"I don't know who that man is, but... Stop thinking like that, even now."
Philia asked back in confusion at those words.
"That guy...? Mom, what is he talking about..."
"The man who was with you at the Nation Foundation Ball."
She wondered if this was what it felt like to have your heart drop to the tips of your toes. Pjilia felt her heart sink for a moment. She opened her mouth as if to protest.
“I heard that they recently improved the barrier. Is it really any good?”
“Yes. Because Auston’s skills are trustworthy.”
Sylvia answered calmly and looked around. Her eyes, as a sorceress, clearly felt the flow of magical power surrounding her.
'I think this will be okay.'
Sylvia, who had been estimating the flow of magic, nodded in satisfaction. If the barrier was this strong, an alarm would sound immediately if a monster jumped out, so Randall and the knights would come running soon. She and Philia only had to quickly escape the forest with their escorts when the alarm sounded. Philia also brightened up again at Sylvia’s words. She continued speaking in a voice that sounded like a bird chirping.
“Then shall we finish the story we were talking about earlier? So, when Jeffrey was young...”
At that moment, the sound of bells swaying between leaves began to fill the forest. The faces of the guards who heard the sound changed in an instant.
“It’s a twist!”
“Madam, Young Lady. This way!”
The escorts began to hastily lead Sylvia and Philia out of the forest.
‘...It seems like there are quite a lot of them.’
Sylvia glanced behind her as she ran after the escorts. In the distance, the darkness gradually approaching from deep within the forest was ominous. If Randall and the knights did not arrive in time, it would be difficult for the three escorts to handle it.
'...?'
At that moment, a strange feeling suddenly appeared nearby. At the same time that Sylvia frowned, the grass in front of the group began to rustle and shake.
“Stop!”
Sylvia instinctively screamed and grabbed Philia's arm. The guards stopped in their tracks in surprise. Immediately afterward, something burst out of the grass and rolled down to the feet of the group.
“Oh my, oh my! I’m dying! Lang is dying!”
Something like a dusty ball groaned loudly. A purple ear was visible through the curly hair.
“Demon...!”
The guards who saw it drew their swords with murderous eyes, and Sylvia also pulled Philia behind her. But the next moment.
“Oh my! Please save me!”
The demons who discovered the swords pointed at them were startled and raised both their hands in surrender. Only then was Sylvia able to properly see her opponent's appearance.
The demon wearing an old robe had a disheveled appearance that could only be described as ‘messy’. His straw-like hair was disheveled and tangled, and his eyes were not even visible due to his thick, opaque glasses. The unidentified demon knelt down and raised both hands even higher as he shouted.
“You misunderstand! I am a demon who cannot kill humans!”
"...What?"
Sylvia doubted her ears for a moment. Not only her but also the escorts and Philia. But before they could even decide whether the words were true or not, darkness was closing in behind them.
“I got this kid...!”
Behind the group, several demons and what appeared to be their followers rushed forward and then stopped. The demon who called himself 'Lang' saw them and hid behind the group. The demons who witnessed this movement distorted their faces fiercely.
"Human...?"
“This traitor, in the end, he just clings to humans?”
'Traitor?'
Sylvia frowned at their words, which only added to her confusion. Lang, who had been hiding behind the guards, cried out.
“How many times do I have to say this! I am not a traitor...!”
“Be quiet! I don’t want to hear the words of a traitor!”
“Stop talking and just die!”
However, the demons who dismissed Lang's words rushed toward the group. The guards quickly confronted them. Fortunately, the demons who attacked Lang were low-level demons, so the three guards could take their time to subdue them. And since Sylvia had secretly used magic to help them, subduing them was a given. Soon, the guards dealt with all the demons and monsters except Lang. Lang, who had been hiding in the grass and watching them, suddenly stood up and clapped his hands.
“Very good! Humans can’t even control the darkness, yet they have such skills...!”
The guards looked at Lang with slightly bewildered expressions.
“Sir.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“Tie it up first.”
"Yes!"
