《Finally, the Dawn Came》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1


    translator / editor: astralmech


    *


    * * *


    *


    Slap¡ª


    The sound of something slapping against someone¡¯s cheek rang out.


    [Maid] ¡°You should be digging up weeds in the woods. What place do you have coming into the Duke¡¯s home?¡±


    A high pitched voice screeched in people¡¯s ears, and all the watching servants gasped in shock. They thought something might happen on a day like this, and it was apparently happening right now.


    The sound was coming from a maid who was speaking harshly. Just across from her was another woman, covering her cheek with her hand.


    Rise. That was the woman¡¯s name.


    She had glossy red hair, curling down her back and reaching her waist, the color reminiscent of the sun¡¯s light in the moments before it rose.


    Just beyond her pale and soft face were her neatly done eyebrows, below which were dark green eyes, echoing the sentiment of a summer forest. Her lips were full and a light pink color, which were rare to find in the common villagers. Her teeth were well kept and white, and she was the perfect height, neither too tall nor too short.


    Rise was a beautiful woman, one you would most certainly take a second glance at if you passed her in the streets.


    Staring fiercely at Rise, the maid spat at her in a angered voice.


    [Maid] ¡°The Duke will be returning soon, so will you try and seduce him as well? I suppose the villager men weren¡¯t enough for you, but you should really know your place.¡±


    But despite the harsh words, Rise only quietly listened, and the maid saw such blatant apathy to mean she was ignoring her. Enraged by her attitude, she pushed harder.


    [Maid] ¡°You¡¯re so shameless, giving birth to a filthy witch, too¡­¡­.¡±


    Slap¡ª


    Before the maid could even finish her words, a heavy slapping sound came out once more. The maid¡¯s head was pushed to the side, and her cheek was newly reddened¡ªRise had slapped her in the face.


    [Rise] ¡°You dare.¡±


    A voice, filled with anger, seeped from Rise¡¯s mouth. She had been completely silent up until a moment ago, but now she was filled with rage.


    [Rise] ¡°I told you. I wouldn¡¯t let things go if you spoke ill of Karin.¡±


    [Maid] ¡°Ah, you¡­..¡±


    The maid with her cheek all red trembled in anger.


    After Rise entered the mansion as a temporary worker, this maid never ceased her torment. She would trip her, mix dirt in with her food, and while Rise worked, she would throw mud at her head from behind.


    But never once did Rise show any kind of response, and that just infuriated this maid all the more.


    What should I do about her, she thought. This is the Duke¡¯s mansion and I am an official maid. Meanwhile, she¡¯s just some wanderer we brought in because we didn¡¯t have enough hands. She should be living like the dead.


    That was the maid¡¯s thought at least. But now, the quiet and reserved Rise had just slapped her in the face.


    When the situation slowly became more clear to her, the maid felt unbearable anger.


    [Maid] ¡°Oh, you¡ª!¡±


    But Rise¡¯s hands were much faster.


    Slap¡ª


    The maid¡¯s head was slapped in the other direction, and now, there were clear reddened hand prints on both sides of her face.


    [Rise] ¡°The earlier blow was payment in kind for what you did, so think of this as interest. If it¡¯s not enough, I can supply more. Just let me know.¡±


    The other servants watched with their mouths agape.


    They all assumed Rise was a weak woman because she remained silent even as they tormented and harassed her. But the Rise in front of them now seemed ferocious, more feral than a cornered rooster.


    Did Rise always have this kind of personality?


    [Maid] ¡°You crazy bitch!¡±


    Having been slapped twice, the maid¡¯s expression twisted. She screamed and attacked Rise, grabbing onto her beautiful and coveted red hair. In an instant, that lovely corner in the garden that was Rise became a total mess.


    But Rise didn¡¯t pull back, either. She grabbed the maid¡¯s hair, and none of the onlooking servants tried to stop them. Their daily lives were rather boring, so this sight was interesting and fun. Next came a ripping sound, and a button came loose from one of them, rolling across the ground¡ªa sound so subtle, only the sharpest of folk would notice.


    Thwip, rustle¡ª


    But in truth, those sounds were coming from Rise¡¯s hands. Though the scuffle seemed evenly matched on the outside, the maid was the only one getting roughed up by it.


    Every time the maid tried to grab at Rise¡¯s clothing, Rise would just narrowly escape her grasp.


    Then someone shouted.


    [Servant] ¡°The housekeeper is coming!¡±


    At the shout, the gathered group of maids jumped like mice and scattered. But though the maid and Rise ceased their fight, they didn¡¯t loosen their grip on each other¡¯s hair.


    The maid was the one who eventually fell away first.


    [Maid] ¡°You¡¯ll see. I¡¯ll make you regret this.¡±


    Rise smirked, tapping the maid¡¯s foot with her own.


    [Rise] ¡°You¡¯re free to try.¡±


    With her final words said, Rise turned and quickly ran to the courtyard behind the mansion as the sound of the housekeeper¡¯s footsteps grew louder.


    And then, once the housekeeper arrived, not a single soul remained, leaving behind only a single button that had lost its owner.


    *


    * * *


    *


    [Rise] ¡°Awful woman.¡±


    Rise muttered under her breath as she drew water from the well, sticking her hand in it and feeling the cold water against her skin like ice. She scooped up some of the water with her hands, carefully putting it against her face.


    [Rise] ¡°Ow!¡±


    When the cold water met her cheek, it burned and throbbed.


    [Rise] ¡°Just yell at me. Why must you curse Karin, too?¡±


    Rise continued to mutter. In contrast to Rise¡¯s beautiful appearance, harsh words never ceased to flow from her when she was upset.


    [Rise] ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Karin, I would¡¯ve finished it.¡±


    But she had no choice but to stop. She promised them both that she would keep her temper in check so long as she was within the Duke¡¯s mansion.


    [Rise] ¡°I promised her. It can¡¯t be helped.¡±


    Rise sighed, remembering Karin, the young girl with tan skin who lived with her.


    Dark skin was not welcomed within their country. To the people here, tanned or dark skin was considered a symbol of paganism, and those who had those traits were called heathens.


    Though they believed in the protection of God, the people¡¯s fear and prejudice made them reluctant to allow those with darker skin to enter the villages.


    [Rise] ¡°But I know what Karin would say. She would click her tongue and ask me why such things still bother me¡­¡­.¡±


    Rise tilted her head back, glancing at the mansion behind her¡ªa massive white stone mansion reflected under a pure blue sky.


    This was the mansion where the Duke lived. But as of right now, it was not a mansion to be lived in, it merely existed. The Duke was on his way back, returning from his long absence for the subjugation battle.


    [Rise] ¡°I suppose the Duke must be returning soon.¡±


    The Duke Erte.


    The hero and savior of Vievari.


    Aside from the current king, he was the only immediate member of the royal family left in this country. The one and only Duke.


    And the man who would soon become King.


    All of those lofty words and expressions were adequate ways to describe him.


    [Rise] ¡°I guess this means we¡¯ll be safe from the monsters for a little while, right?¡±


    The monsters that appeared around Vievari were all unique.


    Demonic creatures of all manner of shape and size attacked villages across the land. Everyone was filled with fear, quickly abandoning the land they had lived in since they were children if only to escape with their lives.


    There were knights who had enough skill to protect them and defeat the monsters, but the common folk were of no concern to them. They only fought to protect the nobles¡¯ castles and their territories.


    They did not listen to the cries and pleas of people seeking refuge.


    Will we all die like this? They all thought in their despair. They wandered aimlessly, having lost their homes and their lands, gradually losing more and more hope, too.


    And that was when Duke Erte returned.


    It was the Duke who had defected to the Empire long ago. Unlike the other nobles, he did not try and save himself, instead standing at the front of the army. He and his men prioritized protecting the villages where the common folk lived rather than the estates of the nobles.


    A year after that, when he finished subjugating the beasts, the people of Vievari hoped he would become their King. And the servants of his mansion were all very proud that a man such as he was their lord.


    They¡¯re so proud, one might think they were the Duke themselves.


    Rise could not understand the servants of the Duke. It was the Duke who fought against the tides of evil, so why were his servants acting so high and mighty about it?


    But there was something else that Rise inwardly thanked the Duke for other than defeating the monsters. It was his order to restore the mansion, which had been neglected for so long.


    While he was in exile in Imperial territory, the Duchy was left abandoned in his absence. The restoration efforts were a momentous task, something that his servants alone were not capable of completing.


    The Duchy gathered all the people with able hands, capable of work. The mansion was big, but it was not large enough to accommodate all the people necessary for work, so the servants of the mansion preferred to hire people from nearby villages with homes of their own to sleep in.


    On the day they were recruiting people, the villagers grumbled as they stared at Rise, standing in line. Within their glares was a clear question of why the village¡¯s biggest source of trouble was here.


    When Rise was selected for work, someone shouted.


    [Villager] ¡±She¡¯s not a villager! She¡¯s a wanderer with a witch daughter!¡±


    Seeing the recruiter¡¯s face twist in an instant, Rise immediately started to beg.


    [Rise] ¡±No, Karin dedicates her energy to reading and enjoying biblical tales more than anyone else. Just because her skin is dark, you can¡¯t¡ª¡±


    Then, another voice was heard.


    [Housekeeper] ¡±It¡¯s been years since His Majesty banned discrimination and prejudice against the people of the east, and yet you all still speak of paganism.¡±


    [Recruiter] ¡±Oh, it¡¯s the housekeeper.¡±


    The recruiter stood up, bowing to her as she came in.


    Based on both how she dressed and her poise, she did not appear to be a simple maid. Desperate, Rise bowed her head¡ªPlease, she needed this work!


    Looking at Rise, the housekeeper tilted her head.


    [Housekeeper] ¡±Do you live nearby?¡±


    [Rise] ¡±Yes. I live in a cottage, just across the four mountains.¡±


    [Housekeeper] ¡±Then that¡¯s all that matters.¡±


    The housekeeper turned around.


    No one could complain now that she had passed her judgment. The recruiter told Rise when and where to be so that the wagon could come pick her up and take her to the Duke¡¯s residence. Then, he gave her a week¡¯s worth of advance payment.


    That was already two months ago and now today¡­¡­Today was the last day Rise would be working.


    [Rise] ¡°It¡¯s a shame.¡±


    Rise whispered as she looked over the peaceful mansion under the blue sky, the clouds listlessly floating overhead.


