WDBHV 18

Chapter 18

As I made my way past the underbrush and arrived at the cluster of tents, a familiar voice greeted me as if it had been waiting.

“Miss! Are you alright?”

“We were so worried when you didn’t return. Thank goodness you’re safe.”

It was Annie and the other maids.

“Rose, where on earth did you go…!”

And Pofini.

Especially Pofini, who began trembling and on the verge of tears.

“I received a tea party invitation, but you were nowhere to be found, and the maids didn’t know where you were!”

“Pofini.”

“I was really worried about you.”

She hugged me tightly, spilling out all her anxieties.

I let out a small sigh and patted her back, only to feel a sting shortly after.

It seemed Pofini had accidentally pressed against the wound on my shoulder while trembling.

“Ow.”

I grimaced at the pain and gently pushed her away.

Finally noticing, Pofini looked at me with a pale face.

“Rose, you’re hurt? How did you get hurt?”

“I’m fine. It’s just a scratch.”

“Where? Don’t tell me it was because of a monster?”

“Well, that’s…”

Ah. How was I supposed to explain that I got cut while blocking Locus and then was slashed by Eastern’s sword?

Right, saying it was a monster would be much simpler.

I gave her an awkward smile and shrugged.

Seeing this, Pofini spoke with an uneasy voice.

“I-I’ll go bring a priest right away. Wounds from monsters need to be treated quickly.”

“It’s okay. Any medicine will do.”

“What do you mean, ‘any medicine’? Don’t say that.”

Pofini shook her head firmly and hurried away.

At that very moment—

“Noona!”

The most welcome voice of all came running toward me.

I bent down and called out his name.

“Noah.”

It was Noah.

Noah rushed into my arms with open arms as if he had been waiting for me.

His small, delicate hands wrapped around my neck.

Only then did my body, which had been stiff with tension, begin to relax.

“Noona. Noona.”

Noah kept calling me softly, his voice trembling.

I hugged him tightly and exhaled.

Ah, I really came back.

Thank goodness.

I’m so happy I get to feel this joy of being alive.

“Are you hurt anywhere? Where were you all this time?”

His voice, soaked with concern, carried a warm touch against my cheek as he carefully cupped my face, his eyes glistening.

“I was so scared when you suddenly disappeared.”

At his whimpering complaint, I let out a soft breath.

It felt a bit strange.

Normally, I would have hugged Noah tightly and asked if he had been worried about me.

[Please, believe me, Princess…]

Suddenly, the image of Locus from earlier flickered before my eyes.

Perhaps it was because his voice, too, had been similarly desperate.

After that, I couldn’t quite bring myself to smile naturally.

Even though it was completely illogical.

I thought, What if that Locus really is the same person as Noah…

“…”

I silently pinched Noah’s cheek lightly.

He frowned slightly, then began grumbling softly.

Soon after, the knights I had called earlier went over to Eastern, and the corpse of the monster was moved to this area.

“There was a monster this big…?”

“It looks like a pretty high-level monster. The princess must have been in a life-or-death situation, not just in danger.”

Observations and murmurs about the monster came from behind.

“Then whoever caught that should be the winner, right?”

“Of course. But who caught it? Was it the vice-captain…?”

At their words, a cold sweat began to run down my back.

It was Locus who caught it, so how was I supposed to explain this?

I was trembling in secret when—

“Before I could even make a decision, the atmosphere has already become like this, rendering me powerless.”

A familiar, deep male voice.

And with that voice, silence quickly descended.

The owner of that voice was none other than the Emperor.

The same Emperor I had been cursing internally while I was running for my life.

“Your Majesty.”

Eastern, who was standing beside him, bowed respectfully.

Then he calmly began explaining his thoughts about the monster—its identity, where it was found, and so on.

I watched him anxiously, worried he might mention Locus’s existence.

But thankfully, Locus’s name never came out of Eastern’s mouth.

And then—

“It seems someone deliberately released this monster. There’s likely a sorcerer nearby.”

“…”

Eastern quietly whispered to the Emperor.

The Emperor listened silently and nodded in response.

“For now, let’s resolve this heavy mood.”

Clap.

The Emperor clapped his hands together with a dull sound.

It was a silent command for everyone to pay attention.

“Everyone must have been greatly worried, but we’ve also gained a great trophy, and more importantly, the princess has returned safely… So, don’t we have something left to do?”

“What do you mean, Your Majesty…?”

“Let’s move the schedule up a bit.”

The Emperor turned to his waiting aide.

“Begin the banquet.”

Above, fireworks burst in the sky.

Gentle music played softly in our ears.

A banquet filled with splendor and enchantment had begun.

Of course—

It was a banquet for every noble present, except for me!

“Ugh.”

My body ached so badly that I was sprawled across the bed in my tent.

My legs were sore from all the sudden running, my shoulder throbbed from the wound, and my clothes were in tatters!

Nothing about this day had been to my benefit.

At this moment, someone was probably curious about what happened to the monster that was caught.

The result was quite simple.

