Chapter 12

Her head is swallowed, her body follows, and soon even the tips of her toes are crunched and chewed….

Thump. She felt a pull on the blanket. Theodore was holding the edge of the blanket. As if to tell her to snap out of it. That small but intentional stimulus jolted Esdel’s mind awake.

“Th-Theodore!”

Esdel flinched and cried out. Her faintly tear-streaked voice echoed in the room. There was no reply. Goosebumps rose all over her body. She felt like prey thrown defenselessly before a beast.

She reached out and fumbled on the table. Nothing came to hand. In her haste, she grabbed the pillow right next to her and called Theodore’s name one last time. She had already resolved to jump out the window if he didn’t come to his senses this time either.

A hoarse voice sounded in her ear.

“…Esdel.”

Her tightly shut eyes opened into a slit. The tears that had welled up on her eyelids rolled down. Before the teardrop fell below her chin, Theodore reached out and wiped it away.

The tension in Esdel’s shoulders, which had been on high alert, finally eased. He had definitely come back to his senses. The fingertips rubbing her chin were gentle.

Esdel felt relieved by his touch, and at the same time, felt a faint sense of shame for feeling relieved. To be reassured by the touch of the person who had been terrifying her until now. What was she doing?

She tried her best to steady her trembling voice and asked.

“Your eyes… that thing….”

“I’m sorry for frightening you. It’s not usually a common occurrence, but it happens unusually often in front of you.”

His answering voice was calm. When she lifted her head, she saw clear eyes. Lowering her gaze a little, she saw the same polite smile as usual.

‘He’s back.’

Only then did Esdel feel completely at ease and let her body sink onto the bed.

“…Why does that happen? Weren’t you originally able to suppress it freely?”

“I was just a little excited. Don’t worry about it.”

“Suddenly, in the middle of the night? Did you have a bad dream or something?”

“A bad dream.”

Theodore chuckled. The corners of his eyes, which had felt unfamiliar for a moment, curved back to their original shape.

“Yes, I had a bad dream. That must be why.”

He took two steps back. Esdel pulled the blanket up, and Theodore adjusted the curtains to block out the moonlight. Listening to the sound of his retreating footsteps, Esdel spoke just before the door closed.

“I think I’m old enough to manage my own dreams, but I can offer some comfort. As long as you knock properly before coming in.”

A small breath was heard in the darkness. It sounded like a laugh, and also like a sigh. Just as she was beginning to regret having spoken, the man replied in a polite tone.

“Understood. Next time, I will be sure to knock before entering. Well then.”

Click. Right after hearing the sound of the door closing, Esdel sighed. Seeing how wide awake she was, it seemed she wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep.

👑🏰

“Did you have a comfortable night?”

I didn’t sleep a wink.

Esdel rubbed her tired eyes and stared at Theodore sitting across from her. He was eating his soup with a calm demeanor. Just looking at that, it almost felt as if nothing had happened last night.

‘Thanks to you, I was up all night.’

Esdel looked at him with resentful eyes.

When she didn’t give any answer, Theodore nonchalantly added.

“If there’s any part of the mansion you don’t like, please tell me. I’ll have a catalog brought out, so change whatever you want, be it furniture or anything else.”

As if there could be any part I don’t like. Esdel snorted slightly without realizing it. The mansion’s only sin was having the wrong owner.

Last night, Esdel had stayed awake, thinking and thinking. And she had summarized the current situation as follows. First, Theodore’s The Unknown consumption state is unstable. Second, the reason it’s unstable is due to excitement. Third, he gets excited more often than usual when he’s with her.

Normally, it would be a foolish thing to continue an engagement while shouldering such a risk.

But having already received a great deal of help from Theodore, she couldn’t just not pay the price he wanted.

‘And I still have no intention of giving up on this marriage.’

It was hard to be certain, but she felt that Theodore, The Unknown, and everything that had happened to her so far were all moving on the same wheel.

At least until she could grasp that reality, she had no intention of ruining this relationship.

In that case, isn’t there only one way?

I have to face it head-on.

