The Unexpected Guest
Chapter 4 — The Unexpected Guest
The moment I processed my father's words, my body went stiff.
Until then, I had been enjoying a perfectly ordinary dinner. Now, I could barely focus on the food in front of me. The only thing that mattered was what my father had just said about the Duke of Frostwolf visiting our territory.
Even if the duke didn't bring his daughter, this visit was still something I wanted to avoid. My goal was to stay as far away from the main story as possible. More importantly, I wanted to keep my family and territory alive.
I had no intention of becoming a legendary hero or standing beside the protagonist. I certainly didn't want to get involved in the chain of events that would eventually turn this peaceful-looking world into a graveyard.
If possible, I wanted to save the villains corrupted by the developers before they became nothing more than stepping stones for the protagonist's popularity.
This wasn't a game where the protagonist needed to defeat every villain to level up. The villains had their own stories, and most of them weren't evil simply because they wanted to be. Many had struggled, sacrificed, and fought their way through situations that should have broken them. Yet, once they had served their purpose, the story discarded them. The protagonist and his party no longer needed them, so their struggles meant nothing.
I knew how their stories ended. I knew what would happen to them, and I knew how they would eventually be used and thrown away.
But I wasn't planning to interfere just yet. Not before awakening my mana, gaining enough strength to protect myself, and ensuring my family could survive whatever was coming.
For now, my plan was simple: train until I turned thirteen, awaken my mana, and become strong enough to protect Rosewood Territory without depending on the protagonist or his party. Until then, I would stay away from important characters and avoid getting involved in anything that could change the future.
Unfortunately, fate apparently had other plans.
My father noticed my uneasy expression and seemed to mistake it for nervousness about meeting such an important noble. He smiled reassuringly before adding something that nearly made me choke on my own thoughts.
"I heard the duke has a daughter around your age," he said casually. "He's bringing her along, Leon. Perhaps the two of you could become acquainted."
My fingers stopped moving.
For several seconds, I simply stared at him.
*I'm dead.*
My tiny hands trembled beneath the table.
Lilith Frostwolf.
The future calamity of the kingdom. The woman who would one day become known as the Void Witch.
At this point in time, she hadn't met the protagonist or begun her terrifying rise. She was just a noble girl, the daughter of one of the kingdom's most powerful dukes. She hadn't become a calamity or a monster.
But I knew what she would eventually become: an existence feared by entire nations, blessed with talent that defied common sense, and one of the greatest disasters the continent had ever witnessed.
Just thinking about her gave me a headache.
I knew the ending of the game. I had watched it happen. Rosewood Territory was destroyed, kingdoms fell, and cities burned until the world was swallowed by disaster. Everything people had built over generations was eventually erased.
And Lilith Frostwolf was one of the people directly involved in that future.
"What's with that face, Leon? You look terrified."
Alex's voice pulled me out of my thoughts. He glanced at me from across the table, looking far too relaxed for someone who had just heard about the arrival of the Frostwolf family. His dusty brown hair was still a little messy from his recent return from the northern border, and he leaned back in his chair with a small laugh.
I clenched my hands beneath the table.
*You have absolutely no idea.*
"It's nothing," I replied, forcing a smile.
My voice sounded calm enough, but my mind was racing.
Maybe things would be different this time. After all, I had been reincarnated into this world, and my existence alone was something that shouldn't have happened. There was no guarantee that Lilith would follow the same path as in the game. Perhaps she wouldn't even come to our territory.
And even if she did, why would someone like Lilith Frostwolf care about a random baron's second son?
...Right?
I desperately wanted to believe that. For some reason, however, the uneasy feeling in my chest only grew stronger.
***
A week passed far quicker than I would have liked.
Rosewood Manor, usually a quiet place, had turned into a hive of activity. Servants hurried through the corridors carrying tablecloths, silverware, flowers, and decorations. Fresh banners bearing the Rosewood crest appeared along the walls, and the floors were polished until they reflected the light from the lamps.
The gardens received the same treatment. Hedges were trimmed, flower beds rearranged, and even the small fountain near the entrance was scrubbed until it looked almost new.
The kitchen was even busier. Cooks worked from sunrise until nightfall, preparing roasted meat, fresh bread, vegetables, and enough pastries to feed what seemed like half the kingdom. The smell of herbs and spices drifted through the manor, following anyone who passed near the kitchen.
The knights weren't spared either. Training sessions lasted longer, patrols became more frequent, and weapons and armor were inspected carefully. Even the horses seemed to receive more attention than usual.
Everyone understood why.
Duke Frostwolf wasn't an ordinary noble. He was one of the most powerful men in the Kingdom of Valenor, an A-rank mage whose name carried considerable weight even among the highest ranks of nobility.
Naturally, everyone wanted the visit to go smoothly.
Meanwhile, I was trying to figure out whether faking an illness would allow me to avoid the entire thing.
