The Escort Knight Who Is Obsessed by the Villainess Wants to Escape - Chapter 139

Eliza suddenly requested to be petted.

The effect was truly remarkable.

My brain stopped working, literally.

Eliza urged me on with a look.

I couldn’t just keep her waiting endlessly, so I decided to follow her command for now.

“Uh, t-then… I-I’ll touch you, okay?”

Eliza nodded.

I reached out my hand cautiously.

‘What am I supposed to do…?’

In the brief moment my hand extended, countless thoughts crossed my mind.

I’ve never petted a person before.

I never even imagined a day would come where someone would openly ask me to touch them.

And that someone is Eliza, no less.

‘She did complain that I only petted Yuel, so should I pet her the same way?’

But Yuel is a beast…

Is this really okay?

I don’t know.

Since she asked me to, I’ll just do my best.

I gently placed my hand on Eliza’s chin and began stroking it with my fingertips.

Eliza closed her eyes contentedly, as if satisfied.

‘…Why does it feel like she’s turning into a cat?’

At this rate, I wouldn’t be surprised if she grew ears and a tail later.

‘That would be pretty cute… Oh, no, stop it.’

I pushed away the mischievous thought.

I refocused on petting Eliza.

When I usually pet Yuel, I start by stroking her chin and then scratch her neck.

I scratch hard so it feels refreshing, but I can’t do that with Eliza.

The neck of a moon deer is long and sturdy, but Eliza’s neck is pale and slender.

Instead, I stroked her face.

Softly brushing with the uncalloused part of my fingertips.

Her skin was smooth and warm.

Even as an adult, her cheeks were still round and soft.

Though her jawline was slightly more pronounced these days from losing a bit of weight.

Her eyebrows were thin but distinct.

Her forehead was nicely rounded, leading to a graceful nose bridge.

Her face exuded both maturity and youthful charm at the same time.

…But I couldn’t bring myself to touch her lips, so I avoided them.

Eliza’s lips curled slightly upward, as if she liked my touch.

I stroked her gently protruding cheekbones and ran my other hand through her hair.

Her black hair flowed softly like waves.

Her head was so small it fit perfectly in one hand.

As my hand moved, her face tilted slightly along with the motion.

“Hehe…”

Eliza chuckled bashfully, clearly enjoying herself.

‘You’d think I’d be used to her cuteness after five years, but every time feels like the first.’

If that’s a talent, it’s an extraordinary one.

A very serious talent.

‘And also…’

She once complained that she’s always the one initiating hugs.

‘Hmm…’

I usually hug her without a second thought, but trying to do it consciously made it strangely awkward.

It felt odd.

‘This is so embarrassing…’

Eliza already seemed satisfied.

She was nuzzling into my hand as I stroked her face and hair.

So maybe I didn’t need to hug her after all…

But her words stuck with me.

That she always hugged me first.

Was she upset about that?

Honestly, that wasn’t the only reason.

More than anything else, I wanted to hug Eliza. There were moments when I felt that way, even before.

I cautiously pulled her into my arms.

Eliza relaxed her body entirely, letting me hold her.

With a light thud, her body pressed against mine.

She leaned on me, her weight a comforting presence.

With one hand, I stroked her hair, and with the other, I patted her back softly.

“Hehe…”

Eliza giggled like a fool, rubbing her face against my chest.

She seemed unbelievably happy, just because I hugged her first.

“This feels nice…”

She murmured in a dreamy, languid voice, tightening her arms around my waist.

Warm body heat flowed between us as we touched.

‘This can’t be good for my heart… Could she possibly get any cuter than this?’

Judging by my past experiences, it seems very likely.

But if she does, it’d really be a problem, wouldn’t it?

Well, I’ll worry about that when it happens. For now, I decided to savor this moment, holding Eliza close in my arms.

To be honest, it’s not the first time.

We’ve been sticking together constantly these days, hugging each other at every chance.

But this is the first time I’ve been the one to initiate, so maybe I can be a little bolder.

I buried my face into the crown of her head.

Her soft hair tickled my nose.

A faint, sweet scent gently spread and seeped into my lungs.

It was uniquely Eliza’s fragrance.

I’m not very familiar with other women’s scents, but when I’ve been near noblewomen at social gatherings, their perfumes were often so strong they made me dizzy.

