CH 3.21

Everyone would react the same way I did if they saw the princess’ whip flying flamboyantly.

Every time she snaps, the ground dents. It wasn’t even small dents, but rather very large ones. Even though she was an ally, it was terrifying to witness.

I hesitated for a moment before blowing the whistle, thinking Lacius would be upset if I didn’t call him after what had happened.

The whistle didn’t make a sound, but the knights who were fighting the assassin turned to face me, so I guess they could hear it.

“Who blew— in the middle of a battle—!”

Dame Ziontin clenched her teeth and kicked the assassin hard in the stomach. It was an emotional kick, in some way.

Then, I screamed, covering my mouth in surprise.

“Dame, behind you!”

“Ugh!”

A masked man appeared out of nowhere and struck Ziontin in the back of the head, as if planning a joint attack. Ziontin, who was hit, increased her wind’s power as if it flipped her lid*.

*(Flip one’s lid: to become crazy or very angry.)

“Ugh.”

The talisman I was holding in my hand fluttered violently.

Then Ziontin charged forward with a gust of wind powerful enough to knock me backwards, and the wind snatched the talisman from my grasp.

“Oh! Cat!”

I’m not going to make it!

I instinctively covered my eyes with my arm and called out to Cat. The sound of wind echoed from somewhere at that moment.

In front of my eyes, an arrow was fired. A crossbow was fired. I was relieved because previously the assassins had all been aiming for the princess and were not interested in me, but suddenly they rushed in with a direct hit and aimed at my heart, as if I had been deceived.

“Ah.”

Even in this gloomy forest, his golden hair, which seemed to embrace the light, blinded my eyes at that moment. It was like watching a slow motion cut in one phase at a time. It’s Lacius. Lacius, who had been nowhere in sight before, suddenly appeared and blocked the crossbow aimed at me with his bare hands.

“I’m glad you blew your whistle on time.”

“But, how… … ?”

“I promised you I’d be nearby.”

Lacius, who stood in front of me, was staring quietly at something that was invisible to everyone.

Cat reappeared after a while, amid the calming wind, with one of the masked assassins on its bite.

– I caught one. A rat.

He appeared to be very pleased with his successful hunting. He proudly raised his tail and shook his prey, scattering drops of blood as he did so.

Lacius examined the arrow’s tail feathers before handing it to Ziontin. Ziontin then handed it to the princess. They seemed to know who ordered it because they all had the same expression on their faces.

Lacius satisfied my curiosity.

“Count Bauce must have lost his financial backer.”

“Oh? Count Bauce, Count Charles Bauce?”

“Oh, yes. Him.”

So he wanted to kill me as well. He must have wanted revenge for being insulted by me.

He almost succeeded, but he ultimately failed. The result is everything.

I thanked Lacius and sat down to listen to the princess. She handed the arrow to the knights after checking it once and saying something, which I tried to hear in detail.

“Please inform Lady Peridot that she has new food.  She’ll like it.”

“Yes, your highness.”

Food?

It was said in a friendly tone, similar to when we find food for our cat. However, the content was terrifying.

There is only one thing in this space that could be called food…… but it’s impossible, there is no way.

I trembled.

Then Lacius approached me and took off his jacket, which he then put on me.

* * *

The hunt ended successfully. I don’t think they hunted animals, but when we returned to camp, there was a sizzling boar meat party.

It’s the best feeling in the world to be able to eat golden brown meat with a variety of spices simply because I was a member of the princess’s party. Bonfires, meat, and beer. It was a fantastic combination.

In the end, I slept in the carriage the whole way back and only woke up slightly when Lacius moved me.

“Lashin… … ?”

“Go back to sleep. We’re home.”

“Uhh, but I’m dirty…….”

“Don’t worry, I will order someone to wipe you with water.”

I gave a long yawn then made myself comfortable on Lacius’ arms. His arms are like warm roasted chestnuts, and it feels really good. It’s to the point that I want to borrow them whenever it’s a little cold.

“Oh, right. Now, you really don’t have to worry about Princess-unnie, hmmm.”

