HTDD 09

Chapter 09

Her hands wouldn’t stop trembling.

Of course, being attacked by bandits had been terrifying. But more than that—the moment those red eyes pierced her, a fear she had been holding back rushed through Natalie. Perhaps it was born from the assumption that, since she had once already died, she would never have to see them again.

Outside, the sound of sharp blades clashing and horses’ hooves echoed. Shouts from the bandits… voices of men she didn’t know who must have come to Julius’s aid… and even the coachman’s scream, likely witnessing the violent battle firsthand.

(…Surely, not here…)

Left all alone inside the carriage, Natalie lowered her gaze. She had awakened suddenly from death and thought she would never again face the worst of circumstances. Out of unease, she clasped her hands tightly together.

“It’s fine… it’s fine… everything will be fine.”

Like chanting a prayer, she repeated the words to calm herself. Even though her mind understood that she was simply being saved from bandits, the clamor outside conjured up memories of tragic wars from the past. With so many voices flooding her ears, her thoughts refused to settle.

◇◆◇

The clopping of hooves drew near the carriage window.

“…All the bandits have been captured. My lady, are you unharmed?”

While Natalie had waited in silence, the uproar outside had already calmed. When she turned toward the voice, she saw that cold, unforgettable face. He looked a little younger than the man she remembered, perhaps because of his refined beauty—but the oppressive weight of those red eyes was unchanged.

“…Y-yes. I-I am… q-quite all right.”

Even as she tried to speak, her mouth faltered. Her hands trembled worse and worse. The boldness she had felt earlier had vanished as if it had never been. It’s fine. This Julius has never met me—he’s a different man. It’s fine, she told herself. But still, those red eyes met hers directly.

“T-thank… thank you very much. I-I must express my gra—”

“No… there’s no need.”

Her stammering worsened, her hands shook harder, and unpleasant memories threatened to replay in her mind.

“Huh?”

Suddenly—fwsh!—something blotted out her view from the carriage window, filling it with black. It wasn’t the curtain inside the carriage, so what was it?

“…It seems the young lady has been frightened by the commotion. …You there, five of you, escort her safely back to her estate.”

“Eh! Wait, do you mean me too, the vice-captain?”

“Of course. That’s an order.”

“So cruel, Julius~. If you say things like that, you’ll never be popu—ahh, fine, fine! I’m going!”

A lighthearted voice answered from outside, not Julius’s. Natalie suddenly realized what the black was—Julius had been wearing a long black cloak. He must have removed it and draped it over the window.

“…The view outside is not pleasant. I’ll have several knights accompany you. Please take care on your way home.”

“H-huh?”

Her confused reply seemed not to reach him. The sound of hooves clopping again told her Julius had moved away, speaking with the coachman.

“You’re the driver, yes?”

“Y-yes, th-that’s meee!”

“I see. Then be careful when traveling this road from now on. Lately it’s become notorious for ruffians. Understood?”

“Y-yes, sirrrr!”

The coachman, clearly terrified, scrambled to answer. Then, as a signal to start again, he opened the small window to the carriage: “My lady, we’ll be departing now!”

“…Y-yes.”

With her answer, the coachman shouted to the horses, and the carriage began to roll. Still, her view was cut off, shrouded in black. Along with the neighing of more horses than usual, her vision remained blocked by that cloak.

◇◆◇

The place of the attack hadn’t been too far away, so they returned before the day changed. The carriage slowed to a stop, and the door opened. The blackness gave way to the light of her own home.

“My beautiful lady, may I offer you my hand?”

“…Eh?”

Normally her butler would greet her at the door, but this time it was an unfamiliar knight, hand extended. With blond hair and soft, drooping eyes, he had a sweet, charming face that could easily bewitch women. Since he wasn’t unpleasant to her, refusing his gesture would feel rude. She let him help her down from the carriage.

As she stepped down, she remembered Julius’s words. Perhaps this man was from the knight order.

“My lovely lady—I am the vice-captain of the knight order. Hm, I’m not very good with stiff formalities, so please just call me Marc.”

“Ah! Thank you for the introduction. I am Natalie Pettigrew.”

Marc’s expression softened visibly as he looked at her. “Ahh~! To receive a greeting from such a fair lady, I must be blessed today,” he said playfully. Judging from his easy banter with Julius earlier, they might be on friendly terms.

“Ahh, the captain is so wasteful… rushing off like that. Well, at least we were able to see you home safely.”

“Th-thank you.”

“No, it’s only natural for a knight to do his duty.”

Marc winked, his mischievous air clear. He seemed like the type easily liked by others. Natalie’s gaze fell on the cloak draped over the carriage. She thought she ought to return it, so she removed it from the sharp ornament it was caught on and brought it over to him.

If proper manners were followed, she ought to offer a new item in return. But since Julius had insisted no thanks were needed, she simply wanted to return it and be done.

“Um, here… this is—”

“Ahh, it’s dirty anyway… you can just throw it away!”

“Eh? N-no, I’d feel bad. It belongs to Sir Marc, doesn’t it—”

“M-me!? No, no, that thing… If I hand it back, it’ll look like I’m teasing him about being rejected. Then my life’s on the line, you know…”

“…?”

Natalie had no idea what he meant, only that there seemed to be some issue. She hesitated, unsure what to do.

“Ah! Anyway, we should be going now. If we’re late, someone will complain. So, fair Lady Natalie, until we meet again, please take care!”

“Eh, wait—!”

Like startled rabbits, Marc and the knights of Julius’s order dashed off the way they had come. Natalie was left holding Julius’s cloak in confusion.

There had been no chance to properly offer hospitality to the knights who had saved her. And as for returning the cloak—delivering it to the allied nation would be difficult, since leaving her own country required royal permission.

“My ladyyyyy!”

From the mansion, Mina’s worried voice called out. Natalie, for the second time that day, abandoned all thought entirely.