“Oh, no, there! I told you I can’t harm humans!”
At Sylvia's command, the guards took out ropes and tied Lang's body tightly. Lang, who had suddenly become like a bug, struggled, but Sylvia's eyes were cold.
“I haven’t heard that there are mutants among the demon race. It’s time to find out whether that’s true or not. Know that it would be a great mercy for me not to cut off your head right away.”
Lang shut his mouth in fear at the strange aura emanating from her delicate appearance. When they had dragged Lang out of the forest with the rope tied around him, Randall and the knights came running with anxious looks on their faces.
“Sylvia!”
Randall's face twisted in relief as soon as he spotted Sylvia from afar. He quickly approached her and looked her over.
“Are you okay, Sylvia? I had a couple of twists and turns while on patrol, so I had to deal with them...”
"Yes. I'm okay."
“Your face is so pale.”
“I told you it’s okay.”
“This won’t work. You have to go back to the castle right away. Please hug me.”
“It’s okay.”
Randall, who had been fidgeting, finally tried to run to the castle while carrying Sylvia, but Sylvia firmly stopped him. Philia, who was watching the scene with a bewildered expression from the side, kicked Randall's foot.
“Hey, can’t you see me?”
“...Ah. Philia, you were there too?”
“I think this kid is crazy...”
Philia muttered with a tired face as she watched Randall's arm wrestling, which had gotten worse than before. Randall, who had been busy checking Sylvia, belatedly discovered Lang behind her.
“...Demon?”
His face, which had Lang in his sight, became colder than before. Randall drew his sword without hesitation and strode toward Lang. Lang backed away, making a sound like “Uh, uh,” but the knights just watched.
“Excuse me, is no one stopping him? Excuse me?”
Lang looked around in thought.
Philia asked back in confusion at those words.
"That guy...? Mom, what is he talking about..."
"The man who was with you at the Nation Foundation Ball."
She wondered if this was what it felt like to have your heart drop to the tips of your toes. Pjilia felt her heart sink for a moment. She opened her mouth as if to protest.
"But I don't like anyone else but him..."
"Philia Seicrine."
Philia flinched and shut her mouth at the cold call. The Marchioness continued speaking with a cold face she had never seen before.
"Are you planning to abandon your duties and responsibilities to the people of the North and to the nobles you have grown up with?"
"..."
"Everything you eat, wear, and even step on is made with the sweat and effort of our people. In return, we should live a life for our people."
The words coming out of the Marchioness’s mouth were heavy. So heavy that she could hardly breathe. Philia unconsciously held the hem of her skirt tightly. The feeling of the clothes touching her palms was soft. Even these clothes were probably the price she paid for her pledge to live a life for the common people. If the Marchioness had simply opposed Jeffrey because of his status, origin, and such, Philia would not have even listened to her. However, she was a northern noble, and the daughter of Seicrine. That was exactly what the Marchioness had pointed out.
"Count Limbert is a good marriage partner. His loyalty to the Duke of Belfort is beyond doubt, and if you and Osmond Limbert's marriage is successful, you will be able to carry out your business for the people on an even larger scale.
"..."
"So, please stop thinking like that now."
The Marchioness gave a bitter smile as she finished speaking. It was a smile that showed that she did not want to say such harsh words to her daughter. Her lips did not move when she saw that face. She only shed tears. So Philia had come here while the Marquis and Marchioness were visiting Count Limbert’s house. She did not know what to do with her wandering heart.
"Philia Seicrine."
Philia flinched and shut her mouth at the cold call. The Marchioness continued speaking with a cold face she had never seen before.
"Are you planning to abandon your duties and responsibilities to the people of the North and to the nobles you have grown up with?"
"..."
"Everything you eat, wear, and even step on is made with the sweat and effort of our people. In return, we should live a life for our people."
