Chapter 30
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Assault on the Road to the Dukedom
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The road to the dukedom felt refreshingly like a trip to a resort.
Of course, there had been that scuffle with the assassins.
But as the saying goes, the ground hardens after rain—didn't we greet a fairly peaceful morning?
"Why bother climbing onto the roof just to sightsee?"
Marina climbed up onto the roof. She gave me a curious look.
"Call it standing watch."
"You're really something else. We've got soldiers here for that."
Marina stretched her legs out as if loosening up.
"Then I'll stand watch up here too."
Marina tilted her head, then lifted the corner of her mouth.
"Do whatever you want."
"Didn't expect you'd be interested in the dukedom, though?"
Interested? Hardly.
I'd only spared their lives, and now they were heading straight into the jaws of danger, so I was tagging along.
Should I just spill that? Nah.
Never mind.
"A little rest now and then is nice."
"Didn't peg you for the sentimental type. Back when you killed that monster..."
Marina snapped her mouth shut.
"My bad, my bad. You killed it, right?"
"Yeah, you did. Word spread like wildfire. They call you a genius."
"Enough already."
She pouted, then let out a deep sigh.
"I wish I were as strong as the rumors say."
Just as her lament hung in the air like a folk song, I sensed countless presences stirring along the endless mountain path.
"...!"
Marina and Jayvolg felt it too—they drew their swords.
Pursuers. They'd finally caught up.
"Ambush...!"
The carriage guards shouted in unison, drawing their weapons.
"First squad, hold the enemy! Second squad, protect the princess with me!"
The soldiers split into two groups at the guard captain's command.
I'd figured as much.
Once they realized stealth attacks wouldn't work, they'd come at us head-on.
Morning exercise, bright and early.
The guard captain tried to secure the princess first.
"Princess, get inside the carriage...!"
Ting!!
The guard captain and his men were soon swarmed like a hive of bees.
The guards were outnumbered.
Obviously.
Showing themselves meant they had the numerical advantage.
In an instant, the attackers separated us at the front from the guards.
Like a bridge cut clean through.
They'd isolated us perfectly.
The forest echoed with the clash of weapons between the guards defending us and the attackers.
"What do we do...! Them!"
Marina glanced worriedly at the separated guards, but...
"No time to worry about others right now."
A leaf falling from the sky.
Blink, and it turned into a gleaming blue blade.
Here they come!
Kwachik...!
I grabbed the throats of two masked assailants with both hands, snapped their necks, and tossed them under the carriage.
In that brief moment...
"From the front—watch out!"
Two masked men lunged at Marina.
But she didn't panic, countering with a swift horizontal slash.
Srck!
"Keurgh!"
The masked men crumpled, spraying blood.
Marina relaxed for a second... but another lurked behind the fallen ones.
I shouted urgently at her.
"Duck!"
"...!"
She ducked at my sharp tone.
I flung a dagger over her head. It pierced the masked man's throat.
He staggered, a tiny hole in his neck, then fell.
"Th-thanks..."
Marina paled, clearly shaken.
"Remember this: they're after you. The rest are just extras."
She bit her lip hard.
"Got it."
As we regrouped, we spotted masked men charging fiercely at the carriage.
A veritable swarm!
Had Marian heard the commotion?
She peeked her head out the carriage window.
"Young master, what's... Kyaaah!"
She screamed as a masked man lunging at her got skewered by a hidden weapon.
"Get it now, Marian?"
"Y-y-yes!"
"Then stay put inside!"
"Y-yes, sir."
"What's going on?"
Nellin's voice came from inside. Marian hurriedly pulled back in to block her.
"Nellin! Want a chocolate muffin?"
"What?! Sure!"
Yeah, better keep Nellin quiet. She'd scream bloody murder the moment she saw the attack.
Smart move by Marian.
Meanwhile, more masked men targeted us.
Shiiiik!
Arrows flew at the carriage.
I snatched one mid-air and fired it back.
Daring to use ranged weapons on me?
"Your turn to feel it!"
I caught each arrow and used them to pick off the charging masked men.
The arrows stopped coming after a while.
Like they'd all scurried back to their hive. The assault paused, and the attackers vanished.
"Is it over...?"
Marina scanned around nervously.
"Looks like it."
As if.
This tame?
They'd strike again for sure.
It was like a heavenly net.
Like an experienced fisherman tightening his web around the catch—but no need to alarm everyone by pointing it out.
Nothing we could prepare for in this carriage anyway.
Better keep spirits high.
"Shall we take it easy for a bit?"
"...R-really? We're in the clear?"
"Hmm, nothing in sight?"
I pretended to peer into the distance, then lay back on the carriage roof.
