The Escort Knight Who Is Obsessed by the Villainess Wants to Escape - Chapter 78

“I-I don’t have that kind of preference-!”

“…Preference? What kind of preference?”

Eliza seriously asked in response to the nonsense I had unintentionally blurted out.

“What does smelling feet have to do with preferences?”

“That…!”

I shut my mouth tight, realizing that trying to defend the world of preferences, which should be respected by all humanity and treated as a personal sanctuary, would only lead to more misunderstandings.

‘If I try to defend this, it’ll make it seem like I actually have that kind of preference, won’t it?’

In the first place, I don’t….

…No, that’s not the point.

“Or were you implying that my foot odor doesn’t suit your olfactory preference?”

“No, no, that’s not it…. I wasn’t… sniffing your foot odor… at all….”

Eliza tilted her head, as if asking why I had buried my nose in her foot in the first place.

From my genuine perspective of denial, my head was spinning.

‘Why did the quest reward have to arrive at that moment…!’

Of course, it wasn’t without fault that I checked it immediately, but I decided not to dwell on it.

“Well, whatever….”

If you say so, I guess that’s how it is.

That was exactly Eliza’s reaction.

Having no interest in anything sensual and completely unable to understand, Eliza let the matter pass without a second thought.

But why did I still feel so embarrassed and somewhat miserable…?

“Whatever it is, sit down quickly. It’s not over yet.”

It was only then that I started paying attention to my surroundings.

People were murmuring, clearly startled by my sudden action.

Why was I realizing once again, at this moment, how many guests were present at this ceremony?

Their gazes were anything but ordinary.

Among them, Barak and Lia looked downright intimidating.

‘I wish I could hide, but there’s nowhere to hide… not even a shadow.’

Not that I could hide even if there was a place.

I pressed my lips together and averted my eyes as I knelt back down on one knee.

Eliza stood up.

She lifted the ceremonial sword.

The ornate blade slowly descended over my head.

All the shame and deep reflection on preferences that had plagued me moments ago vanished entirely.

‘Eliza….’

The sight of Eliza, who had just hurled flames at me.

‘What was that scene about…?’

The sword moved.

First over my left shoulder, then my right, and finally the top of my head.

“Under the light of the Sun God, I swear. I, Eliza, accept your loyalty and your life.”

Eliza’s gentle voice echoed through the temple.

“I am honored to serve.”

I responded mechanically.

The rest of the knighting ceremony passed quickly.

I’m not even sure how it went.

My mind was a complete mess.

Eliza, who had hurled fire at me.

It wasn’t directed elsewhere—she had clearly aimed at me.

It didn’t seem like a mistake.

I distinctly felt killing intent.

‘The second tragedy….’

This time, the tragic scene shown to me was different from before.

In other words, I had avoided the tragedy that had been shown previously.

‘Since nothing has happened so far, it should be safe to assume that’s the case… right?’

So I believe this tragedy can be avoided as well.

I can dodge it if I try.

There’s no need to worry excessively.

‘Fortunately, there are more clues than last time.’

This time, I had seen Eliza’s expression.

Her face was twisted with anger, yet she looked like she was about to cry.

Does that mean I did something wrong?

‘A mistake so bad that it made Eliza this angry… I have no idea.’

Anyway, I resolved to be even more cautious from now on.

Not that I know if I can be any more cautious than I already am.

After collecting myself, I checked the next reward.

The chapter of comedy.

This offers more information than the tragedy.

It’s a ‘chapter,’ not just a ‘scene,’ after all.

The beginning is the same as when it reveals a tragedy.

It first presents a scene.

Piece by piece, the picture comes together, like a puzzle.

I see a person lying in bed.

It’s me.

The space around me is not shown.

The scene only reflects me, lying in bed.

Bandages are wrapped around my body.

As if I had been severely injured.

It seems like I’ve sustained considerable wounds, yet my complexion doesn’t look bad.

And that’s the end of the scene.

Afterward, a brief description of a scene, different from the tragedy, flashes in my mind.

[Eliza’s Comedy.]

‘…Not my comedy, but Eliza’s comedy?’

This is the first time something like this has happened.

