Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Friends in the Moonlight
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Short silver hair sparkled, absorbing the moonlight streaming in through the corridor window. Its owner sensed a presence and turned around. It was Enoch.
“Miss.”
“Yes.”
He had called out to Rachel upon encountering her, but then he didn’t open his mouth for a long while, as if he had nothing to say.
Rachel approached the window, turning her back to the moonlight, and spoke to him.
“Why are you out in the corridor? Did you get lost or something?”
“No, that’s not it. I just thought this would be a routine dispatch like always, but the situation has changed…”
Rachel was surprised by Enoch’s words. She had realized he was highly skilled when he used Divine Power or when Priestess Peace said she was leaving him here.
But she hadn’t known he was skilled enough to be sent on external missions.
“You look young, but you’re already doing fieldwork? That’s impressive!”
“No, it’s not that great.”
As Rachel clapped her hands in praise, the boy’s face turned red. He acted humble, but he didn’t seem to dislike the praise.
He hesitated before cautiously asking Rachel,
“Have you ever held a sword, Miss?”
“No. Today was the first I heard that Mother had ever wielded one. How famous is she, anyway?”
“Lady Evelyn became a White Knight at the youngest age in history!”
White Knight—the title bestowed upon the temple’s highest holy knight. It was granted solely based on swordsmanship skill, separate from Divine Power.
“The youngest? At what age?”
“People usually become White Knights around thirty, but Lady Evelyn did it at seventeen! To think I get to spar with her—it feels like a dream.”
Enoch pressed his clasped hands to his mouth and nose as if in prayer.
The boy, excited at having met his idol in person, seemed no different from any boy his age.
Rachel naturally smiled at the fact that the original story’s key ally had been such a cute boy three years ago.
“I’ll cheer you on! Catch the Black Sorcerer with Mother.”
Enoch’s ears turned red at Rachel’s encouragement. To her, he looked a bit embarrassed.
“I won’t hold her back, will I?”
“Of course not. Priestess Peace trusted you enough to assign you to this.”
“Thank you. I feel less anxious now.”
Rachel realized he could feel anxious too. In the game, Enoch had always calmly soothed Rachel, showing no fear or unease.
Rachel admitted she had been overlaying the in-game Enoch onto him. And she acknowledged that he could feel anxious too.
‘If that game were real, maybe he wasn’t truly unafraid—he was just holding it back for Rachel.’
“Were you anxious?”
“Yes. I worried my skills were lacking and that Lady Evelyn would be disappointed.”
Enoch wasn’t emotionless; he was just like her, sparing in expression. Realizing this, Rachel went to his side and patted his back.
“So what if she’s disappointed? If you know your shortcomings, you can grow as much as you want, right? Just show her your improved self later.”
As Rachel comforted him, she felt a pang of bitterness. Even if her words motivated him to work hard now, if she regressed, it would all come to nothing.
How much longer would it take for her to see the results of Enoch’s efforts?
It would be three years for others, but at least three years for her—maybe decades if it dragged on.
‘That’s why I have to make sure I never die and regress.’
Now she knew who the nearby enemy was. If she could just defeat that enemy and survive past three years, this endless curse—and the regressions—would end.
That’s what Rachel believed.
“And thank you for earlier today.”
“I only did what I had to.”
“Even if it was your duty, I’m truly grateful. Enoch, want to be friends?”
Rachel hoped this wouldn’t be undone. That’s why she proposed friendship.
Rachel had no friends. Maybe it was because of her status—not fully noble, yet not commoner either.
During her repeated regressions, no one close enough to call a friend had been by Rachel’s side. This was her first real friend proposal.
‘Friendships don’t usually start with “let’s be friends,” but…’
She felt Enoch would otherwise see her only as Evelyn’s daughter.
The situation of proposing friendship felt so unfamiliar that Rachel turned her head away and waited for his response. But the answer she wanted didn’t come right away.
“Does it feel weird since I’m older?”
With no response, Rachel asked while still facing away.
She couldn’t bring herself to look at Enoch’s face out of pointless embarrassment.
‘Did I say something dumb?’
“No, it’s not that…”
Enoch’s flustered words continued.
“You’re my first friend, Rachel.”
Rachel turned her head. Enoch’s face was red as a ripe tomato. He had turned his head to the opposite side too.
“My situation was special, so I didn’t have friends my age, and everyone around me was adults…”
His hands flailed in the air. He was rambling a bit.
Realizing he was embarrassed like her, Rachel grabbed his flailing hands.
As his aimless hands were caught in hers, Enoch flinched. He slowly turned his head to meet her gaze.
“You’re my first friend too, Enoch.”
