The Escort Knight Who Is Obsessed by the Villainess Wants to Escape - Chapter 59.1

“Feed me.”

The passing servants looked at Judas and Eliza with shocked expressions.

Judas wished it was a dream.

Even a nightmare would be better.

But it was reality.

Eliza placed a spoon in Judas’s hand and urged him.

She had no choice either.

That morning, she had approached the dining table more joyfully than usual.

Thinking about Judas from the day before.

But, what do you know?

As soon as she took a spoonful of soup by herself, her appetite vanished.

Objectively, the food was better than the porridge she had eaten the previous day.

And yet, she didn’t want to eat.

Eliza quickly deduced the reason.

It was Judas’s presence, or lack thereof.

That was the only difference, so it was natural.

So she called for Judas.

She wanted to, and she had the right to.

This situation arose because of that.

Normally, Eliza would never behave like this.

Picky about food, and asking to be fed, no less.

It was the kind of impolite behavior you would expect from an immature child, but right now, Eliza couldn’t think as she usually would.

If you had to assign blame, it was all Judas’s fault.

Thus, Eliza did not object to her own demands.

Judas, seeing Eliza smiling sweetly, couldn’t bring himself to refuse.

He didn’t know what was on her mind.

But, this was a consequence of his own actions.

A situation he had brought upon himself.

In the end, Judas picked up the spoon, feeling the stares of many servants on him.

For Eliza’s sake.

“…….”

He couldn’t quite bring himself to say something crazy like ‘Ah, open up’ like he did yesterday.

He just calmly and carefully fed her, making sure not to make any mistakes.

Eliza smiled as she ate.

Throughout the meal, her gaze never left Judas.

Just like a baby bird waiting to be fed.

Judas, feeling slightly burdened by her gaze, avoided eye contact and focused on placing the food into her mouth.

“I’m full now….”

Today, Eliza ate a bit more than she did yesterday.

The rest of the meal was left for Judas.

Without showing any signs of embarrassment, he finished off the food.

The meals at Eliza’s house were that good, and plentiful.

As the meal was coming to an end, Eliza casually asked,

“Have you thought about the reward I promised?”

“Huh?”

Judas, who had been eating dessert, looked up.

His face was a mess.

Cream on his nose.

Crumbs around his mouth.

It made Eliza chuckle lightly for no reason.

Blushing, Judas wiped his face with a tissue.

“I said you could ask for anything.”

“Oh.”

Judas remembered.

When he had saved Eliza from Lamech’s assassin, she had promised him a reward.

Judas hadn’t come up with anything at the time, so he had put it off.

Besides, he thought he would eventually leave.

“Haven’t you thought about it?”

“I have, but….”

“Tell me.”

Hesitating, he spoke with difficulty.

“I want to learn how to read…. but I don’t know where or how to start.”

“Read?”

“Yes. I think it might be useful in the future.”

“Hmm.”

“I’m not asking for a tutor. If you could just get me a book that I could use to study on my own, I can handle the rest myself.”

“Is that really all you want?”

Eliza had imagined something grander.

Maybe a house?

She wasn’t sure if it would be satisfying, but if he asked for it, she could give it.

After establishing the foundation, she was even willing to offer something better.

However, Judas’s response was completely unexpected. At least by her standards.

She couldn’t even dream that he was preparing for life after leaving this place.

“Yes. That’s enough.”

“Hmm. Writing, huh…”

Eliza quickly came up with a good idea.

“I’ll teach you.”

“…Pardon?”

“I said I’ll teach you.”

Eliza said it nonchalantly.

In truth, she was confident.

She had already mastered grammar, vocabulary, and rhetoric to a level where she no longer needed anyone’s instruction.

Though it was her first time teaching someone else.

“Ah, um, that’s…”

Judas had no words to refuse.

He had said he wanted to learn, and Eliza had agreed.

It was just unexpected that she would offer to teach him herself.

His mind felt foggy.

It seemed that with every action, he was sinking deeper into a swamp.

A misstep, always.

When he hesitated, Eliza asked in a low voice.

“…You don’t want to?”

Her expressionless face had turned cold, a shadow casting over it.

Sensing an instinctive threat, Judas quickly shook his head.

“No, it’s an honor. Thank you.”

“Right?”

Eliza immediately regained her smile.

Since the decision had been made, there was no room for hesitation.

