Moving slowly made the blood-covered bandits scattered throughout the forest more visible.

As I smiled bitterly, the Grand Duke, who had been quietly watching me, pointed to something fallen by the roadside.

Following his gaze, I saw a necklace lying in the middle of a pool of blood.

Looking at him with an expression that said, “What am I supposed to do with that?”, he opened his mouth.

“Do you see that necklace?”

“The white one?”

“That is made from the teeth of civilians they murdered.”

At those horrifying words, I turned to look at him quickly and momentarily lost my balance.

He extended his hand to grab my arm and laughed softly.

“Wouldn’t it be better if we rode together?”

“No. I was just startled for a moment.”

I smiled and firmly but politely pushed away the Grand Duke’s arm. He smiled back and made a suggestion that could make my expression sour.

“If another Tangerous situation arises, let’s ride together then.”

I gripped the reins more tightly and tensed my body. I must absolutely not waver now.

He chuckled at my reaction.

What was it?

Those dry eyes, yet that attitude as if he were courting me.

As I briefly wondered if the Grand Duke had a history with women, he continued his explanation.

“It’s their ritual to make a necklace from the teeth of the first person they kill.”

“That’s horrific.”

“They paid for their crimes today.”

He meant that their actions couldn’t be forgiven just because they were clumsy and had sob stories. I nodded slightly at his explanation.

“True. Not everyone becomes a bandit and kills civilians just because they’re struggling to make a living.”

“Correct.”

“But if they hadn’t been struggling, they wouldn’t have become bandits.”

Cough-

Gasp-

At my added comment, sounds of sighs and swallowed breaths came from behind again.

How do they all survive in this harsh world with such tiny livers?

As I was clicking my tongue, I heard the Grand Duke’s low voice.

“So you’re saying it’s not just their fault. Then whose fault do you think it is?”

When I looked at his face, he was staring at me, too. His gaze was still dry, and the smile he had been holding disappeared.

“All of our fault, perhaps?”

“My lady, I don’t like wordplay.”

“It wasn’t wordplay. Well, I’ll think about it a bit more and give you an answer.”

When I talked back once more, his gaze grew even colder. Feeling a bit intimidated, I changed my words and laughed, and he quietly rode his horse.

I forgot about criticizing others for having tiny livers and kept my mouth shut.

What, should I say it’s the fault of the Grand Duke who rules the North? Hmph. How petty.

I only grumbled inwardly about the absurdities of the class society.

***

“Your Highness. Isn’t the forest path beautiful?”

“Indeed.”

“Your Highness. The sky is so blue.”

“Indeed.”

After that, it was a series of meaningless conversations. I thoughtlessly threw out random comments, and the Grand Duke responded perfunctorily.

Until bandits appeared again.

“Hahaha- Hand over everything you have! Huh! Th-the Kalschmitz…”

It seems the North needs a map. A map showing areas with monsters and bandits. Today was clearly a bandit-infested area.

“Gasp- Run away!”

Clatter-clatter-clatter-

The Grand Duke hadn’t put his robe back on since the first group of bandits. The bandits who recognized him at a glance turned to flee, but having already been seen by the Grand Duke, they were as good as dead.

They should have checked who was among their enemies before jumping out. He wasn’t even wearing his robe.

The Grand Duke swung his sword once with a bored expression.

Swoosh-

Thud-

Thud-thud-

Boom-!

Trees fell with a crash, cutting off the bandits’ escape route.

The Grand Duke commanded firmly.

“Behead them.”

“Yes!”

“Keep the leader alive.”

And so began the knights’ noisy slaughter.

Clang-

Aaaagh-

“You’d better get off your horse and go somewhere safe.”

“Yes.”

He took me to a spot a little distance from the scene. And stood guard in front of me.

With his protective stance, my actual guards, including Demian, didn’t dare approach.

I waved my hands, signaling them to deal with the bandits instead, and the dejected guards fought the bandits earnestly.

“Argh-“

Clang-

“Die! Ugh!”

Slash-

I averted my eyes from the scene and sounds that I couldn’t easily get used to.

And once again, I spoke according to my stream of consciousness.

“I’m curious about something, Your Highness.”

“What is it?”

“One swing of your aura blade could end this, so why aren’t you doing it yourself this time?”

He smiled slightly at my question, filled with genuine curiosity.

And then explained in a kind tone, as if telling a child who knew nothing.

“I deliberately brought knights who were recently appointed.”

“Ah. You’re trying to give them field experience.”

It was obvious. As I was praising myself, the Grand Duke praised me.

“You’re clever.”

“I hear that a lot.”

He laughed softly at my nonchalance. The coldness from earlier had completely disappeared. I looked back at the blood-splattered scene and spoke again.

“Your Highness. May I ask one more thing?”

He nodded with a smile.

With his permission granted, I asked the question I had been wondering about all along.

“Why did you hide your identity and follow me?”

Since it was a question that would eventually be asked, he answered calmly.

“I wanted to see you in person, my lady.”

“Why?”

And it was I who became anxious.

With him asking me to keep him company and all, I hoped he wasn’t thinking something like wanting to make me his contract Grand Duchess because I was too pretty and smart.

While Lora had a nasty personality, her appearance was nothing short of angelic, so I was a bit suspicious.

Plus, now that I had possessed her, her personality was good too, which made it even more concerning.

It was a rule that all contract marriages led to real marriages. Being a free spirit, I had no interest in the troublesome role of a Grand Duchess.

Jumping to conclusions, I narrowed my eyes and looked at him.

He curved his eyes and drew his characteristic languid smile.

“It’s a secret.”

And after arousing plenty of curiosity, he turned his attention back to the scene.

That was usually my line.

As I stood there dumbfounded after being one-upped, a knight came running.

“We’ve subdued them all, Your Highness!”

“Good work.”

The Grand Duke patted the knight’s shoulder and approached the kneeling leader.

I quietly followed and stood among the knights. The bandit leader was trembling so badly, it was pitiful.

The Grand Duke looked down at him with cold eyes and asked a question.

“Are there any remaining followers?”

“Uh, no.”

“Raise your head.”

As the leader raised his head to look up at the Grand Duke, the Grand Duke, who was staring directly into the bandit leader’s eyes, said.

“If that is not true, I won’t kill the others so easily.”

The leader’s eyes widened. Soon, tears began to drop from his eyes.

“They have wives and children! Please spare them!”

“Where are they?”

“Sob, please…”

“If we find any of their remaining followers, skin them alive and tear them limb from limb.”

At these chilling words and horrifying content, the leader’s eyes widened and he confessed.

“At the foot of the mountain behind us!”

“Which territory are you from?”

“Hellin, Hellin village!”

Slash-

The Grand Duke’s expression sank deeply as he beheaded the bandit.

Hellin village. The first bandits they encountered also said they came from there. It was a territory with many problems in various ways.

“The sun is setting. Find a place to camp.”

“Yes! Your Highness!”

He composed his expression and sheathed his sword, and the others quietly followed.