I had already considered several possibilities. A stomachache, a headache, or perhaps a sudden fever. I could fall dramatically onto my bed and claim that I was too weak to leave my room.
It was a respectable plan. A brilliant plan, even.
Unfortunately, my mother saw through it before I could attempt anything.
"You are not sick, Leon," she said flatly.
I sat on a wooden chair in my room while she adjusted the collar of my formal clothes. The stiff fabric pressed uncomfortably against my shoulders, and the embroidered Rosewood crest rested over my chest. I looked down at the outfit and immediately decided that I hated it.
My mother straightened the collar one last time.
"Don't even think about it."
I looked up at her.
"...I wasn't thinking anything."
"You were."
I turned my head away.
Caught.
There was no escaping this woman.
By noon, the entire manor was ready to receive its guests. I stood behind my parents near the front gates, with Alex beside them, trying very hard not to look as though I wanted to disappear.
At first, the approaching procession announced itself with a distant rumble. Soon, the rhythmic pounding of hooves and the rolling of carriage wheels grew louder. Servants gathered near the entrance to catch a glimpse of the arriving guests, while the guards straightened their backs and took their positions.
Then the enormous wooden gates of Rosewood Manor slowly opened.
A procession entered the estate, led by black-armored knights. Crimson cloth hung from their shoulders, and banners bearing the Frostwolf crest fluttered above them. The emblem—a black wolf beneath a crimson moon—appeared on their shields, chest plates, and even the doors of the carriages.
Their movements were precise, their posture disciplined, and their eyes constantly scanned their surroundings. There was no casual conversation or unnecessary movement. They looked like soldiers who had spent years standing between civilization and something waiting in the darkness.
Even from a distance, I could tell they were far stronger than the knights serving our territory. Several servants near the entrance looked visibly nervous.
Then the main carriage arrived.
It was larger than the others, built from dark wood with silver metalwork along its edges. The wheels rolled across the stone pathway before coming to a stop in front of the manor.
For a moment, everything went quiet.
The carriage door opened, and a tall man stepped out.
My attention immediately settled on him. Long black hair fell over his shoulders, with silver strands catching the afternoon sunlight. He wore a dark, military-style coat decorated with subtle crimson patterns, and a sword hung at his waist.
It didn't look like a ceremonial weapon. The sword appeared heavy enough that an ordinary person would struggle to lift it, yet he carried it as if it were nothing.
Still, his eyes were what caught my attention most.
Crimson, sharp, and cold.
His gaze swept across the estate with frightening calmness.
Duke Frostwolf.
The Wolf of Frost.
An A-rank mage.
I had seen countless characters in the game, from heroes and villains to generals, monsters, and legendary beings. But seeing an A-rank mage in person was an entirely different experience.
There was no visible aura or dramatic display of magic. Nothing exploded around him, and he didn't need to do anything to draw attention. Yet the moment I looked at him, every instinct in my body screamed the same warning.
*Danger.*
This man was powerful. Terrifyingly powerful.
My father stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
"Welcome to Rosewood Territory, Duke Frostwolf."
The duke gave a small nod.
"You've maintained the border well, Baron Rosewood."
His voice was low and controlled, but there was a weight behind his words that made it difficult to ignore him.
Then another figure stepped out of the carriage behind him.
My heart stopped.
The girl had long black hair, pale skin, and deep purple eyes. She was small, dressed in a dark gown decorated with delicate silver embroidery. Her appearance was almost unreal, like a porcelain doll placed in the middle of a military procession.
She was only seven years old, yet there was something strangely mature about the way she carried herself.
She didn't cling to her father or hide behind him. Nor did she seem particularly excited about visiting a new territory. She simply stood beside the carriage, her expression unreadable as her purple eyes wandered across the manor grounds.
The gates, the guards, the servants, the gardens, and the manor itself all received the same indifferent glance.
Then her gaze shifted.
And stopped on me.
My entire body froze.
*Lilith Frostwolf.*
The future Void Witch herself. The girl who would one day bring calamity upon the kingdom, whose name would eventually be feared across the continent.
And right now, she was standing only a few meters away from me.
She was just a child. A strangely beautiful child with an expression I couldn't read.
Yet those purple eyes stared directly into mine, and suddenly, the sounds around me seemed to fade. The horses, the servants, the knights, and the conversations all became distant background noise.
For a few horrifying seconds, neither of us moved.
I couldn't look away.
Neither could she.
Then Lilith tilted her head slightly, her long black hair shifting over her shoulder.
And she began walking toward me.
One step, then another. Her small shoes clicked softly against the stone pathway as she crossed the distance between us.
*No.*
She kept coming.
*No, no, no.*
My palms grew sweaty. I desperately tried to think of a reason she might be approaching me, but my mind offered nothing useful.
*This isn't supposed to happen.*
Lilith stopped directly in front of me and looked up. Her deep purple eyes met mine, and for a moment, I could do nothing but stare back.
One thought filled my mind.
*I'm finished.*