Chapter 36

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter Title: Chapter 132

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It took quite a bit of time to reach the capital.

With so many things demanding my attention—not just one or two—and having to rendezvous with Arjen along the way, it had easily taken twice as long as the usual journey to the capital, if not more.

To spread the rumor that I was Arjen's mistress, we'd needed to stage a scene on the road of us meeting and falling deeply in love.

Of course, Arjen's true motive was probably more about keeping tabs on me in case I tried to bolt.

As these thoughts swirled in my mind, I slipped on the artifact earring Arjen had given me, and my appearance shifted into that of someone else entirely.

A glamorous beauty with golden blonde hair and blue eyes.

Even if I ran into someone I knew, there was no need to worry.

No one would recognize me.

"If the servants at the mansion make you uncomfortable, feel free to move to another estate. Or we could replace them all."

Arjen must have figured I'd feel uneasy around familiar faces at the mansion, so he was showing some consideration.

"I'm fine. No one will recognize me anyway."

"......"

"If it becomes an issue later, I'll let you know."

After spending a few days glued to his side, the awkward distance between us felt like it had shrunk a little.

On the way to the capital, a whirlwind of thoughts had raced through my head.

<Killing the Transcendent is the way for you to return completely.>

Whenever I closed my eyes, the conversation I'd had with Dillon that night replayed vividly.

Was that really the only way to go back?

And if so, why did it have to involve killing the Transcendent?

'Killing a person is out of the question.'

Even if slaying him would send me home, living happily in Korea afterward would be impossible.

I couldn't just murder an innocent person and expect to live with a clear conscience.

A torrent of worries churned in my mind.

And just like that, we arrived in the capital.

"......!"

Arjen's group and I stared at the capital's scenery in silent shock.

The capital was in a state beyond imagination.

One entire street lay in ruins, utterly devastated.

"What in the world......"

I'd been peering out the window, eager for a glimpse of the capital, when the view suddenly turned horrific. I wondered if I'd seen it wrong.

What on earth had happened to the capital?

Knight were guarding the perimeter of the collapsed street to block access, and thick logs had been piled up behind them as a barrier.

Just one step away, the scenery changed dramatically.

"Wait here in the carriage for a moment. I'll go scout the situation."

Arjen, who had been gazing out the window with me, stepped outside.

I watched as he descended from the carriage and approached the knights standing guard.

As Arjen drew near, a man in fine clothes came running from afar.

The estate manager, perhaps?

'He really does have high status.'

The way he was being treated so deferentially said it all.

I kept watching quietly from the window, then stood to follow him out.

It might be smarter to stay put, but that would make it hard to gauge the capital's situation firsthand.

Hearing about it secondhand from Arjen was worlds apart from seeing and hearing it with my own eyes and ears.

I hopped down from the carriage and approached Arjen.

"......Camilla?"

That was the alias I'd chosen for use in the capital.

Arjen looked at me with wide eyes, surprised.

His gaze seemed to ask why I'd followed when he'd told me to stay put.

"I got scared being alone."

"......"

I thought he'd say something more, but Arjen just shut his mouth.

"Um...... who is this lady......?"

The man who seemed to be the manager glanced curiously at my sudden appearance and asked.

"My lover."

His tone was so businesslike.

Anyone hearing it would think we were at a business meeting, not lovers.

"......Your lover?"

As the manager echoed in disbelief, I looped my arm through Arjen's.

Arjen glanced at me, flustered.

Fortunately, it didn't show on his face.

I ignored it completely and leaned my head on his shoulder.

I could feel Arjen's body stiffen rigidly against me.

And this was the same guy who'd proposed marriage earlier? Unbelievable.

"Continue what you were saying."

Arjen, perhaps conscious of the eyes on us, didn't stop my actions and urged the manager on instead.

"Well...... A major incident occurred in the capital a few days ago."

"Major incident?"

"Yes. Demon Worshippers suddenly caused an uproar."

