“Why did you follow me?”
“Then just stay still? No, but what, what are you doing right now?”
“Explanation later. I’m going to pull this out, so look over there.”
Judith, who did not dare to watch him pull the sword out of his arm, closed her eyes. Erne as if he had finished his work, pulled the dagger out of his arm.
A small insect emerged from the tip of the dagger, dripping blood.
Erne, who had been quietly staring at the bug struggling on the tip of her sword, finally frowned and stuck his dagger into the ground.
“Blood, there’s so much blood.”
Judith opened her eyes to the sound of a dagger being stabbed into the ground and reached into her pocket to take out a handkerchief.
“Doctor, go to the doctor.”
Although it was Erne who got stabbed in the arm with the sword, Judith's expression looked more pained.
“Where in the world would someone stab their own arm with a knife?”
It must be creepy to have a bug burrowing into your skin, but isn't it a bit extreme to just stab yourself in the arm with a sword?
Judith bit her lip as she wrapped the handkerchief around Erne's arm. As soon as she tied the handkerchief to the wound, it turned red.
“This is no ordinary bug.”
Erne pointed to the dagger he had stuck on the floor with his chin.
“It’s called a lice infestation. It’s a bug that burrows into your skin. If you leave it alone, it will burrow deeper and crawl inside your body.”
“Then it would have been better if you had just stabbed it earlier. You didn’t have to stab it so deeply.”
If that was the case, it would have been possible to just cut the skin on the back of the hand and take the bug out.
“I don’t want to chase away the customers.”
"...Yes?"
“If I had taken out a sword inside the store, everyone there would have run away.”
Judith was speechless at the unexpected answer.
About 30 minutes later, Marquis Mosley was speechless at the sight of Erne barging in without notice.
If he had just come, he would have thought it would be like that, but Erne was still bleeding from one arm.
Why on earth are you coming here like this?
The Marquis asked back, genuinely dumbfounded.
I made a similar expression to the Marquis.
Erne stabbed his own arm with his own sword, and now he's blaming the Marquis? Is he a little out of his mind because he's lost a lot of blood?
“Yeah, the followers you couldn’t catch.”
“Wait, wait.”
Marquis Mosley hastily covered Erne's mouth.
“This isn’t the place to talk about this.”
He swept his pale face away.
“Let’s go in first. The lady who came with you, please come in too.”
The Marquis personally guided Erne and me to the reception room and told his butler to call the Marquis' personal doctor.
“One more thing. Send someone to the incense shop in the square and bring in a man named Kane. I’ve knocked him out, so be quiet before he wakes up.”
“Who is that person?”
“Send people first.”
The Marquis ordered his servant who had brought the tea to take some soldiers and bring Kane from the incense shop and lock him in the basement.
As soon as the servant left, the parlor door opened and the butler and the Marquis's personal doctor came in. While Erne was receiving treatment on one side, the Marquis Mosley and I made our declarations.
“I know this is not the right time to say this, but how did you end up marrying Erne?”
The Marquis seemed to feel strangely sorry for me.
“It wasn’t my intention.”
“Oh, so it was a political marriage?”
A political marriage? Is that so? If she thinks about it, it's closer to a political marriage.
I who could neither deny nor confirm it, just laughed awkwardly.
“But Madam, why did Erne’s arm turn out like that?”
“Oh, he stabbed himself to catch a bug.”
It was an explanation that omitted quite a lot of the situation, but the Marquis didn't ask for details. Just.
“That crazy guy.”
All he could do was stick his tongue out. Erne, who was watching the doctor bandage and listening to the conversation between the Marquis and me, frowned.
“If you say that, it makes me sound like a weird person.”
The Marquis and I swallowed the answer that he was a strange person for coming straight to the Marquis while bleeding so much.
“Now explain.”
After the attending doctor finished his treatment and left, the Marquis brought up the main topic.
“Do you know what a red bug is?”
“Red bug?”
Red bug. I wondered where I had heard it before, and it turned out to be a name that had appeared in the original work. I had been so distracted by Erne that I hadn't thought about it before, but after I calmed down, I remembered what it was.
“A bug that can be trained to choose a specific host.”
In the latter half of the original work, the bug that the followers planted in the pregnant female protagonist's body to prevent her from running away from the male protagonist was the red bug.
“This time, the bug tried to use me as its host.”
