**Stalker Duchess Episode 11**
But Raven was clearly harboring a strange expectation.
The baron, who seemed to be the knight's master, reappeared and began grilling the knight.
"What are you dawdling for?! Hurry up and bring me my escaped slave!"
"A slave? This child? Since when?"
"Since just now!"
"If it's something that just happened, do you mean the carriage accident?"
"Yes! That brat deliberately blocked my path, causing the accident. Thanks to him, my carriage is wrecked, and I can't go anywhere."
"That's...... too bad."
"Kuk......"
Raven let out a faint chuckle at the hooded noblewoman's voice, which sounded genuinely sympathetic.
She had clearly understood the baron's intent to hand over the commoner child but was deliberately ignoring it.
Given that no attendants had shown up despite the huge commotion, the baron seemed to be the higher noble. Yet she showed no sign of intimidation whatsoever.
There are nobles like her too. Raven wondered why he hadn't noticed her until now.
A noble like her wouldn't be a bad one to keep by my side once I become emperor.
If she's a noble who shares my ideals, she'll be a solid ally in the events to come.
As Raven thought that, the hooded mystery noble suddenly asked the baron curiously,
"But why do you keep speaking informally to me? Do you know me?"
She asked as if she truly had no idea. Raven's eyes narrowed at her words.
'Among nobles, rank is determined solely by birth status. If she doesn't even know something that simple, she must really be a noble from some rural area...... Should I invite her to the capital while I'm at it? Is there an empty spot?'
Raven was briefly serious about that thought, then startled himself at his own radical idea. What do I even know about this noble to think that?
I must have lost my mind for a moment. With that, Raven refocused on them.
Afterward, the hooded noblewoman continued subtly grating on the baron's nerves by using honorifics with his knight while speaking informally to the baron himself.
"Haha, ahaha......"
Whether she was doing it on purpose or truly clueless was unclear, but the situation was so amusing that Raven had to keep swallowing bursts of laughter.
"Ah, shoot."
Raven, who had been bending over silently laughing, finally came to his senses and straightened up.
Watching her was enjoyable, but staying like this would drag on forever.
"......"
A noble's fight ultimately boiled down to a game of hierarchy, no matter the process. Her momentum was good, but the baron wasn't an opponent a border noble could beat.
Everything would change once he became emperor, but for now, reality was different.
Raven moved to help her. If only she hadn't thrown off her hood.
"......"
Long silver hair, calm purple eyes. A breeze blew from somewhere, making her hair trace soft curves.
Raven blinked in confusion, unable to comprehend the situation, and just watched.
He stood blankly even as the baron, recognizing her identity, bowed and vanished.
Only after Duchess Serabi left the street with the child did Raven finally snap out of it.
"......"
The first noble he had ever wanted to keep by his side......
It was confusing.
"What the......"
It couldn't be anyone else. She had clearly stated her own name. He had been slightly startled when Serabi's name first came from her mouth but assumed it was impersonation.
As someone who had observed Duchess Serabi longer than anyone, Raven could never believe it was really her.
But she had easily overturned his expectations. And even to Raven, Duchess Serabi's actions didn't seem fake.
She had seemed a bit annoyed, but she had definitely tried to protect the commoner child. That much was certain.
"Which side is the real......"
As if bewitched by something, he stood frozen in place for a long while, unable to leave.
* * *
"Ater Forest?"
Vice Commander Damian spoke to me as I meticulously checked today's ingredients with now-familiar hands.
"Yeah, it's directly under Crown Prince Your Highness's jurisdiction, and there are rumors of non-human creatures appearing."
"Non-human creatures?"
"We don't know the details yet. But apparently, someone saw them kidnapping people and dragging them into the forest recently. They described it as an enormous, pitch-black, terrifying monster. It could be a threat, so we should confirm the facts first, and if necessary, eliminate it."
"Hmm."
Non-human creatures. Come to think of it, this wasn't just a regular medieval era—it was a fantasy novel world.
