Arthas April 12, 2024 No comments
Don't forget to rate and review the novel on Novelupdates
Screech—
"...Mmm."
The faint sound pierced the tranquility of the slumbering mansion, stirring the old butler from his half-closed slumber. At such a late hour, he wondered what could possibly be the matter, but as the steward of the manor, he knew he must respond to even the slightest disturbances.
With a creak of his aging joints, the butler rose and started moving, traversing the shadow-laden hallway until he reached the foyer.
"........!"
As he neared the main gate, a figure illuminated by the moonlight darted across the courtyard and disappeared into the night.
Luna Winfred, the eldest daughter and the young lady the butler had served his entire life.
"Ah, Milady!"
Not only was she running barefoot on the gravel path, but also in such attire, breathing the chilly morning air.
What if she catches a cold!
The butler's steps quickened with alarm.
"My Lady!" he called out, his voice carrying through the silent grounds.
Despite his calls, Luna did not stop.
Instead, she only seemed to speed up, the distance between them growing ever wider.
Shortly thereafter.
"...What's that sound?"
In the tranquil silence, a faint wail echoed from beyond the gate.
The sound of a horse.
Luna's frantic pace gradually slowed.
Then, accompanied by the sound of hooves, a shabby carriage shot past the butler's line of sight.
Seeing the carriage disappear, Luna collapsed in despair, her bare skin, exposed by her tattered attire, scraped against the cold stone pavement as she collapsed to her knees.
"My Lady!" the butler cried out, rushing towards her, his mind reeling at the sight of his once composed and dignified young lady in such a disheveled state.
His mind raced as he closed the distance.
Luna's knees were scraped and reddened from the impact, her soles bloodied from the rough ground, and her clothing disheveled and dragging on the floor.
"What in the world...!"
The butler's eyes widened in horror. Luna, with a face lost to dismay, continued to stare in the direction the carriage had gone.
"Milady! Are you alright?"
"Kyle..."
"Kyle, you mean young master Kyle? He's resting in his room..."
"He's really gone, isn't he?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
"Your wounds...! I shall call the physician immediately."
Kyle had left the mansion. Luna knew better than anyone that this was no ordinary departure.
Kyle, her dear brother, had likely left with no intention of returning. This meant that Luna would no longer see him at the manor.
“.............”
Her heart pounded as if it would burst through her ribs, and blood began to seep from her fresh wounds.
"Ha... haha..."
She let out a hollow laugh a few times; a serene madness flickered in her lifeless eyes.
Tap, tap—
Brushing the dust from her clothes, she stood up. Soon after, a hoarse voice escaped from her clenched teeth.
"...Butler."
"Yes, milady."
"Kyle has left the mansion."
"Then, the carriage earlier was...?"
"Find him. Use any means necessary."
The butler stared at Luna, his face a mask of confusion.
"Should I locate him and take action?" the butler inquired, his voice laced with concern.
"No, just find his location and report it to me."
"His location only?" the butler echoed, his brow furrowed in confusion when—
—Luna gently patted the butler's shoulder.
"Yes, just the location. Ah! and make sure you report only to me. Father wouldn't care anyway. You can just tell him he has taken a leave to some resort, heartbroken over the failed engagement. Not too difficult, is it?"
"...I cannot omit reporting to the duke."
"Enough."
Luna's firm voice dispersed into the air and the chilling glare she cast sent a shiver down the old butler's spine, "It's not that difficult, is it?"
"......" The butler remained silent, his lips pressed into a thin line.
"If you understand, nod."
The butler nodded with a pallid face.
Luna's eyes then crinkled into a gentle smile, "Oh, right," when she abruptly stopped as she turned to leave; after a moment, her softened voice reached the butler's ear, "I'll be going out tomorrow at noon, so have everything prepared."
"Going out?"
Luna casually tucked her disheveled hair behind her ear, "I need to visit the Yustia Count's estate."
"Yustia? Where Lady Isabel resides?"
"Yes, you know it well."
The Yustia Count's estate.
The familiar resonance struck the butler's mind.
Luna clicked her tongue as she looked at the bloodstains on her soles.
"Tch, it stings. Could you call the physician to my room?"
