The Escort Knight Who Is Obsessed by the Villainess Wants to Escape - Chapter 110

I walked hand in hand with Eliza.

“What if my hands get sweaty…?”

But letting go to wipe them wasn’t an option.

The grip was firm, almost surprisingly so.

“More importantly, where are we even going?”

Several minutes passed as we walked in silence.

I was getting anxious.

Sure, just wandering and taking in the sights could be a way to enjoy the festival.

“But for some reason… hmm…”

I felt a vague pressure, as if I should be doing something.

Unlike me, Eliza seemed perfectly composed.

With her cat-like eyes, she casually observed the surroundings.

A drunken reveller dancing wildly.

A child laughing at the sight.

A man singing a clumsy tune to match the rhythm.

A woman, swept up in the mood, joining in to dance.

Street food stalls lined along the roadside.

Crowds of young people gathered in front of them.

Nearby, there were stands selling simple trinkets.

Similarly, small groups of customers chatted merrily around them.

Stars spilled across the night sky like scattered sugar.

Beneath them, the festival’s lights shone even brighter.

Eliza and I walked on in silence.

The colorful lights of the festival reflected in her crimson eyes.

Eyes like gems, crafted from the finest jewels.

I found myself asking without thinking.

“What are you looking at so intently?”

“Just… this and that.”

“Are you enjoying yourself?”

It was a genuine question.

Eliza was usually indifferent to most things.

What kind of emotions could she be feeling in a situation like this?

At my question, Eliza looked up at me.

Her large eyes blinked a few times before she answered, after what felt like a long pause.

“I don’t know. But…”

She smiled faintly.

“It seems… nice.”

Eliza, who still found it difficult to grasp emotions.

Instead of saying “I like it,” she spoke as if guessing, “It seems nice.”

Even though it was her own feeling.

In other words…

Did this mean Eliza was in a good mood right now?

“What about you?”

She asked suddenly.

“…I feel the same.”

“I see. That’s good.”

What did she mean by that?

What exactly was “good”?

I thought about asking but decided against it.

It seemed like it might be an uncomfortable question for Eliza.

“Are you hungry?”

“A little.”

Still holding Eliza’s hand, I naturally guided her.

Though it was my first time at the festival, I fortunately knew a bit about the Founding Festival.

After all, I had encountered it in a game.

The streets were full of stalls offering various festival foods.

Everything sold here had been vetted by the royal family, so hygiene wasn’t an issue.

Of course, there were sometimes impostors trying to sell unapproved food.

But I could distinguish them, so that wasn’t a problem.

“What should I get her that she’d like?”

For five years, I had been feeding Eliza her meals.

And fairly often at that.

As a result, I had a good grasp of her taste.

She wasn’t picky.

She would eat almost anything.

“Among those, she especially liked dishes with both vegetables and meat.”

In that case, skewers would be a good choice.

I headed to the most famous skewer stand at the Founding Festival.

As expected, there was quite a line.

“What’s this place?”

“They sell beef and vegetable skewers here.”

“Hm. Alright.”

“Don’t you like it?”

“Not really.”

Eliza answered without much thought.

Now that I think about it, I had only been feeding her and observing her preferences, but I had never actually asked her about what she liked or disliked.

“Is there any food you particularly dislike?”

“Probably.”

“Probably…? What does that mean?”

Does she not even know herself?

“You’ve seemed to eat just fine when you were with me so far.”

“Because you’re the one giving it to me.”

“……”

For a moment, I was at a loss for words.

I stared at her absentmindedly.

Eliza looked up at me for a moment before tilting her head.

“Why?”

“…Oh, nothing. Never mind.”

Thank goodness we were only holding hands.

If we had been hugging, my heart would have been pounding so fast it would have been obvious.

I held a skewer in my hand as we walked down the festival street.

I was a bit relieved that she hadn’t asked me to feed her.

It would have been quite uncomfortable to feed her while holding hands.

Eliza quietly chewed on the skewer and followed me.