His face flushed even more at her words. At his innocent reaction, Rachel beamed brightly and said,
“We’re each other’s first friends.”
“Yeah.”
Without deciding who went first, they both burst into laughter at the same time. Nothing was particularly funny, but the laughter just bubbled up.
“Nice to meet you. Enoch—no more ‘Miss.’”
“Got it, Rachel. Nice to meet you too.”
The boy’s smile under the moonlight was breathtakingly beautiful. Rachel gazed at it as she gently released his hand.
“Shall we head back to our rooms? If anything’s inconvenient while you’re staying here, just tell me. I’ll help as a friend.”
“You too, Rachel. If you have any troubles, tell me. I’ll help however I can.”
It was a short conversation, but Rachel felt much closer to Enoch. They walked down the corridor and reached her room.
“Good night, Enoch.”
“Sweet dreams, Rachel.”
The door closed. Rachel jumped onto her bed.
“Wow, he’s so handsome I thought he was a moon fairy.”
She had thought he was stunningly beautiful even with his furrowed expression in the light, but his smile packed a punch.
Rachel couldn’t control her pounding heart.
“Even seeing a handsome guy makes my heart race. Bad for my heart.”
Rachel didn’t think she was in love. She just figured her heart fluttered because he was so cute and handsome.
***
“Huh?”
The next day at lunch, Rachel dropped her fork at the sudden blue message window.
Evelyn scolded her for her rudeness, but Rachel was too focused on the message to hear.
[Danger Level: 72%]
[All resolvable danger elements within the estate as of now have been resolved. Checkpoint updated.]
The danger level had suddenly dropped by 2%, followed by this message.
‘It could update?’
On her 14th loop, she hadn’t known checkpoints could update. Rachel thought she would have paid attention to the danger level much earlier if she’d known.
‘What the hell have I been doing all this time!’
Everyone was startled as Rachel grimaced and banged the table.
“Did you see something?”
“Is it serious?”
Those who knew Rachel saw the future in dreams looked at her worriedly.
She had said she saw the future in dreams, but since her ability’s initial manifestations weren’t fully understood, it could differ from before.
Soon, Rachel looked up. Her expression showed she had already made up her mind.
“Mother, did you give any special orders to the servants today?”
“I told them to catch the rats. Why, is there a problem?”
“No, you did great.”
Rats. The 2% danger had been the rats.
“Then what was that just now? Did you see something?”
She had seen something—the checkpoint update notice. But unable to explain, Rachel said something else.
“It’ll rain a lot this year, leading to a poor harvest. Stockpile grain and tell the villagers to reinforce the embankments.”
The first summer after Jung Yu-ri became Rachel brought massive rains. Rachel’s estate on high ground suffered little, but floods ruined the wheat crops, causing famine.
Many suffered from the shortages, but Paris Emporus had stockpiled grain as if foreseeing it, profiting hugely. He used that to back Third Prince Daimon, earning a barony when he became king.
‘Can’t let that happen.’
As Rachel clenched her fist with resolve, Priestess Peace spoke.
“To empathize so deeply with others’ suffering—you truly are kind, Miss Rachel.”
Priestess Peace had misunderstood on her own.
“The temple will prepare as well.”
It wasn’t bad if the temple prepared too. Rachel nodded. Then her eyes met Enoch’s, and he gave a refreshing smile.
‘Eye candy, but bad for the heart.’
Rachel admired his face while thinking that inwardly. She wouldn’t see it for a while. Henri was heading to the capital today, and Rachel was going with him.
“Please take care of things, Priestess.”
After the meal, Rachel boarded the carriage. Inside, she met Henri’s eyes.
He had boarded first and offered his hand; Rachel took it and climbed in.
“Thank you.”
“Ahem. Sure.”
The atmosphere was awkward. Rachel hadn’t expected to be alone with Henri in such a cramped carriage.
‘Think of something else, something else. So much to worry about right now.’
Rachel consciously tried to distract herself. Her thoughts drifted to the message from lunch.
‘Come to think of it…’
She had glossed over it amid the chaos, but reviewing it revealed something crucial.
‘As of now’ and ‘within the estate.’
In other words, 72% danger elements remained or would arise outside the estate.
Checkpoints could also update.
‘To lower the danger level and update the checkpoint, do I need to eliminate Baron Emporus?’
That was the first thing that came to mind.
‘I want to know why he’s targeting me.’
Opportunity came quickly.
The carriage halted after a long ride. She thought they’d stopped at an inn in another village for the night, but a familiar face appeared.
‘Huh?’
Rachel panicked as the face drew closer.
“Welcome! Rachel, and you coming here too—it’s a first, right?”
The welcomer was Paris Emporus.