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No, Keira could have avoided it by herself…
Her clothes and hair had gotten a little dirty, but she had managed to avoid the beast on her own so far.
Keira lifted her head to know who was the knight who had meaninglessly protected her.
“…!”
She froze.
Keira: “Ludwig?”
She was so flustered, she called him by his name and not his title.
If she was being honest, she was more surprised now than when the beast’s claws came in through the tent.
It was her father, Ludwig, who embraced her.
“Your Grace!”
“Are you okay?”
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She could hear voices she assumed were from the knights who followed after Ludwig.
‘No, His Grace doesn’t seem to be okay. Especially the head,’ Keira pondered.
Over Ludwig’s shoulder, she could see the knights slashing the beast step by step.
She thought they would arrive soon, but…
‘It’s a relief that no one seems to have died.’
The damage was insignificant, considering that the portal was suddenly opened without any warnings.
Piiiiiiiiiiik–!
Thud.
Not long after, the beast fell on the dirt floor with an even more piercing cry, and when it reached the ground, it dissolved into dust.
That was the problem with beasts. Its existence itself was a disaster, and there was nothing to gain from hunting it.
The emperor lamented that it would have been nice to utilize that hard leather.
“Your Grace, are you injured anywhere?”
“A-are you alright?”
When the beast disappeared, the people who had been evacuated gathered back. Keira finally came to her senses and walked away from Ludwig.
Keira: “Ugh!”
At that moment, the pain rose again from her injured ankle, and she staggered.
Ludwig: “Are you alright?”
Ludwig supported her as she tried to find her balance.
Keira: “I think I sprained my ankle… but I’m fine.”
Ludwig: “I’m glad you didn’t suffer any serious injuries.”
Keira hurriedly withdrew, but the crowd had already seen it–who the father of the two ladies protected first when Keira and Cosette were both in danger.
People did say that a person’s sincerity was only revealed in times of crisis.
“Did you see it? Did you?”
“Wow, that’s amazing. I told you. You can’t ignore the person you raised.”
“I heard he was impartial between the two, but I guess not.”
“His Grace rushed to wrap his arms around her.”*
Many people witnessed what had just happened–maids, soldiers, knights, and even nobles.
It would take less than three days for today’s events to spread throughout the capital.
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‘This is good… isn’t it?’
Regardless of why Ludwig made such a choice, the result was an advantage for Keira.
‘Maybe it was dark, and he didn’t see that Cosette was with me.’
It was a probable hypothesis. She nodded her head without realizing it.
Keira could see Cosette standing up from a close distance away. Her knights assisted her, but seeing as Ludwig hadn’t chosen her, the scene couldn’t help but look lonely.
Some people looked at her and laughed. It must have been unsightly for some nobles for a girl who had grown up in the mountains to now have a higher status than them.
Still, Keira couldn’t laugh or rejoice at the situation because she still had no idea why this happened.
Keira looked back at her father to see the servants dusting off the dirt on his clothes.
‘Why are you… why did you save me?’
But Keira wasn’t stupid enough to ask him directly in front of so many people.
First, she decided to say a polite greeting.
Keira: “Did you get hurt anywhere?”
Ludwig: “I’m fine; just a few scratches here and there.”
Keira: “For saving me… thank you.”
Ludwig: “You don’t need to thank me.”
The conversation between two people who had overcome a crisis was desolate. As if other people felt that, too, the atmosphere around them started buzzing once more.
Rose: “Milady! Milady!”
Keira: “Rose.”
Fortunately, Rose arrived just in time.
Rose: “I found the doctor! Let’s have you checked for injuries first.”
Keira wasn’t injured enough to need urgent medical attention, but it was an excellent excuse to get out of this situation.
Keira: “I think I hurt my ankle, so I need to see the doctor.”
Rose: “Are you hurt?”
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Keira: “Huh?”
Rose: “Arthur, carry her on your back.”
Keira: “Huuh?”
Arthur: “Yes, I understand. Since milady is wearing a skirt, it’s better if I carry her than have her on my back.”
Rose: “Do that then.”
Arthur: “Roger that!”