A few non-humans appearing wasn't strange at all.
Besides, wasn't there a legendary figure right nearby who was said to have beaten a dragon barehanded at eight years old?
Of course, the tale of the Crown Prince beating a dragon barehanded at eight was just one of the flattering stories among the commoners, so who knew if it was true.
Still, with that guy, it seemed believable even if he had.
"How's your shoulder?"
"It still hurts."
With a monster like that gripping me full force, it was no wonder my shoulder hadn't shattered.
The left one had somehow been treated, but the right was more serious.
Whether from being grabbed wrong, even the physician had clicked his tongue at the injury.
I had to live with just my left arm for the time being and monitor it, but in the worst case, I might never wield a sword with my right hand again.
Hearing this, the Vice Commander had thrown a fit, but at my nonchalant 'I'm left-handed anyway, so it's fine,' he shut his mouth in disbelief.
He looked at me like some bizarre creature, but if I said I was okay......
It was a bit unfair that my right shoulder was wrecked, but it looked fine externally, and even in the worst case, I could still live daily life without issues beyond not holding a sword.
Not wanting to make a fuss, I kept it secret from others and strictly silenced the physicians.
Because complaining to the Crown Prince that it was his fault would get me zero sympathy, so I chose to stay silent.
"Anyway, only the Supreme Commander can handle non-humans, so quite a few, including him, will be away from base for a while."
"How many days?"
"About a fortnight?"
That's pretty long. Then I can rest during that time.
Ah, I should take a fortnight's vacation on this chance.
"Take care."
I suppressed a sly smile threatening to emerge and feigned worry.
Soaking in a hot spring good for injuries might heal my shoulder a bit.
And relieve built-up fatigue too.
As I eagerly planned my vacation in my head, Damian spoke in an incredulous tone.
"Take care? You're coming too."
"......Pardon?"
At his matter-of-fact words, I snapped my head up.
Me? Why?
What reason was there for me to go on a non-human subjugation?
To begin with, my combat ability was near '0', and now one arm was broken too.
I'd only be a hindrance; no one could think I'd help with subjugating non-humans.
"Didn't you see the men's state when you were bedridden?"
I'd unavoidably missed two days due to treatment for my wrecked shoulder.
A rare priest had even come and gone amid the chaos.
The situation was serious, so I had no time to worry about meals. I figured someone would handle it.
But when I returned to Distian two days later, somewhat recovered, they were all waiting like zombies.
Except for the Crown Prince.
If anything, he seemed more energetic without me.
"You planning to starve us for a fortnight?"
"Even when I was just loafing by the Crown Prince, meal duty rotated."
I protested aggrievedly, but the Vice Commander didn't even listen.
Instead, he picked his ear annoyedly and said,
"Soldiers go where ordered. Why so much talk?"
"......"
His words choked my retort in my throat.
I shut my mouth with an irritated expression.
* * *
The Crown Prince furrowed his brow deeply the moment he saw me in the subjugation unit.
"......Why is the Duchess here."
"Unlike the Supreme Commander, my men will die starving even one meal."
"......"
Raven looked like he had much to say, but at the Vice Commander's words for his subordinates' sake, he said no more about me and quietly shut his mouth.
Pretending not to hear their conversation, I deliberately turned my head away.
I'd been forced into the non-human subjugation unit, but I had no desire to tangle further with the Crown Prince.
Thus began the non-human subjugation with the goal of avoiding him.
We had to march on foot to the portal site.
The tightly disciplined soldiers marching in three columns drew plenty of attention.
The youngest, the Crown Prince, rode at the front, while I trailed at the end of the line, farthest from him, following the vanguard.
Even in the same unit as the Crown Prince, with over 50 people, luckily we wouldn't face each other alone.
Looking around, everyone carried heaps of gear, while I was extremely light.
By the time we reached the forest entrance, night had fallen, so we decided to stay at an inn and depart at dawn the next day.
That night, tense at the thought of encountering non-humans, I tossed and turned sleeplessly.
