Chapter 9
The exile camp was right next to Aunt Dalise’s hometown.
That’s way too suspicious.
A strong feeling told me something.
If we visit the Deste territory, we might learn more. Maybe even the real reason everyone in the exile camp was framed…
I already knew the exiles had been falsely accused.
But would an entire nation really go this far just to make people mine ore?
That alone doesn’t make sense.
Before leaving the primeval forest, I called Ribi using the watch.
Just in case, I didn’t tell her we were heading to the Deste territory.
I only said we were going outside the forest to check the situation.
Ribi told us not to worry about the camp and wished us a safe trip.
“Put these on.”
Verity took out three transparent cloaks.
These cloaks also counted as one of my wishes.
It was part of reducing the debt from my nosebleed that had forced the demons to work overtime.
“If you pull the hood over your head, not only will you become invisible, but your presence will disappear as well.”
“Wow…!”
I quickly put on the cloak.
“I wonder how much money I’d get if I sold this…”
“You’re completely obsessed with money now, my lady. There’s no cure for that.”
The three of us carefully watched the area outside the forest.
Outside, countless fully armed knights stood guard.
Every one of them carried a sword at their waist.
There were also huge cannon-like weapons mounted on large wheels.
I noticed people who weren’t knights as well.
Ian looked at them and muttered,
“Even the Court Mages are here.”
“What about the people wearing white?”
“Priests.”
Click.
Then another click.
Far more skillfully than three days earlier, I opened the barrier.
At last…
We stepped outside the primeval forest.
None of the knights noticed us beneath our cloaks.
That allowed us to eavesdrop on their conversation from close by.
“I heard the barrier inside the primeval forest disappeared and the exile camp was completely destroyed…”
“They say the dead Clavis family summoned some kind of monster with their own lives.”
“To take revenge on the Emperor.”
“Is that why His Majesty moved to the southern villa?”
“They say only the prison guard’s head was found outside…”
“So what happens to the Clavis fortune? Will the Emperor and nobles divide it up? There’s still no official announcement, right?”
From their conversation, I realized something important.
The Imperial Family was jealous of the Clavis family.
If that was true…
Then perhaps the Clavis family had also been framed.
And somehow… it feels like the Clavis family knew it was a trap and still walked into it…
Just then—
“…”
“…”
I locked eyes with someone.
Among the noisy crowd stood a lone man.
He was staring directly at where I was standing.
Wh-What…?
Can he actually see us?
The man calmly walked straight toward us.
His quiet yet heavy footsteps stopped right in front of me.
Ian silently pulled me into his arms.
Verity narrowed his eyes at the man.
Black hair.
A beauty mark beneath his right eye.
A dark purple coat draped over his shoulders.
An appearance that made it impossible to guess his age.
The knights who had been joking around moments ago immediately straightened and saluted.
“C-Chief Steward!”
“Sorry to interrupt your break.”
“N-Not at all, sir!”
“We were just exchanging information while on patrol—”
“Then I must have misunderstood.”
“I thought you were resting, judging by how loudly you were talking.”
Wow.
That was such a polite way of roasting them…!
I silently admired him.
“It seems Commander Rashid has discovered something about the primeval forest.”
“I believe he’s looking for all of you.”
“Ah! Thank you for informing us!”
“Please excuse us!”
The knights hurried away as though fleeing.
The Chief Steward’s gentle smile vanished instantly.
He turned around and quietly walked away.
“…We should go too.”
As I followed Verity and Ian, I kept glancing back.
The Chief Steward still hadn’t moved.
He simply stood there, staring at something in the distance.
Outside the primeval forest stretched endless green plains that reached all the way to the horizon.
The vast grassland made the forest at its center look like a giant mountain.
It was a breathtaking view.
But I couldn’t enjoy it.
“Wow.”
Verity stared at my forehead with wide eyes.
“Why are you sweating so much?”
“Is it because you’re still a little child with a fast metabolism?”
“How is twenty-five a child?”
“Hevenia, you’re seven.”
“But seriously… you’re drenched in sweat.”
Ian wiped my forehead and showed me the back of his hand.
It was soaked.
…So I really was scared.
Normally, I almost never got scared.
People often said I had no sense of danger.
When the prison guard strangled and beat me, I felt angry—not afraid.
I had even adapted to hunting monsters surprisingly quickly.
But after meeting just one person…
I reacted like this.
I placed a hand over my chest.
My heart was pounding so hard it felt as if it would break my ribs.
“Ian.”
I asked quietly,
“What exactly does the Chief Steward do?”
“He’s the Emperor’s closest aide.”
“Basically… think of him as the Emperor’s secretary.”
“Is he strong?”
“I don’t really know.”
“But according to the rumors… yes.”
“I see.”
But Ian wasn’t finished.
“Still…”
He looked back toward the primeval forest.
“I don’t think the rumors even come close.”
