Chapter 56
Chapter 56
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: What's Wrong with My Clothes?
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"Arrogant? What kind of nonsense is that?"
"I think you'll understand right away once you see her..."
Elia flashed an awkward smile and let out a light chuckle.
"It feels kind of like badmouthing someone behind their back, so it doesn't sit right with me."
But it's all true...
Elia mumbled the last part under her breath, then nodded firmly as if she'd made up her mind, turning to look at me.
...I flinched when she suddenly shoved her face close.
"Wh-what is it?"
"I'll explain what actually happened."
"Mm, yeah, that might be better."
Definitely. It'd be more accurate to infer her personality from real events rather than abstract descriptions from others.
I nodded, and Elia furrowed her brow before starting to chatter away.
As I listened, my eyes widened or my jaw dropped—natural reactions poured out of me.
Every single one of Iron Blood's depraved deeds was beyond comprehension for someone as normal as me.
...
"...Everything you've said so far... it's all true?"
Elia had recounted various incidents and accidents Iron Blood had caused, helping me piece together who she was.
"Yes... I swear on the Saintess's name, I witnessed all of it with my own eyes."
"Hah..."
I squeezed my eyes shut and rubbed my forehead.
Based on what Elia told me, I'd tried to build an image of Iron Blood in my mind...
"Mm."
But I had no clue what kind of person she was.
No, that made sense.
From Elia's words alone, she sounded like the craziest bitch in the world—what was I supposed to guess?
Right now, all I had was "woman with a shattered personality."
...But.
I glanced at Nameless, who was sneaking peeks in my direction.
"Whoa... why is Mr. Nameless acting like that...?"
"...I have no idea."
At Elia's words, which sounded like utter disgust, I felt secondhand embarrassment and averted my gaze.
...Anyway, let's think this through again.
From what Nameless said, Iron Blood was practically a saint.
At a young age, she'd stepped up to crush the crisis that came to the Empire, forgoing her own happiness—marriage—to volunteer as the Empire's shield.
My head throbbed.
Elia's words and Nameless's just didn't line up at all.
"Muuu..."
Her martial prowess was exceptional too, with tons of achievements, and as a duke, her title was lofty.
Tsk, no wonder her personality turned out rotten...?
As I tilted my head this way and that, trying to construct Iron Blood's image in my mind, Nameless approached and gently tapped my shoulder.
"Master, looks like we can head in."
"Mm, alright."
Nameless's words snapped me out of my thoughts. Looking straight ahead,
Elia and Lucius were staring at me.
Mm, this is awkward.
They'd probably finished preparations ages ago while I was lost in thought.
"...Let's go."
"Yes, Master."
I took Nameless's hand and headed toward the walls.
...
"Mm, it's huge."
The walls, which had looked low from afar, loomed overwhelmingly massive up close—taller than any I'd seen before.
Probably because the castle behind them was so tall, making the walls seem smaller by comparison.
As I let out a small gasp of admiration and looked around, a massive groan echoed, and the gates began to rise.
"Ooh..."
Elia glanced at me, covering her mouth as she whispered something to Lucius.
"Ms. Heaven Cleaver has such big reactions..."
"Saintess... you don't have to tell me every little thing."
Too absorbed in the strange thrill of the overwhelming scale, I paid him no mind.
Face flushed with excitement, I bounced along, shaking Nameless's hand.
"Nameless! It's enormous!"
"Yes, indeed it is."
Nameless's body swayed from my tugging, but he kept a small smile and played along.
Feeling connected since he shared my awe, I got even more hyped and tried to drag him toward the gates,
but
"Eek!"
Nameless let go of my hand and scooped me up under the arms.
I dangled there like a limp cat.
"Hey! Why pick me up this time?!"
Caught by Nameless, I flailed my arms in protest, but he dodged them easily as he spoke.
"I'd love to hurry too, but don't we have procedures?"
"...Procedures?"
At his words, I stopped flailing and glanced back.
Lucius and Elia were talking to a knight in light ceremonial armor, different from the wall guards.
Our eyes met, and Elia gave an awkward smile, waving.
"Uh... could you come over here for a sec?"
"..."
How did I look to them...?
No need to overthink it.
Probably like a childish kid frolicking around.
Humiliating!
At my age, getting excited over some big walls!
No, I have plenty to say about that.
I lived cut off from the world in a cabin for so long, didn't I...?
And before coming to this world, I was just a fantasy novel otaku.
Showing a scene like that to someone like me—how could I not get hyped?
I'd bet even Buddha would bounce around like an excited kid.
Mm, yeah.
I'm not in the wrong.
I cracked my eyes open and looked around, but they still wore awkward smiles.
Don't look at me like that!
Face burning with shame, I rubbed it and silently tapped Nameless's shoulder.
As if he got the message, he carefully set me down.
The moment my feet hit the ground, I rubbed my face again,
"Ahem."
cleared my throat lightly, and walked slowly toward Lucius as if nothing happened.
"Master, it's fine. Who would dare question your actions?"
"Shut that mouth!"
I kicked Nameless's shin for his obliviousness.
...
The knight in light armor eyed me and Nameless, then turned back to Lucius.
"Hero, are these two also guests of the Duchess?"
"Yes."
The knight stared at me, brow furrowed, then nodded.
"...Understood."
Something fishy?
Noticing the knight's reaction, Elia smiled wryly as if she knew why, and approached me.
"Hm?"
"Probably... because of Ms. Heaven Cleaver's outfit...?"
At Elia's words, I looked down at my clothes.
Mm, no idea what's the issue.
Elia sighed as if she'd expected that, and continued.
"In Ellen, people wandering around in such thin clothes are either... poor, or, um, a bit provocative...? Like, ladies working at pleasure houses..."
"What."
"Plus, with our statuses, someone in thin clothes like you stands out as weird."
Nameless was right?
I'd thought he was spouting nonsense just to bundle me up...
I glanced at Nameless—he was glaring at the knight, brow furrowed.
Mm, should I put on more layers now?
I don't really care about the stares, but from Nameless's perspective, his master getting those looks...
He wouldn't stay quiet.
I sighed softly and tugged Nameless's sleeve.
"Clothes."
"Yes, Master."
Nameless beamed, as if he'd been waiting, and shrugged off his outer robe to drape it over me.
Wondering why he had to take it off, I looked closer— he was still fully dressed underneath.
"...?"
Nameless proudly flapped his robe.
"I wore two layers, knowing this might happen."
"...Good job."
Lucius, who'd been watching us, nodded and spoke.
"Looks like we're ready. Let's head out."
"I'll lead the way."
The knight took the front.
...
We walked quite a ways past the walls to reach the lofty castle.
A white-haired old butler at the entrance guided us to the reception room.
And there, waiting for us, Iron Blood had a physique completely opposite to the image I'd imagined.
Her eye level was a tad below my short height, so maybe just under 150 cm, and her build matched—looking somewhat childish.
Next, her hair: silvery with a blue tint as the base, streaked with blue highlights here and there. Her sharp navy eyes didn't give a fierce impression like Nameless's—instead, they just looked annoying.
Iron Blood bared her shark-like pointed teeth in a grin.
"What, you losers finally showed up? You're way too late."