Chapter 88: Lili’s Knight (3)
As soon as the next morning came, I was called by Lili.
“Okay, this is what you’re going to do today.”
Lili handed me a piece of paper.
On the paper was a simple map and the image of a middle-aged woman. Below it was a brief explanation.
“… … escort?”
I read it through and tilted my head.
Lili said with a wry smile.
“huh. He is a high-ranking noble who has business at the imperial palace. “I will take care of you.”
“… … From Acre to the imperial palace?”
There is a city called ‘Acre’ in the center of the continent. The auction house where I got ‘Penelope’s Cloth’ and where Elodie got the loquat is located in Acre.
Acre is not far from the capital, Cilester. If you travel by car, you can get there in about 3 hours.
So, simply put, it is a position that does not require escort.
“We will travel by carriage. “It will take two days to arrive.”
“yes?”
Using a carriage instead of a car and taking two days to arrive are both incomprehensible.
“The carriage will not go straight on the road, but will go round.”
“Why are you doing such an inefficient thing? “It will take longer, and it is more dangerous than anything else.”
If it takes two days to reach a place that takes about three hours, it would be on the outskirts of the city. In that case, even if you are inside the wall, you cannot be safe from monsters.
Lili then lifted one finger and waved it left and right.
“It takes longer and is more dangerous, so we go that way.”
“yes?”
“So you need an escort?”
To call an escort, I had to take a dangerous and long route, so I chose the dangerous route rather than the safe route.
An answer that clearly seems to have confused the subject.
But somehow, finally, I felt like I had finally figured out the purpose of this escort.
“… … “The escort itself is not important.”
“okay. You know what kind of knightly order my knights are. “What do you want from us?”
Lili’s articles say that there are only extremely handsome men. Because Lili only looks at a man’s appearance, she gathers people who are not skilled as knights.
In other words, Lili’s knights are not much different from ordinary people who only wear knightly attire. Just handsome.
“Are you disappointed?”
Lily asked, tilting her head slightly.
I shook my head.
“no. “It’s a hundred times better than being dangerous.”
“right? For your information, the photo on the paper is the client’s face, but the person being escorted is a different person.”
“Someone else?”
“huh. her daughter. “This is Miss Ameline von Ellis.”
Ameline von Ellis.
A name I think I’ve heard before somewhere. But I can’t remember it well.
Lili said there.
“Why, when all the Zodiacs were called in because of the last demon incident. I heard that before that, Her Majesty the Empress held a party for professionals, including you. Miss Ameline was at the party at the time. “Maybe we met there?”
“… … ah.”
It occurred to me there. The girl I met in the hall. I remember the tears.
“The young lady nominated you herself.”
“How did you know that I had become Lia Lis’ knight?”
“These days, there are fewer people who don’t know your every move.”
… … Did I become that famous a person?
“Then please. Oh, the Ellis family is quite a prestigious family, so you shouldn’t do anything rude. know?”
“Is it more prestigious than Roach?”
“That’s not true, but now you are not De Roach, but Frondier, Lili’s knight.”
That is correct. I nodded.
“I was assigned the escort mission, so I only serve as an escort.”
Riri smiled at that as if she had nothing more to ask for.
“Yeah, that’s fine.”
He said with a bright smile.
* * *
As I guessed from the route of the escort mission, the Ellis family was located in Acre. Not only was it located there, but part of the territory of Acre belonged to the Ellis family.
It is easy to guess the status of the Ellis family as it is part of Acre, which is home to the continent’s best auction house and shopping district.
“Please wait here for a moment.”
A man who looked like a butler made me wait next to the carriage.
In this world where passenger cars exist, carriages are rather a luxury item. In addition to the carriage theme, there are a lot of devices for the vehicle, so the interior is comfortable without shaking, and it can only be done by using both horses and people, so nobles cannot easily give up the carriage to show off their wealth and power.
Here, if it is equipped with a high-end horse, for example, if it is driven by a famous horse such as ‘Cassian’, it can easily surpass the performance of a clumsy car.
“hi.”
I spoke to a horse who was preparing to lead the carriage next to me. I wonder if this horse has intelligence comparable to Cassian.
Purr-
But unfortunately, this was not the case. Without even looking at me for a few seconds, he turned his head in another direction and made meaningless noises.
I don’t think he even decided that my words were ‘greetings’ in the first place. Well, this is natural. Cassian is particularly overly smart.
“Oh, you’ve been waiting a long time!”
Soon the door to the mansion opened, and a woman in a beautiful dress hurriedly approached me.
As expected, it was a familiar face. Ameline von Ellis, whom I met at a party. Back then, she was wearing quite elegant clothes, but this time, she looked as if she had put on a lot of effort, and there wasn’t a single area that wasn’t touched up from head to toe.
“This is Frontier de Roach, who is in charge of this escort mission.”