Usually, it shows either good or bad things based on the perspective of the person seeing the future.

But, in this case, the future showed Eliza’s comedy, not mine.

‘I don’t know what’s going on, but…’

It can be connected to the previous tragedy.

Eliza, who was hurling fire at me.

And me, severely injured and collapsed.

The explanation of Eliza’s comedy.

‘Me getting hurt is something good for Eliza. …The Sun that must kill the Moon.’

It’s harder than the last tragedy if I think it’s difficult, and easier if I think it’s easy.

It’s difficult in that I have to avoid the situation where Eliza killing me becomes a comedy.

The easy part is, at least this time, I can deduce the cause and effect.

Eliza’s angry expression.

‘No matter what I do, I’ll have to be as cautious as possible moving forward….’

***

After the investiture ceremony ended, Eliza’s coming-of-age ceremony officially began.

During the ceremony, I stayed by Eliza’s side.

It was my duty as her escort knight.

Although it’s called a coming-of-age ceremony, it’s just her 18th birthday.

A grand birthday party held in the Church of the Sun.

‘Eliza never looks happy on her birthday.’

Well, it makes sense.

On her birthday, she has to see the faces of her family, who despise her.

I came to indirectly understand what kind of treatment Eliza receives from her family.

It must have been harder for her back when her magical power was weaker.

In the large space beneath the throne, the Pope of the Moon God Church was delivering a congratulatory speech.

‘I think their name was Nadap.’

A person who didn’t exist in the future I knew.

The Pope of the Moon God Church, Nadap.

To be exact, the Moon God Church itself no longer exists.

‘I heard the Moon God Church fell because of the Bevel family.’

At that time, the only member of the Bevel family left was Eliza.

The rest had all been killed.

By Eliza’s hand.

So, when exactly did Eliza massacre her own family?

When did the Moon God Church decline due to the Bevel family?

Will those two events unfold the same way here, where I have intervened?

‘This is a very important issue….’

I looked at Eliza.

Sitting on the throne, gazing down at the banquet hall with a bored expression.

From a slightly diagonal angle, I could see her round cheeks.

‘Hmm. She’s cute.’

I couldn’t associate her at all with the image of her throwing fire at me.

Eliza, watching her coming-of-age ceremony with a look of indifference, raised her head.

Our eyes met, her red pupils locking with mine.

She smiled softly.

Just as she always did when we looked at each other.

A smile filled with composure.

No matter how much I think about it, I can’t imagine this Eliza trying to kill me.

“Why are you staring at me like that? Do you have something to say?”

Eliza asked, whispering.

Why was I staring at her…?

‘…That’s a good question.’

I was just….

“…No, I don’t.”

Before I knew it, the Pope’s congratulatory speech had ended.

Now it was time for free conversation and interaction.

Several people approached Eliza to offer their congratulations.

Eliza , half listening and half ignoring, indifferently accepted their greetings.

Then, a woman stood in front of Eliza.

Her golden hair neatly braided and flowing down.

Eyes the same color as Eliza’s.

“It’s been a while, Eliza .”

The woman said with a bright smile.

“Was the last time we saw each other at the trial?”

Eliza smiled and responded.

“Does it matter? Whether it’s once or several times, it’s equally unpleasant for both of us.”

Despite the blatant sarcasm, the other person’s expression didn’t waver.

She maintained a calm smile.

“I’m sorry about the misunderstanding regarding Mother. But Eliza, don’t you think it’s time to let her go? Continuing like this is troublesome.”

“Jezebel, you still haven’t fully learned how to read, have you?”

“…What?”

“I’ll introduce you to a good grammar teacher. After you learn to read, go through the verdict. The answer you’re looking for is all written there.”

“……”

“Oh, by the time you’ve learned to read, the Duchess might have passed away naturally due to old age.”

Jezebel’s expression was no longer calm.

She glared at Eliza with a hardened face.

The atmosphere was tense.

Even in front of her, Eliza smiled nonchalantly.

‘Scary…’

Eliza was always rather indifferent.

If one were to describe it, it was like a cat that found everything bothersome.

But when it came to family matters, she was sharp.