“You? This isn’t just about treating a wound. The bug might have been poisonous.”
Marquis Mosley wanted to call the doctor back immediately, but Erne shook his head.
“No, this bug is not poisonous. They say it’s not particularly harmful to the body.”
Since the female protagonist was also one of the followers, Erne knew about her loyalty.
The female protagonist is devastated after discovering that a bug has been implanted in her body.
Because the followers could use the enemy's loyalty to isolate the female protagonist as they wished.
“Usually, this insect uses pollen. It is said that insects are incompatible with certain flowers. So when the host smells the pollen, they instinctively try to run away.”
The pollen was scattered around the small hut where the heroine was kept. Erne said she would try to get rid of the pollen by spraying water on it, but the heroine said it would be useless.
“What if the host doesn’t follow?”
“They say you can’t help but follow. The enemy shows hallucinations to manipulate the host as they wish, and when they fall into the hallucinations, they go to a place far away from the pollen.”
“But wouldn’t it be possible for someone to use force to move the host?”
“Then this place will be ruined.”
Erne tapped his head.
“It means you can’t live in your right mind.”
Moreover, the pollen could not be washed away with water. It had to be destroyed by spraying a substance that neutralized the pollen or by burning it.
However, only the mediums who dealt with the enemy among the followers knew about the substance.
In that case, there was no other way than fire, and coincidentally, the place where the heroine was trapped was a wooden cabin, and the surrounding area was an autumn forest full of fallen leaves.
While waiting for the material to burn off after setting the fire, the fire spread to the cabin and the forest.
So, in reality, there was no way for the female protagonist to get out of there.
“Ultimately, there are two ways to remove the enemy. One is through a medium who has trained the enemy, and the other is to pull it out from the body.”
“It’s easier than I thought, right? Just go to the doctor and ask him to take it out.”
“If the enemy stays still, that would be the case. But this thing keeps moving inside the body.”
Even for the most skilled doctors, catching bugs moving inside the body was not an easy task.
However, it was possible for Erne, who had better reflexes than other knights.
“But how do you know so much about enemies?”
“I find it strange that you don’t know. Didn’t you hear it from the Empress?”
The current Empress is the original female protagonist, the one who tore her life apart by Erne.
“I got rid of the enemy in the Empress’s body.”
At that time, Erne suggested that they forcefully pull the bug out.
The female protagonist thought that pulling out the bug could put the baby or herself in danger if the worm died inside her body, but she agreed because she did not want to be a burden to the male protagonist.
Fortunately or unfortunately, her worries were unfounded.
Even though Erne pulled out the enemy, her body didn't suffer at all. However, she almost died from excessive bleeding after tearing his flesh.
“Then just stay still? No, but what, what are you doing right now?”
“Explanation later. I’m going to pull this out, so look over there.”
Judith, who did not dare to watch him pull the sword out of his arm, closed her eyes. Erne as if he had finished his work, pulled the dagger out of his arm.
A small insect emerged from the tip of the dagger, dripping blood.
Erne, who had been quietly staring at the bug struggling on the tip of her sword, finally frowned and stuck his dagger into the ground.
“Blood, there’s so much blood.”
Judith opened her eyes to the sound of a dagger being stabbed into the ground and reached into her pocket to take out a handkerchief.
“Doctor, go to the doctor.”
Although it was Erne who got stabbed in the arm with the sword, Judith's expression looked more pained.
“Where in the world would someone stab their own arm with a knife?”
It must be creepy to have a bug burrowing into your skin, but isn't it a bit extreme to just stab yourself in the arm with a sword?
Judith bit her lip as she wrapped the handkerchief around Erne's arm. As soon as she tied the handkerchief to the wound, it turned red.
“This is no ordinary bug.”
Erne pointed to the dagger he had stuck on the floor with his chin.
“It’s called a lice infestation. It’s a bug that burrows into your skin. If you leave it alone, it will burrow deeper and crawl inside your body.”
“Then it would have been better if you had just stabbed it earlier. You didn’t have to stab it so deeply.”
If that was the case, it would have been possible to just cut the skin on the back of the hand and take the bug out.
“I don’t want to chase away the customers.”
"...Yes?"
“If I had taken out a sword inside the store, everyone there would have run away.”
Judith was speechless at the unexpected answer.
So you let the bug burrow deep into your arm? Just because of a guest, and not someone else, but Erne?
