episode_0042

Yerina unnie has become strange.

She suddenly started wandering around Palana and the surrounding areas, searching the palace one day and rummaging through inns the next.

No matter how many times I asked what she was looking for, she wouldn’t give me an answer.

Just when I was about to go crazy with frustration.

“Alicia. This is something I’m only telling you…”

Unnie finally spoke up.

After emphasizing the need for secrecy several times, she finally got to the point.

“I have a favor to ask.”

Unnie’s request seemed simple yet complicated.

In a nutshell, she wanted me to find a tall, Northern-blooded man who was handsome. Incredibly so.

“…”

The description of this man was too vague.

How many handsome Northern-blooded men could there possibly be in the world?

“Do you have any more specific details?”

“Well, he knows how to wield a sword, and he’s strong. Incredibly strong.”

“How strong are we talking?”

“Strong enough to defeat me.”

“Ha, you must be joking, unnie.”

After the vague conditions came the impossible ones…

It was unbelievable.

Where could there be someone stronger than unnie, who boasted the strongest power in the world as an individual, beyond the Northern continent?

But seeing unnie’s serious expression, it was clear she wasn’t joking.

“What’s his name?”

“Well… I’m not entirely sure of his name. He might use a different name elsewhere…”

“So, what is it?”

“Eugene.”

Unnie’s expression as she said this seemed somehow pitiful.

I couldn’t bring myself to ask what her relationship was with this man.

I felt like I might get an answer I didn’t want…

It was a bit strange, but I couldn’t refuse unnie’s request.

Unnie said that this man, Eugene, frequented Basel to craft magic stones.

The smelly dwarf village…

I sighed as soon as I heard it, but there was nothing I could do.

I had to hurry and find this Eugene and bring him back to Palana.

“A just person who can’t pass by someone in danger without helping… Would he come if he heard screams in a dark alley?”

The conditions seemed too poor no matter how you looked at it.

But still, since I had come all the way to this miserable dwarf city at unnie’s request, I had to do my best to find this Eugene.

“Scream! Help!”

I waited desperately, clapping my hands to make noise until the man arrived…

“What are you doing?”

I quickly felt like giving up.

No one was coming this way.

Even if someone did come, there was no guarantee it would be Eugene.

It would be better to hide and wait in the crowded streets lined with workshops.

As I sighed and turned to leave the dismal alley…

“You won’t be heard screaming here, miss. The sound doesn’t carry to the square.”

“If you need help, we can help instead.”

I was suddenly faced with uninvited guests.

Dwarves in shabby clothes, full of piercings.

Even among ruffians, they were of the lowest quality.

“Your clothes look expensive. Take them off. Oh, leave your undergarments on.”

“Ugh…”

Soon, the men drew their daggers and started approaching me.

I didn’t even want to touch them because they were so dirty.

“I didn’t want to resort to violence, but…”

“What are you saying?”

One of the men reached out fearlessly.

I could take this as being attacked first, right?

Unable to bear it any longer, I unfolded my fan and swung it forcefully.

Crack!

“Argh!”

A strong gust of wind blew as the men were all knocked back.

The ruffians stumbled and crashed into the wall, losing consciousness and falling to the ground.

“Hmph. Fighting like typical dwarves, even their fighting style is uncivilized.”

Nothing but a bunch of nuisances.

It’s a waste of magic on those kinds of guys.

Folding the fan neatly, I bit the end of it carefully with my mouth.

“Even doing this doesn’t work. Where on earth is this guy named Yujin.”

I really hate this city.

Suddenly, water rushed in and soaked my shoes.

Encountering strange thugs······.

I’m already exhausted today.

I want to give up on Yujin and everything.

“Huh?”

At that moment.

My ears perked up, detecting a faint sound.

Someone is beyond the corner.

“Who’s there?!”

“······.”

Even calling out, he just stood still.

Could he be one of these thugs’ accomplices?

I aimed the fan at the corner and approached slowly.

