Became the Escort Knight of the Villain in the Romance Novel

58 – Severing the Darkness (2)

Rabbing- rattling-

Unpaved roads, roads full of rocks everywhere, were enough to shake the wagon whenever the wheels touched.

There was only one thought lingering in my head now, the second day since I moved toward the duke’s residence.

Thinking about how it would have been if this time had been a bit longer.

Took,

When her white hair fluttered and touched the bridge of her nose, she frowned at the tickling sensation.

The fragrance from the hair is fragrant rose,

Unlike Irene’s body scent, the slightly sweeter scent made my vision blurry.

Take a breath. To keep her composure, I needed a little more patience with her knight.

Took,

I gritted my teeth at the weight that touched my shoulders. Inside the rattling carriage, I could understand.

By the time Irene’s head was shaking and I was touching her shoulder, I could understand it.

However, enduring it was a different story. It felt like my pounding heart was about to burst out of my chest.

Breathing heavily, exhaling with difficulty.

She turned her head and studied Irene’s head on her shoulder.

“…It must be crazy.”

I could feel the gentle breath right in front of me.

A breath that contained all of her body temperature, maybe a little hotter than hers, touched me and scattered in front of me.

The eyes that always contained a cold atmosphere were closed finely,

The long, drooping eyelashes occasionally swayed at my breath.

The fingers that twitch every time I see it must be the urge that boils inside me.

Carefully grabbing the seat of the wagon, he let out an excited breath into the air.

Her shoulders were heavy, but even heavier than that was her chest.

Even in this rocking carriage, Irene’s head resting on her shoulder was very disturbing.

Even though she has clothes on, she laughs at the rustling texture of her hair.

To be honest, I was happy with this situation.

A rocking carriage, if the person she touches on her shoulder is someone she likes… Isn’t it rather a welcome situation?

The scent of her roses, which always lingered on her, filled her carriage, but the scent always felt new.

Breathe in, savoring the scent that tickles her nose and, furthermore, tickles her heart.

I wonder if her attitude, which has changed a little since our conversation two days ago, has caused this situation?

Without moving, she let out a soft breath and said nothing.

Adding a light weight to her shoulders, she manages to stay awake and lean on me.

She wanted to close her eyes a little after her, but her thumping heart wouldn’t allow it.

Her blood flow seemed to run rapidly through her body, heating it up.

Maybe that’s why, the exhaled breath is so hot.

I stared at the scenery outside the carriage window, then stared blankly at the familiar mansion that came into view.

She is not far from the arrival of the Duke.

Irene, who looked much relieved, seemed to have overcome the fact that the duke had fallen.

She is, but seeing her in person and hearing about her are probably quite different.

If it’s black magic, that is, a curse, it’s a headache for her.

I know of a magician, but it was unclear whether that person would come right away.

She thought that it would be nice if it was resolved sooner or later.

Even in the Duchy of Yuris, there is an exceptionally prominent mansion that catches your eye.

It took a while to look at the forest that was planted on one side, the trees that always covered the duke’s office with darkness.

I carefully poked Irene’s cheek, who hadn’t managed to wake up yet.

“My lady.”

“…Well.”

“You have to get up now.”

“Mmm.”

My eyes narrow. The sound of her breathing was unsteady.

The sound of her heartbeat was also like that, so thoughts of unbelief ran through her head. Maybe it’s already happening right now.

“Are you awake?”

“……”

As I carefully pushed her head away, she slowly opened her eyes and stared into space at her.

As if avoiding eye contact with me, Irene carefully rolled her eyes and sighed lightly.

Could the person who had just been lying on her shoulder get up so naturally?

It was so funny that I almost burst into laughter without realizing it.

“Are you there?”

She tried to speak calmly and casually, but I could feel her voice tremble slightly.

But you don’t need to blame it.

As she nodded at those words, Irene looked out of her wagon and quietly closed her eyes.

“You will be fine. Maybe she just collapsed from overwork.”

“…I hope so.”

There was a bit of sincerity in Irene’s voice when she said that,

I just stared at the duke’s mansion in silence. I hope things go well,

My appetite was bitter because I thought it would never happen.

#

The atmosphere at the Duke’s residence was gloomy. According to the lady-in-waiting who reported the news that her duke had fallen, it is a fact that only a part of her knows,

Was it enough for a few days to spread vicious rumors about her?

