IDEFYEM - Chapter 38
Black Man, I'll Do Everything For You Except Marriage!
Even though I was usually used to hiding my emotions.
"Uh..."
After reading the letter Tristan sent, my mouth fell open in bewilderment.
"Uh... really...."
Before I left, I learned a tracking spell that could be used with monster blood. I confirmed several times with that magic that there were no more monsters left in this forest.
In other words, the scales that Martha said she brought had to come from the monsters that Kael and I defeated yesterday.
It's creepy enough that they came all the way here and followed in my footsteps.
The mentality behind doing this was incredibly stupid as if they didn't even consider the possibility that I could refute it. How on earth could a being named Enrica do something like this?
I guess she thought I would just be treated quietly like when I was at the Duke's residence.
At least I felt a little better thanks to the warm water I was soaking in. I quickly finished my bath and wrote a reply to Tristan.
[Thank you for delivering important news. It seems like it involved me, just as you feared. We will arrive at the tent tomorrow. Until then, I would like you to pretend not to know. I'll reward you with 10 skewers!]
As I watched the hawk flying by, I picked up my wet clothes and put them on. And then I approached Kael, who was resting against a rock and looking out.
"..."
He had his eyelids closed, but as I got closer, he slowly raised his mouth. He looks like a boy sitting on the grass and relaxing. It was a painting that blended well with the beautiful scenery around it.
Somehow, as soon as I saw him, my angry heart seemed to subside. No, beyond calming down, I was even upset in a slightly different sense.
His neat mouth moved with his eyes still closed.
"Did you enjoy your bath?"
"How did you know it was me?"
Kael smiled as if he had expected that question to come up.
"The sound of light and cheerful footsteps."
He looked very comfortable after taking off his armor and putting on a light tunic shirt. It made me want to watch that scene forever. And I wanted to protect it.
May that peaceful smile always be on his face.
What kind of feeling is this?
Just the presence of that man makes me feel better after falling to rock bottom.
Thump, thump.
The sound of my heartbeat tickled my ears.
I am... Do I really like him?
At that time, Kael opened his eyes and asked softly, breaking my thoughts.
"What is the paper in your hand?"
"Oh, I got it from a friend..."
Since I was thinking like that, it was never easy to look Kael straight in the face. Unable to stutter, I blushed and took out a note.
"Friend?"
The man who thought he would ask about what was written first, unexpectedly, responded first to the word friend.
"Tristan Dyke."
Kael's eyebrows furrowed slightly but then returned.
"Okay. I think you've started to call each other by name."
Somehow, it seemed like there was a bone in every word. I was so distracted by the thought I had just heard that I passed it by.
"He heard that I came, but he was worried because he couldn't find me."
"..."
"But the letter contains bad news."
As if complaining. I told Kael about Martha's atrocities. He agreed that Martha must have followed in our footsteps and stolen our scales.
Kael asked, frowning.
"What do you plan to do?"
"I'm still thinking about it."
I sighed in shame and regret and spoke softly.
"Your efforts to hide the fact that a monster appeared because of my sister also failed. Sorry."
"It is not for you to apologize. It's because I reacted incorrectly."
After reassuring me, he opened his mouth.
"I will help you in any way you choose. Think about it slowly."
I nodded and suggested Kael take a bath as well. Kael told me to stay nearby and shout right away if anything happened and left to wash up.
I sat down on the rock he was leaning on earlier and imitated Kael. As I watched the clouds moving across the slowly darkening sky, I felt really at ease.
Anyway, I was the type of person who believed that there were no eternal secrets in the world. Martha was telling a lie that could easily be revealed with just a few pieces of evidence.
I had a feeling that everything would be a little better tomorrow.
Not long after I tried to think positively, Kael came back. I asked while looking at his wet hair.
"You didn't rush because of me?"
"I was indeed in a hurry because I wanted to see you, but I wasn't in a hurry because of you."
