Despite thinking he had eaten quite a lot, who knows how much he had brought.

Percy, who had eaten a heap of carrots again today, said with a shudder.

“Growing?”

Mateo laughed heartily.

“It’s not like carrots reproduce, but they keep coming out, so I’m asking.”

Unlike Charlie, the Master-level knights had no need to eat carrots at all.

Yet, carrot dishes were served every day due to Mateo’s menu development.

Carrots weren’t considered a high-end ingredient and are usually added as a secondary ingredient to supplement color, aroma, and taste. Therefore, the dishes that could be served at the table were very limited.

If they had to eat it anyway, wouldn’t it be better to enjoy it deliciously?

Besides, Charlie dined with Hector.

It was unthinkable to serve shabby dishes on the Grand Duke’s table.

So, the idea he came up with was ‘Let’s develop new menus and have the knights taste them.’

Unlike the servants, the knights were of higher rank, had pickier tastes, and were more straightforward. Also, being on an expedition, they had to eat whatever was given as they couldn’t get food from elsewhere.

“Or did you secretly use teleportation magic to bring new ones?”

“How could that be possible?”

“Then why does it keep coming out no matter how much we eat?”

Instead of answering, Mateo showed the magic pouch he received from Tanner.

“……!”

The knights’ eyes, filled with astonishment, focused on Mateo.

“Th-that’s…!”

What Mateo was holding was an S-grade magic pouch.

In this world, magic pouches were not only valuable but also very rare. Even the Knight Order could only use them when going on expeditions or to battlefields.

Charlie’s bathtub and bed were also stored in the Knight Order’s magic pouch.

But to give it to a cook just to carry carrots?

And an S-grade at that.

“……”

What on earth were these carrots for them to be treated so importantly?

The knights grumbled at the thought of having to face an endless carrot festival.

Watching them, Charlie turned to Leon.

“Did something happen to His Grace?”

It had been quite a while since they prepared to move.

But no matter how long they waited, Hector didn’t appear.

“You know, work.”

“But he’s taking too long…”

“He might cause trouble, but His Grace isn’t someone who would be troubled by others. So don’t worry, Miss Charlie.”

Leon answered nonchalantly while feeding carrots to Hector’s black horse.

“Eat more, you eat it all.”

The black horse snorted and stepped back.

Leon, gripping the reins, pushed the carrot forward, undeterred.

“Come on, you need to eat to be healthy.”

“……”

Leon, and the knights too, seemed as carefree as ever.

Well, he’s the great Hector, what could possibly go wrong?

Just as she was turning her head with that thought.

‘Huh… Sh*t. What’s that?’

Charlie’s mouth fell open at the spectacle unfolding before her eyes.

* * *

Hector was walking towards them, his black cloak fluttering.

His steps were so noble that Charlie swallowed dry saliva, feeling as if she was watching a predator.

The red lining visible inside the cloak created an illusion as if he was wrapped in flames.

Hector, perfectly purified, was radiance itself.

Just standing still was enough to exude coolness, but walking in a black uniform with his red eyes blazing was enough to put a strain on one’s heart.

‘Insane…’

And that wasn’t all. On Hector’s right was Cedric.

Light brown hair and fresh green eyes. His green cloak, the same color and symbol of the Edwards family, fluttered in the wind.

His straight features, like the epitome of a righteous man, stood out even from afar.

The kind impression from his slightly drooping eyes was gone, and Cedric, wearing the commander-in-chief’s splendid armor, exuded solemnity and intense masculinity.

‘Crazy.’

And how about Noel, positioned on Hector’s left?

The blue cloak, symbol of the Wilkins family, looked as if it might fly away freely at any moment. The silver pauldron covering from shoulder to elbow gleamed under the sun.

On the opposite side, in contrast, long elaborate earrings dangled.

His appearance, ambiguous between boy and adult, exuded a mysterious charm.

She could understand why the socialite women in the novel were so drawn to Noel.

They say one feels greater desire for what they can’t have.

His freedom, unbound by anything, stimulated the urge to hold onto him.

“……”

One alone would be dazzling, but all three at once?

