Chapter 88: Lili’s Knight (5)
As the carriage continued to climb the mountain, the sun set, leaving the son-in-law in darkness.
Of course, there wasn’t even a village in sight from this location.
“sorry. I got tired of talking more quickly than I thought. “I think I’ll have to sleep out today.”
“No, homeless?”
Ameline asks as if surprised by the coachman’s words. But that questioning face sparkles with bright eyes.
Is this your first time experiencing homelessness, young lady?
“yes. sorry. “I will quickly prepare a place for you to sleep.”
“I will help too.”
I got out of the carriage.
When I came out and looked around, I saw an empty lot that was perfect for spending the night.
It didn’t occur to me that this place was discovered by chance. Is this homelessness part of the package?
“I think we can gather branches in the center, make a fire, and pitch a tent to spend the night.”
“I see, I’m glad.”
“Thank goodness. “It’s difficult to find suitable flat ground on a mountain path like this.”
“That’s a good thing, too,”
I walked a little closer to the coachman.
“I’m glad you stayed calm.”
“… … !”
“I hope that the dagger in your arms will not be exposed during this trip.”
Looking at the coachman’s frozen face, I smiled slightly.
“If there are enemies attacking you, I will take care of them all, so there is no need to step forward. “Even the coachman is thoroughly armed to protect the young lady. The Ellis family is truly worthy of respect.”
“… … “Yes, yes.”
“I hope you really, really understand what I’m saying. I’m not good at driving horses. “You will feel uncomfortable in the carriage I drive.”
As if he fully understood what I said, the coachman closed his mouth and nodded.
“great. Oh, and by the way, the route I’m taking now is a little different from what I was told in advance, but I don’t think I was informed of the change. “Can you tell me which route leads to the imperial palace?”
“… … “Yes, yes.”
The coachman took out a map of Juseomjuseom and drew a line on the map with his finger.
… … It’s a bit further back than I knew, but I’m still headed to the imperial palace anyway.
“okay. “The route will not be different this time.”
“Well, of course.”
I saved the map the coachman showed me and the route he indicated with his fingers in the workshop. And I looked up at the sky.
‘I don’t know what Lili wants from me.’
Do you want me to let go, or do you want me to protect Ameline?
Or do you really just want to see the choice itself?
There is nothing that I know of. I don’t have the talent to read Lily’s inner thoughts, and even if I knew more than anything, it doesn’t suit my temperament to do what she wants.
I am Lily’s knight.
If Lili is told to become a dog, she will become a dog, and if she is told to die, she will die. I definitely said that to Lily.
So, since Lili gave the mission to ‘escort Ameline’.
I intend to carry out this mission more perfectly than anyone else.
Even if that’s not what Lili wants.
Caw-
The caw of a crow heard somewhere in the forest.
I don’t know about Lily, but I am also not someone who has nothing to do with the dark side.
* * *
Laurie, the hypnotist in the dark, is busy these days.
After investigating the fragments of Helheim in Jeranhess, his rank rose, and soon after, he rose again. This is an unusual special treatment even for an undercover officer.
The reason actually had nothing to do with Laurier.
Many of the top-level executives of the secretariat suddenly disappeared. Since the body could not be found, it was marked as missing, but in reality, it was no different from being treated as dead.
To fill the void, the ranks of people like Laurier rose little by little, and at the same time, the work to do increased significantly. If you don’t have enough people, just give more work to those who don’t have it. The behavior was the same for any organization.
‘As expected, it was because of the mana injection.’
Laurier was investigating mana injection separately from the shadow department. There were orders from above not to get involved in it, but Laurier’s personality meant he couldn’t let it go completely.
Moreover, most of the upper-level personnel who had been told not to get involved were missing, so there was nothing to stop her.
That’s why Laurier soon found out. Some of the members of the Imperial Palace’s secret department touched the devil. And that you should never reveal that to anyone.
For now, it was fortunate that she was part of the dark department. As some of the upper class went missing and the story about mana injection faded away, Laurier also withdrew.
She started the investigation because of the dangers and uneasiness of mana injection, and had no intention of touching anything related to demons.
“Then I will upload all these documents directly.”
“okay. “The Empress has advised you to do so, so don’t forget it.”
