The Escort Knight Who Is Obsessed by the Villainess Wants to Escape - Chapter 61.2

Eliza was clutching a blanket and several stuffed cat tightly in her arms.

The scent she longed for wafted around her more strongly than ever.

Without realizing it was her own scent, she hugged them tightly.

Wrapped in comfort, she began to think.

The countless tasks that still lay ahead.

As a result of bringing Narcissa, internal strife within the Bevel family would escalate in earnest.

She also needed to find the member of the assassin’s guild who executed the order to kill her mother.

If necessary, she would turn the guild upside down.

And she had to find out why the imperial family and the Moon Church had planted spies in her training facility.

To that end, she was researching magic related to memories.

If she could figure out the magic, she wanted to restore Judas’s memories as well.

Judas had become involved in her affairs.

That fact felt natural and welcome to her.

‘Maybe…’

Just one person.

Maybe Judas could become the one and only person she could truly trust and rely on.

A weak hope she had buried long ago began to sprout again.

Eliza didn’t bother to crush that little sprout.

Let’s watch it for a little while longer.

After all, her battle was bound to be a long one.

It would take a very long time, so watching briefly wouldn’t hurt.

She imagined the day when Judas would kneel before her to be knighted as her guardian.

By then, she would know.

Whether there were people on her side in this world, or not.

Lia approached.

She carefully called out to the deep-in-thought Elia.

“My lady. It’s time to move to your next appointment.”

“Alright.”

Eliza stood up leisurely.

It was a satisfying morning.

She headed toward the underground prison.

Where Narcissa was confined.

By now, she should be properly tamed.

The space was lit by torchlight.

Beyond the iron bars was a ghostly-looking woman.

She looked up at Eliza with hollow eyes.

Disheveled blonde hair and filthy clothes.

Lips cracked here and there.

A haggard appearance.

There was no trace of the proud and healthy noblewoman she once was.

Eliza smiled at her.

“Good morning, Duchess.”

“Please… kill… me…”

“Are you struggling?”

“Just… kill me…”

Eliza opened the iron door and stepped inside.

Tap, tap.

The sound of her sharp steps echoed.

She stopped in front of Narcissa.

Narcissa, who was probably suffering from the burning pain consuming her body.

Even now, she must be.

Yet she was docile, as if resigned.

They say humans are creatures of adaptation.

Then, how about resetting that adaptation?

Eliza’s eyes turned a peculiar color.

A gleaming golden iris.

Around it, a flickering orange.

And the background, a deep red.

A tri-colored harmony embodying fire.

Eliza grinned.

“You’ll feel a bit better now.”

“…?”

Narcissa only tilted her head slightly like a zombie.

In that moment.

“Ah, aah! Aah, aahhhh…!”

A scream filled with ecstasy burst out.

Like receiving a deity and feeling a surge of faith.

Like witnessing a miracle and being overwhelmed by soaring emotions.

Narcissa’s entire body was enveloped in radiant bliss.

“Aah, aahhhhhhh-!”

The pain vanished.

From the tips of her hair to the tips of her toes.

From the surface of her skin to the depths of her organs.

The blazing flames and molten-like burning pain that had filled her completely disappeared as if washed away.

“Huh, huhuh…! Huhuh…! Haah…!”

Finally, Narcissa wept.

But she wasn’t sad or sorrowful.

She was simply overwhelmed.

Grateful that life could be this peaceful, and the world so beautiful.

She praised Eliza, the one who had worked this miracle of peace.

“Aahhh…!”

The eternal hellfire.

Eliza was the sole master who could freely control that pain.

And that made her Narcissa’s god.

“Duchess.”

Eliza called softly.

But Narcissa, blinded by her rapturous faith, did not hear.

With a light sigh, Eliza returned the eternal hellfire.

“Ah, ahh…?! Ahh, ahhhhhh-!”

Soon Narcissa’s body convulsed, and she screamed wildly.

So violently that the shackles fastened to the wall rattled.

Eliza briefly gave her pain and then took it away again.

“Hah, hah… huff… El, Eliza…”

Finally, Narcissa looked up at Eliza.

“Now, do you understand your situation? Duchess?”

“Yes… y-yes. I understand it fully, truly, painfully…”

“There are a few things I need to tell you.”

“Anything! Tell me anything!”

“There are many things, but let’s start with one. Barak and his children are coming to get you.”