The words coming out of the Marchioness’s mouth were heavy. So heavy that she could hardly breathe. Philia unconsciously held the hem of her skirt tightly. The feeling of the clothes touching her palms was soft. Even these clothes were probably the price she paid for her pledge to live a life for the common people. If the Marchioness had simply opposed Jeffrey because of his status, origin, and such, Philia would not have even listened to her. However, she was a northern noble, and the daughter of Seicrine. That was exactly what the Marchioness had pointed out.
"Count Limbert is a good marriage partner. His loyalty to the Duke of Belfort is beyond doubt, and if you and Osmond Limbert's marriage is successful, you will be able to carry out your business for the people on an even larger scale.
"..."
"So, please stop thinking like that now."
The Marchioness gave a bitter smile as she finished speaking. It was a smile that showed that she did not want to say such harsh words to her daughter. Her lips did not move when she saw that face. She only shed tears. So Philia had come here while the Marquis and Marchioness were visiting Count Limbert’s house. She did not know what to do with her wandering heart.
Philia’s eyes began to fill with tears again as she told Sylvia the general story.
“I thought we were finally getting closer.”
She still vividly remembers the image of Jeffrey I saw at the Founding Foundation ball. The way he groaned and looked embarrassed when he twisted his ankle while dancing with her. His ears turned red. His voice eventually broke into a smile. Everything is still so vivid.
“...”
Silently, Sylvia patted Philia and handed her a cup of warm tea.
“Thank you, Ma’am.”
Philia, who laughed as if crying at the consideration, took a sip of tea. The warm tea and the concerned hands calmed her down a lot. Finally, Philia regained her composure and asked with a complicated expression.
"Ma'am."
"Yes."
“This may be a bit rude, but your Ma’am... You had a political marriage with the Duke.”
Philia stopped talking there and looked at Sylvia's expression. Sylvia raised the corners of her lips to indicate that it was okay and shook her head slightly. Then Philia continued speaking.
“At first... when you were offered to marry the Duke, how did you feel?”
“Hmm.”
Sylvia let out an embarrassed groan.
'Should I tell you the truth, or should I say something to make you feel better?'
Sylvia, who had been staring blankly at the young woman's face with reddened eyes, finally answered honestly.
“Actually, I didn’t really think much about it.”
"Is it so?"
“Yes. I... didn’t really have anyone I wanted to marry.”
After hearing the dry answer, Philia thought about something for a moment and then asked again.
“So, Madam, you didn’t have any illusions about love or marriage or anything like that?”
“It’s an illusion, it didn’t exist originally...”
Sylvia was lost in thought, her words trailing off. As memories of her second life flashed through her mind, her face suddenly became hazy. But now, someone’s face came to mind more vividly than the memories of her second life. Feeling her heart pounding, Sylvia smiled faintly.
“I feel like things are starting to come together little by little thanks to Randall.”
Randall was awakening, one by one, the senses that even Sylvia herself had forgotten or was unaware of.
'Ah, I miss you.'
As if addicted to that feeling, she found herself missing Randall even though they had only been apart a few hours ago. Philia smiled sinisterly as she looked back out the window at Sylvia and poked her arm.
“Oh, you were just bragging? Your husband makes me this happy, is that it?”
“Young Lady.”
“How can he make you happy? Come to think of it, I heard that the Duke and Duchess don’t come out of their bedroom these days.”
“Philia. Stop.”
After regaining some of her energy, Philia continued teasing Sylvia for a while and finally stopped teasing her when she saw the blush on Sylvia’s face.
“I thought we were finally getting closer.”
She still vividly remembers the image of Jeffrey I saw at the Founding Foundation ball. The way he groaned and looked embarrassed when he twisted his ankle while dancing with her. His ears turned red. His voice eventually broke into a smile. Everything is still so vivid.
“...”
Silently, Sylvia patted Philia and handed her a cup of warm tea.
“Thank you, Ma’am.”
Philia, who laughed as if crying at the consideration, took a sip of tea. The warm tea and the concerned hands calmed her down a lot. Finally, Philia regained her composure and asked with a complicated expression.
"Ma'am."
"Yes."
“This may be a bit rude, but your Ma’am... You had a political marriage with the Duke.”
