Chapter 22: Victoria(1)
Chapter 22: Victoria(1)
“They’re after my life?”
A chuckling voice came from beyond the carriage curtain.
“Who on earth would want to kill me? Are you saying they’re planning to assassinate me?”
“That’s right.”
At the word “assassination,” even the escort knight standing guard with a solemn expression burst out laughing.
“Did you hear that? Someone is apparently planning to assassinate me. Hehehe.”
One would think hearing about an assassination attempt would warrant a serious reaction, but even the escort knight just shook his head with a small laugh.
Well, she was one of the hero’s companions in a past life, so she must be confident in her skills. That killing intent from before was no joke, either.
Kerry used the Goddess’s Eye.
[Name – Victoria Belarus]
[Stats – Strength 55 | Agility 45 | Mana 65 | Stamina 70]
[Talent – Unyielding Will (SS)]
Her stats were indeed impressive. Aside from Lina and Natasha, her talent was the highest I had ever seen.
“I appreciate the concern, but you needn’t worry about me.”
I understood perfectly well that her talent and current stats were outstanding. But those bastards were no pushovers, either.
How could I make her believe me? If she ended up getting killed anyway, there would have been no point in warning her.
Just then, Lina approached.
“Greetings, Lady Victoria. My name is Lina Knightly.”
A single greeting was all it took to convey her lofty grace. The amused smile on Victoria’s face vanished.
This one’s no ordinary woman, either. No… she’s more than that. She’s a master, isn’t she?
Though they hadn’t crossed swords, everything about Lina, from her gait to her smallest movements, was extraordinary.
Whether it was conscious or not, she had stopped just outside the escort knight’s attack range before speaking.
“Are you also here to speak of this assassination? Like this man?”
“Yes, I am.”
“…”
The words of the strong carry a different weight. Kerry noticed Victoria’s demeanor turn slightly more serious.
“Lina, show her the note.”
It was the note containing the order for Victoria’s assassination.
A note was just a note, but this one, faintly stained with blood, had an air of authenticity.
“This is an order we obtained while pursuing a certain organization. As you can see, Lady Victoria’s name is written on it.”
“…This alone is hardly convincing. Besides, couldn’t it be someone else with the same name? And that’s setting aside the question of whether this note is even real.”
“The organization we are pursuing aims to offer powerful individuals as human sacrifices. I have never heard of another strong person in this area who shares your name. Therefore, I am certain it is you.”
“…”
Victoria’s expression grew a little more serious. As expected, Lina had a certain persuasive power that was hard to put into words.
It was something one only felt from truly good people.
That’s our Lina! You’re doing great!
“Having watched her by her side, I know better than anyone that Lina is a person of utmost sincerity.”
Lina nodded at Kerry.
Through the window, they could see a delicate hand holding the note with her name on it. A silence fell. Then, as if she had finished her deliberation, Victoria spoke in a low voice.
“I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to hear your story. I was getting rather bored, after all. I will formally invite you to my castle. We can continue our discussion there.”
Success!
Lina, too, was visibly pleased. Kerry gave her a thumbs-up. Lina responded with a small smile.
As we were entering the castle with the carriage, we heard the voices of the guards from behind.
“M-My lady! Please have mercy!”
“Forgive us, my lady!”
The men were restrained by other guards, begging for their lives and admitting their fault. They should have thought about who they were messing with.
Kerry casually flipped them the middle finger behind his back.
*
It was Kerry’s first time in a castle where nobles lived. It seemed to be a first for Natasha and the Grandmother as well, as they looked around, gasping in awe.
They were reacting like country folk seeing the capital for the first time.
Kerry tried his best to act unfazed, but inwardly, he couldn’t help but be impressed.
Wow. This is magnificent. Living in another world wouldn’t be so bad if you’re a noble, huh?
It felt a little different from the castles he had only seen in pictures back in his world. The castles that remained in the modern era were old and uninhabited, but the one before his eyes was clean and felt lived-in.
The difference was palpable.
Her offer to invite them as guests was genuine. A butler and maids treated us with the utmost hospitality.
The meal, in particular, was a masterpiece—the most delicious food I’d had since coming to this world.
“Wow, the juice is just bursting out of this meat. And the soup is so savory.”
“It is. It’s truly delicious.”
Even the Regressor said it was delicious. Coming from Lina, that reaction was the highest form of praise.