Since Locus didn’t show up, Eastern ended up being credited as the one who caught it.

The corpse of the monster was purchased by the Mage Tower…

Which was a bit disappointing.

I had heard that the corpse of a monster contained good materials for research.

If only I had secured it, our merchant guild could have sold the monster’s remains.

In the end, all I did was help fill the Imperial Treasury!

In the end, I truly gained nothing from this!

Feeling frustrated, I scratched my head aimlessly.

And I hadn’t even found out his name, what family he came from—nothing.

All I knew was that he looked exactly like Noah…

“Ugh.”

I was kicking at my blankets in frustration when—

Rustle.

I heard the sound of the curtain being drawn back, and someone’s presence was felt.

Could it be… Noah?

“Who is it?”

I tilted my head, peeking out from the bed.

Then I saw someone unexpected visiting me.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Princess. Please forgive me for the rudeness of coming at this late hour.”

A man with delicate, graceful features smiled politely.

“I have come, though my skills are lacking, in hopes of offering assistance at your summons.”

“…”

“May the blessings of the divine be with you.”

His gentle tone, the unique way he ended by wishing the divine’s blessing.

Ah.

I finally realized who he was.

The priest Pofini had brought.

“It’s a pleasure, Priest. Thank you for coming all this way.”

I carefully lifted the hem of my dress and bowed politely.

He was someone who served the divine; I couldn’t treat him carelessly.

I asked Annie, who was waiting nearby, to bring him a warm cup of tea.

But the priest quickly waved his hand.

“No need. I won’t be staying long.”

With a faint smile, the priest continued,

“I heard from Countess Maril’s daughter that you were injured by a monster.”

The priest took out a bottle from his robe.

It was slightly larger than my palm, with a round bottom like a small flask.

“Wounds inflicted by monsters allow demonic energy to seep into the body, disrupting the balance of one’s mana and overall health.”

He handed me the bottle.

“If you wash your wound with this holy water, it will help neutralize the demonic energy.”

“Thank you for your concern, Priest.”

“Not at all. It is simply my duty.”

The priest’s kindness made me smile warmly.

Of course, my wound wasn’t actually from a monster, so I didn’t need the holy water, but…

Score!

I had just managed to get my hands on this precious holy water.

Even in the novel, holy water was so rare you’d never see it unless it was a special situation.

What luck!

The priest tilted his head, puzzled at my continuous smiling, but quickly left, seeming to have finished his business.

However, visitors did not stop there.

“Noona.”

“Oh, Noah.”

The culprit who had been muddling my thoughts all day came to see me.

“…”

I quickly tucked the holy water into my robe and accepted Noah as he came into my arms.

Noah was holding something close to his chest.

Curious, I asked him what it was.

Noah answered honestly.

“A book!”

“A book?”

“Yes, a fairy tale book!”

Noah pointed to the bed and continued,

“Hurry and lie down. I’ll take care of you.”

“Huh?”

“I promised I’d always protect you, didn’t I?”

So this is how that promise comes back around?

“……!”

Flustered, I was led by Noah and ended up sprawled across the bed.

Before I could even react, Noah pulled the blanket up to my chin.

Satisfied, he smiled brightly and opened the fairy tale book.

“Once upon a time, deep in the blue sea, there lived mermaids…”

“…”

What… is this situation?

Are we really starting this right now?

I blinked in confusion as I listened to Noah’s voice.

Yet for some reason, I felt so…

Sleepy.

His gentle voice by my side.

The comforting rustle of pages turning.

Ah. Is this why people listen to ASMR before bed?

“…”

My mind growing drowsy, I let out a yawn.

I looked at Noah as I continued to listen to the story.

“At midnight, the little mermaid received a sword from her sisters…”

Noah read softly, his long eyelashes fluttering gently, his hair soft, his chubby cheeks still babyish and cute.

I wondered how handsome he would become once he grew up.

Yes, like Locus, whom I had seen earlier that day.

Ah.

I murmured, as if entranced by the image of him that naturally rose in my mind.

“Noah, this is just between us, okay?”

“Hm?”

Noah tilted his head cutely at my whisper.

He looked so adorable that I couldn’t help but whisper again, filled with affection.

“Today, an incredibly handsome man saved me.”

“……!”

As expected, Noah flinched slightly.

Then, carefully, he asked,

“What was he like?”

“Well…”

What was he like?

His long, soft, light brown hair, those mesmerizing red eyes, and his voice was so gentle.

As I pictured him, a wide smile formed on my lips.

“He was just my type.”

Thud.

At my words, Noah snapped the fairy tale book shut.

His face was so red it looked like it was about to burst.

It was as if the bright red apple hanging on a tree had returned home to Noah.

However—

“…”

Overcome by drowsiness, I fell asleep before I could see his reaction.

Left alone, Noah opened and closed the fairy tale book repeatedly, like a nervous tick.

It was clear evidence that he was extremely flustered.

“Ugh.”

Noah cupped his reddened cheeks with his hands and muttered softly,

“She has such… terrible taste…”