NLBM 10

At Baron Ribelt’s words, the lords stared fixedly at Eveline.

“The Witch of the North?”

“You mean that notorious villainess with the terrible temper?”

Damn. Have they already figured it out?

Feeling their gazes, Cassian suddenly found himself facing a dilemma.

The fact that the woman before them was the daughter of House Serdian still had to remain a secret.

Should I just kill them all?

Considering the severity of their offense, summary execution would be perfectly acceptable.

Meanwhile, the person at the center of the discussion, Eveline, seemed completely unaware of what was going on.

“Would you like to lean on my shoulder if it’s too difficult?”

As speculation about her identity continued around them, Cassian carefully studied Eveline’s face.

Clear moisture gathered in her eyes, blue like a rippling sea.

Her expression was innocent and filled with concern for him.

As if stealing away the morning dew clinging to a leaf, Cassian gently pressed beneath her eye before slowly withdrawing his finger.

“I’m fine. It’s a little difficult, but… ah, my head suddenly—”

He deliberately staggered and buried his face against her shoulder, making sure to breathe shallowly for effect.

“Oh my! Look at this cold sweat! Lean on me quickly, dear!”

Startled, Eveline hurriedly supported him.

To play along, Cassian let a little of his weight rest against her and spoke pitifully.

“Haa… just a little more slowly…”

The moment he began acting like a frail little deer, the murmuring behind them intensified.

“What a ridiculous show.”

Whip!

“Gah! The Duke turned around!”

“Eek! Everyone, watch your eyes!”

The moment Cassian turned his head, the lords’ faces turned deathly pale.

Their eyes met in midair.

Curling one corner of his mouth upward, Cassian tilted his head so Eveline wouldn’t notice.

Do you want to die?

He mouthed the words silently.

The clear shape of his lips was enough.

The lords finally remembered their own circumstances and immediately shut their mouths.

Cassian was about to turn back as though nothing had happened when he noticed a knife lying on the floor.

A dessert knife?

“What’s wrong, dear?”

“It’s nothing.”

When Eveline started to turn around, Cassian quickly answered and urged her toward the exit.

At the same time, he kept an eye on what was happening behind them.

Baron Ribelt had somehow picked up the dessert knife and was now rubbing it against a rope.

Normally, Cassian would have stopped him immediately.

But not now.

Eveline was beside him.

“Just endure a little longer! The exit is right there!”

“Yes. I’ll try a little harder.”

The knights were waiting outside, so there shouldn’t be a problem.

Besides, the exit wasn’t far away.

“Dear, even if it’s hard, hang in there just a little more!”

Supporting Cassian at a slow but steady pace, Eveline soon found herself only a short distance from the exit.

Less than ten steps remained before they reached the door.

They were matching their strides when—

“AAAAAAAH! DIE!!!”

A savage roar suddenly tore through the air.

Cassian and Eveline turned around.

Sensing danger, Cassian quietly gripped his sword hilt.

But Baron Ribelt’s target wasn’t him.

“Evel—!”

The moment Cassian saw the baron swinging the knife toward Eveline, he hurriedly drew his sword to protect her.

Yet before he could act, something astonishing happened.

“My goodness!”

“That’s impossible!”

“Argh!”

A painful scream rang through the room.

The whole thing had happened so suddenly that I was left dumbfounded.

Instinctively, I reached out in preparation for the unexpected attack.

I had only intended to stop the person wielding the knife.

Whoosh!

“AAAAAAAH!”

In the blink of an eye, the knife pierced the man’s shoulder.

Looking closer, it was the very dessert knife I had taken before leaving the duke’s estate.

I didn’t know when it had fallen, but the defensive action I had taken on reflex had produced an unexpected result.

“Gasp! Did that woman just twist Baron Ribelt’s wrist?”

“She used the recoil to counterattack him!”

“How strong is her grip that she’s still restraining the baron with one hand?!”

The lords who had been staring in shock began firing off questions one after another.

