In life, many coincidences are bound to happen.
Even if it’s something unexpected or something you believe could never happen, there’s always a chance.
However slim, that it might occur at least once.
“…I see.”
Ern, while flustered, did his best not to show it.
He wondered if he had ever tried so hard to control his facial muscles.
“…So why didn’t you say anything before?”
“It’s embarrassing. Why would I bring it up?”
That was a reasonable explanation.
However.
“What about what you just said?”
“…”
If you’re going to hide something, you should hide it until the end.
Ern couldn’t help but ask why it was being mentioned now.
“I just. Had nothing else to say.”
It was a lie.
The reason for bringing up the hot spring now was to create a suggestive atmosphere.
It was meant to strike a critical blow to his emotions, which were elevated enough to be felt physically.
However, if he had spoken with genuine intent, he might have been given a playful reprimand, like a “sweet slap” for making jokes.
Epherna judged that they were not at a stage where s*xual jokes could be exchanged.
‘Still, I managed to make him flustered.’
For today, that was enough.
With a satisfied smile, she asked with a relaxed mind.
“Aren’t you cold, Mister?”
“I’m fine. I dried off while you were drying your hair, and my clothes are hardly wet.”
“Still, your hair isn’t completely dry.”
“It’ll dry on its own at this point.”
“…”
Epherna took her hands out of her coat.
Since Ern’s bangs were long enough to poke his eyes, she brushed them to the left.
“I think you look better with your hair swept to the side.”
“Thanks, even if it’s just a compliment.”
“Really. Get your hair done before the New Year’s celebration. It’s been bugging me every time I see it.”
“If you insist… I’ll think about it.”
“Get it done properly. Don’t embarrass the name of the Personal Guard.”
“Oh right. By the way, you should also choose another Personal Guard besides me.”
Epherna frowned deeply.
“I don’t want to.”
“I understand, but I can’t stay with you forever.”
“Stay with me forever. Assign other tasks to someone else.”
“If you can’t trust people, it doesn’t have to be a human.”
Historically, there have been emperors who tamed magical beasts to serve as their Personal Guards.
Of course, such stories are handed down because it was possible to tame them, and from those stories, taming a beast as a personal guard seems not entirely impossible.
Epherna muttered.
“…It makes me think of something when you mention not being human.”
“Do you have a particular magical beast in mind?”
Was she considering summoning a spirit beast with summoning magic?
If it was Epherna, it was entirely possible, and it would have been a good idea to suggest.
“No, that’s not it.”
With a pop, fox ears appeared on her head.
From within her coat, a heavy but cozy warmth seemed to emerge.
“Do you like this, Mister?”
“…”
Ern raised his fist and playfully gave her a “sweet tap”.
*****
By morning, the rain had stopped and the sun was bright.
Epherna squinted against the sunlight streaming into the cave.
As she carefully opened her eyes, a voice was heard.
“Did you stay up late last night? You woke up a bit late.”
She rubbed her eyes and got up.
As a result, the coat that had wrapped around her body naturally fell down due to gravity.
Rustle-
“Wait a second.”
I quickly approached and grabbed the coat.
Epherna stared at me with a dazed expression.
She gradually came to her senses and realized that she was undressed.
“Ah…!”
Epherna used the coat to cover her exposed body.
Whether it was a good thing or not, it certainly woke her up.
She got up and put on the clothes she had dried the night before.
After getting dressed in the space she had created the day before, Epherna came out and I looked at her, catching a whiff of a fragrant scent from her clothes.
“Why does it smell like soap? What did you do?”
“It’s a spell that distorts the senses related to specific objects. It wouldn’t look good if the clothes still smelled.”
“The dirt stains have all disappeared too.”
“Because I cast a spell that affects both sight and smell. It was a bit difficult since it involved two senses.”
“So that’s why you went to bed late.”
Amazing. She has learned such a spell.
I looked around.
“…I was wondering where we were, and it turns out we’re on a downhill slope.”
If we keep going down like this, we’ll come across a demon realm teeming with monsters.
It’s an ominous land where hundreds and thousands of Living Armor legions like the ones we saw yesterday have gathered. If we accidentally fall in the middle, it’s a place where even we can’t guarantee our own survival.
“Epherna, can you use teleportation?”
“I don’t think so. Since we were forcibly teleported here and didn’t come on foot, it’s impossible to determine the coordinates.”
Then we’ll have to climb up on foot.
‘This is a bit of a problem.’
It would be quite a tough journey to climb the mountain with Epherna, even if it wouldn’t be too bad alone.
Although the knights of the Duke are conducting a search, it’s impossible for them to come down here on horseback, and even if they could, it would take at least a day to reach this place.
