Episode 27: Rudella Bismarck #2
The next day, after Yohan departed for his mission, Francia took a leave of absence and arrived at a certain location with her escort knights.
“Milady, is this the right place? It just looks like a dense forest.”
One of the knights asked.
In front of them stretched a massive forest, where nothing but trees could be seen.
“This is the place. Let’s go.”
Francia stepped forward. Her attire, the uniform of the House of Fervache, seemed deliberately chosen for ease of movement in such a setting.
Crunch.
They entered the forest. The knights remained vigilant, keeping a close watch on their surroundings. In a place like this, it wouldn’t be surprising if a wild beast suddenly appeared.
Crunch.
Francia did not stop walking. Though it was her first time here, the untouched nature of the forest felt oddly familiar. She moved confidently, scanning her surroundings.
“……”
The knights silently followed her. Despite their heightened senses as first-class knights, no sign of any beasts emerged.
Crunch.
How long had they been walking?
Francia suddenly came to a halt. Before her stood a large cave, exuding an ominous aura even at first glance.
“Wait here, all of you.”
“Is it not dangerous?”
“It’s fine. This place is safe.”
“……”
The knights’ duty was to protect Francia at all costs. They had sworn loyalty to the House of Fervache since their youth, starting as squires.
Allowing the sole heir and only daughter of the noble house to enter an unfamiliar forest cave on her own…
“We will accompany you.”
“I said it’s fine.”
“The aura feels unsettling.”
“Hmmm…”
Francia touched her chin, contemplating.
‘How do I get them to stay behind?’
Even if she insisted it was safe, they were bound to follow her. The eerie aura emanating from the cave heightened their wariness.
However, there was no actual danger in the cave—only an artifact.
I should probably be somewhat honest here.
After all, they were her people. There was no need to worry about betrayal. They were loyal to the House of Fervache, no matter what.
Revealing the secret of this place wouldn’t be an issue.
“I’d like you to trust me right now. There’s nothing dangerous in this cave.”
“…The aura doesn’t seem ordinary. There could be a high-level beast.”
“You already noticed while coming here, didn’t you? There are no beasts in this forest. It’s because of the artifact inside the cave.”
“An artifact…?”
An artifact.
The places where artifacts or treasures lay hidden across the continent were known as artifact vaults.
“That’s right.”
“Ah…”
The knight scratched the back of his head, refraining from voicing his doubt about how she could be so sure.
“It’s an artifact vault, so it’s fine.”
“There could still be traps,” the knight pointed out.
“There are no traps here.”
Francia gestured toward the interior of the cave.
“As you can sense, this artifact vault isn’t the type protected by traps or beasts. Instead, it repels people through its aura, deterring living beings from entering.”
Artifact vaults could generally be categorized into three types:
Vaults guarded by beasts.
Vaults filled with traps to prevent access.
Vaults emitting an aura that repels living beings.
This vault belonged to the third type.
“Are you convinced now? I’ll be back quickly.” Francia assured them.
“…Understood. However, please call for us immediately if anything happens.”
“Of course, I will.”
With a light smile toward the knights, Francia stepped into the cave.
Naturally, the interior was dark. Visibility was so poor that she could only see the ground beneath her feet.
“La, Endus, Fire.”
She cast a basic fire spell, illuminating the cave with the flame in her hand.
At the end of the cave, an old, crumbled altar came into view. Francia swallowed hard and stepped onto the altar.
Francia gulped and stepped forward, placing her foot on the altar.
Rumble—
A faint vibration shook loose dust from the walls as a green light illuminated the magic circle surrounding the altar.
And at the center, a pendant floated.
It was the object Francia had been searching for.
Whoosh!
The moment she held the pendant in her hand, a chill touched her fingertips, followed by a brief shiver coursing through her. Francia instinctively drew a breath.
But soon, as if nothing had happened, the light of the magic circle quietly faded away.
“Got it.”
Francia gazed intently at the pendant in her hand. A green light shimmered within it.
Though she didn’t know the name of the artifact, she was well aware of its effect.
If someone with hostile intent toward the wearer was nearby, the pendant would flash red.
Considering the number of people targeting Yohan, it would undoubtedly be of great help.
It had saved her countless times during a timeline that no longer existed.
“Ensuring Yohan’s safety comes first.”
Using the knowledge of the future to elevate Yohan’s position was a task for later.
For now, she had to help Yohan unlock his potential, just as he had done before.
***
“…That’s what happened.”
“Oh?”
Two days of constant travel had passed, and they had just crossed the border of the Rozino Empire.
At Rudella Bismarck’s request, Yohan was sharing stories from his past.
No matter what he said, Rudella listened with eyes gleaming with interest.
Even the most trivial stories—such as his time at the academy with friends or the troubles caused by overly persistent noble ladies, seemed to captivate her.
Even if the tales were dull or unremarkable, Rudella occasionally showed slight shifts in her expression, keeping her focus on Yohan.
“You must’ve had a more enjoyable academy life than I did.”
“It wasn’t that enjoyable. In hindsight, it’s just nostalgia.”
Yohan smiled awkwardly. Back then, everything had seemed unbearably irritating, but now, it didn’t feel like such a big deal.
“Of the noble ladies who showed interest in you, was there none who caught your eye?”
“There were a few, but the risks outweighed the benefits, so I didn’t pursue them.”
“Hmm.”
Rudella raised her eyebrows as she looked at Yohan.
“Calculating the risks and benefits of forming a connection? You’re surprisingly pragmatic in such matters.”
She then slightly curled her lips into a smile.
