The Escort Knight Who Is Obsessed by the Villainess Wants to Escape - Chapter 191

It was widely believed that the ruling class before Eliza deliberately kept the war going.

That’s only half true.

In reality, they exploited the many circumstances caused by the war to take advantage of the powerless majority.

However, they ultimately lacked the power to truly end the war.

None of them could confidently say that humanity would surely win or reclaim the stolen lands.

Eliza was different.

She could believe, she could promise—and she was someone capable of making it happen.

As soon as she ascended the throne, Eliza made a few promises to all of humanity.

The first of those was the conquest of the Demon Realm.

She declared her intent to reclaim the lost holy land and expand humanity’s territory.

Since the first separation of the Demon Realm and human lands, there had been a legend passed down: if humanity were to reclaim the sacred land of “Canaan,” then lush greenery would grow on lifeless soil, and milk and honey would flow endlessly, bringing abundance to all of humanity.

Eliza proclaimed that she would make that legend a reality.

It was an absurd idea.

The kind of claim people would laugh at.

If it hadn’t come from Eliza.

In front of Eliza, humanity united as one.

There was a symbolic weight to someone who had appeared in the dreams of all humanity, perished with the evil gods, and returned.

The first true unification in human history.

And under this unprecedented unity, the campaign to conquer the Demon Realm began.

A ceremony was organized to commemorate the first step.

It was a grand procession marching from the northern part of Jerusalem to the edge of the Demon Realm, where safety had been secured.

The actual conquest had already begun, but the ceremony was a separate affair.

Eliza believed a celebration was necessary to officially inform the people, timed with the completion of the imperial palace.

“Waaaaah!”

Spectators flooded the wide boulevard.

Cheering and shouting, they waved and praised the imperial procession that crossed the main road.

Leading the procession were the Imperial Knights.

Clad in golden armor, they marched with pride.

Behind them came a truly magnificent sight: a carriage escorted by Imperial Guards in shining platinum armor.

The carriage was so massive that onlookers had to crane their necks just to see it.

Even then, it was hard to spot the people inside.

In a way, it defied the very definition of a “carriage.”

For it was drawn not by horses, but by four massive elephants.

It had no roof or walls—a purely ceremonial carriage, completely open.

Seated side by side in it were Judas and Eliza.

“Oof…”

Judas felt like he might go deaf from the cheers flying toward them.

Eliza, linked arm-in-arm with him and leaning against his shoulder, calmly watched the scene around them.

The crowd was immense.

So large that a single misstep could cause an accident.

So many people, all praising her.

They revered her achievements, and had faith in what she would do next.

It didn’t stir any particularly strong feelings in her.

She knew it was a big deal, but… it didn’t feel like much.

No thrill, no pride, no sense of accomplishment.

She just wanted to finish conquering the Demon Realm quickly and go lounge around with Judas.

Still, it wasn’t like she felt no responsibility at all.

At the very least, she did feel a sense of duty.

“I have to do this.”

Children were laughing and bouncing around, catching his eye.

The country where Judas lived was safe enough that even at this late hour, a child wandering outside didn’t pose much of a problem—thanks to the strength of its administration.

He had a small desire of his own to maintain such a country.

“Your Majesty the State Ruler—! Thank you!”

“Ah, our benevolent ruler has graced us with his presence!”

“He will lead us to peace!”

Before he was the State Ruler, Judas had been Eliza’s knight and bodyguard, well known for his formidable skills.

He simply hadn’t stood out in Eliza’s shadow.

Still, quite a few people had high hopes for his role now.

It was the first time he’d ever been treated like a figure of authority by so many people. It made him feel a bit awkward.

He smiled uncomfortably and waved to the crowd.

“You smiled at a woman just now, didn’t you? Who was she?”

“…There are way too many people here for me to be pinpointing one woman to smile at, don’t you think?”

“Hmph.”

Judas didn’t exactly dislike Eliza’s persistent jealousy.

It was almost like a conditioned reflex.

Persistent, but never truly suspicious.

“Then kiss me.”

And as always, the demand was followed by a request to shower her with affection—which he just found cute.

Judas casually cupped her cheek and kissed her.

A kiss in front of people? No big deal anymore.

It wasn’t the first time, and definitely wouldn’t be the last.

Besides, because of their elevated position, people down below couldn’t see very well.

Even if some could, it didn’t matter.

Let them watch, if they want.

Rumors about the emperor and her consort being excessively affectionate had already spread to every corner of the continent.

“Happy now?”

“Hmm… one more time.”

Smooch.

“Now?”

“Mm. That’s good.”

Satisfied after just two kisses, Eliza nuzzled her face into his shoulder.

“By the way, where’s your mother? I don’t see her today.”

“She said she didn’t want to be around a crowd. Wanted to rest at home.”

“Ah, I see.”

As Judas looked out at the cheering crowd, a sudden thought struck him.

“I wonder how long it’ll take to conquer the Demon Realm.”

“Hmm… we’ll try to move as fast as possible, but it probably won’t go as quickly as I’d like.”

Well, of course.

No matter how powerful Eliza was as a mage, she was still just one person.