“Princess-unnie? What does that mean?”

“So, princess-unnie promised to take her interest off of you. I’ve been watching to see if she’ll really keep her word. Hmm, I think she’ll keep it.”

“…….”

“You don’t have to worry about the newspaper articles anymore. Hmm..”

My eyes are blurry.

As a result, I couldn’t tell what kind of expression Lacius was making. He appears to be either admiring or devastated. No, is it more accurate to say that he appears to be on the verge of crying?

‘No way, Lacius doesn’t cry.’

I rubbed my eyes and smiled bashfully. I was exhausted. My body was so heavy that I could no longer defy gravity.

‘It’s strange, it really is……’

Why do I keep falling asleep? This is what I’ve been doing lately. It’s not just falling asleep; it’s as if someone is commanding me to sleep….

Tuk.

Her head fell. For a brief moment, Lacius was unable to speak because Shay had fallen asleep in his arms. She didn’t even finish her sentence before falling asleep.

‘You appear to have grown closer to Dioles.’

Just as he had predicted. Shay is the type of person Dioles will like.

Still, he had no idea she’d be able to do it in such a short period of time.

‘I’m sure she’s eating well, so why is she getting thinner?’

As he climbed the stairs, Lacius’ brow furrowed slightly. She now weighs less than before, and he had no idea what had happened.

‘She doesn’t seem to be sick.’

Shay was clearly sleeping peacefully when a sudden feeling of uneasiness seized him and grabbed him by the ankles.

She moved as passionately as someone burning her own life*. A woman who moves like a flame in the wind.

*(People who are so dedicated to their world that they don’t care about their health or life)

However, he has a feeling that she will break and collapse soon. And she’ll just vanish in front of him like smoke.

Why do I feel so anxious?

Lacius gently lifted Shay, placed her on the bed, and sat down next to her. He would know the source of his anxiety if he was his ancestors.

The Schweiden family has two hidden powers, but he can only use one of them.

The one known as the sun’s power.

However, the second power that he was supposed to have as a descendant of the Sun God did not manifest itself to him; it vanished exactly three hundred years ago.

A power that neither his father, grandfather, nor grandfather’s father possessed.

Foresight.

God’s vision allows you to see into the future and make wise decisions. He never felt bad about not having it because he assumed he wouldn’t need it much in his life.

However, for some reason, he feels it is such a pity now.

“It won’t be a big deal.”

Lacius purposefully said that out loud.

“Because I’m going to make certain that nothing happens.”

There was no response, but that doesn’t matter. Lacius quietly stood up, his gaze fixed on Shay’s face.

He can only assist her in removing one thing to make her sleep more comfortable. It’s her shoes.

Lacius untied her boots’ laces, which were pressing against her feet. Perhaps her feet were slightly red and looked painful because she had been wearing them for a long time.

“You’ve been running around with these two feet to save me.”

He doesn’t care whether she’s doing it for money or not. What mattered was that Shay was improving his life. Because his life had never taken better turn in this lifetime.

Lacius caressed Shay’s feet fondly and bowed his back in a more reverent position.

He kissed her reddened feet lightly. His hair spilled down along with his movement and Shay flinched as it tickled her.

Lacius, who was watching this, remained silent and stared at her for quite some time. The wall he has erected in his heart is about to break down.

She’s the kind of person who will leave once her contract is over. He does, however, wonder if friendship between them could at least be possible… And why is he experiencing such strange emotions?

‘Strangely, I don’t want you to get hurt.’

He gave Shay an ’emergency call whistle’ today.

The sound to which the knights are most sensitive. A device that uses sound waves to pinpoint the location of the person who blew it in less than a second.

It was his, and no one else could use it. Because the only people who can have a whistle are those with the rank of commander or higher.

However, Lacius gave it to her. Simply because he isn’t by her side and is concerned about her.

This would be shocking news for his long-time close friend, the Prince.

‘…… Have a nice dream.’

Sigh. 

Shay let out an even breath. Lacius took another look at the figure before deciding to use his power to warm the blanket and mattress on which Shay was lying before completely turning around.