The Escort Knight Who Is Obsessed by the Villainess Wants to Escape - Chapter 31.1

Eliza saw Judas’s retreating figure.

She wouldn’t see him for another two days.

“……”

Underneath her expressionless face, suspicion began to grow.

Today, Judas avoided her face unusually.

“It seems he’s caught on.”

Does he suspect that she occasionally visits him at night?

Since falling asleep with Judas, Eliza hadn’t heard the whispering madness of the fire.

Whether a side effect or not, she couldn’t help but think of Judas constantly.

The cool chill that flowed upon touching him.

The sensation that gently caressed her heart.

The comfort that even lulled her nightmares of her mother’s death without fail.

Now, the impulse to reach out to Judas had surged within her.

Every day, Eliza fought against that impulse.

Compared to the madness of the fire, it was a trait she could overcome.

She endured it quietly.

It wasn’t about preserving her dignity as a noblewoman in hindsight.

For her, it was an obligation.

Her mother, who had died alone in a place she couldn’t see.

The screams that echoed in the dark alleyways.

She had to feel that tragedy, even if it meant enduring agony.

To torture her mind and temper herself.

She couldn’t afford to grant herself rest recklessly.

The self who had once feared the nightmare was already dead.

Seeing the specter of Sardis and fearing it for the first time was enough.

She managed somehow.

She had to be ruthless if she wanted to kill everything threatening her.

Narcissa and Barak, who killed her mother.

She had to get rid of the assassin’s guild that carried out that mission.

She had to become more venomous, stronger.

Therefore, Eliza suppressed the urge to seek out Judas.

She pushed away the memory as vivid as the first footprint she carved in the snowy wilderness.

And then secretly, very occasionally, when she couldn’t sleep at all, she went to him.

She carefully held Judas’s hand while he slept.

As if waiting, a cold chill flowed through her body.

She held him cautiously to prevent the boiling rage from overflowing.

“Judas couldn’t have noticed that incident. Certainly.”

Last night.

That’s what happened in the early morning today.

While holding Judas’s sleeping hand, he suddenly turned his body.

Eliza, who had been enjoying the cold for a long time, panicked.

What if he woke up?

She didn’t even think of using teleportation to let go of his hand.

Instead, she covered his eyes with one hand.

That’s when Judas’s mouth opened.

A murmuring voice in the twilight of sleep.

“Hmm…. It’s still night….”

“……”

And then, he drifted back to sleep.

Eliza let out a sigh of relief and continued to hold his hand.

At that moment, Judas muttered in his sleep.

“Eliza…. No….”

A bitter laugh escaped her.

Simultaneously, she wondered.

Was he dreaming?

She had encountered Judas in her dreams several times before.

Like a comet colliding with herself.

What would she look like in someone else’s dream?

Though it was rude to call out her name, she decided to overlook it.

But it was a fact known only to Judas that in that dream, Eliza had climbed on top of him and was choking him.

Anyway.

Judas was naive like a fool and bad at lying.

If he had known what happened when she visited at night, she would have noticed it at that moment.

“Hmm…. I wonder why he’s acting like that. I’ll ask him later.”

But that’s not important.

For some reason, it made her uncomfortable to know she wouldn’t see Judas for the next two days.

She couldn’t figure out why.

“I don’t have to… see Judas.”

Eliza cleared her slightly shaken heart.

Don’t rely on it.

If you rely on it, it become special, and if it become special, you become weak.

Weakness is the shortcut to defeat.

“Gawain.”

“Yes, miss.”

“Have you deployed enough surveillance personnel near the exam area?”

Barak is aiming for Judas.

Therefore, Eliza needed to guard and stop him as Judas’s owner.

“We have carried out your instructions thoroughly.”

“Good. I’ll trust you.”

Confirmation was over.

Judas has also left.

Now Eliza had to return to work.

The reason she couldn’t easily put her feet down was something she couldn’t understand.

She gently fiddled with a pitiful cat doll.

***

Until he met Lindel and Felin, he felt relieved.

He thought he could pass the exam smoothly.

He was arrogant.

But it wouldn’t be that easy.

“I expected someone to come when I saw the smoke from the bonfire, but I didn’t expect them to come so soon.”

Felin failed the last test because of a collaborator’s betrayal.

The reason was arguing over food and water.

Of course, Felin couldn’t prove he had been betrayed.

“That’s why I didn’t want to meet anyone other than Lindel and Felin….

Someone is coming.

It’s an unavoidable situation.

I cautiously drew my sword and shield.

Lindel and Felin also tensely drew their swords.

“I hope it’s not someone sent by Barak…”

Soon, the bushes parted, revealing the two figures.

Whether from tension or readiness, they had their weapons drawn too.

“They’re candidates! We’re not close, but I recognize them.”

“Oh…! They’re really here!”

One of them exclaimed excitedly.

“You guys lit the fire, right? Let’s travel together!”

They naturally tried to join our group.

Lowering their weapons, smiling faces.

Their guard seemed to vanish instantly.

They didn’t look dangerous.

But I didn’t lower my weapon.

“Please wait.”

They hesitated, seemingly perplexed by my hostile demeanor.

“Why…?”

“You’re the new recruit Judas, right? I might be misunderstanding, but this test isn’t about fighting among ourselves.”

I was reassured, but couldn’t show it outwardly.

‘Looking back, it’s highly unlikely they were sent by Barak. They approached too casually.’

Anyway, I had my reasons for not letting my guard down.

“It’s not like that. It’s just that I know someone who was betrayed and eliminated.”

I didn’t mention Felin.

Revealing that might make things easier.

I’m not sure yet if I can trust them.

