Yuria, Lucy, and I waited quietly inside the carriage.
It wasn't strange for us to stay inside the carriage and do nothing. If monsters or bandits appeared, it was the knights and soldiers who were supposed to handle them. That's why we brought them along, and their job was to protect us.
From the perspective of the knights tasked with guarding us, it was better for us to stay put.
We were the normal ones; it was Kyle, who wanted to jump into the fight, who was the odd one.
'It's Kyle who steps forward to fight first. There are probably knights and soldiers who admire him as a model noble.'
It depends on the person. To some, Kyle might be an idol. To others, he might be an eyesore.
'The Flune Knights won't follow Kyle. They've already become too accustomed to me.'
Knights don't necessarily love combat. Some are even wary of it because they know the dangers.
'After all, battles are something that happen occasionally.'
If it were wartime, battles would be frequent, but now is a peaceful era. During peaceful times, knights only engage in real combat once or twice a month. The rest is training.
'What's needed in peaceful times is abundance.'
I could provide them with abundance. The Flune Knights had long been accustomed to the things I provided. Especially now, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they couldn't live without cigarettes.
'It's a good thing I don't smoke. Really.'
I almost started smoking when I became an adult. I was captivated by a certain movie actor who looked incredibly cool while smoking.
'But then I read online that smoking causes erectile dysfunction.'
Cigarettes! The cause of erectile dysfunction!
I didn't even look at cigarettes after that.
At the time, jerking off was the joy of my life. Erectile dysfunction? Just imagining it was horrifying.
If I had awakened as a hunter back then, it might have been different. Hunters with superior bodies aren't as affected by cigarettes.
'Now, I don't smoke because it makes my breath smell.'
Thinking about kissing a girl and having my breath and mouth taste like cigarettes is disgusting, so I don't smoke.
"Y-Young Master Kyle…"
Lucy, Kyle's personal maid, was fidgeting nervously. She seemed worried about Kyle.
I thought about saying something to her but decided to keep my mouth shut. It was clear that Kyle would return unharmed soon.
And as I expected. Three minutes later, Kyle returned to the carriage.
But he wasn't alone.
I looked at the man and woman following behind Kyle. Their clothes were extravagant. They weren't the kind of clothes commoners or merchants wore.
They were definitely nobles.
"…Who are these people?"
Kyle answered my question first. He smiled warmly.
"They were travelling ahead of us, but their carriage was destroyed by a monster attack. It turns out they're heading in the same direction as us. They seemed to be in trouble, so I suggested they join us. Eugene, is that okay?"
The carriage we were in was spacious enough to accommodate two more people, so it was fine. And since we'd arrive at our destination by noon tomorrow, we wouldn't be travelling together for long.
"It's fine. But they don't seem like ordinary people…?"
I looked at them.
The man and woman with pale skin and platinum blonde hair looked very similar. They seemed to be siblings. The man was clean-cut but had dark circles under his eyes.
"I'm late to introduce myself. I'm Vaint Huitress, the heir to the Huitress Count family. We were attacked by a group of ogres and trolls… Thanks to Young Master Kyle, we were able to deal with them quickly."
The Huitress Count family. Our destination, Hughes Snow Mountain, is located just above the Huitress territory. Hughes Snow Mountain doesn't belong to the Huitress territory. The Huitress Count had relinquished control over Hughes Snow Mountain in the past. The Huitress family isn't powerful enough to fully control Hughes Snow Mountain, which is teeming with monsters.
Vaint was a polite young man. But he seemed somewhat intimidated.
"I'm Eugene Pruckus. I'm glad you don't seem seriously injured. And the lady next to you?"
"This is my sister, Bella Huitress."
She was a young woman with platinum blonde hair and pale skin, possessing extraordinary beauty. She didn't seem fully grown yet, but there was a somewhat decadent aura about her rather than youthful innocence.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Young Master Eugene. I'm Bella. Our carriage was destroyed, and we were in trouble, but Young Master Kyle offered to help… I'm truly grateful."
I secretly glanced at her voluptuous figure. Everything about her was impressive, but her chest stood out the most. It looked like a G-cup. Considering she was still growing, she'd likely reach an H-cup without issue.
"…Ah."
Hearing her name, I remembered belatedly.
Bella Huitress.
A villain from the original story.
A member of the demonic organization 'Pantheum,' which could be considered the true enemy in the original story, and a witch who made a contract with the Plague Demon. Pantheum's goal is to summon the Demon King to the continent and dominate it.
Currently, the Huitress Count is old and bedridden, so she's effectively the true head of the Huitress family. Vaint Huitress is just a puppet.
"…So you're the children of the Huitress family. Indeed, we're heading to Hughes Snow Mountain, so we'll pass by the Huitress territory this evening."
"We're truly grateful for your help. We'll never forget this kindness, in the name of the Huitress family."
Vaint spoke resolutely.
I simply nodded. I didn't have high expectations. The Huitress family isn't particularly powerful. Moreover, Bella Huitress was essentially Kyle's enemy.
'I never thought I'd meet her here.'
Originally, we weren't planning to stop by the city where the Huitress family resides. Our destination was Hughes Snow Mountain, so we were just passing near the city.
"Please, come in."
I said with a smile. Regardless of the circumstances, now that we've met, I can't treat them carelessly. Just because the Huitress family is weaker than the Pruckus family doesn't mean we should make them enemies. Besides, if Bella Huitress becomes an enemy, it would be more than just a nuisance.