Natasha and the Grandmother were also eating well, the food clearly to their liking.
Victoria had said she had things to attend to and disappeared, promising to talk later. Thanks to her, we got to tour the castle and enjoy a delicious meal. It wasn’t bad at all.
“I’m glad to see the meal is to everyone’s liking.”
Speak of the devil.
Victoria appeared, a train of handmaidens in tow. In the carriage, her face had been hidden by the curtain, but as expected, she was quite a beauty.
She wasn’t on Lina’s level, but she was pretty enough to rival Natasha.
What was somewhat striking was that, perhaps because she was blonde like Lina, she gave off a similar impression. Like they could be sisters.
And sure enough, when Lina looked at Victoria, a hint of affection was visible in her eyes.
Though you wouldn’t notice unless you looked very closely.
“Shall we begin our talk, then? The idea that I’ve become an assassination target is quite amusing.”
What’s so amusing about that?!
*
We took turns giving Victoria a brief introduction. She seemed amused by our party’s unique combination.
Once the introductions were over, Lina began to speak in a serious tone.
“There is an organization, not widely known to the public, that engages in human sacrifice and vile sorcery.”
“Human sacrifice… The very topic is unpleasant to hear.”
“Lady Natasha, who is beside you, was also a victim of that organization. We could no longer stand by and watch them commit such atrocities, so we decided to hunt them down.”
“Hmm.”
For some reason, when Lina spoke of justice, Victoria stared intently at me. What, do I not look righteous? To be fair, I’m not exactly the righteous type.
“And after a long pursuit and a fierce battle, we managed to inflict a fatal wound on one of them. That’s how we obtained the note.”
“That is a job well done.”
“Their methods are vile and wicked. They use even small children as offerings for human sacrifice and do not hesitate to use terrible curses. Before coming here, we saw the dead rise and walk. It was truly horrifying. And those fiends are targeting you, Lady Victoria.”
Victoria stared at Lina, whose blonde hair resembled her own.
No matter how I look at her, she doesn’t seem like the type to lie…
It was rare to find someone with such grace, even among nobles. There was an aura about Lina that couldn’t be concealed, even by her dirt-stained armor.
Most importantly, I can’t get a measure of her skill.
She had thought that by observing her a little longer, she would be able to grasp Lina’s abilities, but she still couldn’t get a read on her.
It meant Lina was an even greater master than she had imagined.
And it wasn’t just Lina. That woman named Natasha was no ordinary warrior, either, though she was a step below Lina.
If she could bring just Natasha into her household, she would be willing to pay a fortune in gold and jewels.
Even the old woman quietly devouring food in the corner seemed extraordinary.
So, warriors of this caliber ultimately failed to catch them, and only managed to find a single clue?
Assuming everything she had heard was true, it was possible that some truly dangerous people were targeting her.
However, blindly believing everything she heard from people she’d met for the first time today would be naive.
Sometimes, desperate madmen, driven to the brink of survival, would try to swindle nobles.
Moreover, there was something strange.
At a glance, it seemed like the woman named Lina was the leader of the group.
But the reality was different.
Kerry. That man, who looked utterly ordinary compared to the women, held the real authority in the group.
The woman named Natasha was practically fawning over him, clinging to his side. To a man far weaker than herself.
And Lina seemed to be knowingly ceding leadership to him.
That man… Kerry. Is there something about him that I don’t see?
Naturally, her curiosity was piqued. This was a man who had warriors she herself found formidable serving under him.
But for now, there was a more important topic at hand.
“Increasing the number of guards is not as simple as it sounds. My family is the one who must cover the expenses for the additional soldiers. Besides, there’s no telling how long we would need to remain on alert.”
“…”
“I appreciate your concern, but what I mean is that we need definitive proof to make a move.”
Just then, Kerry spoke up. Arguing back and forth in a situation like this would get them nowhere.
They were acting based on the Regressor’s experiences from a past life, so they couldn’t present any concrete evidence.
So, Kerry decided to take a gamble.
“If you don’t want to believe us, you don’t have to.”
Lina flinched at Kerry’s words but kept her mouth tightly shut, as if trusting him.
Victoria studied Kerry intently. No matter how she looked at him, he was an unremarkable man. Except for his face, which was uncommonly handsome for a commoner.
He’s weak, yet arrogant. But I like that about him.
