The Escort Knight Who Is Obsessed by the Villainess Wants to Escape - Chapter 35.2

“Do you know me?”

“Huh?”

“I asked if you know me.”

Since we’re both from Judeca, it might be a strange question.

But I know Judeca, even if I don’t know Judas.

It’s not a place where people know each others.

“Ah, no… It wasn’t like that…”

“Why are you making people uncomfortable?”

Vinyl glanced around nervously.

He seemed hesitant about whether to speak or not.

Perhaps he was afraid I’d scold him again, so he opened his mouth on his own.

“You fought again….”

I fought twice in front of others.

Lindel and Gulliat.

Especially winning against Gulliat left a strong impression, causing everyone to either be wary of me or acknowledge me.

But among them, no one seemed scared like this.

“So, you saw me fight not in this training camp, but in Judeca.”

A duel in Judeca involves murder by default.

Vinyl saw Judas kill someone there.

“Still, this fear is excessive. There are two reasons to be afraid. Either it was too cruel or overwhelmingly powerful. Or both… “

It’s groundless speculation.

There are many logical leaps.

But a plausible conclusion was reached.

Judas killed someone in Judeca.

Cruelly. Or overwhelmingly.

After killing Sardis, I remembered how calm I was.

‘So was that it? … What was the original owner of this body doing?’

Should I accept a request from the Information Guild?

It’s not strange to be curious about your background because you’re an orphan.

I said nonchalantly first.

“Ah, was that it? I did it again.”

But, one strange thing?

“Why were you bad-mouthing me like that?”

“Well, back then, you weren’t… so eccentric, oh, sorry. You weren’t such an aggressive person….”

I knew one more thing.

Judas’s original personality seemed quite quiet and calm.

Like me now, not attacking like a madman if touched.

“Hmm. So, were you scared but somehow felt easier to talk from behind? Then would that feeling get better?”

I suddenly wondered how Eliza would shake this situation, and I concluded that she would just throw any words.

Following her surprisingly effective.

“…!”

Vinyl’s complexion turned blue.

‘I was just stabbing in the dark… but it looks like I hit the mark?’

If you become too smart like this, you shouldn’t….

‘… Wait a minute. Did I just think like Eliza? Why?’

No, there’s no law against that.

Anyway, it was a good thing to use effectively.

I put my arm around Vinyl’s neck and patted his shoulder.

“No matter how you are, your thoughts are too short. If you meet the wrong person, you’ll really be in trouble.”

“……”

“Be careful from now on, friend. There are many ears listening.”

“Uh, uh….”

There’s nothing you can do about the already spreading rumors.

It’s not even possible for one child to disappear just because it’s annoying.

But it’s also annoying to spread further.

“It won’t end well next time. Understand?”

“Yes, of course!”

“Yeah. I’ll go now.”

Vinyl ran away to his room.

I walked while organizing my thoughts.

“The origin of the rumor is probably Shylock. The probability of having a grudge against me is low. He’s a guy who moves for profit, so there’s a high probability of someone else’s fate. But it’s hard to catch him carelessly….”

***

Before I knew it, I arrived in front of room 13, Section 3.

Soon I have to go to Eliza’s mansion, but before that, I came to see my colleagues’ faces.

They would probably be curious about my exam results.

“Oh, Judas’s here!”

As expected, Richard greeted me.

Next, Lindel and Felin followed, and the room was filled with people.

“How did the exam go?”

“I heard you talked separately with the lady. What’s going on?”

“Well….”

As I hesitated for a moment, Lindel and Felin nodded briefly.

It seemed like they were explaining what had happened.

Thanks to them, I was able to explain briefly.

“The lady helped me pass the exam.”

“Ohh…!”

Richard laughed, pleased.

Lindel and Felin let out a deep sigh of relief.

They seemed worried, as if they were trying to fail instead of me.

“Thank goodness, really lucky….”

“Yeah, even though you broke the rules, it wouldn’t make sense for you to fail.”

“I heard you did almost everything alone, Judas?”

“Well, not exactly everything, but….”

“And those guys did something wrong first?”

For a while, Brown and Connor cursed in my place.

My praise wasn’t left out either.

Especially Lindel and Felin took the lead.

They said if it weren’t for me, they would have given up or been eliminated halfway.

It seemed like they had come here to play, completely different from the last exam, etc….

I awkwardly smiled during that gap.

I feel embarrassed to praise openly.

I’m weak in these kinds of things….

“This is going to be huge.”

Richard patted my shoulder.

It was a proud smile.

Dylan nodded happily beside me.

“Just keep doing like this in the future.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Aren’t you going to be the first to become a Escort knight?”

Richard made a dreadful sound.

Everyone is a candidate for a guardian knight, so I just laughed because I couldn’t deny it.

Hehe.

***

Vinyl returned to the room trembling with his shoulders.

