“Miss, I think we’ve arrived.”

 

After hearing the maid’s words, I staggered up.

 

Looking out the carriage window, the scenery that had been moving ceased to move.

 

Finally, did we arrive in Evans?

 

This journey was really hard.

 

I never thought I would feel the saying that leaving home is a struggle so keenly.

 

The sleeping conditions are poor.

 

The food is tasteless.

 

I can’t wash properly.

 

All I can do is run around as Possell tells me to.

 

The worst of all were the bugs.

 

No matter how well I prepare, we have to camp with torches lit, right?

 

Then, bugs are bound to swarm me.

 

But the bugs in this damned fantasy world are more vicious than modern bugs.

 

Just thinking about it is terrifying.

 

When a knight set up a magic circle that repels bugs, the bugs that had been quietly staying outside the magic circle left…

 

Until now, I wondered if I really needed to learn magic.

 

Since I had decided to be a tank, I didn’t really need to take up the magic tree.

 

But this time, I changed my mind.

 

I need to learn magic, even if it’s just for the bug-repelling magic circle.

 

Even if it’s while I’m staying at the academy, after I graduate, I’ll have to go camping a lot, and it’ll be horrible to think that there won’t be a bug-repelling magic circle.

 

Anyway, after suffering like that for about two days, I got sick of camping.

 

I didn’t want to go camping again, since I lived in an environment worse than when I trained in the military.

 

I guess I can sleep indoors today.

 

Since I’ve arrived at the village, I can sleep here, right?

 

Right?

 

I got out of the carriage and looked ahead, and I saw Possell talking to the village chief of Evans.

 

I couldn’t hear the conversation well because it was far away, but judging from the bright expressions on their faces, it seemed like things were going well.

 

“Miss, did you get some rest?”

 

A voice came from behind me as I stretched.

 

There was Karl, carrying a load that must have been twice his height.

 

Karl’s punishment didn’t end with last night.

 

The level of his crime was too serious to be punished for a day or two.

 

After all, he had attacked the noble lady of the family.

 

He was continuously called out for various dangerous tasks.

 

He was always called out when there was guard duty.

 

He was the first to be called out when there was a beast attack.

 

Even in normal times, he carried most of the knights’ luggage.

 

It was closer to the life of a slave than a knight.

 

Having lived that kind of life throughout his journey, his expression should have been bad, but his face was still bright.

 

It was something I couldn’t understand.

 

“Miss, were you able to rest well?”

 

‘A little.’

 

“The carriage was trash, but I was able to rest a little.”

 

I had just been marching with the knights outside, but I collapsed from exhaustion and was now in the carriage.

 

The carriage was so bumpy that it was hard to rest, but it was better after I caught my breath a little.

 

“How was your trip? Was it worth it?”

 

‘Do you call that a question?’

 

“Are you really saying that seeing how I am?”

 

Would you have done it?

 

This trip was definitely the worst trip I’ve ever been on in my life!

 

It’s the same even if you think of it as training instead of travel!

 

I’d rather have the winter training I did in the military!

 

…

 

No, maybe not.

 

Anyway, if you expected me to say something nice, you were very wrong!

 

I’m confident I can complain about the trip all day long now!

 

“Ahaha, it’s because you don’t go out much, Miss, it’ll all get easier once you get used to it.”

 

‘It won’t get easier as time goes by, will it?’

 

“F**k, will it get easier!? The reason you think that is because you’re stupid.”

 

You’ll get used to it eventually.

 

But it won’t get easier; it’ll just get a little less shitty.

 

Getting easier means technological advancement.

 

The carriages will get more comfortable, the camping facilities will get better, and the food will get better.

 

Will these things improve within my time?

 

Of course not.

 

Well, it will get easier after a long, long time from now.

 

About 300 years, I guess.

 

But by then I will be old and worn out, so it will be meaningless.

 

Right?

 

When I gave a sharp answer, Karl avoided my gaze.

 

He said he was being playful, but it didn’t seem like he really thought that way.

 

‘Still…’

 

“Still, today will be fine. I can sleep in a bed.”

 

“In bed? Oh. I guess you can do it alone, Miss?”

 

‘Yes?’

 

“Huh? Just me?”

 

“Yes. Our knights are going to camp near the dungeon.”

 

Karl said that Evans, although a large town, couldn’t accommodate knights.

 

They would be a threat to the people if they entered the town, as the military of the Count’s family. Since the knights came not to work but to train, they couldn’t harm the people of the territory, so they seemed to be going to camp near the dungeon.

 

Eh.

 

Hmm.

 

In that case, should I join you in camping?

 

If the Countess were to fall in a village like this, it’d be chaos.

 

But I have to stop by the village, right?

 

There’s one thing I have to get from Evans Village.

 

This is difficult.

 

“You can sleep in the village, young lady.”

 

I turned my head in surprise at the voice that came out of nowhere, and Possell was standing behind me.

 

With that size that made the ground shake every time he moved, he could still move stealthily.

 

I’m really impressed.

 

“You got accommodation in the village?”

 

“Yes, you must have been tired from camping all the time, so take a rest for a day.”

 

‘Then wouldn’t the people in the village be uncomfortable?’

 

“Do I have to sleep in such a shabby village?”