The guard captain’s face, which always looked solemn, was covered in shadows, so anyone could see that something had happened.

As the knights lined up hit the spear pole on the floor,

Irene raised her hand once and opened her mouth as she frowned.

“I don’t need this. Let’s go inside her first, let her all go back to her own place.”

As she entered the duke’s estate, she turned her head at the gaze she felt from afar, and saw Sir Chris.

Unlike usual, he vaguely guessed the seriousness of the situation from his expression, which was infinitely calm.

As expected, it’s not like he just collapsed.

The way the servants looked at Irene was quite subtle.

Right now that the rumor that the duke has fallen has spread quite a bit,

Perhaps the only person who would take over when the duke died was Irene.

I wondered if they were contemplating whether to pay attention in their own way.

It’s bittersweet, but that must be the reality unfolding in this duke’s residence.

“I have some expectations.”

She raised her head at the sudden sound of her voice, and Irene continued her words while looking straight ahead of her.

“A wizard you know, can you contact me right away?”

“…I will try.”

If she brought up her story about the wizard, she must have guessed what state the duke was in.

She couldn’t say for sure. It’s been a while since she knew him.

It is not known whether he can still answer my call. However, he had to take a chance.

Because he knows very well that at this point the possibility of saving the duke is the highest.

When I answered that, Irene silently started walking in front of her without saying anything. She

She reached the third floor through the stairs, and soon she stepped down the creaky hallway and arrived at the door where the dragon’s jaws were gaping.

As Irene opened the door with a familiar gesture, darkness slowly began to leak from inside.

I thought it was a dark room where not a single light came in, and there was no light because the window was covered.

Light was clearly coming in from the wide open window.

But it just didn’t reach, the light was swallowed up by the darkness emanating from the room,

There was one person who could be seen in the abyss where one couldn’t even see an inch ahead.

“Ha.”

Involuntarily, a sigh leaked out. The first time I saw him, he was lying on the bed, who had disappeared without a trace.

In an instant, I radiated a sense of dignity that made my body tingle, and the family head of Julis, who had been testing me, no longer existed.

A body so thin that its bony bones are exposed.

His cheekbones protruded and his face, which in some ways looked disgusting, looked pale due to the loss of blood.

A corpse, perhaps, the darkness rising from the body of Garrot Julis, who looks dangerous enough to think that way.

It was clearly pointing to only one answer.

“…It’s a curse.”

Purple haze rising from the Duke, and black shadows encroaching on the surroundings.

I had never seen anything called a curse, but as soon as I saw it, I knew it was a fragment of a curse.

He frowned at that shadow, which had the same presence as warlocks, and then looked at Irene and bit her mouth.

I didn’t want to look at Irene’s expression as she spoke indifferently.

I dare to understand her feelings. From the outside it doesn’t look like anything,

Only she would have known if that was the case.

She reached out to wrap her hand around her shoulder, but then dropped her hand weakly, clutching her in the air.

Her All she needed was time to think.

Since I told her what I had to say, it might be time for me to move on my own.

Quietly, as she slipped out of her room unnoticed, the sight of her familiar face made her froze on the spot.

“Sir Chris.”

“Did you see the state of the duke?”

“I saw…Anyway, it seems to have become quite a headache.”

The Curse of the Warlock before we even solved the problem with the Roman family.

The timing wasn’t good enough to make me think that maybe someone did this on purpose.

To think that the family head of Yuris, who had stood firm for decades, would be in such a state.

It was said that the defenses to protect the empire were weakening, and in other words, extinction was the perfect time to act freely.

Tuk tuk,

He touched the badge on her chest and sighed quietly.

The signal has already been sent, but will he be able to come this way quickly?

Sir Chris also stared at the door where the duke was lying, stroking his chin, as if this incident seemed unusual.

“I’ve been through an extinction event before, but this time I feel the same way.”

“…Is that so?”

“I don’t feel good. If you don’t catch it in the grass, it will spread out of control like a forest fire. Like the incident at Mount Verdun, strangely, incidents targeting Julis continue. Targeting the lady and the duke… I don’t know what they want, but the fact that your role is important doesn’t change.”

At those words, I only had to laugh bitterly once. I knew.

In the first place, isn’t it a fact that we have known from before that now is the time for extinction to appear in earnest?

It was a responsibility I already had, and the duke and Irene definitely existed in the future I was going to draw.

“I know that.”

On the contrary, I think it’s a problem because I know it too well.