“……”

“Of course, they can’t take you right away. They’ll probably decide through a trial. In that trial, the wife’s testimony will be crucial.”

Narcissa slowly rolled her eyes.

She appeared to be deep in thought.

Should she side with Eliza or with Barak?

Eliza found her indecision amusing.

Just moments ago, she acted as though she would do anything for her, but the mention of a trustworthy ally immediately made her waver.

Eliza decided to ease her torment.

“Of course, as the victim and a witness, Madam has the right to speak freely. But… that Eternal Scorching Flame spell is one that only I can control. So, it would be in your best interest if we cooperated, wouldn’t it?”

Narcissa quickly understood the meaning behind her words and nodded.

Right now, nothing mattered to her—family or otherwise.

If she could free her from that terrible searing pain, she’d be more than willing to lick Eliza’s feet.

“Th-thank you! Of course!”

Eliza nodded indifferently.

Even watching the groveling Narcissa before her didn’t make her feel particularly pleased or excited.

In fact, she found more joy in holding Judas.

“And there’s one more thing I’d like to ask. Do you know anything about the connection between the Grand Duke, the Moon Church, or the Empire?”

Barak had sent two individuals, Gaston and Dallant, to her training ground.

Both of them were spies—one from the Moon Church and the other from the imperial family.

It was necessary to confirm whether Barak was connected to them.

“It would be even better if it were a secretive connection that no one else knows.”

“The Moon Church and the Empire…?”

Narcissa hesitated as if she’d just heard something unfamiliar.

Eliza crossed her arms, disappointed.

“J-just wait a moment! Just a moment… I-I need time to think. Th-the thing is, the Empire holds regular gatherings, so it’s hard to know. But, if it’s the Moon Church… Ah!”

“Did something come to mind?”

“Not often, but sometimes a bishop from the Moon Church communicates with the Grand Duke. The name was… um…”

She paused to think again before speaking.

Eliza waited patiently for her to continue, unaware that she might utter a name she already knew.

“…It was Anggra. Yes, it was definitely Anggra.”

“Anggra…?”

The imperial family of Helios and the Moon Church.

Barak and the Moon Church. Anggra.

Judas’s guardian, Anggra.

Anggra, who is suspected of training the assassin Traditor.

The imperial family. The Moon Church. Barak.

The three forces surrounding her.

Eliza instinctively sensed it.

‘Something is about to happen.’

***

The door to the Reception opened, and Eliza entered.

On the wide sofa sat a line of guests.

Six in total.

After glancing at them briefly, Eliza sat down across from them.

None of the guests were looking at Eliza.

They were all looking at the boy who had followed her, holding her hand.

It was Judas.

His mind was spinning with confusion.

‘Why did she bring me here…?’

Eliza had suddenly said they needed to go somewhere, and when he followed, they ended up here.

The Reception where Barak and his direct descendants were gathered.

Eliza sat beside Judas.

Behind them, Lia stood waiting.

Barak glanced at Lia, and Lia, avoiding his gaze, lowered her eyes.

Eliza spoke first.

“You must have had a hard time traveling such a long distance. I apologize for not being able to treat you more hospitably, but we’ve had a lot going on lately, so I ask for your understanding.”

It was essentially a dismissal.

I’m not interested in treating you well, so let’s finish this quickly because we’re all busy.

On the other hand, Judas was impressed by how composed Eliza was, even more than he’d expected.

He wondered if this was just another of her masks.

No one on the other side responded.

They were all staring at Judas, as if he were an unwelcome guest.

Judas felt the same way.

He had no idea why he had been brought here.

Unable to hold back any longer, Barak spoke.

“Why did you bring that boy here? Get him out.”

He had never been comfortable with the fact that Eliza and Judas were living under the same roof.

However, now they even come in holding hands together.

It was incredibly infuriating and frustrating, but he tried his best not to show it.

But Eliza had no intention of backing down.

“As the owner of this mansion, that’s for me to decide.”

“Eliza. Didn’t you say you were coming to discuss matters concerning our family? I can’t allow an outsider in.”

Judah felt like he was sitting on a bed of thorns.

His uneasy and uncomfortable feeling vanished with Eliza’s next words.

It felt like he had been hit over the head.

The discomfort of being in this awkward position paled in comparison to what was said next.

Upon hearing those words, Lia dropped the teacup she had been holding.

But because of the impact of the statement, no one paid attention to that mistake.

Eliza nonchalantly said,

“So, should we just get engaged or something?”