Chapter 8
When you kill someone, whether it's self-defense or not, there's always cleanup afterward.
But this time, that wasn't much of a concern.
The horse-faced demon had turned to ash, not even bones remaining, and the other three attackers had been blown to bits by a spell the horse-faced demon had cast back when he was still human.
The spell I thought had been aimed at me right after those three were killed probably wasn't targeting me at all, but rather meant to destroy the evidence—and I was just collateral damage.
According to Merceja, who inspected the scene, there were fragments nearby of something resembling a magic tool used on high-level criminals that explodes if they try to escape, and with that added power, the attackers' bodies were thoroughly obliterated.
In short, we didn't get a single piece of evidence that could lead us to the attackers' identities.
Merceja did recover the swords the attackers used, saying he might as well investigate them, but he didn't seem hopeful about learning anything from them.
All we knew was that the enemy was meticulous, capable of deploying attackers around Rank 6 in strength, and possessed some unheard-of method of turning humans into demons.
Honestly, I had no idea what was going on, but I did know that staying put here would be a bad move.
So we resumed our journey by carriage.
*
"About that, don't you think it might be the other way around?"
Inside the carriage, where the door with a hole in it rattled, more hanging than repaired with rope, Erika Solnzari said that.
I asked "What do you mean?" with just a look, and she answered.
"Rather than a human transforming into a demon, what if it was a demon transforming into a human?"
Ah, I see—thinking of it that way is possible too. Both are ridiculous ideas I've never heard of, but psychologically, it's easier to accept a demon pretending to be human than a human becoming a demon.
But that's probably not it.
I shook my head and spoke.
"Sorry, Erika Solnzari. I think that's wrong. One of the attackers definitely said he was giving up being human. He also said something like, 'You'd give up being human for this?' If a demon had just disguised itself as a human, I doubt he'd say that."
Erika Solnzari thought for a moment, then said, "You're right, that does make sense," abandoning her idea.
It wasn't that she was convinced, but more that the idea of a human turning into a demon, something she hadn't seen with her own eyes, was just too hard to believe.
If she trusted me a little more, it might've been different—but I was just some guy she barely remembered from class, so of course it was too much to expect.
"So, Erika Solnzari, that means it's going to be hard to even guess who attacked you based on the attackers. Is there anything that comes to your mind?"
Erika Solnzari gave a faint, lonely smile at my words.
The fact that Erika Solnzari—*that* Erika Solnzari—was smiling so weakly shook me more than I expected.
Maybe she sensed something from my expression, because she raised a hand as if to stop my words.
In truth, I had wanted to say something, but nothing came to mind.
"I can't think of any reason I'd be exiled from the kingdom and then have someone try to kill me on top of that."
"More importantly," she said, changing her expression.
"Why do you keep calling me by my full name?"
Her face wasn't accusatory—just genuinely puzzled, like she was trying to figure something out.
That puzzled face was beautiful and adorable too.
As I stared at her, entranced, she suddenly furrowed her brows in a clearly displeased look, as if remembering something.
"Come to think of it, I don't even know your name. Isn't that rather rude to a lady?"
It was a perfectly reasonable point, but as someone who'd been her classmate for three years, I couldn't help feeling a little hurt.
Well, between a marquis family and a viscount family—no matter how rich or poor—there's just too big a gap in status. That's how it goes.
I placed a hand on my chest and made sure not to let any of that show on my face as I apologized.
"Please forgive my earlier rudeness, milady. I am Shin Longdagger, second son of a viscount family and barely scraping by at the bottom of the kingdom's nobility."
Ugh, why can't I ever stay serious all the way through at times like this?
I lifted my bowed head slightly and saw Erika Solnzari touching her well-shaped chin in thought.
It seemed she was going to let my little joke slide.
"I thought you were just some adventurer hired as a bodyguard or something... Longdagger, that name rings a bell. Actually, now that I look closely, you do seem familiar... Where was it?"
Isn't that muttering a bit too loud?
I kept that thought to myself out of politeness, and then Erika Solnzari clapped her hands.
So cute.
"You were in our class, weren't you?"
Thank goodness... Really, thank goodness.
Erika Solnzari remembered me. I'm glad I lived. My life wasn't a waste.
Erika Solnzari placed her right hand to her temple, as if digging deeper into her memory.
"Yes... that's right. You were one of the countless nobodies who just watched me from afar."
In that instant, I felt my face flush bright red.
She'd noticed—Erika Solnzari herself.
She'd noticed the way I looked at her, harboring feelings far above my station.
I was so embarrassed I almost wanted to praise myself for not screaming.
I turned my face away without thinking.
"Why are you suddenly turning away?"
Erika Solnzari asked, clearly puzzled.
Does she even realize what she just said?
"You were watching me," she said—what kind of face is someone supposed to make when the person they were watching says that?
"What are you so embarrassed about? It's not like the person in question is even here."
I must've looked so pitiful that Erika Solnzari tried to cheer me up with a joke.
So kind. I love her.
My affection outweighed my embarrassment, and I felt myself calming down.
When I turned back to face her, I was met with Erika Solnzari's exasperated expression.
"So then..."
Erika Solnzari hesitated for just a moment.
"Am I to assume that you're my husband in name only?"
Oh, merciful God.