“It’s not something to boast about, but I wasn’t called a trophy of high society for no reason. Navigating it was like walking on thin ice, so I had to tread carefully.”
At this, Rudella nodded in agreement. Yohan’s reasoning made sense even to her.
“I see. As the third son of a Viscount family, you wouldn’t have had much influence. You likely couldn’t afford to get involved recklessly.”
Getting entangled with someone could have easily dragged him into conflicts between noble families, leaving Yohan in a difficult position. In that case, it was better not to leave any room for such complications.
“But tell me, then—how do you explain the fact that you defied the Crown Prince that day? That seems like a decision beyond your means to handle.”
Rudella tilted her head slowly. Her silver hair flowed like silk over her exposed shoulders. In the light, it gleamed softly, leaving behind a faint scent of lilies in the air.
“No matter how powerful His Highness the Crown Prince may be, he wouldn’t easily cross someone like me, who’s protected by the Duke of Fervache and is a promising Special-Class Mage.”
Yohan’s voice was calm and gentle, but his words were filled with careful calculation.
“You’re more cunning than I thought.”
Rudella remarked, glancing at him with a playful smirk.
“And bold too. Even with such backing, it couldn’t have been an easy decision to make.”
“It’s only natural to do what’s necessary to protect the one I love.”
“Oh?”
This time, Rudella’s reaction was distinctly different from before.
Her eyebrows rose as her eyes widened, and her lips parted slightly.
“…I wish I had someone like you.”
Her face remained expressionless as she spoke.
Her eyes, however, seemed dull and unfocused, and her subtle frown gave the impression of weariness.
Her complexion darkened, as if a shadow had fallen, and a fleeting wave of unspoken emotion passed through her features.
“……”
Yohan didn’t know what to say. To be honest, hearing such words from Rudella was entirely unexpected.
Yohan had thought he understood most of the characters in this story, but Rudella’s current demeanor felt not only unfamiliar but entirely out of place.
In his knowledge, Rudella Bismarck was quite the lunatic. A cruel figure who took lives as casually as one might swat flies.
For her to show such vulnerability? And to someone she had only recently met? Even if only a little, she was revealing a more genuine side of herself.
‘I don’t get it.’
He was confused, to say the least.
‘I can’t figure out what she’s thinking or why she’s acting like this.’
A sudden event was unlikely to cause such an abrupt change in her demeanor.
“Rudella Bismarck… is simply a person forged that way.”
Yohan gave an awkward smile. There wasn’t much he could say right now.
“One day, you’ll meet someone.”
All he could do was offer a comforting word of encouragement.
“One day, huh.”
Rudella crossed her legs, propped her chin on her hand, and gazed intently at Yohan.
Feeling burdened by her stare, Yohan looked away. As he glanced downward, he caught sight of her pale, exposed shin.
There was nowhere to look. Looking out the window felt disrespectful, but staring directly at her made him uneasy, as if her inscrutable gaze could read him like an open book.
“You’re unexpectedly cute, in a way,” Rudella said with a faint chuckle.
Rudella chuckled softly—a rare smile that broke the awkward atmosphere.
“You’re free to look at my body if you wish. I’m not particularly the type to care about such things. Or,” she leaned in slightly, closing the distance between them, “will you continue meeting my gaze instead?”
Her lips curved ever so slightly into a subtle smile as she tilted forward.
“…You seem to enjoy talking with me,”
Yohan replied, trying to deflect.
“Who knows? Maybe I do.”
As Yohan instinctively leaned back, Rudella grabbed his wrist, preventing him from pulling away.
“That day, the way you shielded the lady keeps coming back to me. I can’t seem to forget it.”
“….”
“You acted fearlessly then. Even knowing it might lead to trouble, you stood up for your lover.”
“It’s only natural to do so for someone you love—”
“There are far more people in this world who cannot do what is considered ‘natural.’”
“…I see.”
“I’ve never had anyone like that in my life. Maybe that’s why I can’t get you out of my mind.”
Yohan narrowed his eyes. He had an instinctive feeling that her interest wouldn’t stop at mere curiosity.
“By the way, Lady Bismarck, how was your time at the Academy?”
He deliberately changed the subject.
He needed to shift the mood.
“Changing the topic, are we? Did I inadvertently make you uncomfortable?”
Rudella gave a faint smile and gazed even deeper into his eyes.
“Very well, my story, then. Although, there isn’t much to tell. It was a dull life. Even during my Academy days, it was just study to refine myself and and fulfilling the responsibilities tied to my status. Any interactions I had were purely for political gain.”
It was as cold and indifferent as she was.
“I see. Is that why you’ve been asking to hear my stories?”
“That’s not it. Didn’t I already tell you? I was simply curious about what shaped you into the person you are today.”
Rudella’s sky-blue eyes shimmered, rippling like waves as they bore into Yohan. Though her expression was calm, there was a fleeting glimmer of yearning in her gaze, as if she craved something just out of reach.
“I—”
BOOM!
Just as Yohan was about to continue, a deafening explosion shook the air. At the same time, the floor of the carriage buckled and twisted from the impact.
The sound of splintering wooden panels and the groaning of the carriage’s frame filled the space as metal fragments shattered into sharp shrapnel and scattered in all directions.
“Damn it!”
Yohan immediately assessed the situation, grabbing Rudella’s wrist and pulling her into his embrace.
Shielding her head and shoulders with his arms, he activated a protective barrier.
“We’re under attack…!”
“Agh! My arm, my arm!”
The screams of people and horses echoed outside the shattered windows as the chaos escalated. Inside, everything was turned upside down.
The carriage, now out of control, plunged off the edge of a cliff.
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