A Heartfelt Feeling
Did you like it because I saved your life?
Aslan seemed displeased with this situation, but he was glaring at the duke with an unhappy face.
The duke opened his mouth.
“If what you want is the world’s recognition, then follow the procedures and formalities. At the New Year’s Ceremony (the end of the year), I will introduce you.”
A New Year’s Ceremony was the perfect timing.
It was an event where the emperor and the great nobles gathered in the empire.
It was completely nailing down the ground.
“If I don’t want to be pushed out, I have to prepare thoroughly.”
It was about preparing not to be harmed by the duke’s wife and son after Aslan’s status was restored.
Yeah. Probably not.
Since Aslan becoming my son is not the case.
The final goal is the duke’s title.
Thinking that, the duke approached me.
“How about staying in this castle with my puppy for a while?”
“Me?”
“Chasing after an uncle who is entering the heart of political strife in earnest is a dangerous thing.”
“That is…”
It would be nice to be in the castle.
Because he couldn’t touch me from Andres.
‘But if I think about the future, I have to help Aslan too.’
It was a dilemma.
“No.”
Aslan pulled my shoulder.
I was startled and looked at him, and he had an unpleasant expression.
“I can’t put her where that woman is.”
It seemed to be about the duke’s wife.
After all, he lost his mother to the duke’s wife.
The duke chuckled.
“That is not your choice to make.”
“Since you took me in as your daughter, the protection is my responsibility.”
“If you put it that way, I’m the one who should be protected.”
“Was it a delusion?”
“What do you think, my puppy. Isn’t the Esgard Castle better than the run-down San Miguel?”
The two of them looked at me at the same time.
I rolled my eyes.
“I… um…”
“Yes, puppy?”
“You?”
After thinking, I grabbed his arm.
Aslan’s arm.
“With Aslan.”
Because if I lose the chance to become the duke’s title even a little, it can’t be helped.
Because only if he becomes the duke can I live a safe life.
It would be good to help Aslan prepare to become Aslan Esgard by his side.
Aslan smiled faintly.
The duke clicked his tongue, but.
I looked at Aslan with a bright face.
“Then, shall we go to San Miguel?”
“Yeah.”
His voice was soft.
***
That evening, after a cheerful farewell.
... I hadn’t left for San Miguel yet.
The first reason was because I was a witness in the fire incident and the Ingu incident investigation.
“So, while I was doing the young master’s work, I discovered the Ingu. Since I knew about the Ingu, I felt the situation was serious. So, I met the duke under the pretext of ruining the camellia.”
I mixed about 80% truth and 20% lie to the investigators.
Because I couldn’t say I played the game and knew about the Ingu, and decoded it to meet Aslan and the duke.
“How did you know about the Ingu?”
“Because I’m from Andres, I know a lot of secret information. There was information that the Valboa viscount’s family developed a special poison.”
“How did you decode the Ingu?”
“Because I’m from Andres.”
“You also know about the rare poison called Canaria?”
“Yes. From Andres...”
The words got stuck, so I used the Andres excuse.
In such cases, it’s convenient that Esgard and Andres are enemies.
Because both heavily restrain each other, making it hard to steal information.
Anyway, the investigation ended like that.
And the second reason I was late was...
“The thing I was supposed to bring was not the Ingu but a death notice.”
Because I was caught by Luciarno.
I smiled awkwardly.
“That got a bit messed up... Anyway, thank you for saving me.”
“Probably. So, the Ingu?”
“Ah, that is...”
“Are you saying you saved her life but couldn’t bring the Ingu?”
Luciarno’s eyes narrowed.
I quickly looked at the door.
‘Is it still...?’
When I was making an anxious expression.
Knock knock. A knock sounded.
At that moment, my face brightened and I rushed to the door.
When I opened the door, what I saw was a man with an appearance as beautiful as Luciarno, who claims to be the most beautiful girl in the empire.
Aslan!
Luciarno looked at him as if to ask who he was.
‘Ah, in the military, Aslan was wearing a hood, so I couldn’t see his face.’
“As... my only father.”
I quickly switched to introduce instead of saying Aslan.
Luciarno stood up.
“The viscount of San Miguel, right?”
“Yes. May I come in?”
“Yeah.”
Aslan strode into the castle.
In one hand, he held a box with strange patterns carved on it.
‘It’s the box containing the Ingu.’
Aslan and I, alone with the man, asked for help.
While talking about the transaction with the prince, we asked to bring the unused Ingu from the Valboa viscount’s family.
‘In the game, I often stole it, so I know where it’s stored.’
In an instant, the elite squad of Irregular took the Ingu.
I quickly handed the box to Luciarno.
“You waited long. This is the Ingu... but why are you looking at my father like that...?”
Aslan and Luciarno were staring at each other quietly.
Aslan said without taking his eyes off Luciarno.
“Once the transaction is done, let’s go.”
“Ah, yes.”
I quickly greeted Luciarno.
Luciarno turned his gaze to me.
“You’re his father, right?”
