Chapter 27: The Cunt Arrived! He was a Tsundere!

“Hello there, Mr. Merchant! And the cowardly mercenaries! How are you?” Alicia approached the merchant, her hands on her hips. Now that they were out of the woods, Alicia’s childish vanity was on full display.

“Huh? You are… Oh my god! You survived! I’m glad!”

“Yeah! No thanks to you!” Alicia grumbled.

Eli and the rest of the knights came over. Sensing trouble, the caravan leader quickly bowed his head.

“Ah. It seems there is bad blood between us. I apologize for abandoning you like that, little girl and mister knight. I sincerely hope you understand. Ah! As promised, how about I return your traveling fare? Twice the amount. As promised.”

“Quadruple the amount!” Alicia pouted.

“... Very well,” the merchant agreed. It was a small sum to gain the trust of a mage. However, Elidranthia, on the other hand, disagreed.

“That won’t do, Alicia. We can’t let these men get away with it. We should ban them from dealing within Shadowstep ever again,” Elidranthia said.

“Huh? Who are you? Wait… are you Lady Elidranthia?” The merchant didn’t recognize Eli at first, but as soon as he saw the intimidating red eyes she had and the respect the knights showed her, he quickly put it together. He begged.

“Lady Elidranthia, that’s simply too much! I have wives and children to feed! It was never my intention to abandon these knights. I swear! There were over fifty bandits that surrounded us. There was no chance of victory. That’s why I made that decision.”

“Are you saying the knights you left behind have no family? They could have won more easily if you had stayed! Lain would have died if not for Lady Elidranthia!” Loharn snapped. His anger was clear. Desertion was a serious crime for knights, especially in a border town like Shadowstep, where monsters prowled day and night. The knights accused the mercenaries and the caravan of dereliction of duty.

“I am sorry, honored knights. Fear overtook me. Let me make amends!”

“How are you going to make amends?”

“I can help you track down the bandits. I know the area around here like the back of my hand. So, please…” The caravan leader was now on his knees. If Shadowstep banned him, he would lose his only livelihood. Moreover, since he was just a minor member of a merchant guild, no one else would accept him once he’d made enemies of nobility. With new mages secured, the knights of Shadowstep weren’t afraid of losing a merchant convoy, either. Alicia and Elidranthia would bring great boons to all of Shadowstep with their magic.

“Are you Sir Jadenbale? You have a transmission from Lord Shadowstep,” an official from Elynias town hall called out as he approached the group after witnessing the commotion. The transportation system in Althemer was still primitive, but they had telegraphs. With Wind Arcane Stones, messages could be transmitted across cities almost instantly.

“From Count Shadowstep? What does it say?”

“The message instructs you to stay put and not move. Make sure Lady Elidranthia is safe.”

“Ah… we’re going to get scolded,” Alicia said. She began rehearsing her apology lines, already thinking about how she should kneel. Eli and the rest of the knights shivered. They no longer judged the caravan leader who had abandoned his duty—after all, they were now guilty of a similar offense.

“Caravan leader. You want to make amends, right? Please send your men to retrieve the corpses of the bandits we defeated. It will serve as proof that our actions were not in vain. I’ll also need your expertise to help plan a pursuit of the fleeing bandits.”

“But sir, Count Shadowstep said we must stay put.”

“... I will not chase them. But we need a plan in case we do need to chase after them,” Jadenbale said. The soldier nodded in relief. At the very least, Jadenbale wasn’t planning to disobey the lord’s order directly.

“Let’s find an inn,” Jadenbale said.

“Hah… I’m going to get scolded…” Eli muttered. She suddenly realized she was afraid. She had done far worse in her previous life—so why did the thought of being scolded by her father worry her so much? Was it because she thought she had betrayed his trust?

“Lady Elidranthia. I owe you my life. Let me at least get scolded together with you.” Lain said, kneeling.

“Lady Elidranthia. Thanks to you, we achieved a perfect victory today. Zero casualties. We are in your debt,” Loharn and John added, standing behind Lain as they, too, knelt.