Philia stopped talking there and looked at Sylvia's expression. Sylvia raised the corners of her lips to indicate that it was okay and shook her head slightly. Then Philia continued speaking.
“At first... when you were offered to marry the Duke, how did you feel?”
“Hmm.”
Sylvia let out an embarrassed groan.
'Should I tell you the truth, or should I say something to make you feel better?'
Sylvia, who had been staring blankly at the young woman's face with reddened eyes, finally answered honestly.
“Actually, I didn’t really think much about it.”
"Is it so?"
“Yes. I... didn’t really have anyone I wanted to marry.”
After hearing the dry answer, Philia thought about something for a moment and then asked again.
“So, Madam, you didn’t have any illusions about love or marriage or anything like that?”
“It’s an illusion, it didn’t exist originally...”
Sylvia was lost in thought, her words trailing off. As memories of her second life flashed through her mind, her face suddenly became hazy. But now, someone’s face came to mind more vividly than the memories of her second life. Feeling her heart pounding, Sylvia smiled faintly.
“I feel like things are starting to come together little by little thanks to Randall.”
Randall was awakening, one by one, the senses that even Sylvia herself had forgotten or was unaware of.
'Ah, I miss you.'
As if addicted to that feeling, she found herself missing Randall even though they had only been apart a few hours ago. Philia smiled sinisterly as she looked back out the window at Sylvia and poked her arm.
“Oh, you were just bragging? Your husband makes me this happy, is that it?”
“Young Lady.”
“How can he make you happy? Come to think of it, I heard that the Duke and Duchess don’t come out of their bedroom these days.”
“Philia. Stop.”
After regaining some of her energy, Philia continued teasing Sylvia for a while and finally stopped teasing her when she saw the blush on Sylvia’s face.
***
Sometime later, Sylvia suggested a walk into the forest to clear her mind. Philia also readily agreed, saying she was feeling suffocated. Sylvia instructed her servants to get ready to go out, and out of consideration for Philia, she led the way to the forest near the castle with three other people, not Jeffrey, as her escort.
Fortunately, the weather was nice. Sylvia and Philia walked through the forest, each holding an umbrella, and chatting away. Then, Philia suddenly looked around with anxious eyes.
“I heard that they recently improved the barrier. Is it really any good?”
“Yes. Because Auston’s skills are trustworthy.”
Sylvia answered calmly and looked around. Her eyes, as a sorceress, clearly felt the flow of magical power surrounding her.
'I think this will be okay.'
Sylvia, who had been estimating the flow of magic, nodded in satisfaction. If the barrier was this strong, an alarm would sound immediately if a monster jumped out, so Randall and the knights would come running soon. She and Philia only had to quickly escape the forest with their escorts when the alarm sounded. Philia also brightened up again at Sylvia’s words. She continued speaking in a voice that sounded like a bird chirping.
“Then shall we finish the story we were talking about earlier? So, when Jeffrey was young...”
At that moment, the sound of bells swaying between leaves began to fill the forest. The faces of the guards who heard the sound changed in an instant.
“It’s a twist!”
“Madam, Young Lady. This way!”
The escorts began to hastily lead Sylvia and Philia out of the forest.
‘...It seems like there are quite a lot of them.’
Sylvia glanced behind her as she ran after the escorts. In the distance, the darkness gradually approaching from deep within the forest was ominous. If Randall and the knights did not arrive in time, it would be difficult for the three escorts to handle it.
'...?'
At that moment, a strange feeling suddenly appeared nearby. At the same time that Sylvia frowned, the grass in front of the group began to rustle and shake.
“Stop!”
Sylvia instinctively screamed and grabbed Philia's arm. The guards stopped in their tracks in surprise. Immediately afterward, something burst out of the grass and rolled down to the feet of the group.
“Oh my, oh my! I’m dying! Lang is dying!”
Something like a dusty ball groaned loudly. A purple ear was visible through the curly hair.
“Demon...!”
The guards who saw it drew their swords with murderous eyes, and Sylvia also pulled Philia behind her. But the next moment.