‘Eating both meat and vegetables together. She knows how to eat.’

I occasionally glanced at her as she did so.

The way she chewed with her lips oily and her cheeks puffed out…

It was kind of cute.

‘Well, calling something cute when it’s cute isn’t a crime.’

Suddenly, Eliza pointed at something.

“What’s that?”

“That’s a circus troupe performing.”

There were people dressed as clowns—or at least as flamboyantly as clowns—doing acrobatics.

Some were balancing on large balls, while others juggled multiple small ones.

Some were making puppets dance with impressive hand movements.

“Is this your first time seeing it?”

“I’ve only heard of it by name. Not really interested in entertainment like this.”

I had thought Eliza would know more about it than I did, but that was unexpected.

I still didn’t know much about Eliza.

“Is that also acrobatics?”

There was a clown blowing fire.

“I could do that too.”

“Eh? What do you… Oh, those people aren’t mages.”

“…They’re not mages?”

Eliza looked at the clown spitting fire with a different expression than before.

She tilted her head, as if finding it particularly strange.

Then, still munching on her skewer, she muttered:

“How can they spit fire if they’re not mages…?”

Her innocent confusion was so pure that—

“…Pfft!”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

I quickly turned my head and covered my face with the hand that wasn’t holding hers.

‘Ah, crap… Hold it in, hold it in! Who laughs like this in front of their master…!’

Eliza spoke in a sulky voice.

“…Why are you laughing?”

“Oh, I’m… Heh, ahem, sorry.”

I cleared my throat quickly and tried to compose myself.

It didn’t go very well, I suppose.

My lips were still sore from trying to suppress my smile.

I squinted my eyes shut for a moment before opening them and looking at Eliza.

She wasn’t pouting like I expected; instead, she was looking at me curiously, like she had seen something fascinating.

“That’s the first time I’ve seen you laugh like that.”

“…I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have laughed.”

“I don’t usually see you laugh in front of me.”

Well, it’s not like there’s usually a reason to laugh in front of a master, right?

It’s not that I’m special.

“You laugh a lot in front of other people, though.”

“Hmm…”

“I wish you’d smile at me more often.”

After saying that, Eliza subtly turned her gaze away, as if embarrassed.

She looked up at me with only her eyes.

Her large, red pupils.

“Is it strange that I’m thinking this way…?”

Before answering, I swallowed the lump in my throat.

I needed a moment.

How should I think about this question?

Is it strange to want others to laugh at my jokes?

I don’t think so.

It’s completely natural to seek kindness from others.

The strange part is the very question that asks if it’s strange.

‘You…’

I swallow the doubt that rises to the tip of my throat.

Eliza, who is clumsy at feeling emotions.

She’s still like a child who hasn’t grown in that area yet.

I shouldn’t act too hastily.

The wound Sardis left might still be affecting her mentally.

So I decided to answer calmly.

“It’s not strange.”

“…I see.”

Eliza smiled faintly at my response.

Now, this version of Eliza no longer feels unfamiliar.

There was a time when this version of me felt strange.

But now, even that me no longer feels strange.

“Judas?”

“…Yes, yes?”

“Your face is red.”

“…It’s the lighting.”

I hurriedly averted my gaze.

Even so, I felt uncomfortable and shoved the whole skewer into my mouth to chew.

Eliza subtly pulled her head back and looked up.

She seemed to wonder why I was acting like this.

‘This kind of gaze is better.’

If I had to endure that kind of look any more times, my heart would probably fall apart.

I pretended as though nothing had happened.

Even the awkwardly entwined fingers were now comfortable.

It felt as if we had always been one.

Next, I decided to feed her dessert.

It was a fruit dessert coated in melted sugar and then hardened.

‘Is it okay to take her around like this?’

Eliza followed me quietly, seemingly without care for where we were going.

So, it should be fine.

“What’s this?”

“You coat sugar on the surface of the fruit and eat it.”

“Oh. That. I’ve had it before.”

