Chapter 125
Chapter 125
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 125
Chapter Title: Reincarnated as the Plum Blossom Sword Master in a Count's Family
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Me, Yuria, and Lucy waited quietly inside the carriage.
It wasn't strange for us to do nothing inside the carriage. If monsters or bandits appeared, it was the knights and soldiers who had to deal with them. That's why we brought them along—to prepare for such situations—and their very job was to escort us.
From the perspective of the knights assigned to escort duty, it was better if we stayed put.
We were the normal ones; Kyle, who was eager to jump into battle himself, was the odd one out.
'That's Kyle for you, always charging in first. Some knights and soldiers who admire him as a model noble must love that.'
People are different. To some, Kyle could be an idol. To others, he might just be an eyesore.
'The Plun Knights won't follow Kyle, though. They've gotten too used to me by now.'
Not all knights love combat. Some avoid it precisely because they know how dangerous it is.
'Battles are rare occurrences, after all.'
If we were at war, fights would happen frequently, but this was a peaceful era. Knights in peacetime only saw real combat once or twice a month at most. The rest was training.
'What matters in peacetime is abundance.'
I could provide them with that abundance. The Plun Knights had long since been tamed by the goods I supplied. Especially now—it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they couldn't live without cigarettes anymore.
'Good thing I'm not smoking. Seriously.'
I'd considered picking up the habit when I became an adult but quit before starting. I'd fallen for how cool a movie actor looked lighting up.
'Then I saw online that smoking lowers your libido.'
Cigarettes! The cause of erectile dysfunction!
I didn't even glance at them after that.
Back then, jerking off was the highlight of my life. Erectile dysfunction? The mere thought was horrifying.
If I'd awakened as a hunter back then, maybe it would've been different. Hunters with superior physiques aren't as affected by cigarettes.
'Now, I just don't smoke because it makes your breath smell.'
The idea of kissing a woman and tasting cigarettes grosses me out.
"K-Kyle, Young Master Kyle..."
Lucy, Kyle's personal maid, was fidgeting anxiously. She seemed worried about him.
I considered saying something to her but kept my mouth shut. After all, Kyle would surely return unscathed any minute now.
And sure enough, just three minutes later, Kyle came back to the carriage.
But he wasn't alone.
I eyed the man and woman following behind him. Their clothes were ornate—not the garb of commoners or merchants. Nobles for sure.
"...Who might these people be?"
Kyle answered my question first, flashing a friendly smile.
"They were traveling ahead of us when their carriage got smashed by a monster horde. Turns out they're headed the same way as us. They seemed in a bind, so I offered to let them ride with us. Yujin, that's okay, right?"
Our carriage was spacious enough for two more without crowding. And we'd arrive at our destination around noon tomorrow, so it wouldn't be a long trip together.
"Sure, no problem. But they don't seem like ordinary folk...?"
I glanced at them.
The man and woman had pale skin and platinum blonde hair—they looked strikingly similar. Siblings, probably. The man was clean-cut but had dark circles under his eyes.
"Forgive the late introduction. I'm Vaint Huetress, heir to the Huetress County. We were attacked by a group of ogres and trolls, but Young Master Kyle's help allowed us to dispatch them quickly."
Huetress County. Our destination, the Hughes Snow Mountains, lay just beyond their territory. The mountains themselves weren't under Huetress control—the count had long ago relinquished claim. Their house didn't have the strength to fully dominate the monster-infested range.
Vaint was a polite young man, but he seemed somehow cowed.
"Yujin Prucker. Glad you weren't badly hurt. And the lady beside you?"
"My sister, Bella Huetress."
She was a strikingly beautiful young woman with platinum blonde hair and porcelain skin. She didn't seem fully matured yet, but rather than fresh innocence, she exuded a decadent allure.
"A pleasure to meet you, Young Master Yujin. I'm Bella. Our carriage was destroyed, so we were in quite a pickle—Kyle's offer to help is a godsend. We're deeply grateful."
I sneaked a peek at her voluptuous figure. Everything about her was impressive, but her breasts stood out. G-cup, easy. Considering she was still growing, H-cup seemed well within reach.
"...Ah."
Her name jogged my memory belatedly.
Bella Huetress.
The villain from the original story.
An executive of the demon cult 'Pandemonium'—true antagonists of the tale—and a witch contracted with the Plague Demon. Pandemonium's goal: summon the Demon King to conquer the continent.
The current Count Huetress was bedridden in his dotage, making her the real power in the family. Vaint was just a figurehead.
"...So you're from the Huetress family. Makes sense—we'll pass by your city tonight on the way to the Hughes Snow Mountains."
"We're truly thankful for your assistance. The Huetress name guarantees we won't forget this debt."
Vaint declared solemnly.
I just nodded. No high hopes. House Huetress wasn't particularly powerful. And Bella was Kyle's enemy, no less.
'Never thought I'd run into her here.'
