episode_0027
by fnovelpia
27. Alone with the bodyguard…
Back in my original world, you know how in Spider-Man movies there’s that thing?
Peter tingle… or what they call spider-sense—superhuman intuition.
The moment the Huldra sisters and Erica met, I felt an inexplicably ominous premonition and ran away.
Of course, it wasn’t desertion; Erica had mentioned free time, so it was technically a legal break.
Though the aftermath might be a bit scary, she isn’t the type to fuss over one mistake, so it shouldn’t be a big deal.
Probably…….
“Now it finally feels like I’ve arrived in a fantasy world.”
The city near the imperial palace.
The emperor’s land and the capital of the Presia Empire—Lumiare.
A dazzling, glittering city befitting the medieval era typically associated with fantasy.
A world where various races with colorful hair, clad in armor and weapons, coexist.
For some reason, it even felt moving.
Like stepping into a theme park that perfectly recreates the Harry Potter world in Japan?
Though, of course, this was reality for me.
So I began touring the city.
After being dragged here by Erica, I’d been working nonstop without a day off, so this was purely for leisurely sightseeing.
But…
“The roads here… aren’t paved with cobblestones but are closer to gravel. No wonder the carriage was shaking so violently.”
Maybe it was occupational prejudice (?), but seeing the uneven village roads made me start pondering.
Roads made of gravel-like stones because they lacked the technology for mass-producing uniformly sized paving stones.
On top of that, without any cushioning like tires, the carriage jolted tremendously.
“And the pianos need to be replaced too.
If we sell to other regions, transporting them over these terrible roads will ruin them.
Tires require more technical know-how than expected, and paving all the empire’s roads—five times China’s size—is impossible…
So maybe we should improve the pianos to make them more durable?”
Have you seen the pianos at music schools or the ones we commonly see?
Not grand pianos with their large rear size, but upright pianos that rise vertically.
Space-saving and designed to fit room sizes—upright pianos.
Their performance is slightly inferior to grand pianos, but they’re durable, lightweight, and affordable.
These would probably sell well as exports to other regions.
Sell grand pianos only to the truly wealthy nobles, and upright pianos to the relatively less affluent ones.
This way, pianos can maintain their luxury status while spreading widely to cultivate pianists.
And the more that happens, the more they’ll sell.
“But why am I even worrying about this?”
It’s not like I’m some ruler like Erica…
Hell, this isn’t even my lifelong workplace.
After watching workaholic Erica, I must’ve caught her habits.
To forget these thoughts, I bought a chicken skewer from a nearby tavern.
Simply seasoned with salt, a mix of thigh and breast meat.
As I ate the handmade snack, I found myself pondering again.
“Making sauces… seriously, have I lost my mind?”
Was it the side effect of getting shot during the war with Penrose and pulling all-nighters for a week with anemia?
Work-related thoughts wouldn’t leave my mind.
It’s not just about money or a sense of accomplishment.
The sight of Erica being surprised and laughing wouldn’t leave my head.
But as I chewed the skewer, I brushed off such blasphemous thoughts.
“A mere commoner like me… what am I even…”
As beautiful as she is, Erica is a former duchess, now a countess—and currently the ruler of Redmain.
Even imagining myself alongside such a figure is blasphemous.
And with her level of power and ability, she’d belong with someone far more exceptional than me.
It’s slightly disappointing, but if I were to be with Erica, I’d have to labor for life—so maybe it’s for the best?
While wandering, someone approached me.
A fox-eared beastfolk girl, bashfully striking up a conversation.
“Uh, handsome oppa… do you have a minute?”
First Brooke, now Eitri—seems like I’ve been lucky with women lately, but maybe it’s just my mood?
She grabbed my wrist and led me into an alley.
Why is she taking me to a secluded spot?
Why is a pretty girl like her interested in me?
Among many questions, I asked the one burning the most.
“Are your ears connected to your brain?”
“Huh?”
Honestly, I was dying to know…
With animals like dogs or cats, their skulls are elongated, forming an inverted triangle that lets ears protrude upward.
But human skulls are round—how do beastfolk ears sprout from the top?
Is their brain smaller, leaving room in the skull for eardrums?
The fox girl didn’t answer. Instead, she dragged me deeper into the alley and threw me against the wall.
Then three more appeared—two men and a woman, armored and armed like adventurers or warriors.
Four thugs with kind faces surrounded me.
The fox girl, no longer shy, smirked and bragged to the others.
“See? This guy’s just big—no magic. That’s beastfolk intuition for you.”
“So, is he rich?”
“He’s not nobility, right? Or we’re all screwed.”
Watching them chatter, my sharp mind pieced things together.
Fully armed men and women.
Surrounding me to prevent escape, luring me into a secluded alley.
Their haggard looks, like they’re exhausted and underfed…
So I deduced the answer.
“You guys snuck out after being research subjects too, huh?!”
“No?! We’re robbing you, dumbass!”
“This guy’s not right in the head…”
Ah, so they were just thugs.
In my past life, I’d seen grad students with hollow eyes, slaves to professors—meeting secretly to vent.
I’d wondered if they were the same, but my deduction missed the mark.
Just as I regretted my mistake, one man drew a dagger.
“Witnesses can’t be left alive. Let’s just kill him and take his—”
“You bastards—!!”
At that moment, a familiar voice rang out as a glaive came flying.
Like a martial arts master, Vivian kicked off the narrow alley walls midair, swinging her weapon.
