“Ten minutes left. Get out of here right now.”

Surprised by her sudden forceful tone, Lynen forgot his shock and responded.

“What?”

“Catch all the magical beasts here right now. Within 10 minutes. If not, you’ll be mine… ugh…”

The hand gripping his collar lost its strength.

Though she hadn’t fainted, she looked like she could barely breathe.

“…”

After briefly furrowing his brow, Lynen stood up.

He still didn’t understand what was going on.

But since he had received help from Calliphe and needed to resolve this situation, he had to move.

However, he was concerned about leaving Calliphe here like this.

Bang! Bang!

The magical beasts that sensed their presence were causing a commotion trying to get in.

Even if he dealt with these ones, other magical beasts might rush in.

“…No choice then.”

Lynen, who had hesitated briefly, reached out to Calliphe.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

“?!”

Calliphe felt her vision flip upside down. It felt strangely familiar.

“Ugh.”

Once again, she was hoisted onto his shoulder like a sack of flour.

Calliphe struggled.

“Who are you treating like baggage?”

“Ugh, stay still. There’s no choice. Would you prefer to be carried in both arms instead?”

“Ugh. Don’t say such horrible things!”

“…Horrible?”

Both of them frowned and glared at each other.

Lynen was the first to wave the white flag.

Seeing Calliphe’s pale face, he knelt on one knee before her despite his obvious displeasure.

Then he sat Calliphe on one arm and lifted her up in one swift motion.

It was like carrying a child.

“W-what is this… Ah!”

When a startled Calliphe almost fell backward losing her balance, Lynen quickly supported her back with his arm.

Calliphe also hurriedly grabbed onto Lynen’s neck with both arms.

Ding!

[Filial Piety Quest Complete!]

[Share a reconciliatory hug with Duke Ortega (1/1)]

[Received 3 Filial Piety points as reward.]

‘They’re counting this as a hug too.’

Since it was such a generous judgment, she didn’t feel like questioning it.

Rather, she was happy to finally earn some Filial Piety points.

“Hmph, I have no choice but to think of it as having a bug attached to me.”

“Ah… a bug, you say.”

The muscles in Lynen’s arms carrying Calliphe tensed.

“Hold on tight. I won’t be responsible if you fall.”

“There’s no way I’ll fall here… Kyaah!”

Startled by his sudden burst of speed, Calliphe clung to Lynen.

“Y-you’re too fast!”

At her scream, rather than slowing down, the speed increased even more.

[Time remaining 00:13:49]

* * *

There were still many people inside the building who hadn’t managed to escape.

The nobles who had been holding their breath hiding from the magical beasts began to speak one by one.

“W-what happened to that mercenary who was fighting the magical beasts earlier?”

“I don’t know. I can’t hear anything… Hic.”

Thump, thump.

Happening to wander nearby, the presence of a magical beast grew closer.

The nobles covered their mouths and shed tears.

At that moment, the magical beast’s presence disappeared right in front of the door.

Had it just passed by? Just as the nobles began to relax their hands covering their mouths.

Crash!

The double doors covering the balcony shattered loudly as a magical beast appeared.

“Ahhh!”

“Save us!”

Kareurek! …Kuk!

However, the magical beast couldn’t even manage to charge at the people.

In its roaring posture, its body was split in half as it collapsed. Since it had partially frozen instantly, there wasn’t even the gruesome sight of blood spilling.

Behind the crumbling body of the magical beast, the figure of Lynen Ortega holding a sword appeared.

“Duke!”

“You came to save us! Thank you… Huh?”

The cheering nobles each showed puzzled reactions.

It was because Duke Ortega was carrying a woman in one arm.

This was the very same Duke Ortega who had put up an iron wall against countless marriage proposals and even escorts as a knight.

That alone was surprising enough.

And that beauty with honey-golden hair and an unyielding impression was certainly…

“L-Lady Offensa?”

“What are you looking at? Is this a show?”

People lowered their eyes at the sharp retort that immediately followed.

Then came Lady Offensa’s anxious voice.

“Don’t be careful, hurry.”

“Should I put you down?”

“Then you won’t get my encouragement!”

Pat pat!

The nobles were shocked. Lady Offensa was affectionately patting the Duke’s back!

However, the Duke’s response that followed was even more shocking.

“Stop. You’ll collapse again if you keep doing that.”

Would someone collapse just from a few pats?

Whether aware or unaware of the nobles gaping, Duke Ortega left instructions to wait carefully and quickly disappeared.

The remaining nobles spoke in a daze.

“That was really Duke Ortega just now, right?”

“Yes.”

“Weren’t they like enemies? With Lady Offensa one-sidedly following him around.”

“Yes.”

“But when did they become so close they’d stick together even in this situation? Was there a Cupid among the magical beasts?”

“…Wait. Didn’t they say Lady Offensa had a secret boyfriend?”

Suspicion settled on their faces with that ‘could it be.’

The suspicion spread more and more as Lynen carried Calliphe all over the place.

* * *

Thud!

As the last magical beast fell.

[Time remaining 00:00:02]

The decreasing countdown finally stopped.

‘That was really close!’

Calliphe let out a sigh of relief from her anxious heart.

Honestly, she thought it might be impossible to handle all the magical beasts spread throughout this vast hall within 10 minutes.

‘To think he made that possible.’

Moreover, Lynen was just slightly out of breath, not particularly showing signs of fatigue.

As expected of <Marino>’s secret sword instructor.

“This way!”

“Is everyone alright?”

The security forces and medical personnel who had received reports rushed in hurriedly.

As it was such a major incident, many family members and servants of the victims had gathered.

The people of House Ortega, worried about their master, also rushed to Lynen.

“My lord! Are you alright?”

“Are you injured…!”

As it wasn’t an atmosphere to stay around, Calliphe slipped away by blending in with the crowd.

‘I need to check the quest anyway.’

As she walked to a suitable spot, she could hear bustling sounds from all around.

“Madam! Are you alright? Thank goodness you’re safe. Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Oh dear, young lady. How much must you have suffered for your carefully styled hair to be in such disarray? Come here. Let me brush it for you.”

It was the families and servants who had come worried about those involved in the accident.

Calliphe walked indifferently through them.

“Making such a fuss.”

It was when Calliphe finally stood in a suitable corner.

“Ugh.”

She suddenly felt pain in her ankle.

Her ankle was visibly swollen.

It seemed she had twisted it while being chased by magical beasts with everyone else, but only now did she feel the pain.

Calliphe clicked her tongue and stuffed her foot back into her shoe.

Then she began to check the quest.

Meanwhile, Lynen was calming down his excited subordinates.

“My lord! Thank goodness you’re safe! I knew this banquet felt off from the start. We shouldn’t have trusted those imperial bastards, especially ones with bad reputations!”

Raul burst out in anger.

“Lower your voice, Raul. Everyone here is one of those imperials you speak of.”

“Understood… Are you injured anywhere? Of course you wouldn’t be, but let me check briefly.”

House Ortega’s healers and servants moved swiftly.

In this place, Ortega was the only house familiar with harsh environments and combat. Thus, they were more swift and professional than the dispatched medical personnel.

Other nobles looked on with admiration, saying “as expected of Ortega.”

It was while Lynen was habitually ignoring such gazes.

His eyes caught sight of Calliphe standing alone.

Come to think of it, the House Offensa servants who should have been around her were nowhere to be seen.