 

The words I spoke out of consideration for the other person turned aggressive because of my skill.

 

No, if I say something like this.

 

I panicked and looked around urgently.

 

I wondered if the Evans village chief who had just been talking to Possell was nearby.

 

…Ah.

 

He was.

 

Behind Possell, he saw the village chief with a stiff smile.

 

A village chief would be someone who had great affection for the village, but to openly call it a shabby village in front of such a person.

 

How should I handle this?

 

No, is this even possible?

 

…

 

Oh my.

 

What if it can’t be handled?

 

Are those guys crazy enough to mess with the Countess?!

 

If they want, they could try revolting!

 

“Please, it’s better for the knights that way.”

 

The knights did take good care of me whenever we went camping.

 

Since I’m from a family they serve, they pay a lot of attention to me.

 

Should I just quietly leave?

 

That way, the knights can rest for a while.

 

Possell looked at the knights, for them to agree.

 

However, the knights shook their heads desperately while standing politely.

 

What?

 

Do you think it’s better for you to be with me?

 

You seem really desperate, considering how much you’re watching my every move.

 

Why?

 

“Okay Miss, if you follow the village chief, he’ll show you where to stay.”

 

“Okay, okay.”

 

However, since Possell showed rank and forced a decision, I had no choice but to nod.

 

How could I refuse when that fierce-looking big guy pushed his face in and asked me?

 

No matter how much I’m in a higher position, there’s nothing I can do if he threatens me with that face!

 

When I said I’d sleep in the village, frustration was etched onto the knights faces.

 

Why on earth are they doing that?

 

What’s going to happen if I’m not there?

 

After asking for my permission, Possell introduced the person behind him.

 

“This is the village chief of Evans Village.”

 

I know.

 

I’ve seen him in the game.

 

He was the one who gave out various small quests.

 

However, he wasn’t an NPC that I looked for unless I was in a hurry, since none of his quests were important.

 

“Hello, Countess Lucy. My name is Panata, the village chief of Evans Village.”

 

Village Chief Panata bowed his head deeply as if embarrassed.

 

He should have been angry after hearing the insults to his village just now, but he didn’t show it at all.

 

It must be because I am the daughter of the Allen family.

 

He must be cursing me inside.

 

Lucy Allen is arrogant and presumptuous, just like the rumours say.

 

Ugh.

 

It feels like I can hear Lucy’s reputation plummeting.

 

“I came here today to serve you, young lady.”

 

‘I am Lucy Allen. Please take good care of me.’

 

“So you know who I am? Serve me as the you best you can, you sloppy village chief.”

 

“Yes. Of course, I will.”

 

I felt glad that I started out as a noble.

 

If I had said such things as a commoner or a wanderer, I would have met with trouble a long time ago.

 

They say that to end a brat, strict education (military) is needed, but I don’t want to go through that again, not like it’d change me due the Mesugaki skill.

 

“Oh, and young lady, is there a knight you want to bring along?”

 

“A knight?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Ah.

 

An escort knight?

 

Well, I do need someone to protect me.

 

I’ll have a dedicated maid accompany me, but she won’t be able to act as a deterrent if something happens.

 

If something happens to me.

 

Who knows what Benedict might do?

 

I need an escort to prevent such an unfortunate event.

 

An escort.

 

Hmm.

 

There’s only one person I can take as an escort.

 

‘I’ll take Karl.’

 

“I’ll take this slacker and use him.”

 

It would be fine to take someone else, but in this case, it would be better to take someone who would sacrifice his life for me.

 

Karl would throw himself away to death’s clutches to keep his oath.

 

“You mean Karl? This guy is currently under observation.”

 

‘So…’

 

“So, you can’t? You idiot Possell. He told me to take whoever I want.”

 

Possell looked at my expression as if it was difficult, then shrugged.

 

“There’s no reason why you can’t. Take him.”

 

Evans Village isn’t a particularly important place in Soul Academy.

 

The only reason this place exists in the game is the dungeon near the village and a few hidden elements.

 

After you take care of all of those, the village’s existence is practically meaningless.

 

That’s why I didn’t pay much attention to the village chief’s explanation of Evans Village.

 

After finding Mace in the dungeon, I wondered why I would care about a village I wouldn’t visit again.

 

“Countess Lucy! Welcome to Evans!”

 

However, the moment I set foot in Evans Village, I realized that I had been mistaken.

 

Children chasing each other and raising their voices near the village entrance.

 

People chatting near the well.

 

People working while sweating profusely.

 

They weren’t the NPCs that stood blankly in the game.

 

They were people living their own lives.

 

That’s right.

 

This was a world inside a game, but it was also reality.

 

While I was blankly watching the scene, the villagers looked at my face and began to kneel one by one.

 

Huh?

 

Why are they all acting like that?

 

Why are they scared?

 

What did I do?

 

‘Chief, why are those people acting like that?’

 

“Panata, why are they acting like that?”

 

“I’m sorry! Countess Lucy, if it makes you uncomfortable!”

 

The chief shouted his response, causing the small fear to grow and seep into the people.

 

As I watched the people with pale faces and burying their heads in the ground, I couldn’t help but think that I would have a hard time in the village for no reason.

 

What rumour about Lucy Allen spread that made people act like that?!