A Hero Saves With Her Body - Chapter 109

Wear the chastity belt yourself, you bastard. Sergi smiled as he looked at Rosé’s raised eyebrows.

If it were a joke, his heart wouldn’t have felt so heavy. Even if it seemed like it could be a joke.

“Go in. We’re leaving tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Yes. Since the snow has stopped.”

Sergi opened the door himself and gestured towards the bed for Rosé. Was it consideration or coercion?

A brief, dark look passed through Sergi’s eyes as he looked at the keyhole under the door handle.

“Don’t waste your time anymore.”

Whether it was still a joke or he was being serious, it was hard to tell.

Rosé tried to peek at Sergi’s expression through the crack of the door, but soon after, the door slammed shut. Rosé sat on the edge of the bed and let out a sigh.

Wasting time. That’s what she wanted to say.

— Are we just going to watch this happen, Sergi Valeinia?
— I told you not to call me that.

‘Is there really a chance that man has imperial blood?’

Sergi Valeinia. If that man really is the Emperor’s illegitimate child…

— You may not know, but in Pumong, the Black Cloak is a symbol in itself. The guardian of the empire for the outskirts. And one more thing.
— A symbol of change. That they would no longer have to wait for the Emperor’s knights.
— But to the Emperor, it will be a symbol of rebellion.

Is he trying to take the throne from the Emperor using the Black Cloak?

‘Oh. What kind of Emperor would such a debtor become.’

Rosé tangled her hair and lay down on the bed as it was.

The fact that he, who was nothing more than a gang leader from the underworld, could become an Emperor was as absurd as her ascending to the throne.

* * *

The North Gate leading to the city of Kamit was opened.

The eleven people who had left the inn early still looked at each other with faces not yet fully awake.

The black horses provided by the Millerain branch were all offspring of championship horses and were accustomed to the harsh northern weather.

If they rode diligently, they would be able to see the solitary zelkova tree symbolizing entry into Kamit by the afternoon.

The people stretched out their arms one by one to shake off sleep and climbed onto their saddles.

Not just knights who were skilled riders—those who often had to travel long distances on horseback from Pumong also finished mounting their horses leisurely.

The problem was the black cloak. She wasn’t unable to ride a horse, but she wasn’t skilled enough to coax an unfamiliar horse to mount.

Every time her foot brushed against the horse’s flank, the black horse snorted and kicked up its heels in annoyance.

The horse also knew how to recognize the skill of its rider. It seemed reluctant to carry an inexperienced human on its back.

Sergi sighed and dismounted from the horse. He silently took Rosé’s wrist as she struggled to climb up and wordlessly lifted her onto his horse.

“Ah!”

“I thought I was carrying something light.”

If she had been heavier, it would have been difficult to start. As evidence of this, the horse carrying Mingus already looked exhausted.

“Ah… Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Sergi lowered his hat and showed a pretense of kindness by wrapping his arm around Rosé’s waist.

Rosé looked at her fidgeting reins to hide her embarrassment. Sensing her hesitation, she could hear Sergi sneer.

“Is this your first time relying on a man? Stick close now that we’re departing.”

Sergi held the reins and pulled Rosé’s waist again. Despite both of them wearing thick fur coats, their warm body temperatures were transmitted without hindrance.

The space between his legs, which were against her buttocks, felt uncomfortable. But now wasn’t the time to complain. With the horse moving faster than she expected, Rosé yelled in surprise at the speed.

“Stay close, I won’t be responsible even if you fall.”

Startled, Rosé firmly pressed her buttocks between Sergi’s legs. It goes without saying that she tightly gripped the saddle handle like a lifeline.

Sergi pulled one corner of his mouth. Contrary to his stern refusal to take responsibility, his smiling eyes seemed pitifully cute.

“Wah, it’s too fast!”

Unable to overcome the speed, Rosé hunched her upper body. Eventually, a cheerful laughter escaped from Sergi’s lips.

It was the most genuine sound she had heard throughout the days she had known him.

* * *

The executives arrived at the outskirts of Kamit around 3 p.m.

Considering they might be delayed by the wind that melted their bodies intermittently, they thought they might be late, but fortunately, the path was clear, allowing them to arrive on time.

The Red Knights escorted the executives to the knights’ barracks. The barracks, located just 3 arnirs (kilometers) away from the castle walls, were wooden houses built on high ground to block the cold.

In addition to Oster, Raymond, and Charles, who were present here, there were fifteen more Red Knights. They all seemed unfamiliar, as if they were expecting something.

When everyone gathered in front of the fireplace table after taking off their outerwear, Oster spoke.

“Vice Commander, report.”

Vice Commander Billy was a man who led the Red Knights in defense of the castle walls in Oster’s absence. He was also the one who first proposed the request to deal with the Pumong. Clearing his throat, he spoke.

