Heading To Another City (1)

Earlier, before Saber and the others departed, he decided to make a brief visit.

"Sir William is expecting you..."

As Saber approached the designated room, the maid inclined her head respectfully and swung the door open.

Inside, he found the old noble seated beside his granddaughter, their hands intertwined in a tender embrace. William, upon hearing the door's latch, turned to regard Saber with a fleeting glance before refocusing his attention on the little girl.

"...Just you, Rider," Old William remarked, his voice carrying a hint of warmth as he addressed Saber.

Saber entered the room, his gaze sweeping over the scene before him. His attention was soon captured by the room's whimsical decor; pink walls adorned with plush toys, a miniature tea set arranged neatly atop a table, and a gentle breeze wafting in through the open windows, carrying with it the melodious chirping of birds and the fragrant scent of flowers.

Although Saber had visited this room before, its serene ambiance never failed to draw him into a tranquil state.

"I'm always praying to the goddess to heal my first son and my second daughter's sickness, but it never seems to work..." Old William began, his voice heavy with sorrow.

"I'm not sure, but I think the goddess is angry with my family... After their deaths, my son's daughter fell ill like them."

William delved into his past, his memories weighing heavily on his heart. Saber listened in silence, his expression thoughtful as he took in the old noble's words.

Drawing closer, Saber settled into a chair beside William. As the old noble closed his eyes and gently caressed his granddaughter's unconscious form, he murmured softly, "Everything is going to be okay... Yes, everything will be alright. Unlike your mother and uncle, you will live longer and marry your prince, just as you wished..."

William attempted to smile, but his features betrayed his inner turmoil. He lifted his granddaughter's hand and pressed his forehead against it, seeking solace in her warmth.

Observing the scene with false empathy, Saber sought to lighten the somber mood. Speaking with warmth in his voice, he suggested, "How about I pray for her on your behalf...? I'll pray to my god for her healing."

The old noble turned to him, a hint of amusement glinting in his eyes as he chuckled softly. Wiping away the tears that threatened to spill, he replied, "Hahaha... Well, I appreciate that greatly. Who knows? Perhaps you might work a miracle?"

"Here."

Saber tossed a water bottle toward the old noble.

"...What's this?"

"Just a regular water bottle. You should drink it. Your throat sounds dry, and to be honest, you seem kind of thirsty."

William regarded the water bottle with a curious gaze before nodding. "Ah... Thank you," he said, struggling to open the drink.

While his attention was focused on this task, Saber seized the opportunity to discreetly drop something into the glass of water beside him. The pill dissolved instantly upon contact, leaving the water clear.

"...Finally!"

The old noble opened the water bottle and downed its contents in one go.

"If you don't mind, after your granddaughter wakes up, could you entertain mine and the little girl I adopted not long ago?" Saber said, rising from his seat.

William nodded in understanding, responding with a casual smile. "Why, of course. Once my granddaughter wakes up, I'm sure the three of them will get along swimmingly. She's quite friendly."

"Why, thank you~" Saber took a moment to straighten his clothes and bowed respectfully.

"If I may, could I borrow your last name?" he added, leaving the old noble puzzled by his request.

"Well, it is convenient for hiding who I truly am. Don't worry, I will not do anything to shame it."

William shook his head lightly. "I'm not worried about that... Ah, I have an idea! Why don't you marry my late son's daughter? She's studying at a famous academy abroad. I can always call her back home if you're interested."

"Hell no!"

Saber's sudden outburst elicited hearty laughter from the old noble. William wiped away happy tears from his eyes, asking, "May I inquire as to the reason?"

"I'm not a lolicon... There's no way I'll marry a fifteen-year-old!" Saber's expression was one of frustration as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"...It's legal in this country to marry as long as she's thirteen or older."

"That's even worse!"

***

(Saber POV)

A day had passed since our departure from the city, accompanied by Solis and Reaper. Traveling by carriage, while efficient, was slow given our direction led us straight into the forest. Thus, I opted for horses, one for each of us.