Taking on the entire Demon Realm at once was impossible.

“How soon would you like it done?”

“One day?”

“…….”

“I mean, if we’re just talking about conquering it, it is possible.”

“…Wait, what? You can?”

“Yup.”

She looked up at him with innocent eyes, as if wondering why he’d even ask.

“But it would turn the whole land into an uninhabitable wasteland. The ground would boil forever, and everything—plants, animals, all of it—would die. And more than that, there are still people living in the Demon Realm.”

It wasn’t exactly a livable place, but there were still some who called it home.

Not by choice, of course—but still.

The demon realm and the human lands repeatedly lost and reclaimed territory, and in the process, there were survivors who ended up isolated in the demon realm.

These were people who couldn’t escape to the human side when the land was taken.

Not many, but still.

“Avoiding those survivors and only killing the actual enemies… even for me, that’s tough.”

Just the fact that she could cover such an enormous stretch of land was already impressive, but Eliza sounded regretful that she couldn’t strike with perfect precision.

Judas gave up on thinking.

He thought he knew Eliza well—but not when it came to magic.

She always went far beyond expectations.

“So the best option is to advance the army while supporting my magic.”

It wasn’t that Eliza was supporting the army.

Rather, the army was there to support the gaps in Eliza’s abilities—that was the core of this demon realm conquest plan.

“You’ve got a lot on your plate, huh.”

“Yeah. But I have to do it. If I want to spend more time with you, more often.”

“Can I help too?”

Judas had grown restless during the times Eliza took him out with her.

“Hmm…”

Eliza gently touched her lower lip, pondering.

“I’m worried, but… if you really want to. Just—not to any dangerous places. We’ll stick to safer zones.”

She spoke to him as if warning a child.

Sometimes, she treated Judas like someone who needed delicate and careful protection.

There were a few reasonable explanations for her overprotectiveness.

First off, Eliza was stronger than Judas.

With a husband weaker than herself, her worry was natural.

And second—

Judas had nearly died before.

In the battle with Drake.

And when he stood alone against the royal guards.

It wasn’t quite trauma, but Eliza still remembered those days vividly.

By her standards, Judas was weak. But on a global scale, he was among the strongest of humankind.

Back then, he was overpowered—but now, he could probably kill that same Drake with a single strike.

“Of course I want to help.”

Still, Judas didn’t dislike Eliza’s overprotectiveness. So he agreed without hesitation.

He had no intention of going anywhere as dangerous as what Eliza would worry about.

And he wouldn’t be going out often anyway.

To actually be a meaningful help to Eliza, he’d need to fight frequently.

Which meant spending longer stretches of time away from her.

Judas didn’t want such a depressing scenario, either.

“Hmph. Alright, then it’s a promise.”

“Yes, ma’am. Of course.”

At Judas’s reply, Eliza smiled softly and pressed her lips to his.

This time, the contact lingered a little longer before she pulled away and leaned against his chest.

Judas held her close, inhaling her scent and gently stroking her shoulder.

Her soft, warm skin could be felt even through the fabric.

No matter how noisy the surroundings were—

Even in this high place that overlooked everyone else, they could feel as if they were the only two people in the world.

Judas savored the warmth of her skin at his fingertips.

And with that, a deeper desire began to slowly rise.

He suddenly asked,

“…So, when does this departure ceremony end? How much farther do we have to go?”

“We’re still a long way from the destination. So, be patient for now.”

“Ngh…”

Eliza replied as she lightly brushed her hand over his thigh.

“…I’m holding back too.”

“…!”

It had been several weeks since the departure ceremony.

Judas and Eliza continued their somewhat irritating daily routine as usual, occasionally heading out for battles.

Judas fought only now and then, mostly playing the role of a mana and happiness charger by Eliza’s side.

The advance into the Demon Realm proceeded smoothly—no major injuries, no setbacks.

Then one day—

Eliza and Judas visited Jericho.

Located at the edge of the Demon Realm, this fortress city served as a vital supply base for the campaign.

Eliza visited such supply points periodically.

To make sure there were no missing supplies.

Or to monitor whether any crimes like embezzlement had occurred.

To catch such acts in the moment, she never gave notice and arrived unannounced—but so far, no one had been caught.

Even on paper, there was no trace of corruption.

“They’re surprisingly clean.”

On the way back after checking the supplies, Judas murmured with a tone of mild wonder.

“Right…? But records from the past show that corruption was quite common.”

They had reviewed the records from the time when Barak and Johann were in charge and confirmed that a huge amount of money had been leaking.

Eliza had no intention of letting such things slide.

Military supply and procurement corruption was practically an internal attack on the Empire itself.

She planned to punish any such offenders severely and set an example, but strangely, not a single person had been caught.

“I doubt it’s completely gone, but… it seems like people are listening better than I expected.”

Several factors contributed to this situation.

One, Eliza was seen as a quasi-divine figure by the people of the surface world.

Two, she had the ability to teleport anywhere at will.

That ability made it feel like she was watching everyone, like a god.

“Managing the supply lines is easier too… At this rate, we might be able to push the frontlines sooner than expected.”