Arthur then approached Keira as if he was really going to carry her.
Keira urgently shouted.
Keira: “Support, support me, and that’s enough!”
Arthur: “…what do you say, Your Grace?”
Arthur looked back and asked Ludwig.
Ludwig’s brows furrowed as if he was displeased with the situation but replied like he had no choice.
Ludwig: “Do your best to make sure she’s not uncomfortable.”
Arthur: “Yes, of course. Now, shall we go, Your Ladyship?”
Keira leaned into Arthur’s arms as he smiled at her. It was definitely more comfortable than walking alone with an injured leg.
They soon exited the vacant lot where the people had gathered.
A few steps away, Rose led them in the right direction.
Keira: “Sir, why did you come so late? I was contemplating whether to file an appeal to the Crown Prince that it would be better to fire everyone.”
Arthur: “We were resting at that time, too. It’s only natural to be confused when you hear that a magical beast suddenly appears while everyone is washing up or lying in bed. There were no signs that it was going to happen.”
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Keira: “But it’s weird. The portal opened right above my head, and I didn’t even know until just before.”
Arthur: “It must have been because of the distance that I didn’t feel it.”
But that wasn’t the only strange thing.
‘Have demonic beasts appeared in hunting competitions before?’
Keira had been detained in the mansion around this time in the past. However, if a demonic beast appeared at an event hosted by the Imperial family, there was no reason Keira wouldn’t find out.
‘…Did I forget?’
She didn’t remember the events that happened in the past that vividly.
‘Still, I don’t think I’ll easily forget that a demonic beast appeared at an event like this…’
Arthur’s ramblings interrupted her thoughts.
Arthur: “His Grace, really, without hesitation, he flew towards Your Ladyship.”
Keira: “Hmm?”
Arthur: “I mean, the two of you in danger, right? But he didn’t hesitate at all about which one to rescue.”
Keira: “That… It was dark, so I guess he didn’t even see that Cosette was with me.”
Arthur: “…His Grace seems to have earned a lot of hatred in your heart.”
Arthur mumbled to himself and sighed. He wondered at her level of distrust.
Arthur: “Well, anyway, let’s get you treated.”
Keira: “Okay.”
“Does it hurt if you do this?”
Keira: “A little.”
“How about this?”
Keira: “It hurts less than before.”
“It looks like it was just a bit sprained… I don’t think it’s a serious injury. Sit down and let the swelling go down.”
Saying so, the doctor put a towel soaked in cold water on Keira’s ankle. She felt a cold chill run up her body.
“You’re supposed to stay still to get better quickly, but… Given the situation, it’s unreasonable not to move. So please avoid strenuous exercise until you are well.”
Keira: “What about horseback riding?”
“Of course not!”
The doctor exclaimed.
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‘D*mn it.’
Keira grimaced, cursing to herself.
She couldn’t ride her horse. It meant she had to be in the same carriage with Cosette on their way back.
“The pain will last for four weeks at the shortest and over a week at the longest. Of course, that’s on the premise that you don’t do strenuous exercise. Do you understand?”
Whenever doctors treat patients, they emit this certain power. Keira couldn’t help but nod at his orders.
Keira: “Okay.”
“I’ll instruct you to take medicine to reduce the pain.”
After saying that, the doctor left to see another patient.
The beast didn’t attack anyone directly, but it seemed that quite a few people got injured while trying to escape.
Keira sat blankly after taking the medicine the pharmacist had brought. At that moment, Rose rushed over and informed her she had a visitor.
Rose: “Milady, you have a guest.”
Keira: “Who is it?”
Rose: “He said he’s Erez Shore.”
Keira: “Why is that person… Ah, tell him to come in.”
She wondered why he was here, but she couldn’t just turn him away.
The entrance to the tent opened and a blond man walked in with a smile on his face.
Keira frowned slightly and asked.
Keira: “…What are you so happy about?”
Erez: “Hey, didn’t I win the bet?”
Keira: “Bet?”
Just as she was about to ask what he meant, Keira remembered the promise she made with him at the mansion a while back.
*Not 100% sure about this translation, please take it with a grain of salt.