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~Chapter 7~
The arrow trap they had set off fired straight toward the Emperor’s messenger.
For a brief second, I froze in shock—
Ting—!
Something flashed around Xenol, and the arrow aimed at him was deflected away. Xenol stared at the arrow that had fallen to the ground in surprise, and I was just as startled.
What was that just now?
“Ah, were these traps installed because of the intruders?”
Xenol, who had almost been hit, quickly regained his composure and asked me. I blinked in surprise before nodding.
“Yes. Are you alright, Xenol?”
“Please don’t worry, Countess! The Imperial Artifact protects me!”
Xenol proudly lifted his chin.
An artifact?
“While delivering His Majesty’s letters and receiving replies, I am granted an Imperial Artifact that ensures I cannot be killed by any weapon!”
He boasted confidently, and I looked down at the arrow on the floor.
It was bent as though it had struck an enormous invisible wall.
Seeing that twisted arrow reminded me of the bizarre artifacts the Emperor’s side had used near the end of the original story. Those things had caused the revolutionary army no end of trouble.
I nodded.
“I see…”
“So please do not worry! I will escort Officer Thomas to His Majesty and properly explain your situation, Countess!”
“…Ah, in that case, could you also pass along a message to His Majesty?”
“What would you like me to say?”
“Tell him, ‘Your Majesty, due to my current circumstances, if it is at all possible, I would be deeply grateful if Your Majesty could visit me personally.’”
“I will absolutely deliver your message!”
With that spirited reply, Xenol loaded the pitiful Officer Thomas into the carriage he had arrived in and departed.
The patrol officers who had come with Thomas stared at us in bewilderment, and Davin coldly addressed them.
“What are you standing around for? His Majesty will surely want to know these people’s identities, so take them away and keep them under close watch.”
“Ah, understood! H-Hey! Bring the transport wagon!”
While the police scrambled about trying to move the bound assassins, I turned to Davin.
“Let’s go inside now. Davin, would you like something cold to drink?”
“Yes, yes! Sir Knight, I’ll make shaved ice for you!”
Having apparently gained confidence from my praise, Lana spoke brightly.
Davin nodded.
“Then I’ll gladly accept.”
Even Davin, who usually disliked sweets, didn’t refuse the shaved ice.
Well, after beating up that many people under this blazing sun, of course he must be overheated.
We headed to the coolest room in the mansion—my office.
Lana brought the shaved ice, Davin sat by the window table cooling off, and I sprawled across the long sofa reading a book.
A soft breeze drifted in through the window.
As I slowly drifted off, my grip loosened, and the book slipped from my hand.
Startled, I woke with a jolt.
Lana, who had been gathering Davin’s empty bowl onto a tray, smiled at me.
“My lady, would you like a blanket? Shall I let you nap a little?”
“No, I shouldn’t. I won’t be able to sleep tonight.”
I forced myself upright.
“Then I’ll bring you some cold water.”
Lana smiled and left the room.
I stood and stretched.
Wow… I’m so sleepy.
I blinked drowsily into the air.
Maybe it was because I had gone out today?
Still… feeling this sleepy probably meant I was finally at ease.
Right after transmigrating, I had been too anxious to sleep properly.
But now, as my trust grew that Davin would protect me safely like he had today, that anxiety had faded.
Apparently fully recovered, Davin stood up.
“I should reload the mechanisms with arrows. And the exposed trap locations need to be moved.”
“Want help?”
“It’s dangerous. I’ll handle it.”
Even so, I trailed after him anyway.
Thunk, thunk.
Davin lifted one of the trap mechanisms.
As the massive device emerged above the garden, I was slightly intimidated.
No matter how often I saw it, the sheer size of those traps was astonishing.
A machine so enormous that several strong men would struggle to move it—yet Davin lifted and relocated it all by himself.
“You could get hurt, so please stay back.”
He pointed me toward a tree, and I obediently sat beneath it.