Marina stared, then laughed in disbelief.
"You really are laid-back."
"Panicking won't change a thing. We're almost there, right?"
"True, but... you think that's all they've got?"
Still uneasy.
I sat up and knocked on the carriage window.
Marian opened it, revealing Nellin with chocolate muffin smeared all over her mouth.
Nellin, ever the picture of serenity.
"Y-young master?!"
Nellin hid the muffin behind her back.
"Nellin, hiding it after your mouth's covered? What, playing blind man's bluff?"
"Ah...?!"
She finally realized, mouth agape. Chocolate stuffed inside—how much had she scarfed?
My favorite chocolate muffins!
"Marian, got any chocolate muffins for us?"
Marian glanced around, swallowing hard.
"Young master, is it really over?"
"Who knows, but I'm hungry."
My joking eased her tension, and she grinned.
"Then you have to! One sec!"
Marian quickly fetched chocolate muffins from a basket, along with an orange pie in her other hand.
"Just muffins would be too plain. Try this too."
"Orange pie..."
One of Marian's specialties.
Made my mouth water.
"Thanks, Marian."
As I took the muffin and headed back to the roof...
"Young master, are you sure it's okay?"
Marian asked worriedly, more concerned for me than herself.
"Of course. We've got Jayvolg, top of knight academy."
"True... I guess."
Jayvolg didn't show it, but he was among the elite young knights.
Marian nodded, relieved.
"Got it, young master."
"Yeah. Oh, and..."
I shot a glare at the basket-stalking glutton, Nellin.
"Marian, keep an eye on Nellin. She's eyeing seconds already."
"No, young master!"
"Liar—you already nabbed some orange pie."
"How did you...!"
Sigh, no use talking.
I took the food up to the roof and handed chocolate muffins to Marina and Jayvolg.
"Try these. They'll melt your tension away."
"Oho! Chocolate muffins? These are delicious!"
Jayvolg took one without hesitation and bit in.
But Marina looked dubious, just holding hers.
"Seriously... so carefree. From what I saw, the pursuit's not over."
"Smart girl. You're right—it isn't."
"What?!"
Her big eyes widened further, but I shoved the muffin into her mouth.
"Mmph...!"
"Just eat."
"W-wait... not now... Huh?"
Marina scowled, full of complaints. But after a couple chews, her expression changed.
Then she quietly munched away like a squirrel.
What did I tell you?
One bite and you'd know.
Marian's chocolate muffins are top-notch. Even royal chefs could learn a thing or two.
My turn.
I prefer the orange pie.
Can't compromise on this. Especially after so long.
No skimping on ingredients—the rind used thriftily. Perfect orange pie.
Orange pie before the storm...
Doesn't match, but sometimes you gotta loosen up.
A tense body can't perform.
Mind and body in harmony—that's fundamental.
As I carefully took a bite...
Shiiiik!
An ice arrow whistled through the air.
Why now?!
If I'd dodged slower, my precious pie would've been toast.
"Damn it..."
Don't mess with a man eating—even dogs know that.
Interrupting my meal?
"A mage...!"
Marina tensed again at the attack, shouting. Then she frowned at my orange pie.
"Why are you still holding that?!"
"It's important."
"Not the time! Now...!"
Marina trailed off.
The road ahead bulged grotesquely, like it might erupt.
"Ambush starting again!!"
"Jayvolg! Don't stop!"
Jayvolg started reining in the horses from the driver's seat but halted.
"For real? We'll flip the carriage!"
"I said don't stop!"
I kicked off the roof, soaring like a dragon ascending.
The full scene unfolded below. And there, a short distance away—a mage casting.
Those meal-ruining bastards...
The mages spotted me and tried to flee.
Where to?!
Like hurling sunlight, I launched daggers at the mage.
Even a thousand miles away, I'd hunt them for orange pie vengeance!
The mage hastily cast a defensive spell, but my dagger was faster.
Chaaaak!
"Kwaaaagh...!"
The mage screamed his last.
Not satisfied, fueled by fury over my ruined pie, I dropped like a meteor onto the surging earth.
Kung...!
I stomped down, quelling the rising ground, channeling the magic into one spot.
The earth exploded upward, launching the carriage into the air.
"Kyaaah!!"
Marina floated skyward from the roof.
"My chocolate muffin...!"
"That's not important, Nellin...!"
I heard Nellin and Marian tumbling inside.
I stomped again, cushioning the landing for a safe touchdown.
Thud crash!
"Oof...!"
Marina fell from the roof, banging her head on it.
Safe-ish, anyway. Can't be perfect.
We regrouped on the roof. Marina blew at her disheveled hair covering her face.