Felin also didn’t behave suspiciously.

“Ah…”

For some acceptable reason, they nodded their heads while standing still.

“But those two over there… ah, they’re from the same 13th room.”

“Let’s talk for a moment.”

I pulled Lindel and Felin to a place a few steps away from them.

“What do you think?”

It’s hard to trust them blindly.

But having more people could be advantageous.

Three of us against their two.

We could handle any disturbance that might arise.

And I know I’m overly cautious.

It can’t be helped.

I don’t know their names, but I’ve seen their faces a few times.

During training, I often encounter candidates who envy me or look at me uncomfortably.

They’re also such candidates.

“Well… Judas, what do you think?”

“To be honest, having more people would be beneficial. For night watches, gathering food, encountering wild animals, it’s more comfortable in many ways. But we’ll have to share more food and water.”

“Hmm…”

Lindel pondered.

“Anyway, with just the three of us, wouldn’t it be okay?”

Felin was a bit hesitant.

“Even so, you never know what might suddenly happen…”

“Do you know who those people are?”

“That tall guy over there is Brown. Room 4. Next to him, the shorter one than Brown with a well-built buzz cut is Connor . Maybe Room 18. That’s about all I know.”

“I’ll follow Judas’s decision.”

Lindel agreed.

‘Felin delegates the choice to me.’

Lindel also looked at me.

As if asking me to decide.

I didn’t hesitate for long.

“Let’s go together.”

Upon my suggestion, Brown sighed with relief, and Connor chuckled heartily.

“Good… I’m glad to be traveling with someone who knows how to start a fire.”

“Yeah, good thinking.”

Only then did everyone pick up their weapons and move a step closer.

“I’m Connor. 11th batch.”

“I’m Brown. Also 11th batch.”

They exchanged brief greetings.

They say they just happened to meet while passing through the forest.

They’ve been together since, and they came because they saw smoke rising in the distance.

Somehow, naturally, I became the center of their attention.

I’m the youngest and lowest-ranked, but is this okay?

“But where do we go now?”

Connor asked casually.

“First…”

I answered, using [Survival Expert].

Soon, unfamiliar information and clues came to mind.

‘I need to climb to a high place to survey the area.’

I glanced around briefly.

Just a forest of dirt, grass, and trees.

How can I find a high and open place to survey the surroundings?

I didn’t know survival skills work like that.

But one tree in my field of vision seemed particularly vivid.

It seemed to shine unlike the other trees.

It was the tree indicated by the [Survival Expert] trait.

“I need to find a high place.”

“A high place?”

“Yes. Just a moment.”

Approaching the tree and checking, I understood why it was pointed out.

It looked higher than the surrounding trees and appeared easy to climb.

Rough and bumpy, there were plenty of places to grab.

I tapped the tree.

It’s sturdy.

“I’ll climb up and survey the area.”

“Is… that possible?”

Brown asked, sounding unsure.

I grabbed protruding parts and footholds and climbed the tree.

“Like a monkey…”

It wasn’t difficult to climb to the top.

Thanks to the easy-to-climb tree and training similar to this in a past life.

“Hmm. Coming up here feels familiar.”

The winter forest was a sea of brown.

Dry trees were packed with fallen leaves.

‘I have to spend the next two days here.

Daunting, but thanks to the survival expert, I know which way to go.

‘There’s a valley.’

A clear gap in the forest.

A stream flows through the valley.

The [Survival Expert] me to head towards the water’s edge.

“There’s a valley nearby.”

Coming down from the tree, I brushed my palms and said,

“First, we’ll head to the valley, then find flat terrain near the water. We can set up camp in a suitable spot. It’s close to water, and we might catch fish for food.”

“Wow….”

All four of them exclaimed in unison.

‘…Feels weird.’

I know it’s because of the survival expert; I wouldn’t have known otherwise.

It feels strange to be praised like this.

‘Feels like I shouldn’t be proud, but somehow, I am even more…’

“You weren’t one to easily complain.”

“You think that too? I knew you were a peculiar newcomer, but…”

“It’s not usual to receive praise at such a critical moment.”

Brown and Connor exchanged compliments.

Among them, Connor unexpectedly patted my shoulder.

He’s overly clingy.

I know he’s been eyeing me for a while.

‘They seem to be flattering rather than praising…’

I subtly pushed his arm away.

Connor awkwardly chuckled.

“Where did you learn that?”

“You’re secretly studying somewhere, aren’t you?”

Felin and Lindel asked, impressed.

I felt embarrassed and looked into the distance.

“Just… Somehow… Anyway, let’s move. It’s this way.”

I hurried towards the direction of the valley.

Finding the valley early and settling down would preserve our stamina.

I picked up stones and made marks on big trees to ensure we were walking straight.

“What are you doing?”

Lindel asked.

“I’m marking to check if we’re going straight. After making these marks, if we look back occasionally, we can tell if we’re on track.”

“Wow….”

“You’re acting like a leader. That seems right.”

Brown tapped my shoulder, cautiously different from Connor.

Then, the next steps emerged clearly in my mind.

‘We have three candidate settlement locations. Near the water. In a cave. Up in the trees.’

Each has its pros and cons.

Near the water makes it easy to get water but increases the chance of encountering wildlife.

Caves are hard to find, also increase the chances of encountering wildlife, and are difficult to escape from.

But they guarantee a cozy space.

Up in the trees is dangerous and uncomfortable but safe from animal threats.

‘But there are five of us. So caves and tree tops might not be necessary.’

Naturally, unnecessary options decrease, leaving only the candidate near the water.

‘As I felt when using the hunter’s senses, it’s called a Characteristic…It’s a relief’