Eliza’s scent was different.

It was subtle, almost imperceptible, yet soothing.

Suddenly, I found myself curious.

What are we, exactly?

How would I define our relationship?

Does Eliza know the answer?

Or is she as curious as I am?

It’s not like I don’t know how she feels.

I have a vague idea—or rather, it’s crystal clear.

But we’ve never put it into words.

Neither of us.

‘Well… Every time I tried, something always interrupted us.’

After the war ended, we seemed like we were about to have the conversation, but we ended up letting it slide, and now it feels awkward to bring it up.

As a result, we’ve never discussed it again.

It just… became natural.

Including moments like this, and all the time we spend together.

‘Well… You don’t always need words to understand something….’

Even if you don’t say it, there are things you can just feel.

I do know, but still, I can’t help wanting to hear it.

‘Hmm… Am I being too rigid, stuck in traditional thinking…?’

As I stroked Eliza’s hair, I noticed that the surroundings had grown unusually quiet.

Even Eliza, who had been nuzzling her face into me with a silly grin, had fallen silent.

“Eliza?”

I tilted my head back slightly to check, and her face was bright red.

She glanced up at me and quickly averted her gaze.

“What’s wrong?”

“I-it’s just….”

She stammered, something she rarely did.

Then she raised a hand to touch the crown of her head.

“You were sniffing me so persistently… It felt a little… strange…. And the way you kept touching me….”

She pressed her other hand against her flushed cheek, as if trying to cool it down.

‘Wait, so this means….’

Eliza was embarrassed.

All because I sniffed her head a little.

She never used to react like this.

It meant she had started to notice things she previously took for granted.

In other words, something had changed.

Something between us….

“W-why are you looking at me like that….”

Her voice trailed off to a whisper.

Her face, filled with shyness.

I unconsciously swallowed hard.

Eliza’s trembling eyes briefly glanced at my throat, then returned to my face.

She swallowed audibly too and licked her lips.

Her red lips glistened, looking as juicy as ripe fruit.

I was staring at those lips when, before I knew it, our faces had drawn closer.

I had leaned toward her.

And she, instead of pulling away, rose slightly on her toes.

There wasn’t even any space left between us, yet we pushed to get closer still.

Eliza’s breath trembled faintly.

Even her breath smelled sweet.

So sweet, I wanted to claim it all for myself before it could dissipate.

“Eliza, I….”

She stopped me mid-sentence.

“Later. For now, something else… first….”

Her hand rose to my face.

Gently, she cupped my cheek and pulled me toward her.

Eliza’s eyes slowly closed.

And then….

Bang, bang!

Someone pounded on the stable door, shouting urgently.

“Miss!”

Judging by the voice, it was Miguel.

‘…Ah. This again?’

Whether it was some prank of the gods or what, I couldn’t help but feel like they were mocking me.

If there really is a god, I’d like to see its face once.

A sigh escaped me, my energy draining away.

As I was awkwardly trying to step back amidst the absurdity, Eliza held my face still.

She fixed my turning head firmly in her direction.

“Focus only on me.”

Her red eyes, resolute as if she had made an important decision, stared straight at me.

The tension I had lost returned to my body in an instant.

Eliza pulled my face toward her again.

I let myself be led without resistance…

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Someone pounded on the door violently once more.

This time, even Eliza had to stop and focus on the noise.

“Miss! An imperial envoy has arrived! They bring the Emperor’s response regarding the peace treaty proposal!”

It was an issue of significant importance.

…Though this moment here felt just as critical.

“Haah…”

Eliza sighed in annoyance and leaned against my shoulder.

I simply stroked her hair in return.

It was a shame for me too, but admitting it out loud would have been embarrassing.

It wasn’t the time for such feelings either.

Still holding onto my waist, Eliza muttered ominously.

“Just you wait…”

Hmm.

Who was that meant for?

Whoever it was, they were in big trouble.

Meanwhile, Yuel scratched furiously at the stable door with its horns.

It seemed eager to open it since someone was knocking outside.

With heavy footsteps, Eliza walked over and flung the door open.

I stepped back, petting the oblivious Yuel by her side.

In front of us stood Lia, Miguel, and Bradley.

