The Escort Knight Who Is Obsessed by the Villainess Wants to Escape - Chapter 91

“…What are you doing right now? Are you rejecting me?”

Eliza asked in a voice full of disbelief.

This reaction was new.

For some reason, I felt like I had done something wrong.

A cold sweat trickled down my back.

I quickly tried to explain.

“Well, I, uh, don’t exactly look presentable right now.”

Only then did Eliza look me up and down.

For over a week, I hadn’t been able to wash properly or change the clothes I was wearing underneath, and I had made it here in that state.

I even had blood from fighting a red orc on me, and earlier, I had a corpse draped over me thanks to a necromancer.

Although I had roughly wiped down my face and armor, I wasn’t exactly clean.

The stench still lingered.

It was good that I at least wiped down my armor earlier.

Otherwise, Eliza might have gotten blood on her face.

“……”

Eliza finally understood, nodding her head, though she didn’t seem entirely pleased as she mumbled to herself.

“I was alone for days… on your bed….”

“…Huh? What does that mean…?”

“Don’t ask. You don’t need to know.”

“…Uh, okay….”

With a sulky expression, Eliza looked around.

I wasn’t sure why she looked that way, but it didn’t matter—it was cute.

‘Honestly, it’s been tough these past few days, but seeing her makes it all feel better….’

Is it okay to feel this way…? I don’t know.

In any case, just having Eliza in this dreary space made it seem like there was a glow.

The yellow dress she wore made her look just like a chick.

Sighing as if resigned, Eliza let out a small laugh.

“You’ve done well to find it. So, did you call me here to brag?”

“…No. Not at all. There’s a research facility here that appears to have been used by a mage. There might be materials too. I thought they might be of use to you, my lady, so I called you.”

“Hm. Impressive. You’re good at handling things on your own, even those you weren’t asked to do.”

Eliza glanced around and said,

“You may stand.”

Everyone immediately rose.

“What about the necromancer?”

“He’s over here.”

Dyke and Argon came dragging a bag.

They had put the necromancer’s corpse inside to take it with them.

“It might look a bit…”

“I don’t mind.”

Eliza curtly cut him off and looked into the bag.

She nodded her head.

“It matches. The mission is complete.”

Eliza looked at me and said,

“Good job.”

I quickly shouted,

“My lady says thank you for all your hard work!”

“Thank you-!”

Everyone shouted in unison, kneeling on one knee.

Eliza covered her ears, pouting as she looked up at me.

Her expression was one of dissatisfaction.

‘How could you only thank me for my hard work….’

Lowering her hands, Eliza spoke.

“I’ll prepare an official recognition ceremony later. For now, let’s gather all the necromancer’s materials.”

“Should we collect anything related to dark magic as well?”

“Yes. Don’t leave a single record behind.”

We all grabbed bags and moved.

Everyone went back to the areas they had been assigned to gather the materials.

Jerry, Felin, and I each picked up a bag.

As I went to get the log I had seen earlier, Eliza followed me.

She walked close beside me.

“……”

Jerry and Felin glanced sideways at me before quickly moving ahead and leaving us alone.

I quietly asked Eliza,

“…Is something the matter?”

“What?”

She gave me a look that seemed to say, “Do I need a reason to follow you?”

…No, she didn’t.

“It’s nothing.”

Walking beside me, she softly started to speak, her voice small and cautious.

“…Hey.”

“Yes.”

“Do you… miss me? …No, never mind. Nothing.”

“Yes, yes?”

“Be quiet.”

Why start talking and then stop? Making people curious.

She spoke so softly and quickly that I couldn’t even catch the words.

I stared at her, pressing with my eyes.

Say more.

Eliza met my gaze, then softly smiled.

‘Hmm… Trying to smooth things over with a smile is unfair.’

In the end, I couldn’t push her further.

We moved past the area where Jerry and Felin were searching, heading into the deepest room.

The place where letters and various journals had been left.

I started gathering the journals from the bookshelf.

Meanwhile, Eliza looked down at the letters.

“Should we take those letters too?”

“……”

“My lady?”

I called her again, but Eliza continued to stare intently at the letters.

Was she deciphering them?

Eventually, she looked up.

“…Ah, yes. We should take them.”

She rolled up the letters and placed them in the sack.

As we finished packing up and turned to leave, others began returning from different directions.

“Did you gather everything?”

Dylan asked again, and everyone confirmed they had.

“Then let’s return. Although, my lady….”

He cautiously watched Eliza’s expression.

She has teleportation abilities.