“Five days ago, there was an incident where mammal-type demons crossed the castle walls. Tyrtan and I killed them on the spot, but just in case, we increased the deployment personnel. It is presumed that the demons climbed up using a broken ladder behind the castle walls.”

Oster’s expression darkened.

While it was not uncommon for one or two demons to cross the castle walls in Kamit, the timing couldn’t have been worse.

The survivors who requested help were near the castle walls. Some of them may have been victims.

“We’ll have to enter as soon as the sun rises.”

Podrick, who had been quietly listening with his chin in his hand, spoke in a solemn voice.

Although it was a statement that Oster couldn’t bring himself to say, it was what all the Red Knights were hoping for.

There was no time to delay any longer. In order to save even one more life, they had to open the gates and enter the defense zone.

“Any other opinions?”

At Sergi’s question, everyone shook their heads in unison. Then Oster, as if he had been waiting, unfolded a map on the table.

This old map was the first map of the castle drawn by Turner as he wandered around the defense zone little by little every day. Although it was not completed due to the broken castle walls, some parts could be confirmed.

Oster overlapped the map of Kamit from 110 years ago before the defense zone was established with Turner’s map.

The areas marked with red scissors were the main habitats of demons, in other words, their dwellings. And the areas marked with blue circles were where the Red Knights heard requests for help, areas where survivors were presumed to be present.

Oster pointed to one spot with a blue circle. Ermele Village.

It was a small village close to the western castle wall. It remained in its original form since it was the last area occupied by demons.

“This is the only safe zone where higher-level demons have not been confirmed in the last 10 years. If there are any missing persons alive, they must all be gathered here.”

“What’s that?”

Venter pointed to a space marked with a yellow star on the map with a puzzled expression. Oster replied.

“That’s the shelter I mentioned in Bistiman. It has a yellow roof so you shouldn’t have trouble finding it.”

“Are there jewels inside?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

The eyes of the executives sharpened. Podrick and Venter even pulled their chairs closer and stared at the map, trying to pierce through it. It seemed like they were more interested in the food¹in reference to 제보다 젯밥에 정신이 있다 (interested in the rice offered rather than an ancestral rite) which means ‘one does not devote one’s sincerity to one’s work and only focuses on one’s interests’.

“Then I will inform you of the location where the monsters appear. Please be cautious so as not to approach them.”

Pointing to an area marked with scissors on the map, Oster explained with his hand.

“First, it’s Mount Kaitored. The boundary that was opened 100 years ago started from here. It is still where demons are most abundant.”

“It’s only 90 arnirs from the first castle wall… Closer than I thought.”

Even if one ran with all their might, it would take about three hours to reach 90 arnirs. The fact that the demons’ habitats were close to the castle walls was definitely not a good thing.

“And this lake in front of Mount Kaitored.”

Oster pointed to ‘Eres Lake’ drawn on Turner’s map.

“It’s a habitat for water serpents. Even other demons don’t approach this lake since the creatures living there have quite nasty temperaments.”

“Water serpents?”

“Yes, they are both snakes and demons. When the temperature rises, they become active. Fortunately, due to last week’s heavy snowfall, the lake should be frozen now.”

After that, Oster explained one by one about habitats marked with scissors on Turner’s map. They were mostly mountains, lakes, and forests located away from villages.

Will the villages be safe then? Oster’s answer to the executives’ question was skeptical.

Perhaps they would be safe during the day since most demons in Kamit were nocturnal creatures. However, at night, they often came down from their habitats near the castle walls and wandered around.

“Well, we won’t be going there anyway.”

Sergi tapped the map with his dagger.

“The destination is set.”

Ermele Village—or more precisely, the shelter marked with a yellow star.

It had already been decided during a meeting among executives in Millerain. Finding the glass stones was their first task. Once found, three members of the Transport Unit would securely move them outside the castle gates.

The remaining four members of the Search Unit would explore the glass stone storage area while the sun was up. During that time, they would either rescue survivors or eliminate demons.

Although he initially opposed it, Peon eventually agreed to join the Search Unit after admitting that searching for storage areas and searching for survivors were not many different tasks.

“Well, I’m looking forward to it.”

Venter recalled handling glass stones and said with a smile. His heart pounding with anticipation as he stared at the map was clearly visible; Rosé, who had been staring at the map eagerly as well, felt the same way.

‘I wonder if I could steal one or two?’

She had been assigned to the Transport Unit at Millerain after she had expressed her lack of strength to lift a pickaxe. And that was a well-calculated move aimed at stealing glass stones.

Although Sergi mentioned individual settlements, he could change his mind at any moment when faced with money.

‘Rescuing survivors and earning money.’

Rosé smiled wickedly under her cloak.

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  in reference to 제보다 젯밥에 정신이 있다 (interested in the rice offered rather than an ancestral rite) which means ‘one does not devote one’s sincerity to one’s work and only focuses on one’s interests’