episode_0134

When camping in the open, there wasn’t much in terms of security measures.

Just drive short stakes into the ground around the camping site, about ankle-high, and tie thin strings that are barely visible on top of them.

Hang security bells or noise-making objects along the strings at intervals, and that’s it.

With just this much effort, it was enough to deter careless groups of thieves. Not to mention the low-intelligence monsters.

Of course, if we were dealing with assassins targeting our lives, then these security measures wouldn’t mean much. But it’s highly unlikely that anyone would send assassins to target Ethan.

“There’s no forest or mountains nearby, and there are no villages or territories nearby either. Thieves are unlikely to show up.”

“I agree, but I still think we should have proper security measures in place.”

“Of course. We should have them just in case.”

As Ethan mentioned, there probably wouldn’t be any thieves around, maybe just some low-level monsters popping up. But still, not having these measures in place could lead to trouble later on.

And according to the ‘Security Measures Statistics’ that someone had posted on Lugael, there was a significant statistical difference in the likelihood of encountering danger when camping with and without security measures. It was statistically safer to have measures in place.

In other words, even though it was a hassle, having these security measures in place reduced the chances of unnecessary risks.

“I often skipped these measures in the game just because it was bothersome.”

But now that we were entering the mid-game, the security measures themselves were becoming less significant, as battles with monsters or thieves would end much quicker than setting up the stakes for security.

And clearing out thieves was actually a decent farming event, so we often camped without setting up security measures. Especially when camping with Sirena, hunting the named thief, ‘Elf Hunter,’ was an efficient farming method.

Of course, now that this world had become a reality, I had no intention of risking my life for such foolish acts. Besides, Isabelle, a non-combat agent, was also with us at the campsite today.

If Isabelle were to lose her life to thieves or monsters due to my negligence in security measures, I probably wouldn’t be able to forgive myself.

Of course, Ethan felt the same way. Well, he was so strong that he didn’t really have to worry about being attacked.

After driving stakes into the ground one by one and surrounding the campsite like a long circle, just as I was about to cut the string to tie it to the security device, I felt a slightly thicker blade in my hand instead of the thin handle of the utility knife I usually carried.

Wait, could this be…

“Oh.”

“Why, Lillis?”

“…It’s nothing, really.”

“…Is that the dagger you picked up when you sparred with Luke during the evaluation match?”

“…I’m sorry, but yes.”

The dagger that Seraphine had given me as a gift to provoke Luke during the evaluation match.

It was the moment when I inadvertently sighed as I realized that I had forgotten to return the dagger.

No, I really meant to return it. I even went to the Academy Church twice.

But they say that an emergency patient cannot meet anyone other than the guardian until they are completely recovered, so what should I do?

However, it was not an easy task to casually ask someone else to deliver Luke’s belongings, which were also Seraphine’s gift, so in the end, I couldn’t deliver them and ended up dragging them all the way to the alley like this.

‘…If it goes like this, it will be as if I really stole Luke’s dagger.’

Surely, I won’t hear any thief-like words from Seraphine as soon as I return to the academy.

No, Seraphine’s personality didn’t seem like the type to say such things, but there was still a certain possibility of disappointment.

I have to make sure to keep it well and return it as soon as school starts.

“I’ll return it, Relis?”

“Yes, of course…”

-Swish.

“…Yes, indeed….”

But it’s a good quality. It must be because it’s a princess’s item.

Compared to what I received from Byung Baek Yeong Ae, there is definitely a significant difference in quality….

“…I’ll return it, Relis?”

“…Of course, Lord Edan.”

“If you need a new dagger, I’ll buy it for you. There may not be a forge in the Blackwood Territory, but there are many skilled craftsmen in nearby territories.”

“…Yes, Lord Edan.”

Will those craftsmen be skilled enough to make this dagger that Seraphine personally commissioned for Luke?

The thought inadvertently entered my mind, but I didn’t say it to Edan.

***

Late at night. Everyone was asleep.

When the time on the time stone passed the number 1, the only remaining lights were the campfire in the center of the camp and the moonlight in the night sky.

Even though it was still late summer, it was getting a bit chilly at night, and I was quietly melting into the burning campfire.

‘Bored.’

Well, I expected it to some extent, but sitting alone by the campfire was quite boring.

Relying on the light of the campfire, I was reading a book from the Knowledge Island, but reading a book relying on irregular firelight tended to distract my concentration.

I tried to focus on reading, but eventually gave up and quietly closed the book in my hand.

I had learned about magic chains and advanced from the 1st to the 2nd stage of auxiliary magic, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to learn a magic like ‘everlasting torch’ boldly.

But as I had not yet reached level 10, I couldn’t afford to waste skill points just to read a book.

Although I gained about 1,000 experience points by catching Luke in the evaluation battle, I still needed a bit more experience points to reach level 11.

It would be unfair if I wasted them carelessly and couldn’t use them where I needed them the most.

While thinking about that, as I absentmindedly poked the dwindling campfire a few times.

…Suddenly, I felt an unexpected presence behind me.

“…Lord Edan?”