“Yes? Yes, but.”
“Then it’s fine.”
That was the end of the sentence.
With that, I left the room with Aslan.
While walking in the corridor with Aslan, I asked.
“You still don’t like the prince?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“It doesn’t feel right. It feels like something will be stolen from me.”
Aslan’s intuition is amazing.
In the game, he was introduced as a man with the instinct of a beast.
If someone with that instinct says it doesn’t feel right?
“But the prince isn’t the kind to steal anything.”
“Probably.”
“And you seem like a good person. You often saved me. Even though I made many mistakes in the past, you forgave me. Also, you protected me from Prince Gaspar.”
So, if you want to take one step on the throne, I recommend this great duke.
Smiling with that face, Aslan stopped.
“Gaspar?”
“Yes. He’s extremely violent, so it would be troublesome if I run into him. When I was the eldest daughter of Andres, he slapped my cheek.”
I had no choice but to look at the first prince and the empress’s face.
My father didn’t get that angry either.
He just received what he wanted from the empress and finished.
“It’s not just because of the saint search that Prince Gaspar hasn’t noticed me at all. Prince Luciarno must have intervened. From the military.”
“...Yeah.”
“Then, shall we depart?”
Since I don’t need to finish the young master’s work, I can go right away.
It was settled as a withdrawal due to the fire incident.
I had already greeted the duke before meeting Luciarno.
I walked while humming a tune.
***
That night.
In the northwest of the Esgard estate.
Fifth Prince Gaspar shouted.
“Have you not found it yet!”
The soldiers of Gaspar had their heads lowered with troubled faces.
They had searched the northwest where holy waves had occurred like crazy, but couldn’t find the saint’s clue.
The prince’s servant said in a difficult tone.
“Since we mobilized the shamans from the dark side, there should be progress.”
“But tomorrow I have to leave Esgard, and now you’re saying there’s progress?”
Because of the damn fire, the duke decided to send the princes back.
Luciarno, that bastard, agreed to the duke’s words, so he was about to leave right away tomorrow.
Gaspar kicked the servant’s stomach roughly.
The servant fell with a “kuk” sound, but he continued to stomp on him violently.
“Fi... Prince... Prince, kuk!”
“Damn. Damn. Damn it!”
Gaspar beat the servant until he was covered in blood and threw his jacket.
“Die today. Find the saint by tonight!”
The soldiers left with tense faces.
Gaspar was left with two bodyguards.
‘Nothing is going well.’
When he was nervously running his hand through his hair.
Tap! Ta-dak!
Strange hitting sounds came from the bodyguards’ side.
Gaspar lifted his head to see what was happening.
The bodyguards were lying on the ground.
‘What...’
Something quickly dug into Gaspar’s front.
It was as fast as a beast.
When it came close to his face, he realized it was two men wearing hoods.
The hooded men said.
“Is this correct, young master...”
“Shut up.”
“Hup.”
They were tall, and the mouth slightly visible under the hood suggested a beautiful face.
One of the sturdy men grabbed Gaspar’s neck.
“Kuk...! Do you know who I am...”
“You bastard who doesn’t know when to stop.”
“I, I can’t let go...”
While Gaspar was struggling, another man approached.
And.
Crack─!
Gaspar’s cheek turned.
With a burning pain.
“Stop biting. Your teeth will come out.”
Slap! Crack! Slap! Crack─!
It was a real beating.
***
Aslan got on the carriage to San Miguel first.
And about ten minutes later, Yustea entered the carriage holding something in both hands.
“Sorry. I had to wait while Asta packed some things.”
“It’s okay.”
“By the way, Asta said that the castle seems to be in turmoil again. It seems Prince Gaspar requested a rescue from the castle.”
“...”
“Some thugs appeared and beat her cheeks a lot and tied her to a tree.”
“...”
“Prince Gaspar is clearly raging, saying that the thugs were sent by another prince.”
“...”
Aslan quietly turned his head.
***
Finally, we arrived at San Miguel.
Even though it’s the same Esgard estate, the air felt different.
I greeted the Irregular members who came running from the carriage happily.
“You’ve worked hard.”
“I was surprised to hear you were in the prison.”
“You even got involved in the fire incident.”
The Irregular members were making a fuss while watching me.
Meanwhile, the vice-captain and Antonio were checking the members.
“Long time no see.”
“Fingers! Do you have all ten fingers?!”
“Are you really okay?”
Only then did the two of them sigh.
“Good. Don’t do such groups again in the future. Everyone was worried.”
“Yes. By the way, where did you go?”
Wearing the Irregular’s hood.
Then, the vice-captain and Antonio flinched.
Antonio looked at the air and hesitated.
“Th... walk...?”
“Wearing the Irregular’s hood?”
The vice-captain kicked Antonio’s calf and pushed him away.
“There was work to handle lightly outside the castle.”
“I see. Ah, how have you all been?”
I asked while smiling.
But it was strange.
When asked if they were doing well, suddenly everyone closed their mouths.