“You didn’t realize that before?”
Verity asked.
“No.”
“I’d never met him before, so I never gave it much thought…”
Ian’s gaze remained fixed in the forest’s direction.
“I think the rumors fail to describe just how strong that man really is.”
Cold sweat slowly appeared on Ian’s forehead as well.
After walking for a full hour from the exile camp to a small village…
Then riding a carriage for another thirty minutes…
We finally arrived at the Barony of Deste.
It looked exactly like the magical worlds from fairy tales and fantasy novels.
So this is what people mean by another world.
As I looked around in amazement, my eyes fell upon a small train running across the ground.
It followed rails embedded in the streets, carrying passengers throughout the territory.
“It’s called a magitech tram.”
“A tram…”
“The Clavis family developed it and distributed it throughout the Empire.”
“See that?”
Ian pointed at the lock-shaped emblem painted on its side.
“Yeah.”
“A diamond-shaped lock.”
“That symbol represents companies owned by the Clavis family.”
“The Clavis family is symbolized by a key.”
“So every business and foundation connected to them uses a lock as its emblem.”
“It could have become part of your inheritance someday, my lady.”
“Mom… Dad…”
“Why did you have to do something so crazy and leave your only daughter completely broke?”
“Hevenia, you’re not an only child.”
“You have an older brother.”
“I had a secret family background too?”
“It’s not even a secret…”
I kept watching until the tram disappeared around the corner…
Until the lock emblem was no longer visible.
The Clavis family.
Ever since arriving at the exile camp, I had gathered bits of information from the adults whenever I had the chance.
Although every single one of them sounded completely insane.
A proud family that supposedly gave noble titles to their pet dogs.
Heroes greater than the Emperor himself.
So rich they had problems because of all their money.
An evil clan capable of making even demons work for them.
And in the end…
Traitors who were wiped out after being accused of attempting to assassinate the Imperial Princess.
…I think they’re still alive.
Just as I possessed mysterious powers…
The other members of the Clavis family must have had incredible abilities too.
Even I had survived after awakening my power only recently.
Surely the others were hiding somewhere…
Watching everything unfold with amusement.
For some reason, I was convinced of it.
“By the way…”
While Ian rented rooms at the inn, Verity and I quietly waited outside, watching people pass by.
For the record…
The three of us were pretending to be siblings who had traveled all the way to the border in search of the father who had abandoned the family after running off with another woman.
“Verity.”
“Do you know anything?”
“About what?”
“The Clavis family.”
“You seem to know something.”
“Hmm…”
After thinking for a moment, Verity answered.
“They’re a bunch of unbelievably vicious bastards.”
“Oh…”
Looks like I wasn’t destined to have a decent family in this world either.
If even a demon spoke that badly about them…
That said everything.
Well… it’s not like I expected much anyway.
Better to lower my expectations now than get hurt later.
Just then, Ian came back after paying for the rooms.
“Talking to strangers again…”
“It’s been a long time.”
His face was still filled with nervousness.
The feeling of normal life…
Of freedom…
Was still unfamiliar to him.
The people waiting for us back in the primeval forest were probably the same.
The Emperor…
I really can’t forgive him anymore.
Personally, I hadn’t held much of a grudge against the Emperor before.
Whatever his intentions had been, everything that happened because of him had eventually led me here.
But after seeing Ian just now…
I could never forgive him.
“…Let’s come out more often.”
I took Ian’s hand.
“We’ll travel together.”
“We’ll visit your family too.”
“You can do it.”
“I’ll help you.”
“…If it weren’t for you…”
Ian’s voice trembled slightly.
“I honestly don’t know what would’ve happened to us.”
“We’d probably have died at the hands of the guards.”
“Or become monster food.”
“Hahaha.”
“What’s so funny?”
Feeling embarrassed, I lightly kicked Ian’s leg.
“Come on.”
“We have a lot to do.”
“We’re going to the herbal medicine shop first, right?”
At Verity’s question, I nodded.
Before we left the village, Aunt Elba had given us some Dulcevia herbs in case someone got hurt.
We planned to sell them.
We’ll check the current market price…
Learn what’s happening in the outside world…
And use the money to buy supplies.
“Aunt Elba said they’re extremely rare and valuable.”
Ian murmured.
“I wonder how much they’re worth.”
“Maybe the herbalist will even propose marriage.”
“Haha.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“You never know.”
I shrugged.
“They might want to marry you just to secure an exclusive supply of such valuable herbs.”
The owner of the herbal medicine shop was an old man with a long, stiff beard.
“Marry me.”
The moment he finished examining the Dulcevia herb…
He proposed to Ian.
“…Excuse me?”
“Congratulations on your engagement, Brother!”
“See? I told you I was right! Welcome to the family, Sister-in-law!”
Listening to the congratulations from his completely unhinged younger sisters…
Ian felt dizzy.
