Chapter 70

Amelia was completely stubborn.

Even when Russel or Leandros tried to persuade her, or even when Arndt protested, she remained firm.

When he called her separately and asked for the reason, she wouldn't answer.

She only replied that she could prepare his journey as well as Arndt would.

Surprisingly, it was Russel who mediated between the sensitive Arndt and the resolute Amelia.

"Well, for me, whether it's Your Grace, Mr. Arndt, or Miss Amelia, they're all people I need to protect. Neither of them makes much difference in terms of fighting power."

After hearing that, Arndt had become dejected.

In the end, it was decided that Russel and Amelia would accompany him, and preparations for the journey to the north were diligently made.

And on the dawn of the departure day.

"Your Grace, are you feeling dizzy or tired? Are your legs not numb? I've brewed some tea in advance so you can drink it if your throat gets dry on the way. I've also filled the bottom with rabbit fur so your feet won't get cold, and also."

"Arndt, are you perhaps Your Grace's father?"

"I wish I could be, Sir Russel!"

Russel looked at him incredulously.

"A child born from the heart, something like that?"

"Both of you, stop it. And Arndt, don't worry so much, Amelia has prepared everything well. I'll return healthy."

Arndt looked at him with completely watery eyes, then suddenly approached Amelia, who was standing behind.

Amelia flinched when she saw Arndt but didn't avoid him.

Arndt glared at Amelia with a disapproving look for a moment, then unclasped something from his waist and handed it to her.

It was the dagger he had made for him.

As the pretty silver sheath fell into her hands, Amelia fidgeted and said.

"Th-this, why, to, to me."

"I am Your Grace's servant. A servant's duty is to throw oneself to protect Your Grace from any danger. If you let Your Grace get hurt, I won't let you set foot in the castle."

"...! Y-yes. I'll, d-diligently, th-throw myself to p-protect Your Grace."

...Should he tell them that even if he died, he would come back to life?

Even as he pondered, Amelia's face, tightly gripping the dagger, was unusually bright.

Arndt turned his head away abruptly, but to his eyes watching the two, it just looked like he was acting coy.

Russel whistled softly, then swiftly mounted the prepared horse and extended his hand to him.

"I heard Your Grace can't ride a horse. I'll escort you."

"Thank you."

Just as he was reaching out his hand, a black muzzle suddenly interjected between Russel and him.

What was this now?

"Sleigh!"

-Neigh!

Sleipnir, who appeared majestically, seemed a bit thinner.

Still, he stood firm and butted his head with his mouth, while Leandros approached from behind.

"Your Grace cannot ride horses, but you can ride this fellow."

"Did you intentionally bring him out?"

"Isn't a slightly smarter horse better?"

When Leandros first saw Sleigh, it was after he had died once.

At that time, Leandros seemed wary of both Sleigh and him, so he had kept Sleigh in the stable and consciously avoided him.

He was somewhat touched by the thoughtfulness of intentionally bringing him out.

Was this what it felt like to receive a carnation on Parents' Day?

Thanks to the saddle Leandros had prepared in advance, he could mount easily.

"Straighten your back and hold the reins. Relax your shoulders. ...Well done."

The view was suddenly higher.

Leandros and Arndt stepped back.

"Your Grace, you must return safely, absolutely!"

"I'll come back immediately if there's danger. And Sir Russel is with me, so I'll be fine."

He turned to Leandros.

For a moment, he moved his lips.

"Your Grace, don't push yourself. Russel, I'll be watching always."

"S-senior?"

When did these two get along so well?

With his wave as a signal, they slowly moved forward.

* * *

The Hartmann ducal territory, located in the northeast, bordered the Dikenter Mountains.

To cross into the north, one had to cross the mountains, but that path had been cut off for a long time after the extermination of the Hartmann family.

Without travelers and only demonic beasts swarming, there were no bandits to settle in the mountains, so it had become a very quiet path.