Bradley, looking back and forth between me and Eliza, cleared his throat and blushed.

‘…No, what in the world is that man imagining?’

How unfair.

It’s not like I even acted on anything worth imagining…

Ah, forget it.

Eliza spoke coldly.

“Did you say someone from the imperial palace has arrived?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Hah… Lead the way.”

The envoy was waiting in the reception room.

“It is an honor to meet Duke Eliza.”

The envoy’s representative greeted her with elegant manners.

“His Majesty has taken full consideration of the Duke’s insight, believing there is no need for humanity’s central powers to continue meaningless conflicts due to unfortunate events…”

“Get to the point. Keep it short.”

Eliza rudely interrupted the lengthy compliment.

Right now, she was much more irritable and sharp than usual.

I worried if this was okay, but the envoy smiled graciously.

“His Majesty wishes to meet the Duke in person. However, it must be a private audience.”

“He seeks a one-on-one meeting?”

“That is correct. Without any observers, he desires to discuss critical matters as the heads of respective factions.”

“The date and location?”

“Should you consent, he said they could be coordinated gradually.”

“Then relay it as such.”

Despite being the Emperor’s envoy, Eliza was arrogant and blunt to an extreme degree.

But she had the power to back it up.

‘…Strangely, that’s kind of cool.’

There was a time when Eliza’s insolent demeanor felt terrifying to me.

Yet, I also thought, ‘That’s so like the villainess I know.’

Now, thinking of her as being on my side made me feel incredibly reassured.

Maybe I was just seeing her through rose-colored glasses.

Even so, the envoy maintained their gentle smile, unbothered by Eliza’s attitude.

After they departed, I cautiously asked,

“If it’s only the two of you meeting, will it really be alright?”

Eliza crossed her arms and rolled her eyes toward the ceiling.

Then, with utmost confidence, she shot back.

“Who, me?”

I had worried for nothing.

Johan, the Emperor, wasn’t someone to be taken lightly.

But the person he would face was even more formidable.

She is a mage who can traverse the continent in mere seconds.

It seems it’s the Emperor who should be worried, not Eliza.

“Are you worried?”

“I can’t help but be.”

At that, Eliza suddenly nestled into my arms.

She smiled like a child, rubbing her face against me.

‘Is she testing how much cuter she can get?’

It was nice for me, but I couldn’t be entirely happy about it.

The reception room where the delegation had gathered.

It wasn’t just the two of us here.

While Miguel had gone out to greet the guests, other attendants, including Rein, remained in the room.

“……”

Everyone averted their gaze, faces flushed, pretending not to notice.

Among them, Lia no longer glared at me and Eliza as she used to.

She merely smiled faintly.

Sometimes, that smile made her seem like someone who would soon leave.

…It must be my imagination.

“Oh. It bloomed.”

For five years, the windowsill in my room has been guarded by a pot of anemones.

The last time I returned, it had only buds.

When I checked before going to bed tonight, the flowers had fully bloomed.

The flower I had given as an impromptu gift five years ago had led to a potted plant, which still remained in my room.

It was a fascinating thing.

Click. The door opened.

Eliza entered as naturally as if it were her own room.

‘Hmm… I’m still not used to this.’

Lately, for several nights, Eliza has been sleeping beside me.

Purely sleeping.

Though she rests her head on my arm, it’s otherwise entirely innocent.

Even so, every time she enters, I feel an odd sensation.

It feels as if I’m doing something I shouldn’t.

Though nothing improper happens, the feeling remains.

‘Well, both of us are grown adults now….’

We had slept together numerous times after becoming adults, but now the situation was different.

Back then, I had no idea about Eliza’s feelings.

I was merely akin to a comfort doll to her.

‘…Perhaps that hasn’t changed much.’

Regardless, it feels strange.

Especially after today at the stables….

“Oh! It bloomed?”

Eliza noticed the pot and ran over excitedly.

She had brought her red blanket and cat plushie again today.

Standing beside me, she inspected the red anemones.

“They’re beautiful.”

Said the most beautiful one of all.

“Soon, the anemones in the garden will bloom too.”

The estate has several gardens.

The one she referred to was the small garden surrounding the fountain.

It didn’t have an official name, but people here called it the Anemone Garden because it was filled with nothing but anemones, except for a few ornamental trees and shrubs.