It was a dessert that had appeared on Eliza’s table a few times.

Of course, I had fed it to her before.

She would probably eat it without hesitation.

Actually, the reason I brought Eliza here was different.

This stall had a rather unique way of serving its customers.

The vendor sticks fruit onto the end of a skewer, teasing the customer by offering it just out of reach.

It’s similar to the Turkish ice cream trick.

The point is for the customer to snatch the skewer from the vendor’s hands, but of course, it’s not that easy.

Most people end up being teased before receiving the food.

‘I want to see Eliza get caught in that…’

People around us laughed as they watched someone get tricked.

Eliza, however, seemed completely indifferent to what was going on.

I quietly made a suggestion.

“Would you like to try, Miss?”

“Mmm.”

Her answer was a bit muffled since she was still chewing the meat skewer.

‘She’s just eating the skewer without knowing what’s going on…’

Before I knew it, it was Eliza’s turn.

“Two strawberries, please.”

I placed the order and stepped aside.

I positioned myself where I could best see Eliza’s reaction.

Since I was holding her hand, I couldn’t go too far.

Eliza, unaware of what was about to happen, waited blankly.

At last, the kindly vendor presented the fruit skewer.

Just as Eliza was about to reach out without suspicion—

Whoosh! The vendor quickly pulled the skewer away.

The once gentle smile turned slightly mischievous.

‘Is she going to be flustered? Or will she look at me in disbelief?’

I waited, imagining her reaction.

She completely defied my expectations.

“…”

With cold, narrowed eyes, she stared directly at the vendor.

Her once soft expression turned icy.

Then she spoke.

A voice colder than ice, colder than her expression.

“What is this nonsense?”

“……”

The surprised owner hurriedly handed over two strawberry skewers.

The hand that delivered them was trembling.

Her complexion was pale, as if she were crushed under Eliza’s overwhelming presence.

“I-I’m sorry…”

She stammered her apology in awkward Imperial language.

‘Hmm… I feel strangely sorry now…’

Eliza, who received one of the skewers, handed it to me.

“Let’s go.”

“Oh, yes…”

I apologized with a glance at the store owner, then followed Eliza.

“Uh… um. Were you offended?”

“Not particularly. I know that’s a game in their culture.”

“…Really? You knew?”

Eliza chuckled softly.

“I have that much sense. It’s just that I didn’t want to fit in. The only person I need to fit in with is you.”

“……”

No.

This is a bit much today.

Did she drink?

I don’t remember that.

‘Is she doing this on purpose…?!’

She speaks without thinking, pulling on people’s hearts as easily as breathing.

Yet Eliza seems completely indifferent.

It’s killing the one who’s listening, though.

“…Hm?”

Eliza, who was biting into the strawberry, stared at something.

The goods displayed at the stall were colorful.

It was a place selling flower crowns woven from flowers brought from all over the continent.

Eliza stared at it blankly.

“Should we go take a look?”

“…Yeah.”

As we got closer, the smell of fresh flowers hit us.

Around us, young couples and happy families were picking out flower crowns with smiles.

Eliza kept staring at them, then said to me.

“I want one too. Pick one for me.”

“…Me?”

I don’t know the first thing about flowers, and I don’t have any aesthetic sense!

“Yeah.”

“Hmm…”

After some thought, I decided.

A flower crown made of red and yellow flowers.

This one seemed like it would suit Eliza the best.

Eliza put on the crown and looked up at me.

Her innocent face.

The flowers blooming on top of it.

Red, like her eyes.

And the prominent yellow seemed almost like bright gold.

“How does it look?”

“…It suits you well.”

Not like you’d look bad in anything, though…

“Then I’ll go with this one.”

After buying the flower crown, we walked toward the mansion.

It was about time to head back.

The street was still bustling with lively people.

Tomorrow, they’d probably all be out partying like this again.

But not Eliza.

She’d just made time today.

From tomorrow, she’d be busy again.