    [Rise] ¡°I really thought I would remember something.¡±


    There were two reasons why Rise was desperate to get work in this mansion.


    The first reason was the high pay, but the second was one she dared not say to others.


    [Rise] ¡°I never thought I¡¯d see the same mansion as the one in my dreams¡­.But I guess a dream is just a dream.¡±


    This mansion had actually been appearing in her dreams for quite some time now.


    [Rise] ¡°I know it¡¯s just a dream, but¡­¡­..¡±


    In that very dream, Rise blissfully wandered around the mansion to her heart¡¯s content. Specific parts of the mansion were blurry and faded out, lost in the haze of her fantasy, but she remembered feeling very happy when she was there.


    And after she woke up without her memories eight years ago, all Rise had left was this dream.


    *


    * * *


    *


    Eight years ago, Rise opened her eyes in a strange place.


    Taking a look around, an older couple was looking at her, but this wasn¡¯t the only thing that she was uncertain about.


    Who she was, where she was, and why she was here¡ªshe couldn¡¯t remember anything from before she opened her eyes. Only one single thought still remained with her.


    Rise.


    That was her name.


    Once she came to consciousness, it was only after a few months that Rise was able to get up. Her body was covered with wounds and even walking brought her so much pain. When she told the older couple that she could not remember anything other than her name, they threw glances at each other.


    [Couple] ¡±You are our daughter. While searching for herbs, you lost your footing and fell from a cliff.¡±


    Rise believed in those words.


    After she recovered, she climbed the mountains for the older couple, digging around for herbs. Strangely enough, she knew much about many of the herbs that grew within these mountains.


    I¡¯m certain. I¡¯m sure I¡¯m their daughter.


    Whenever she could feel the anxiety creep up because she knew she didn¡¯t look like them or that they felt unfamiliar to her, Rise pushed those thoughts aside, steadying her mind.


    They were her parents, and they must have felt more anxious than anyone at the fact their daughter almost died. So for their sake, she needed to work harder.


    Rain or snow, Rise went to the mountains. The more the older couple remained at home, the busier Rise¡¯s days became. Though her clothes remained the same, Rise felt satisfaction when she could present them the new clothes she¡¯d bought using the money she earned from the herbs she gathered.


    While the older couple slept in a bed stuffed with goose feathers, Rise still slept in a pile of hay. Still, Rise did not feel the need to complain. She only wondered if this simple life of living in the mountains would continue.


    As she thought like that, that was when she heard news coming from the village.


    ¡ªA demon appeared nearby.


    ¡ªApparently, it¡¯s massive.


    Frazzled and frayed nerves spread through the village and across the mountains, settling like an early morning fog. And just as people said, that¡¯s when ¡®they¡¯ appeared.


    * * *


    T/N: ¡°Erte¡± is a French name, and should be pronounced like [Air-Tay]

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    translator / editor: astralmech


    *


    * * *


    *


    Rise was on her way to the village to sell the herbs she had gathered when she saw a burning village amidst the mountains. Just in the sky above were those wretched beasts, flying overhead.


    [Rise] ¡±We have to get away!¡±


    The older couple and Rise left the mountain pass without even properly packing. Rise briefly noticed them hiding something away, but she didn¡¯t have the time nor the energy to care anymore.


    After walking for days, they met up with another group of refugees, flooding the roads. They were all undertaking this trek to escape from the monstrous creatures.


    It was only after a few months did they manage to settle in a refugee camp near the capital. The older couple was exhausted from the journey, lying down while being unable to sit up straight. This journey was a difficult one, and it was killing them.


    A priest had stopped by the village, only shaking his head when he understood their condition.


    [Priest] ¡±If you wish to pass into the kingdom of God, you must confess your sins before your death.¡±


    That night, after the priest had returned, the older couple called in Rise.


    [Couple] ¡±You are not our daughter.¡±


    Rise could not believe what they were saying. If that was true, then what did this mean for her?


    [Couple] ¡±We just picked you up on our way to the village, after you had washed up by the river. After saving you¡­we¡­..were going to sell you¡­..¡±


    Slowly, they poured out their sins.


    On their way to the village to sell their herbs, they found Rise.


    At first glance, they noticed the clothing she was wearing was certainly not the same as a commoner¡¯s outfit. The two of them went in for a closer look, curious to see if there was anything there worth some extra money, but were disappointed to find she had already been picked clean.


    Even the lace of her dress had already been torn off, so they assumed someone else had already found her first.


    It was a bit strange that the clothing seemed a little too big for her body, but they weren¡¯t interested anymore. Finished here, the two of them turned to leave.


    And that¡¯s when they heard a cough. The woman they thought was a corpse was actually alive.


    Not long ago, they had taken care of another woman who had gotten lost in the mountains. She sold for quite the hefty price from what they could remember¡­


    [Slaver] ¡±She looks a little weird, but she seems in good shape. Where did you find her?¡±


    [Couple] ¡±We picked her up wandering in the mountains.¡±


    [Slaver] ¡±Well, here. I paid extra, so if you happen across anyone else, bring them to me straight away.¡±


    The slave merchant who had crossed the border went on his way with the woman in tow, and within the older couple¡¯s grasp was more gold coins than they had ever seen in their life.


    If we save this woman, she¡¯ll definitely sell for even more money, they thought.


    With no time to delay, the older couple hurried their steps. This woman even had a pretty face, so that would only add to her selling value. However, after Rise regained consciousness and started moving around more, their thoughts changed the more time passed.


    Rise truly regarded them as her parents and began to complete their work for them. No matter the weather, rain or shine, she climbed the mountain to gather more pricey herbs, and even prepared meals for them. Their old and withered cottage was even repaired.


    In that case, wouldn¡¯t it be better to keep her?


    Money was good, but even with money, no one could live if they had no one to take care of them. So when the slaver came around again, they hid Rise.


    They confessed all of their sins, professing all the way until dawn, and by the time the morning sun rose above the horizon, they were no longer breathing.


    Rise burned their bodies by the river. The firewood, which she had purchased by selling out some of their extra clothing they had brought, burned day and night.


    ¡­¡­Who¡­.am I?


    Rise collapsed with a thudding sound as the final remaining embers burned out.


    Even as the void left behind by her missing memories kept her up at night, she thought she was fortunate because she at least had her parents with her. She did not complain, even as it was difficult to buy herself new clothing from the herbs she sold because they always took the money from her.


    Though they would get annoyed with her when she felt ill on rainy days, she still tried to take good care of them because she thought they were her parents.


    But they weren¡¯t.


    She couldn¡¯t believe it was all a lie, and she couldn¡¯t believe they only picked her up because they wanted to sell her to slavers. They lied to her, all because it was more useful to keep a ¡®daughter¡¯ around that could take care of them.


    Rise couldn¡¯t leave that place until the firewood carrying their remains had gone completely cold.


    If you were going to lie, couldn¡¯t you have kept lying until the end?


    If they had, she would not have felt this crushing sense of loss and betrayal. All that time was spent working hard, but if she could consider it time spent with her parents, she could¡¯ve held onto those memories and kept them beautiful.


    But the older couple¡¯s final wish to be welcomed into the heavens led to them impressing this cold and cruel reality onto Rise.


    What do I do now?


    The older couple only used her and lied to her and yet, somehow Rise missed them. She wished they were alive because if they were, at least she would know what to do, and how she should treat herself.


    And now, there was not a single soul on this earth who knew her. Who could possibly remember someone who does not remember themselves?


    Who am I? Do I have a family? If I did, wouldn¡¯t they have found me by now?


    Oftentimes, within the village, there was a sheet of paper posted on the bulletin asking around for missing people. Mostly they were just wanted criminals, but sometimes people would inquire about their family.


    ¡ª Rise! Looking for a woman named Rise! She¡¯s tall and has silver hair that stops above her shoulders, and blue eyes as well! ¡ª


    One day, she heard about someone looking for a woman who shared her name. Funnily enough, it was a woman who had gone missing around the same time she had been discovered.


    I hope that person can return to her family as soon as possible, she thought.


    She left that place with that wish secretly within her heart for herself as well. After that, Rise waited for the next paper to be posted, written by someone who was in search of her, too. But there was no one looking for her.


    They might not be able to look for me because they don¡¯t have the money or means to do so, Rise comforted herself. It¡¯d be nice if she could hold onto this hope.


    The remains of the older couple were gathered from the firewood. There was a decree going around that all refugee remains were meant to be kept at a specified grave site to prevent the spread of any potential disease.


    Their bodies were added to the dozens of recently deceased refugees. After a short and insincere prayer was read by the priest that was sent out, the funeral was wrapped up quickly.


    A funeral attended by only two people¡ªthe priest and Rise.


    It was only after the sun was completely down that Rise left the grave site, long after the priest went on his way.


    What do I do now? She asked herself. Should I find my family?


    But in all these years, she never heard any rumblings of someone searching for her. And would they even expect to find her in a place like this, where monsters ran rampant?


    Thinking about the family she might not have hurt her heart too much, so from now on, she decided she needed to live alone. But, when Rise went to leave the cemetery, she caught the sight of something shifting underneath the moonlight.


    What was that?


    It didn¡¯t look like one of the mountain animals that moved. Eventually, she discovered it was a small child.


    She had dark and tanned skin that was visible even underneath the moonlight. She was a witch child, digging through the dirt with her bare hands. Next to her was a small box, and through the opening, she could see what appeared to be a visible bone.


    Who could she be trying to bury?


    She knew the answer before even needing to ask. A small child, coming to the cemetery alone and digging through the dirt¡ªwho else could the dead be but her parents?


    [Rise] ¡°You¡­..¡±


    [Child] ¡°Ah!¡±


    When Rise tried to talk to her, the child screamed and took a step back. She clearly didn¡¯t expect anyone to be around at this time. She looked up at Rise before falling to her hands and knees.


    [Child] ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m really sorry, but my mom¡¯s not a witch! Please let me bury her here!¡±


    The girl cried, begging Rise. She had been digging through the harsh dirt with her bare hands, and her fingertips and nails were all torn and bleeding.


    [Rise] ¡°¡­¡­..Do these remains belong to your mother?¡±


    [Child] ¡°Y, yes. My mom got sick, so some people gave me firewood to help cremate her. She was burned yesterday, so I brought her bones¡­but then they said I needed money to bury her¡­¡±


    Listening to the girl¡¯s crying, Rise could understand what had happened.