Esdel’s gaze became even more intense. As she shot a smoldering glare with dark circles under her eyes, the knight Darren, sitting next to her, trembled.

“Theodore, on second thought, I don’t think I know enough about the man who will be my husband. To prevent what happened last night from repeating, if there’s anything I need to know, please tell me now.”

Theodore’s eyebrows shot up as he was eating his soup. His attitude suggested he had expected the events of last night to be quietly buried and moved on from. He put down his spoon and asked.

“What are you curious about?”

“Last name, age, place of birth, hobbies, preferred food, siblings, sleeping habits, when you get excited….”

“I have no last name anymore. I am twenty-five. I was born in the Blake Empire, and I don’t seem to have any particular likes or dislikes when it comes to food. I have no living siblings. You’ll find out about my sleeping habits soon enough, and as for when I get excited… I believe I already mentioned it last night. I’m curious what you think.”

Theodore returned the question in a simple tone. Esdel didn’t back down and retorted.

“I also heard the story about you getting excited more often than usual when you’re with me. But shouldn’t there be a more precise explanation so that I can be careful too?”

As soon as Esdel’s words ended, clatter, something fell from the side. The fork that had fallen from the gaping mouth of Darren was rolling on the floor.

“Uh, my lady, I’m not feeling well, so I’ll be leaving….”

The knight, scared in a different sense than yesterday, hastily left his seat. As the servants cleared his place as if they had been waiting, Theodore raised a hand to have the rest of them withdraw as well.

Left alone, Esdel first asked him.

“Why did you come to my room last night? Could you tell me that first?”

👑🏰

“Sir Darren.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“If someone came into your room in the middle of the night, what do you think the reason would be?”

“Well… that would depend on who it is.”

“What if it’s a woman who has promised her future to you?”

“What? Promised her… what to me?”

He was of no help at all.

Esdel sighed softly and leaned her head against the back of the carriage seat. She had wanted to get at least a little sleep during the travel time in the carriage, but now it felt like her head was throbbing due to accumulated fatigue.

The only piece of information she had managed to get from diligently questioning Theodore during the meal was this: when the mark of The Unknown invades his pupils, don’t provoke him, and wait for him to come to his senses on his own.

He had told her to leave him be and move to another place since he would never be completely consumed. But in Esdel’s opinion, it was meaningless advice. She remembered the man’s persistent gaze that had followed her every move last night.

What would have happened if she had tried to run away then?

‘…I don’t really want to imagine it.’

That wasn’t all.

To her question about the reason for his visit, Theodore had answered this way.

“I came to see if you were alright.”

Of all times, in the middle of that night, suddenly.

It was hard to believe, but then again, it wasn’t something entirely impossible for that man, which made it a headache.

As Esdel was pressing and rubbing her temples, Darren glanced at her and asked.

“My lady, so where are we going?”

Only after hearing Darren’s question did Esdel flinch, snapping out of her thoughts about the man.

Esdel clicked her tongue inwardly. This won’t do. It was an important day, but she kept getting distracted by thoughts of Theodore.

“We’ll stop by a tavern and then go to a workshop.”

“Ah! Are you going to find the chapters of the organizations those awakeners made?”

“Yes.”

Esdel nodded. According to the documents her mother gave her, the chapter of the Self-Governing Public Order Brigade was inside a large tavern in Westford, and the chapter of the Order of Salvation Knights was in a workshop. What was interesting was that they were earning a pretty decent income from their cover businesses in addition to their chapter activities.

She liked that they were also serious about running the tavern and workshop. It was only right to do a proper job of something that fell into your hands, even if it started as a side gig.

The coachman stopped the carriage in an alley not far from the main road. Although there were rows of tavern signs, the alley itself was quiet. There was no one in sight except for a few workers and errand boys carrying food supplies.

“It seems quiet because it’s still broad daylight. Should we come back later, my lady?”

“Let’s go and see. There should be at least one clerk keeping watch.”

Esdel muttered the address from the documents under her breath and looked at the signposts. And soon, she found the sign she was looking for.

Tavern

Darren looked at the sign with a dumbfounded face.

“My lady, are you sure this is the right place?”

