IBWMD 38

~Chapter 38~

The Letter and the Serpent

I shrugged.

“I got it as a gift.”

“……”

“Well, technically, I borrowed it.”

At that, the old man’s face twitched again. Watching his reaction, a thought struck me.

‘Could this musket belong to him?’

If Karl had just picked it up at home, it might have actually belonged to his companion.

‘Maybe they live together or share a lodge.’

From the old man’s perspective, this could be infuriating.

“Want me to return it?”

“H-HUH?!”

As I loosened the musket from my shoulder and held it out, the old man jumped back like he was horrified.

He acted like touching the musket was sacrilegious. You’d think it was a sacred relic the way he treated it.

“W-What are you saying?!”

Was it really something to get that upset about?

“If you don’t want it, fine. Karl, then you take—”

“There’s no need to return it right away.”

“Really?”

“You may have use for it again.”

“……”

“And… you handled it quite well.”

I was unexpectedly moved. To think I was allowed to keep using such a fine weapon.

As I gently stroked the barrel, my cheeks grew warm with joy. I gazed at Karl with the tender fondness of a concubine admiring her beloved emperor.

Karl’s eyes narrowed—probably about to tease me for being jealous again. But instead, he asked:

“You like it that much?”

…That sounded strange. Surely he meant the musket?

“Of course.”

“Do you like it a lot?”

Why was he asking the same thing again? This wasn’t an interrogation.

“Yes, I do. I said I do.”

I looked up at him as I spoke, and Karl let out a small, helpless chuckle.

It wasn’t quite the boyish grin from before, but it was charming enough to daze anyone nearby—even Beth and the old man, who had been frowning, were briefly stunned.

“Ahem!”

Snapping out of it, the old man cleared his throat and suddenly grew serious.

“Anyway!”

He glanced at both Karl and me with solemn eyes.

“I came running today because there’s something I must deliver.”

Seeing his expression, Karl tilted his head, sensing it was something serious. I was curious too.

“Deliver something?”

“Yes.”

“What is it?”

“It was supposed to arrive here today as a letter.”

Supposed to? That sounded odd.

‘Did he write it in advance and just now decide to hand-deliver it?’

Instead of questioning it, I let the old man continue.

“Given the contents, I thought it best to deliver it in person.”

Squirm.

Next to me, Karl adjusted his coat uneasily, looking guilty about something.

Meanwhile, the old man grinned mischievously.

“Haha. Well, you see, His Grace the Duke…”

“The Duke?”

“Has sent a letter.”

He spoke with an oddly sly tone, like a sneaky old uncle in a comedy. I stared at him and answered dryly.

“Really?”

“Yes. It’s a reply to the letter you sent on your first day here…”

That kind of expression and tone didn’t match the occasion.

Still, I was relieved to finally get the long-awaited reply.

‘A pity the Duke didn’t come himself…’

Was he a husband or just some guy? I remembered trudging to the manor daily, hoping for any response.

Still, I welcomed the letter.

“Took him long enough.”

“Ahem! His Grace has been busy with the monster situation!”

“What does the letter say? Read it.”

The old man pulled the letter from his chest and opened it with a crisp sound. The Duke’s seal was on it—no doubt it was authentic.

“If I may summarize the contents…”

“Wait.”

Karl flinched. I nudged his side to tell him to keep quiet.

I’d waited too long for this.

“‘I don’t like the Emperor.’”

Karl tried to cover the old man’s mouth, but I quickly slapped his hand away.

“‘I don’t like what the Emperor sent, either.’”

“……”

“‘Why don’t you stop wasting your time and go back? I’m busy with monsters. That’s all.’”

The old man rattled it off like a machine gun, finishing in one breath.

* * *

Swish.

A strange sound reached my ears. Swish, swish. Something brushing against cloth.

I opened my eyes and looked up cautiously.

Like before, in that white void, the stolen goods were gone. Now, the bear pelt I’d claimed, the skewers, Karl’s food, and the musket floated in the air.

‘You again?’

And of course, that handsome serpent.

‘You were here yesterday too, weren’t you?’

Now that I thought of it, I’d been hearing similar sounds in my sleep for days.

‘This snake is a stalker…’

The snake looked at me, twitching its tail like a cat, strangely shy.

‘So? What is it now?’

I reached out, and it naturally coiled up my arm.

Then it met my gaze. Its flicking red tongue reminded me of someone…

‘I didn’t mean it that way.’

The snake suddenly spoke. What now?

‘I prepared this on the first day you arrived.’

‘……’

‘I forgot.’

His words grew more abstract by the moment.

‘Okay. You’re making a dramatic confession, so I should reply properly.’

I stared into the snake’s yellow eyes and asked:

‘And why are you suddenly speaking to me like a superior?’

‘……’

‘You think I’m your subordinate or something?’

All this from a handsome snake.

As I clicked my tongue, the snake’s tail twitched like it was laughing.

‘As you wished…’

‘Wished?’

‘I’ll keep watching over you…’

What? Who asked for that?!

Just as I was about to argue, the snake slithered close and flicked its tongue against my cheek.

The tickle made me twitch.

‘What are you doing—’

The snake opened its mouth slightly—was it about to bite me?

“Miss.”

“……”

FLASH. Beth’s voice jolted me awake.

“You have to eat before you sleep.”

Groggy, I sat up. The pale morning sun streamed through the window.

‘I overslept.’

I usually rose before dawn. Now I’d missed all my morning plans—visiting the skewer stand, reporting to the pickpockets…

‘Thanks. If there’s anything you want in return…’

It had already been days since we rescued the adult pickpockets and sent them quietly back to the backstreets.

Tan and Eliza were thrilled and had promised to pass on all local information in return.

‘I’ll try contacting the higher-ups in the organization.’

‘Don’t overdo it.’

‘I know my limits.’

Eliza had seemed especially eager.

‘Honestly, I never expected an outsider to help us. We can’t even appeal to the city guards.’

“……”

‘That tart you gave me last time? I’ll savor it when I go to hell.’

Basically, an apology for throwing it at me before. We’d parted on a surprisingly warm note.

I had planned to go back today and check in, see if they’d uncovered anything.

I turned to Beth and asked:

“Why didn’t you wake me?”

“Thought you could use the rest.”

Beth answered gruffly.

I had a feeling why she looked that way. I sighed.

‘Well, I guess part of it was my own fault.’

I had been pushing myself lately.

Beth, now approaching with a scowl, smacked the blanket.

“After getting a letter like that, why are you still fussing over this place?!”

“Hmm.”

“Seriously! How is His Grace going to make up for what he did to you?!”

Truth be told, I wasn’t that hurt.

It just felt like the closeness I’d started to feel toward the Duke—through Karl—had suddenly snapped again.

“If he ever shows up, I’m getting hair-loss meds and polishing that Duke’s head like a bowling ball—!”

“Please don’t.”

Even if he’s just a sub-male lead, he’s probably good-looking. That’d be overkill.

As I tried to calm Beth’s fury, another thought intruded.

The word “polished” reminded me of the sleek, smooth sensation of that snake slithering up my arm.

‘What’s up with that snake, anyway?’