    Taxes were required to bury someone here. Rise was able to pay for the older couple, so she could bury them and listen to the priest¡¯s requiem.


    But a child wouldn¡¯t have that kind of money, so no doubt the officials denied her request for burial and the priest would have spoken no prayer for her. And it was near certain they treated her cruelly because of her tanned skin.


    However, it was believed that if someone was buried anywhere but the cemetery, then they would not be welcomed into heaven. This child must have wanted to bury her mother here secretly after hearing such a story.


    [Rise] ¡°What about your father?¡±


    [Child] ¡°I don¡¯t know, but my mom wasn¡¯t a witch. She had pale skin, unlike me. I swear, it¡¯s true.¡±


    The girl¡¯s voice was desperate, perhaps thinking that Rise would not allow her to bury her mother.


    [Rise] ¡°What is your name?¡±


    [Karin] ¡°Ka, Karin.¡±


    After hearing that, Rise turned around. As Karin watched her walk away, suddenly she reappeared with a shovel in hand.


    And she started digging without saying a word. They didn¡¯t even need to dig very far down since all that was left were the bones. Once they were safely beneath the earth, Rise turned to Karin.


    [Rise] ¡°Karin.¡±


    [Karin] ¡°Yes?¡±


    [Rise] ¡°If you have no place to go¡­..would you like to come with me?¡±


    Karin stared at Rise for a long time before nodding.


    That was Rise¡¯s first meeting with Karin.


    On the day she lost her family in the blink of an eye, Rise met her new family. From that day forth, Rise lived thinking of Karin as her own.


    After all, she would likely never meet her past family for the rest of her life.


    *


    * * *


    *


    [Rise] ¡°Awful woman.¡±


    She didn¡¯t know how many times she muttered that phrase to herself today.


    Rise was walking the mountain path, bathing beneath the moonlight. When she went to take the wagon back down to the village after her work at the mansion, she was met with empty air instead.


    [Rise] ¡°So that¡¯s why she was speaking to the coachman.¡±


    She saw the maid she had fought with talking to the coachman with a subtle smirk on her face. She had a bad feeling about it when she saw it, but now at least she knew why. She must have been whispering to him to go on ahead and leave her behind.


    [Rise] ¡°I should¡¯ve just ignored her. It¡¯s pointless to make a fuss on my last day.¡±


    Since today was her last day as a temporary worker, she made sure to leave everything she was put in charge of in perfect order. With that thought in mind, she returned to the place where the wagon would be waiting, but what she heard instead was a snide giggle behind her.


    [Maid] ¡±Oh, looks like you¡¯ll need to walk back to the village. Whatever will you do?¡±


    The mansion was quite far away from the village. If she wanted to walk there, leaving now would only result in taking the mountain path in the middle of the night.


    [Maid] ¡±If you get down on your knees and beg, I can give you a blanket and let you sleep outside the front door.¡±


    Only authorized workers could stay within the mansion interior, but Rise was a temporary worker, which meant she needed to leave before nightfall. All things considered, it would be safer to remain here where there were guards, even if it meant enduring the harsh dawn winds until the morning came.


    The maid knew that, and deliberately made this offer to Rise.


    [Rise] ¡±It¡¯s fine.¡±


    But Rise didn¡¯t beg. Instead, she turned around and walked off towards the mountain pass.


    [Maid] ¡±Hey! What, are you crazy?¡±


    The maid shouted in shock.


    So close to the capital, there weren¡¯t any monsters around. But even knowing that, no one dared to cross the mountain path in the middle of the night. The darkness alone made things dangerous, and was enough to make people take pause at the idea of going.


    And walking alone like that, even a robust man would struggle, much less her.


    [Maid] ¡±Hey! If you get hurt, don¡¯t blame me! You left like you wanted!¡±


    Rise walked while ignoring the maid¡¯s cries, growing in volume behind her. It didn¡¯t matter how late it was. She needed to get home where Karin would be waiting for her.


    Now, Rise was crossing the four mountain paths. One more, and the village would be within sight, and just on the outskirts of that village would be a cottage¡ªone meant for two people.


    [Rise] ¡°Ha, ha¡­hah¡­..¡±


    As she thought, it was not easy to walk with only the moonlight to guide her, and the pervasive clouds made the matter even more difficult.


    She kept tripping, stumbling over all the rocks scattered across the ground.


    Noticing a pain in her hand, Rise realized she must¡¯ve cut her hand when she fell. She frowned, holding up her hand to inspect it. She¡¯ll probably need to apply some herbal medicine on this once she returns.


    [Rise] ¡°Karin must be so worried¡­..¡±


    Murmuring, Rise tapped her hand against the pouch at her side, hearing the sound of the coins jingling inside.


    On my next day off, I¡¯ll need to buy Karin a new ribbon.


    With that thought, Rise smiled.


    Then¡ª


    Crunch¡ª


    She heard something stepping on a leaf.


    * * *

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3


    translator / editor: astralmech


    *


    * * *


    *


    What was that?


    She stopped in her tracks, waiting for a long time, but silence followed. Rise took another step.


    Crunch¡ª


    That wasn¡¯t the sound of her own footsteps. Just as a test, she stepped where there weren¡¯t any fallen leaves, so it couldn¡¯t have been her. Who was making that sound?


    Rise picked up the pace, but the sound behind her did so, too.


    Crunch, crunch¡ª


    But not only was there the sound of something walking behind her, but there was also the very weird sound of something being swept away from its path as it went. Whatever was following her¡­.it was big.


    [Rise] ¡°¡­¡­Please.¡±


    Rise shoved her hand into her pocket.


    [Rise] ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡­..!¡±


    A sense of relief washed over her when she felt the familiar object.


    Within her pocket was something she always kept with her just in case of an emergency. Once she was able to confirm its presence, Rise turned around.


    [Rise] ¡°Who¡¯s there!?¡±


    Rise shouted out in the direction of the noise and shortly thereafter, her eyes widened.


    Grrr¡­


    It wasn¡¯t a person. Among the vast trees and thick brambles was something huge with shining blue eyes staring directly at Rise.


    It was a wolf¡ªan animal that shouldn¡¯t be in these mountains.


    Rise had seen a wolf once before a long time ago. It appeared near the refugee village she stayed at before settling here. It had skin like leather and haggard looking fur, probably from going too long without a proper meal. But starved or not, that wolf was still larger than multiple grown humans.


    This one¡¯s so much bigger¡­


    But the wolf in front of her now was far bigger than the one she saw before. That one was sickly and small in comparison to this one, which was more than twice the size of it.


    There shouldn¡¯t be a wolf here!


    These mountains weren¡¯t far from the capital, so royal knights would often patrol the area to go on regular hunts. And even more recently than that, the Duke¡¯s men would also hunt for some of the more dangerous mountain beasts. There were a few reports of wolves appearing in a pack, but those wolves did not attack people.


    Wolves were smart creatures. They understood that if they attacked a person, they would be hurt in return. In the rarest of cases, sometimes there would be a story of a wolf attacking a sheep from one of the ranches far from the villages, but never the shepherd themselves.


    But there¡¯s a wolf here.


    And it¡¯s acting so strangely.


    This wolf in front of her had its haunches reared back, like it was ready to attack. And normally wolves traveled in packs, so if this one was here, where was its partner? Why was it alone?


    Grrrr¡­.


    [Rise] ¡°Ah¡­..¡±


    She was so surprised she couldn¡¯t get a word out. No, even if she were able to speak, that would have been a terrible idea. If she made any kind of sound, much less spoken a word, or even moved the slightest bit, the wolf would immediately pounce.


    What can I do?


    With her hand still in her pocket, she barely moved her fingers along, feeling the vial against her fingertips.


    This was something she kept with her in case she ran into trouble while she was in the forest¡ªa powder made from grinding together various types of herbs, and it was all kinds of poisonous.


    Touching the powder was all that was needed to cause the skin to rash and for one¡¯s lungs to close up, causing a terrible cough. Even the skin around the eyes would swell up to the point of obscuring your vision.


    But will this work on a wolf?


    She wasn¡¯t sure. She¡¯d used it on plenty of humans in the past, but a large beast like this? This was her first time being in a situation where she had to consider something that kind of question.


    In that small moment of hesitation, the wolf took a step forward, and right then, Rise caught sight of its eyes.


    What the¡­.?


    The eyes of all mountain animals flashed at night.


    This wolf was similar in that way, but still a little different. Rather than a flash, it was as though a blue light was circling around its iris. As soon as Rise caught sight of that swimming light, ominous chills ran down her spine.


    Somehow, she felt like she¡¯d seen that same light before. Like she¡¯d seen it a lot.


    RARH¡­..!


    The wolf didn¡¯t seem like it wanted to wait any longer. It gnashed its teeth, rolling out its front paws, and a different kind of dread filled her instead.


    If that thing jumped at her, she would die.


    [Rise] ¡°Ah, come on!¡±


    Rise shouted as she pulled the powder from her pocket. This was the only weapon she had on her, the only thing she could trust in right now. If this failed then¡ª


    Karin!


    She couldn¡¯t.


    She had to get home, no matter what. She had someone who was waiting for her. If she died here, that girl would be left alone. She couldn¡¯t let that happen.


    Their eyes met again. A spark like blue flames splashed from within the wolf¡¯s eyes. He was priming to jump.


    ARGH¡ª!


    Then came a terrible sound, perhaps the sound of the wolf¡¯s cry.


    Rise kept her eyes on the wolf until the very last moment, but before she could throw the powder, something else caught her eye instead. It was the glinting flash of a blade, visible even on such a dark night, flowing through the air and embedding itself in the wolf¡¯s neck.


    Yelp! Yap¨C!


    With a blade stuck in its neck, the wolf flailed its body like it was trying to get it out before flopping onto the ground. As its body made impact, dirt and mud splattered up into the air, causing Rise to quickly raise her arms to shield herself.


    Hesitantly, she glanced at the wolf.


    What? What just happened?


    [???] ¡°Step back.¡±


    Then she heard a cold voice.


    She didn¡¯t know who it was, and it definitely wasn¡¯t the time to ask right now, but just next to Rise was a very tall man.