Lana approached with a glass of cold water containing a silver rod.
“My lady, your cold water.”
“Thanks.”
I sipped the refreshing drink while watching Davin’s slender frame drag those gigantic traps around.
After repositioning the mechanisms, Davin brought out armfuls of quivers from storage.
Lana went to help him.
I tried lifting one nearby quiver myself.
Ugh, heavy!
As I staggered under the weight, both protagonists immediately stiffened.
“Please sit under the tree.”
“Go back over there, my lady. It’s dangerous.”
Tch.
Left with no choice, I returned beneath the tree and simply watched.
In the vast flower field beneath the setting sun, the silver-haired handsome young man and golden-haired beauty working side by side looked like a painting.
Though, rather than tending flowers, what they were actually doing was stuffing arrows into deadly traps.
As I admired their beauty, guilt suddenly stirred inside me.
Davin was guarding me 24/7, and Lana was overworked with cooking, cleaning, and attending to me.
There simply weren’t enough staff in the estate.
But hiring anyone new right now was impossible.
Until I emigrated to another country, we’d just have to endure.
Even in these difficult circumstances, Davin and Lana had stayed by my side.
Watching them, I made another vow.
I’ll make sure they become happy…
I absolutely would not let things end like they had in the original story.
* * *
“Oh my.”
By the time the sunset’s crimson glow had faded and half the sky had darkened into deep violet, Lana let out a soft laugh.
Davin looked up toward where she was gazing.
Anise had fallen asleep with her head resting against the tree trunk.
Lana smiled and suggested,
“Sir Knight, how about we stop here for today?”
“Agreed.”
Davin nodded.
The two set down the quivers and approached Anise.
As Lana moved to wake her, Davin stopped her.
“I’ll carry her to her room.”
A chilly breeze blew, and Anise shivered in her sleep.
Davin removed his uniform jacket, draped it over her shoulders, and carefully lifted her into his arms.
Even as he picked her up, she didn’t wake at all.
Lana smiled.
“She’s completely out. I’ll go prepare her nightclothes first. Take your time.”
“Yes.”
Lana hurried inside, while Davin slowly walked toward the mansion carrying Anise.
Though daytime was still summer-hot, with more than half of August gone, the evening breeze had turned cooler.
Feeling the cold even in sleep, Anise trembled and burrowed deeper into Davin’s arms.
When her cheek rubbed softly against his chest, Davin unconsciously stopped walking.
He looked down at her sleeping face.
Soft, steady breaths.
Anise looked utterly peaceful.
Davin’s eyelids trembled.
He remembered her laughing joyfully earlier that day when she had fallen from a five-story building in his arms.
How long had it been since he had last seen that smile?
Without realizing it, Davin pulled her even closer.
Feeling her warmth in his arms made him shiver.
If this is a dream… I don’t want to wake up.
I wish this moment could last forever.
Then the desire he had desperately suppressed began to rise.
A whisper echoed inside him:
Maybe now… maybe this time, she’ll choose me instead of the Emperor.
Anise, having lost her memories, no longer loved the Emperor.
She trusted Davin and never wanted to leave his side.
So perhaps… perhaps now she might choose him instead—
But then Anise’s cold voice from the past surfaced in his mind:
“Was everything a lie? Were you deceiving me all this time?”
It felt like ice water had been poured over his head.
Davin blinked and came back to his senses.
His own greed seemed so absurd that he let out a bitter laugh.
Right.
Rather than coveting her heart, he should be praying that she would forgive him and allow him to remain by her side.
For now, Davin’s goal was simple:
To protect Anise safely while her memories were gone—
And to still remain beside her even after they returned.
Wasn’t that the furthest his selfishness was allowed to go?
For a moment, Davin’s expression darkened.
But he quickly suppressed his emotions and regained his composure.
Then, with steady determination, Davin carried her swiftly into the mansion.
