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Chapter – 08
“……!”
Eleanor twisted her body and sprang half a step back, instantly taking a combat stance.
It was a reflex engraved into her body to survive the Demon Realm.
At her aggressive posture, the owner of the voice chuckled.
“Sorry. I wasn’t asking for a fight.”
Through the darkness—step, step—footsteps approached.
Light from behind Eleanor illuminated the man’s figure.
Hair like crushed sunlight, and blue eyes holding the night.
Below a high-bridged nose were red lips forming elegant curves, balanced by a distinctly masculine jawline.
Eleanor recognized that face.
“The eldest of the Rotger family.”
“You know me? I’m honored.”
Lezet Rotger, the first son of the prestigious swordsmanship house Rotger, stood smiling at her.
“There isn’t anyone in the Empire who doesn’t know you.”
Even Eleanor—trapped in the massive prison called the Hildeit family—knew of him well.
An unprecedented genius never before seen in the Rotger lineage. At only fifteen he was granted the rank of High-Class Swordsman and became one of the blades protecting the Empire.
Why would the future head of the Rotger family be here?
As Eleanor’s mind worked, Lezet’s eyes curved slightly.
“Oh dear, sorry. I don’t know you, though.”
“……”
“Judging from that stance, you seem used to combat. Are you a swordsman?”
“……”
“Or a Merey? I know all the Kube family members, but I’ve never seen your face.”
“……”
Despite Eleanor’s silence, his voice echoed in the cave.
He examined her face carefully—then his expression shifted oddly.
“But your face feels familiar…”
“Why are you here?”
“Hmm?”
Eleanor cut him off.
“You could’ve handled those guys easily. Why did you pretend to be unconscious?”
“I wasn’t pretending. I was unconscious.”
“Lie.”
From the moment he’d been brought in the sack, she’d sensed no presence from him at all.
For a swordsman of his level, that meant one of two things:
Either he was dead—or deliberately hiding his presence.
Lezet raised both hands in surrender at her certainty.
“Ah, so you won’t play along.”
“Give me the reason.”
“It was cute watching them try to kill me.”
“Cute?”
“I’ll get scolded by the client when I return anyway. No need to shock them too.”
It was a strangely off-point answer.
“So you spared assassins because they’d fail anyway?”
“Something like that.”
A light response.
But to Eleanor—who remembered the future—it sounded different.
When she conquered the Demon Realm and attempted to destroy the world, Lezet Rotger had not been among those who fought her.
Humans who used all their power to kill her would never have hidden someone of his caliber.
Did the assassination succeed?
Nothing in the man laughing before her suggested a future death.
Unaware of her thoughts, Lezet asked playfully:
“You were watching from the beginning, weren’t you?”
“I was.”
“Then why didn’t you save me?”
“…What?”
“Normally you’d untie the sack and ask if I’m okay.”
What nonsense was he saying?
“Why would I do that?”
“I thought you’d save me when you made that loud noise.”
So he noticed that too.
Not surprising for someone like him—though her intention had failed.
“I wasn’t trying to save you. I just didn’t want them coming this way.”
“No thought of helping me while you were at it? Just untying the sack?”
“Whether you died or not isn’t my concern.”
“Cold.”
Lezet shrugged.
He looked playful, but the energy in his broad shoulders and solid body was extraordinary.
To destroy this world, she would someday have to fight that man.
Eleanor bit her lip and turned away. There was no point continuing.
But she stopped at his next words.
“I remember now. You’re definitely from the Hildeit—!”
“That’s far enough.”
In an instant she appeared behind him, a blade at his neck.
Cold steel touched his skin. Lezet gave a hollow laugh.
“Did the Hildeit family start training in martial arts?”
“Watch your tongue, Lezet Rotger.”
“The Hildeit family’s legitimate daughter—Eleanor Hildeit.”
He spoke her name without fear.
Even she knew she couldn’t defeat him right now.
Tension settled in silence.
Lezet spoke first.
“I have no intention of fighting you.”
“Neither do I.”
“Says the one holding a blade to my throat.”
“You were talking nonsense.”
Their gazes met.
“I’ll make the first offer,” he said.
“Go on.”
“I’ve never been here. My servants transported the sack, but I had already escaped it. So I never saw you.”
“……”
“If that’s not enough, I can pay you gold.”
At his casual tone, Eleanor slowly withdrew her dagger.
He was a future enemy—but not today.
Feeling her hostility fade, Lezet smiled again.
“That surprised me. Isn’t it cheating for a Hildeit to move like that?”
“You talk too much.”
“This cave is lonely. Someone has to talk.”
She ignored him and walked out.
In the distance, Laura was anxiously hopping in place.
Lezet watched Eleanor’s long black hair sway as she left—his expression gradually hardened.
His hand touched the back of his neck.
…I couldn’t react.
Lezet Rotger — the unrivaled genius.
Not merely because of sword skill.
His specialty was overwhelming speed, denying opponents any chance to use their blade.
Meaning he could control any battle regardless of the opponent’s actions.
Yet he couldn’t react to Eleanor Hildeit—the talentless disgrace of a healing-arts family?
“….”
He slowly rubbed his neck.
He needed to learn more about that woman.
* * *
“I’m so glad you returned safely, Miss!”
Laura’s trembling face brightened as Eleanor approached.
She seemed reassured about her choice.
Eleanor nodded expressionlessly.
“You waited well.”
“Yes! I wanted to run in so many times, but I held back. I believed you’d return…”
“The moment we leave this mountain, erase those feelings.”
“Of course. We just came to see rabbits.”
Laura puffed her chest proudly.
Eleanor shook her head and got into the carriage.
“Then we’re off!”
Laura jumped into the driver’s seat.
She desperately wanted to ask what happened—but suppressed it.
Someday, when she trusts me, she’ll tell me.
With that thought, she snapped the reins.
“We’ve arrived, Miss.”
Before Eleanor could step down, a guard called her.
“The Lord has summoned you. Where have you been?”
An insolent tone.
Only the head of the family, Jules Hildeit, had the authority to reprimand her—yet in this house, everyone did.
Eleanor looked at him coldly.
“I’ll go shortly.”
At her icy voice, the guard Odel clicked his tongue.
Who put courage into someone who used to bow and apologize at the slightest scolding?
But he couldn’t press further.
“Let’s go, Miss,” Laura said.
They headed to Jules Hildeit’s room.
Eleanor sensed Odel leaving with someone—but ignored it.
Jennifer?
Or Zekiel?
Whoever it was didn’t matter.
The more weak roots they spread, the easier it would be to trace them to the core.
…First, I deal with Father.
Jules Hildeit.
She turned the doorknob.
A familiar yet never familiar room filled her vision.