There’s no point in running away.

There’s no way a human or dwarf could be faster than me.

Tension flowed.

“Hmm······?”

He turned the corner first, revealing himself.

Contrary to expectations, he’s a clean-looking human.

He seems to be from the north, quite handsome.

‘Oh? Could it be?’

Could he have come to rescue me after hearing my scream?

The person Unni mentioned, Yujin?

At first, I thought so, but

“You! Are you in cahoots with these guys!”

“What?”

I immediately corrected my thoughts.

Someone like that wouldn’t show up at such an awkward timing.

If he can keep up with Eri or Unni, he must be a noble with a delay.

This man is dressed as if he could only roll around in an alley.

He’s definitely not Yujin.

Could he be one of these thugs’ accomplices?

I found it strange that only lacking dwarves were around, but it’s clear that this human is the leader.

“If you make such a stupid expression, I’ll know you’re lying!”

“Me? Huh? Um······.”

The human thug pretended to be confused for a moment.

Seeing that he didn’t draw his sword from his waist, it seems to be a threatening toy.

With a jewel embedded in the handle, it’s clear.

After rolling his eyes for a moment as if contemplating, he widened his eyes as if he had come up with a good idea.

“Right! That’s it! I’m a bandit! Hand over everything you have! Kekekek!”

“Revealing your true colors, despicable man······.”

As expected.

Why are only these guys causing trouble today?

I sigh.

“You’d better leave when I say it nicely.”

“Yes, I understand. I’ll leave now.”

“······?”

But suddenly, the human bowed 90 degrees and disappeared around the corner.

I’m dumbfounded.

What is he doing?

‘He’s quite handsome, isn’t he?’

While his appearance matches the man Unni mentioned as Yujin, that man was supposed to be righteous.

He wouldn’t be a coward like these thugs.

Forget it.

“These bastards······!”

“Haah. Weren’t you supposed to be unconscious.”

At that moment, the thugs behind me got up and ran towards me again.

They don’t seem to learn.

I tried to swing the fan again to send them flying, but······

“Huh? What?”

Nothing happened.

No matter how much I swung the fan, only a light breeze blew.

Was my magic completely blocked?

As I tried to remove the talisman, a small dagger flew towards me.

“Ah! So that’s how it’s used.”

“Gah!”

In an instant, the flying dagger tore the fan apart and flew it into a corner.

I lost my weapon.

Slightly cut and bleeding, I backed away, but soon my back hit the wall.

“Kya. I must have learned magic for this day. Trying to snatch a noble lady from the water elf mage.”

“R, step back. This is your last warning.”

“Until I have the perseverance to never give up. Choi Gon-de.”

Magic has been blocked.

What should I do next?

What should I do?

Ah, that’s wrong.

If I don’t have a weapon, I can’t do anything.

If I had known this would happen, I should have learned some martial arts from my sister.

“Ugh… Please, spare me…”

“You were so arrogant before, and now you’re crying like a baby?”

“Ah… Ugh…”

The daggers were thrust at me.

They pierced through my clothes, tearing off buttons.

I can’t scream loudly in fear that the blades might pierce into my body.

“Anyone. Please, anyone come and help me…”

As I silently screamed for help in my mind,

the daggers stopped.

When I cautiously opened my eyes, their gazes were all directed behind me.

“Hey. Let him go.”

“Who are you?”

The man I saw earlier.

With a stern expression, he blocked the alleyway.

There was no need to draw my sword.

I didn’t want to stain my blade with the blood of those ruffians.

But I didn’t want to create a corpse here either.

“How dare you come into our territory without fear!”

“Why is your sword so dull? It’s even rusty. Are you aiming for tetanus?”

“Oh, huh?!”

The ones without fear are you guys.

Since you didn’t run away, I swung my sword at you.

As soon as I grabbed a dagger from them, their expressions became fearful.

“It seems like this hand is in trouble. Right?”

“Ahh! Help me!”

