The Escort Knight Who Is Obsessed by the Villainess Wants to Escape - Chapter 41.1

Why would Eliza want to kill me?

A tragedy that will happen someday.

I heard a clue that might be the answer.

“Because the sun had to absorb the moon’s power to mend its distortion, it decided to find and kill the moon.”

Father Aquines told me.

The content written in the earliest scriptures.

‘…Inevitable.’

A harsh word.

It feels uncomfortable, like grains of sand on the tongue.

I tamed the moon deer and received moon attribute magic as a reward.

‘So, it was already decided from there…?’

But still, doubts remain.

The current Eliza seems not to be swayed by the mad fire.

Could it be temporary?

Then, ultimately, will Eliza kill me to absorb my power?

“Judas?”

Hermes, sitting across from me in the carriage, called out.

We were on our way back after hearing from Aquines.

“…Oh, yes.”

“Are you alright? You look pale. Are you feeling nauseous?”

“No, I’m fine. Just… have some things on my mind…”

I stared blankly out the window.

Tragedy overlays the flowing scenery.

Scenes passing by like a film with dozens of photos laid out.

Nothing changes.

It’s fixed.

Like fate.

Eliza on top of me, choking me.

‘Distorted sun…’

What is Eliza’s goal now?

I’m not sure, but I can make a guess.

She resented and hated her family.

The specific background…

I didn’t know before, but I think I understand now.

The abuse she received as a bastard child. That must be it.

So, she burned everything down herself.

That happened in the year she became an adult.

In other words, young Eliza probably wanted to have the power to kill them.

A stronger and more complete power.

By killing me, it would be more certainly completed…

‘…….’

So tragic.

In many ways.

“Sir Hermes.”

“Yes, Judas.”

“You also handle matters of escaping and hiding people, right? In the information guild.”

I spoke quietly so the coachman wouldn’t hear.

Hermes nodded without asking any questions.

“Of course.”

…Alright.

For now, that will do.

***

“Hmm.”

Eliza turned the page of the book.

The class had just ended, but she had been enjoying reading lately.

She always liked reading, but especially enjoyed reading the earliest scriptures.

‘By the way, I think I can finish my grammar studies now.’

The writing she learned since coming to the family home.

Many grammar rules, vocabulary, and rhetoric.

I don’t really feel the need to learn more.

I’ve reached the point where I can think and study on my own.

‘I could skip or reduce the classes.’

Barak is in charge of appointing teachers.

Although I’ve recently discovered some of Barak’s behind-the-scenes maneuvers, there was nothing to be concerned about.

After all, Barak’s side probably hasn’t noticed yet.

After sorting out my thoughts, I continue reading.

It’s one of the many versions of the first scriptures interpreted.

Some metaphors change depending on the interpretation, and reinterpreting them was part of the pleasure of reading.

[…The sun and moon were divided from one, so they must unite to seal the evil deity. However, the distorted power of the sun was a threat to the shattered moon, so the two could not achieve mutual integration. In the end, the sun…]

Knock, knock.

Someone was knocking at the door.

Eliza closed the book and replied.

“Come in.”

Miguel approached and handed over some documents.

“This is the investigation report on the person who attacked the lady on her birthday when we were selecting candidates.”

“Ah, that happened.”

She reads the assassin’s personal information.

Name.

Traditor Heis.

Age unknown.

Exact birthplace unknown.

However, a slave from Judeca.

Guardian, Bishop Anggra.

‘Just like Judas….’

Miguel said cautiously.

“And regarding the note that was found last time. We have restored its contents.”

“Bring it here.”

Miguel handed over two pieces of paper.

It was the note that had been acquired previously.

“This is the original, and the right one is a copy restored based on the original.”

The copy had shapes and letters drawn in black ink.

Eliza looked at it and frowned.

“…A cipher?”

“Yes. That’s what it seems.”

The letters were standard.

The structure appeared to be a very short sentence.

However, it couldn’t be interpreted.

It looked like random scribbles, but it was a cipher.

Without a key to decode it, it was nearly impossible to figure out.

“The shapes seem to be for magical formulas, but it’s said that even engineers have no knowledge of it.”

Eliza examined the magical diagram.

It was a type she had never seen before.

She hadn’t mastered all the theories of magic, but this type was new to her.

“And this is personal information about Bishop Anggra.”

Eliza had been digging into Judas’s background.

However, his whereabouts before Judeca were unknown.

The only clue was Bishop Anggra.

Even that had hidden itself under the guise of a pilgrimage.

But unlike Judas, Anggra was quite established within the Moon Chruch.

It was easier to dig into his background than to Judas, whose origins were unclear.

Thus, Eliza had instructed to focus the investigation on Anggra instead of Judas, and the results had arrived.

“Hmm. He has freed more slaves than expected.”

The information centered on Anggra was new as well.

Including Judeca, he had bought slaves from various slave markets and then freed them.

Or protected and raised them through the Moon Chruch.

Eliza didn’t see it as simple charity.

‘Deception.’

He bought various trees to cultivate a forest to obscure the one tree he wanted to hide.

The tree he wanted to conceal became clear.

Traditor. The assassin.

He bought several young slaves to hide him.

It would look suspicious if he only took one child.

“But… this is suspicious.”

It was exposed far too easily for the effort put in.

Before it was exposed, why was this happening in the Moon Chruch?

Eliza could not understand.

The benefit the Moon Chruch gains from her death is too small.

The risk of failure, on the other hand, is excessively large.

Though an illegitimate child, she is a high noble.

Moreover, she is of a rare and noble lineage of mages in the world.

To kill such a person?

What benefit could there be?

It would be better to use that time and resources to expand the church’s influence or strengthen the religion.

Nevertheless, the Moon Chruch attempted it.

Her assassination.

Very recklessly.

Whether it was because they hadn’t received proper training or lacked talent.

They sent low-level assassins.

“This means there was a necessity to do so.”

In other words, the real instigator is not the Moon Chruch.

There is someone behind them.

A force capable of proposing such actions to the Moon Chruch.

“Then, Judas… might be like bait.”

Same origin and guardian.

The Moon Chruch verified through Judas.

Whether they could infiltrate her training camp.

Whether they could create a situation suitable for assassination.

Could it be that Judas was a vanguard?

Sending follow-up information to them after entering here?

It can’t be.

Though pretending to be rebellious, Judas is very obedient to her.

Under her control to some extent. Though occasionally acting out, it can be seen as a quirk that can be overlooked.

Even that has never harmed her.

In conclusion, Judas is a devoted person.

He judges by his own standards.

What can be proven and what cannot.

The many proven cases guarantee that Judas is on her side.

She remembers them all vividly.

The times he saved her from Sardis.

The times he stood by her in front of Barak and Narcissa without yielding.

All of it, one by one.

The child who made anemones bloom in the cage.

Here in this mansion.

Or perhaps, the only one in this world….

Eliza shook her head.

Quickly shaking off the weak desire to rely on someone.

She focuses back on the facts.

In any case, the probability that Judas is merely a verification bait is high.

Just succeeding in sending Judas to the selection test would confirm the possibility of sending Traditor.

Isn’t Traditor the owner of the note in the first place?

At least it’s definitely not Judas’s.

She thought so.

For her, there was no other way to think.

She had no means to know who actually discarded the note.

She could only draw conclusions from the given clues.

“For now, this matter must remain confidential.”

The selection of the escort knights will continue.

As bait.

Now that she is a full-fledged mage, she had nothing to fear.

“Miguel. How many people know about this?”

“Only myself, the investigator, and the lady and Lia next to her.”

“You’ll have to make sure everyone stays silent.”

“…I will keep that in mind.”