In spring, the entire area turned a vivid red.

“Let’s go see them together again this year.”

Eliza held my hand and smiled.

Every year, when the anemones bloomed, we visited that garden together.

It wasn’t something we planned. We’d just naturally end up there during a walk.

The warmth of her hand seeped into my heart.

I smiled back.

“Alright.”

Leaning on each other, we gazed out the window until Eliza pulled me toward the bed.

“I’m sleepy. Time to sleep now.”

I knew it was meaningless.

We really only slept, true to the word.

But just knowing doesn’t mean feelings obey logic.

‘Pure thoughts… pure thoughts….’

Eliza in her pajamas.

Fortunately, they weren’t the kind that left nowhere for the eyes to rest.

If anything, they were cute pajamas.

A dress that reached her ankles, with sleeves covering her wrists, adorned with plenty of frills.

‘…But once you get close, those details don’t matter.’

When I lay down first, Eliza naturally rested her head on my arm and curled up against me.

Innocent Eliza, oblivious to love.

…I thought so, but it seems like he doesn’t entirely lack understanding.

However, seeing how he casually engages in such bold physical contact, it still feels like he’s not entirely ordinary in some way.

Unlike me, who is completely ordinary.

‘I need to endure this….’

Eliza murmured as she nestled into my arms.

“Goodnight.”

I responded, holding her close.

“Sweet dreams, my lady.”

Her freshly washed and dried hair gave off a pleasant scent.

I’ve grown accustomed to falling asleep to this fragrance.

Eliza’s breathing gradually slowed down.

Calm, slow, and steady.

Listening to her breath, I too drifted off to sleep, completely forgetting about the second tragedy.

***

Eliza slowly opened her eyes.

It was after Judas had fallen asleep.

She didn’t need to confirm; she could tell.

After years of sleeping beside him, she had learned countless subtle cues.

From the rhythm of his breathing, the beat of his heart, to his occasional restless movements, Eliza could distinguish whether he was genuinely asleep or merely pretending.

She cautiously lifted her head, careful not to wake him.

Her gaze fell on his thick neck, his firm jawline, and then his lips.

Unintentionally, Eliza brushed her own lips with her fingers.

This irrational impulse puzzled her.

What was it about lips, anyway?

Why did they keep drawing her attention and making her yearn for another form of dialogue shared through them during pivotal moments?

Countless fantasies darted through her mind like fish flopping in their prime season.

What would it feel like if they touched?

The texture, the warmth?

How would she feel in that moment, and how would Judas feel?

Would it make breathing difficult?

Would their noses collide, preventing the contact altogether?

And then, what comes next…?

As the imaginings continued, warmth pooled in her lower abdomen.

Eliza barely managed to restrain herself from reaching out to touch his lips, instead curling into his chest as if seeking refuge.

Not yet.

If possible, she wanted it to happen while they were both awake, fully aware of each other’s desires.

Stealing such a moment in his sleep felt like a cowardly indulgence.

Eliza wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling herself closer.

For some reason, she couldn’t shake the feeling of wanting to hide.

Even her heart, pounding away, felt like something she wanted to conceal.

But there was nowhere else to hide except within his embrace, so she surrendered herself to it.

It seemed unlikely that she’d fall asleep easily, but the feeling wasn’t unpleasant.

“……”

Eurydice stared blankly at the ceiling.

She couldn’t deny it anymore.

Judas’s past.

She hadn’t uncovered everything.

But at least she had figured out his true identity.

To be specific, why he had approached Eliza in the first place.

What he had done before he got close to her.

However, she still couldn’t understand why Judas stayed by Eliza’s side.

Judas’s feelings toward Eliza were painfully transparent.

So much so that it was hard to believe there was any ulterior motive hidden beneath them.

Feeling just as conflicted, Orpheus reached for a bottle of alcohol but stopped.

Instead, he let out a deep sigh to shake off his frustration.

Eurydice fiddled with a cigarette but ended up putting it back in the drawer.

Though the circumstances were unclear, two things were certain.

One.

Their feelings were anything but a joke or something lighthearted.

And two.

“First, let’s use Hermes to bring Judas here.”

Judas, as the person in question, needed to be told this truth first.