CH 83

Afterwards, the black horse was fastened to the extravagant carriage, and the bodies of the guards and mercenaries were buried.

The bodies of the guards were respectfully buried by Inessa and the surviving guards, while the mercenaries were half-heartedly burned by Helvi until only bones remained, which were then buried somewhere randomly.

The mercenaries that fainted were tied with one rope and made to walk with them to the capital, where they would be handed over to soldiers stationed there.

“Thank you for waiting, miss Helvi and mister Theo. Shall we head to the capital?”

Said Inessa with a cheerful voice after offering a prayer with her knee to the ground.

“Are you sure? There’s no hurry…”

“Yes, if we stay long the smell of blood will attract monsters. I’m sorry, I wanted to be a little faster.”

“There is no need to worry about that. I can deal with any monster that comes.”

“Thank you, but you have helped us enough already, so I cannot trouble you any more.”

She said with a slightly lonesome smile as she peeked over at the damaged ground.

“Let us go, or it will be dark before we reach our destination.”

Inessa said as she entered the carriage.

Theo did not need the ability to read minds to see she was trying to stay composed.

After Theo and Helvi followed her inside, the black horse started moving once again.

“Thank you again for saving us. I guarantee I will repay this kindness.”

“There is no need to feel so indebted. I only did as Theo wished.”

“I-I just asked Helvi to help too…”

“Then you saved us as a c-couple.”

She was right. Neither would have saved them without the other.

Theo had not the power to save them, and Helvi the motivation.

“Yes, it was because we love each other. Our love saved you, so you should thank it.”

“H-Helvi, that’s embarrassing…!”

“Y-you seem to get along quite well. I am very jealous…”

Theo was too embarrassed to notice Inessa’s smile and voice felt forced.

(Ah, I have to be careful… My behavior is clearly becoming strange. It seems mister Theo hasn’t noticed, but miss Helvi has.)

Inessa felt that Helvi saw through her, which was obviously true, as Helvi was actually trying to shake her.

(Did they notice I like miss Helvi… No, anyone would just assume I was surprised by the fact that they are husband and wife. If anything, people would think I like Theo.

That is why miss Helvi is going out of her way to show that Theo is her husband. She must have misunderstood and thought I like him…!)

That was the conclusion Inessa reached.

She really was intelligent. Under normal circumstances, this would be correct.

(Then I can use this… I can pretend to get close to mister Theo, and get close to miss Helvi instead! First she will think ‘how dare this woman lay a hand on my man’, but I will eventually reveal my true goal and make her turn my way. And from there a forbidden love will…! Ahh, I simply cannot wait…!)

Helvi started to think she was dangerous.

Her strategy was preposterous, but the fact that she was able to read into it that far and think of this was astounding.

Still, none of it really mattered, since her plans were being leaked anyway.

(I was afraid that she was developing feelings for Theo, but I never expected those feelings to be directed towards me instead. I guess I should feel relieved that such a dangerous girl is not actually after Theo.)

Inessa was still thinking about how to get close to Helvi, even as she had a normal conversation with Theo.

“How did you two come to be together?”

“Eh? Ah, hum… When we were young our parents… I mean, my grandparents and her parents, arranged for our marriage…”

“Oh, I see!”

Said Inessa with her hand over her mouth, as a gesture of surprise.

(It seems mister Theo is quite the bad liar. Fufu, how nice. But is there a need to lie about this? Is there some sort of past or background they do not want me to know about? But regardless of what miss Helvi might be hiding, I…)

Inessa thought without revealing it on the surface.

Theo really was a bad liar, and since he had not spoken much about how he and Helvi met, it was easy to see through his lie.

“Did you two get married recently?”

“Ah, yes, just a few weeks ago.”

“Oh my, so could it be that you are going to the capital on your honeymoon?”

“Y-yes…”

“I see! How lovely! Perhaps I can do something to help with your trip!”

“R-really?”

“Of course! Despite how I look, I am a noted noble in the capital. I want to repay you for helping us, so you can ask for anything!”

It was a nice proposal, but Helvi frowned a little, as she knew Inessa’s true intentions.

Still, they had no reason to decline.

Theo simply thanked her with a full smile on his face.

(…Not many people in this world are this straightforward and honest. I feel like this is wrong of me… No, I have to push through it for the sake of my forbidden love with miss Helvi…!)

Meanwhile, Helvi thought to herself that such love would absolutely never bloom between them.