    Just as he told her, Rise stepped back as the man stepped forward. While the wolf continued to struggle on the ground, he strode up to it, swiftly kicking it in the gut.


    Thwack¡ª


    It looked like he barely touched it, but the wolf went flying into the air.


    Yelp¡ª


    And it¡¯s airborne body went and hit against the trunk of a tree, crying out again.


    The man walked up to the wolf, pressing his foot down on its neck as he ripped the blade out that was lodged inside, readjusting his grip on the hilt.


    Crack¡ª


    He plunged the sword in again. He tore its flesh and dug into its muscle, and that squelching noise was accompanied by a crack from the brittle and breaking bones. The wolf¡¯s body twitched a few more times before its movements ceased entirely.


    It seemed dead now.


    But of course it would be. It¡¯s head was almost entirely removed. No creature could survive that.


    With the sword still in his hand, the man came closer to her, and she could see his face in a little more detail than before.


    And as soon as she saw his face, Rise nearly forgot how to breathe.


    He was a very beautiful man.


    His stature was hulking, and his frame cut sharply. His hair was short and roughly tousled, and he had thick eyebrows. Everything about his expression was stern, not soft in the slightest, and yet, Rise thought he was beautiful.


    Perhaps it was because of the atmosphere, rather than his appearance itself.


    If only the moon lit up the sky a bit more brightly than this. She would¡¯ve been able to see what color his eyes were, and the fact that she couldn¡¯t felt like a shame.


    He was covered with blood and even had some splattered across his face, but she didn¡¯t think he was scary at all.


    [Rise] ¡°Ah¡­..¡±


    Then Rise gasped.


    There were definite tears flooding her eyes and falling down her cheeks. They came in suddenly and without warning, and for some reason, her heart kept beating wildly, and it ached.


    It hurt so terribly, but she didn¡¯t know why.


    [???] ¡°Your nerves must be releasing all the tension.¡±


    As Rise hastily wiped away her tears, the man spoke in a low voice as he got closer.


    This was certainly the first time she¡¯d ever heard it, and yet, it felt oddly familiar.


    [Rise] ¡°Ah, no, I¡­¡­..Ah, t, thank you for helping me.¡±


    She quickly wiped away her tears and tried to say no, but then she realized she hadn¡¯t even thanked him yet. Rise bowed deeply, for this man was now her savior.


    [???] ¡°What are you talking about? Weren¡¯t you trying to die?¡±


    [Rise] ¡°¡­..Sorry?¡±


    [???] ¡°I thought that might be the case. I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes seeing someone walking the mountain path alone at this time.¡±


    [Rise] ¡°¡­¡­..This path doesn¡¯t usually have wolves. And the few that appear don¡¯t usually come near people.¡±


    [???] ¡°Then what would you call that?¡±


    [Rise] ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never seen a wolf like that before¡­it¡¯s eyes were strangely blue¡­¡±


    [???] ¡°What?¡±


    The second Rise said that the man roughly turned his head in her direction, then grabbed her shoulder and shook her.


    [???] ¡°Repeat that. What color were its eyes?¡±


    [Rise] ¡°They were glowing a strange blue color¡­¡­¡±


    [???] ¡°Oh, shit.¡±


    The man immediately turned around.


    KRRRKKKGGG¡ª


    Like it¡¯d been waiting for the right moment, the once immobile and supposedly dead wolf raised its body from the ground.


    With its head barely hanging off the rest of it, the wolf clumsily leapt towards the man, who immediately held up his arm to shield his face. Even though its head was held on by a thread, it was like the wolf was still alive as it¡¯s teeth gnashed into the man¡¯s arm, shaking as it held on.


    Schlick¡ª


    Under the barely visible moonlight, the man¡¯s sword glistened once more and before anyone knew it, the wolf¡¯s head thumped onto the ground.


    Kriiikkkk¡ª


    The decapitated wolf head led out another feral cry, it¡¯s maw releasing its tight grip on his arm.


    Slowly, the blue light fizzled and flecked away from the wolf¡¯s eyes like a flame being turned out as the head flopped lifelessly onto the ground.


    [???] ¡°Dammit. I should¡¯ve cut off the head first.¡±


    Irritated, the man grumbled as he roughly shook out the arm that had been bitten. From his wound came a steady stream of fresh blood.


    [Rise] Ah! You¡¯re hurt! Show me your arm!¡±


    Rise turned her head down, searching through the leather satchel at her side. Luckily, everything she needed was right there¡ªa few medicinal herbs, some ointments, and a few stray pieces of torn cloth that could be used as a bandage.


    [Rise] ¡°You need to treat it right away¡­¡­¡±


    [???] ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡±


    The moment Rise tried to get closer, the man stepped back.


    It was probably because he didn¡¯t trust her since she was a stranger, but rather than backing down, Rise reached out her hand and grabbed the man¡¯s arm.


    [Rise] ¡°I won¡¯t charge you for this later. Just hold on.¡±


    Rise held the man¡¯s forearm in her hand as she started cleaning the wound off with some of the cloth. Somehow, it felt kind of like he was flinching every time she touched him, but she just ignored it.


    [???] ¡°No, what¡­..what are you¡­¡­!¡±


    Hearing his voice from just above her head, it kind of sounded like he was embarrassed or flustered.


    Well, maybe it would be a little shocking if a random woman suddenly took out some medicine from her bag and started treating his wounds.


    But Rise kept ignoring him, her hands moving quickly. His arm was very muscular, so he must be a knight of some kind. Rise knew how difficult it would be for his muscles to heal if they got too damaged.


    However¡­.was the wolf too weak or something?


    When she examined the wound, it fortunately didn¡¯t seem like the wolf¡¯s teeth went too deep. From the outside, it could easily be mistaken as a mere scratch. Rummaging through her bag again, Rise produced some disinfectant, applying it before binding the wound with the rest of the cloth.


    [Rise] ¡°I¡¯m done now.¡±


    Rise pulled away from the man as she finished up tying the cloth.


    The man was left to stare blankly at her hands, almost like he couldn¡¯t believe it. Then, he looked back down at his own arm, rolling it out a few times as he alternated his gaze between both it and Rise.


    [???] ¡°¡­¡­..What¡¯s your name?¡±


    At the man¡¯s question, Rise answered with her utmost gratitude.


    [Rise] ¡°My name is Rise.¡±


    Immediately, the man¡¯s expression turned cold and stiff.


    *


    * * *


    *


    [Rise] ¡°Karin, do you think my name is strange?¡±


    [Karin] ¡°That¡¯s the twelfth time you¡¯ve asked me that, you know? Are you still thinking about that?¡±


    [Rise] ¡°Yes.¡±


    [Karin] ¡°Hah, really? What kind of weirdo did you meet?¡±


    Karin sighed like she was frustrated.


    Rise ended up not returning home until dawn, and once she finally showed up, she kept asking the same question like she was broken, leaving Karin at a bit of a loss at what to do. Thinking for a while, Karin brought up something to change the subject.


    [Karin] ¡°So anyway, your work at the mansion is done, right?¡±


    This was actually a much more important conversation to be had. During this time, Rise had stopped gathering herbs in the mountains in favor of the work at the mansion since the money was so much better.


    It was especially good since the herbalist in the village kept desperately trying to undercut the amount he owed them for their herbs. By comparison, the mansion paid the promised wages in coins at the end of each week like clockwork.


    [Rise] ¡°Yes, the money¡­it¡¯s a pity since they paid me so well. But last night, the knight¡­¡­Hah.¡±


    [Karin] ¡°If you keep sighing like that, I¡¯m just gonna go out and dig up the herbs myself.¡±


    Karin picked up the wicker basket and the small knife left on the table, perhaps a little too frustrated to keep listening to this any longer.


    [Rise] ¡°Ah, Karin, wait! Let¡¯s go together!¡±


    Rise stood up from her seat as she shouted, quickly trying to pull together her things while Karin rushed outside with the basket in her arms.


    She also knew she¡¯d been acting strange since last night. It was all because of that knight who¡¯d saved her from the wolf on the mountain path.


    ¡ª¡±My name is Rise.¡±


    The second he heard her name, the knight¡¯s face stiffened and turned frighteningly cold. She couldn¡¯t even say anything more because it felt like her heart was sinking in her chest seeing that kind of expression on his face.


    There was sadness, pain, and regret all encompassed in that one look. But there was also anger at the same time.


    And she could not understand why he would make such a face just because of her name.


    * * *

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4


    [Rise] ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡±


    But it didn¡¯t matter. He was someone she would never meet ever again anyway. More importantly, Rise started counting the days they had left until they could leave this village.


    In six months, the bridge leading to the Imperial territory would open. It would be the first time the bridge would open to the public in three years.


    No matter what it cost, she had to cross the bridge on that day. Once they paid the toll, they¡¯d be able to go into the Imperial territory and live in peace.


    The toll was four gold coins for adults and two for children, which meant Rise and Karin needed a total of six gold coins in order to pass. At present, they had five saved up.


    Once we¡¯re in Imperial territory, Karin and I can live comfortably.


    The people of Vievari looked down on and rejected those from the east, like Karin. A few years ago, the king passed a royal order that banned hate crimes and intolerance against them, but words on a piece of paper did little to stop anything.


    When those of darker skin appeared, people would slowly move to avoid or ignore them. Some would even mockingly block their noses and move away as if they stunk.


    But Imperial territory was different.


    They were much closer to the eastern continent than this place, and so eastern folk would easily cross into Imperial territory and casually exist within its capital. After she learned that, Rise started desperately saving money to go.


    We have to hurry and leave this village.


    This village was the first place they settled after leaving the refugee camp.


    It was nice enough, and Rise liked how the surrounding mountains had plenty of good herbs, but the villages were not kind enough to accept her knowing she had Karin with her.


    With no other choice, they settled in an abandoned cottage on the outskirts of the village, and already a year had passed. A year of living like a stranger in this town. But there was a problem.


    The villagers¡¯ gazes towards her and Karin were starting to turn strange.


    What on earth could they be thinking?


    But she knew that those looks weren¡¯t a good thing. If it were possible, she would want to leave as soon as they could, but they had nowhere else to go. The bridge wouldn¡¯t open for another six months, so whether she liked it or not, they had to stay here until then.


    Besides, where else could we possibly go?


    Their predicament wouldn¡¯t change even if they went somewhere else for the time being.


