“No, it’s nothing, let’s go!”

The man cheerfully smiled and climbed up behind me. I could feel his warmth as he supported me from behind.

As the man took the reins, the horse started moving at a very slow pace, likely out of consideration for me.

His voice came from right behind me.

“The dress must have been quite uncomfortable for you. The paths here are rough, I sometimes fall over myself.”

He laughed heartily as if joking.

I tried to laugh along, albeit awkwardly, but he spoke again before I could.

“But your feet are so clean.”

His voice carried a jovial tone, but there was an underlying chill.

“For someone who was captured by a monster, your dress is remarkably intact. And for someone who wandered the mountains, there’s not a single mark on your hem or shoes.”

Unlike Kabir, who had only seen me from a distance, this man, being so close, had quickly noticed these inconsistencies.

The horse had stopped. We were alone, surrounded only by snow-covered trees.

Then, I felt a cold chill near my throat.

[MadelineTastesGood: Uh]

[OnlyFinley: Oh no]

“……!”

Only moving my eyes, I saw a dagger. The blade was pointed right at my neck.

I tilted my head slightly to look at the man behind me. The man, possibly Eric, was smiling just as he had when he covered me with his coat.

“What is your purpose in approaching the grand ducal house?”

His voice, contrary to his expression, was laced with murderous intent.

Eric was known to be a very kind character.

I was somewhat sure that this man was Eric, so his aggressive behavior was startling.

‘…Well, back then, Selena’s identity was clear.’

Eric was a knight sworn to protect the grand ducal house. There was no reason for him to be kind to someone with an unclear identity and suspicious demeanor.

Unlike my tense state, the viewers were having a field day.

[asdf: He’s good at his job]

[PleaseShakeACarrot: Now’s not the time for complimentsㅠㅠ]

[SaltNPepperCat: Guess this strategy failed lol, let’s just die and retry]

[OnlyFinley: Wow, Eric is full of surprises……. I’m starting to feel butterflies]

[Manager: Are they all crazy?]

No one seemed to be taking the situation seriously.

To think I’d be caught by an unexpected character instead of Kabir.

Dying here would be too anticlimactic. I was far from collecting the needed 10,000 points. Resurrection was something I wanted to avoid as much as possible.

I calmly started to speak.

“…If I tell you the truth, will you spare me?”

“We’ll see. Let’s hear it.”

The dagger remained near my neck.

I was determined to persuade Eric. Having come this far, I wanted to enter the grand duke’s mansion.

After a brief contemplation, I decided to mix in some truth to defuse the situation.

“Everything about being captured by a monster and losing my memory after eating a berry was a lie.”

“Yes, that was quite apparent.”

Eric gestured with the hand holding the dagger for me to continue.

I looked down and spoke calmly.

“The truth is, I am the eldest daughter of the Erpeso ducal family.”

“…….”

Eric fell noticeably silent.

“If you’re doubtful, you can contact the ducal family as soon as we arrive at the mansion.”

Though I’d surely be caught by my father and Finley. Still, it was better than dying here.

Eric regained his composure, speaking more softly than before.

“…If we were going to send a carriage from our mansion anyway, why did you need to lie to come here?”

The dagger had slightly lowered. If I really were a noblewoman, Eric would be in serious trouble for threatening me.

Eric was a commoner knight. Despite being favored by Kabir for his skills and loyalty, he was relatively low-ranking among the knights. The fact that he had brandished a knife at someone soon-to-be family with Kabir would be devastating for him.

“The engagement was meant for my younger sister. As you know, the grand duke’s reputation isn’t the best.”

“…That’s true.”

“I was worried about my sister. It was a reckless act, but I wanted to see the place where she would spend her life. If it was as bad as the rumors, I intended to reveal my identity and take her place in the engagement.”

It was a poor excuse, even feeling sorry for Selena.

However, it seemed plausible enough to Eric, as he put away his dagger.

“Being from a ducal family, getting a teleportation scroll wouldn’t have been too difficult for you.”

Sighing as if he had understood the situation, Eric continued.

“I understand your feelings, but it was very reckless.”

“I know, but staying put was harder for me.”

Hearing my words, Eric let out a hollow laugh.

“I have a younger sister too, so I think I understand your feelings.”

