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Chapter : 36
“What are you?”
Marianne gave a slight smile to Lana, who was sneaking a glance, then turned her body toward the man. With a calm, composed expression, she nodded slightly.
“I am Marietta Luno, the Countess. And you?”
“…This isn’t something a countess would concern herself with—it’s just gossip.”
The thug hesitated, rolling his eyes as if he didn’t want to look, but then raised his voice slightly to feign politeness. However, it wasn’t the answer Marianne was expecting.
“I asked for your name and affiliation.”
“Well, it’s not something you should be meddling in!”
Marianne tilted her head and spoke again, but the thug stomped the ground loudly, kicking up a cloud of dust that soon settled.
If she weren’t a noble, that foot wouldn’t have hit the floor—it would have hit Marianne. The thought alone made her gaze chill.
Marianne crossed her arms and glared at the man.
“As a loyal subject of His Majesty the Emperor, I certainly cannot ignore illegal activities. Usury is prohibited in the empire. I assume you weren’t unaware of that?”
“Uh… I… No, no! Usury? We’re lending money legally!”
“Is that so? Then let’s call the constabulary and examine your contract to see if that’s truly the case.”
At her icy retort, the thug’s face turned pale.
Though he regularly paid generous sums to the constabulary, if a noble summoned them, of course they would side with the noble. He would just feign ignorance about all the bribes he had accepted.
Wouldn’t it be better to just kill her here and now?
The thug glanced around. It was the awkward time between breakfast and lunch, and most of the merchants had fled to avoid trouble, leaving few witnesses.
In the end, he made the worst choice.
“Ugh… D-die!”
As expected, she didn’t flinch a bit. Marianne watched the blade flying toward her with an expression of bored calm.
“No, don’t!”
Just as Lana shouted,
Thunk! The ring, sensing danger, glowed and activated its magic. An invisible barrier appeared in midair, blocking the sword like a shield.
“Ahh!”
At the same moment, the thug dropped his sword and fell to the ground.
‘It was supposed to block the attack and reflect the damage back…’
Judging by him clutching his stomach, he must have intended to stab Marianne in the abdomen.
“Gah… Are y-you… a mage?”
One of the fallen thug’s companions asked in a voice full of terror.
Marianne merely shrugged her shoulders, letting them think as they wished. The thug, perhaps a bit perceptive, immediately dropped to his knees.
“I’m sorry! Truly sorry! Please spare my life! I won’t ever cross your path again. I’ll even forgive Lana and Fabian’s debts!”
Marianne didn’t know who Fabian was, but he seemed to be an acquaintance of Lana. She responded with deliberate nonchalance.
“Hmph. Considering you tried to kill me, that’s rather weak…”
“I-I’ll give you money too! Here! All gold coins!”
The thug, now pale, fumbled in his pocket and handed over a pouch.
Marianne didn’t really need the money, but she thought it could be given as compensation to Lana and Fabian, and nodded.
“Fine. You have the original contract, right? Hand it over. Now leave.”
“Y-Yes! Thank you! Thank you!”
The thug rifled through the still moaning pile of his companions, then offered the contract and pouch with both hands.
Showing some loyalty even among his gang, he helped his comrades up and dragged them out of sight.
Lana, who had been watching the whole scene in shock, crouched down in surprise.
For reasons she couldn’t fully articulate, she felt immense gratitude—this was someone who saved her and erased her debt.
“Um… great mage? Th-thank you so much.”
Marianne, awkwardly smiling, extended her hand and helped Lana to her feet. She hesitated briefly, then pointed toward the inn.
“I’m not a mage. Just call me Marietta. Shall we go over there to talk?”
“My goodness, Lana! Are you okay? I was worried when you suddenly went after those thugs—I almost thought I should call the constabulary.”
The innkeeper had apparently been watching and flustered as he opened the door.
From his temperament, he probably stopped just short of calling the constabulary.
Marianne smiled faintly and walked to a table in the corner. Since it was an awkward time of day, the inn was empty enough for a private conversation.
“Could I have two cups of coffee?”
“Of course, of course. Coming right up.”
