Chapter 17: I Reincarnated as a Villainess and… Finally, I’ve Been Rescued!

“So there are villages even in such remote places.”

A small village near Abel Forest.

Named directly after Abel Forest, three strangers in black coats visit this Abel Town.

“It’s common around here.”

“Aha, I haven’t been here long, so I didn’t know. By the way, they’re quite resourceful to build houses in such a shabby place. There must be many better places than this.”

The man continued his solitary critique even as the surrounding villagers stared at him.

The man was spouting rather unpleasant words as if he wanted them to be heard, but no one could utter a word.

An embroidery of a black rose was on the chest of the strangers’ coats, including the man’s.

This embroidery was the reason no one could speak up.

“Well, as always, isn’t it that whoever claims the empty land first owns it?”

“Oh dear. So that’s why it’s in such a desolate place…. It seems this village has quite the pitiful circumstances.”

The man clicked his tongue as if sympathising with the woman’s words.

But it was a light tone, devoid of any sincerity for anyone to see.

“That’s enough chatter.”

As the villagers’ expressions gradually soured, the man who seemed to be the leader quietly commanded.

His subordinates replied briefly and thereafter followed behind the man without saying another word.

Afterward, the strangers walked towards the village’s Adventurer’s Guild building.

Soon, the wooden door, characteristic of a frontier settlement, creaked open, letting them inside.

Due to the nature of an Adventurer’s Guild, often combined with an establishment serving alcohol and food, a cacophony of various sounds would usually flow out.

“……….”

However, the adventurers, seeing the three strangers in black coats—an utterly unfamiliar sight in the village—created a silence filled with vigilance, unlike usual.

They stopped their cups of alcohol and trump cards, their gazes hardening in unison, but the three people ascended the stairs naturally, as if accustomed to such stares.

Only after they disappeared into the Guild Master’s office, guided by an employee, did the people start talking again.

“…Did you see it too? The black rose embroidered on their coats.”

“Yes, those must be the rumored Gardeners.”

“All black from head to toe, just like grim reapers….”

“Are they here to escort the Young Lady?”

Gardeners.

They were soldiers directly under the Rosegarden family, performing all sorts of various missions.

If the Imperial Emperor had the Kaiser Guard, the Rosegarden family had the Gardeners.

Among them, those bestowed with a black rose were particularly secretive and exceptional individuals.

“Welcome. I am the Guild Master here.”

“Enough with the pleasantries. In which direction of the forest did the airship carrying Young Lady Lin fall?”

“Ah, you don’t need to worry about the airship. The reason being…”

“Captain. I apologize for interrupting as a newcomer. But what would the Guild Master of such a small village know? Even at this moment, the Youngest Lady must be trembling in fear in the middle of the forest…. I will guide you.”

“No. There’s no need for that…”

“He’s right. After all, wasn’t ‘this one’ brought along solely for that purpose?”

“I would appreciate it if you didn’t speak of people as if they were objects. Senior….”

As soon as they entered the room, the Gardeners cut off every word the Guild Master tried to say, then nodded among themselves and left.

The Guild Master wondered why they had even bothered walking into this room if this was how they were going to act.

“Wa-Wait…!”

But that too was brief.

He hurriedly chased after them to inform them that Lin was, to an excessive degree, safe.

“Found her. Judging by the life signs, the Youngest Lady seems to be alive and well.”

“Wow, our newbie. Pulled your weight for the first time, huh?”

“This is truly…. Your treatment is too harsh.”

The content of the conversation he overheard, belying his urgency, was quite futile.

“Lead the way.”

“Understood.”

And so, the three people vanished from sight in an instant.

The Guild Master pondered for a moment whether to follow them or not, then set out with a few adventurers.

***

“Hmm…. I should probably build a blacksmith facility too, right?”

“Woof!”

At a lake in Abel Forest.

Lin was currently using the large amount of troll blood she had collected to manufacture various potions listed in her notebook.

The reason she remained in this hideout, even after encountering the village adventurers and being able to return, was none other than alchemy.

According to what she heard from people, her own hideout was better equipped for alchemy than the village facilities.

In the first place, due to the nature of alchemy, which absolutely requires nearby forests and mountains for herb gathering, manufacturing facilities are often located far from villages, making them rather inconvenient.

More importantly, the smells that arise during alchemy could cause complaints from the villagers, so there were no manufacturing facilities, only some sales facilities.

Of course, in large cities, there are separate workshop districts, so manufacturing facilities can exist within the city, but that didn’t apply to Abel Town, at least.

The most important aspect, safety, was already secured.

In fact, this lake might be several times safer than Abel Town.

“Alright! Then, from now on, the project to build a blacksmith for metallurgy shall com—!”

“Ooh, what a beautiful sight this is. Seeing the Youngest Lady safe and sound, I can’t stop being moved. Isn’t that right, Senior?”

“Indeed. It’s nice not having to work.”

“What lazy words to utter in front of the Young Lady….”

“—mence! Huh? Who…?”

Lin tilted her head at the sudden appearance of the three people.

Their attire seemed too refined for them to be village adventurers.