The vice-captain’s group and the vice-captain’s members glared fiercely at Antonio’s group.
Antonio’s group was sweating profusely.
“...I’m sorry to say this, but you have to move rooms for a few days.”
“Rooms? Why?”
Again, silence.
I headed to my room with an anxious face.
Antonio’s group had guilty faces, and the vice-captain’s group was chasing me while glaring at Antonio’s group.
And I saw it.
The castle wall that flew away with my room....
“What... how did this...?”
Antonio’s group members were kneeling with a “aaaaang” wail.
“Miss, sorry. We were scammed─!”
...What?
***
So, the truth was this.
“You bought weapons and magic tools from the merchant, but they were all fake...?”
“Yes. They said that if you swing a sword or spear once, your teeth come out. And the magic tools are...”
“Magic tools?”
“They said they amplify mana, so everyone bought one each. But when we activated them in the castle...”
They exploded and became like this.
Antonio’s group had a very dejected expression.
It seemed they had already been caught like mice by the vice-captain’s group before I came.
When I groaned “hum”, Antonio’s group clung to me.
“Sorry for making the room like this.”
“I’ll buy new things for the miss!”
“Really. We had already pooled our salaries together...”
The reason they were so scared was this.
The room flew away and my things flew away too.
“Are you okay?”
When I said that, Antonio’s group members’ faces brightened.
“Really?”
But soon the vice-captain’s group members glared.
“Are you really going to say that?”
“The miss had a clock worth over a thousand gold.”
“Jewelry too.”
Ah, so that’s why everyone was looking at my eyes.
The things I received from Luciarno in the military were extremely expensive.
For ordinary people, it’s an amount that can live off for ten years.
“I’m really okay.”
The vice-captain’s group members sighed.
“To be this kind...”
“You have to get angry when you get angry. You lost that much money...”
Since they didn’t believe my words, I decided to show them the reason myself.
I took out the clock and jewelry from the bag I was carrying and showed them.
“...!”
“...?!”
The expression was as if asking why they were there.
I smiled gently.
“I thought Antonio’s group would cause trouble someday.”
Then.
“Waaaa!”
“Waaa!”
Antonio’s group members’ expressions brightened instantly.
“It’s good that the miss doesn’t trust us at all!”
“Thank you for doubting us!”
Antonio’s group cheered and hugged me tightly.
Antonio also let out a cheer.
I nodded with a caring face.
The vice-captain and the vice-captain’s group members looked at us with unbelievable faces.
I patted the charya who was hugging me while sobbing.
“By the way, did you catch those scammers?”
“Ah, the merchant? That is...”
“Why?”
“I couldn’t catch them.”
“Didn’t you write a contract? You said to always write one when buying.”
I had warned them repeatedly after being scammed by the blacksmith old man.
Antonio’s group looked dejected.
“We did write one. We checked the clauses carefully. But...”
Then the vice-captain said.
“The contract was very cunning, so there was no way to punish them.”
A member of the vice-captain’s group handed over the contract.
When I checked, it was really a shrewd contract.
It said that for the abnormality of the purchased item, considering the nature of the merchant who imports goods from far away, it can’t be compensated with the same item.
“So, what did you get compensated with?”
Then the vice-captain glared at Antonio.
Antonio pointed to the box in the corner of the corridor with a sad face.
...Potatoes.
***
The main building of San Miguel.
The place where the merchant temporarily borrowed for selling goods was lively.
The merchants were dealing with customers with kind faces.
“Oh, sir. Your eye for quality is excellent. That’s a teacup that came from the East Continent, and it’s hard to find in the Avalon Empire.”
“Please come in. You were looking for perfume, right? There are good things.”
The building was bustling with people.
The merchants’ employees were giggling at the sound of money piling up.
“As expected, the guild master.”
“Yes. I thought you were coming to this shabby place to enjoy your vacation.”
In the center, far north.
Even in the north, in the countryside.
The countryside guys bought cheap fakes without realizing they were scammed.
After all, where would such guys go to see a merchant.
The soldiers of the San Miguel lord also ate happily.
They came back knowing it was a scam but left dejected after the guild master’s splendid talk.
The guild master smiled faintly.
“Won’t you come again?”
“No way. And if you come, what else can you do but cause trouble.”
“If you cause trouble, it’s good. You can steal the one copper hidden in your socks as a pretext.”
The merchants burst into hearty laughter.
At that moment.
The tiger comes when called, these were the ones who entered the guild.
The San Miguel soldiers who had gone back tearing their hair with potatoes.
The guild master smiled slyly and whispered to the merchants.
“Prepare to steal the socks too.”
“Yes.”
The guild master rubbed his hands and ran to them.
“You’ve come, my lords. What kind of goods are you looking for today.”
“We’re not looking for anything.”
A girl walked out from among the soldiers.
“Hello.”
“Nice to meet you. But who are you...?”
“This is Yustea, the daughter of the lord of San Miguel.”
The soldiers raised their chins.
And Yustea said.
“You stole from our kids, right.”
It was the appearance of a protector.