“Oh my! Please save me!”
The demons who discovered the swords pointed at them were startled and raised both their hands in surrender. Only then was Sylvia able to properly see her opponent's appearance.
The demon wearing an old robe had a disheveled appearance that could only be described as ‘messy’. His straw-like hair was disheveled and tangled, and his eyes were not even visible due to his thick, opaque glasses. The unidentified demon knelt down and raised both hands even higher as he shouted.
“You misunderstand! I am a demon who cannot kill humans!”
"...What?"
Sylvia doubted her ears for a moment. Not only her but also the escorts and Philia. But before they could even decide whether the words were true or not, darkness was closing in behind them.
“I got this kid...!”
Behind the group, several demons and what appeared to be their followers rushed forward and then stopped. The demon who called himself 'Lang' saw them and hid behind the group. The demons who witnessed this movement distorted their faces fiercely.
"Human...?"
“This traitor, in the end, he just clings to humans?”
'Traitor?'
Sylvia frowned at their words, which only added to her confusion. Lang, who had been hiding behind the guards, cried out.
“How many times do I have to say this! I am not a traitor...!”
“Be quiet! I don’t want to hear the words of a traitor!”
“Stop talking and just die!”
However, the demons who dismissed Lang's words rushed toward the group. The guards quickly confronted them. Fortunately, the demons who attacked Lang were low-level demons, so the three guards could take their time to subdue them. And since Sylvia had secretly used magic to help them, subduing them was a given. Soon, the guards dealt with all the demons and monsters except Lang. Lang, who had been hiding in the grass and watching them, suddenly stood up and clapped his hands.
“Very good! Humans can’t even control the darkness, yet they have such skills...!”
The guards looked at Lang with slightly bewildered expressions.
Hey, we just killed your own people in front of you...?
Sylvia also looked at Lang with eyes that seemed to be looking at a mutant and then opened her mouth.
“Sir.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“Tie it up first.”
"Yes!"
“Oh, no, there! I told you I can’t harm humans!”
At Sylvia's command, the guards took out ropes and tied Lang's body tightly. Lang, who had suddenly become like a bug, struggled, but Sylvia's eyes were cold.
“I haven’t heard that there are mutants among the demon race. It’s time to find out whether that’s true or not. Know that it would be a great mercy for me not to cut off your head right away.”
Lang shut his mouth in fear at the strange aura emanating from her delicate appearance. When they had dragged Lang out of the forest with the rope tied around him, Randall and the knights came running with anxious looks on their faces.
“Sylvia!”
Randall's face twisted in relief as soon as he spotted Sylvia from afar. He quickly approached her and looked her over.
“Are you okay, Sylvia? I had a couple of twists and turns while on patrol, so I had to deal with them...”
"Yes. I'm okay."
“Your face is so pale.”
“I told you it’s okay.”
“This won’t work. You have to go back to the castle right away. Please hug me.”
“It’s okay.”
Randall, who had been fidgeting, finally tried to run to the castle while carrying Sylvia, but Sylvia firmly stopped him. Philia, who was watching the scene with a bewildered expression from the side, kicked Randall's foot.
“Hey, can’t you see me?”
“...Ah. Philia, you were there too?”
“I think this kid is crazy...”
Philia muttered with a tired face as she watched Randall's arm wrestling, which had gotten worse than before. Randall, who had been busy checking Sylvia, belatedly discovered Lang behind her.
“...Demon?”
His face, which had Lang in his sight, became colder than before. Randall drew his sword without hesitation and strode toward Lang. Lang backed away, making a sound like “Uh, uh,” but the knights just watched.
“Excuse me, is no one stopping him? Excuse me?”
Lang looked around in thought.
Meanwhile, Randall, who had reached Lang, raised his sword with an emotionless face. At that moment, Lang, who sensed death, tightly closed his eyes.
“Randall, just a moment.”
A white shadow blocked his path.
“Randall, just a moment.”
A white shadow blocked his path.
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