Northern Mountains
Northern Mountains (4)
[Excerpt from Saintess, a Reverse Harem is Impure! Volume 6, Page 79]
A massive impact reverberated deeply beneath his feet. Looking down at the fractured ground, Dersian thought,
He's strong.
It was a terrifying level of destructive power. Yet, it was nothing compared to Rajen Bertus. Nor was the foe as swift or stealthy as Isha of the Shadow Moon. Dersian could read the attacks. This was an opponent he could analyze and counter with reason, rather than relying purely on instinct.
If that was the case, he would not lose. Dersian was absolutely confident he would never lose to an enemy weaker than the Shadow Moon.
After a brief hesitation, Dersian approached us. Whatever else he might be, he was still a high-ranking noble. Sirien welcomed him with a smile, putting on a show of kindness. I say "putting on a show" because there was an undeniable touch of artificiality to it. Despite how beautiful her smile was, I could detect a faint trace of displeasure beneath it. Was she annoyed that our time alone had been interrupted? It seemed I had finally learned to read the truth behind Sirien's expressions. Then again, considering how much time we had spent together, I could tell what she was thinking with just a glance.
"What brings you here, Sir Dersian?"
"I was hoping we could speak for a moment. Could you spare some time?"
"Mmm, yes, of course. We don't have anything pressing at the moment."
Spare some time. That meant he wanted to speak with Sirien without me around. The weather was freezing. Sirien hated the cold wind, so it would be best for her to stay by the campfire. It looked like I should excuse myself. I could always ask her later what they talked about. Just as I was about to pack up my food and stand, Dersian scratched his head.
"Ah, I should have clarified from the start."
"Pardon?"
"The one I wish to speak with is not the Saintess, but you, Sir Rajen."
The Sword Saint had business with me? A flurry of question marks filled my head. I couldn't read Dersian's mind at all. What on earth could he have to say to me? Had he somehow overheard me talking behind his back? No, that was impossible.
"So, if I may ask for your indulgence for a moment? Of course, we won't go far. I cannot leave the Saintess without her escort, after all."
"Uh... very well."
"Thank you."
Sirien nodded, granting her permission. The slight furrow of her brow suggested she was in an even worse mood than before. I could soothe her feelings later. Dersian led the way, and I stood up to follow. He kept his word, meaning we didn't go very far. We stopped at a spot just distant enough that our conversation would be drowned out by the chatter of the others, yet close enough that I could still keep Sirien in my line of sight and react instantly to any threat. It was the maximum distance a guardian could afford to take.
"Is this distance acceptable?"
"Yes. Please, tell me what this is about. As you can see, I was in the middle of my meal."
"Well, first, I must offer you an apology."
"Pardon?"
Dersian bowed his head deeply to me. Naturally, he hadn't done anything that warranted an apology yet. I had absolutely no idea what this man was playing at... Fortunately, the answer came quickly.
"Well, no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn't make sense of it."
"I felt a distinct bloodlust from you when we first met, Sir Rajen."
"Ah."
When I first saw Dersian, I had indeed contemplated whether or not to kill him. I thought I hadn't let any bloodlust slip, but it must have leaked out unconsciously. It was merely a fleeting murderous intent that had crossed my mind for a brief second. To think he could pick up on something even Sirien hadn't noticed, especially at his current level. Did he have some sort of danger-sensing ability befitting a main character? I would have to be more careful when meeting the other male leads.
"I spent a lot of time wondering why. After all, it was our first meeting, wasn't it? And it didn't seem like you held a grudge against my family either."
"Yes, I have no personal feelings against you."
"I'm glad to hear that. I was deeply curious as to why someone who had fought at the vanguard to help me would harbor such feelings. But just a moment ago, my question was answered."
Dersian had indeed worn a look of sudden, random realization earlier. It seemed he was referring to that. I had been curious about what was going through his head. He wasn't the type to be skilled in schemes and political maneuvering, yet his thoughts were entirely unpredictable. At that moment, I realized something. This man was of the same breed as Baron Isquente—the kind of person whose train of thought could derail in any direction. Had I failed to notice this in the original novel because he was much more mature by then?
