The carriage ride was, in a way, kind of boring. The rhythmic stomps of hooves and the gentle swaying of the carriage were putting me to sleep. Considering I was in the middle of a lecture as Carine, I considered taking a nap as Feyt to maximize my focus.

But then, that idea was thrown away.

The carriage took a sudden, sharp turn. My head, which had been resting against the cushioned seat, nearly smacked into the carriage walls.

Okay, sleeping is out the window now.

What happened? Did we get a flat tire?

Before I could even form a complaint, Eliza, who had been sitting like a statue all this time, sprang into action. She rose and popped open the small front window to the coachman’s compartment.

“What’s wrong? Is there an issue?” she asked, her voice gentle but firm.

“S-Sorry, miss,” the coachman said, his voice tense. “We spotted a dire wolf on the usual route, wandering the middle of the path. I decided to take the detour for our safety.”

A dire wolf?

The words echoed in my mind. I’d read about them before. They were basically wolves with ferocious strength, with adults usually the size of a typical carriage. It is widely hunted for its fur and fangs, as long as you weren’t the one being hunted. 

To put things simply…

It was a monster.

I instinctively straightened myselves, earning a curious glance at my math instructor as Carine.

This, in my entire lives, was my first encounter with a monster, or rather, a near-encounter. Despite how rare they were, I was reminded that monsters do exist in this world.

A small part of me was also disappointed that I couldn’t catch a glimpse of the monster. But I didn’t know if that was just pure curiosity or a death wish.

“Seriously? A monster?!” Ressa, who sat beside me, uttered in shock. “At this time of day?”

“I spotted it myself.” A knight, who sat beside the coachman, reared his head in with his visor up. “This is their mating season, so it seems to are looking for a mate.” He took a glance back, as if making sure we weren’t followed by the creature. “It seemed pretty big, too, so a detour is our best choice.”

Well… as long as we weren’t chased, things should be good, then?

“But, how do you know there won’t be any monsters in this route?” Ressa asked.

“Well… It’s our only choice at the moment, I’m afraid,” the coachman answered. 

“Unless we want to fight that monster head-on, at least,” the knight added.

Welp. So much for sleeping the ride out. 

How could I possibly relax after hearing that? 

Thanks, Ressa.

With everyone back in their seats and the atmosphere more cautious than ever, the carriage rolled on.

This was the first time we took this route, and the view from the riverside was, honestly, not bad. My only complaint was the notion of a monster ambushing us, alongside the rocky, unmaintained road.

…

Back in the estate, I closed my notebook with a soft thump.

Another mathematics lecture, and another day of me acing the questions and problems without breaking a sweat. Honestly, even without Carine’s analytical eyes, they were child’s play to me.

“Astounding work today, Lady Carine,” the math instructor said, gathering her own materials. “You must have studied hard on your own. At this level, your placement in the Honors class is no surprise.” She offered a warm, albeit slightly weary, smile.

“Thank you, Instructor,” I said, rising from my seat with my things in hand.

“Still,” she sighed, the sound full of genuine regret, “it’s a shame you didn’t choose Royal Governance…”

Ah, this again…

I was starting to lose count. Was this the fifth instructor to say this, or the sixth?

“I truly believe you have what it takes to claim the top spot, even there.”

“You flatter me, Instructor,” I deflected politely.

I was getting genuinely tired of everyone treating my path as some sort of personal disappointment. Why can’t they mind their own business?

“Well, I will see you next week, Lady Carine,” she said, finally heading for the door.

“Of course, thank you for your guidance today.” I gave a small bow.

The moment the instructor disappeared, I let my posture relax a little. After a quick check to ensure I had all my belongings, I exited the classroom into the quiet hallway.

“Lady Carine,” a voice called.

I turned to see Leila waiting, a fluffy towel draped precisely over her arm.

“A bath, my lady?”

I nodded without hesitation.

…

I sank into the steaming water, closing my eyes as the heat began to sap the worry out of me. For a few precious moments, my troubles, be it the disappointment from instructors or the looming threat of a monster ambush, seemed to wash away.

Leila settled behind me, and her skilled hands soon began working magic on my shoulders and back. I nearly melted on the spot, a sigh of pure relief catching in my throat.

A warm, luxurious bath, an expert massage, and a beautiful riverside view… sure, one of me was currently on monster-watch, but aside from that, nothing could top this top-tier relaxation.

“Lady Carine, may I ask?”

“You may,” I answered. “However, as I said countless times before, you don’t need to be so formal when it’s just the two of us, Leila.”

“I will keep that in mind, my lady.” And then, without dropping a single thread of her formality, she continued. “I would like to inform you that Sir Feyt has departed the estate.”

I already know that. 

“I see…” I said, my tone carefully neutral. “May he reach his destination safely.”

A heavy, awkward silence enveloped the bath chamber.

What’s with the sudden mood shift?

“Lady Carine?” Leila’s voice broke the quiet. 

“Yes?”

“…How much faith do you place in Sir Feyt?”

The steaming water instantly felt frozen.

W-What do you mean by that?

My mind went into a spiral. Was this a trick question or something?

What kind of faith was she even asking about?

I scrambled for the safest answer I could possibly think of.

“I have the utmost faith that he will make a fine knight,” I stated. “His progress with Mother has been remarkable, and I have no doubt he will excel at the academy.” I expertly praised myself without a single hint of hesitation in my voice. 

A true narcissist.

“I see. I share the same opinion, my lady.”

I felt a slight, internal tremble at the affirmation of my own glazing. What was it? Shame? Guilt?

“However, I wasn’t referring to his knightly aptitude, my lady.”

Then what else are you referring to?!

I scrambled my mind, racing through countless possibilities.

But then, after a moment of silence, Leila spoke again.

“Do you have faith… that no matter what happens, even at the darkest of times, that he will remain at your side?” She began. “Even when others beckon him… even when others are seemingly better for him… his loyalty will remain with you, and only you?”

So… it’s about loyalty, huh…

Was this Mother’s way of testing if Carine had any doubts about my future bodyguard? The “others beckoning” probably meant rival nobles trying to poach Feyt for themselves. After my display at the practical exam that day, there was a chance of that happening, not gonna lie. I understood Mother’s worry about that possibility.

However, I had no intention of choosing that route.

There was no one else I could trust more than me.

I was going to become my own bodyguard, whether the others liked it or not.

“Of course he will,” I answered, my voice absolute. I wanted no room for doubt to remain. “If our roles are switched, I shall do the same for him, as well,” I added, sealing the deal.

“I see…” Leila said, her tone still unchanging.

Silence filled the room once more, but this time it was profoundly different. Instead of awkward, it felt like things were… relaxed, relieved even. 

“It would seem I was worrying over nothing,” Leila murmured, her hands moving from my back to begin gently washing my hair.

“Huh?” I turned my head slightly to ask. “What do you mean?”

Through the corner of my eye, I saw her smiling ever so slightly. 

“It’s nothing, my lady,” she said as she gave a gentle, firm massage to my scalp, my worries melting away once more.

Not long after, familiar hills would finally come into view in Feyt’s vision.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep