The Escort Knight Who Is Being Obsessed Over by the Villainess Wants To Run Away

9. On Elijah’s birthday (1)

It turned out that Elijah could feed the deer himself yellow umbrella mushrooms.

But she had no intention of letting me go.

It is my responsibility and my fault for not listening to all the words, “Don’t go,” And saying yes.

I’ll admit it.

But I couldn’t help but ask why.

“Why… ?”

To my stupid question, Elijah confidently answered.

“Because it’s dirty.”

“Yes?”

“If I feed myself, my hands won’t get dirty.”

That statement is true.

Moon deer don’t eat mushrooms gracefully.

While munching, saliva-stained remains may fall, and tongues may touch.

I am insensitive to such things.

After feeding, it was enough to wash it clean with water.

However, for Elijah, it is a completely different matter.

Aren’t you a great nobleman who can’t easily reach even a drop of water?

“… ….”

I understand, but that’s a shameless answer.

After all, I don’t want my hands dirty, so I’ll use yours. That’s it.

I knew it, but the brazenness of nobles is enough to make listeners doubt their ears.

My muzzle already said yes.

I can’t even say I hate it.

“Then, how long can we stay?”

“Why do you want to leave here?”

The question hit the mark.

This is an easy question.

It’s not like I’m asking for my true intentions.

However, Elijah’s red eyes seemed to see through everything.

A calm and carefree eye in any situation.

Eyes that smiled kindly only when killing people.

I pretended to be calm.

“That’s not true. It’s just that the longer I stay here, the worse it will be. Most of all, you never know if it will interfere with your training.”

“Nothing to worry about. I’ll let you go when I’m sure he serves me completely.”

“… All right.”

Elijah came down from her fulcrum and the moon came to the front of her deer.

“When will you be willing to serve me?”

Standing next to me, I took a step back.

Elijah reached her hand to the scruff of the moon deer as she did as I did.

Then the moon deer cautiously backed away.

It seemed that the moon deer had not fully accepted Elijah yet.

As the beast retreated, Elijah laughed.

It was a bittersweet smile.

Elijah said while Leah was washing her hands.

“I have to go now. I’ll come again next time…. Oh, come to think of it, I heard that you have a gift left for me. I was busy and forgot.”

I was startled.

How did you know?

The cookies I bought back then.

I haven’t given it yet.

It’s a gift for some reason and I’m embarrassed to give it.

I thought Elijah didn’t know because he didn’t ask.

“Could it be that it was a lie?”

“Oh, well, that….”

This situation was very embarrassing.

On the one hand, I was glad I didn’t eat that cookie.

There was a time when she wondered if she should just eat it instead of creating a misunderstanding by giving it as a gift.

I hesitantly pulled out a small pouch from my bosom and handed it to him.

A pocket that I kept worrying about whether or not to give it to Elijah every time I met him.

The paper with cute patterns on it was very suitable for Elijah and her age group.

“Cookies… no see….”

“Cookies?”

It was simple enough to be held with small hands.

“Can I open it here?”

“Yes….”

Embarrassed and embarrassed, I wanted to die.

‘Why did I buy that…. It must have been the same to Elijah….’

Elijah seemed to be fascinated by me and then opened the package.

Three small pieces of cookies were revealed.

Even if you eat it in one bite, it is small enough to barely whet your appetite.

‘Three small cookies like that cost me 30 florins….’

Elijah chuckled.

“It’s cute.”

It’s insignificant, it’s like that.

There were several meanings.

Only that much cookie.

Perhaps she is not a bargain for Elijah.

Anna said that she received flowers.

She honestly has nothing to say even if she throws it away saying what it is.

“Did you like the cookie I gave you last time?”

“Yes? Ah yes. That’s natural.”

“Yeah, okay. Thank you for the gift I will eat well.”

“… It is an honour.”

Elijah has left.

Bradley also went to clean the other barn, leaving me and the moon deer in the stable.

“Whoa….”

I sat down leaning against the body of the moon deer lying on the floor.

I lost strength in my body.

I thought I could get out of here, but I didn’t.

I couldn’t dare follow Elijah’s aristocratic thinking.

‘Still, I don’t think I’ll last long, so let’s be patient.’

The moon deer snorted lightly and rubbed its antlers as if in a good mood.

It’s cute that he doesn’t match his size.

“Yes, yes.”

He stroked the hard horn.

Then, cold energy penetrated his body through the horns.

I had a similar experience when I first touched this horn.

I vaguely knew it then, but I feel it more clearly now.

This is the magic that the moon deer gives me.

Since the first day, the moon deer has infused me with mana.

Maybe it was thanks to that that I was able to release my magic when fighting Guliott.

“A wonderful fellow.”

I stroked the moon deer’s neck like scratching it, then put my hand on its antlers again.