Eliza gathered a blanket and a stuffed animal, then led Judas by the hand to the study room.

Judas felt like his lifespan had become a ball of yarn.

And Eliza was the cat playing with it.

‘I won’t live long at this rate… I’ll die before even seeing the tragedy… my soul will be drained…’

The study room was far too large for just studying.

Eliza sat down first and spoke.

“Sit.”

Judas sat across from her.

“Lia. Bring out the talking books.”

Eliza listed off a few book titles as if she had done it many times before.

She even requested a blank notebook to practice writing.

While waiting, Judas looked around the study room.

It was too spacious for Eliza to use alone.

Wouldn’t she feel lonely studying here by herself?

“Look here.”

“Yes.”

“Do you know how to write?”

“Roughly… yes?”

“Give it a try.”

Eliza handed him a blank sheet of paper and a quill pen.

Judas hesitated as he grabbed the pen and attempted to dip the nib into the ink.

“Wait. Why are you holding the pen like that?”

“……”

In his life, the only things he had grabbed were the collars or cuffs of others.

He had rarely, if ever, held a pen.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t hold one.

It wasn’t even his first time holding a pen, so it wasn’t as though he didn’t know how.

It was just that his grip wasn’t the standard way, and a peculiar grasp he developed as a child had stuck with him as a habit.

Moreover, holding a quill for the first time was especially tricky.

The overall result was more than enough to dissatisfy Eliza.

She took the pen from him and personally demonstrated how to hold it.

“Like this. First, grip it with your thumb and index finger, and let your middle finger support the index finger. Try it again.”

“…Like this?”

“……”

His stiffened hand.

The off-balance weight of the pen.

Because of his nervousness from being around Eliza, he held it even more awkwardly than before.

Unable to hold back, Eliza stood up.

She moved directly to Judas’s side and began adjusting his fingers one by one.

Her small fingers deftly moved Judas’s hand this way and that.

“Like this.”

“Yes….”

“Write it.”

Eliza crossed her arms and waited.

Judas carefully began writing the text, feeling as though a strict teacher was standing right beside him.

The result was a mess, even by his own standards.

It was peculiar, in some way.

The rushed, scrawled handwriting was something more than just poor penmanship.

It was difficult to simply label it as badly written.

The characters were legible, yet still fell short of Eliza’s standards.

Eliza delved into deep contemplation.

She reflected on the past.

Was she like this once?

No, even on the first day she picked up a pen, it wasn’t this bad.

Through sheer determination, she had studied her way to this point, though she did have some natural talent.

She just wasn’t aware of it.

“Write it again.”

“Yes….”

After that, Judas learned to write while being scolded for the mess he’d made.

***

“This is more or less acceptable. It’s better than earlier.”

Eliza nodded in satisfaction as she looked over the notebook.

Judas, sitting across from her, was on the verge of collapse from hand cramps.

This was more exhausting than training.

“That’s enough for today.”

“Yes… Thank you….”

“Oh, right. Take this.”

Eliza handed him a red blanket and a stuffed cat.

Judas stared blankly at the two items now placed in his hands.

‘She didn’t throw them away after all… Is she giving them back after washing them?’

Does she not need them anymore?

He wasn’t sure if they were ever necessary, but that wasn’t the point right now.

‘…Why, what is this?’

The confusion wasn’t directed at Eliza, but at himself.

At this moment, Judas felt a little disappointed.

Not much, just a bit.

Really, just a tiny bit.

It’s not like he’d given her the gift expecting anything in return.

He had given her the red blanket on impulse.

It wouldn’t have been strange for her to return it, but for some reason, it felt disappointing.

Especially since she had kept it around for a while and then suddenly gave it back….

Judas found his own reaction to be awkward and even a bit disheartening.

But his unwarranted concern was dispelled by Eliza’s next words.

“Keep it with you for a while. Then return it to me later.”

It wasn’t a permanent return after all.

Ignoring the sense of relief, Judas pondered.

Why does she want him to hold onto it?

Does it have some hidden meaning?

Is this a new form of power play?

Eliza had no intention of explaining herself.

Her reasoning was simple, something Judas had no way of knowing.

After washing it, the blanket no longer had that familiar scent.

The distinct fragrance that once soothed her had disappeared.

She guessed that once Judas had it for a while and returned it, the scent would come back.