"Yes, right away."
"It's cold. Bring me some warm tea as well."
"I'll have it ready shortly."
Luna smiled brightly.
"Thank you."
* * * * *
Finally, I succeeded.
I've definitively severed my relationship with Isabel, who could have been a thorn in my side later, and escaped from the damned duke’s residence with a hefty sum.
Rattle—
The jolt of the carriage felt pleasantly unexpected. While the ride quality of the hastily procured carriage was uncomfortable, my mind couldn’t have been more at ease.
There are two ways to reach the imperial capital from the northern region — one could continue by road using this carriage, or alternatively, take a detour to catch a train to the capital.
I had decided to travel exclusively by carriage to the imperial capital. While the train would have been the more efficient option, it also posed a higher risk of being tracked down.
You might wonder how a train can exist in this medieval-esque world? Well, I don't know either. But then again, in a world where magic exists, the presence of a train shouldn't be that strange, right?
I had always known, even before I was possessed, that the background setting of this game was a blend of medieval and modern elements — it was a world where advanced engineering and alchemy coexist with divine power.
‘There are some good things about this.’
If the world I had been thrown into lacked modern conveniences and was a true medieval world... if I had to use a chamber pot, endure the stench in the streets, and live without proper heating or cooling, life would be substantially worse.
The primary reason I've been able to maintain my sanity in this world is undoubtedly its advanced civilization. Of course, this is the exclusive privilege of the Empire, but so be it - I'm a citizen of the empire, after all.
"........."
As I absentmindedly stared out the window, I suddenly asked Diana, who was seated opposite me, "Aren’t you resentful?”
"What do you mean?"
“Becoming a fugitive all of a sudden. Don’t you feel wronged?”
“I am not resentful.”
I looked at Diana with indifference.
I looked at Diana nonchalantly. Now that I thought about it, when I first mentioned we had to leave the mansion without any explanation, Diana had nodded her head with the same expressionless face.
Are all knights so blindly obedient by nature?
Suddenly, the memory of my first encounter with Diana flashed through my mind.
Diana, the first common-born commander of the imperial knights. The dignity of her appearance, ready to depart for a campaign, was just as majestic as in the game illustrations — now, I would never see her like that again — For she is no longer an Imperial knight, but the sword of Kyle Winfred.
Yes, in a way, I may have stolen her future - the future of an innocent person, unrelated to me, just so I could return to my own world.
A strange sense of guilt pricked at my heart.
And that is when it happened.
"..........!"
The carriage suddenly lurched violently, throwing us off our seats as the well-maintained cobblestone road ended and the rough shaking began.
As if it wasn’t uncomfortable enough, every part of me - my back, shoulders, and hips - was now aching from the turbulent ride.
As I grimaced and endured the discomfort, Diana’s gentle voice soon reached me, "Relax your arms and lean your shoulders to the side - that should help relieve some of the discomfort."
"Where am I supposed to lean when there's a handle sticking out?"
"You can lean on my shoulder if you'd like."
"...What?"
Does she really mean for me to rest my head on her shoulder? Lost for words, I blinked repeatedly, while Diana simply tilted her head in a matter-of-fact manner.
"The journey is still quite long."
"........."
"It will take at least another day of hard riding to reach our destination."
That's true.
Still, that didn't mean I could just casually rest my head on the shoulder of a woman I barely knew. I turned my gaze back to the window, but as if on cue, the carriage began to lurch violently once more.
Despite being hastily procured, I couldn't help but question the quality of this carriage; the jarring shakes made my head spin and my stomach churn.
".........."
My eyes met Diana's. She was staring at me with a look that seemed to ask if I could keep going like this.
'At this rate, I might actually die.'
Leaning my head against the window was out of the question, as there was a protruding handle in the way. And there was no proper backrest to lean on.
I swallowed hard.
It didn't take long for me to make my decision.
"........."
With a hesitant motion, I rested my head on Diana's shoulder.
To my surprise, it was surprisingly comfortable. The height was just right, and her shoulder provided a firm and steady support, just as she had said.
It was then that Diana's soft voice reached my ears.
"Rest well."
Damn it.
I should have just gotten a better carriage.