"By the way, it's quite picturesque, Your Grace."

"Arndt said there should be a path up to the entrance to the north."

"It should be a smooth journey except for the rugged path!"

Russel spoke energetically.

And he somewhat agreed with that.

Though not as much as the protagonist, with a knight who had traversed the demonic beast-filled mountains all by himself, what was there to fear?

Besides, the difficult demonic beasts would be deep in the mountains, so as long as they didn't stray elsewhere, a certain level of safety was guaranteed.

Remembering Amelia following behind, he turned around.

"Amelia, you know how to ride a horse."

"The, the, Duchess s-said, women should, kn-know how to ride h-horses too."

"Did you learn it at the former ducal residence? You look very skilled."

"You're t-too kind."

The sense of an experienced rider emanated strongly from her as she rode slowly.

Having only worn neat gray dresses in the castle, the simple pants and boots she wore for travel suited her quite well.

Moreover, Amelia took care of him as well as Arndt did.

Noticing that he didn't eat much, she mainly offered tea or water, and if the temperature dropped in the mountains, she would put a cloak on him.

It seemed she had become accustomed to such things due to having been the former Duchess's maid.

If Arndt found out, he would both like and dislike it.

How long had they walked while chatting?

Due to the early sunset in the mountains, they needed to find a place to stay.

Amelia found a small clearing in the forest a bit off the path, and Russel created a path by breaking branches and pressing down undergrowth to reach it.

They laid out mats and lit a fire. A small tent was quickly set up, and Amelia took out her dish and silver spoon from her luggage.

When had she packed those?

Experiencing such luxurious equipment and service anew, he was reminded of his journey in the first iteration.

That journey where he ate only dry bread and rations while walking on foot.

Back then, it seemed more leisurely than now.

Was it because he had started too many things?

For his portion, a little bread porridge with milk; for the two of them, a stew filled with meat, vegetables, and cheese.

After the meal, Russel disappeared to feed the horses, and Amelia prepared his bed.

Thinking the first day was a satisfactory and pleasant journey, he went to bed.

"Russel, doesn't Sleigh look unusually tired?"

"Does he?"

"Yes. He doesn't look well."

It was already the tenth day since they had left the castle.

The journey was continuing somehow.

As they headed further north, the climate grew colder, and everyone had to wear cloaks.

Additionally, he wore thick gloves and winter rabbit fur boots.

If people were this cold, it wouldn't be any different for horses.

Though they had prepared horse blankets, the dropping temperature was still somewhat burdensome.

Especially for Sleipnir.

His black horse, which had always played healthily everywhere, was now taking more rest times.

Even though he wanted to know what was wrong, Sleigh would doze off during rest times, so there was no way to find out.

"What if he collapses?"

"It's, it's alright! If Your Grace's horse collapses, I'll let you ride mine."

"That's not the issue."

When he stroked the mane, the lusterless hair scattered.

This fellow. He had been vigorous in the east, but as soon as they climbed the mountain, he became like a sick chicken.

Was there a water vein flowing here? Or was the land not good?

Or perhaps he didn't like passing through another demonic beast's territory.

Seeing Sleigh whining, he felt so sorry that they decided to rest earlier today.

After finding a suitable place, finishing their meal, and spreading out the map.

Though the straight-line distance from the Hartmann ducal residence to the north wasn't much, it was a different story when it came to the winding mountain paths.

The paths twisted and curved more than the mountain roads of Gangwon Province, making the journey quite time-consuming.

He wanted to shorten the time a bit, but for that.

"Is going straight through the only answer?"

In the previous iteration, he had just crossed the mountains while heading east, but now Sleipnir's condition was unusually poor.

Moreover, Russel and Amelia were not like Arndt and Leandros.

They were closer to ordinary people who knew nothing.

He had to be more careful in front of them.

What would happen if he died carelessly?