I focused on the sensations flowing into my body.

Under the skin.

Something flowing through the veins.

It’s cold but not cool or threatening.

My hair is clear.

The feeling of gently opening a blocked road.

The fatigue accumulated from fighting Guliott today is washed away.

“Whoa….”

I focused more while taking my breath slowly.

I have no idea.

A consciousness blacked out by being empty.

Memories came to me fragmentarily.

‘Jewon knows you are good at it. I know everything, I know. Whoa…. Let’s skip this one time, huh?’

‘Director. No matter how you think about it, this….’

‘Then why did you step out, huh?! Even if you just stayed still, until the police… ! Ha. Jaewon. Let’s wait for this one. Next time, I will definitely send you the Olympics. Let’s listen to the president of the association, only this time. Uh?’

‘… ….’

‘That’s right, wasn’t it good? Or be born well.’

… ….

“… Sir. Mr. Judas?”

“… What?!”

I opened my eyes floundering at the sound of someone calling.

“You didn’t come until late, so I came to pick you up.”

“Ah….”

It was Anna.

I wiped my saliva at the corner of my mouth and looked back at my memories.

‘I fell asleep while touching the antlers of the moon deer.’

I have been busy since morning.

I must have accumulated fatigue.

‘… By the way, I woke up in a very awkward way.’

Why are there so many embarrassing things today?

I deliberately pretended nothing happened.

“Sorry. I fell asleep.”

“I heard that you fought hard to win the final today. You must be very tired. Go to your room and rest.”

I checked the deer a month before leaving.

This guy also put his chin down on the floor and fell asleep soundly.

Magic power does not arise out of thin air.

The moon deer gave me a little bit of its magic each time.

After doing this every time, the moon deer would fall asleep like this.

I wonder if I’m tired myself.

After stroking the head of the wonderful moon deer, he followed Anna.

***

Elijah was diagnosed by May, her own personal physician and councilor of this mansion.

Mei’s conclusion was simple and obvious.

“You need to rest.”

Dizziness due to overwork.

All you need is rest and sleep, not medicine or doctors.

It was a meaningless diagnosis.

Me and Elijah know very well that Elijah cannot rest.

In the first place, I can’t even sleep deeply because of the nightmares.

“Okay.”

Elijah spat out the words he couldn’t keep and headed straight for her office.

She tried one of her cookies given by Judas.

Small.

The taste is quite good.

Not too bad.

I’ve learned that when a person gives a gift, he tends to give something he likes.

“Ria.”

“Yes, lady.”

“Tell Anna, take cookies for Judas every morning starting tomorrow. Mix the food you ate the other day with the new product.”

“Okay.”

Two anemones welcomed her in her office.

A flower that has withered over time.

I felt sorry for that.

***

It’s still the weekend.

Gawain came to see me.

It was to check my magical power usage.

“Try it.”

He brought me to the indoor training ground.

“Yes.”

The magic power used against Gulliot.

Only one day had passed since then.

I was exhausted as if my strength was drained, but my energy returned, perhaps thanks to the moon deer.

I was focused.

Like when fighting Gulliot.

mana.

mana….

“It doesn’t work?”

There was no way that that would be Haran.

I don’t even know how I did it back then.

I didn’t do it on my own.

It was purely coincidental.

“… ….”

I tried to squeeze it tight enough to make my fist tremble, but it was no use.

Gawain looked down at me with complicated eyes.

You look kind of pathetic, don’t you?

“Stop it and think about how you felt at the time.”

“Emotions?”

“Yes. How did you feel when fighting Gulliot? What were you thinking?”

Feeling at the time. Thought.

No big deal.

I was pissed off because I kept fighting, and it was hard because I was beaten so excitedly.

And, I wanted to win unconditionally.

A single attack was desperate.

However, when I think about it next time, it can’t be as passionate as it was then.

Of course, it was impossible to release magic.

“… It’s not possible.”

“I did it by chance.

Gawain nodded as if he knew.

“How much do you know about magic?”

All I know is game stats.

Of course you’re not asking that.

“… I do not know.”

“Everyone has magic in their bodies.”

Gawain began to explain.

“The amount is minuscule and difficult to use, but there are difficulties, but this is a clear fact. If you use this magical power, you can achieve transcendental power or special phenomena. But like I said, it’s not something that’s readily available.”

Gawain paused for a moment.

He nodded, as if making sure I was listening.

“In general, one learns how to use magic through constant training. However, you seem to have had an unusual case.”

“An unusual case?”

“Yes. When you feel a threat to your life or have a goal that you want to the point of risking death. There are cases where people use magic they haven’t trained for.”

That’s right.

At the time, I didn’t want to lose even if I had to die from being beaten by Guliott, and I wanted to win again.

