapped around it, Bernique pressed down twitching lips that wanted to pour out crude words which was unlike him, and Leav managed to prevent a false laugh from coming out.

From around the end of his story, Eryte also noticed the atmosphere and stuttered with his words.

In conclusion, contrary to his wishes, the atmosphere in the office after completing all the explanations of the situation was cold. Very much.

Eryte obviously returned from injury, but no one is asking about his physical condition, perhaps because he became fine after being treated with holy water or because all the causes started from his playfulness.

“….. So, what you’re saying is, you dragged sister to a place where monsters might appear, and leaving her alone was not enough, you even let her get attacked?”

Instead of Erdos, who was holding back his anger while touching his forehead, Leav. Now that I hear it, it does sound like that, right? Eryte noticed the seriousness of the inexcusable fact, and nodded with a sullen look.

“Are you out of your mind? But then, you must have done such a thing because your mind is not in the proper place.”

“Brother, you’re too much! How could you think of taking Rosiane to that kind of place?”

“Ha……. Eryte…..!”

“Are you really a human being? I highly suspect that what’s in your head is a monster’s brain!”

For a while, the room was filled with the voices scolding Eryte. Erdos, who had been sitting still and watching the situation from the start, at his sons’ reaction which was stronger than expected, he drew their attention by tapping his chair’s armrest.

(Erdos POV)

If I could do as I please, I would like to nag him for days, but understanding the situation comes first. In addition, Eryte’s unusual wound came to mind, so I had to verify the truth.

That is certainly not a wound caused by a monster.

“…… So, how did you get that wound?

To be honest, he already had an idea, but Erdos wanted to be sure.

“This is…………”

Eryte closed his mouth as he saw the wound that had been treated with holy water, becoming clean.