    The village would be different, but the stares and unwelcoming glares would not change. It would be better just to stay here where she had access to many expensive herbs and save money while she had the ability.


    That was when she thought of the Duke¡¯s mansion. She wondered, would they be safe from the scrutiny of the villagers there?


    What am I talking about?


    Rise shook her head in surprise at her own thoughts.


    Her work there was already over, so she would never be able to set foot in that place again. She thought it would be nice if she could¡¯ve shown it to Karin at least once, but it wasn¡¯t somewhere they could go just to sate their curiosity.


    [Karin] ¡°Rise, are you not coming? I¡¯m going on ahead!¡±


    [Rise] ¡°No, I¡¯m coming! Karin, let¡¯s go together!¡±


    Hearing Karin¡¯s voice calling to her from outside, Rise quickly went out the front door. As the two of them hurried up the mountain path, unbeknownst to them, someone was watching them from afar.


    *


    * * *


    *


    Once every eight days, everyone would be exempt from their work for the sake of religious observation, and on those days, the village would be exceptionally noisy.


    On that day, believers from the church in the capital would come to pray at the village hall. People would attend the prayer, waiting for their turn from morning all the way until evening to confess their sins to God, entering the new week with a clean soul and body.


    Out of all the people, there were three main types who were not allowed to attend.


    First were those who worked at the butchers or hired executioners. They were disallowed because they were people who made a living off of death.


    The second were those who had already confessed their sins on numerous occasions, only to continue sinning while disobeying the warnings given to them by God. The bad eggs among the village were considered a part of this category.


    And the third group were those who were not included as part of the village populus.


    Rise and Karin belonged in the third category.


    They lived in the outskirts, just near the entrance to the forest, in a small cottage. They lived like exiles, ignored and unaccepted as citizens of this town.


    When they first arrived, the people immediately took notice of the young and beautiful Rise, and welcomed her with open arms.


    However, the moment they noticed Karin behind her, they pulled back. She was a heathen child¡ªa witch, and thus could not be accepted.


    They all thought that if they warned Rise enough, she would abandon Karin and come to live with them, but Rise ignored them without any hesitation, and before long, settled in the abandoned hunting cottage on the outskirts.


    The people were not happy about it, but at the same time, they couldn¡¯t say anything since it was technically beyond the boundaries of their village.


    [Rise] ¡°Let¡¯s go, Karin.¡±


    Covering her face with a hood, Rise walked along the back alley with quickened steps. Karin followed behind her, pulling her hood further over her face. They were carrying a lot, and the trek from the mountain path was long. They were barely able to wipe away their sweat as they carried on.


    [Karin] ¡°Hah¡­.so hot.¡±


    Then, just across the roofs of some of the buildings, she heard the raucous cheers of the people.


    ¡ª¡±Amazing! Again! Show us again!¡±


    ¡ª¡±For only a single coin, many more amazing tricks will be yours to see!¡±


    This time, the rest day coincided with the visit of the talent troupe that came along every two months. With a dazed look on her face, Karin stared up at the sky, up and over the tall roofs after hearing the cheers of the people.


    But they couldn¡¯t go. They were traveling through the back alleys precisely because they couldn¡¯t afford to be seen, doing what they could to avoid the eyes of the people.


    [Karin] ¡°It sounds like fun.¡±


    Karin was a mature little girl, but at times like this, it was a very sad reminder of just how young she truly was.


    Rise felt so guilty seeing Karin like this. The villagers¡¯ treatment of her never allowed her even the smallest freedom of going and watching the visiting talent troupe.


    I think it might be difficult to go and watch them from behind.


    That wouldn¡¯t be possible today. She was getting the feeling they needed to return home as soon as possible.


    The atmosphere of the villagers had been getting strange as of late. Normally, not a soul would pass by the cottage where they lived, but nowadays, she was catching sight of more and more people passing through.


    They would act as though they¡¯d taken a wrong turn, glancing at Karin and Rise before turning away.


    Their eyes were unsettling, and the look within them was one that Rise recognized from before¡ªthe eyes of those who would sometimes come to the refugee camp, in the market of buying and selling people.


    And when people were desperate, begging for even the smallest slice of bread, they were easy pickings. They¡¯d come through and nab young women from among the beggars, throwing them into the wagon.


    That was the look Rise recognized in the eyes of the villagers.


    [Rise] ¡°Let¡¯s hurry, Karin.¡±


    [Karin] ¡°¡­..Okay.¡±


    Like she was disappointed, Karin slowly turned her head away, going to pick up the bag she had set down on the ground¡ªa leather satchel filled to the brim with a variety of dried herbs.


    As the season slowly melted into summer, they were able to increase the amount of herbs they harvested. What they were carrying now was significantly greater than their usual yield, and to top it all off, she discovered the root the herbalist told her to keep an eye out for in the mountains. Their income for the week was certainly going to be impressive this time.


    At this rate, we¡¯ll have enough before you know it.


    Her work at the Duke¡¯s mansion granted her more money than she expected. Just a little bit more and she¡¯d have enough to pay the toll across the bridge.


    I hope he doesn¡¯t come around again, Rise thought as she remembered a certain someone.


    Among the men that would often show their faces around their cottage these days, one of them was the youngest son of the village chief.


    A short conversation was all that was necessary to know that he was not a man of great intelligence. In fact, his intelligence was seriously and probably concerningly low. As such, not a single woman in the village wished to marry him.


    Even if the chief was a well off man, some things just couldn¡¯t be tolerated for any amount of money.


    No woman in her right mind would ever wish to marry a man like that, who would freely take his pants down and pee wherever he happened to be¡ªwho leered and grabbed at women and reeked because he couldn¡¯t be bothered to wash properly.


    And as if that wasn¡¯t enough, the chief had other, more capable sons. As the youngest, he would not even receive any property in comparison to his two older brothers.


    When Rise first came to this village, the idea was brought up that she should be the one to be his wife.


    Unbelievable.


    It was awful just thinking about it. Even if she had basically nothing, leaving her hometown and ending up here of all places, arriving with no family and no parents, there was a limit to the kinds of things she was willing to tolerate.


    She would sooner die than marry such a man. A man who even had the audacity to ask her to sell Karin.


    ¡ª¡¯I can find someone who will pay well.¡¯


    A man who would ask a woman to sell her daughter without even batting an eye.


    And then, he spoke even more words to her. Words so heinous, they alone were enough to fill her with disgust. He approached her two days ago, speaking to Rise in a tone that made her shudder.


    ¡ª¡¯Ri¡­.se¡­.you¡¯re so pretty¡­..¡¯


    Seeing the gross look in his eyes, Rise stepped back. Though he hadn¡¯t come around since being bitten by a snake near Rise¡¯s home a while back, at the time, he looked at Rise was drool forming near his mouth.


    ¡ª¡¯O, once you¡¯re¡­.my wife¡­.I can do whatever I want to you¡­¡­..To that face¡­.to those legs¡­ and that chest¡­¡­¡¯


    As much as she would¡¯ve loved to, she could not pass his words off as momentary nonsense, brought about by his failing mind.


    After that, she knew they needed to leave soon, and that¡¯s what she told Karin. They couldn¡¯t let others know they were preparing to leave, so they packed little by little every day, pretending that all was well on the outside as they moved their things.


    We can¡¯t leave right away, though.


    She was hoping they could stay in this village until the last possible moment. The bridge to the Imperial territory wouldn¡¯t open for a while, and again, where else could they even go?


    The village was a place where they could take shelter to avoid wild animals and the rain. And though it was just a formality, there was also the neighborhood watch, so unscrupulous individuals could not approach them easily.


    So before going to the Imperial territory, this place was the safest place there was for the two of them.


    *


    * * *


    *


    [Rise] ¡°Anyone home?¡±


    Right when Rise opened the door, the first thing that could be noticed was the smell of boiling herbs and old dust. Karin immediately frowned at the stench. She knew by now that this smell could only be achieved by storing the herbs improperly.


    Rise and Karin¡¯s cottage had way more herbs stored than this, but their place always smelled so nice and refreshing¡ªvery different from this disgusting smell.


    [Old Man] ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you.¡±


    From within, an old man walked out, stifling a cough. He was the owner of this place, and the local mixer of herbal medicine.


    Rise would be able to handle these herbs way better than this kind of guy, Karin indignantly thought, though she didn¡¯t say that out loud for obvious reasons. Even within the village, people already knew that.


    Especially the ladies of the village. Many of them preferred to visit Rise for their medicinal herb needs in order to avoid prying eyes. Most notably it was because this old man had a penchant for inappropriately touching them under the guise of ¡®being a doctor¡¯.


    [Rise] ¡°I brought your weekly herbs.¡±


    [Old Man] ¡°Ah, put it here.¡±


    Unlike he usually did, he did not move to inspect the herbs.


    That was definitely strange. Normally, he would look them over once, then twice, trying to find flaws and imperfections within the herbs, looking for any excuse to cut the price.


    Hesitant, the owner suddenly turned to the side, opening up a drawer. Then, he took out what looked to be something wrapped in pretty, colorful paper.


    [Old Man] ¡°This is for you. Eat it.¡±


    He was handing it to Karin.


    [Karin] ¡°. . .¡±


    [Old Man] ¡°It¡¯s a fruit candy I bought from the capital. It¡¯s very valuable and expensive. You¡¯ll never get another chance to try something like this.¡±


    Like he said, a soft fruity smell emanated from the bag in front of Karin. It was so enticing that Karin was momentarily distracted by it before coming to her senses and hiding behind Rise.


    [Rise] ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    [Old Man] ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. I just got it for you since you work so hard to gather herbs. There¡¯s no need to be so wary.¡±


    I know you to be quite the penny pinching old man, so excuse me for finding all of this to be a little sudden and suspicious.


    She thought that, but she knew she couldn¡¯t say it. The owner was insistent with trying to give it to Karin. She didn¡¯t know what his plan was, but nothing good would come from provoking him and earning his anger, so she gently urged Karin to take it.


    [Karin] ¡°¡­¡­Thank you.¡±


    [Old Man] ¡°Okay. You should go out now. I have something I need to say to Rise. Eat the candy properly.¡±


    [Rise] ¡°What is it?¡¯


    [Old Man] ¡°It¡¯s nothing bad, so just listen.¡±


    Rise turned and winked at Karin. Somehow, she was getting the sense she wouldn¡¯t want Karin to have to hear whatever this old herbalist was going to say.


