IDEFYEM - Chapter 22
Black Man, I'll Do Everything For You Except Marriage!
As soon as the sun came up, I called the cat over.
Unfortunately, the only person I could broach this topic with was a suspicious familiar who called himself Lord Vermont.
"I feel like I'm being investigated by Kael."
Wasn't the fact that I didn't know the world around me something that could be covered up by setting me up as a Princess who had been abused?
Even though the tone was serious at best, the cat snorted.
"I thought so. Give up on that ungrateful fiancé."
"Oh, you weren't giving me advice!"
I quickly admitted my mistake and covered my ears in front of the yapping cat. As the silence came, my thoughts were organized one by one.
Even if he investigated, he wouldn't find out that I was possessed, right?
At most, we'll hear that the nonsense-spouting Enrica was imprisoned by the Duke two months ago. More than that, I was curious about why he was telling my story in such a scary tone.
As more and more information was revealed about him, it confused me. If I don't want to get further entangled, I need to get out now.
Can I continue to trust Kael?
But even if I don't believe him, I can't just leave. For a heartless man who will soon die without me!
"I have decided."
"What strange thing happened again?"
"A background investigation is a background investigation. I will also request an investigation from the Intelligence Guild."
"You could have just given up on your fiancé, but the easy path is taking such a difficult route."
Let's ignore it, let's ignore it.
Requesting information about Kael Belbrington from the guild.
Although the decision was made, it was not something that could be put into practice right away. The information guilds of this world were dangerous to visit alone. Above all, I didn't know the exact location. I need to find a trustworthy companion, this is it.
Kael, the subject of the investigation, Sarah, the warlock involved in my death in the novel, and a cat. As I counted my poor human relationships, I felt hurt once again.
"Meow, hide! Look who's here."
I hurriedly spoke when I heard a knock on the door. However, Vermont only spoke with an expression of displeasure.
"It's not a door, it's a window."
"What?"
Wow, it's true. By the window, a hawk was flapping its wings with a rose in its mouth.
"Ah..."
Orange rose.
I frowned at the obvious source. The life of a libertine is quite difficult. I can't believe he's accompanying me all the way here.
There's no need to worry about that right now!
"That's, delivery bird right?"
"I guess so. If I send him a reply, will he forward it to me?"
"I guess so."
It wasn't a trustworthy answer, but I looked around the room, found some usable paper, and started writing.
[I would like to follow the Marchioness's advice. I appreciate your thoughts, but please stop sending flowers now. -Enrica.]
If you interpret it, it means to find another woman. It must have been a couple of hours since I sent the letter by tying it to the hawk's leg.
Surprisingly, a quick reply arrived.
[I am glad to receive your reply. It would be nice to see handwriting that resembles that of a Young Lady more often. Tristan.]
Of course, it wasn't what I hoped for. For-profit, I immediately wrote the letter in garbled handwriting that was hard to read.
[I don't know if you didn't understand what I meant or if you intentionally ignored me. Doesn't the fact that you're sending a letter from this direction, rather than the Duke's, mean that you know that I'm about to get married?]
[That is not important in becoming friends. Please do not be too prejudiced by my sister's words.]
Friend, I'm a fool if I believe that! How can you disguise yourself as such a perfect knight?
This time, I was about to send the falcon away without even writing a reply.
For a moment.
A flashing thought passed through my mind. He is a knight from the Marquis of Dyke and is tolerant of expedient. Doesn't it perfectly fit the criteria for the 'reliable companion' I was looking for?
"... If I change my words now, my intentions will be clearly visible."
Is it embarrassment or pride? I thought for a while and picked up the quill.
[Friends are relationships where you listen to each other's favors anytime, anywhere, right? Of course, we also keep secrets.]
[Of course.]
[What price would I have to pay to hire a knight from a prestigious Marquis for a day?]
[The Lady with pink hair smiles once. ]
***
After that, things proceeded smoothly.
We, who had been exchanging letters through the bird, made a plan to secretly leave the Count's residence at dawn the next day and head to the guild.
My condition was that he would not ask me why I was heading to the information guild and that my safety would be guaranteed. There were no conditions he put forward.
I wondered if this was right, dozens of times...
[Wait for me at the window when the moon is at its highest.]
In the end, as Tristan said, I was waiting by the window. It's not exactly the hour, but it's when the moon is at its highest. Do knights value style after all?
