Weinstein Viscounty Night
The sun had set, and darkness had fallen over the sky.
And the day of the Viscounty, which had ended with dinner, was also coming to an end.
"Haaaaam... I'm sleepy because I'm full."
"You'll gain weight if you sleep right after eating."
"I'm not going to sleep right away!?"
Rudell said to Leje, who was yawning with her mouth wide open, and she glared at him with sharp eyes.
At her reaction, Rudell chuckled and opened the door to the study.
"Another day goes by like this~"
Leje, stretching as if tired, went straight to the sofa in front of the fireplace and settled down.
Leaving Leje behind, Rudell approached the fireplace and picked up the firewood piled up next to it.
He threw the firewood, which had been split into appropriate sizes, into the fireplace and carefully brought his fingertips to the firewood.
At the same time, a small flame rose from his fingertips, and he carefully transferred the flame onto the firewood.
The flame that had spread to the firewood gradually grew in size, and before long, the fireplace began to emit heat with a crackling sound.
Rudell, who was smiling with satisfaction at the sight, leaned back on the empty sofa and took out a book.
Normally, Leje would have said things like books are boring, or that she would rather learn something useful in that time...
"..."
But for some reason, Leje just stared at him with a disgruntled expression.
It was Leje's way of showing respect for Rudell...
"Why aren't you saying anything?"
Rudell, who had no way of knowing that, asked in a puzzled voice.
"..."
Oh, this boy really asks for it…
Leje, who was about to swing her fist again in frustration, barely managed to calm her trembling fist and settled down on the chair.
"I thought I haven't been respecting your tastes too much, so I'm giving you a kind of reward."
"Huh..."
Does this guy really have no sense of delicacy?
With that thought, Leje answered his question, and a bewildered groan escaped Rudell's lips.
Aside from whether it could be called a reward, Rudell was not used to seeing Leje like that.
'Is she really terminally ill?'
Thinking that he should ask Alma about it next time he visits the Dukedom, Rudell carefully opened the book.
And so, a low silence fell over the study, filled with the crackling sound...
"..."
After a while, Rudell took his eyes off the book and turned his head.
And then, with a chuckle, a faint smile appeared on his face.
Whether she was tired or bored, Leje had fallen asleep leaning on the armrest of the sofa.
"You didn't have to force yourself to join me."
Muttering, Rudell put down the book he was reading and carefully got up from his seat.
Carefully approaching the sleeping Leje, Rudell slowly lifted her up in his arms.
Nevertheless, Leje showed no signs of waking up, and Rudell shook his head in exasperation.
She's a human weapon, but how can she be so defenseless when she's asleep...
Feeling Leje's weight, which was much lighter than it looked, Rudell began to walk.
The sound of footsteps echoed through the dimly lit hallway, and upon reaching Leje's room, Rudell carefully laid her down on her bed.
Tick-tock.
With only the sound of the clock ticking, Rudell looked at Leje's face as she slept, breathing softly.
Her neat features and snow-white skin were like a masterpiece meticulously crafted by a sculptor.
Her appearance, which looked pale in the moonlight streaming in from the window, had a mysterious charm that made it impossible to take one's eyes off her.
Although he didn't show it, Rudell was also one of those who were deeply captivated by her charm.
"If only she could tone down her personality, she'd be perfect."
Her tomboyish personality, which could be described as strong-willed at best and a wild child at worst, was the biggest factor that detracted from her in Rudell's eyes.
Of course, that didn't mean it was bad.
Human personality is inevitably influenced by the life one has lived.
Compared to the original's cold personality, this Leje could be considered more human.
However, Rudell's preference was for a more quiet and gentle woman.
"Well, I should get moving too."
After admiring the sleeping Leje for a few minutes, Rudell muttered and got up from his seat.
Leje's day ended here, but Rudell's did not.
"Good night, Leje."
Although she wouldn't be able to hear it, Rudell said so and carefully began to walk out of the bedroom.
* * *
Recently, the Weinstein Viscounty had been enjoying a more peaceful time than ever before.