So the only option is to climb back up ourselves. And to make matters worse.
Rumble—!!!
A strong tremor shook the ground beneath our feet.
Looking up, a small landslide was starting to occur.
‘Is this due to yesterday’s heavy rain?’
No wonder the storm seemed so intense. It seems the impact from fighting the Living Armors compounded the effect.
We can avoid the landslide.
It’s not like the entire mountain is collapsing; it’s just a small landslide of clumped soil and rocks, which we should be able to dodge.
The only problem is that in order to avoid the landslide, we have to go down to the Demon Realm and then come back up.
If you try to block it instead of avoiding it, you’ll suffer enormous damage.
Maybe even more than going down to the Demon Realm for a moment.
“Hah, you guys….”
Turning my head at the voice I heard, I saw a child.
It was a girl around nine years old, wearing a monocle.
“Just this once. There won’t be another.”
The girl exuded a mysterious aura.
The feeling was similar to when I first saw Epherna.
“…Who are you?”
“Oh my? I even gave you your name, but you don’t remember?”
“Pardon?”
I was puzzled, but the girl didn’t seem inclined to explain further. She snapped her fingers.
“See you again if we get the chance.”
She forcibly teleported us to the Duke’s mansion.
*****
For now, we put aside thoughts about the girl.
Unexpectedly, the atmosphere at Duke Lemea’s mansion was calm.
Not all the forces were mobilized to find Epherna and me; they were just thoroughly preparing to climb the mountains.
“Hmm. You’re back.”
Simon Lemea, having finished his private conversation with Epherna, came out of the master’s office.
“Where is Her Highness?”
“She remains in the master’s office. I showed her information about the Karun Mountains, and she was watching it closely.”
Duke Lemea’s expression was serene.
It was as if he had anticipated this outcome, his demeanor accepting.
It could be considered cold, but it was the right attitude.
He did his best within his means, and now, all that could be done was to wait for the results.
Simon Lemea’s mindset was as cold and rigid as the northern weather.
“What did you discuss?”
“You have many questions.”
“I just want to hear in advance what Her Highness will later tell me.”
“She asked me to attend the New Year’s ceremony in exchange for covering up this incident.”
“Did you accept?”
“Of course. If this incident becomes known in the capital, not even I could avoid responsibility.”
He accepted too readily.
The reason was easy to guess.
“You needed an excuse to attend the New Year’s festival, didn’t you?”
“I won’t deny it.”
As expected.
Duke Lemea was loyal to the Second Prince.
Attending the New Year’s festival hosted by the First Princess would naturally put him in a difficult position.
“May I ask just one question?”
“As long as it’s not too burdensome.”
“Were you aware that the Second Prince had a terminal condition?”
“May I ask why you posed that question?”
“Aren’t you genuinely loyal to the Second Prince? The Duke I know wouldn’t have yielded to the Princess’s threats.”
“…”
“So, I thought about it. Perhaps from the beginning, you intended to create an excuse to attend the New Year’s festival.”
“…”
A silence that indicated affirmation.
After a moment, Duke Lemea nodded and spoke instead of answering directly.
“A king must be alive to show his worth.”
“What meaning is there in following a lord who has given up on life? He cannot become king anyway.”
Duke Lemea was indirectly expressing his disappointment in the Second Prince.
It was something only someone who had sincerely followed the Second Prince could say.
“…If this incident hadn’t happened, what would you have used as an excuse?”
“I intended to use you.”
“…Yes?”
“If I had married you to my daughter, making you my son-in-law and the First Princess’s Personal Guard. That would have provided a suitable justification.”
That made sense.
In a noble society that values blood ties, not attending a festival hosted by the lord of your son-in-law would attract criticism.
Using that as justification would prevent unpleasant rumors.
“This incident provided a justification, but it’s a bit regrettable. I thought you and my daughter would suit each other well since she is at the right age for marriage.”
“If that had happened… I wouldn’t have been able to refuse.”
If I were to marry Duke Lemea’s daughter, Epherna would gain the support of a duke of the empire.
There’s no stronger bond than one formed by blood.
Perhaps this would be the best scenario from the Second Prince’s perspective.
“If you wish, I can introduce you to my daughter even now.”
“…”
It’s a tempting offer.
If I were to marry the Duke’s daughter, not only would we gain powerful military strength, but Epherna’s future power as an Empress would also increase significantly.
I was about to express my acceptance when I hesitated. A face that suddenly crossed my mind stopped me from answering.
“What did you just say?”
Yes. That face.
“Duke Lemea. What did you just say?”
Epherna, filled with anger, spoke in a cold voice.