"If I may ask, how exactly did you resolve this mystery?"
"I am quite fond of people, so I tend to close the distance between us without hesitation. Because of that, I occasionally cause misunderstandings."
There was no need to ask what kind of misunderstanding. Dersian continued, looking slightly embarrassed.
"In particular, I am often misunderstood as trying to flirt with ladies. Even though that is never my intention."
"Ah..."
I stared blankly at Dersian's face. He possessed the kind of handsome features that looked as if they had been plucked straight out of a romance comic. Judging by the reactions of the merchant guild's female employees, his face would work on any woman in the world. Combined with his natural friendliness, it was inevitable that he would cause misunderstandings. Even if it wasn't a misunderstanding, there must have been plenty of men who viewed him as an eyesore. Yes, it was entirely plausible. The problem was why he was telling me this. A sudden suspicion crossed my mind, and I asked.
"Are you saying you came to explain to me that you weren't making a move on the Saintess?"
"Exactly! I have absolutely no intention of interfering in your relationship. I am not such a shameless man. Phew, I feel so relieved now that the misunderstanding has been cleared up."
"Ah... I see."
No matter how much I racked my brain, there was no way to explain my murderous intent other than saying, "I was debating whether to kill you because you'll become my enemy in the future." I decided it was better to let him keep his misunderstanding and chose not to correct him.
"By the way... was it really that obvious that we are dating? I don't believe we ever mentioned it."
"I was unsure at first, but the way the Saintess looks at you is completely different. Unless someone is exceptionally dense, anyone would notice."
"I... see."
Dersian truly had a good nature. To put it kindly, he was optimistic; to put it harshly, he lacked a sense of personal boundaries. It seemed he believed we had become close friends now that the misunderstanding was resolved.
"I was deeply impressed by how you handled the magical beasts earlier today. Your skills are so outstanding that I cannot help but wonder why your name is completely unknown in the capital."
That was because Sirien and Baron Isquente had suppressed the information. It would be troublesome if our names reached Count Roxen's ears. Since we were so young back then, very few nobles knew our names. We hadn't gone so far as to use aliases, but we certainly didn't want our names spreading to the imperial capital. After giving Dersian a plausible excuse, I asked him not to go around mentioning my name in the capital.
"Yes, I will do so. You two are my saviors, after all."
"Thank you. May I assume our business is concluded then?"
"Ah... actually, I have one more thing."
"I'm listening."
Dersian scratched his head again. In the original novel, this was described as a habit he had whenever he had to say something awkward. Aside from his unpredictable thoughts, Dersian was the type whose emotions were written plainly on his face. This only made my mind more complicated. Why was this guy acting like a romance comic protagonist who had just fallen in love for the first time right in front of me? I felt so uncomfortable that I wanted to run away immediately.
"I heard that, excluding Lord Russell, you have known Lady Isha the longest among everyone here."
This guy even attaches honorifics to commoners? Well, regardless, he wasn't wrong. Although Isha and I hadn't known each other for very long, it was true that I had known her the longest out of everyone in this caravan—even if it was only by a margin of a few days.
"It hasn't been as long as you might think. But why do you ask about Isha...?"
"Ahem. It is quite embarrassing to ask this, but... does Lady Isha currently have a lover?"
"By 'lover,' do you mean what I think you mean?"
"Yes, indeed."
My mind went blank. So, Dersian was currently asking me if Isha had a boyfriend. Weren't you two supposed to have a terrible relationship? Shouldn't there be some sort of instinctive hostility rising between you? In the original novel, you were literally slashing at each other's throats the moment you met.
"Not... as far as I know."
"I see!"
My confusion only deepened. Now thoroughly excited, Dersian began to ramble on about Isha.
"What a relief! I have met many women in my life, but my heart has never raced like this before. This must be destiny. I simply cannot get her emerald eyes out of my mind!"
"...So you fell in love at first sight."
"Love at first sight? Heavens, there could be no more perfect expression than that."
The world was truly an unpredictable place.