After crossing the gate, we headed toward the mansion’s garden.

Neither of us said anything.

Our steps naturally led us there.

The garden, like a maze, with hedges forming walls.

The mansion, reserved only for invited nobles, was quiet, unlike the outside.

It felt like a separate world.

The chaos from just a moment ago seemed like a lie.

Here, the only light was the soft moonlight.

We were still holding hands.

She looked up at the sky, then suddenly spoke.

“This peacefulness will probably be the last. You must have a vague idea of what I’m about to do, who I’ll turn into an enemy.”

“…Yes.”

“A great war is coming.”

What is she trying to say with this?

“Judas.”

“Yes, Miss.”

She called me, but then didn’t continue with her words.

Suddenly, she stopped and stared at me intently.

I waited silently for her to speak.

The soft moonlight illuminated her.

A face I’ve known for a long time, since I first arrived here.

Before I knew it, she had grown into a mature adult.

Her face, which still carried traces of her childhood, felt comforting just to look at.

At the same time, it had become uncomfortable at some point.

I… Eliza…

At that moment.

Rustle!

Something approached, brushing through the bushes.

I quickly pulled Eliza into my arms.

Something quickly skimmed across the ground.

Was Eliza startled? She wrapped her arms around my neck and jumped up.

What emerged from the bushes was a rat.

“……”

Naturally, I was holding Eliza in a princess-carry position.

“……”

Her face was too close.

Less than an inch away.

I could feel her breath.

Eliza’s exhalation brushed against my skin.

My entire view was filled with Eliza.

The scent grew stronger the closer she got.

A soft, sweet smell, unchanged from before.

A second felt like an hour.

Frozen, I stared at Eliza.

She was looking at me too.

I unconsciously swallowed.

My lips felt dry, so I moistened them with my tongue.

Eliza’s gaze dropped.

Her eyes fixed on my lips.

Then, like me, she gently traced her red lips with her small tongue.

Thump, thump.

The sound of my heartbeat was too loud.

It felt as if it was echoing in my ears.

It was difficult to tell whose pulse it was.

Her large eyes trembled innocently, as though she were a little scared.

When I saw the moon reflected in her red eyes, I tried to speak.

Suddenly, the area below me became hot.

“…Wait, hold on. It’s really hot?”

I looked down and saw flames had caught on the stone floor of the garden.

Golden flames.

“Ugh! W-What’s going on…! Did you do this, Miss?!”

“…I got startled.”

It seemed like the magic had activated in response to her shock from the rat.

“Even so, how could you start a fire in the garden?!”

“…I don’t know.”

Eliza buried her face in my neck and muttered her reply.

“It’s your fault, so you should take responsibility.”

The fire wasn’t large enough to spread easily.

But because it was Eliza’s magic, it wasn’t easy to put it out.

So, I had to spend quite some time stomping around, trying to put out the flames.

***

A few days after the National Founding Festival ended.

Eliza stood on a high cliff.

Her red scarf fluttered in the wind.

Holding a cat doll, she gazed down at the surroundings.

Behind the Eliza mansion, a large mountain range extended, with the highest peak among them.

And finally, she made her decision.

‘If it’s going to be, it should be the bigger one. The distance is about right.’

It didn’t have to be the mountain closest to the house.

She could teleport anyway.

‘This should be just perfect for living together.’

It was a secret from Judas, so she had briefly left him behind.

She already missed him, but decided to wait a little longer.

She imagined Judas’s shocked expression when he saw this space later and couldn’t help but smile.

She could endure it.

Unaware that she had crossed a line, Eliza waved her hand.

The hard stone floor tore apart like soft bread.

A hole large enough for a person to fit in kept burrowing downwards.

‘Making the hole too big might affect the foundation. For now, I’ll make a passage just the right size and go down. Once I find a good spot, I can expand it into something like a cave. As for the shape… a birdcage-like shape would be ideal.’

The mage, known as the reincarnation of the mythological era, began to excavate the mountain.