I felt like I was gasping for breath from the weight that was pressing down on my chest.

The corners of his mouth are drawn in an arc, but his eyes are not bent.

The squinted eyes contained the cold darkness. It was heavy.

All the people I have to protect, the responsibilities I have, and the future I will draw.

“…Yes, you must be the hardest.”

Sir Chris passed by, patting him on the shoulder,

I made my way through the thick darkness and quietly moved toward the lower floor.

The creaking of the planks was annoying.

Unlike usual, I felt like I was gasping for breath in the strange darkness that enveloped this hallway.

To collect the rising flames nervously, to walk downward like that for a while.

Soon, a smile leaked out from the faces we met.

“Lofena, were you waiting here?”

“Are you okay?”

“I don’t know the Duke. I guess I’ll have to wait and see-“

However, as if that wasn’t the case with Pena, she immediately shook her head and stared at me.

“I asked the driver. Your expression…you don’t look very good.”

It’s an expression, so when she said that, she touched her face with her hand, and before long, the corners of her mouth were touched.

I could guess that expression even without looking in the mirror.

Maybe it’s not a very good expression. It was worry that stood in Lopena’s eyes.

I bit my lip at that expression I had seen often in the past.

“Are you worried?”

“It’s not about worry…Well, worry is right. You don’t look very good.”

“Thank you.”

However, it was true that her heart felt much lighter, so she smiled lightly and stroked Pena’s hair.

It was funny how she left her own hair in her hands without rebelling anymore.

A word of concern from a guy who resembles her brother is a great comfort to me.

She seemed to have lost some of the weight on her chest, so she shrugged and raised one of her arms exaggeratedly.

“Very good. If it’s the duke, he’ll get over it without incident when he’s sick like that.”

“I believe in you.”

“Who?”

“It’s just… The knight and the lady believe in me.”

“You don’t believe Sir Chris? You must be sorry.”

“Oh no, I believe in Sir Chris and I believe in everything.”

Lofena pouted her lips again when asked if Sir Chris didn’t trust her.

It’s funny how, even though she’s 18 years old, she still can’t get rid of the way she used to be. Seeing Pena mature as

, She might be a bit disappointed.

Wouldn’t it be nice to see you like this even after you grow up?

I felt a little relieved. It should be said that the lighthearted atmosphere that Lopena had with her eased the burden on her heart a little.

Thanks for that, she tapped Pena’s forehead with her hand, and her guy opened his little mouth as he frowned at her.

As she hurriedly avoids her teeth snapping together, Lopena grinned and opened her eyes.

The fact that I was avoiding it must have made me happy.

“Mr. Wu, don’t hit me.”

All I did was just hit it. I scratched my cheek thinking that maybe that would hurt him.

It didn’t even turn red, so why was it so severe?

However, her thoughts did not last long. A sign that suddenly appeared in the duke’s residence,

My head moved quickly in that direction, feeling that a kind of barrier surrounding the duke’s house was disturbed.

“A knight?”

“…No, here it is.”

As she tilted her head, she left Pena and moved cautiously for a moment, but soon the presence of familiar magic eased her tension.

I wondered how many people were strong enough to lightly penetrate the barrier of the duke’s residence, but even so, there was only one person with this mana.

Let’s walk slowly outward, defeating the knights rushing in from far away.

Soon, a man waving his hand came into view from afar.

“Oh, it’s been a while, Sir Evan.”

“I didn’t expect you to come so quickly as soon as I signaled. If I knew it would be like this, I would have spoken to others, but you arrived earlier than expected?”

The color spreads across the face. Who knows the most likely way to break the duke’s curse,

I couldn’t read any misfortune in his purple eyes.

The purple eyes he possessed were never related to black magic.

He who has reached the pinnacle of magic in this empire. A person who has mastered magical powers and is imbued with mana itself.

That’s why the two eyes stained with magical power were always bright purple.

Azest Merwin, Archmage of this empire, looked at me and then straightened his long beard.

“The fact that you called me in such a hurry must mean that something happened to the head of Julis.”

“It is black magic. I guess… It seems to be a curse system.”

As long as you seek help anyway, you have nothing to hide from him. Let’s say that.

Azest nodded his head, saying that he knew that, and soon began to move his steps toward me, the duke.

“Your role is probably important.”

“You mean me?”

“Because only you can cut off the source of the curse.”

Throwing a little meaningful words.