Now I was certain. The man behind me was Eric.

I had intentionally used Selena as an excuse. Eric was known to be extremely devoted to his sister.

Eric ruffled his hair, looking troubled.

“I’ll verify the facts separately, but until then, you are not allowed to act on your own. I will be guarding the door, so please refrain from any unnecessary actions.”

“Yes.”

I responded obediently.

Then, I looked up again at Eric.

“Could you keep this a secret from the grand duke?”

“…….”

From behind me, Eric let out a groan, apparently deep in thought.

“For now, I’ll keep quiet until we confirm the facts. If it turns out to be true…”

Eric scratched his cheek.

“…I’ll keep it a secret until your sister arrives.”

Just like Eric in the original story, he had a soft spot.

As the situation seemed to settle, donation notifications chimed in.

[Gold2 donated 100 points!]

– Good improvisation lol

[PleaseShakeACarrot donated 100 points!]

– Nice one, sis!

It seemed the viewers enjoyed the thrill of the moment. I smiled contentedly, looking at the flood of donations.

* * *

True to his word, Eric stayed by my side until I entered the room assigned to me. He was probably keeping an eye on me in case I had lied, prepared for any eventuality.

‘I managed to get in, but I can’t do anything.’

I lay on the bed, lost in thought. Kabir wouldn’t be interested in me, so he wouldn’t seek me out. And with Eric around, I couldn’t just leave freely. It would have been better to stay at the ducal mansion and spend time with Finley or Selena.

Blinking, I suddenly spoke out loud.

“Create an excuse for me to leave.”

[asdf donated 100 points!]

– Go go

Alright, I had a reason to escape.

I promptly got up from the bed.

Without hesitation, I opened the door and immediately faced Eric standing guard.

“Why are you leaving the room?”

He was really guarding the door.

I had heard him say that, but I thought it was just a saying. People who are too diligent just don’t mix well with me.

“To the bathroom…”

“There’s one inside.”

“Oh, right.”

Quietly, I closed the door and went back inside.

The chat was filled with jeers, but I ignored them.

“That’s it for today. I’ll have to stop here.”

[OnlyFinley: Too badㅠ]

[PleaseShakeACarrot: See you tomorrow, sis―!]

[Isaac: Bye]

At least the end of the broadcast was warm and pleasant.

This time, even the manager had exited immediately, leaving no one on the viewers’ list.

I turned off the broadcast window and lay back down on the bed.

It seemed I needed to think things through a bit more.

* * *

A day had passed.

After much thought, I realized a direct approach was the only option. After all, I was in the body of a noble lady with no physical strength. I was well aware of my limitations.

After a hearty lunch, I turned on the broadcast and opened the door. As expected, Eric was there.

I had checked several times during the previous night, and Eric was steadfastly guarding the door.

“Don’t you eat?”

“I have eaten.”

When exactly? The guard outside my door had never changed.

Seeing me emerge from the room, Eric asked with a hint of weariness.

“What is it this time?”

“I feel like I’m going crazy. Can I at least take a walk?”

“It’s only been a day.”

“Have you ever been locked up for a day?”

“…I’ll see what I can do.”

It seemed he hadn’t considered it before.

Satisfied with his answer, I returned to my room.

About an hour later, there was a knock on the door. It was Eric.

“Who were you talking to just now?”

“……?”

His question caught me off guard, then I realized.

I had been chatting with viewers through the chat window. He must have heard me talking.

The door must not be soundproof. Of course, I had been speaking near it, and Eric, being a knight, probably had keen hearing.

I rolled my eyes, searching for an answer.

“…Talking to myself is a habit of mine.”

“Ah, I see…”

Eric’s expression soured. He must have thought I was even stranger than before.

“Anyway… You can go out for a short while if I accompany you. Only within the mansion grounds, though.”

“Oh.”

It was a brief and limited outing, but compared to being trapped in a room, it felt like a luxury.

* * *

Eric and I stepped into the garden, bathed in the midday sun.

The garden was vast and beautiful, but it was immediately clear.

‘Kabir doesn’t come here, does he?’

The beauty of the garden seemed merely formal.

Of course, Kabir wasn’t the type to leisurely spend time in the garden.

Eric remained silent beside me. I glanced at him and broke the silence.