When I think about it, Whistling, a refreshing whistling sound splits the air.
As soon as I looked up from the second-floor window, I saw Tristan's face.
Ahh! I placed my hand near my heart, which was about to fall, and asked.
"What what what... Where are you and what are you doing now...."
"I'm climbing a tree and talking to the lady."
"So why are you climbing the tree!"
I thought you would like it."
"He muttered with a stern look on his face and immediately jumped down from the tree. His feet touched the ground easily. As I watched the stunt-like landing, I immediately heard words that seemed like a bolt from the blue.
"Jump down."
"Yes?"
"You just have to do as I demonstrated. On the way back, I looked for a hole large enough for the two of us to escape through."
It may not seem like a big deal, but Tristan was helping me by taking a huge risk by trespassing into the Count's house. I couldn't complain to him that I couldn't come anymore.
"... Will you catch me?"
"Of course."
I closed my eyes tightly and threw myself forward, but a strong arm immediately caught me and supported me.
Phew, I got off safely.
"I've been thinking about it since last time, but you always smell like grass."
"This is my favorite perfume."
"I thought it would be a cool reason to train in the forest all day,"
"I will do it that way from now on."
A few blonde strands blowing in the wind and the scent of grass at summer dawn. The moonlight slipped across the straight bridge of the nose. I almost got emotional while watching this pretty cool scene.
All that romance disappeared as it escaped through the hole.
"We finally come out...."
I gasped while straightening my tangled hair. Tristan handed me the black cloak, looking as perfect as before.
"Put it on."
"Thank you. How do I get to the guild?"
"There's a horse I rode over there."
"Wow, it's pretty!"
He asked in front of a white horse with its well-maintained mane fluttering stylishly.
"Which side would you like to ride?"
"Front or back, is there a difference?"
"The Lady put her hand around my waist, and I saw the Lady... It's the difference between supporting your hand against my body."
I looked at him pitifully for a moment and said,
"I don't like this situation right now."
"Do you have any discomfort?"
"I hate feeling like I've become the main character in a common story about people jumping out of a window, being hugged, sharing a horse, and falling in love."
Then Tristan let out a quiet laugh.
"Why are you laughing?"
"I was surprised by the answer that was more specific than I expected."
He shook his head with a little more laughter and then took the reins. Tristan, who mounted the horse first with a restrained movement, held out his hand.
I sat in the front, holding the man's hand and stepping into the stirrups at the same time.
"We're leaving."
A soft voice flowed into my ears on the wind. It was a fact that was easy to forget due to the overly polite appearance. Anyway, he was a man who had complicated relationships with women and was now flirting with me.
No matter how light my feelings were, he seemed to be taking advantage of them, so I felt uneasy. He spoke as if he had sensed my thoughts like a ghost.
"It's okay not to feel sorry or uncomfortable. We are now friends who will accept any request."
"Friend?"
"Friend."
"Then shall I introduce you to another girl?"
When I sensed that he was embarrassed by what I said as a joke, I chuckled.
Um, but...
The only woman around me is Sarah.
"No. If I introduce her to a crazy guy like you, I'll die and you'll die together."
"It seems like your evaluation of me is quite harsh."
"It's because the first impression was so good. In fact, as soon as I saw you at that time, I realized that such a knight-like man existed in the world! I did it."
The man who had been quietly listening to me said,
"This is it,"
And increased the speed of his horse. The sound of the horse's hooves hitting the ground became loud and my body shook. Tristan held his body in an expert position, reducing the impact on me.
"Don't I look like a knight now?"
"I'll see how you act as an escort later."
He let out a light laugh and arrived at the guild exactly one hour later. He pulled down my hood and carefully covered my face. After exchanging a few words with the gatekeeper, he led me to the open door.
"It looks familiar. Have you been here before?"
For some reason, the man did not respond and remained silent. Is there something going on?
As I tilted my head and went inside, I smelled the musty smell of an underground cave. As I frowned and looked around, my fingertips stiffened out of instinct.
"..."
Although he had his face covered like a person coming to the guild, he was clearly recognizable by the shape of his face that was visible underneath the mask.
"Is there a problem?"
I whispered, confirming the unbelievable sight before my eyes.
"Hey, the person in front of us... She's like your sister."
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