Laurier’s daily life is still lived as a second personality created through self-hypnosis. However, the level of hypnosis was lowered a bit compared to Yeranhes.
After being treated badly by Frondier, I learned that deep hypnosis puts people in a difficult situation when they have a perfect understanding of their true identity.
Although the current Laurier is a second personality, he is conscious, however shallowly, that he is the original Laurier. His current role is a clerk at the imperial palace. Her job is to deliver all documents related to Frontier to higher-ups.
‘Why did Her Majesty the Empress choose Frondier…? … ?’
This second personality wears glasses like the last time, but has no freckles. It feels a bit more intelligent, but simplicity must be maintained to a certain extent. Just one of the many office workers in the imperial palace.
The second personality has no particular thoughts. I just receive work, process it, and carry out my daily routine.
So even if Laurier’s deep psychology is questioned, her actions quickly carry out the given task.
From Noble mtl dot com
A shallow awareness, such as being aware that it is a dream, just for a brief moment while dreaming.
However.
“… … ?”
While Laurier was walking down the corridors of the imperial palace carrying documents, he looked toward the window on the left to freshen his eyes.
Caw-
I met a crow.
I made eye contact with the crow.
The crow.
[Laurier. This is a message from Frontier.]
The moment I uttered human words.
“──Hiik.”
Laurier wakes up from a dream.
[Tell me what you know about Ameline von Ellis and Leah Reis.]
“Ah, Ameline… … ?”
[This is not a good time and place. I will visit again at night.]
At night?
After the second personality disappears?
No, but did the crow just say it would come back? Frontier said that not because he ordered it, but because of his own judgment?
“What the hell are you… … .”
[I am just a crow.]
The crow says, flapping its wings.
[Frondier just took it from me.]
* * *
The next morning, the carriage moved again.
I stayed up all night without sleeping at all. Frontier’s body is accustomed to drowsiness, and at the same time, I have a lot of experience overcoming fatigue.
It made no sense for Ameline to be on watch, and I couldn’t trust the coachman, so it was only natural. Of course, Ameline thinks I was keeping an eye on her during my shifts.
Besides, there was actually nothing to be bored about during the night.
‘You’re attacking me so much.’
As if Ameline’s secret was dangerous, all sorts of people attacked her during the night.
However, most of them were monsters. Did they cast a spell to lure them this way, or were they trained?
All monsters were killed, and when humans attacked, blunt weapons were used to stun them. Of course, even if he did that, he couldn’t be sure that he didn’t kill them all. I just tried.
“miss.”
The carriage continued to move forward, and it was almost time to calculate the time to arrive at the imperial palace.
I spoke to Ameline, who looked nervous inside the carriage.
“yes yes.”
Ameline was a little surprised and answered.
At first, Ameline was excited by the idea of being a young lady escorted by a knight, but now that she’s here, she can’t help but notice.
Ameline didn’t see the monster or the bandit in person, but she heard the sound.
Menacing sounds kept coming from around the carriage.
Even now, I am using black cloth to block everything that attacks the carriage. If they can’t at least pierce my sixth sense, they won’t be able to reach the carriage.
I smiled at Ameline.
“You were bored. “Because I don’t have much to say.”
“Oh, no! That’s not true. “It was a lot of fun!”
Ameline said that with a sincere expression, but her eyes were shaken by the eerie sounds she occasionally heard.
“Well, by the way, driver. I couldn’t tell you because I was scared, but maybe… … .”
“Still, it was a peaceful trip.”
“yes… … ?”
“Other than the first bandits, I was fortunate to have had a safe trip.”
Ameline blinked at my words.
“… … Safe travel… … .”
“yes. “There is no harm done to the young lady, so as a knight, that alone gives me peace of mind.”
… … Take note, Ameline.
What I mean by this.
Why did I not let you see the faces of so many enemies until now?
Why did they not stop the carriage and why did they go out of their way to eliminate all threats within this carriage?
“… … “Yes, that’s right.”
Soon Ameline smiled brightly.
“I was really glad nothing happened.”
I smile in satisfaction at that.
“that’s right. “Peace comes first.”
So the carriage moves on.
The carriage deliberately took the long way back to the imperial palace without any injuries.
Peacefully, without any special incidents.
* * *
“… … Nothing happened… … .”