“That’s right. I’ll go in alone, so you wait here.”

As Esdel tried to walk away on her own, Darren immediately blocked her path.

“You can’t! Then I’ll be useless, my lady.”

“Is there any reason to go in announcing to the whole world that you’re a noble?”

“My lady, you look like a noble just from your face! Why don’t you understand that leaving me behind won’t solve anything?”

Esdel hesitated, then pulled the hood of her cloak over her head. Seeing that, Darren snorted.

“Now you’ve become a noble young lady who wants to hide her identity, my lady.”

“…Take off your clothes.”

“What?”

“Hurry up.”

Esdel took the knight into a narrow alley. After mentioning her mother’s and her future husband’s names once each, she was able to easily take his shirt and pants and put them on.

“Th-This is unfair!”

“I’ll let you return to the domain a day earlier.”

“Still….”

“Sir, don’t cry, just wear this. I’ll be right back.”

Esdel wrapped the hood around the shoulders of Darren, who was shivering and covering his body with his arms. She hadn’t noticed when he was wearing a shirt, but now she saw he had a considerably burly physique. Then again, a normal person’s stamina wouldn’t have been enough to endure Baz’s training for that long.

If he just built up a little courage, he could become a good knight.

With a sense of regret, she patted the knight’s shoulder in encouragement and then entered the tavern, ‘Tavern’.

“Hey, what’s a noble lady doing here in the middle of the day?”

“……”

The result was disastrous.

Esdel came back out not even a few minutes after stepping inside.

“This place won’t work, Sir.”

“…Nothing happened inside, right? Should I go in and smash the place up? I can fight well if I just beat them with my scabbard until they don’t bleed!”

“There’s no need for that.”

The Self-Governing Public Order Brigade was said to be composed almost entirely of mercenaries, and they were overly sensitive to social status. They noticed Esdel was a noble at first glance and refused to even speak with her afterwards. It was the same even when she made remarks hinting at being an awakener.

“Even if I hide being a noble for now, it will be revealed soon enough, and it’s hard to join a group that is so exclusive towards nobles. Even if my disguise had been perfect, I would have reached the same conclusion.”

“Then why my clothes….”

“I had to at least give it a try.”

Esdel returned the clothes to the knight. While he looked around to see if anyone was watching and put on his clothes with the hood still on, Esdel gauged the time.

The workshop of the Order of Salvation Knights was located on the opposite side of the city. Since they had left right after breakfast, there was plenty of time before the sun set, but she was a little bothered by the fact that she had left the mansion without revealing her destination.

She considered sending Darren back to tell them she would be home around evening, but decided against it. She didn’t feel like observing minor courtesies for a man who barged into a lady’s room.

“Let’s go if you’re dressed.”

“What? Wait a minute, no, my lady, my buttons aren’t buttoned yet….”

Esdel walked towards the carriage, hearing the sound of Darren hastily chasing after her.

She hadn’t had high hopes for the Self-Governing Public Order Brigade in the first place. Still, the thought that she had already ruled out two of the only three organizations made her feel uneasy. If the Order of Salvation Knights also turned out to be unsuitable, she would have no choice but to visit the church’s Order of Healing Priests.

Sincerely hoping that wouldn’t happen, Esdel boarded the carriage.

The next destination was the northwest part of Westford.

👑🏰

As soon as they got off the carriage, Darren covered his body with both arms. Then he slowly backed away. Esdel, without even pretending to look his way, said.

“I don’t need your clothes this time. We’re going in together.”

“…A wise decision! Phew, of course, my lady is a natural-born noble no matter what she does.”

“I get it, so just follow me quietly.”

Esdel, with the knight who had come within a step’s distance, approached the workshop. The workshop, which the Order of Salvation Knights was said to be using as their chapter, occupied an entire wooden building. It looked flashy on the outside, but the quality of the name written on the sign was no different from that of the Self-Governing Public Order Brigade.

We Make Everything

“It seems the same person named all of them.”

Darren muttered under his breath. Esdel, silently agreeing with his words, stepped inside the workshop.