She cleanly severed the dagger-wielder’s forearm through his armor.
Landing gracefully, she glared at the robbers.
“…How dare you touch my Malang-i?”
Erica calls me her fox, and Vivian calls me Malang-i?
Low-born as I am, I do have a name.
“Shit… run!!”
“Damn it, you said he wasn’t a noble!!”
Vivian’s flashy arrival sent them fleeing in panic.
Clutching her glaive in rage, she eventually exhaled deeply, as though holding back.
Then she turned and scolded me.
“Are you insane?! Wandering alone without guards, soft as you are?!”
“I finally got free time… and it’s the capital. Didn’t expect daylight robbery.”
“…Exactly. It’s the capital—you should’ve been more careful.”
Vivian muttered softly, seemingly angry at my carelessness before gloomily staring where the thieves had fled.
But Vivian was a pro among pros.
She escorted me out of the alley, bringing my horse and hers—prepared to meet me.
As we rode slowly through the city, she explained.
“Malang-i, you rushed out alone after getting free time, right?
So my sister urgently asked me to guard you.”
“I inconvenienced her again… Last time I stayed out, I troubled the countess too…”
I’m such a handful.
Just as I thought of apologizing, Vivian’s expression darkened further.
Seeing me think of Erica seemed to depress her.
Too presumptuous—there must be another reason.
“You okay? You seem down.”
“No… sigh…”
Vivian hesitated, drowning in thought before making an offer.
“Want to go hunting?”
She seemed eager to leave the capital.
I nodded and followed, posing a few questions.
“By the way, when did you arrive in the capital?”
“About two hours after you entered the ballroom?
Adel came too—we waited at the lodgings.
Right after arriving, you ran off to make something new, so we missed you.”
“Huh? It’s just a ball—why two generals…?”
Riding leisurely, Vivian answered.
“All the major landowners gathered. Someone might’ve plotted a coup or worse…
Especially those aiming to slit throats in their sleep.”
“Makes sense.”
Erica, Cecillia, and their entourage were regional warlords, after all.
After understanding, I barely kept up with Vivian’s expert horsemanship into the forest.
She tossed me a bow and arrows.
“Let’s hunt with these. No beaters or released game like nobles, but it’ll clear your mind.”
Hah, time for the hunter’s son to shine?
My days of missing arrows are long gone.
Five years of practice let me hit the bullseye—sometimes.
Confidently taking the bow, we tracked prey for an hour until…
*Plink… plop…*
Raindrops began falling.
Vivian looked up, exasperated.
“Damn it…”
“Trouble. An hour back to the city.”
Still, we couldn’t just stand there getting soaked.
Vivian whistled for the horses, and we trudged through the forest.
After 15 minutes of drenching rain—
A miracle: a small cabin.
“Let’s wait out the rain.”
Following Vivian inside, we found an abandoned hut—holes in the roof, broken windows letting wind in.
At least the cheap bedding and furniture weren’t too dusty.
Drenched like drowned rats, we warmed up by a fire Vivian started with flint.
Stripping to thin clothes to avoid illness, an awkward silence fell.
Vivian broke it.
“…Malang-i, don’t you wonder? Why I let those thieves go… or why I brought you hunting?”
“I do… but since you didn’t say earlier, is it complicated?”
“Yeah, a little.”
“Then you’ll tell me someday. Or it might be something I can’t help with.”
Surprised by my consideration, Vivian hesitated before confessing.
“I trust you, Vivian.”
“Really? Why?”
“You flew in and saved me in that alley.
I’ve thought since your duel at Penrose Castle—you’re incredible, Vivian.”
Honestly, it was damn cool.
Like a martial arts master kicking off walls midair to swing her glaive.
Or facing a much larger foe in single combat during Penrose’s siege.
She kept igniting that masculine fantasy, I guess?
Hearing my honesty, Vivian—usually brash—fell silent.
Her face flushed red, whether from the fire or embarrassment.
Silence returned.
Again, Vivian broke it.
“By the way… are you dating my sister?”
“Huh?”
The same question again.
Old Leigar also asked if Erica and I were involved.
Do we seem that close? Feels more like a tyrant boss and exploited employee.
Of course, I’ve been infatuated with Erica.
Like when she took my hand after the guano negotiations, whispering like a confession.
Or when I named the grand piano “Erica’s Glory” and she burst into laughter.
But as I said—Erica’s aristocracy, I’m common-born.
Even admitting attraction would be a death sentence.
So I answered plainly.
“Absolutely not.”
“Really…? No romantic feelings at all?”
A trap? I answered carefully.
“Countess Erica is beautiful, so I feel it often.
But I know my place—I’d never overstep.”
“That’s a relief… no, wait… is it? Ugh, it is!”
Vivian seemed torn between relief and unease.
Frustrated, she cut to the chase.
“Anyway… what about me?”
She acted casual—but strained.
Forcing her usual demeanor while masking nerves.
But my answer mirrored earlier.
“Vivian, you’re reliable—”
Suddenly, she grabbed my shoulders and kissed me.
Her overwhelming physique and speed stole my first kiss.
Still kissing, she climbed onto my lap.
Face crimson, she gazed at me—no longer the brash, tomboyish Vivian.
Just a blushing maiden, panting from the kiss.
Clutching my shoulders, she asked nervously:
“Let me ask again… what do you think of me?”
Past life: 25 years.
Present life: 20 years.
My 45-year virginity was in jeopardy.
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