Only then did the voices around me bring me back to reality.

I quickly released the man and stepped backward.

“I attacked him…?”

That was strange.

When I first transmigrated into this body, I was definitely powerless.

So why was it different now?

Had I ever learned swordsmanship?

Questions I couldn’t explain crashed over me like waves.

Before the confusion could settle, unfamiliar scenes suddenly flooded my mind.

[…My lady! Behind you!]

Whoosh!

Someone shouted urgently.

I immediately turned around and blocked the blade of an apparent enemy.

[Today, I’ll finally take your heads! Die!]

A sword slicing through the wind.

[Fire! Don’t hesitate!]

Arrows tearing through the air.

[KRAAAAGH!]

The roar of a monster.

[There will be no further retreat! We fight to the end!]

[WAAAAAAH!]

A war was raging in the middle of a snowy field.

Outsiders continuously climbed over the fortress walls.

Soldiers desperately fought to protect the border.

Amid the chaos of the battlefield, I stood fully armed, swinging my sword as gracefully as if I were dancing.

I calmly blocked the endless attacks and cut down enemy after enemy.

Then—

[Bel! Behind you!]

Someone grabbed my shoulder and pulled me back.

The touch felt strangely familiar.

I tried to turn my head toward the person, but at that exact moment—

“Ugh!”

A violent headache struck.

My skull throbbed with a pain so sharp it felt as though someone were hacking at my head with an axe.

Unable to bear it, I squeezed my eyes shut.

Then I heard Cassian’s voice, soft as a whisper.

“My lady? Are you in pain?”

I wanted to say I was fine, but the words refused to come out.

Sensing that something was seriously wrong, Cassian pulled me into his arms.

“Your Grace! Are you alright?”

By then, the knights waiting outside had rushed inside.

“I’m fine. Take care of things here.”

After giving the knights a brief order, Cassian escorted me away from the scene.

I should have been supporting the injured him, but somehow he was the one helping me instead.

I insisted I could walk on my own, but after seeing me stagger, Cassian hesitated for a moment.

“Excuse me, my lady.”

After quietly asking for permission, he reached toward me.

His left arm gently wrapped around my back, supporting my waist.

His remaining hand slid beneath my legs in one smooth motion.

His broad chest and strong arms surrounded me like a sturdy shield.

“Please endure a little longer, my lady.”

After climbing into the carriage, Cassian urged the coachman onward.

Nestled in his embrace, the pain gradually began to ease, as though magic had been cast.

A rough but careful hand touched my back.

The hands of a warrior who had crossed countless battlefields stroked my back repeatedly, treating me as delicately as fragile glass.

At the same time, a familiar scent drifted into my nose.

A subtle woody fragrance that reminded me of autumn.

It was Cassian’s scent.

For some reason, the familiar smell made me feel more at ease than before.

Soon, my eyelids grew heavy.

I tried desperately to cling to my fading consciousness, but it was no use.

“You may sleep.”

The moment his words ended, I was swallowed by slumber.

“I’m sorry, Duke. This was my failure.”

“The fault is mine, Head of House.”

A heavy atmosphere settled over the office.

Sebastian and Sophia bowed their heads, awaiting Cassian’s judgment.

Not only had they allowed Eveline to be exposed to the outside world, they had also placed her in danger.

Their scheme of showing her the fake ledger and encouraging her to abandon her role as mistress of the household had backfired spectacularly.

The image of the collapsed Eveline and Cassian carrying her back still haunted them.

Feeling deeply ashamed, they confessed everything and prepared to accept whatever punishment awaited them.

Cassian, who had been gazing out the window, finally turned toward the two of them.

“The communication artifacts issued to the servants?”

“It seems the maids secretly disabled their functions before leaving. I apologize.”

Ha… this grows more absurd by the minute.

When the fake ledger had first been mentioned, Cassian had guessed that Eveline was planning something.

But what had happened today had far exceeded even his expectations.