It was originally a quiet territory with nothing much going on, except for the occasional monster raids on the village, but recently even those monster raids had disappeared.
The people of the territory were all anxious about this sudden change, but only for a while.
True to the human nature of being adaptable animals, they had begun to accept even this peace as part of their daily lives.
Of course, behind this peace was Rudell's hard work.
-Kieeeeeeeek!?
A vast forest located in the northern part of the Weinstein Viscounty.
Silva Tenebris in the ancient language.
In modern language, it was called the Forest of Darkness, and a fierce battle was taking place there.
-Kieeeeek!! Kieeeeeeeek!!"
With a roar, a monster resembling a lion with a huge body, large wings, and a barbed tail, a manticore, was engulfed in flames.
In the pain of its entire body burning, the manticore rampaged around, devastating everything it touched, and Rudell kept his distance, avoiding it.
The burning manticore rampaged for tens of seconds.
With a thud, the charred black manticore collapsed to the ground and stopped moving.
"Phew..."
Rudell, who had been watching the scene for a moment, let out a short sigh and took off the hood that was covering his face.
The forest was in ruins from the aftermath of the battle.
Only the charred black corpse vaguely hinted at what had happened there.
Looking at the embers that were starting to burn, he lightly waved his hand in the air.
At the same time, a strong wind carrying the cold breeze extinguished the embers, and he nodded with satisfaction as he looked around the quiet forest.
"I guess this is enough for today."
This was all the monster dens located near the village for now.
Perhaps if he left it like this, they would be able to live peacefully without monster raids for about a month.
"I'm used to this now."
It had been about a year since he started teaching himself magic in earnest.
At first, it was difficult to even conquer a single goblin den alone, but now he was able to handle large monsters that would require several heavily armed soldiers to defeat, all by himself.
"Ugh... I should head back."
As Rudell muttered, stretching his body that had been tense from the battle, it happened.
"Young Master."
"Gah!?"
Rudell shouted in surprise at the voice coming from the darkness.
At the same time, a man walked out of the darkness.
A thin physique, a dark-colored hood and cloak to avoid being noticed in the darkness.
It was a man with impressive black hair and red eyes shining beneath them.
"You surprised me, Kyle."
His name was Kyle.
In the original novel, he was one of the protagonist's companions and a loyal subject.
Originally an ordinary boy who became a slave at a young age, he became part of the protagonist's group through his connection with him and faithfully played the supporting role, supporting the protagonist.
"I-I apologize! I will atone for this sin with my life!!"
Bowing his head towards Rudell, who was grumbling, Kyle drew the dagger from his waist.
"No, no! Don't! Don't do that!!"
Seeing this, Rudell shouted in a panicked voice, and Kyle stood up at his words and put the dagger back in his waist.
"Don't take every single word I say so literally..."
Rudell rubbed his forehead as if he had a headache at his reaction.
Even in the original, Kyle's loyalty was literally excessive.
Perhaps because he was saved by the protagonist from a life of slavery, his attitude towards the protagonist was not that of a benefactor but almost one of worship.
And even now, a little over a year after being rescued by Rudell instead of the protagonist, unlike the original, it wasn't much different.
"Understood."
"So? What happened?"
Kyle lowered his head at Rudell's words, and Rudell looked at him and asked.
"As you said, Young Master, suspicious individuals have entered the territory."
"I see..."
The time was approaching for the novel to begin in earnest.
This meant that the villainous groups in the original novel would also start to move.
If his prediction was correct, it meant that the world would soon be plunged into great chaos.
'I can't let that happen.'
Now that he was involved with Leje, Rudell had only one choice left.
The best offense is a good defense.
If it couldn't be avoided, he would simply destroy everything before the incidents occurred.
The reason he had been teaching himself magic was also part of this preparation.
Preparation to destroy everything that threatened his peaceful life.
"Lead the way. We need to go welcome our uninvited guests."
"Yes, Young Master."
Kyle bowed his head towards Rudell, who said so with a stern face, and started walking...
Rudell followed behind Kyle, proceeding through the forest shrouded in darkness.
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