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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 108
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Twist
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‘Ah, come to think of it…’

I just remembered seeing something like this in .

Among the many tyrannical acts of the royal family that led to Nayuta's downfall, I think there was a part about them sacrificing their people to summon a demon.

“Everyone said so. They wondered if the vicious monsters that overran our country weren't drawn by the demon the king summoned.”

It was a rather strange experience.

A tragedy that had been nothing more than dry text when I read it in the novel now weighed heavily on my heart, conveyed through the voice of someone who had experienced it firsthand.

“…A lot of people died.”

“That's horrible.”

“Yeah, so I guess I overreacted. Sorry.”

Although Yugen's demeanor was calm, how could he be okay on the inside, recalling his ruined homeland?

Considering his past of growing up in an orphanage, it was highly likely his family had died during the nation's chaotic period.

“It's okay, Yugen. It's really okay.”

There wasn't much I could do for him.

“Here, have this one too.”

Just feeding him one more makaron.

“Is this okay?”

Yugen asked, swallowing hard.

“I've already eaten several times more than you, Charlotte.”

“Of course, it's okay.”

Makarons are so high in calories…

Besides, I bought the largest gift set the shop offered, so there are plenty.

After filling up on makarons, I muttered to myself.

“Ah, but I'm a little thirsty.”

I should have bought a drink too.

Naturally, I had no intention of touching any food provided by Viscount Dreis, so it seemed I wouldn't have a chance to quench my thirst for a while.

Just then, an object was held out in front of me.

“Drink.”

It was the canteen Yugen always carried.

At times like this, his side as a mercenary who often went to battlefields stood out.

“Oh, no. It's okay.”

“You said you were thirsty.”

“But it's yours.”

“There's plenty of water, you can have some.”

“…That's not the issue.”

“Then what is?”

I'd seen Yugen drink from that very canteen just a few hours ago.

And now I'm supposed to use it?

“I- In-.”

It's an indirect kiss!

“In?”

Looking at Yugen tilting his head with an innocent expression, I couldn't bring myself to tell him the truth.

‘Get a grip, you fool!’

*Smack!*

“Charlotte?”

By slapping my own forehead, I suppressed the budding romantic expectations.

Honestly. What kind of time is this to get flustered over a mere indirect kiss?

Romance, when my cute purple Makaron might be captured by the evil Viscount Dreis, helplessly waiting for rescue!

And here I am, idly thinking that Yugen's lips look surprisingly soft!

It was completely unacceptable.

I held the canteen away from my mouth so my lips wouldn't touch the opening and poured the water straight in.

“This water's great! Thanks!”

“Ah, yeah… But why did you do that just now?”

“It's nothing. Just steeling my resolve!”

Yugen took the canteen I handed back, a look of confusion on his face.

“…You could have just drunk from it normally.”

“What was that?”

Yugen said something in a disappointed tone, but the carriage was rattling so much I couldn't hear him properly.

“Sorry, I couldn't hear—”

I was about to ask him to repeat himself.

*Thud!* The carriage lurched with unusual force.

“Charlotte!”

Yugen, who had deftly caught me as I pitched forward from the impact, asked,

“Are you okay?”

“Uh, yeah. Thanks…”

Suppressing my automatically pounding heart, I forced myself to look out the window.

“Haha, it's gotten even bumpier than before.”

“I know. We must be getting close to our destination.”

Now that he mentioned it, the worsening road conditions meant the carriage was heading further into the outskirts.

“Hey!”

Yugen opened the window, stuck his head out, and questioned the driver.

“Are we almost there?”

“My apologies. As this is a secret banquet, I cannot provide any specific details.”

The driver's business-like reply came back.

After that, Yugen and I asked a few more similar questions, but the driver just repeated like a parrot that he couldn't tell us.

In other words, he meant we didn't need to know and should just sit quietly and wait.

‘Well, from the moment that sleazy viscount brought him, I never thought he was a normal driver.’

He's clearly one of the viscount's men.

But then Yugen suddenly looked at me and whispered,

“Cover your ears.”

Ears? Without a second thought, I quickly did as he asked and plugged my ears.

“WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET THEEEERE!”

It was another moment, after the hunting competition, to be amazed by the sheer volume of Yugen's voice.

If it was this loud for me with my ears covered, I couldn't imagine what it was like for people and animals without.

“Whoa, whoa!”

The horses must have been startled, as the carriage shook and I could hear the driver trying to calm them down.

For the first time, the driver, who had been acting like a robot until now, showed an emotional response.

He banged on the wall and shouted in irritation.

“We're almost there, so cut it out!”

And that was the answer Yugen had been waiting for.

Without hesitation, Yugen drew his sword and thrust it through the wall toward the driver's seat.

I heard a small, swallowed scream, like a gasp.

“Y-Yugen?”

“It's fine. I aimed to miss.”

As if reading my worry that something might happen to the carriage along with the driver, Yugen kindly explained.

And then, what did he do but sweep me up into one of his arms.

“Huh—?”

“Be careful not to bite your tongue.”

The driver, sensing his life was in danger, hastily slowed the carriage. That was our chance.

*Bang!* In an instant, Yugen kicked open the carriage door and leaped out into the dense forest.