“It does not require a separate training course, and it can produce greater power than normal use. However, it has a fatal flaw that it is difficult to use it voluntarily because it opened the magic circuit without preparation.”

The release of magical power that started with an outburst of emotions.

It means that the method is imprinted on my circuit.

“You should be able to control it through training, but it will take longer than others.”

“How long will it take?”

“Each person is different. There is no need to be intimidated. You can’t become a perfect knight if you can’t use magic, and there are some people who can’t use magic no matter how much they train.”

“I am shameless, but can I participate in the magic training at the training center?”

“No.”

Gawain immediately shook his head.

“This training is conducted only for candidates who have passed the 6th exam.”

Thorough principled.

I knew about his personality, so I accepted it right away.

It is true that my request is unreasonable.

I was asking just in case.

“Okay.”

“You seem to have talent, so if you keep working hard, you won’t know. Can I even do self-study?”

In the end, I only got the result of power that I can’t control with my will yet.

I wasn’t particularly discouraged.

Anyway, it means that you have a corner to trust in a dangerous situation.

“By the way….”

“Yes?”

“Do you have a religion you follow?”

“Nothing in particular.”

In this world, polytheism is accepted, and non-religious beliefs are also accepted.

However, no one denies that God exists.

Whether or not you believe in and follow that god is a separate issue.

“… Is it.”

“Why is that?”

“No, nothing.”

Gawain waved his hand lightly.

It makes people curious.

“It looks like he hasn’t undergone magic training, so it must be my misunderstanding….”

I couldn’t hear what he muttered as he left.

*

Elijah gives you a cookie.

That too every morning.

From the day after I gave the cookie as a gift, it continues.

Why are you doing this to me?

It’s scary.

If you do well, you should like it, but it’s scary because the target is Elijah.

There is a saying that a banquet is served before a pig is slaughtered.

Is that the case?

Are you trying to eat me?

No matter how evil he was, he never ate human flesh.

‘… I’m not crazy. What a ridiculous imagination.’

Anyway, several days have passed since then.

Elijah got quite close to the moon deer.

I think it’s about time to let me go, but for some reason, he hasn’t said anything yet.

[Health: 11.5]

[Strength: 6.2]

[Quickness: 13.1]

[HP: 3.1]

Thanks to her steady exercise, her stats also improved diligently.

Now she can do one chin-up.

We still have a long way to go.

My magic power, which I cannot raise on my own, has also increased slightly.

I think it’s because of the moon deer.

The staff in Room 13 are seriously contemplating founding a religion of their own thanks to the quality cookies brought in every morning.

These days, they argue about who will take over as bishop.

I don’t know, now.

To be honest, it’s fun to see what they’re doing, so I’m still watching.

Aren’t men still children even when they grow up?

“Is this the time to argue over something like that?”

At least the rational Dylan stopped the flustered personnel.

Richard stood out against Dylan.

I will be the most influential bishop candidate.

“Dylan. If you keep insulting the dessert god, we have no choice but to punish you. It’s difficult.”

“Burned at the stake! Burned at the stake! Judgment by fire on the incompetent master!”

Rindel and Argon helped.

Others include Esmo, Dyke, and Jerry.

The number of people who booed and gave thumbs up increased.

“But today….”

“And wipe the cookie powder off your mouth and say it, man.”

“… ….”

Dylan turned his head and quickly wiped his mouth.

“Isn’t today Elijah’s birthday?”

That’s right.

The day has finally come.

And everyone in Room 13 had to go to Elijah’s mansion by this evening.

The wagon is prepared outside, so you just need to go.

You don’t know how much everyone has been waiting for this day these past few days.

Some people couldn’t sleep last night.

However, no one came forward.

The reason why I’m talking like crazy while talking about cookies today is simple.

All of them were nervous.

“Wouldn’t it be polite to arrive early?”

“That, that, that, right? Uh, right….”

“I know, I know, but that, um….”

You deserve to be nervous.

A direct child of the great aristocratic Bebel family.

Because it is going directly to Elijah’s mansion, where they are trying to pay their allegiance.

Sitting in the corner, I looked in the mirror and straightened my hair.

“How is my skill?”

Feline, tall and freckled, shrugged.

He just cut my hair.

I wanted to cut it because I was frustrated with the shaggy look, but I neglected it because I didn’t have time.

Originally, I was going to find a hairdresser, but I heard that he learned how to get a haircut before Feline came to the training center, so I asked for it.

“Your dexterity is better than expected.”

I was a little nervous at first.

How well would you do if you were to cut it?

However, it exceeded expectations.

Clean, but not too tidy.

I checked again while flipping the bangs.

“If this is enough, you can make it your main job right now?”

“Hmmm. Well then. My father was a famous barber in the estate. I learned by watching. You said you trimmed the lord’s hair and beard too?”