Advance, build barriers and camps in strategic terrain, form a new frontline.

Stay there, clear the advance route, move forward again, and repeat.

Under Eliza’s orders and supervision, humanity was slowly eating away at the Demon Realm.

“By the way, it’s been a while since we came to Jericho.”

“Yeah. Right in front of here is where that monster lizard swallowed you whole. …We need to find and wipe out those things too.”

“Hm…”

“I’m the only one who gets to eat Judas…”

“Huh…?”

The point of anger was a little odd, but Judas decided to just let it slide.

Thinking about the past brought a slight smile to his face.

“That time, you thought I’d lost my memory, didn’t you?”

“Mm-hmm…”

Even now, Eliza felt embarrassed when she thought back on it.

“B-but… I mean, you couldn’t see or hear, but we could still communicate, so…”

“Even now, it’s still kind of a mystery how that worked.”

“…But did you really not know it was me?”

“Nope. Really. I could tell it was a woman, but…”

“What kind of woman?”

“……”

Judas scratched his head, suddenly feeling embarrassed.

“Not anyone in particular… I just saw the black hair and thought, ‘I wish it were Eliza’… y’know…”

“……”

Eliza paused for a moment, then suddenly threw herself into his arms, their lips colliding.

Though startled, Judas held her to keep her from falling and accepted the kiss.

When their lips parted, Eliza was smiling brightly.

“But it really was me, huh?”

“So you can imagine how surprised I was.”

At the time, Judas had even been trying to run away from Eliza—no wonder he’d been shocked.

“Were you only surprised?”

At Eliza’s question, which carried a hint of expectation, Judas chuckled.

“I was happy too. I missed you.”

Eliza smiled contentedly and kissed him again.

“I missed you so much too. But you have no idea how shocked I was, thinking you’d lost your memory.”

“Well…”

“And… I felt kind of strange about it too. Maybe I was being selfish, but I wondered if we could start over—no matter the awful things I said to you before. A part of me was glad, just to be able to see you again, even if it was like this…”

Judas fell into a brief silence, as if reliving those complex emotions, and then gave a small nod.

“If it were me, I would’ve felt the same.”

Eliza, who had been feeling guilty, looked relieved at his words.

Just one word from him could ease her heart so completely, could save her.

“Thank you.”

“No need for thanks.”

Now, it had become a story they could look back on and laugh about.

“Shall we head back?”

They had checked Jericho’s supply depot, and reminisced enough.

It was the moment they turned to go back.

The two of them heard a faint whispering.

It was a quiet conversation being shared in hiding by someone nearby.

Both held their breath and focused on the voices.

—They say it appeared in Sector 4 too. That ghost.

—Hey, don’t call it a ghost! Did you even see it yourself?

—Then who else could it be, if not a ghost?

—Come on… What if it’s just someone pulling a prank?

—I’m telling you, it’s real. And get this, I heard yesterday that someone heard crying—like a newborn baby, whining softly…!

—Ugh…!

Just hearing the voices, they could picture the people trembling in fear.

Eliza, meanwhile, looked rather unimpressed.

‘Is there a wraith around here?’

A type of demon—the wraith.

Lacking physical form, they’re a nuisance to deal with.

If she could just locate it, Eliza could get rid of it with magic. But tracking one down was no easy task.

‘But… Jericho isn’t an area where wraiths show up.’

Because wraiths are so difficult to hunt and eliminate, their appearances are closely monitored and their zones strictly managed.

And Jericho isn’t one of those zones.

‘Hmm… Should I order the knight in charge of Jericho to investigate further? The missing food might mean it’s just a thief. If it’s a thief who hasn’t been caught, people might mistake them for a ghost. Maintaining order is important too…’

As she considered what to do, the hand holding hers suddenly gripped tighter.

“Judas?”

When she looked up, his face was pale, and he was sweating coldly for some reason.

“…?”

He didn’t reply. His eyes just darted around.

He looked exactly like someone who was anxious and scared.

Eliza stared quietly at him and began sifting through his memories.

But she wasn’t using magic.

However, the memories she had confirmed before, Eliza had kept them in her mind from start to finish.

So thoroughly that she could take them out and check them at any time.

And at the end of it.

“…!”

She realized.

“Judas, Judas?”

“Uh, yeah. Elly.”

“You heard that story too, right?”

“Hmm. That’s quite a strange story.”

“Shall we check it out?”

“…Why not just have someone else do it? Why do we have to do it ourselves? Is there really a need?”

Eliza unconsciously smiled.

It was a rather mischievous, playful smile.

The truth she confirmed through his memory.

‘Judas is afraid of ghosts.’

“No, this is my job too. I have to take care of it. Let’s go check it out. It might be something important.”

“……”

Judas fell silent at Eliza’s firm and responsible emperor-like attitude.

Eliza, who was looking down at him, cautiously asked.

“Are you scared?”

“What? Ha, ha! Me, scared of ghosts? No way. Of course, I’m not scared.”

“Really?”

Eliza smiled brightly, took his hand, and led him.

“……”

In truth, he was scared, but he couldn’t say it, so he had no choice but to follow her.