Shortly after we all entered, the carriage started moving again.
"You're travelling to Hughes Snow Mountain? That's a great choice. Just looking at Hughes Snow Mountain calms the mind. And in the summer, it's so cool… My family used to travel there often when my father was in good health."
"Really?!"
Bella chatted animatedly with Lucy. They talked about the merits of Hughes Snow Mountain, why adventurers frequent it, and the villages near the mountain.
'This girl. She's really good at pretending. If I didn't know the original story, I'd have been fooled too.'
Bella is naturally cold-hearted. She's a witch who casually kills people and spreads plagues in villages.
'Should I kill her now? The plague will be a huge hassle later.'
Plagues are terrifying.
Even in modern times, when the new coronavirus emerged, it was chaos. In this world, a plague is worse than a natural disaster.
"By the way, Young Master Vaint. Where were you coming from in your territory?"
"Ah. We attended a ball hosted by Count Holhoud. On our way back, we were attacked by monsters, and this happened."
"That's… Are your escort knights alright?"
"Yes. A few were injured, but none died. Thanks to you."
Count Holhoud. A noble family we have no ties with. In this world, there are many nobles, so just because you're a noble doesn't mean you have to attend every banquet.
"Young Master Kyle. I have a question. May I ask?"
Bella asked Kyle.
"Of course. If it's something I can answer, I will."
Kyle replied kindly.
"This lady… She doesn't seem like an ordinary maid… Does she have some important secret?"
"Ah… Yuria is my brother's personal maid. She's a distant relative of Baron Hassent, who serves as our family's head butler."
"I see."
Bella smiled meaninglessly. She greeted Yuria. I wonder why she asked Kyle about Yuria.
"Nice to meet you, Yuria. I'm Bella Huitress. You don't seem like an ordinary maid, so I was surprised."
"…I'm Yuria Grace, Young Master Eugene Pruckus's personal maid. I'm just a mere maid, so there's no need to pay attention to me."
"I'm very interested in Yuria. You're really fascinating."
"Compared to Lady Bella, I'm of low status. Please refrain from paying attention to me."
Yuria smiled softly, as usual, and remained calm.
"I've seen many people in my life. I've met many people. Yuria has more grace than most noble ladies. She has dignity. I want to be friends with Yuria."
"You flatter me."
What's this?
I frowned slightly.
I couldn't understand why Bella was showing so much interest in Yuria.
'Could it be…'
Is Bella a lesbian?!
'No. That can't be.'
It didn't feel like that.
"Yuria, do you have any foods you dislike? I can't stand sour foods."
"I don't have any particular dislikes."
Yuria answered without any sign of discomfort. I thought Yuria was amazing. To answer such pointless questions so kindly…
Bella's interest in Yuria lasted quite a while.
'Why is that witch so interested in Yuria?'
I couldn't figure it out.
'She's not the type to act without reason. I need to be careful.'
***
Evening.
The carriage stopped.
It had gotten dark, so we decided to camp on the road. In this world, people don't travel much at night. Night is when monsters are most active, so it's dangerous.
The servants prepared dinner. The servants also rode in a carriage, but compared to ours, it was much lower in quality. It wasn't spacious or comfortable since it also carried luggage.
'Hehe. They're smoking, as expected.'
After dinner, the Flune Knights gathered together to smoke. They were introducing cigarettes to the Huitress family's knights. A very desirable thing. I watched them with satisfaction.
'That's how you promote cigarettes. The more famous they become, the more they'll sell.'
The more famous cigarettes become, the fuller my pockets will be.
'Next month, I'll start using the Korea Trading Company in earnest… It won't be long before cigarettes spread throughout the kingdom!'
The only concern is that the Magic Tower has already started imitating cigarette production.
'Fortunately, the Magic Tower is still in the testing phase. The cigarettes they've sold experimentally are still crude compared to modern cigarettes.'
Don't underestimate the Magic Tower. Those mages will undoubtedly improve the quality of cigarettes through various experiments. I need to establish a firm position before the Magic Tower starts selling cigarettes in earnest.
'When people think of cigarettes, they should think of me and the Korea Trading Company, not the Magic Tower.'
If I can achieve that, I won't be afraid even if the Magic Tower starts selling cigarettes.
I watched the knights smoking for a while before heading into the tent. It was a tent for Yuria and me.
'Kyle uses a tent alone, right?'
Kyle is somewhat rigid when it comes to relationships between men and women, so it's unlikely he'd share a tent with Lucy. That's good. It prevents unnecessary rumours.
'I have no choice because of my heart condition. Hehe.'
I have a heart condition, so I need my personal maid to take care of me. It's the perfect excuse.
'Shall we enjoy a pleasant night's sleep tonight?'
As I entered the tent, I saw Yuria sitting on the bed. She smiled when she saw me. It wasn't her usual pure smile. There was a seductive charm that stirred a man's heart.
Just as I was preparing to undress and approach the bed…
"Young Master Eugene. Are you still awake?"
Bella's voice made me freeze. I pulled up my pants, which were halfway down, and answered.
"Yes. I haven't gone to sleep yet. Lady Huitress, what brings you to my tent at this late hour…?"
Could it be? Did she come to seduce me with those large breasts? If she tries to seduce me with those, I don't think I can resist.
A sense of anticipation swelled in my heart.
"I wanted to have a private conversation with Yuria. Is that okay?"
The anticipation quickly died.
Of course. Her interest in Yuria had been unusual since we were in the carriage.
***
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