“Just because your hand is injured, doesn’t mean you won’t die.”

“Ahhhh!”

“Now you’re making more reasonable sounds.”

I grabbed each one of them, bit their hands meticulously, and sent them off running.

They probably won’t be able to hold a knife again with those hands.

From now on, they will stop their thug behavior and live a decent life.

It’s a heartwarming ending.

I left the bloodied dagger on the ground and shifted my gaze to the back.

There, I saw Alicia, kneeling in a corner and trembling.

Where did the noble lady who laughed with a fan covering her mouth go, and why is this lifeless girl left behind?

I feel a little pity.

“Are you okay?”

“Ugh… Yes…”

I cautiously reached out my hand to Alicia.

She hesitantly took my hand, then realized her clothes were a mess and covered her body with her arms.

After I took off my coat and put it on her, Alicia looked at me with tearful eyes.

“If Alicia dies, it will be a headache.”

She’s not just anyone; she’s one of Yerina’s trusted aides.

If Alicia is mistreated and killed in Basel, Yerina will lose her mind.

It’s better to save Alicia and send her back than to see Yerina come down to Basel and cause a scene.

“Thank you.”

A dry word of gratitude.

It seems to be the maximum expression of gratitude allowed by Alicia’s pride.

I sighed, knelt down, and met her eye level.

“Show me your hand.”

“Why, why?”

“You’re hurt. Show me your hand.”

“…”

Soon, Alicia hesitantly extended her hand to me.

It wasn’t a deep wound, just a scratch.

I poured a minor health potion, washed the blood away, and finished with a bandage.

“Um, thank you so much. Can I ask for your name?”

“I don’t know. We won’t see each other again.”

“Ah…”

Now she seems to want to thank me.

But it’s not necessary.

We will never meet again.

“My name is Alicia! Alicia Yevgenia! If you ever find yourself in trouble in the north, please look for this name! I will come running to help you anytime…”

“Got it.”

I was about to leave, but Alicia grabbed onto my coat, pleading.

Looking down, I saw Alicia lying on the ground, touching my shoes.

“What are you doing?”

“Sorry, your shoes looked a bit unique.”

“There’s nothing special about them.”

“The soles are made of a special material, very thick… Are there steel plates inside? They’re similar to the shoes my sister wears.”

Alicia would recognize them.

That these are Frost-style martial arts shoes.

And Frost-style martial arts are a highly confidential technique passed down only to the royal family of Palana.

‘Damn.’

In other words, it’s screwed.

It shouldn’t have been touched by someone from Palana.

“Where did you get these shoes from?”

“…”

It’s a dead end.

There’s no way to talk around it and escape.

If news gets out that the secret of Frost-style martial arts has leaked, Yerina will come running straight to Baselle.

That much must be prevented.

“Can you forget about today’s events?”

“That seems difficult. Tell me where you got these shoes from. Otherwise, I’ll have to take you to Palana by force.”

“Ugh…”

Is she a spy?

Thanks to her, I’m cornered.

“Well, I guess I have no choice.”

“Huh? What?”

There’s no other way.

I have to shut Alicia up.

Turning back towards her, Alicia seems flustered and steps back.

But there’s no way out behind her.

“Ah! Wait, please! I was wrong! I! Ugh! Ugh!”

I untie the front of her dress, revealing Alicia’s bare skin.

She struggles fiercely, but when I grab her rabbit ears with one hand, her resistance quickly weakens.

Reaching into Alicia’s embrace, I rummage around and grab something in my hand.

“T-this is…!”

Rosario.

I untie the string and pick up Rosario.

Desperately crying, Alicia is left behind as I quickly leave the alley.

I have Alicia’s weakness in my hands.

As long as it’s in my hands, Alicia won’t be able to defy me.

So, what is this Rosario?

At first glance, it looks like a precious keepsake or a magical amulet, but it’s not that remarkable.

It’s a necessity for rabbit-eared nobles.

A libido suppressant.