It smelled similar to him, after all.

Unaware that it was his natural scent, Eliza simply ordered:

“Hug it tightly when you sleep. Got it?”

Judas had no choice but to obey her instructions.

“Yes….”

***

“Ugh….”

I collapsed on the floor, gagging.

Gawain scratched his neck awkwardly and said,

“Uh, sorry. I misjudged my strength.”

“Ugh….”

I didn’t even have the strength to reply.

It all happened in an instant.

I thought I could release my magical power more easily than before, and during a sparring match with Gawain, I actually succeeded.

However, the power was far stronger than Gawain had anticipated.

He instinctively used a significant amount of force to counterattack.

And this was the result.

‘Well, considering my magic stat just jumped to 28, it’s understandable….’

I understand, but it hurts like hell.

“…Does it hurt that much?”

“Ngh….”

“Hmm….”

The guy who usually wouldn’t bat an eye even after a serious beating must feel pretty bad this time.

He’s pacing around nervously, constantly asking me how I feel.

Well, I guess he can’t help but feel sorry. He used more magic than expected during the spar.

“Sigh… I’m feeling a little better now….”

I finally started feeling okay inside.

I leaned against the wall and took slow, deep breaths.

There was still some time left in my personal training session with Gawain, but I couldn’t continue today.

Gawain must have thought the same.

“We’ll call it a day.”

“Yes….”

“That was clearly my mistake just now. I apologize.”

“No, it’s fine.”

I let out a deflated laugh.

“If anything, the fact that you had to ramp up your power means I’ve grown that much stronger, doesn’t it?”

Thinking of it that way, it’s not all bad.

Even though it hurts like hell, there are times when training just goes this way.

Gawain looked down at me, stroking his beard, as if my answer amused him.

“You’re more positive than I expected.”

“What do you mean by ‘expected’? How did you usually think of me?”

“…Nothing.”

Well, what do you know.

He’s got a surprisingly awkward side to him.

“But you’re not wrong. You’ve definitely gained more control over your magic.”

That’s true.

Compared to the past when I couldn’t release my magic no matter how hard I tried, I can now control it at will.

I’m not at the point where I can turn it on and off like a switch, though. Not yet.

It only releases after I get hit and my temper flares up.

So, the threshold for releasing it has just gotten lower than before.

‘…Am I just getting one step closer to a rage disorder?’

It’s a strange feeling, but either way, it’s become easier than it used to be.

That alone is something to be satisfied with.

“And your magic is much stronger now. It’s far greater than it used to be.”

It’s thanks to the traits and quest rewards, but there’s no way I could explain that, so I stayed quiet.

“All that hard work is finally paying off.”

That’s true, too.

Though the traits and quests played a big role, it’s not like I ever slacked off in training.

“You’re growing even faster than I expected.”

“That’s largely thanks to your teaching, Sir Gawain.”

“Hm.”

He let out a satisfied sound and nodded.

I just said it as a formality, but he seemed to like it.

‘It’s not wrong, though.’

Out of all my training routines, sparring with Gawain is the toughest.

So, it must be having a big impact.

“I heard you fought off an assassin who came after the lady. Risking your life, no less.”

“Oh, yes. It just sort of happened….”

“You did well.”

Gawain patted my shoulder.

He was smiling more clearly than ever before.

He was looking at me with eyes full of pride.

“You did exceptionally well, Judas.”

It’s the first time I’ve been so trusted by someone who’s teaching me.

I smiled along with him.

“Thank you.”

“Good. Now, the second trial is just a physical test. You remember that, right?”

“Yes.”

“With your skills, you’ll pass it easily.”

“I think so, too, but I shouldn’t get too cocky.”

“Good attitude. Keep pushing forward. You probably already know this well, but don’t forget. Just like when you faced the assassin, never hesitate in any situation.”

Never hesitate.

That’s what he always tells me during our sparring sessions.

Whatever the task, if it’s something that needs to be done, never hesitate.

“I understand. No hesitation, even in the face of someone who’s teaching me, and I’ll counterattack with all my heart….”

“I’ll be off now.”

Gawain left with his usual dignified steps, though he seemed to be fleeing.

I watched him go and couldn’t help but chuckle.

‘He’s got some amusing quirks when you get to know him.’

I was sitting in a corner of the training ground.

I just finished the second test today.

I passed.