It was late afternoon when we arrived at the castle.
As soon as I passed through the castle gates, I let out a sigh.
"It's over…"
Having brought the girls inside the castle, the trial was truly over.
We were greeted by members under the vice-lord.
A man with reddish-brown hair, whom I had seen every time we submitted our group's assignments to the vice-lord, led the members.
"Thank you for your efforts."
I bowed, and the vice-lord's subordinates bowed in return.
The man with reddish-brown hair asked,
"Where is Miss Marina?"
"I haven't seen her since we parted ways at Geoncheon. Now that the barrier has been broken, she probably ran away. She'd think we'd reveal what she and I did."
"That makes sense. From this hour onward, we will take responsibility for the girls' safety."
The girls flinched.
The youngest girl, who had exchanged a few words with me on the way, clutched my skirt nervously.
Even Nicola's face was pale.
I looked back at them and said to the reddish-brown-haired man,
"Um… these girls didn't do this out of greed."
"I've seen it through the demonic realm. Rest assured."
"Then…"
"We will lift the barrier and secure their testimony. They will be held somewhat accountable for colluding, but it will be on humane terms."
At last, the girls' faces brightened.
I nodded with a relieved expression.
The vice-lord's members surrounded the girls.
Nicola, walking alongside them, paused and looked back at me.
Then…
"Thanks to you, I was able to speak. Thank you."
She bowed deeply.
Seeing this, the other girls hesitated but looked at me.
"Thank you."
"Thanks for saving us."
"I won't forget you, the little hero who reminds me of Dia."
The youngest girl's eyes were full of resolve.
The girls bowed to me for a long, long time.
Even after they left, I stood there dazed, watching them go.
The scouting members—or rather, the men who were now officially part of the group—looked at me with puzzled expressions.
"What's wrong?"
"They said thank you, right?"
"Huh?"
"They said thank you. From their peers."
I smiled brightly.
"I'd only heard that from Chari before, from someone my own age. But here, so many good things happen."
Living in Andres, this was unimaginable.
My father had been strict.
"Judge rationally. Don't show your emotions. Suspect kindness. Everyone is your rival."
I had these words drilled into me.
And I had been the kind of child who treated my father's words as divine revelation.
No one had ever liked me just for being myself.
I had no friends, no one who even said thank you.
Even when I was kind, I would hear sarcasm: "Of course, it must be the noble Miss Andres."
"But here, I've heard many thanks from my peers."
Yet the atmosphere from the members watching me was strange.
Blinking, wondering if I'd made a mistake, one of the men said,
"So that's why you took the trial?"
"Huh?"
"Because Chari thanked you. You were so happy you joined a trial you were sure to fail?"
"That was part of it, but my cunning plan was mainly to prove my ability through the trial."
"You don't have to fool yourself; we know. The little teacher is foolish. Just a good-hearted fool…"
"…?"
Unlike my puzzled expression, the members looked somber.
"I'll be the one to say thank you a lot."
"Thanks. For teaching letters, giving a reason to chase away that bastard."
"Yes, and for the braised ribs too."
The members ruffled my hair roughly.
Surrounded by the large men, I groaned in protest.
"I really was cunning, though."
I felt wronged.
A few hours later, in the underground prison:
"…That's why she took the trial."
The story of the "gracious Yusteia, who risked her life in a trial just for a word of thanks," relayed tearfully by Antoniojo's members, reached the ears of two men: Antonio and the vice-lord.
Leaning against the wall, Antonio sighed.
"How foolish. Risking your life for just a word?"
The fangs of Unmu that the Count of San Miguel mobilized for this incident were ruthless.
Luckily, Yusteia's wit worked, or she would surely have been killed.
Antonio glanced to the side at the count, still holding his nose and shaking his shoulders.
"Shouldn't the one who shoved such a pitiful child into danger be called a brute, not a human?"
The vice-lord, changing his blood-soaked gloves, replied,
"Even a brute is still called a person."
"Understand the context. The context."
"You know the word 'context'?"
"I learned it from the little teacher last week."
Antonio smirked.
"Bring the gloves."
"At this rate, none will be left. Might as well admit it."
Antonio stood crookedly, staring at the bloodied man.
He was tied to a torture device called the Witch's Chair.
No longer human, now more like a piece of raw meat.
Antonio bent his knees to meet the count's gaze.
"Even if you leave like this, you won't survive as a human. Better to stop struggling, right?"
"Ugh…"
"One eye, one ear. At least the tongue left. You don't really think that's the vice-lord's humanity, do you?"
Smiling faintly, Antonio flicked the count's exposed nerves under his chin.
The count, with his pain amplified thirtyfold, screamed in agony and twisted his body.
"See, hear, feel—and never stop. An unending terror you'll never get used to."
"Ah, aaah! Ugh…!"
The count wailed, saliva mixed with blood.
The vice-lord extended his hand.
His subordinate handed a heated metal skewer to the vice-lord's palm.
"Let's begin again."
The night of terror had begun.
Night.
Chari hugged me tightly three times.
She was so strong that I let out muffled groans.
"Thank you, little teacher. I'll definitely repay this favor."
It was the third time she said it.
No, I had been hearing words of thanks all night.
Other members, from behind a pillar…
"Thank you so much…"
"I'm not your age, but I think thank you too…"
…were looking at me with wistful eyes, expressing gratitude.
'I'm happy, but it's okay now.'
Chari's eyes sparkled as she said,
"Hey, want to eat together?"
"Sorry. I need to go to the guard barracks and collect their assignments."
"Checking assignments again today?"
"Yes."