The place where Judas’s hand had touched still felt chilly.

“That crazy guy….”

I remember it clearly.

The first duel, which was held as a skill check and a match in Judica.

Judas killed a person as if knocking away a branch.

He used the abandoned glass shard like a well-polished weapon.

His clean technique was both chilling and awe-inspiring.

Wiping blood away with an emotionless face was vividly clear.

He didn’t seem human.

Meanwhile, Vinyl couldn’t help but watch.

That day of the first match.

In the middle of the night when everyone was asleep, Judas was crying and trembling.

A weak figure suffering from the aftermath of murder.

Vinyl was surprised.

At the same time, he felt an unknown thrill.

A sense of superiority surged inexplicably, and he felt relieved.

Even the monster-like Judas was a human.

At that moment, Vinyl realized.

Could he become like Judas?

Similar age and build.

There was no law that said he couldn’t murder as mercilessly as Judas.

In this world, excellent murder skills turn into money.

But he couldn’t do it.

It was his arrogant confidence.

He was terrified in the first skill check duel and gave up.

The reason he didn’t die was simply because the opponent was as weak as a child.

After being beaten severely and chased out of Judica, he luckily ended up at Eliza’s Escort Knight Training School.

And here, he met Judas.

I was resentful and wanted to overcome it, but it became something I gave up on.

In reaction, I actively participated in spreading rumors.

Although I can’t do it anymore.

Vinyl weakly returned to room 5.

One of my roommates approached me.

It was Sallaman, the young man who stared at Judas, the leader of room 5.

“Vinyl. Why the face?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

“What did that Judas say?”

“…”

“Why are you silent? Did you receive a threat not to speak?”

Vinyl looked down, shrinking.

Sallaman spoke firmly with a smile.

However, it didn’t feel like he was advocating for himself at all.

Could he be trying to use me for another goal?

That thought crossed my mind.

Even so…

“If he’ve touched our room’s members, we can’t just sit still…. Vinyl. Would you like to tell us what happened?”

Several roommates in room 5 listened attentively to me.

With this number of people, maybe I can do something about Judas.

It’s a temptation that’s hard to shake off.

Vinyl surrendered to a pitiful hope.

***

I had dinner with my roommates until evening.

The portion was small, but it’s okay.

When I return to the mansion, I’ll ask Anna to prepare more food.

My body can handle eating like this.

I still need to gain weight and grow taller.

Since staying at Eliza Mansion, it’s the most satisfying part.

The fact that I can eat all the nutrients generously.

Every time I eat, I’m grateful to Eliza.

‘If only that tragedy hadn’t happened…’

“Judas.”

Before returning, Gawain came to see me for a moment.

“You passed. You must have heard directly from Miss.”

“Yes.”

“Hmm. I see….”

Gawain looked me up and down.

I waited, wondering if he had something to say.

Finally, he turned away without a word.

Then muttered softly.

“… You did well.”

“Yes?”

“No, strive harder.”

“Yes.”

I went out to the main gate of the training camp.

The carriage I always ride was waiting, and there was a woman I hadn’t seen before next to it.

Judging by her attire, she’s a knight.

Dressed neatly in black armor.

A splendid golden insignia with a red sun painted on it.

It’s the symbol of the Bevel family.

“Ah, are you Judas?”

She approached me first.

Brown hair and brown eyes.

Despite being a knight, she gives a very innocent impression.

Even her freckles on her nose.

“Hello! From today, I am Hermes, who will be in charge of your escort!”

Eliza said she would assign me an escort.

Not just following Anna or soldiers, but a knight with real power.

She must have been worried about the increasing threat of Barak.

‘She looks young for a knight, but she seems impressive.’

And this woman named Hermes seems to have taken on that role.

She gave the impression of a naïve countryside girl.

Her manner of speech was formal like that of a knight, but not overly stiff.

Her speech pattern, was oddly endearing.

“Should I address you as Sir Hermes?”

“Yes! If that title suits me.”

“Very well. Sir Hermes.”

“Yes, indeed.”

She reached out her hand.

I gladly accepted her handshake.

“But… where have I seen you before? Your name feels familiar.”

As she shook my hand, she leaned towards me.

She whispered softly in my ear.

“I look forward to working with you. Mr. Cruel Hedgehog.”

“…!”

I froze, holding her hand.

Still close to me, she whispered.

“Sent by the Blind Star.”

Eliza’s assigned escort knight. Hermes.

She also served as a contact from the Information Guild.

Suddenly, it occurred to me.

Hermes is from Eurydice’s…

“…What are you two doing?”

At that moment,

A familiar voice unexpectedly cut through the air.

Startled, I turned my head.

I hadn’t heard anyone approaching?

“Oh, Miss?!”

I wasn’t sure when she had approached.

Right beside me, Eliza looked at me with eyes that had sunk.