I bowed lightly to her. Ameline looked at my face and nodded with a wide smile on her face. Just like I’m glad I’m really a frontier.
‘… … It’s a subtle feeling.’
It was well known that Frontier had an outstanding appearance. Immediately after being possessed by Frondier, the fact that I could barely remember who the character Frondier was was largely thanks to his appearance.
That’s why I internally understood why Lili liked Frondier and why she was happy when I told her I wanted to become a knight.
However, since I am not the real Frontier, and this face is not my real face either, my true feelings are that I cannot be just happy because I am handsome.
It is ironic that Elodina, who did not like me in the first place, and Selena, who approached me as an enemy, are now more trustworthy.
“Now, let’s get in. “It’s a long way, so you need to hurry.”
“Long way, yeah! Yes! that’s right! “It’s very far!”
Ameline repeated those words as she got into the carriage, perhaps happy that the destination was far away. As I climbed up behind him, the driver started moving the carriage on his own.
From Noble mtl dot com
‘… … ‘I never thought I would take on a mission like this.’
I heard that becoming Lili’s knight would transform you into someone loyal to Lili, so I was worried that Lili was doing something to me, but instead of doing anything, I couldn’t even meet her in the first place.
Is this proof that Lili is also wary of me? Or is it not time yet?
‘I heard that Lili wants to hire good-looking men as her knights, and that’s true, but do you have any plans to monopolize them after hiring them?’
I learned this when Lili explained this escort mission, but Lili’s knights are probably all doing similar work to the escort job I’m doing now.
He uses his appearance to please women or to talk to them. It would make the image of a ‘handsome knight’ come true.
However, if that happens, I don’t think RiRi, who has a collection of good-looking men, will feel bad, but RiRi seems to have no qualms and is actually encouraging it.
“Do you remember what I said last time?”
Ameline asked me with a cautious look.
I glanced at her for a moment, and then she smiled awkwardly.
“Ah, ahahahaha. Of course I can’t remember. Actually, I
“You said you like cooking.”
Ameline opened her mouth in surprise at my words.
I said one more thing.
“I promised that if I had time, I would try it and give an evaluation.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Of course I remember.”
I smiled. My eyes fell on the cloth she was holding preciously in her arms.
“Is that by any chance today?”
“yes yes! “If you don’t mind, please.”
“wait a minute.”
I stopped Ameline, who was hurriedly trying to unwrap the wrapping cloth.
“Why, why?”
He spoke as if to comfort Ameline, who quickly became tearful.
“It’s not even time for lunch yet.”
“… … ah.”
I maintained a friendly smile at Ameline, who blushed at that.
“It’s a good thing. “There is absolutely no need to rush.”
“… … There is no need to rush… … .”
“It means we have a lot of time.”
Ameline opened her mouth slightly at my words and looked at me blankly. Then he smiled broadly and nodded.
“yes! that’s right! “The journey is just beginning!”
… … It’s a trip.
A strange trip that stretched a distance that would have taken three hours by car to two days.
There is no way Ameline would not know about this strange travel route. And you wouldn’t think that I wouldn’t feel strange as an escort.
To put it simply, this is Ameline’s play. Even though I know it’s a fake trip, I want to feel good about it.
Being escorted by a chauffeur, traveling long distances by carriage, and staying overnight in anything other than luxurious accommodation. All of that must have been a young girl’s dream.
So, since the mission is this low, what I have to do is fixed.
Because I’m more familiar with ‘fake’ than anyone else.
As long as it suits the mood of a rich girl, there’s nothing you can’t do.
* * *
The carriage left the city, left the outskirts, and eventually headed towards the forest road.
I thought that was enough, but eventually the carriage started climbing a mountain that didn’t need to be climbed on the way to the imperial palace.
‘… … ‘I think that’s a bit over the top.’
After climbing for a while, I saw that on the right, there was a cliff that would fall if you took a wrong step, and on the left, it was completely blocked by the mountain’s dense trees and stone walls.
If this wagon had been a supply wagon during the war, it would never have chosen this route.
“Wow! Look over there, driver! “From here, you can see a panoramic view of the city and forest!”
Ameline was very excited as she looked in the direction leading to the cliff. Before I knew it, the title given to me had changed to ‘Knight.’
It seems that Ameline has no idea of the danger of a carriage passing on this road. And in a place like this outside the city center, right at this point when the sun begins to set.
“Miss, it’s dangerous if you stick your head out too much.”
“Look at it though! “It’s so beautiful!”
I adjusted Ameline’s rhythm appropriately and exercised my sixth sense. It was to prepare for an unexpected attack.
… … But there was no need for that.
‘… … ‘I’m waiting for you.’
The carriage stopped and stopped. This carriage has a completely sealed compartment, so you cannot see what is ahead from here.