“Thank you, everyone.” Eli felt it was worth it. Even if she could rewind time, she wouldn’t change her actions. She would still race to save these knights—and Alicia. That was why the goddess had chosen her. She had been reincarnated here to become a great leader. Goddess Repeara believed in her—believed that Eli could become a different kind of leader than those from the military nation or the FBI in her past life. And Eli intended to prove her right.

Three days later, a group of over fifty knights arrived in Elynias. With them was a carriage bearing the Shadowstep crest.

Count Shadowstep stepped out, Rodrique at his side. His face was stern as he looked down at the disobedient knights who had defied his orders.

Jadenbale knelt in reverence. He offered no excuse. Everyone was safe. The mages for Shadowstep were secured. The territory would flourish—that was all that mattered.

Eli was about to kneel beside them, but her etiquette training told her otherwise. So, while everyone knelt, Eli stood out like a sore thumb.

“That’s quite a number of corpses. You fought them with just ten knights?”

“And two mages, milord,” Jadenbale answered.

Eli looked at him, surprised. She hadn’t done much, but Jadenbale had included her.

“These two children?”

“Yes, milord. Lady Elidranthia healed the wounded knights, and Alicia bombarded the enemy with fireballs. The scorched earth where the battle took place is proof of Alicia’s firepower, milord.”

“I see. Were any taken prisoners?”

“I am afraid not. But about five to ten bandits fled once they were overwhelmed. They escaped on horseback. I elected not to pursue them, as I prioritized the safety of the knights and our mages,” Jadenbale explained.

“Bandits have horses?” Count Shadowstep narrowed his eyes.

“Yes, Milord. And two mages.”

“Mages, you say? First, you tell me they have horses, and now you say they have mages?” the Count said with a scoff. “What a funny joke. Are you implying that bandits nowadays are better funded than a baron—or even a count? That they can field more military power than nobility?”

Jadenbale looked over to John for support. He had seen the mages—two individuals, both wielding staffs—but he hadn’t personally seen them casting spells.

“Milord, if I may interrupt,” John spoke up, stepping forward. “What Sir Jadenbale says is true. There were two mages with the bandits. And if I may be honest... I do not think they were common bandits. I believe they were hired men—sent after me.”

“They summoned fifty armed men just to go after a single knight in the suburbs?”

“Yes, Milord. They specifically singled me out among the caravan convoy. You may confirm this with the caravan master if you suspect us of lying,” Lain added, kneeling beside John.

“I see. Then tell me, why would anyone want you dead, Knight John?”

“I believe it was an attempt to blackmail Alicia into going with them, Milord. Or… they may be after a debt I owe.”

“I see.” Count Shadowstep folded his arms and turned back to Jadenbale. “Jadenbale.”

“Yes, Milord?”

“I want one of those bandits captured alive. Their testimony will serve us well before the Justiciar. I have suspects in mind, but I want to know who supports this group of bandits. I will report this to Duke Bron and Justiciar.”

“Yes, Milord. We’ll get to it. The caravan master has given us directions—there’s a possible forest trail we can follow to pursue them!” Jadenbale’s face lit up with hope. The Count didn’t seem interested in punishing them, at least for now.

“Peasant girl,” Count Shadowstep said.

Alicia blinked, looking around dumbly until John nudged her. Only then did she realize the Count was addressing her.

“Huh? Me? Y-yes, Milord?”

“I seem to recall that you prophesied the attack on your father. Is that true? Did Goddess Sistielle truly tell you that John would be attacked by bandits?”

Alicia felt the words catch in her throat. Should she lie? But this cunt was different today. He seemed rational, composed. Capable. Moreover, he was old—and old people usually had a knack for detecting lies. She didn’t think she could get away with one.

“I read about this event in a book… inside a dream, Milord. Goddess Sistielle didn’t tell me in person,” Alicia said.

Despite telling herself she wouldn’t lie, she had. As expected of Alicia. Regardless, the Count believed her. A prophecy was often full of symbolism and abstract, after all.