Her face remained as calm and relaxed as usual, smiling leisurely.

But her words were laced with thorns.

“Eliza… Are you really going to keep acting like this? You even received compensation from the trial. Can’t you at least show some mercy and treat Mother like a human being?”

“Sister, there are guests waiting behind you. If you’re done talking, move aside.”

“You… Do you really think you can handle this?”

Jezebel asked, trembling with clenched fists.

Eliza looked up at her quietly.

Tilting her head slightly as if puzzled, she simply chuckled.

“What… What is it?”

Jezebel asked, bewildered, but Eliza didn’t answer.

She merely waved her hand, as if swatting away a fly.

“Hurry up and leave. I’m busy.”

“…You’ll regret this.”

Whether she would or not, Eliza began greeting other guests.

None of Eliza’s other siblings came up after Jezebel.

I confirmed the presence of five people scattered throughout the banquet hall.

‘Cain, Levi, Jezebel, Achan, and Sarah.’

Thanks to attending Eliza’s birthday parties for the past five years, I had memorized all of them.

‘They’re likely the ones closest to Eliza and pose the biggest threats. Including Barak.’

The greetings were over.

Next up was the birthday gift presentation.

A problem arose.

‘I didn’t bring a gift this time…’

For five years, I had never failed to bring a gift.

The best I could manage within my means.

A small bouquet, a bracelet made of cheap gemstones, a simple headband. Things like that.

Eliza always accepted them with a smile.

Even though the items were completely unfit for her status.

Even now, she’s wearing the bracelet and headband I gave her back then.

Unlike the scarf and cat plushie she always carries, she sometimes wears the other gifts and sometimes doesn’t.

‘Well, she does use them fairly often.’

But that’s not what’s important right now.

After the last exam and waiting for the ordination ceremony, I forgot to prepare a birthday gift.

‘What should I do…’

Eliza, today’s main guest of honor, changes her outfit every so often.

As she was moving to change, I cautiously followed her and spoke up.

“Uh, my lady… I deeply apologize, but I wasn’t able to prepare a gift this time….”

Eliza, standing in front of the dressing room door, looked straight at me.

Her face was expressionless.

Was she angry?

“It’s fine.”

Contrary to my concerns, Eliza was very calm.

“Expecting more from the one who brought the Sun statue is just greed.”

Hmm. Well, the Sun statue is indeed that valuable.

“And.”

And?

“You’ve become my knight. That’s enough. I don’t need anything else.”

“……”

“Wait just a little. I’ll be out soon.”

Eliza entered the dressing room.

Click, the door closed.

I stood quietly in front of it.

These days, whenever I hear things like that, it’s hard to keep my composure.

My head spins.

“Huu…”

I let out a deep sigh, and someone stomped loudly towards me.

***

Jezebel gulped down the wine harshly.

The sweet alcohol burned warmly in her stomach.

Yet, the heat clinging to her insides didn’t subside.

‘So annoying…’

She kept her eyes fixed on Barak, who was visible in the distance.

Beside him were his eldest son, Cain, and his second son, Levi.

They were greeting the nobles who had come to see Barak.

It was practically certain that her chance of becoming the next head of the family was gone.

On top of that, the secret agents she had sent to Eliza had all been killed, and she hadn’t even gotten a glimpse of the Solar Statue.

‘Nothing is going right…’

To make matters worse, Eliza had blatantly ignored her.

She had told him he’d regret it, but in reality, she didn’t know how she could make him truly regret it.

A mage said to be a reincarnation from the age of myths.

The knight by his side wasn’t ordinary, either.

‘I wish I could at least get my mother out somehow…’

As she downed her second glass, she glanced around.

‘…Where did Sarah go?’

Her youngest sibling, Sarah, was nowhere to be seen.

Although Eliza was technically the youngest, Jezebel didn’t consider him as part of the family.

Therefore, to her, Sarah was the only youngest sibling.

‘I thought she was glaring at Eliza earlier… She’s not going to cause any trouble, is she?’

At that very moment.

Sarah was witnessing an unreal scene.

Her personal knight had been grabbed by Judas and was now flying through the air.

“Huh…”