Unlike us, she doesn’t need to struggle to move around.

Eliza looked directly at me and responded.

“I’ll move everyone together.”

“Th-thank you!”

“It’ll take me some time to concentrate, given how many there are.”

Everyone? Including all the cargo?

She keeps surprising us every day.

Everyone was thrilled and grateful to Eliza.

I had to interject.

“Apologies, but Yuel is outside.”

“Yuel? Then we should go get him.”

Eliza immediately canceled her spell.

I led the way out of the underground city.

Right behind me was Eliza. Behind her, the former trainees of Room 13…

No, now our comrades in the Royal Guard.

As we exited the stairs, fresh air greeted us.

The sun was starting to set, casting shadows in the canyon.

Just as I was about to whistle to call Yuel through a gap—

‘…!’

A survival instinct alert went off.

I reflexively raised my sword to deflect.

Faster than my awareness.

Thwack!

My sword struck something.

Embedded in the wall was a bolt.

A crossbow bolt.

“What the…!”

There wasn’t even time to assess the situation.

Survival warnings came at me from all directions.

I threw myself over Eliza, shouting.

“Everyone, get down!”

Sounds of air slicing through the surroundings.

Something raining down in waves.

Thud, thwack. Piercing into the ground.

“Aaargh-!”

Hador screamed.

Seems he’d been hit by a bolt.

And then, one more warning.

A survival alert came plunging straight toward my back.

But I couldn’t dodge it.

Right beneath me, Eliza lay startled.

Gripping my sword.

Thwack!

Heat seared into my back.

A sharp pain tore through me.

“Judas, you…!”

Eliza’s eyes widened.

I tried not to show it, but she caught the change in my expression.

“…It’s nothing serious.”

It was something serious.

The bolt that pierced through the armor burned with pain.

The spot where it lodged was throbbing.

In the brief moment the enemy reloaded.

I lifted Eliza and propped her against the wall.

With my shield raised, I watched the front.

Above on the jagged layers of the canyon, shadows began to appear, one by one.

Approximately twenty figures.

‘They’re not orcs. Orcs don’t use crossbows.’

Thugs cloaked in pitch-black robes.

Though their identities were unknown, one thing was certain.

They were all enemies.

There didn’t seem to be room for negotiation.

One by one, they aimed their crossbows again.

“The rear is blocked as well!”

Someone shouted.

Looking back, mysterious enemies had appeared on the path leading back to the underground city.

When did they manage to get there?

“Everyone, stay calm and draw your weapons!”

Dylan shouted.

“We must prioritize the lady’s safety!”

I said.

Then, Eliza spoke in a trembling voice behind me.

“Judas, here, this…”

What she meant by “this” was probably the crossbow bolt.

“I’m fine. I can bear it.”

“Hador is injured!”

“Help him behind the protruding wall! A frontal breakthrough is too risky! Take down the rear enemies first and retreat underground!”

Dylan’s analysis was quite sharp.

There were no enemies on the direct path out of this gap.

As if that route were open for us to take.

However, it was also the spot most vulnerable to crossbows.

There was a high chance more enemies were waiting outside.

The opponent, despite holding the advantage, remained calm.

They weren’t shooting recklessly but waiting for the perfect moment.

The enemies that appeared at the rear drew closer and closer.

At that moment, Eliza spoke in a chilling voice.

“There’s a mage among them.”

It was impossible to tell by appearance alone.

But her claim was plausible.

They had each positioned themselves on various rocky outcrops or cliff edges.

Creating a perfectly interlocking line of fire.

Among them, some spots were unreachable by human strength alone.

And the enemies that appeared silently behind us.

‘This means they have a mage of considerable skill who can teleport others with them… but where are they?’

Dylan gave his orders without considering Eliza’s capabilities.

If she were to help, we wouldn’t have to retreat.

“For now, I’ll…”

Just as Eliza was about to speak.

A figure appeared near the exit ahead.

Dressed in black robes, like the enemies with crossbows.

They were clearly part of the same group.

But they seemed desperate, as if pursued by something.

The ones stationed above quickly turned their heads to check over there, somewhat flustered.

As if a battle had broken out.

‘What’s going on? A passing monster?’

I observed the situation for a moment.

And there, in front of us, an unexpected, familiar face appeared.

The figure sliced an enemy’s neck, wiped the blood from their face, and looked our way.

Upon spotting us, they smiled brightly.

“Oh, as expected! Sir Judas! And Lady Eliza!”

Hermes.

It was her and the other knights.

Unexpected reinforcements had arrived.