“How did you know?”

“It was more of a hope than knowing. I thought it would be better to have Lord Edan than a thief or a monster.”

“…Sorry, did I startle you?”

“I wasn’t startled. But please be careful next time. If I mistakenly thought Lord Edan was a thief, I might accidentally attack.”

“I’ll be careful in the future.”

“No. I didn’t pay attention either, so strictly speaking, my mistake was bigger.”

I had definitely checked briefly that I was in the tent about 10 minutes ago, but when did someone quietly step behind me?

It seemed that I had come out of the tent for a moment in an attempt to read, no matter what.

The tent that had been right in front of me opened, but I didn’t even notice it, clearly reading during work hours is not a good idea.

“Why are you already awake? It’s still an hour before your shift change, sir.”

“…Just couldn’t sleep, I guess?”

“Come to think of it, Master Ethan couldn’t fall into a deep sleep during the first few days at the academy dormitory. It seems like he has a personality that can’t withstand an unfamiliar sleeping environment.”

“No, that’s…well, it’s nothing.”

What am I even doing? What does my insomnia have to do with him?

Lately, there have been many cases where things I didn’t do turned into strange rumors, so I didn’t want to hear baseless accusations from Ethan.

Moreover, as someone who is literally sacrificing my body to assist Ethan, I felt unfairly treated in many ways.

“Are you accusing me of mocking you when I’ve been accommodating your boiling sexual desires almost every two weeks?”

“Oh, no…that, it’s really flattering, um, well, anyway, thank you…”

“Even just four days ago, I let you touch me without any conditions. It was because you were worried about the duel with Natalie during the evaluation.”

“Well, Lily seemed a bit upset after the duel with Luke, so…”

“What?”

“Oh, it’s nothing! …Thank you for letting me touch you, Lily…”

“If you know, that’s enough.”

Well, I didn’t want to see Ethan lose to Natalie, so I had no choice but to allow it.

Even though Natalie was my favorite from my past life, the current her and I were just new academy students with no connection, while Ethan and I had a long history together.

It wasn’t strange for me to support Ethan instead of Natalie.

“…Lily.”

“Yes, Master Ethan.”

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Yes?”

“The current Lily might find it a bit sensitive to answer, but…”

Ethan suddenly started creating a strange atmosphere again.

It felt like if this were a game, it would be like a heroine’s confession event, and Ethan cautiously asked me a question.

Not knowing how to respond to his reaction, I was momentarily confused, with only the crackling sound of the campfire tickling my ears.

“What question do you have, Master Ethan?”

“…Is there still any negative emotion towards me in Lily?”

“What?”

“Well, I don’t have a good memory of the young me bothering Lily, calling her all the time and playing strange pranks, or doing things that Lily hated like sexual harassment.”

“…?”

“Is it because of what I did back then, that you’re still angry at me?”

…What’s he trying to achieve by creating this atmosphere?

Asking if I’m still angry about something that happened years ago.

Of course, it’s natural that I’ve long forgotten about those things. In fact, it was only after Ethan mentioned it that I vaguely remembered ‘such things happened.’

In reality, I wasn’t even angry because of sexual harassment. I just didn’t like his behavior of constantly interfering in everything I did.

In a situation where I was already annoyed, he provoked me by doing something irritating, making me unable to get up due to pain, so I snapped.

It had been years since those events, and Ethan had shown remorse and growth since then, so if I still held a grudge from back then, it would be close to a mental illness.

A few years ago, all I could offer him was a response that there was no need to dwell on the past.

“No, I don’t particularly hold onto what happened back then.”

“R-really?!”

“It’s been several years already. Back then, I did get angry with Master Ethan quite often, but not anymore.”

“I-is that so… Thank goodness…”

Why is he looking at me like that when I’m his maid who is also his master?

What would happen if I were still bothered by what happened back then? Pouring out my personal grudges in front of the Duke’s son was enough for that one time.

With that thought in mind, I shifted my gaze back to the crackling fire and tossed another piece of firewood further into the flames.

Sitting next to the fire, Ethan called my name once again and cautiously began to speak.

“Um, Rilis. I have something to say.”

“If you have something to say, go ahead.”

“I hope Rilis will listen to me seriously.”

“….Yes?”

…What’s going on? Is this really a confession event?

No, that can’t be it, right? Why would Ethan suddenly confess to me?

But for some reason, the atmosphere seemed to suggest that something like that was about to happen, and my heart started to race with a slightly flustered feeling.

Whether he knew what was in my heart or not, Ethan held my hands and began to speak earnestly as if he was really about to confess.

“I’ll be straightforward because I don’t like beating around the bush. Rilis, when you graduate from the academy, I… ”

-Ding, ding, ding…

“….”

“….”

Just as a serious conversation that seemed like it could be a turning point was about to unfold, the sound of dripping water suddenly rang in my ears.

At this time of day, there could only be one or two reasons for the sound of dripping water to be heard.

In the tense silence, a single emotion naturally surged in my mind.

“Damn, I overslept today.”

Something has been off since the flags were raised.