Late at night, Lili is currently reading a report on Frontier’s mission.
While Frondier was escorting Ameline, he investigated the shadowy group that had attempted to assassinate her.
If you can determine the type of enemy or trap that attacked the carriage, you can also determine who the shadowy target was targeting Ameline.
However, when Frondier and Ameline arrived at the imperial palace, Ameline said, ‘It was a peaceful trip.’ He said he didn’t see any bandits, monsters, traps or anything. In fact, the carriage was almost as good as when it left.
That story must have reached Ambu’s ears as well.
Frondier did not abandon Ameline, nor did he make the Ambu’s attack public.
… … in other words.
“You can threaten like this too.”
Frontier gave Ambu a chance.
I know that Ameline’s secret is dangerous, but Ameline has not opened her mouth yet.
Therefore, Frontier presented a line to Ambu.
The risk of killing an ordinary person who would not reveal a secret, plus the risk of Frontier himself escorting Ameline.
Should we go beyond all of that and still block the mouth of one child?
One last chance to reconsider it, Frontier gave Ambu.
Ambu wouldn’t give that answer yet, but Lily had a rough idea of what the answer would be.
“… … great job.”
Lily’s expression as she muttered to herself did not look very good.
Lili forced Frondier to choose between the two.
Will you protect Ameline or be on the side of the imperial palace?
No matter which side you choose, Lili had a solution.
But Frontier did neither.
“… … In other words, it wasn’t just Ambu that Frontier gave an opportunity,”
“I gave you a chance too. “Riri.”
“!”
Lili turned her head in surprise. There was a frontier by the window. Lili’s room was on the third floor of this building, so the frontier was floating.
“Wow, you came quickly?”
Lili asks, trying to act calm, but the question is already strange.
Frondier completely ignored the question and spoke.
“The fact that Ameline is dangerous means that you, Lili, are also dangerous.”
Lili made a subtle face and avoided eye contact.
It’s probably no coincidence that Lili assigned me to this escort mission.
Lili expected Ameline to be in danger, which means she also knows that Ameline holds the secret of the dark side.
In other words, Lili also knows the dark side’s secret.
‘How did Lili know that?’
Ameline spoke about her uncle in front of Frontier. Just by looking at his appearance, you can tell that his mouth is not that heavy.
But Ameline said that no one other than Frondier had ever talked about her uncle. That’s probably not a lie. If she doesn’t know how important this secret is in the first place, she has no reason to lie like that.
In other words, Lili realized that Ambu had summoned the devil through a route other than through Ameline’s mouth.
“… … Leah Reese.”
“why?”
“There is one thing I would like to ask you.”
“What?”
A way for Lili to recognize the demon summoning through a different route than through Ameline.
As far as I know, there is only one thing.
“Is Leah Lis a devil?”
“… … .”
Belphegor, the demon of sloth whom Frondier fought, knew that Satan had been summoned from the imperial palace. Without moving a single step from Mangot, a land far away in the west.
I don’t know the specific method, but if Lili sensed it as Belphegor sensed it, she would have figured out that it was the shadow’s doing.
Lily widened her eyes for a moment at Frondier’s words, then asked with a stern look on her face.
“if so? “What are you going to do?”
“I don’t really have any plans to do anything.”
“lie. There’s no way a kid like you would ask such a question for nothing. “If it were normal, I would never ask and just keep digging until I’m sure.”
Frondier did not particularly refute that statement.
Because it’s probably true. If Frondier just suspects that Lili is a demon, he won’t do the foolish thing of asking Lili directly. If that were the case, I would have asked when I first came here.
“… … “Are you going to convey that to the imperial palace?”
“I told you. “I’m giving you a chance.”
Frondier looked at Lili with infinitely cold eyes, contrary to the content of his words.
“You were curious about what kind of person I am.”
“… … !”
“So do i. “I’m very curious about what kind of woman Leah Reese is.”
Zodiac, Leah Reese.
Lili, said to be one of the continent’s greatest talents, now faces a greater threat than ever before.
“I don’t really like that you tested me with such pranks, but considering the situation, I think you also wanted to save Ameline.”
Frontier’s black stream leaks out like fog. It wraps around the frontier.
“I want to hear it from your mouth.”
Frontier asks Zodiac Leah Ris.
“Should I kill you?”