Ch.161Chapter 161. Identity Revealed

# The subjugation of the ravine, which took place over about two weeks, was accomplished with remarkable ease despite initial concerns.

At the beginning, there were many orcs who would fight even in the face of death, but after losing their leader, they quickly reverted to their original orc nature.

Once they degraded into nothing more than mindless, muscular orcs, trained soldiers could easily handle them.

“Cheers, everyone!”

After successfully completing the subjugation mission and arriving at the gate, the expedition party rented an entire tavern in the neighboring village to celebrate.

Though called a celebration, it was a modest gathering with just some roasted meat and drinks.

They would have preferred something grander, but until the news of their successful subjugation reached potential sponsors, they needed to save money.

“I’m sorry, everyone. You all worked so hard, but all I can offer is cheap beer.”

“Haha! Even this much is more than we could ask for!”

Despite my apologies, the expedition members responded with cheers.

In reality, drinking during an expedition was usually reserved for the Hero and their close associates. Large-scale celebrations like this were extremely rare.

No, perhaps they didn’t exist at all. More often, leaders would mistreat their subordinates under the pretext of maintaining discipline.

“Indeed, drinking comfortably during a subjugation mission? That’s something we couldn’t even dream of normally.”

“Well, if it weren’t for Hero Hyoseong Woo, things wouldn’t have ended so smoothly.”

But since the subjugation ended earlier than expected, they could afford some leisure time.

Much of the conversation at the gathering centered around tales of my heroic deeds.

“Not only did you fight directly, but you also meticulously planned how we should engage the orcs.”

“Thanks to that, we were able to wipe out the orcs without significant casualties… I’d like to propose this as a standard operation when we return to the legion.”

Indeed, there were no casualties during the subjugation thanks to the tactics I taught them.

In reality, I had simply repeated what Cheska had taught me.

“It wasn’t just the tactics that were amazing. You seemed to know all about the orcs’ habits—where they gathered, where they would flee to.”

“Thanks to that, we could eliminate the stragglers easily without having to hunt them down one by one.”

Yes, it’s always more reliable to act based on solid information rather than searching blindly.

But that too was just using what Cheska had taught me.

“And that’s not all! When that mutated orc suddenly appeared after we had beheaded it…”

“Oh yes, yes! We thought we were done for, but then the Hero stabbed its heart with his flaming sword and pulled it out…!”

The soldiers continued praising me, using their admiration as a side dish to their drinks.

Despite their experience in the legion, my achievements seemed extraordinary even by their standards.

Little did they know that all of it was Cheska’s achievement, not mine.

“…I don’t like this.”

Yes, I couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

Cheska had merely given me appropriate tactics and surrendered all credit to me as the expedition leader.

How could I grow into the “savior” Irie spoke of if I was just taking credit for someone else’s work?

“Hero, is something wrong? You don’t look well…”

“Ahaha, well… I feel a bit dizzy. Maybe it’s because I haven’t had alcohol in a while. I think I need to rest in my room.”

“Ah, I see. You’re feeling tipsy… Well, that can’t be helped.”

The expedition members looked disappointed as I stood up to leave.

Their disappointment probably reflected our strong bond, but coincidentally, I had something important to do for the future.

“By the way, I don’t see Cheska. Does anyone know where she is?”

“She went to the granary and stables to place orders for supplies.”

“She firmly declined when we invited her to drink with us. She’s such a frugal and modest person…”

So she’s not in her room. Good.

After briefly saying goodbye to the expedition members, I prepared to leave a note in Cheska’s room.

The contents were exactly what Irie had written in her letter to me.

Although I didn’t understand its meaning, I decided to trust Irie and follow her prophecy.

[I know your true identity. Francesca.]

Whatever the reason, if a simple note could secure an opportunity to become stronger, that would be good enough.

*****

Later that night, after leaving the note in Cheska’s room, I lay on my bed reading the first note Irie had left me, instead of going to sleep.

[After completing the orc subjugation in the ravine, please handwrite a note with the phrase I’ve provided and leave it in the room of the noble boy who participated in the expedition with you.]

[If he comes to your room afterward to negotiate, you will have the opportunity to become even stronger than you are now.]

From the first line, she correctly predicted that I would reach a ravine and participate in an orc subjugation.

Though it’s hard to see how a haughty, calculating boy could become a mentor, my doubts were quickly dispelled.

The reason we completed the ravine subjugation without a single casualty was because his strategies against the orcs were so effective.

“He may not know combat, but his analytical skills are impressive despite his appearance.”

He knew not only the orcs’ habits but also the strategies and tactics to defeat them.

He even analyzed each expedition member’s combat abilities and adjusted strategies based on climate and terrain before handing them to me.

Furthermore, he identified that the beheaded orc that rose again was undergoing “vampirification”…

These weren’t things that could be accomplished with ordinary information or experience.