I couldn't afford to appear negligent, even after small successes.
Salaries and jobs were precious.
'I might not become the vice-lord's adopted daughter.'
The girls had returned safely.
Since they hadn't taken the trial due to the count of San Miguel's threats, there might be a retest.
I couldn't let my guard down.
Chari said,
"Okay. Then I'll work on my tasks too. If little teacher works this hard, I'll make an effort too."
I smiled brightly and nodded enthusiastically.
After saying goodbye to Chari, I headed straight to the guard barracks.
The barracks required passing through a large garden, so I had to hurry.
The garden—more like a forest—sent shivers down my spine every time I came.
Given how much the Count of San Miguel cared about appearances, it was surprising he hadn't groomed this garden.
'Well, this region is poor enough for that.'
It was the most dilapidated estate in Escalotte.
Prone to droughts and disasters, no farmland, and far from the city, commerce couldn't develop.
Thus, this place had been practically abandoned in Escalotte.
Perhaps that's why the Irregular chose it.
'Still, impressive. Infiltrating a noble family and taking over an entire territory.'
Judging by replacing the lord this time too, Escalotte had connections.
The lord didn't act personally; he merely sent a falcon to break the seals, showing terrifying capability.
'So I have to stay here.'
I clenched my fists.
Just as I was about to hurry before it got later,
"You look happy."
A sudden voice behind me.
'That voice…'
Startled, I turned to see a hooded figure.
It was Marina.
Her complexion was pale blue, lips chapped, eyes bloodshot, and a dagger in hand…
She looked far from normal.
"How did you…."
I muttered as Marina staggered toward me.
"I went to the mansion. Our mansion with the beautiful rose garden."
"…."
I stepped back.
Marina chuckled.
"Our mansion was completely ruined by the Irregular. My beautiful roses trampled, our staff and parents taken away. I had to run again."
"You did a crime, after all."
"Why do you think I'm the only one at fault? Those girls who sided with me for money are just as guilty."
"They were coerced. If only money was offered, they wouldn't have done such scary things."
"…."
"Even now, go to the vice-lord on your own feet. You still have a chance to atone."
"Shut up!"
Marina shoved me violently.
Her blade grazed my cheek.
I fell to the ground, looking up at her.
'If I can just deal with the weapon… wait.'
A red paper sticking out from her hood pocket.
It looked like a talisman, something I had seen in the game.
'Trigger bomb!'
Trigger Bomb
Explodes on contact.
Explosion power varies by creator skill; a timer can be set.
If struck by a trigger bomb, you might only be physically injured if lucky.
If attached to the head, life could end instantly.
'If Marina, enraged, uses the trigger bomb…'
I couldn't move.
Marina removed her hood.
"Answer me. Everyone commits sins, big or small. Why should I be the one to lose everything?"
"…Why did you prepare the trigger bomb?"
A trigger bomb is a rare, expensive item. Few mages can make one.
Why would she prepare such a thing?
The answer was obvious.
"From the start, she never intended to return the girls."
She planned to deal with the Irregular and the girls at once.
To eliminate evidence and witnesses.
Marina smiled faintly.
"I'll leave and start over. But I can't just let you go."
I backed away using my palms and legs.
'Please….'
The most painful thing wasn't the situation—it was that the word following "please" didn't exist.
Children call out their parents' names when they fall, but I had no one to call.
Mom was the one I had to protect.
My father and older brother, who abandoned me, would never come.
I gritted my teeth.
'Don't give up. You've always felt alone in the world before.'
Marina's laughter echoed above my head like a guillotine.
I wanted to run, but fear froze my legs.
'Move!'
No one would save me.
As always, I had to act myself.
But if she threw the trigger bomb while I ran…
'Is there no way? What way…'
Yet no solution came to mind.
Marina's raised sword flashed dangerously.
Her twisted lips whispered menacingly,
"Fall into hell."
At that moment—
"Ah!"
The scream wasn't mine.
I jerked my head up.
Marina's sword lay on the ground.
She clutched her arm as if struck.
And behind her, the figure I saw…
"Where does it hurt?"
"…."
Having grown used to never calling out for help, my mouth barely opened.
But my eyes burned and my throat tightened.
Forcing my voice, I called him, no, them.
"Vice-lord… Antonio…"
It was the vice-lord who asked where she was hurt.
Antonio leapt low to the ground.
Just as Marina, startled, reached for the trigger bomb in her pocket,
Antonio swiftly subdued her arm and pinned her to the floor.
"Ah!"
"Shut up. It's hard to hold back."
The vice-lord strode forward… toward me.
"You should have called for help."
"…."
"You should have screamed, at least."
"The trigger bomb… I couldn't… others… shouldn't get involved… I'm sorry for bothering you…"
"Please, stop apologizing…!"
I flinched, shoulders trembling.
Antonio, having taken the trigger bomb from Marina, frowned at the vice-lord.
"Why are you yelling? You'll scare the girl."
"Shut your mouth."
"In any case…"
The vice-lord came right in front of me, bending his knees.
Tears streamed down from my uncomprehending eyes.
I stared blankly at him.
His black hair fluttered in the wind.
In his ash-gray eyes, the stubborn, foolish Yusteia was reflected.
He took a handkerchief from his chest and lightly pressed my cheek, cut by Marina's sword.
"From now on, if anything happens, call us."
I widened my eyes in surprise.
His tone had changed.
Yet he said quietly, expressionless,
"Whenever it may be, we will be with you."
"Vice-lord…?"
He smiled.
A dazzling, radiant smile.
"I've come to serve you, Miss."