Charlie felt dizzy at the parade of male protagonists overwhelming her vision.

‘They must all be crazy.’

* * *

A chilly wind brushed through the dense foliage.

The sharp sound sweeping through the forest even gave off an ominous feeling.

Despite it being midday, the surroundings were dark due to the trees standing tall as if to pierce the sky.

The expedition passed through this space.

The imperial army led the vanguard. The Wilkins family was in the middle, and the Hunt family at the rear.

As Hector said, the road became more treacherous as they went deeper into the mountain range.

The bumpiness of the ground could be felt even on horseback, so if they had taken a carriage, they probably would have gotten sick before going far.

“Are you uncomfortable?”

Hector, holding the reins while embracing Charlie from behind, asked.

It was because Charlie’s expression hadn’t been good for a while.

When the two of them first appeared riding the same horse, not only the imperial army but also the Wilkins family couldn’t hide their shock.

It was a natural reaction, given that the great Hector not only brought a woman but was also riding the same horse with her.

Cedric’s face was completely stiff, and Noel had an inscrutable, languid expression.

But Hector was nonchalant. He even pulled Charlie closer as if to show off.

“No, I’m fine.”

Charlie shook her head.

It was impossible for her to be comfortable on a horse she was riding for only the second time, but thanks to Hector, she wasn’t too uncomfortable.

Hector’s firm arm supported Charlie to prevent her from shaking, and his broad chest steadily supported her back.

Hector, observing Charlie, added in a gentle tone.

“Tell me if it’s hard. It’s okay.”

“I will.”

Charlie, smiling awkwardly, looked ahead again.

The green flag of the Edwards family fluttering behind caught her eye.

Cedric and Noel, who had been walking with Hector, dispersed to their respective camps after exchanging some words.

At that time, Charlie’s eyes met Cedric’s.

‘Why… is he looking at me like that?’

Cedric wore a complex expression, like a mix of joy and sorrow.

Moreover, his gaze, fixed directly on her, was clearly not a coincidental meeting of eyes.

As if to prove this, Cedric’s gaze lingered on Charlie for quite a long time.

He definitely looked at her like this on the day she went shopping with Emma.

She even wondered if he might have known Charlie before she possessed this body.

[Ah… I was just trying to return something you dropped.]

In the original work, Cedric was the epitome of a righteous man.

Aside from treating Liliana more gentlemanly than the other protagonists, he had a very strong sense of chivalry, valuing bravery, piety, and honor.

And he was an extremely diligent hard worker.

Whether it snowed, rained, or the wind blew, his daily routine that starts with training before dawn and ends with prayer was breathtaking just to watch.

If Hector was the opposite of Kaisis, then Cedric was the opposite of Noel.

He was also a character that didn’t fit this world at all.

The Edwards family was traditionally far-right, viewing s*xual intercourse as a religious act and shunning personal pleasure.

Although it might seem similar to Hector in which they have s*x only for purification, the fundamental meaning was different.

For instance, if Kaisis used purification as medicine, Hector was impotent, if Noel enjoyed it, Cedric considered it sacred.

Perhaps that’s why, you wouldn’t believe how devout and polite he was during s*x.

‘May I hold your legs, is it alright if I apply a bit more force, may I ej*culate?’ He deserved a standing ovation for making Liliana’s first experience so splendid.

But in the end, even Cedric succumbed to the pleasure Liliana gave.

Unable to control his lust, he pounced on her in the prayer room.

He was in such a hurry that he didn’t even remove Liliana’s underwear, just pulled it aside and ej*culated several times into her v*gina that’s already full of s*men.

‘Didn’t they say the altar was drenched in s*men?’

The scene of the once noble man not just disheveled but crumbling to lust was astounding.

Having been in a relationship with such a Cedric and then meeting Hector, Liliana’s aversion could only be intensified.

From ‘Lady Liliana’ to ‘Hey, Miracle.’ From ‘May I perform the ritual?’ to ‘Spread.’ It plummeted in an instant, how could she not be shocked?

Of course, the current Hector is so different that one might wonder if he’s the same person as in the original work.