“I’m sure orcs aren’t the only thing he knows about.”

Though I don’t know the details, since Irie connected us, it must be something extraordinary.

But leaving just a note still made me feel uneasy.

[I know your true identity. Francesca.]

Could that alone really create an opportunity for negotiation with him?

All I knew was that he was the young lord of an impoverished noble family and the illegitimate child of the current emperor…

Could it be that the name written after that shouldn’t be revealed? Perhaps his real name is Orion Francesca because he’s actually royalty?

No, it couldn’t be something so trivial.

Irie’s note was clearly aimed at someone hiding something, something more substantial than what was apparent on the surface.

Perhaps something that would be most damaging to his current position…

“…What if he’s not a man but a woman?”

Yes, in the Empire, noble family heads are typically men, and if revealed to be a woman, she might have to step down.

This speculation seemed plausible not only because of his appearance but also because he consistently avoided situations like bathing together or changing clothes.

Other soldiers dismissed it as the behavior of a poor but proud noble, but after reading Irie’s note, I couldn’t take such behavior lightly.

Perhaps he really wasn’t a man but a woman…

-Knock, knock.

Just as these thoughts crossed my mind, there was a knock at the door, followed by a familiar voice.

“Hero Hyoseong Woo. Would you open the door?”

“Oh, yes. Sure.”

Thinking that the moment had finally come, I opened the door myself and confirmed that it was indeed Cheska.

But her expression was different from her usual impassiveness.

There was a fierce look in her eyes as she glared at me, and her face was flushed with excitement, unlike her typically emotionless demeanor.

“…Was it you who left this note in my room, Hero Hyoseong Woo?”

“Ah, yes. That was me. You found me even though I didn’t write my name.”

“I’ve already completed a handwriting analysis.”

Handwriting… I see, so that’s why Irie specifically asked me to handwrite the note.

Having identified me by my handwriting alone, she wouldn’t have needed to ask around among other expedition members or people.

“…Leaving a note secretly suggests you want something from me but don’t want to tell others about it.”

“Well, yes. It’s the kind of conversation best kept between fewer people.”

Since I didn’t know what would happen next, keeping it secret seemed best.

Noticing how quickly she grasped the situation, I thought things were progressing favorably. I invited her into my room and closed the door, taking a moment to prepare myself mentally.

Although I had no idea about her true identity, I believed that if I handled the negotiation well, things would work out as Irie had said.

-Rustle, rustle.

But as soon as I closed the door and turned around, I heard the sound of fabric rubbing against itself.

By the time I realized it was the sound of someone changing clothes, Cheska had already discarded all her outer garments.

All that remained was a frail body barely covered by black undergarments.

“W-what are you doing? Why are you suddenly undressing?!”

“Rather than denying it and arguing, I thought revealing my identity clearly would move the conversation along faster.”

Cheska said this while hastily adjusting her undergarments that had slipped while undressing.

The small but distinctly feminine breasts covered by her undergarments were unmistakably those of a woman.

But more noteworthy than her chest were her joints.

The prominent joints that should have been covered by skin in a human made her look almost like a doll.

“Yes, as you know, my name is Francesca…”

As I was about to question her unusual body, she began introducing herself.

No, it was more like a confession revealing a long-hidden secret.

“I am a tool with consciousness created through ancient arcane arts, known as the guardian of the Orion Empire and a specialized hunter of aberrations.”

“…W-what? A doll?”

“Are you questioning me after coming this far? Are you suggesting you came here just to reveal that much?”

“No, I really don’t understand…”

“Well, someone of your caliber would naturally know more about my identity. That I am a guardian-like entity that has protected the Empire for a long time, that I’ve hidden my identity by borrowing the name of the remote Flandor family through the current emperor’s dissolute nature, and that I’ve been secretly investigating the current state of the Empire while concealing my identity…”

“Wait, wait! Calm down, Cheska—I mean, Francesca!”

Francesca was revealing her identity in detail without even being asked.

Only after my intervention did she finally close her mouth, and I quietly told her the one thing I had actually guessed.

“I… I only guessed that you were a woman…”

“…What?”

“I mean… I didn’t know anything about you being a doll, or a guardian, or investigating the Empire…”

I hadn’t expected that the name Francesca would lead to such an elaborate revelation.

As I tried to explain and ask for clarification, Cheska just stood there staring blankly at me.

“…ba.”

It was quite some time before she opened her mouth again.

Having come to her senses, Cheska hurriedly put her clothes back on and turned to flee.

“Please forget what just happened. I’ll be going now.”

“Hey, wait! You can’t just say all that and ask me to forget it! You’re not going to—”

-CRASH!

The window shattered as she curled up and jumped through it.

It was an action I never expected from the dignified head of a noble family.