If it was the Erne that Judith knew, he would have swung his sword on the spot and brought Kane to his knees. It was not for nothing that he was nicknamed the Mad Dog of the Empire.
'But why, just because of a customer, would you make such an inefficient choice...? '
Could it be because of me? Are you worried that you'll groan when you lose a customer? But why Erne?
An indescribable emotion welled up in her, but the moment was too short for Judith to be aware of it.
Seriously, it was just a moment.
This is because Erne saw Kane running away from the store and ran out as fast as he could.
He quickly closed the distance with his long legs and grabbed Kane by the nape of his neck. Before Kane could protest, Erne struck the back of his neck, knocking him unconscious.
“Erne, leave that person to Sir Henry and go to the hospital first.”
“No, I’m going to the Marquis of Mosley.”
Erne looked strangely angry.
“...While bleeding like this?”
“Oh, while bleeding like this.”
“...Why are you shedding blood like this?”
If it was the Erne that Judith knew, he would have swung his sword on the spot and brought Kane to his knees. It was not for nothing that he was nicknamed the Mad Dog of the Empire.
'But why, just because of a customer, would you make such an inefficient choice...? '
Could it be because of me? Are you worried that you'll groan when you lose a customer? But why Erne?
An indescribable emotion welled up in her, but the moment was too short for Judith to be aware of it.
Seriously, it was just a moment.
This is because Erne saw Kane running away from the store and ran out as fast as he could.
He quickly closed the distance with his long legs and grabbed Kane by the nape of his neck. Before Kane could protest, Erne struck the back of his neck, knocking him unconscious.
“Erne, leave that person to Sir Henry and go to the hospital first.”
“No, I’m going to the Marquis of Mosley.”
Erne looked strangely angry.
“...While bleeding like this?”
“Oh, while bleeding like this.”
***
“...Why are you shedding blood like this?”
About 30 minutes later, Marquis Mosley was speechless at the sight of Erne barging in without notice.
If he had just come, he would have thought it would be like that, but Erne was still bleeding from one arm.
Why on earth are you coming here like this?
Judging from the leisurely steps he takes as he comes in, it doesn't seem like it's urgent, and there are at least three doctor's offices on his way here, so why on earth?
Was the woman who came with him in danger? However, it didn't seem like that at all. The woman's expression wasn't good, but it was closer to disgust than thoughtful.
The Marquis saw it clearly. Judith was growing tired of Erne's stubbornness. Erne, bleeding profusely, came to see the Marquis, fearing that if he stopped the bleeding, it would get worse.
Fearing that he might collapse from excessive blood loss, Judith left the store and the unconscious Kane with Henry and followed Erne. However, contrary to her fears, Erne arrived at the Marquis' residence in good health.
Rather, only Marquis Mosley, who had not shed a single drop of blood, turned pale. He was fed up with Erne's temper.
“Me? I did this?”
Was the woman who came with him in danger? However, it didn't seem like that at all. The woman's expression wasn't good, but it was closer to disgust than thoughtful.
The Marquis saw it clearly. Judith was growing tired of Erne's stubbornness. Erne, bleeding profusely, came to see the Marquis, fearing that if he stopped the bleeding, it would get worse.
Fearing that he might collapse from excessive blood loss, Judith left the store and the unconscious Kane with Henry and followed Erne. However, contrary to her fears, Erne arrived at the Marquis' residence in good health.
Rather, only Marquis Mosley, who had not shed a single drop of blood, turned pale. He was fed up with Erne's temper.
“You did this.”
The Marquis asked back, genuinely dumbfounded.
I made a similar expression to the Marquis.
Erne stabbed his own arm with his own sword, and now he's blaming the Marquis? Is he a little out of his mind because he's lost a lot of blood?
“Yeah, the followers you couldn’t catch.”
“Wait, wait.”
Marquis Mosley hastily covered Erne's mouth.
“This isn’t the place to talk about this.”
He swept his pale face away.
“Let’s go in first. The lady who came with you, please come in too.”
The Marquis personally guided Erne and me to the reception room and told his butler to call the Marquis' personal doctor.
“One more thing. Send someone to the incense shop in the square and bring in a man named Kane. I’ve knocked him out, so be quiet before he wakes up.”
“Who is that person?”
“Send people first.”