In Russel's case, having originally been from the Holy Knight Order, he might immediately classify him as a monster and kill him.

Ah, it was difficult. So difficult.

Feeling stifled, he went outside, where a small campfire lit by Amelia greeted him.

But Amelia herself was nowhere to be seen.

Thinking she must have gone to gather firewood, he sat close to the fire, and the warmth came to him warmly.

"Ahh. That's nice."

Uttering a sound like an old man, he pulled his thick cloak around him.

The mountains were already as cold as early December at night.

Tomorrow, he would have to ask to take out winter clothes.

If it was this cold near the north, how cold would the north itself be?

It would be fortunate not to freeze to death before obtaining mithril ore.

As he poked the fire with a stick, sparks rose and then subsided.

A rustling sound was heard from behind.

It seemed that Russel or Amelia had returned.

"Amelia. Tell everyone to wear thicker clothes tomorrow. It wouldn't be strange if it snowed once we go a bit further from here."

Although he hoped it wouldn't, one couldn't guarantee the future.

It would be a bigger problem if they caught a cold here.

"And if you look at the map in there, you'll see that we'll probably reach the northern border the day after tomorrow. It would be good to prepare in advance."

Even if there were guards, it was questionable whether the name of the ducal residence would work in the north.

Although they had brought separate identifying marks, it was a different matter how seriously the northerners would take them.

"And... Amelia?"

Why was there no answer?

As he raised his head, he discovered Amelia just crossing over the undergrowth with twigs in her hands.

She stood frozen in place.

"...Amelia?"

Why was Amelia there?

Then was the sound behind him from Russel?

The moment he unconsciously turned around, a cold chill struck him.

The first thing that came into his view were scales with white frost attached.

Each scale was constantly writhing, but the thin layer of frozen ice neither melted nor broke.

A bird as big as a tree, and larger than seven horses combined.

Deep in the skull-like head without a single hair, cunning green eyes were attached to the eye sockets.

The pointed beak was bronze, and a long tongue like an anteater's occasionally emerged and disappeared.

A living creature that could be described like this in this world.

"Run away!"

"Y-Your Grace!"

A massive eagle-shaped demonic beast covered in scales,

The Shantak grabbed his body with its black, cold talons.

With one beat of its thick wings, a strong wind swept through, extinguishing the campfire and overturning the tent.

The demonic beast, which let out a sharp, terrible cry, immediately kicked off the ground and flew up.

In an instant, the ground receded, and the campsite where he had been became a small dot and disappeared.

Though he screamed frantically, the strong, claw-like feet were firm, and the cold wind even froze his mouth.

The speed at which they flew over the forest even caused pain as the skin on his face was pushed back.

His consciousness began to blur with the feeling of being attached to a jet with bare hands.

It was just then.

"Your Grace!!"

"Amelia!!"

As soon as he managed to turn his head to find the source of the sound, he doubted his eyes.

Amelia was hanging onto a slippery tail that was thicker than a log.

When had she attached herself there?

"Y-Your Grace, please w-wait a little!"

"No, don't come, don't come! Don't come!!"

"I'll be there soon!"

"Can't you hear me saying don't come?!"

Amelia crawled up the tail.

Despite the wind-blown hair and air pressure, she crawled up tenaciously.

After passing the tail and body, she sat astride the Shantak's neck with something in her mouth.

It was Arndt's dagger.

Amelia drew the dagger.

A sharp light that seemed about to cut flashed, and the next moment, the dagger was embedded in the Shantak's eye.

[-!]

The bizarre bird's body moved violently.

His screams, the noise the bizarre bird was making, Amelia's shouts.

Just as the wind swept by his ears and they were about to become muffled, the Shantak's body tilted and began to plummet downward.

Damn it.

So this iteration would end with him dying like this.

If he had known this would happen, he should have brought Leandros.

Earnestly praying that he wouldn't die such a miserable death in the next iteration,

He closed his eyes in preparation for regression.