The Escort Knight Who Is Obsessed by the Villainess Wants to Escape - Chapter 38.1

“Did you playing around with Lady Eliza?!”

“……”

My head hurts.

Really. I’m feeling dizzy…

“That’s not it…”

“If it’s not that, then… indeed! It’s about being serious with Miss and that kind of thing…!”

“Seriously! It’s not like that! Be quiet! What if someone hears this!”

Richard pointed with a shocked expression.

“You, you there! Be quiet?! What kind of speech is that! This is insubordination, you know!”

“If someone hears it wrong, we’ll all be accused of insulting nobility. Is insubordination really the most important thing right now?”

“Were you even concerned about that?”

“……”

“So, do you have a preference for older women or not? Just say it plainly.”

“Is that really important right now?!”

In that moment, the image of an adult Eliza flashed through my mind.

A height that’s neither too tall nor too short.

If anything, slightly above average.

Straight legs.

White, smooth skin.

A gaze that looks down emotionlessly.

Red lips.

Wavy black hair and body…

…What is this? Have I finally gone mad?

Is my mind not functioning properly because of these guys?

If we go by Judas’s age standards, it would be a preference for older. Yeah, it fits….

‘Why am I even worrying about this?!’

Frustrated, I scratched my head and answered.

“Ugh, I don’t know about that. It’s something I’ve never thought about!”

“Hmmm…”

It means I’ve never considered romantic interest.

It’s not just an excuse based on Judas’s age.

Embarrassingly, it’s true.

Since middle school, I’ve only focused on judo.

In my life, the only interactions with the opposite sex have been grabbing by the collar or sleeve and fighting.

During that process, there was no romantic fluttering or racing heart.

My heart did race.

Because it was tough.

I have experienced turning red in the face.

Because choking restricts blood flow.

Once I began serious training, there was no opportunity to spar with women, and after that, I only focused on judo.

“Well, that’s… understandable, hmm…”

“What on earth were we talking about… Expect no more cookies in the future.”

“What?!”

The five people, including Richard, widened their eyes in unison.

Among them, Argon was the first to drop to the floor.

“I’m sorry! I was wrong-!”

Following that, the others also began to lie face down as if receiving punishment.

“I won’t do it again!”

“I’m so sorry-!”

I looked down at them, shouting, and sighed.

‘Now that I see it, they’re among the older ones in our room.’

It’s the age when it happens.

…Even though I spent that age only focusing on training. Anyway, I understand.

“Judas… Really, really sorry… I was wrong… We were short-sighted…”

“Someone would think you’re confessing sins with how serious you are. Stop and get up.”

“So, the cookies…”

“That was just a remark. But you’re talking as if you left everything to me?”

“Hmmm…”

Richard, clearing his throat and getting up, asked one last time.

“…So, you’re not into older women, right?”

“……”

“That bastard… Why is he so obsessed with older women?”

Instead of answering, I simply looked up with half-opened eyes.

Richard turned his head as if nothing had happened and began humming a tune.

***

“What happened?”

Hermes returned to where I was.

She looked at my face and asked with concern.

“What?”

“Your face is red. Your expression is also more tense than before you left. Are you being harassed?”

“No, no. That’s not it.”

I quickly waved my hands.

“It’s just, well…”

Every time I went into the forest with Hermes, a sentence I didn’t want to remember kept tormenting my mind.

“Ah, you’re getting redder.”

“Oh, no, it’s really fine. I just had a… heated discussion with my colleagues. About various things regarding the room’s living guidelines… And I’m not someone who would be harassed.”

“Hmm. Well, that’s true.”

I got into the carriage with Hermes.

She always sits opposite me.

It used to be Anna’s seat.

These days, when we leave the mansion, it’s Anna, Hermes, and me, but when we return, it’s only Hermes with me.

We chatted about various things, and then I realized I didn’t know Hermes’s age.

“Excuse me, but may I ask your age?”

“I’m 17.”

That’s just before adulthood in this world.

They have the coming-of-age ceremony at 18.

“I might be the youngest knight in this continent.”

There was a tone of pride in her voice.

I expressed my genuine admiration and complimented her.

“That’s impressive.”

“So, didn’t Miss personally select me?”

“Oh. She did select you personally, right?”

“Yes. She sifted through several candidates for the position of guarding Sir Judas and chose me in the end. Although there were few volunteers, it doesn’t mean I lack competitiveness.”

“Few volunteers, you say?”

It seemed that the knights there didn’t like me.

I vaguely understood why.

I picked up some gossip along the way.

They say I’m like a pillar-husband who suddenly appeared and settled in the mansion of a high noble.

“There are only crazy people around…”

By the way, it was surprising that it was Lady Eliza who selected them.

I thought she would just leave it to others.

…Well, I’m somewhat grateful.

For some reason, Eliza’s adult appearance came to mind again.

‘Get out of my head already…’

It was because of those guys earlier.

Richard, Argon, and those other idiots!

“Ah, your face is getting red.”

I opened the window without saying a word.

The cold wind against my face felt chillier than usual.

My face is definitely not hot. Definitely.

***

“…That’s all.”

Hermes finished her report to Eliza.

It was her duty to report any unusual occurrences during her time with Judas.

“Hmm… Duke Barak…”

Eliza blinked slowly.

Her expression and gaze were deeply contemplative.

Hermes felt a strange sense of intimidation.