Instead, the coachman’s tense tone announces the situation.
“… … “Men with weapons blocked our path.”
Ameline’s eyes widen at that. To my eyes, it was a face of curiosity rather than fear.
Of course, if Ameline had the acting skills of Selena, this judgment would be completely wrong, but there would be no reason to act like that in the first place.
“hey!!”
And then a loud shout was heard from outside the carriage.
“Where can such a gorgeous carriage go alone?”
It was truly a routine argument, but I strongly agree with the content itself.
“Is there someone inside! “I’ll take what I get and send it to you!”
And the sound of giggling laughter rings out.
It was a standard progression that could be said to be a script.
“Uh, what should I do?”
Ameline sounded scared. But the curiosity and somewhat excited look still lingered in those eyes.
‘Are they also part of the ‘play’?’
“I’ll go out.”
After thinking about it, I opened the carriage door. If they are just decorations that add to the fun of this trip, I can’t kill them carelessly.
When I got out of the carriage and checked the front, I saw several people dressed like bandits standing in front of the carriage.
‘… … No, it’s strange.’
A giggling laugh, an arrogant face that seems to look down on me, and a rude posture.
But in the midst of all this, I sense an unusual force from these guys.
It didn’t take long to find out. These guys are no ordinary bandits. That careless face is also acting.
“… … “What’s the matter?”
“No, did this person just ignore what he said? “They said if I just leave everything in the carriage behind, they’ll send it to me?”
“It’s a shame, but this carriage wasn’t loaded with anything.”
“okay? “Then why don’t you take off all your clothes and go?”
Fuhahahahaha! The bandits all laugh at the words of the man who looks like their leader.
… … Even in the midst of all this cheering and laughter, there is no gap of any kind.
‘If it were the article I fixed today.’
They would have died in less than 10 seconds. These are powerful enemies that make even me break out in a cold sweat. I wouldn’t be defeated, but to be honest, I didn’t have the confidence to subdue them all without killing them.
‘They are too dangerous for entertainment.’
Even while thinking that, I had a confident smile on my face.
“That’s funny. Are you guys going to stop me? “Consider it unlucky that you met me today.”
What I picture now is a new knight who doesn’t know the topic, only knowing that he is stronger. I think he gave a decent performance in his own right.
“ha ha ha! That’s funny! “You’re going to handle this number on your own?”
The bandit leader approached me with shaky steps.
And one day,
fault!
He closes the distance to me in an instant and strikes the curved sword from top to bottom.
‘… … !’
The movements of his body that narrow this distance in an instant, and moreover, the aura flows from the blade being struck down.
From there, they had already gone far beyond the category of bandits.
Wow!
I blocked his sword with black cloth. But the guy wasn’t even surprised by that and tried to retrieve the sword and attacked again in a different direction.
I am not surprised by the black sky. You definitely know who I am.
Kang! Cough! Wow!
Before we knew it, the laughter of all the bandits who were laughing loudly had disappeared.
No, they weren’t smiling from the beginning. There was no emotion in the laughter.
Cheoeok-
The bandit leader must have decided that he couldn’t break through like this, so he widened the distance.
“Hey, I got caught. “This guy noticed our acting.”
I scratched my head.
Frontier’s appearance is not very characteristic. To put it bluntly, it’s just good looks and jet black hair, but that kind of combination is not uncommon on the continent.
Although there were brief scenes of me defeating a demon throughout the empire, it was only for a brief moment. Unless you are deliberately trying to remember the face, it will be difficult to recognize it at a glance.
In other words, these guys have already received information about me. No, to be precise, you have already received information about this escort mission.
‘… … There must have been talk of asking him to play a bandit who threatens Ameline. I still don’t know if it was these guys who received that mission or where the information came from.’
Just looking at Ameline’s face, which showed signs of curiosity and excitement even though the bandits had appeared, it is clear that their appearance was expected by the Elide family.
However, even if the situation is similar, they have no intention of stopping at ‘acting’.
“What are you guys, what is your purpose? “I knew they were pretending to be bandits, but they seem different from what the Ellis family expected.”
“okay. I’m sorry. “I have no intention of letting this carriage pass, whether you take off all your clothes or not.”
Aura flows from the bandits’ posture. That alone already puts them far beyond the category of bandits. Moreover, even his posture is unusual.
“You die here. The same goes for the girl inside.”
“… … I see. “I know who’s inside.”
I sighed.
It seems like a strange noise was interfering with the young lady’s mood.
“You guys aren’t part of the package included in the lady’s ‘entertainment,’ right? “I was just pretending.”
I slowly activated my aura. As a result, black water rose and surrounded me.
“in other words.”
Those who are even more wary of how I look. There is no one who does not display auras, and his life is also unusual.
However, from my perspective, that is still not enough.
“There are no problems with killing them.”
Accident while acting…