Unlike the quiet tavern, the workshop was bustling with people. It seemed they not only sold various weapons but also took repair commissions. Darren picked up a sword from the display rack and showed an interested expression.

“The quality is quite good, isn’t it?”

“Take a look around. If there’s anything you want, pick one.”

“Are you buying it for me?”

“Under 50 gold.”

“Yes! I’ll come look for you if you’re not back in 30 minutes, my lady!”

Esdel left the knight, who was excitedly looking at various things, and headed to the counter.

A man in uniform was standing at the counter. Not only was he tall, but he looked to have a much better physique than most knights. The buttons hanging precariously on his brawny chest kept catching her eye.

“Hello? How may I help you?”

The clerk, contrary to his rugged face, asked in a kind tone. Esdel, pondering how to bring up the topic of The Unknown, started the conversation.

“I’d like to go down to the basement.”

“Ah, I see. Please come this way. I will guide you.”

After finishing his words, the clerk immediately came out from behind the counter and turned around. She had expected him to go through a verification process for being an awakener, or at least demand proof that she knew about The Unknown. However, the clerk simply walked towards the stairs in the back with a smiling face and asked nothing.

‘I can approach this easily?’

It was the moment she took a step with an uneasy feeling. Bandages that appeared from somewhere wrapped around her body. In an instant, Esdel’s body, bound from her toes to her mouth, was pulled down the stairs.

In the sudden fall, she couldn’t even scream and turned pale. Thump, thump, thump. After rolling down about three steps, someone urgently caught her body. She barely stopped at the edge of a step, but that wasn’t the end. This time, her body was being lifted up.

Her body, lifted horizontally, was moved down one step, then another, slowly.

By then, Esdel could also guess who was carrying her.

‘The clerk who was at the counter.’

No wonder, she had thought he was too talented to be working at just a counter.

Esdel, half-resigned, let all the strength out of her body. No wonder they had let her in so easily. If this was the verification process, she had no choice but to comply even if she didn’t like it.

After reaching the last step of the stairs, her body was laid down on something. Seeing that her back was soft, it seemed to be a sofa.

Soon, the sound of someone approaching was heard.

“Hello!”

“Ugh….”

Someone’s face came into view in Esdel’s eyes, which had furrowed at the sudden light. It was a boy with wheat-colored hair and dark skin, who looked to be in his early teens.

The boy abruptly held out a fist-sized orb in front of Esdel’s eyes. He grinned widely and asked.

“What brings you here?”

Esdel responded by struggling with her head.

“Mmph….”

“Oh! I haven’t untied your gag yet! I’m so sorry!”

The boy gasped loudly. Then he began to untie the bandages with his own hands. Binding her had taken the blink of an eye, but untying her was taking an eternity.

As Esdel stared intently, the boy started making excuses.

“I’m sorry. I can only tie things. So, why did you say you came here again?”

“I came because I have something to ask about The Unknown. I was also considering joining if necessary.”

As soon as Esdel finished her answer, the crystal orb held before her eyes flashed with a white light. At the same time, the boy’s face brightened. She wasn’t entirely sure, but it seemed to be a tool that could determine the truth of a statement.

However, her words didn’t end there.

“But, I think it might be better for me to go to the Order of Healing Priests instead.”

The orb flashed once more. It was white this time, too.

“Gasp! No, you can’t!”

The boy’s eyes widened. A sense of urgency crept into his hands as he untied the bandages, as if he had become anxious. Not that it made him much faster. Having untied them down to her shoulders, the boy seemed to decide it wasn’t working and looked behind him.

“Mister, help me! Quickly!”

The muscular man who had been just watching joined in, and the bandages wrapped around her body fell away in an instant. Esdel managed to get up, her body finally free. The bandages that had fallen to the floor in a heap looked as if they had been slashed apart in a single stroke by a sword.

As Esdel flinched with wary eyes, the boy spoke.

“Don’t worry. Raoul can only cut fabrics and cloths.”

“Raoul?”

“I am Raoul.”

Esdel finally turned her gaze. The muscular clerk was standing there with his usual kind smile. Of course, under the circumstances of being brought down like this, the smile didn’t seem so pleasant.