“Hey! Stop right there!”

The driver's shout followed us.

“Guests! Where are you? The destination is just a little further! You have to pay the fare!”

The man, who had hurriedly followed us into the forest, shouted in all directions.

But with only a single lantern, he couldn't find us hidden in the darkness.

“Damn it!”

After lingering for a while in frustration, the driver eventually cursed and returned to his carriage.

“Look over there.”

Yugen whispered, watching the moving carriage.

“It must be that way.”

Instead of turning back the way it came, the carriage, having lost its passengers, continued in the same direction.

“Let's follow it.”

How could a mere human possibly keep up with a horse-drawn carriage?

But for one man, it was possible.

To be fair, the road was bumpy, and the driver was moving slower than before, perhaps looking for us.

Still, Yugen's physical ability to chase the carriage while carrying me was truly astounding.

‘It was a little different from what I expected…’

I had been hoping he would carry me in the so-called 'princess carry', but instead, he slung me over his shoulder like a sack of luggage and took off.

I'd heard it was a method mercenaries used to transport injured comrades.

In any case, we'd arrived at our destination, so it was fine.

The location of Viscount Dreis's secret banquet was none other than an old, abandoned house.

The large building, which seemed to have once been a nobleman's villa, now only exuded a gloomy atmosphere.

Watching from a distance, I saw the driver arrive in front of the abandoned house and bow his head to a group of armed men.

He was clearly apologizing for losing Yugen and me on the way.

“Ah.”

Then, the man who appeared to be their leader kicked the driver.

The other men grabbed the fallen driver and disappeared inside the house.

Even at a glance, there were more guards protecting the house than I'd expected.

Before we could decide what to do next, Yugen offered to go take a look inside.

“Will you be okay?”

“With what?”

Yugen gave me a look as if he found it strange that I was worried about him, then ran toward the back of the house.

“I found where the purple-haired man is.”

And in less than thirty minutes, he returned, having completed a rough reconnaissance.

Just as expected from someone who had secretly snuck into the Lindsi marquisate multiple times before.

“Where is he?”

“A storeroom. He was tied up with ropes. But…”

The information that came from his mouth was quite shocking.

There were other people captured besides Makaron.

Yugen said that when he peered through a hole in the storeroom roof, he saw well over ten people tied up just like Makaron.

Viscount Dreis, fascinated with demon summoning, and people locked in a storeroom…

At this point, I didn't even need to ask to know what was going on.

“The viscount intends to use them as sacrifices.”

Just as the king of Nayuta did long ago.

And it was highly likely he had invited us with the intention of using us as sacrifices as well.

“That crazy bastard.”

I couldn't help but curse.

With the Earl of Hampton incident putting him under scrutiny, what kind of nerve did he have to pull something so ridiculous?

Has he truly lost his mind? Then again, he wouldn't be interested in demon summoning if he were sane in the first place.

“What if we go back to the capital right now and report what's happening here?”

Yugen shook his head at my words.

“It'll be too late. The summoning ritual will already be over.”

“That's true…”

“Charlotte, don't worry.”

He reassured me.

“I'll handle it.”

“It's dangerous. There are too many of them.”

“No problem.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. We have to stop the demon summoning.”

Yugen's eyes sharpened.

“I can't let something like that happen again.”

Was it because of his past memories? He seemed to have made up his mind. It almost looked like a conviction.

In that case, my answer was already decided.

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Huh? No. It's dangerous.”

“If I'll just be in your way, I'll gladly stay out of it. But I have the self-defense magic tool Kirie gave me.”

Meaning, I can at least protect myself.

“If there's anything I can do, let me know. Even something small.”

“Hmm…”

Yugen thought for a moment before speaking.

“Actually, there is one thing.”

Those were welcome words.

* * *

“Th-thank you, miss…”

“Shh.”

A short while later, I was cutting the ropes binding people's hands and feet, a finger pressed to my lips.

My role was to free the captured people while Yugen took care of the guards at the back door.

After freeing them, all I had to do was lead them to a location he had designated.

This was to prevent the enemy from taking the helpless people hostage or getting them caught in the fight.

But an unexpected variable arose.

“…Where's Makaron?”

He was nowhere to be seen.

I asked the people if they had seen a man with purple hair.

The girl who had thanked me just a moment ago answered.

“A flamboyant, blond gentleman took him away.”

The moment the girl finished her story, I bolted from the room.

Apparently, Viscount Dreis had announced that a test ritual was needed before the main summoning, and he was looking for a brave volunteer.

That was when Makaron had readily stepped forward.

Good heavens. I never dreamed there would be something like a test ritual.

If so, it was safe to say Makaron's life was hanging by a thread.

‘He must be so terrified right now!’

Clutching the self-defense magic tool, a taser, I headed for the room where the viscount had supposedly taken Makaron.

Pressing myself against the door, I carefully turned the knob slightly and peeked inside.

And I froze at the scene unfolding before my eyes.

“Hey, summon the demon.”

“B-but there's no sacrifice—”

“Forget the sacrifice and just summon it!”

Inside the room, the purple-haired man was threatening a tearful Viscount Dreis with a knife to his throat.

Chapter 108