‘No, more importantly….’

‘How did they get past my doggies and Dinavel’s surveillance network?’

“Everyone, hands up!”

“Huh?”

The three people approached Lin, pleased that their mission was about halfway done.

However, Lin, not even recognizing her own subordinates who had come to rescue her, bristled like a stray cat and pulled out a magic staff from her bosom.

“Hey, newbie. What are you doing not putting your hands up?”

“Ah, I’m supposed to raise them?”

Meanwhile, the rescue team captain and the female subordinate obediently listened to the Youngest Lady’s words.

The male subordinate, who had been tilting his head, finally carried out the order after hearing his senior’s reprimand.

It seemed his discipline had slackened after achieving one small success.

“…Huh?”

‘Strange?’

‘Don’t people usually resist when told to put their hands up?’

Lin wore a bewildered expression at the three people’s quick obedience.

Moreover, Kiriel and Exia, who should have entered a combat stance faster than anyone, were merely floating idly beside her.

Their lack of any vigilance was even more puzzling. 

“Grrrrrr….”

However, unlike the three dolls, the Lycan Wolves, who didn’t recognize them, immediately assumed a defensive stance.

“Oh dear…. How about we, fellow dogs, don’t do this to each other?”

“Don’t worry, newbie. If you die with all your limbs intact, I’ll revive you. Just don’t get torn apart.”

“Wouldn’t that be a bit much against wolves? Besides, even I don’t want to become such a pile of maggots.”

“What’s the problem if you go straight to the Saintess and can live and breathe again?”

“I don’t have the revival fee, do I? How can I, in my situation, afford that insane amount?”

“What choice do you have? It’s the price list set by the one who loves gold the most in the world. You’ll have to somehow get an advance from the family head.”

“Then my entire life will disappear, won’t it?”

“What’s a dog already on a leash got to complain so much about?”

“A doggy who can live leisurely in old age with the life savings it has earned, and a doggy who is a doggy until death are entirely different things, Senior.”

“Think carefully, doggy. If you work as a corpse for about 100 years and then get revived, you can still live leisurely while young and fresh.”

“I decline. I’d rather just die early.”

“Then can you be mine then?”

“Once again. I decline.”

“Tsk. Stingy.”

However, the two of them treated the Lycan Wolves like mere neighborhood mutts and were busy exchanging jokes amongst themselves.

The man who seemed to be the leader, standing silently between them, slowly approached Lin and knelt.

As incomprehensible actions continued to unfold, Lin tilted her head, a flurry of question marks appearing above it.

The man finally opened his heavy lips to answer the young master’s expression.

“I have come to escort you, Young Lady.”

“Uh, uh-huh…?”

“Let us return home.”

At the loyal attitude and posture, Lin finally realized they were the subordinates who had come to rescue her.

She finally understood why Kiriel and Exia, the combat specialists, had been so nonchalant.

“I apologize for interrupting, Young Lady. But could you perhaps calm these children down somehow? I’m anxious that I might accidentally kill them.”

“These guys. Don’t you think they’d be cuter if we turned them into skeletons and took them around?”

“What on earth are you talking about? Do you think the Youngest Lady would like such an abomination?”

“Well, you certainly seem like you’d be better off as a corpse.”

“…Kiriel.”

Seeing the black rose embroidered on their coats, Lin recognized them as Gardeners loyal to her family.

“Then we shall escort you.”

“Wa-Wait a minute…!”

“What is it?”

As soon as the misunderstanding was resolved, the Gardeners tried to resume their return mission.

For safety and comfortable travel, the leaderly man tried to lift her in a princess carry, causing Lin to hurriedly struggle.

“I’m fine, so that! I don’t care about anything else, but we absolutely have to take that back!”

Lin desperately pointed at the pipes filled with troll blood, afraid they might start moving at any moment.

Remembering all the other things she needed to pack, like her notes and pre-made potions, Lin started hitting the man, telling him to put her down quickly.

“Come to think of it…. You seem to be living quite comfortably for someone who was stranded.”

“I have magic dolls, you know. Can’t you see them floating over there?”

“It seems the Youngest Lady built the wooden hut and facilities herself, though.”

“Hey, you three over there! Stop slacking off and come quickly to carry this!”

Lin, back on the ground, came out of the house carrying an armful of precious notes and valuable potions.

Just then, the Guild Master arrived with some adventurers.

Lin, saying he came at a good time, sent him back to bring some boxes to pack her belongings.

Unable to refuse the words of Lin, who was both a benefactor to the village and a noble even if she weren’t, the Guild Master returned to the village as soon as he arrived, bringing a carriage and boxes to pack the luggage.

Thanks to having cleared a path from the lake to the village to some extent in between, it didn’t take too long.

“Alright! Now that all the necessary luggage is packed. Shall we finally depart for home…!”

“It will be dark soon. Even if it’s a little inconvenient, how about staying in this village for today and departing tomorrow?”

“…Should we?”

“Ah, if you’re staying overnight, I will guide you to the best inn in this village.”

“Lead the way.”

“…Follow me.”

And so, Lin’s long, long life in the wild finally came to an end.