Even though I said things like that as a joke, my shoulders flinched now. It felt like something was stuck in my throat and I couldn't speak.
Wake up, Enrica!
Until today, we have to spend the night alone in the cave. If you start to be conscious of this, you will definitely act stiffly.
I cleared my throat and walked in the direction Kael was leading. Kael, who was accustomed to camping due to his time in the Knights' Order, skillfully created a comfortable bed as if he had done it yesterday.
I was relieved that I no longer had to see him suffering from the poison, and I had a deeper sleep than yesterday.
***
There was definitely a time when I was curious about sleeping while listening to Tristan's story about the three-day hunting banquet. I woke up recalling memories that felt like a long time ago.
Now I was used to waking up in the morning looking at the ceiling of the cave.
'But it's finally the day I go back.'
Perhaps thanks to yesterday's bath, the stiff muscles were noticeably gone.
Kael woke up early like yesterday and could not be seen scouting the surroundings. While I was slowly getting up, I heard a conversation outside the cave.
"... What?"
I was very alert and clung closely to the cave wall. First of all, one person's voice was so nice to listen to that it definitely sounded like Kael.
The other one...
At that time, a forgotten memory came to mind.
"Bacchus, that's right!"
I immediately ran out of the cave and shouted in a happy voice. As expected, he was right in my memory.
A muscular, bulky man who was introduced as the vice-captain of the knights. Bacchus, whose name was called, turned his eyes to me with an expression of surprise.
"I heard you, but you're really safe, Lady. Thank you for your hard work."
"How did you get here?"
I was twice as happy as I was seeing a stranger for the first time in two days. Bacchus also seemed slightly moved, although he didn't show it clearly.
"I didn't expect you to remember my name, but to welcome you like this...."
Then, upon seeing Kael's gaze, he stiffly spoke again.
"Well, there's no use looking at me like that. Just follow the advice this time."
"What's going on?"
When asked in a curious voice, Bacchus looked troubled.
"Oh, that's...."
"When it comes to my curse, she knows, so there's no need to hide it."
Bacchus was not the only one surprised by those words. I am a person involved in lifting the curse, so it is natural for him to tell me. It seems that the man is gaining Kael's trust as he holds the position of vice-captain.
Bacchus let out a deep sigh and opened his mouth.
"Then I will tell you comfortably. The leader needs to return to the tent right now."
"So I said there was no need for that."
It was my first time hearing KaeI's voice sound so annoying, so I flinched.
"I know my body well."
"Perhaps it was your aide and the wizard, who made a fuss and said that the leader should be brought in immediately! I heard it's slowly bottoming out."
Although Bacchus had a difficult time with leader Kael, he seemed to genuinely care about him.
"What's the problem?"
When asked again, Bacchus quickly opened his mouth and began to answer the question.
"As you know, the leader has been cursed with no heart, and magical power is periodically injected into the empty space."
This is what I knew up to this point.
"The person who plays that role is the leader's aide and wizard... According to him, the interval between injecting magical energy is getting shorter."
"..."
"Ten days to a week, a week to three days. And today is the third day."
Kael's expression was becoming difficult to read.
"If you persist any longer, you might end up in really big trouble. I brought two horses, so let's go back to the tent."
After listening to everything, my curiosity was soaring that I couldn't contain it.
"Why on earth aren't you listening?"
"..."
"Kael, don't you want to live? Go back immediately, as Bacchus said!"
Bacchus gave a cheering look from the side.
"It takes at most half a day to inject magic power."
"So?"
"While I am relaxing in the tent, you will have to deal with the matter with your sister alone."
"I'm grateful, but I'm starting to get angry. Do you think I'm not good enough to deal with even my little sister?"
I retorted in an awkward voice.
"Even if the sky falls right now, the most precious thing to me is you!"
There was a long silence after that. It didn't take long for me to realize what I had said in the presence of Bacchus. I could hear Bacchus' eyes quietly rolling. His face lit up.
"Well, well, I mean...."
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