CHAPTER 47.1

I noticed Sejan was eagerly explaining to Kyle, who nodded his head with an engrossed face.

It was a rare sight.

Looking at them at the moment, their relationship didn't even look half bad.

'But that's it.'

It was part of why Sejan left the Archduke after going crazy in the original storyline. Sejan's loyalty and respect for Kyle who suddenly became a dragon, wavered when there was no clear way to save him. The Archduke would also behave like he was still in the past.

'He must have been distressed because he couldn't figure it out.'

I felt compassionate towards the situation that I created.

"I… Your Highness… You should get in the carriage…'

Matthias, who probably stood there in silence for the last minutes, spoke in a breathless voice as if he were sitting on a thorny cushion.

'You want to help me get on the carriage.'

When I looked at Matthias, who was shaking and trying to fulfill his duties, I was fully committed to raising his salary.

He quietly tried to reach out his hand towards me, but I stopped him.

"Matthias, you don't have to help me from now on." I refused with a smile. I had made a promise last night.

'It would be difficult if Kyle makes a lot of noise about it.'

I glanced at Kyle when I saw Matthias walking away.

Kyle, who just finished his conversation, naturally looked at me. My eyes met him in the same instinctive way. Kyle just stared at me without any movement.

What, why, why?

He walked right up to me and flashed… Wait a minute.

'What? Flash?'

Oh, my God. As I witnessed my feet floating in the air, I screamed with astonishment.

"What are you doing, Archduke?"

"What do you mean? Didn't you look at me for a ride to the carriage?"

When did I do that?

Besides, when getting someone in the carriage, it is useless to hold the person so close.

Trying to struggle as hard as I could, I soon changed my mind. If he dragged his time like this for no reason, it would only draw more attention. Of course, I was still attracting more attention than I would like, but Kyle, gently sat me on the carriage bench still holding me close.

'I'm surprised, but let's say hello and say what we need to say.'

"Thank you, Archduke. However, I will refuse this type of escort next time."

I gave him a twitching smile, only to have Kyle opening his mouth and asking me.

"Is that the smile? A lovely smile?"

"… What?"

"I asked if the expression you're wearing now is a smile that finds something lovely."

What do you mean? Why was he so clueless?

'What a lovely smile you're suddenly in there.'

Oh, no way. Was yesterday's story still not over?

I spoke with both hands as if I wanted to slap my forehead.

"Archduke, unfortunately, this smile is not a lovely smile…"

Looking around while talking, I hurriedly added a word.

"I think everyone's waiting. Shall we depart now?"

It looked like the knights were ready to go at any moment. My eyes were burning.

***

"I guess the Archduchess really cares about the Archduke."

When the carriage started, Lily, who was riding next to me instead of Kyle, chattered with a more excited look than usual.

"… Haha. Well, yes."

How was I supposed to say no when answering this kind of question?

I answered awkwardly and looked at Kyle and Sejan outside the window. Sejan was standing behind Kyle; he seemed to keep the chivalrous spirit of "not standing next to the lord."

I glanced at Lily because I was curious about something else.

"Lily, when did you start working at the Great Duchy?"

"What? Oh, it's my ninth year."

"Really?"

"Yes. Do you have any other questions?"

Just in case, since it had been a long time…

I asked, thinking I could be lucky.

"Well, it's not a big deal, but what about the Archduke and Sejan. How was their relationship before I came in?"

"What? Oh… It's like…"

"You can talk comfortably and tell me what it really was between them."

I tried to convince Lily as hard as I could since she seemed in trouble.

Trying to not look like a noblewoman who loves rumors. Just as if it were a mild curiosity of mine.

Lily's expression became more relaxed. And the contents did not go far beyond the expected range.

"… They were very violent, so the employees were always nervous around them."

At first, Sejan poured out his anger every time he saw him, in return Kyle ignored him bluntly. The situation tumbled that eventually any contact between them disappeared.

I didn't think Sejan intentionally showed up in front of Kyle. I can tell just by listening.

'I know that Kyle was tolerating Sejan to some extent.'