We hadn't planned to stop in their city. Our goal was the mountains, so we'd skirt past.
"Come on in."
I said with a smile. Regardless, we couldn't be rude to chance encounters. No need to make enemies just because Huetress was weaker than Prucker. Especially not with Bella—turning her hostile would be a nightmare.
The carriage resumed shortly after we all boarded.
"Traveling to the Hughes Snow Mountains? Wonderful choice. Just looking at them calms the soul. And in summer, the cool air is divine... Our family used to visit often back when Father's health allowed."
"Really?!"
Bella chattered away with Lucy about the mountains' charms, why adventurers flocked there, nearby villages, and more.
'What a two-faced witch. If I didn't know the original, I'd have fallen for it.'
Bella was ruthless and emotionless at heart. A witch who killed without remorse and spread plagues across villages.
'Should I kill her now? The plague gets way too messy later.'
Plagues were terrifying.
Even in the modern world, the novel coronavirus had caused chaos. In this world, they were worse than natural disasters.
"So, Young Master Vaint, were you coming from somewhere in your territory?"
"Ah, I attended a ball hosted by Viscount Holhood. On the way back, we were ambushed."
"How unfortunate... Are your escort knights alright?"
"Yes. A few were injured, but none lost. Thanks to you Prucker young masters."
Viscount Holhood—a noble house with no ties to ours. With so many nobles, you didn't have to attend every event.
"Young Master Kyle, I have a question. May I ask?"
Bella turned to Kyle.
"Of course. I'll answer if I can."
Kyle replied kindly.
"This lady... She doesn't seem like an ordinary maid. Does she hold some important secret?"
"Ah... Yuria is my sister's personal maid. She's a distant relative of Baron Hasent, our family butler."
"I see."
Bella smiled enigmatically and greeted Yuria. Why ask Kyle about her specifically?
"Nice to meet you, Yuria. Bella Huetress. You don't strike me as a regular maid."
"...I'm Yuria Grace, personal maid to Young Master Yujin Prucker. Just a mere servant—no need to mind me."
"I'm very interested in you, Yuria. You intrigue me."
"Compared to Lady Bella, I'm of lowly birth. Please, spare me your interest."
Yuria smiled softly as always, unmoved.
"I've met many people, Yuria. You have more grace and poise than most noble ladies. I'd love to be your friend."
"You're too kind."
What was this?
I frowned slightly.
I couldn't fathom why Bella was so fixated on Yuria.
'No way.'
Was Bella a lesbian?
'Nah, doesn't feel like it.'
That wasn't the vibe.
"Any foods you dislike, Yuria? I can't stand sour things."
"Nothing in particular."
Yuria answered without a hint of annoyance. I admired her patience—responding politely to pointless questions...
Bella's interest in Yuria persisted for quite a while.
'Why is this witch so into Yuria?'
No clue.
'She's not the type to do this without reason. Gotta stay alert.'
???
Evening.
The carriage halted.
It was dark, so we'd camp by the roadside. No one traveled at night in this world—monsters were too active.
The servants handled dinner. They rode in a much humbler carriage than ours, cramped with luggage to boot.
'Heh. Still hooked, huh.'
The Plun Knights huddled after eating, smoking together. They were introducing cigarettes to the Huetress knights. A fine sight. I watched contentedly.
'Spread the word like that, and cigarettes will fly off the shelves.'
The more famous they got, the fatter my wallet.
'Next month, I'll ramp up with the Korea Merchant Group... Cigarettes will blanket the kingdom soon!'
My concern: the Mage Tower was already copying pipe tobacco.
'Lucky they're still testing. Their trial batches were crude compared to modern cigs.'
Don't underestimate the Mage Tower. Those wizards would experiment until they perfected it. I needed to solidify my position before they went full-scale.
'Make Korea Merchant Group and me the first thing people think of for cigarettes—not the Tower.'
Then they wouldn't be a threat.
I watched the knights smoke a bit longer, then entered my tent. For me and Yuria alone.
'Kyle's using his own tent, right?'
Stuffy about propriety, he wouldn't share with Lucy. Proper—no rumors.
'My heart condition leaves me no choice. Heh heh.'
Needing my personal maid's care was a perfect excuse.
'Time for another fun night.'
Inside, Yuria sat on the bed. She smiled at me—not her usual pure one, but laced with seductive charm that stirred a man's heart.
As I approached the bed, starting to undress—
"Young Master Yujin. Are you still awake?"
Bella's voice made me freeze. I pulled up my half-lowered pants and replied.
"Yes, not asleep yet. What brings Lady Huetress to my tent so late...?"
No way. Had she come to seduce me with those huge breasts? I couldn't resist if she did.
Anticipation swelled in my chest.
"I'd like a quick word alone with Yuria. Is that alright?"
My hopes deflated instantly.
Of course. Her fixation on Yuria in the carriage had been suspicious.