Was there really something about Kerry that she was missing?
After going on and on about the assassination threat, his sudden bravado—telling her not to believe him if she didn’t want to—made her all the more concerned.
An awkward silence hung in the air for a moment.
…It feels a bit unsettling to just send them away.
There really might be something to it. No, she had a strong feeling just now that there was. But as a noble, she couldn’t just bow down to a commoner. It was a difficult situation.
A knock came at the door. When Victoria gave permission to enter, a man with a scar on his cheek walked in.
“Guard Captain.”
“Yes, my lady. You summoned me.”
In that moment, a brilliant idea struck Victoria. It would have been awkward to start interrogating them about the assassins now, but this was a good way to save face while still getting what she wanted.
“Guard Captain, you’ve heard the story, I presume? About the misconduct your subordinate was responsible for…”
“Yes, I have. However, I was not aware of the matter. I will give my other men a stern warning.”
“Whether you were aware or not, the responsibility for failing to manage your subordinates is great. Guard Captain, wait here for a moment.”
Victoria, who had been sternly reprimanding the Guard Captain, suddenly turned to us with a mischievous expression.
“Let’s continue our conversation. The truth is, even if we debate whether this assassination is real or not, we won’t get anywhere without proof. And for our part, we can’t believe everything you say due to practical concerns.”
“That is true.”
“So, how about this? I’d like to make a proposal… no, it would be more fun to call it a bet. What do you say? Do you like bets?”
“…”
“I, for one, am quite fond of them.”
“What kind of bet are you proposing…?”
“It’s simple. If you can defeat the Guard Captain in a duel… I will believe your entire story and fully cooperate with your suggestions for security. In fact, if you wish, I will hire you for security detail. How about it?”
Lina smiled confidently, as if things had worked out perfectly. She stood up with a bright expression.
“Very well. I will be the one to fight for our side. Right now…”
“No.”
It was then that the atmosphere began to feel a little strange.
“I know you’re strong. I’m not a poor judge of character, you know. To be honest, the main reason I invited you into the castle was my curiosity about you, Lina.”
“Then Natasha can…”
“I also know that the woman named Natasha is strong. Far stronger than my Guard Captain.”
The Guard Captain, who was only in charge of guarding the outer castle where the commoners lived, had a fierce look but couldn’t wield mana.
If he could wield mana, he would be skilled enough to receive the title of knight and wouldn’t be stuck as a mere Guard Captain.
If it’s not Lina… and not Natasha… then who…
At that moment, all eyes turned to one person. Everyone at the table was looking at Kerry.
“Your name was Kerry, was it not? If you can defeat the Guard Captain in a duel, I will accept all of the practical advice you’ve offered. What do you say? An interesting bet, isn’t it?”
Victoria, who hadn’t listened no matter how much they’d explained, was finally saying she would accept their advice.
Kerry could see Lina clenching her fists. That was how much she wanted to save Victoria.
“…”
But Lina couldn’t bring herself to say she would send Kerry into a duel.
Even if it was just a spar, there was a very real chance of injury. Besides, there was already bad blood with the Guard Captain.
While Lina was conflicted, Kerry was screaming silently in his head.
Why me, of all people! Why me!
He wanted to flick the forehead of Victoria, who was still smiling mischievously. But he’d let it slide because she was pretty.
“What’s wrong? Not a fan of betting? I don’t really mind if you refuse.”
Though it was a bet made half in jest, Victoria had clearly stated that if he won, she would believe them and cooperate.
Lina, desperate to save Victoria, stood with her fists clenched, unable to do anything.
Hoo. Lina, I’ll be brave for you. But you have to pay me back later, okay? I’m counting on you, our dear Regressor!
Kerry spoke, his voice firm with resolve.
“I accept. I’ll take that bet.”
Lina’s eyes widened. It seemed she never expected Kerry to accept on his own. Honestly, if he hadn’t known she was a regressor, it was a kindness he never would have shown.
Perhaps because of that, Lina looked quite moved.
Then, as if to show she believed in me, she nodded.
Fuck. Don’t you dare underestimate my two years of experience as an adventurer!
Lina’s gaze was filled with trust for Kerry. Seeing that look, Victoria grew even more confused.
Why would a warrior of that caliber place so much faith in a weak man? Victoria found herself growing more and more curious about Kerry.