    Seeing Rise¡¯s wink, Karin nodded, leaving out the back door.


    [Rise] ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    [Old Man] ¡°Too¡­impatient. Sit down. Eat one, too.¡±


    He was acting so friendly that Rise felt even more put off by him. He was always the type to nitpick every little thing in an attempt to cheapen their herbs and pay less, so obviously she was struggling to believe this sudden stroke of kindness from him.


    He was definitely up to something.


    Rize looked down at the candy he had handed her. It was beautiful in color and smelled very sweet. It was definitely the kind of candy she would have reached out to get for herself if she could.


    Looking down at the candy for a very long time, Rise popped it into her mouth.


    It was so sweet, it made her tongue sting.


    [Old Man] ¡°The son of the village chief. You know the one, right? The youngest.¡±


    [Rise] ¡°¡­¡­¡­What about him?¡¯


    [Old Man] ¡°Apparently he still hasn¡¯t had his coming of age ceremony.¡±


    A coming of age ceremony. Any man who failed to follow through with it would be extremely limited with what they could do in this country.


    [Old Man] ¡°So, the chief said he wanted to ask you a favor. It¡¯s about the final day of the coming of age.¡±


    Just as she thought. That was what this old man wanted to talk to her about.


    Already, she could feel a sensation akin to a bug crawling across her skin.


    * * *

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5


    When it came to Vievari¡¯s coming of age ceremony, there were several stages. The most important to the people of Vievari was the hunting aspect, where one proved their strength. But there was also what they called the ¡®Final Night¡¯.


    It was called that because it was held on the last day of the coming of age ceremony.


    It wasn¡¯t actually that big of a deal. Most men were able to pass through it easily without any issue.


    The majority of men were married before their coming of age ceremonies, and so it was not difficult for one to find a woman to sleep with on the Final Night. They could always just do it with their wives.


    However, it was a bit of a problem for men who were struggling to get married.


    [Rise] ¡°Never.¡±


    [Old Man] ¡°Just think about it. The chief was in a hurry, so he raised the payment. If you sleep with his youngest son on that night, he¡¯ll give you six gold coins. You always said you needed six, right? And even after that, if you stick with him, he¡¯ll give you thirty.¡±


    [Rise] ¡°I would never!¡±


    [Old Man] ¡°You said you needed the money.¡±


    [Rise] ¡°I won¡¯t! Don¡¯t you ever repeat that!¡±


    She stood up quickly, but just as she shouted¡ª


    [Rise] ¡°Huh¡­?¡±


    The world around her shook, and her legs buckled.


    [Old Man] ¡°That worked surprisingly fast.¡±


    The wizened herbalist approached her with a slimy smile.


    [Old Man] ¡°They say that after taking just one of these, after a week, you won¡¯t be able to live without it. It¡¯s a bit pricey since they use it to tame prostitutes in the capital, but whatever. The chief paid me well.¡±


    Rise fell to the floor.


    So that¡¯s what it was. She knew it was suspicious.


    [Old Man] ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. This is all your fault, you know. You kept stubbornly holding onto that witch girl when you could just as easily give birth to another child. Come here. Sit until the chief arrives.¡±


    The old herbalist reached down, struggling to lift up Rise¡¯s collapsed body with his paltry strength. But as he did, he ran his wrinkled hands across her backside, snaking them around to grope her chest.


    He thought he may as well take the chance to enjoy himself before handing her over.


    [Rise] ¡°Karin¡­¡­¡±


    [Old Man] ¡°There¡¯s already a wagon outside ready to take her. The troupe in the village was interested in purchasing a heathen child, and I received a notable payment for her already. They must have plenty of uses in mind for her.¡±


    The herbalist sat Rise down in a chair, gasping as he did. She was a lightweight woman, but he was an old man, and he didn¡¯t have much strength to begin with.


    [Old Man] ¡°Let us enjoy ourselves in the meantime. Rather than sleeping with that fool straight away¡­¡­¡±


    Thwack¡ª


    Right then, Rise threw up her foot and kicked him the hardest she could, right in the crotch.


    [Rise] ¡°You sick bastard!¡±


    Rise jumped up from her chair.


    And turning her head to the side, she spat out the unmelted candy onto the floor, causing it to roll across the floor. She was lucky she listened to that gut feeling of hers, biting down on the candy on one side of her mouth to keep herself from eating it.


    [Rise] ¡°Just die!¡±


    Once he was kneeled over on the floor, Rise gave him another hard kick for good measure, hearing him let out a pained groan. Turning to the door, Rise immediately ran out.


    The herbalist wouldn¡¯t have known this, but most poisons didn¡¯t work on Rise. That included a lot of paralyzing drugs as well. As if she¡¯d been consuming them her entire life, Rise had a much higher resistance to all poisons in comparison to most.


    When initially consumed, the poison might work for a short time, but sooner or later, her body would turn back to normal.


    [Rise] ¡°Karin!¡±


    Rise desperately called Karin¡¯s name. Pushing through, that was when she noticed a group of individuals moving through an empty alleyway, dressed in robes of red. They were carrying something, pushing it into a wagon.


    It was Karin.


    [Rise] ¡°Put her down!¡±


    The troupe members looked shaken by Rise¡¯s sudden scream.


    [Man] ¡°What? We¡¯ve already paid¡­¡­¡±


    Thwack¡ª


    Rise threw herself forward, kicking right towards the leg of the person holding Karin. He was so stunned that he immediately dropped her, her little body thudding against the ground with a loud and hard impact as she slipped from his grasp.


    Searching through her pockets, Rise grabbed the very thing she couldn¡¯t use on that wolf.


    It¡¯s here!


    She popped off the lid, throwing it with all her strength at the men approaching her, and a large plume of white powder scattered into the air.


    [Man] ¡°Agh! My eyes, my eyes!¡±


    [Man] ¡°Augh, cough! Wha, cough, what is this!?¡±


    Two men dropped to the ground, rolling in pain as they were covered in powder. With this amount, they wouldn¡¯t be able to stand for hours.


    We have to get away!


    She thought the villagers were acting strangely, but this!?


    She didn¡¯t know the chief had it in him to try and drug her so they could force her to sleep with his son for his coming of age. And then he tried to sell Karin to top it all off.


    And they call themselves believers of God!


    The villagers were always so condescending whenever they went to the prayers on the day of rest.


    ¡ª¡¯Should come at no surprise they can¡¯t go to the prayer. They¡¯re too dirty, so washing away their sins is impossible. Just like beasts, I say.¡¯


    Remembering that nonsense, Rise bit her lip.


    They went to confess and wash away their sins every week, just to go off and do something like this?


    Rise went to carry Karin on her back. Even if that drug didn¡¯t incapacitate her like it was supposed to, it was still a foreign substance in her system, so she wasn¡¯t feeling her best. Her hands were weak, and Karin kept slipping out of her grasp.


    [Rise] ¡°Karin¡­Karin! You have to wake up!¡±


    As soon as she tasted that drug, she knew what kind of herbs they used.


    If she could just make it back to the cottage, she could make an antidote. She needed to make it as soon as possible, get Karin to wake up, and then they could leave this village. If they managed to get to the forest, then she could¡ª


    [???] ¡°Over there!¡±


    But Rise¡¯s hopes were cruelly destroyed. Just as she was about to try and escape, she heard voices calling out from behind her.


    Of course. This was everyone.


    The chief couldn¡¯t have been the only one who was a part of this little plot. The entire village must have worked in tandem.


    Rise ran with every ounce of her strength, but she was closer to her limit than she thought.


    [Rise] ¡°Ah!¡±


    Running, Rise¡¯s body tumbled onto the ground with a loud thud. A villager chasing her down had thrown a rock at her, knocking out her leg. When she fell, she dropped Karin, and perhaps it was because of the shock, but Karin let out a groan and opened her eyes.


    [Rise] ¡°Karin!¡±


    [Karin] ¡°Ri..se¡­¡­you¡­¡­¡±


    Rise pulled herself to Karin, pulling her body close in a hug.


    What do I do?


    She had no more powder left in her bag, and there were so many people just behind her.


    [Man] ¡°Why do you keep making things difficult?¡±


    The man standing at the front of the mob spat out while swinging a wooden club.


    As he swung it, it splintered the air with a cracking noise, and he did it deliberately close to their faces, terrifying Karin. She dug into Rise¡¯s arms, hiding her face in her chest.


    [Man] ¡°As long as you listen carefully, you¡¯ll make things easier for both you and us.¡±


    Rise looked around.


    Villagers were appearing out of the woodwork, gathering in droves. On each of their faces were vastly different expressions.


    The people standing near the front of the crowd were smiling and laughing, some sadistically and others like they were annoyed. Meanwhile, those near the back looked troubled, maybe even regretful.


    But the thing they both had in common was that none of them stepped forward to help Rise.


    [Man] ¡°Everyone out of the way. The chief is here.¡±


    A murmur spread through the crowd. As they parted, the chief appeared through the people, and just as one might expect, just behind him was his youngest son¡ªattached to him like a foal that couldn¡¯t walk by himself.


    [Chief] ¡°When I went to the apothecary, all I found was an old herbalist, dead on the ground while holding his crotch.¡±


    The chief clicked his tongue, glancing down at Rise on the ground.


    [Chief] ¡°You have quite the temper. No wonder my son just can¡¯t get enough of you. You¡¯ll be a vicious one to tame during the first night.¡±


    Crouching down, the chief tapped Rise¡¯s cheek with his hand.


    [Chief] ¡°The drugs I brought from the capital don¡¯t seem to work very well. I paid handsomely to make sure you wouldn¡¯t get hurt during all of this, but it looks like that was a waste of money. I should¡¯ve just dragged you there right from the start.¡±


    [Rise] ¡°¡­..Bastard.¡±


    [Chief] ¡°You should speak more politely. That isn¡¯t the kind of tone you should be taking with the man who will be your father-in-law.¡±


    [Rise] ¡°Who would ever want to marry your son?¡±


    [Chief] ¡°Your opinion has nothing to do with this. All the villagers have already made their decisions.¡±


    At those words, Rise glanced at the villagers again. All the ladies she saw that were around the same age as her turned their heads away.