Although she was small and young, she had the aura of a ruler.

…Except for the cat doll in her arms.

“Shylock, Gaston, Dallant. Those three, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“And Shylock, who wasn’t happy with this from the beginning, decided to support Judas.”

“There was some excessive suppression and interrogation, but that’s the result.”

“And Sir Hermes asked to act as if he was following Barak’s orders initially, requesting a performance?”

“Yes.”

Eliza nodded, confirming the facts again.

Although Hermes had acted somewhat unilaterally, it was not something to criticize.

Such capabilities are more than acceptable in protecting Judas.

“Bring that Shylock here.”

It’s quite a distance from Eliza’s mansion to the training grounds.

He can’t come immediately on call, but Eliza was willing to wait.

One of the servants hurriedly left.

Eliza observed Hermes quietly.

Without orders, Hermes stood still, waiting in front of her.

A model of order and discipline among knights.

Her skills were also impressive.

It was said that she had easily subdued Shylock, a fellow knight.

Choosing Hermes to protect Judas was indeed the best option.

‘But…’

As she watched, a sudden surge of memory arose.

The two people who were close.

It’s still an area she hasn’t reached.

‘What is this…’

Defining emotions is not easy.

No discipline has been able to accurately classify and organize human emotions.

‘This is…’

She tentatively defined this strange discomfort as possessiveness.

It was a plausible hypothesis.

She reacted very sensitively to anyone touching her belongings.

She had a similar experience.

After her mother’s funeral, she was dragged to her family home.

She had several items left by her mother.

Clothes too shabby and plain for a noble to wear.

Or a teddy bear she often carried around at that time.

Once, Agan, the fourth brat of Barak, stole and hid that teddy bear.

At that time, Eliza wandered aimlessly around the large family estate.

Even through the early dawn with the moon rising.

Hungry from not eating, and aching all over from not sleeping.

Then she collapsed.

She just lay still.

She couldn’t move at all.

It felt like all the blood had drained from her body.

Her limbs kept trembling.

Since the teddy bear her mother gave her disappeared.

She remained helplessly curled up until Narcissus came looking to scold her.

In her mind, she burned the mansion countless times, but in reality, she was weak.

It was a part of her life like debris.

The old days when she was disgustingly weak both physically and mentally.

Naturally, after coming to her senses, she took revenge.

She shoved Agan’s prized decorative sword into the stable’s dung pit.

Sarah, the fifth brat born from Barak and Narcissus, once tore the clothes her mother gave her.

She returned that favor as well.

She burned all of Sarah’s jewels and ornaments in the incinerator, turning them to ash, and poured them over Sarah’s sleeping face, and used scissors to shred her cherished dress, throwing it to the guard dogs as a toy.

Anyway.

The discomfort she feels now is strangely similar to that time.

The feeling of someone tampering with her possessions.

The feeling of her territory being invaded.

A flame flickering sensually within her heart.

Small like a match flame in the universe.

The long-awaited seed of madness whispers.

Just get rid of it…

“The scarf suits you well,”

Hermes said.

Eliza stared intently for a while, and then, with a subtle gesture:

“…….”

Eliza carefully pulled her scarf up to her nose.

It had a pleasant scent.

It calms my mind.

She tried to speak with a haughty tone.

“… You have an eye for good items.”

“Thank you.”

Hermes smiled broadly.

The light compliment, intended to break the quiet atmosphere, was effective.

Given that he always wore it, it seemed she quite cherished the scarf.

Though it was a bit large for a scarf.

The story behind it, that it was a gift from Judas on her birthday, was something Hermes didn’t know.

“I’ve brought Sir Shylock.”

The servant said from outside the door.

“Let him in.”

“Did you call for me?”

Shylock entered with a friendly smile and a bow.

Eliza gave a light laugh.

‘He’s quite adept at wearing a mask.’

This was their first face-to-face meeting.

Eliza didn’t even know Shylock was at the training camp.

However, Eliza immediately recognized that his face was a mask.

Having worn a mask herself and encountered various others, she could tell.

It was an intuitive skill developed from experience.

Eliza decided not to divert the conversation or probe for hints with different words.

For a mask of this level, it was an unnecessary process.

Straight to the point.

“I hear you’re working under the Grand Duke’s orders.”

Shylock changed his mask.

Still, a slightly smiling face.

Instead, a face tinged with guilt, somewhat subdued.

“Unfortunately, that is correct.”

“Since when?”

“I swore my loyalty to Lord Barak when I was appointed.”

“But today, you say otherwise.”

Hermes, the witness, was right there.

She swallowed hard, not realizing the conversation would be so direct.

“I’m sorry to the Grand Duke, but I thought it was something that should never be done as a human.”

“Why?”

“To do such a thing to a child, it’s just….”

“I haven’t mentioned a child yet.”

“I assumed that the brilliant young lady already knew and had called me accordingly. I apologize.”

“Well, that’s quite a progressive perspective. Discrimination based on age and development level. It’s a topic recently starting to be discussed among scholars.”

“I’ve lived with a keen interest in various studies, though not as much as you, miss.”

“So, because of that, you broke the code of chivalry? Ignoring even the issue of supporting your family?”

“…….”

Eliza casually delivered the blow.

The unmentioned background of Shylock.

His family.

It hit the mark.

Shylock, who had been responding smoothly, fell silent.