THJDM 05

Chapter 5

There was no time to be flustered.

She had to escape—quickly.

Rubiana gripped the reins tightly and tried to turn the horse around to retrace the path she had come from.

But she was a step too late.

A massive monster’s tentacle pierced straight through the horse’s torso.

The horse collapsed without even letting out a scream, and the impact sent Rubiana tumbling off.

“Ahh… Aahhh!”

Her ankle gave way—she couldn’t stand.

Abandoning the idea of getting up, Rubiana crawled on her hands and elbows.

“Kh… aaagh…!”

Grotesque sounds echoed as the monsters began to close in on her, one by one.

Meanwhile, the elite unit of the Imperial Knights, led by Elion, was rushing toward the location after receiving reports of an unusual surge of mana.

As they neared, the foul mana emitted by the monsters was immediately felt—ominous, dangerous, and reeking of filth.

Murderous intent flickered in Elion’s blue eyes.

“Monsters appearing inside the capital… and twice in just a week! What in the world is going on…?”

Drawing his sword, Elion charged headlong at the monsters ahead.

His aide Fred and the knights followed close behind.

The sword swung lightly in Elion’s hand, yet it sliced through the monsters’ limbs and pierced their bodies with terrifying ease.

“Graaaagh!”
“Screee—!”

The monsters shrieked in agony as they fell.

It took Elion’s squad less than five minutes to wipe out a dozen of them.

As the last of the creatures collapsed, Elion’s gaze fell upon a presence that felt strangely out of place.

A woman lying prone on the ground, trembling as she looked his way.

“That woman…!”

She was the one he had encountered at the imperial banquet a week ago.

Rubiana Payson, if he remembered correctly. Their first meeting had been oddly striking.

Back then, he had saved her from another monster.

She had fired off a rapid string of thanks before bolting like the wind.

“And then, she collapsed in the banquet hall, coughing up blood…”

Had he not been passing by quickly enough to catch her, she would’ve smashed her head against the floor.

The memory deepened the furrow between Elion’s brows.

“That time… it was strange. When my hand touched her, there was a coolness—no, more than that… a refreshing clarity.”

It hadn’t been an illusion.

Though brief, he had distinctly felt it—an invigorating energy that cleared his mind.

“But it wasn’t quite healing, was it…?”

Pushing aside the thought, Elion dismounted and extended his hand to Rubiana—just as he had in the palace garden.

“We meet again. In much the same situation.”

“…”

“Are you alright, my lady? You seem badly shaken…”

Rubiana stared at the hand offered to her.

His hand, hardened with calluses and scars from countless battles.

“If I take his hand… will I be able to receive his mana?”

She needed to confirm it.

Without hesitation, Rubiana reached out and clasped his hand.

Warmth spread instantly from her palm throughout her entire body.

“Ah… this is it. I was right!”

She could feel it clearly.

His mana was flowing into her—gentle, ticklish warmth that made her heart pound.

Elion seemed to feel it too.

His bright blue eyes widened in surprise as he looked at her.

“Thank you for saving my life—again, Your Grace.”

Standing, Rubiana released his hand and bowed politely.

Elion felt an unexpected pang of regret as her delicate hand slipped from his grasp.

And the thought that crossed his mind startled even him.

“Regret? For what? For her hand? This sensation… what in the world is it?”

Questions churned inside him, but there was nothing he could ask aloud—not when he himself didn’t understand the situation.

Sensing the strange current between them, Fred approached with a cheerful smile.

“My lady, are you unharmed?”

“…Yes.”

“I am Fred Carson, aide to His Grace the Duke of Klitzmann.”

After giving his name, Fred looked at her expectantly, waiting for hers.

“I am Rubiana Payson.”

“Oh, Lady Payson! I heard from Lady Stephanie that she had a younger sister and brother.”

“That’s right. I’m her younger sister.”

“Though it is most unfortunate to meet under such circumstances, here in the heart of the capital with monsters… it’s still a pleasure.”

“…Yes.”

Fred glanced at the fallen horse, bleeding on the ground, and spoke again.

“Our knights will escort you back to Count Payson’s estate at once. So please—”

“No.”

Interrupting him, Rubiana lifted her gaze to Elion.

“In truth, I was on my way to see Your Grace.”

“…Me?”

Elion’s brow arched high at the sudden claim.

“Yes. There is something urgent I must tell you.”

“…Me?”

“Yes.”

“What business could you possibly have with me?”

His expressionless tone left Rubiana disappointed.

“Of course. He’s the shadowy mastermind… I can’t expect him to be warm or friendly.”

If so, she would have to take matters into her own hands.

Every method she could think of—she would use to capture his attention and goodwill.

The answer came quickly.

Better than a hundred words was to let him feel it directly.

Rubiana suddenly reached out and grabbed his hand again.

Startled, Elion’s shoulders stiffened, but he did not pull away.

Given their size difference, she would have been sent flying had he shoved her.

But he was too caught off guard to even think of that.

Clutching his hand tightly in both of hers, Rubiana rose on her toes and leaned close to whisper in his ear.

Her warm breath brushed against his earlobe.

“I believe Your Grace can feel it too… this sensation. I have something urgent to tell you about it.”

“….”

Elion’s eyes narrowed at her whisper.

“So I wasn’t imagining it. There is something here. And this lady knows what it is…?”

Releasing his hand slowly, Rubiana gazed earnestly into his eyes.

And he did not look away.

Finally, breaking the silence, Elion gave a single nod.

“Very well. Let us go to the ducal residence.”

“…Thank you.”

At his agreement, Rubiana nearly shouted with joy.

But she bit down hard on her lip, forcing herself not to. He was, after all, the shadowy mastermind—she could not afford to lower her guard.

Meanwhile, Fred nearly fainted when he saw Rubiana suddenly clutch Elion’s hand and whisper into his ear.

Even more shocking was hearing Elion invite her to the ducal estate.

“What in the world is happening? Could it be… they already knew each other? No, impossible. I know everything about my lord’s life. And there’s never been a Rubiana Payson in it.”

While Fred stood dazed, Elion turned and mounted his black horse.

Then he extended his hand down toward Rubiana.

“He wants me… to ride with him?”

She hesitated under his gaze, but then remembered—her horse was dead.

“Thank you.”

She took his hand.

He pulled her up with ease, settling her in front of him.

Fred and the knights watching from behind widened their eyes as though they’d just witnessed something unthinkable.

Flustered by their reactions, Rubiana’s cheeks turned red.

“Surely they won’t… misunderstand this, will they?”

It was unsettling to think that, before she had even become the true heroine, she might already be causing scandalous rumors with the mastermind Duke.

“Hyah!”

Elion spurred the horse forward, cutting off her thoughts.

The sudden motion threw Rubiana off balance, and her head bumped against his chest.

Startled, she instinctively clung tightly to his waist, afraid she might fall.

“Ah… s-sorry.”

As she regained her balance and began to pull away—

“Stay like that. You could collapse again at any moment.”

He was right.

Her body, not yet perfectly attuned to her soul, had already collapsed several times, coughing blood.

“Yes. Thank you.”

Resting her head against Elion’s chest, Rubiana tightened her grip around his waist.

The mana radiating from his body was so very warm.