    None of the maidens within the village wanted to marry the chief¡¯s son, but he kept putting pressure on them. That was when all of them made their choice.


    In order to make it stop, someone had to be sacrificed.


    [Rise] ¡°I¡¯d rather die than sleep with your son.¡±


    [Chief] ¡°I wonder how long that drive of yours will last. You, take her away.¡±


    Once the chief made his order, a couple of the able bodied men rushed forward, grabbing at Rise and Karin, tearing them apart.


    [Rise] ¡°No! Let go!¡±


    But no matter how she tried to struggle and rebel, she could not push against the strength of a group of men.


    They pinned Rise down onto the ground, grabbing Karin like she weighed nothing and tossing her to the side like she was a package. The men from the troupe came to take her, but that was just when the strength of the one pushing Rise down weakened for just a moment.


    And Rise didn¡¯t miss that chance, kicking at the leg that was stepping on her.


    [Man] ¡°Agh!¡±


    The man was caught off guard, grabbing at his sore leg as he jumped back. The wooden club he was holding thumped down onto the ground, and Rise clamored to reach it. The moment she had it tightly in her grasp, she charged forward, swinging wildly right at the men taking Karin.


    Thwip¡ª


    She clearly wasn¡¯t playing around, and this was no mere threat. Instinctively, they all ducked down.


    [Men] ¡°Wh, what!?¡±


    And when they saw what followed, they immediately doubted their eyes.


    This was a woman that was attacking them, right? The swing didn¡¯t even hit them because they¡¯d moved out of the way just in the nick of time.


    And yet, the fabric covering of the wagon just behind them had been torn horizontally in the exact same arch as the woman¡¯s swing. Staring at it, cut as if it had been sliced by something sharp, they couldn¡¯t even close their mouths.


    What the hell, they all thought.


    Sometimes, people heard stories. They would tell tales of famous knights who had become so strong with their blades that they could cut their opponents with their sword without even touching them.


    But the person standing in front of them was no legendary knight, but a poor woman. And what she held in her hands was not a blade, but a piece of wood! This should not have been possible, but how else could they explain what had just happened?


    [Chief] ¡°Tch, you¡¯re really intent on getting on my nerves right until the end. I don¡¯t care if she gets hurt, just tie her up.¡±


    [Son] ¡°Oh no, don¡¯t hurt her. Her face is pretty, so don¡¯t muck it up.¡±


    When the chief said that, his son jumped up like a frog, waving around his hands.


    [Chief] ¡°Heh, you¡¯re planning on dealing with your future wife now? Fine, tie her up but leave her face alone! Try not to mess her up too bad.¡±


    [Son] ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Rise bit her lip. She tried swinging the club like she did before, but nothing happened. All that could be heard was the weak sound of biting wind.


    [Men] ¡°Get her!¡±


    And before she realized it, the crowd of men honed in on her. In just a second, the club had been ripped from her hands and thrown to the side, her body forced onto the ground. One of the men pushed down her legs as she struggled, binding both feet and hands with thick ropes.


    [Rise] ¡°Let go! Karin! Karin!¡±


    [Chief] ¡°Take her daughter away quickly. Never bring her back to this village.¡±


    [Man] ¡°Oh, is that so? Well, that¡¯s fine. Even though her skin is dark, I¡¯m sure there are plenty who would be willing to indulge in her since she¡¯s so soft. Once we take her away, it¡¯s doubtful she¡¯ll ever see the sunlight again.¡±


    The chief smiled at the troupe members¡¯ sickly words, looking just as sickly satisfied.


    [Chief] ¡°Then, shall we have a wedding right away?¡±


    [Rise] ¡°You sick¡ª!¡±


    [Chief] ¡°Once you spend a night with your husband, your spirit will be much more flexible. Do as you please today. As a man, you have every right to her.¡±


    The chief patted his son on the shoulder, and only at a time like this did the ever foolish man realize what his father was saying. With a twisted grin, he stared at Rise as he fiddled with his pants.


    [Rise] ¡°Karin! Please! Please stop! Karin!¡±


    But Rise¡¯s eyes were pinned only on the wagon owned by the men from the troupe, just about to leave. She screamed but not a single person tried to help, not a soul willing to be on Rise¡¯s side as her eyes burned.


    Please! Someone help! Anyone!


    Right then¡ª


    [???] ¡°Hey!¡±


    Just as the horses were apart to depart, something startled it and it raised up its legs. The wagon it was attached to shook violently, and the sudden shocking sound stunned the people, catching everyone¡¯s attention.


    It came out of nowhere.


    A black horse with a shiny coat, and well groomed mane, atop which was a man.


    [???] ¡°What¡¯s happening here?¡±


    The man sitting on the horse stared down at the villagers with a cold expression on his face, but none could answer his question, all of them far too surprised by his sudden appearance. With what kind of man he was, no one dared to shout at him.


    A well kept steed, luxurious looking clothing, and a harness that looked perfectly crafted. But more than that, this man exuded a natural sense of arrogance and pride, as though he were looking down on everyone and everything¡ªthe kind of air that forced everyone to bow their heads.


    It didn¡¯t matter who looked at him, he was clearly of a status that mere villagers could not even begin to speak to.


    [Chief] ¡°Who are you?¡±


    But despite the people¡¯s trepidation, the chief stepped forward.


    [Chief] ¡°What sort of nobleman could you be to intervene with our village¡¯s business?¡±


    At this point, it would¡¯ve been better for the villagers to carefully watch their tongues rather than potentially say something foolish or insulting. Knowing that, the chief decided to speak on behalf of everyone.


    But then, his eyes widened the second he asked his question.


    He should have known something was strange.


    This was a man with black hair. Any time the occasional noble passed through their town, they would often have hair of a similar color, so he thought this would be no different, but the second he got closer, what he was met with was a pair of deeply black eyes glaring down at him.


    And there was only one person in this country who had black hair and eyes that wasn¡¯t the king.


    [Chief] ¡°No¡­.Duke Erte¡­¡­.?¡±

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6


    The people looked up, shocked and surprised at the chief¡¯s words. Only then were they able to see clearly the color of both his hair and his eyes.


    The Duke Erte.


    The one who would be the next king.


    At the end of the chief¡¯s realization, dust rose from the ground as the sound of horses entered the fray.


    [???] ¡°Erte!¡±


    There were several knights approaching, each one riding a horse as the man at the front of the charge shouted out at the top of his lungs.


    [???] ¡°You shouldn¡¯t go off on your own like that!¡±


    [Erte] ¡°Do you really think I¡¯ll get into trouble without you, Ravien?¡±


    [Ravien] ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant! More importantly, what¡¯s going on here?¡±


    [Erte] ¡°I was just asking that. You must be the village chief. Mind explaining what¡¯s going on?¡±


    The chief¡¯s expression was now paler than the rest of his body.


    [Chief] ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­.th, this woman! This woman is a witch! She brought disease and misfortune to our village! I was just trying to drive her out and save my people!¡±


    [Man] ¡°That¡¯s right! After that woman came, three sheep died at our ranch!¡±


    Some of the men, who were desperately trying to cover up the stake they had in the chief¡¯s scheme, bought into the lie, giving him all the excuses they had.


    [Man] ¡°My child fell ill and has been bedridden ever since that woman came!¡±


    [Man] ¡°The cemetery behind the village was dug up and the bodies were damaged!¡±


    Everyone already knew what caused those incidents.


    The sheep from the ranch accidently ate poisonous mushrooms, the child was always sickly, and the cemetery was dug up by a group of wild boars, hungry for the food that was buried with the bodies.


    But the Duke wouldn¡¯t know that, so it was easy for them to throw all the blame onto Rise.


    [Erte] ¡°I asked the wrong question.¡±


    The Duke dismounted his horse.


    Immediately, he approached Rise, grabbing onto her arms and pulling her from her passive and pitiful position on the ground.


    And the moment she made eye contact with him, Rise¡¯s eyes widened.


    [Rise] ¡°You¡­¡­.¡±


    It was a face she remembered well.


    The man who saved her when she came across that wolf in the mountains. That person was the Duke, Erte? Right now, she could clearly see the darkened black eyes that were far from her vision before.


    He was definitely the Duke.


    Hearing Rise speak like she knew him, the villagers choked on their own breath. They ceased their clumsy and sloppy lies. They must have realized that lying any further would not end well for them.


    Instead, they just fell to the ground, their bodies trembling.


    Swhick¡ª


    Duke Erte drew his sword, the blue blade glistening and shining like cold ice in the sun.


    [Chief] ¡°P, please don¡¯t kill me¡­..¡±


    The chief couldn¡¯t even look at it. He only closed his eyes tightly, unable to stop the constant shake of his fear filled body.


    Slip¡ª


    But when the air was cut by a blade, what followed that whooshing sound was the sound of rope being cut¡ªspecifically, the ropes binding Rise¡¯s legs and hands.


    [Rise] ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡±


    Flexing out her fingers, Rise stared down at her hands. Things felt so hopeless a moment ago, but against all belief, her hands were free. This wasn¡¯t a dream, right?


    [Erte] ¡°I should be asking why my person is being held captive by all of you in a place like this.¡±


    When such unpredictable and wildly unimaginable words came from the Duke¡¯s mouth, the villagers looked visibly shaken and confused. But Rise was no different.


    What did the Duke just say? ¡®My¡¯ person?


    [Erte] ¡°Rise.¡±


    The Duke turned around, bowing his head in front of her. He reached out his hand as if he were going to take hers in his own before stopping.


    She was shaking so much, he couldn¡¯t hold her hand. The Duke clicked his tongue at the sight of her, seeing how she could hardly even stand, then grabbed her by the waist.


    And with a single motion, he pulled her up and held her in his arms.


    Just as she thought. This was a dream.


    The Duke would not remember her name like this, and he would not have appeared so suddenly and called her his person.


    [Erte] ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you.¡±


    All Rise could do hearing the Duke¡¯s words was stare blankly. What sort of dream was this? And the more she thought about it, the more her once still lips started to tremble.


    [Rise] ¡°Hick¡­..¡±


    And the sob that was stuck inside of her throat escaped her.


    Well, whatever kind of dream it was, it was a good one, because someone saved her and Karin.


    But that wasn¡¯t the only reason why these tears started to fall, nor the only reason why she couldn¡¯t stop them.


    I¡¯ve been looking for you.