“Elidranthia.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Do not do this again. Your life is more important than one or two knights. I’m saying this not just as your father—it is a fact. Ask these knights yourself. How many lives did you save? One? Two? Your life is worth far more than that,” the Count said.

Today, he wasn’t the arrogant cunt he usually was. Today, he was a worthy father. Eli almost cried as she looked up at her father.

“Yes, Father. I am sorry.”

“You two will be punished once this is over. That includes you, too, Alicia.”

“... Yes Milor.” Alicia nodded, accepting her fate. She slipped in her grateful feelings with her. “Thank you.”

“Elidranthia, since you seem eager, go and lead these troops. I expect results,” Count Shadowstep said. “And remember—don’t go beyond the villages. That’s not where mages like you belong. Ask the knights if you doubt my words. Do not endanger yourself.”

Eli looked at him, stunned.

“I need to go to the capital. I’ll leave twenty more knights under your command, Jadenbale. Thirty knights should be more than enough to flush out some rats, right?”

“Yes, Milord! More than enough, sir!”

“Assign ten knights to protect her. Treat this as a war drill and Elidranthia as headquarters. And you’re being a bother to Count Elynias—so go to Shadowstep Crossing. This time, do not leave the Crossing. Is that clear, Elidranthia?”

“Yes, Father.”

“Yes, Milord. I will stake my life to protect Lady Elidranthia,” Jadenbale added firmly.

“You may go now.” Count Shadowstep dismissed them with a wave and returned to his carriage.

“Count Shadowstep was really understanding! He didn’t punish us!” the knights whispered among themselves, praising their lord for his wisdom.

“Whew. What happened to the Count today? He wasn’t as arrogant. If he was like this all the time, I might’ve actually admired him,” Alicia, the dunce, said.

“Alicia, that’s disrespectful,” Jadenbale scolded.

“Alright. Let us return to the crossing. We will hunt these rats. Caravan master, you know what to do, correct?” Jadenbale said.

“Yes, sire.”

Meanwhile, inside the carriage, Rodrique let his thoughts slip aloud.

“Fifty bandits… I heard this was a famous bandit troupe. If we capture them, the reward could be over ten gold.”

“Shut it, Rodrique! For heaven’s sake! I should’ve locked Elidranthia in the manor!” Count Shadowstep snapped.

“Don’t worry, Milord. She won’t meet the same fate as Lady Elianne. She has friends and trusty guards with her now. We just need to support her.”

“You think those worthless knights can guard her?”

“It is wiser to support her than to let her act alone. These knights have been well-drilled and are up to par—even by capital standards.”

“And those same knights couldn’t do a damn thing when monsters attacked my wife!” the Count roared.

“Lady Elidranthia is quite similar to Lady Elianne in that regard, isn’t she? They both carry that air of Noblesse oblige. The kind that drove them straight into danger rather than standing back. If only we had supported Lady Elianne instead of letting her sneak out of the manor...”

“Women should keep to the house while men fight monsters!”

“It seems both Lady Elidranthia and Lady Elianne are outliers, Milord. I’ve noticed Lady Elidranthia keeps daggers nearby.”

“Shit! We should give her more knights.”

“Any more, and it’ll weaken our defenses in Shadowstep..”

“I’ll speak to Duke Bron about this.”

“That’s a wise idea, Milord. While a testimony from bandits hardly counts as strong evidence, it might be enough to sway Duke Bron to our side. After all, why were those bandits operating in the region unchecked?”

“Are we going to have a civil war over this? Duke Luca is on this, right?”

“Things shouldn’t escalate that far, Milord. While a Level 7 mage is indeed valuable, the Empire won’t allow internal conflict. Imperial law dictates that Alicia belongs to our territory. Duke Luca has no right to interfere.”

“Good.” Count Shadowstep exhaled deeply as the carriage continued toward the capital. He intended to meet with Duke Bron and secure his support. Once that was done, he would turn his attention to persuading the Crown itself.