Arthas April 12, 2024 No comments
Don't forget to rate and review the novel on Novelupdates
Screech—
"...Mmm."
The faint sound pierced the tranquility of the slumbering mansion, stirring the old butler from his half-closed slumber. At such a late hour, he wondered what could possibly be the matter, but as the steward of the manor, he knew he must respond to even the slightest disturbances.
With a creak of his aging joints, the butler rose and started moving, traversing the shadow-laden hallway until he reached the foyer.
"........!"
As he neared the main gate, a figure illuminated by the moonlight darted across the courtyard and disappeared into the night.
Luna Winfred, the eldest daughter and the young lady the butler had served his entire life.
"Ah, Milady!"
Not only was she running barefoot on the gravel path, but also in such attire, breathing the chilly morning air.
What if she catches a cold!
The butler's steps quickened with alarm.
"My Lady!" he called out, his voice carrying through the silent grounds.
Despite his calls, Luna did not stop.
Instead, she only seemed to speed up, the distance between them growing ever wider.
Shortly thereafter.
"...What's that sound?"
In the tranquil silence, a faint wail echoed from beyond the gate.
The sound of a horse.
Luna's frantic pace gradually slowed.
Then, accompanied by the sound of hooves, a shabby carriage shot past the butler's line of sight.
Seeing the carriage disappear, Luna collapsed in despair, her bare skin, exposed by her tattered attire, scraped against the cold stone pavement as she collapsed to her knees.
"My Lady!" the butler cried out, rushing towards her, his mind reeling at the sight of his once composed and dignified young lady in such a disheveled state.
His mind raced as he closed the distance.
Luna's knees were scraped and reddened from the impact, her soles bloodied from the rough ground, and her clothing disheveled and dragging on the floor.
"What in the world...!"
The butler's eyes widened in horror. Luna, with a face lost to dismay, continued to stare in the direction the carriage had gone.
"Milady! Are you alright?"
"Kyle..."
"Kyle, you mean young master Kyle? He's resting in his room..."
"He's really gone, isn't he?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
"Your wounds...! I shall call the physician immediately."
Kyle had left the mansion. Luna knew better than anyone that this was no ordinary departure.
Kyle, her dear brother, had likely left with no intention of returning. This meant that Luna would no longer see him at the manor.
“.............”
Her heart pounded as if it would burst through her ribs, and blood began to seep from her fresh wounds.
"Ha... haha..."
She let out a hollow laugh a few times; a serene madness flickered in her lifeless eyes.
Tap, tap—
Brushing the dust from her clothes, she stood up. Soon after, a hoarse voice escaped from her clenched teeth.
"...Butler."
"Yes, milady."
"Kyle has left the mansion."
"Then, the carriage earlier was...?"
"Find him. Use any means necessary."
The butler stared at Luna, his face a mask of confusion.
"Should I locate him and take action?" the butler inquired, his voice laced with concern.
"No, just find his location and report it to me."
"His location only?" the butler echoed, his brow furrowed in confusion when—
—Luna gently patted the butler's shoulder.
"Yes, just the location. Ah! and make sure you report only to me. Father wouldn't care anyway. You can just tell him he has taken a leave to some resort, heartbroken over the failed engagement. Not too difficult, is it?"
"...I cannot omit reporting to the duke."
"Enough."
Luna's firm voice dispersed into the air and the chilling glare she cast sent a shiver down the old butler's spine, "It's not that difficult, is it?"
"......" The butler remained silent, his lips pressed into a thin line.
"If you understand, nod."
The butler nodded with a pallid face.
Luna's eyes then crinkled into a gentle smile, "Oh, right," when she abruptly stopped as she turned to leave; after a moment, her softened voice reached the butler's ear, "I'll be going out tomorrow at noon, so have everything prepared."
"Going out?"
Luna casually tucked her disheveled hair behind her ear, "I need to visit the Yustia Count's estate."
"Yustia? Where Lady Isabel resides?"
"Yes, you know it well."
The Yustia Count's estate.
The familiar resonance struck the butler's mind.
Luna clicked her tongue as she looked at the bloodstains on her soles.
"Tch, it stings. Could you call the physician to my room?"