After the innkeeper left for the kitchen, Marianne poured the coffee halfway into the cups and handed one to Lana.
“It’s lukewarm. Take your time drinking it.”
“Th-thank you…”
Sitting across from a noble—or a “mage”—made Lana nervous. She perched on the chair awkwardly, taking the cup cautiously.
Taking a sip, she realized just how parched she was. Despite having grown somewhat accustomed to threats of debt repayment, this had clearly worn her down.
“Lana.”
Marianne waited until Lana set the cup down and her expression brightened a bit, then called her.
“Y-yes, Marietta!”
Startled from being lost in thought, Lana quickly composed herself, clasped her hands, and spoke resolutely.
“Please let me repay your kindness! I used to work as a maid at a count’s estate in a nearby territory. I’m good at cleaning, laundry, and cooking too!”
“Huh?”
Marianne had meant to tell her to relax first, as she had no intention of hiring a maid.
‘I can manage on my own. At the palace or the duke’s mansion, I just worked, and they were too stunned to complain…’
“If it’s okay, please let me serve as your maid. I can do anything you ask!”
However, seeing Lana’s eyes sparkling with expectation made it hard to refuse.
Just then, the innkeeper brought the coffee. Marianne took a sip, then shook her head slightly.
“Hmm. I don’t have a territory, Lana. I’m traveling… on my way to the Southern Kingdom.”
“Oh, to the Shacoroi Kingdom?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Lana hesitated briefly, then tapped the coffee cup handle nervously and spoke in a small voice about the kingdom.
“Ah… you won’t be able to enter because the border is closed right now.”
Marianne, about to take a sip, froze. That was shocking news.
A kingdom dependent on trade closing its borders—how could that even happen?
“You’re saying the kingdom’s borders are closed? Explain.”
“Yes. It’s a bit delicate to say, but… I heard that the princess of the Shacoroi Kingdom was attacked. They’re prohibiting outsiders from entering until the situation is resolved.”
Lana whispered, her voice much smaller than before.
“Oh my…”
Marianne’s mind churned. Whoever ordered the princess attacked or not, settling in the kingdom now would be difficult.
‘They won’t welcome any outsiders.’
Moreover, if she tried to claim asylum, the investigation would be stricter than ever, and her disguised identity would be exposed immediately.
She had almost reached her destination, only to be caught up in this absurd obstacle. Marianne frowned.
Perhaps Lana feared she’d think it was baseless rumor. She might even be upset.
Lana, watching Marianne’s expression change, hesitated, then whispered again.
“I… Fabian… oh, Fabian is my friend. We grew up in the same orphanage and are like family. He’s a mercenary. He was guarding the Trope Guild and, because the border closed, he’s taking a break—so I found out from him.”
“Trope Guild?”
Marianne tilted her head. Trope Guild… she had never heard the name, yet it sounded oddly familiar.
‘In the novel, the protagonists don’t go south…’
The explanation that followed cleared it up.
“Yes. It’s a guild recently established in the Trope territory at the southern edge of the empire. I heard the youngest son of Count Trope is the guildmaster.”
‘Trope… Trope… Ah!’
Though Cedric and Estelle didn’t go south, the novel mentioned the guildmaster of Trope coming north to the capital. He was a minor character who eventually helps Louis a little.
‘…Actually, he’s more of a merchant being used than a helper.’
As Marianne, her work here was done.
Still, if a minor character or extra in the novel was about to be unjustly exploited, it would be proper to help.
Since their story role is small, it wouldn’t affect the plot much.
‘Do a good deed and mess with Louis at the same time—two birds, one stone.’
The southern edge had a warm coast, so it would be good to check if it’s a pleasant place to live.
Feeling refreshed, Marianne asked Lana:
“Lana, you said Fabian is taking a break?”
“Yes! Because of me, he couldn’t accept a long-term assignment, so he’s been looking for work.”
Lana’s voice grew sullen, feeling guilty for Fabian.
Marianne, however, was confident her expression would soon brighten. Smiling, she added:
“Don’t worry, Lana. Could you ask Fabian if he can take an assignment to escort me to the Trope territory?”