In this world, being a noble’s hairdresser is a fairly high-ranking job.

As expected, it is a skill worthy of that.

“Just say it next time. Yuda, I’ll always do it for free if it’s you.”

This was the price for bringing cookies.

“Then I will ask without hesitation.”

“As much as you like.”

“This guy, this.”

Richard came over and put his hand on my shoulder.

“Are you doing this to impress the lady?”

At that moment, bad words almost came out.

No matter how good Richard has been, this is over the line.

“… Not at all.”

“No, what is it? Why did you dress up like this today?”

I swear I didn’t do this to impress Elijah.

I just happened to have time today.

What am I doing because I look good to him?

No, in the first place, what am I doing to a kid similar in age to Judas? .

“Guy. Are you a man?”

“I don’t think I’m the only one trying to look good.”

I said that and looked around.

A few coughed and turned their heads.

I wonder where they got it from, they smeared oil on their hair and passed it over.

The clothes are also neat, which is not usually seen.

I understand.

Apart from his rational likes and dislikes, he is Elijah, whom he intends to serve as his future owner.

Well, the kids around Elijah’s age can have such expectations.

“Oh. Does that mean you fall into that category anyway?”

“Ah. I don’t mean that….”

“Yeah~ I already acknowledged it~”

Richard made fun of me on the sidelines.

Suddenly, Argon and several others joined in.

‘I wish someone would hit me one by one….’

Sadly, that didn’t happen.

No matter how nervous I was, I couldn’t keep delaying my departure.

The staff in Room 13, including me, came out with the envy of the other candidates at a glance.

Room 15 couldn’t hide the envious gaze.

However, there was no catch among them.

I haven’t seen it for a few days.

I don’t know what happened, and I’m not particularly interested.

The guy who tried to kill me during the match, no matter what happens.

Several wagons were prepared outside the main gate of the training center.

A wagon with the sun pattern symbolizing the Bevel family.

“Mr. Judas.”

Anna was there too.

“I’m here to meet you.”

As she greeted her, several people around her gave a small admiration.

“Yai, you look like a real noble… ?”

“This Judas must be treated well….”

The candidate, who was already from a noble family, was relatively calm.

I ignored her embarrassment and asked Anna.

“Can I stop by somewhere else?”

“What is it for?”

“I want to buy a present or something.”

“… A present for my lady?”

“Yes.”

Anna covered her mouth and looked down at me with anxious eyes.

As if I had to say something, but I couldn’t bear to say it.

Suddenly, Richard came to my side.

“Who said they didn’t want to look good?”

“What does that have to do with the gift?”

“That…. Judah.”

Dylan spoke carefully.

“Nobles do not accept gifts from just anyone. Especially on a precious and meaningful day like her birthday.”

“… Ah.”

That’s right.

This is a society with a strict caste system.

I dare not even give Elijah a gift at will.

Even if it was a candidate from an aristocratic background, that would have been the case.

Anyway, it’s the status to become Elijah’s escort knight.

It was an unreachable difference.

‘Anna said that too last time.’

So the others didn’t even think about buying a present.

‘Then, what did Elijah accept my flowers and cookies for? Is it just a whim…. Well, it wasn’t a birthday present back then. It must be different.’

“Judas. I know how you long for the lady, but….”

Richard tried to talk nonsense again, so he blocked her mouth.

“If you don’t accept it, there is nothing you can do about it. Still, it’s because I feel uncomfortable going empty-handed.”

“If so…. It is possible to move separately. There is no shortage of time.”

Like that, I set off apart from the party.

Richard joined my group instead.

In the carriage are me, Richard and Anna. The three sat down like this.

“Mr. Judas. If….”

“It’s not like that.”

“… All right.”

Anna thought she might ask a weird question, so she blocked it right away.

Richard hesitated, as if to say something, then he made eye contact with me and shut his mouth.

‘What everyone thinks….’

***

Elijah walked with a bored expression.

A red carpet that doesn’t go well with a messy dirt road.

At a distance from her, her boys and several young men knelt down on one knee and bowed their heads.

They lined up in a row were applicants for escort knight candidates.

It is not the time to officially select the 14th generation.

But she said she only selected special people for her birthday.

The Duchess, the Narcissus.

Elijah looked over them with her bored eyes.

‘That’s not fun.’

I remembered Judas a few weeks ago.

She didn’t even dare kneel down and glared at herself with a defiant look.

She could have killed her then, but Elijah didn’t.

Because it was fun.

Elijah yawned.

“Take it all away.”

After she said that, she turned around and left.

“Lady-!”

Gawain’s urgent cry caught her.

The moment she turned her head, she saw a young man running towards her.

The object in my hand flashes.

Elijah instinctively noticed.

‘Assassin….’

An assassin disguised as her supporter reached Elijah’s neck with a small sharp weapon.