The Marquis ordered his servant who had brought the tea to take some soldiers and bring Kane from the incense shop and lock him in the basement.
As soon as the servant left, the parlor door opened and the butler and the Marquis's personal doctor came in. While Erne was receiving treatment on one side, the Marquis Mosley and I made our declarations.
“I know this is not the right time to say this, but how did you end up marrying Erne?”
The Marquis seemed to feel strangely sorry for me.
“It wasn’t my intention.”
“Oh, so it was a political marriage?”
A political marriage? Is that so? If she thinks about it, it's closer to a political marriage.
I who could neither deny nor confirm it, just laughed awkwardly.
“But Madam, why did Erne’s arm turn out like that?”
“Oh, he stabbed himself to catch a bug.”
It was an explanation that omitted quite a lot of the situation, but the Marquis didn't ask for details. Just.
“That crazy guy.”
All he could do was stick his tongue out. Erne, who was watching the doctor bandage and listening to the conversation between the Marquis and me, frowned.
“If you say that, it makes me sound like a weird person.”
The Marquis and I swallowed the answer that he was a strange person for coming straight to the Marquis while bleeding so much.
“Now explain.”
After the attending doctor finished his treatment and left, the Marquis brought up the main topic.
“Do you know what a red bug is?”
“Red bug?”
Red bug. I wondered where I had heard it before, and it turned out to be a name that had appeared in the original work. I had been so distracted by Erne that I hadn't thought about it before, but after I calmed down, I remembered what it was.
“A bug that can be trained to choose a specific host.”
In the latter half of the original work, the bug that the followers planted in the pregnant female protagonist's body to prevent her from running away from the male protagonist was the red bug.
“This time, the bug tried to use me as its host.”
“You? This isn’t just about treating a wound. The bug might have been poisonous.”
Marquis Mosley wanted to call the doctor back immediately, but Erne shook his head.
“No, this bug is not poisonous. They say it’s not particularly harmful to the body.”
Since the female protagonist was also one of the followers, Erne knew about her loyalty.
The female protagonist is devastated after discovering that a bug has been implanted in her body.
Because the followers could use the enemy's loyalty to isolate the female protagonist as they wished.
“Usually, this insect uses pollen. It is said that insects are incompatible with certain flowers. So when the host smells the pollen, they instinctively try to run away.”
The pollen was scattered around the small hut where the heroine was kept. Erne said she would try to get rid of the pollen by spraying water on it, but the heroine said it would be useless.
“What if the host doesn’t follow?”
“They say you can’t help but follow. The enemy shows hallucinations to manipulate the host as they wish, and when they fall into the hallucinations, they go to a place far away from the pollen.”
“But wouldn’t it be possible for someone to use force to move the host?”
“Then this place will be ruined.”
Erne tapped his head.
“It means you can’t live in your right mind.”
Moreover, the pollen could not be washed away with water. It had to be destroyed by spraying a substance that neutralized the pollen or by burning it.
However, only the mediums who dealt with the enemy among the followers knew about the substance.
In that case, there was no other way than fire, and coincidentally, the place where the heroine was trapped was a wooden cabin, and the surrounding area was an autumn forest full of fallen leaves.
While waiting for the material to burn off after setting the fire, the fire spread to the cabin and the forest.
So, in reality, there was no way for the female protagonist to get out of there.
“Ultimately, there are two ways to remove the enemy. One is through a medium who has trained the enemy, and the other is to pull it out from the body.”
“It’s easier than I thought, right? Just go to the doctor and ask him to take it out.”
“If the enemy stays still, that would be the case. But this thing keeps moving inside the body.”
Even for the most skilled doctors, catching bugs moving inside the body was not an easy task.
However, it was possible for Erne, who had better reflexes than other knights.
“But how do you know so much about enemies?”
“I find it strange that you don’t know. Didn’t you hear it from the Empress?”
The current Empress is the original female protagonist, the one who tore her life apart by Erne.
“I got rid of the enemy in the Empress’s body.”
At that time, Erne suggested that they forcefully pull the bug out.
The female protagonist thought that pulling out the bug could put the baby or herself in danger if the worm died inside her body, but she agreed because she did not want to be a burden to the male protagonist.
Fortunately or unfortunately, her worries were unfounded.
Even though Erne pulled out the enemy, her body didn't suffer at all. However, she almost died from excessive bleeding after tearing his flesh.
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