Despite the passage of a full day, we hadn't yet emerged from the forest's depths.

"...!!"

Mid-journey, a chill tingled down my spine, prompting me to halt my horse and signal for the others to do the same. Reaper, puzzled by my sudden stop, questioned my actions, but I silenced her with a finger to my lips.

"There's something nearby..."

Solis, perceptive as ever, also sensed the unease in the air. She dismounted her horse cautiously, holding its reins tightly and bracing for what might come.

As I dismounted, I passed my horse's reins to Solis, wordlessly instructing her to take charge. She nodded, understanding my silent command, as I drew my sword from its scabbard.

"Reaper, dismount—"

Screeech—!

Before I could finish, the forest floor erupted with the emergence of a monstrous worm-like creature directly beneath Reaper.

"Reaper!" Solis's cry pierced the air as she released the leashes in a panic, gripping her staff tightly and aiming it at the creature. Fortunately, Reaper managed to leap clear of her horse just before it was devoured by the creature in a single gulp.

However, as for the unfortunate part, Reaper fell toward me.

"Ack-!"

Damn... She's heavier than she looks.

At that critical moment, Solis summoned one of her spells, unleashing a barrage of ice shards toward the creature's direction.

The monster emitted a deafening screech, momentarily disrupting Solis's focus.

"...Get off already."

Realizing her position, Reaper swiftly dismounted, drawing her weapon in one fluid motion. She extended her hand to assist me to my feet, a silent apology evident in her eyes, before redirecting her attention back to the looming threat.

Although the situation bore resemblance to a cliché, Reaper's composed reaction, devoid of embarrassment or unnecessary words, instilled a sense of gratitude within me.

It's reassuring to see someone react realistically in such circumstances, rather than resorting to exaggerated theatrics that paint me as the perpetrator.

While Solis diverted the creature's attention, providing us with a moment to recover, I carefully assessed our adversary.

The worm monster bore a striking resemblance to the creatures encountered on Floor 2, albeit smaller in stature, measuring a modest twenty feet in length from our vantage point.

Its appearance resembled that of a Mongolian death worm from Earth—plainly disgusting.

Driven by foolish bravado, Reaper chose to taunt the creature aloud.

"It's just a stupid worm; how hard can it be—heek!"

Her words were swiftly cut short as another worm emerged and engulfed her whole barely a second later.

...

..

.

"Sniff...."

Reaper sat beneath the tree, her demeanor heavy with gloom. Her clothing hung in tatters, her skin marred by burns that would have surely scarred if not for the potion I administered.

Trauma etched across her features.

She remained silent, huddled into herself, despite Solis's attempts to engage her in conversation. Each glance was met with a dismissive brush-off.

"What should we do with her now, Contractor..." Solis's voice dripped with defeat as she joined me, her temples being massaged in frustration.

"We'll rest here for the night," I replied, my gaze unwavering on Reaper. "Leave her be; she'll likely gather herself come morning."

I couldn't fault her reaction. I understood it all too well... After all, I once endured hours of dissolution within the 2nd floor of labyrinth's depths, devoured by a creature much like the one that had attacked us.

Solis acquiesced with a nod, setting about preparing camp. Soon, we finished after five minutes, and she called out to Reaper, ushering her into the same tent as her.

Once I'd set up my own accommodations, I entered alone and closed the flap.

And with that, the day ended and we woke up the next day.

=====

[A/N : Thank you for the wait, I'm going to slowly increase my uploading schedule once again if I have some time.

Since I've been too serious with the plot on volume 2, I'll try and lighten the mood this time. Also, it seems like I've been going the other way, focusing too much on magic while almost forgetting to add some spice: our favorite logic and science.

However, don't worry, I will try to mix some science and many other things in this volume. Because this volume is focused more on seduction, there will be another r18 following.]