"If you hadn't obsessed over that orange pie, couldn't we have handled it quieter?"
"It's important to me."
Jayvolg shook his head, fed up.
"You're something else, young master. Orange pie's good, but that attached?"
Says the sword-obsessed guy gripping reins in one hand, sword in the other.
Anyway, time for the fruits of patience.
Munch.
I finally bit into the orange pie.
Tangy, with a slight sour finish.
Yes... this is it!
Savoring it fully, I saw Marina squirreling around vigilantly.
"We're clear. Sheathe your sword."
"Really? For real?"
"Yeah, look."
The princess's guard captain and men approached us.
"Princess! Are you alright?!"
Their arrival meant they'd shaken the pursuers.
"Whew... I'm fine!"
Marina exhaled, her tension easing.
After rejoining us, the guard captain thanked me sincerely.
"Master Deyan, thank you. Never knew you had such skill...! Without you..."
Makes sense.
If the princess died here, the blame fell on them. Terrifying. Failed protection meant death.
"No problem. In thanks, keep what you saw quiet. Your men too."
"Ah...! Understood."
The captain nodded shrewdly.
"Leave it to me."
He'd keep the secret.
Even if Marina lacked current imperial pull, a princess's guard captain had that judgment.
His life depended on it; he'd muzzle his subordinates fine.
"Thank you."
After chatting with the captain...
"Godrest Plains!"
One guard shouted.
Reward for that narrow mountain path?
Vast plains welcomed us.
Godrest Plains meant the dukedom was near.
Relief washed over faces—then...
Bwoooong!
A trumpet blared.
With it...
Something charging like black clouds.
Closer: black horses and knights in black armor.
Enemies? No—they halted soon. The lead knight with blue plumes approached and removed his helmet.
"Wow..."
Everyone but me gasped at his face.
The helmetless man was strikingly handsome.
His light brown hair framed him as he knelt before Marina.
"Princess, are you alright?"
Marina beamed upon recognizing him.
"Long time no see, Beriht."
Acquainted, huh?
Beriht and Marina gazed at each other.
Quite the handsome pair.
"Let me introduce him: Beriht. Christopher Beriht. Son of Duke Christopher, and my cousin."
Marina Charlotte's cousin.
That meant imperial succession rights—a noble bloodline.
Marian and Nellin whispered.
"All royals this good-looking?"
"Like a fairy tale."
Beriht bowed formally at the introduction.
"Beriht here, greeting the princess's companions."
Nice to meet ya.
Beriht would later shake the continent.
...Not in a good way.
One of the imperial rebel leaders.
But from my view, no one more trustworthy.
Rebelling against the empire meant he was our side.
His black knights too.
Terror symbols across the land.
Not many now, but each neared peak mastery.
Like the five great families' elites.
"Thank you for visiting. No word all this time, princess?"
"Word...?"
Marina furrowed her brow.
No way.
By her account, Duke Christopher hadn't replied to her letters...
That's why she'd come herself.
But minding the eyes on her, she played it cool.
"Sorry. But I'm here now, right?"
"True. Princess, but..."
Beriht and his knights didn't head straight to Christopher Castle in the distance.
Patrolling, instead.
Wrong move with an attacked princess.
Beriht reached a ruined fortress like an ancient relic and...
"Check for watchers."
"Yes!"
He deployed knights around.
Acting like someone was spying.
Only then did Beriht relax.
And as if on cue, he and Marina spoke simultaneously.
"Princess, showing up unannounced—what's going on? And that outfit?"
"Beriht, why no reply to my letters?"
They questioned each other, realized the misunderstanding, and stopped.
"...!"
Beriht sighed.
"Smart not going straight to the castle. And this gentleman?"
Beriht eyed me. I gave a curt nod.
"Deyan, third son of the Pador family."
Beriht's reaction was intense.
"Ah! Mihail's little brother he bragged about!"
"You know my second brother?"
"Of course—my best friend."
News to me. Second bro and Beriht buddies?
New info.
Made sense, though. Mihail Pador's free spirit roamed like a wandering knight.
Unlike stiff eldest Ras, Mihail loved mingling everywhere.
Knowing I was Mihail's brother softened Beriht's gaze.
"Trustworthy. Oh, but..."
Beriht turned back to Marina.
"Princess, you said you sent us letters recently?"
"Yes, Beriht. I sent plenty, but no reply from the duke, so I came myself. Then the ambush."
Beriht's face twisted; he clenched his fist.
"As I thought... Princess, and Deyan—listen well."
Beriht bowed his head toward the massive Christopher Castle.
"Right now, the duke—my father—is in no state to speak with anyone. Not even me."