    It was because Rise finally got to hear the words she¡¯s always wanted to hear.


    *


    * * *


    *


    [Erte] ¡°Have you calmed down yet?¡±


    Rise quickly nodded hearing the Duke¡¯s words, answering as fast as she could.


    [Rise] ¡°¡­..I¡­.I¡¯m¡­sorry, Your Grace.¡±


    Her voice was still very haggard. After the Duke handed her a handkerchief, she sniffled, quietly blowing her nose.


    The Duke brought both her and Karin to his home. Luckily she was able to make an antidote for Karin at the mansion, along with the help of his in-house herbalist. After she was given the time to check up on Karin¡¯s condition and make sure she was stable, that was when she was told the Duke was waiting for her.


    And now, after the panic had faded, she was realizing she hadn¡¯t even thanked the Duke properly.


    Rise bent at the waist, bowing her head deeply towards him.


    [Rise] ¡°Thank you so very much.¡±


    [Erte] ¡°You¡¯ve spoken enough of your thanks. Rather, I have much I¡¯d like to say to you. If you don¡¯t mind, could you take a seat?¡±


    Would that be alright? The Duke had saved both her and Karin, so even if he¡¯d told her to get down on her hands and knees while she listened to him, that would¡¯ve been fine as well.


    The Duke didn¡¯t say anything at first. He kept his eyes trained on Rise, like he was observing her, and his gaze was oppressive enough to make her nervous. Just then, Rise finally had enough clarity of mind to remember what he said earlier.


    [Erte] ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you.¡±


    Why was the Duke looking for her of all people?


    She was not a special enough person to warrant being looked for. And not only that, but the Duke went on to say that she was his ¡®person¡¯. What was that supposed to mean?


    [Erte] ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you.¡±


    [Rise] ¡°For me¡­..¡±


    Did she make a mistake treating his wounds that night? Was it such an awful thing that he had to go looking for her in order to hold her accountable? But if that were the case, he should¡¯ve cut her neck, not the ropes that were binding her.


    So why?


    [Erte] ¡°I¡¯m going to do something, I need you for it.¡±


    [Rise] ¡°Do something? Do you happen to require herbs for it?¡±


    Trying to find answers, the only thing she could think of that he might want from her were the herbs she gathered. That was the only helpful thing she had to offer.


    Maybe he thought the herbs she used to treat his wounds from the wolf bite were useful?


    [Erte] ¡°No.¡±


    [Rise] ¡°Ah¡­Then in that case, I¡¯m sure there are many other people who would be of more use than I. I¡¯m sorry, I cannot help you.¡±


    He already had skilled doctors and herbalists from the capital residing here. And within the Duchy itself, there were also so many talented knights.


    And yet, he needs my help? Rise thought, her face turning a little red from the embarrassment. But if not for her herbs, why would he need her?


    Rise kept her eyes turned towards the ground, and while her eyes awkwardly moved around, the Duke finally spoke up.


    [Erte] ¡°Rise, twenty-five years old. You lived with your parents in a small village near the border before escaping after demons appeared.¡±


    [Rise] ¡°How did you¡­..?¡±


    [Erte] ¡°You gave birth to a pagan daughter, and came to this village about a year ago. You refused the villagers¡¯ offers, living in an abandoned cottage in order to avoid their scrutiny. You gathered herbs and sold them to the people who came to visit you, sometimes to the local apothecary, or even caught small animals in the forest. Not long ago, you even participated in this mansion¡¯s restoration work. And now, if I¡¯m not mistaken, you are collecting the money necessary to pay the toll across the bridge to Imperial territory?¡±


    Every small little detail about her life poured without end from the Duke¡¯s mouth, and his words sent goosebumps across her skin.


    Immediately she tried to push away from him, but then the Duke gave a bitter smile.


    [Erte] ¡°I¡¯m sorry I did some digging into your identity. I had no choice¡ªI needed to know what sort of person you were.¡±


    And all the information he collected about her were various facts that were known to the villagers. Things she¡¯d told them in passing.


    Though, Karin isn¡¯t technically my daughter.


    But she felt no need to correct him on this.


    The Duke stood up from his seat and approached her. He got so close to her face that she immediately felt nervous. He knelt down in front of her and looked her directly in the eyes.


    [Erte] ¡°I need your help.¡±


    [Rise] ¡°Is there really something I can do to help you? Because if there is, then you need only ask.¡±


    Rise could feel the desperation in his words. Considering he was searching for her while simultaneously looking into her past, then clearly whatever this was, it was very important.


    The only question she had left was what that was exactly.


    And so Rise waited patiently for his words.


    [Erte] ¡°You don¡¯t even know what I want. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re agreeing too easily?¡±


    [Rise] ¡°You saved my life, Your Grace! It doesn¡¯t matter what you ask of me!¡±


    She probably answered with a bit too much enthusiasm, but the small smile crossed the Duke¡¯s face.


    [Erte] ¡°First, there¡¯s something I want to check.¡±


    Check? What did he mean by, check?


    Rise wasn¡¯t sure how she should interpret his words, only staring at him in a confused daze. That was when the Duke merely held out his arm to her.


    [Erte] ¡°Hold it.¡±


    [Rise] ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±


    [Erte] ¡°I want you to hold my arm.¡±


    The request was very unusual and certainly unexpected. With a shaky and trepid hand, Rise reached out her hand and put it on his arm.


    [Rise] ¡°Like this?¡±


    Back when she ran into him on the mountain path, she had no idea who he was since it was so dark. She only thought of him as an injured man, so she thoughtlessly grabbed him by the arm and treated his wounds.


    But the circumstances were different now.


    Even if she had permission, how could she dare touch the Duke¡¯s body?


    [Erte] ¡°Hold it tighter.¡±


    Rise trembled like a mouse, and she seriously thought she was going to start crying. This order of his was too weird, and she did not understand what his intent was.


    [Erte] ¡°Just as I thought.¡±


    With his head down, staring at Rise¡¯s hand that was holding onto his arm, the Duke had an odd look of relief on his face.


    [Erte] ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡±


    Well, obviously he was okay? Or did he honestly expect something truly amazing or unexpected would happen just because a poor woman touched the arm of a nobleman?


    [Rise] ¡°Um¡­¡­Can I ask¡­¡­¡±


    [Erte] ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I want to check one more thing.¡±


    There wasn¡¯t exactly anything he needed to apologize for, but with how strange this line of events was, she had no choice but to feel a little curious wondering what he might ask for next.


    [Erte] ¡°Can I kiss you?¡±


    [Rise] ¡°¡­¡­Excuse me?¡±


    Rise couldn¡¯t believe her own ears.


    What did he just say? Did she hear him right?


    But he sounded so urgent when he asked that Rise just nodded without even really thinking about it¡ªwithout even understanding what she had just given him permission to do.


    And then, right after that, she felt something warm touching her lips.


    It happened so quickly that she didn¡¯t even get the chance to close her eyes before a pair of darkly black eyes were right in front of her.


    Then, before she could even process it, his touch fell away from her just as quickly. It took her second, but Rise was finally able to realize what just happened.


    The Duke kissed her.


    [Rise] ¡°¡­¡­.Ah?¡±


    She was so shocked she couldn¡¯t even utter a single word even if she wanted to.


    What¡­.just happened?


    With her head entirely empty, Rise stared blankly at the Duke.


    *


    * * *


    *


    I finally found her.


    Erte looked at Rise, staring at him while completely unmoving.


    Even after she touched him or even when he kissed her, it didn¡¯t feel terrible and he wasn¡¯t filled with that overwhelming sense of disgust. All he could feel was that small warmth, and there was no major change in his body or his mood.


    The one I¡¯ve been looking for.


    He needed a woman who could help him with his plan. Or to be more exact, he needed a woman he could use.


    A woman who will play the part of his woman, sitting next to him.


    A woman who could carry this lie with him, with whom he could kiss on the final day of his coming of age ceremony that failed to happen so long ago.


    There were plenty of women he could¡¯ve chosen from, all the way from the Imperial territory to here in Vievari. Women who sought the seat next to him to become his Duchess and eventually, the next Queen of Vievari.


    But they weren¡¯t good.


    He couldn¡¯t do anything to those women. It was difficult just sitting next to them, much less touching them. From the second he so much as brushed up against them, he was filled with this unbearable disgust.


    Their cunning voices and arms like snakes trying to hold onto him felt more repulsive than any monster he could have fought. And the strangest thing was that he had no idea when these symptoms first began. He¡¯d never considered that because he¡¯d spent so many years on a battlefield without a single woman in sight.


    It was only after he returned to the capital of the Empire for a short leave and attended his first banquet that Erte realized something was wrong.


    The Empress had grabbed his arm, asking to be his dance partner, and that was when he was struck with a sense of revulsion unlike any he had ever felt before. He gently refused her request, excusing himself from the banquet hall¡ªall while desperately fighting back the urge to vomit.


    And these symptoms just wouldn¡¯t go away.


    He called in every doctor and herbalist he could. He even endured the wretched presence of a priest within his mansion, but none of them could find the cause of this sickness.


    [Prince] ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a curse.¡±


    The Imperial Prince, who would often come and go from Erte¡¯s mansion every day, mentioned with a grave and serious voice.


    [Prince] ¡°It could be a curse from your dead wife.¡±


    Though, if that were the case, Erte wouldn¡¯t have minded that. Even if it were a curse she was leaving him, it would have been nice if she left behind anything at all.


    After his return to Vievari was decided, he realized another problem.


    Once he returned to Vievari, he would need to have his coming of age ceremony that he couldn¡¯t undertake when he was young. After that was done, he would finally be able to fully claim his rights.


    And the problem was that a woman would be needed for the last rite of the ceremony.


    At the time of the final rite, when one was required to bed their woman, none could enter for obvious reasons, but the process leading up to that was where things got complicated.


    During the ceremony, in front of one¡¯s people and a priest, he would be required to kiss the woman in question on multiple occasions, and keep her by his side for the entire duration.


    Erte brought in several different women to test the conditions of his illness. He was fine around children and elderly women, but any woman that would make a suitable partner caused those same symptoms to come back up.


    In other words, any woman who would fit the standards for the ceremony caused him to feel sick.


    [Prince] ¡°It could be a curse from your dead wife.¡±


    And what the prince said to him continued to echo in his mind.


    * * *