"Yes, right away."
"It's cold. Bring me some warm tea as well."
"I'll have it ready shortly."
Luna smiled brightly.
"Thank you."
* * * * *
Finally, I succeeded.
I've definitively severed my relationship with Isabel, who could have been a thorn in my side later, and escaped from the damned duke’s residence with a hefty sum.
Rattle—
The jolt of the carriage felt pleasantly unexpected. While the ride quality of the hastily procured carriage was uncomfortable, my mind couldn’t have been more at ease.
There are two ways to reach the imperial capital from the northern region — one could continue by road using this carriage, or alternatively, take a detour to catch a train to the capital.
I had decided to travel exclusively by carriage to the imperial capital. While the train would have been the more efficient option, it also posed a higher risk of being tracked down.
You might wonder how a train can exist in this medieval-esque world? Well, I don't know either. But then again, in a world where magic exists, the presence of a train shouldn't be that strange, right?
I had always known, even before I was possessed, that the background setting of this game was a blend of medieval and modern elements — it was a world where advanced engineering and alchemy coexist with divine power.
‘There are some good things about this.’
If the world I had been thrown into lacked modern conveniences and was a true medieval world... if I had to use a chamber pot, endure the stench in the streets, and live without proper heating or cooling, life would be substantially worse.
The primary reason I've been able to maintain my sanity in this world is undoubtedly its advanced civilization. Of course, this is the exclusive privilege of the Empire, but so be it - I'm a citizen of the empire, after all.
"........."
As I absentmindedly stared out the window, I suddenly asked Diana, who was seated opposite me, "Aren’t you resentful?”
"What do you mean?"
“Becoming a fugitive all of a sudden. Don’t you feel wronged?”
“I am not resentful.”
I looked at Diana with indifference.
I looked at Diana nonchalantly. Now that I thought about it, when I first mentioned we had to leave the mansion without any explanation, Diana had nodded her head with the same expressionless face.
Are all knights so blindly obedient by nature?
Suddenly, the memory of my first encounter with Diana flashed through my mind.
Diana, the first common-born commander of the imperial knights. The dignity of her appearance, ready to depart for a campaign, was just as majestic as in the game illustrations — now, I would never see her like that again — For she is no longer an Imperial knight, but the sword of Kyle Winfred.
Yes, in a way, I may have stolen her future - the future of an innocent person, unrelated to me, just so I could return to my own world.
A strange sense of guilt pricked at my heart.
And that is when it happened.
"..........!"
The carriage suddenly lurched violently, throwing us off our seats as the well-maintained cobblestone road ended and the rough shaking began.
As if it wasn’t uncomfortable enough, every part of me - my back, shoulders, and hips - was now aching from the turbulent ride.
As I grimaced and endured the discomfort, Diana’s gentle voice soon reached me, "Relax your arms and lean your shoulders to the side - that should help relieve some of the discomfort."
"Where am I supposed to lean when there's a handle sticking out?"
"You can lean on my shoulder if you'd like."
"...What?"
Does she really mean for me to rest my head on her shoulder? Lost for words, I blinked repeatedly, while Diana simply tilted her head in a matter-of-fact manner.
"The journey is still quite long."
"........."
"It will take at least another day of hard riding to reach our destination."
That's true.
Still, that didn't mean I could just casually rest my head on the shoulder of a woman I barely knew. I turned my gaze back to the window, but as if on cue, the carriage began to lurch violently once more.
Despite being hastily procured, I couldn't help but question the quality of this carriage; the jarring shakes made my head spin and my stomach churn.
".........."
My eyes met Diana's. She was staring at me with a look that seemed to ask if I could keep going like this.
'At this rate, I might actually die.'
Leaning my head against the window was out of the question, as there was a protruding handle in the way. And there was no proper backrest to lean on.
I swallowed hard.
It didn't take long for me to make my decision.
"........."
With a hesitant motion, I rested my head on Diana's shoulder.
To my surprise, it was surprisingly comfortable. The height was just right, and her shoulder provided a firm and steady support, just as she had said.
It was then that Diana's soft voice reached my ears.
"Rest well."
Damn it.
I should have just gotten a better carriage.