Was it because of some remaining humane part in Kyle? Equally, Sejan didn't seem to pay Kyle any mind.

Lily continued to talk.

"So, it's very rare. Well, should I say it's rare. It's the first time since the Archduke was cursed."

First. The first time

Somehow it sounded strange.

"I never thought I'd see two work together like that again…"

I could see Lily blurring her words with an emotional look. As a result, I stared at them again. This was supposed to be a natural sight from before Kyle was cursed.

'Can't their relationship be better again?'

It wasn't even something to think about. The answer was so obvious.

'If the curse is lifted, it'll be possible.'

As I was wondering about the curse and their relationship, the carriage shook violently as if there was an earthquake.

"From now on, we will enter the woods in the south. Stay sharp and keep your guard up."

Kyle's resonant and low-pitched voice cling to her ears. As I looked outside once more, the road ahead seemed rough as it was entering the south's forest.

I recalled Kyle's word from last night, listening to the rattling wheels.

" – Riddel Spencer, when we enter the south's forest, don't leave the carriage for any reason. You are forbidden to act on your own."

I deeply engraved his words that were a clear warning as the carriage entered the woods in the south.

***

Dense, dense grasses and trees. Unpaved winding dirt road.

Matthias, the coachman, significantly reduced speed once we entered the woods in the south.

Even though it was daytime, the forest was quite dark.

'Is it because the trees are thick?'

I wonder why the path that only travels from north to south in the first place was so tremendous, but I couldn't complain.

Some of the land masses of the empire's east, west, north and south were set as large as one continent. This place filled with fantasy where monsters could appear everywhere, overflowing with blood and adventures.

In other words, it was what most of the other regions were like.

'It's not a helpful setup.'

However, there was something strange here.

Despite the fact that quite a while after entering the forest, no monsters appeared yet.

'If you've traveled this distance, you are bound to even encounter a small monster.'

Well, even if one were to show up now, this was a generally safe area. Occasionally, a bunch of orcs would appear like beans in a drought. Other than those monsters, there won't be a threat.

'I'm sure it'll be alright.'

At the same moment I thought about it…

Jinxed.

Suddenly, the carriage made an ominous sound and suddenly stopped. Eventually, the knights who assembled were visibly fluttered.

"Your Highness, my lord! Salamander has appeared!"

Huh? Salamander? I blinked at the loud scream of the knight.

I expected a cliché situation where some monsters would come out, but this type of monster was a problem.

Salamander was a large lizard.

It was a high-ranking monster who used hot fire at will. It was abnormal to find one in this area.

Why are you here?

"Your Highness, my lord! A horde of orcs is coming from behind you!"

While I was wondering, I heard another storm of cries coming from the knights.

Oh, my. Salamander and Orcs. What kind of day was it today?

"I'll take care of Salamander; you'll have to put the rest of them out and give priority to guarding the carriage!

Whatever the current situation was, the roar of the knights and the scream of the demons rang out immediately at Kyle's command.

Shiiiing. Poof.

There was a roar among all the noise coming from outside the carriage. It looked like Kyle was casting a spell.

"Okay, it's been a while since you've had fun. Let's wipe it all out."

Shiiiing. Clang.

I listened to the sounds of salamander's heavy body collapsing, and the knights who were still attacking the orcs with their iron swords under Sejan's command.

It was no time to relax.

The carriage shook violently.

"Ahhhh!"

The sounds of something crushing were combined with Lily's scream. Before I knew it, there was a green object in front of me. It was a hand I believed to belong to one of the orcs.

I followed the hand and saw a hole in the side window. As the big hand fell out, the orc's face was gradually revealed. I quickly made eye contact with the monster.

Honestly, I wasn't lying if I were to say that I wasn't scared.

'Is it because it doesn't look like anything human.'

I felt both my head and heart to be frozen in the situation developing in front of me. There was no time to procrastinate, so I quickly checked my arms.

'Okay. You're doing fine.'

I took out a small light object. It was a dagger requested to be carried by Jean in case of emergency just before we departed. I've been carrying it for self-defense since day one.