"Is that why the street's in this state?"

"Yes, yes. But only this district is like this—the rest of the capital is fine!"

The manager shouted as if making excuses.

"Those bastards went on a rampage, claiming they were searching for something......"

"Searching for something? What does that mean?"

"That's...... No one knows. But quite a few witnesses said they heard them looking for something special."

So, to sum it up, a few days ago, Demon Worshippers had terrorized this place in search of something.

'They're searching for something......'

There was no such event in the original story—not even a hint of it—and nothing this chaotic had happened.

At this point, I was starting to wonder if the original novel I'd read was an entirely different book. Unlikely, but a pretty reasonable suspicion.

"How many dead and injured?"

"Well......"

"Is it too severe to even speak of?"

"No, it's not that I can't say because......"

There were no deaths or even injuries.

His follow-up words were shocking.

Arjen fell silent for a moment and surveyed the destroyed street again.

The buildings were completely demolished, debris swirling in the wind, blotting out the sky and making it hazy.

Three years ago, when I'd fled the Marquis Evantes household, the capital's streets had sparkled with lights, vibrant and dazzling. Now, it was desolate beyond words.

"Even with incredible luck, a street reduced to this with not a single casualty, not even an injury?"

"There's a reason for it."

The manager opened his mouth to explain further.

But at that moment, a man burst out into the street, cutting him off.

"The Savior saved us all!"

All eyes turned toward him.

And the man's ravings didn't stop there.

"The Savior will drive out all the vile things!"

His mad cries sent chills down my spine.

Yet, unbelievably, the people on the street began to echo him one by one.

"The Savior will save us!"

Their eyes gleamed with ecstatic fervor as they chanted along in a frenzy.

It felt like madness was spreading through the entire street—hair-raising.

"It's starting again."

The manager looked utterly fed up, as if this was a familiar routine.

"Did the Savior rescue them?"

Arjen seemed to have pieced it together.

"Yes. In the midst of the chaos, the Savior appeared and saved them. That's why they follow him like this."

We turned our gaze to the crowd.

The noisy bunch quieted down only when a carriage rolled into the street.

"That's a carriage from the Ascent family."

Ascent? I'd never heard of them.

But they seemed quite influential—the people smiled at the sight of the carriage.

"They're a family in the moneylending business."

"Hard to win hearts like that with usury."

"True, but......"

The door of the Ascent family carriage opened, and a blonde man and woman in black mourning clothes stepped out.

The crowd welcomed the pair warmly as they descended.

"Those two are siblings, and the Ascent family is run jointly by them. When this incident happened, they distributed relief supplies for free and won the people's favor."

Arjen watched the siblings walk side by side.

Then he muttered quietly to himself.

"Doesn't look like they did it for nothing."

"Pardon?"

"Can't you see it? What they've gained."

"Impossible! They didn't take a single coin. They actually took a loss."

Arjen didn't respond to the manager.

But I could see exactly what Arjen meant—what the Ascent siblings had gained. It was crystal clear.

The hearts of the people.

They'd secured something priceless that money alone couldn't buy.

The Ascent family had only been established three years ago.

For such a young house, they'd risen quickly and solidly.

"Emily, your hat's crooked."

Anri reached out to fix Emily's tilted hat, but Emily sharply swatted his hand away.

"I can do it myself."

"Of course. You do it."

Anri adjusted his gloves and smiled smoothly.

Emily never showed weakness to anyone.

Except for one person.

"Emily."

As they entered the building, a woman with pink hair called out to Emily.

She glanced briefly at Anri, then dismissed him entirely and fixed her gaze on Emily.

Emily beamed back at her.

"Rozhi!"

"You're just getting here now, Emily?"

"Did I keep you waiting long?"

"Not really."

Rozhi took Emily's hand and smiled brightly in return.

Anri watched her with a cold stare.

A year ago, this woman had suddenly appeared in their lives and, just like back at the marquis household, had taken her place by Emily's side.