The next morning, Lowell and I finished preparing to return to the capital.
The carriage was loaded with various valuables—jewels, gold coins, and other treasures that Jerome had given us as a reward.
After confirming that all the सामान had been safely loaded, Jerome spoke.
“Are you sure you’ll be alright returning without an escort?”
Lowell replied with a gentle smile.
“Don’t worry. The strength of a single imperial mage is comparable to that of an entire battalion.”
“I see I worried unnecessarily. I wish you a safe journey back to the capital.”
Before parting with Jerome, I decided to use my final trump card.
[Activating ‘Charm’ skill.]
“Sniff… thinking about parting with His Grace makes Aisha so sad! Waaah!”
Fine. Do whatever you want, system.
At this point, I didn’t even have the will to protest against these cringeworthy lines anymore.
Just then, Jerome raised one eyebrow crookedly.
“Do you speak like that elsewhere as well?”
As if I would.
I never imagined I’d end up saying things like this either.
Even in the middle of this absurd situation, I found myself flustered by Jerome’s unexpectedly normal reaction.
Did he finally come to his senses?
“No. I don’t.”
“That’s a relief.”
He continued in a low, steady voice.
“Hearing it from you alone is more than enough.”
[Jerome Winston’s favorability has increased by 10.]
[Jerome Winston’s favorability: 21]
Ah.
So he liked it?
Well, as long as his affection increased, I didn’t really care if the man I was targeting had… questionable tastes.
Thinking I should just hurry up and clear the game and go back, I opened the favorability window.
===================
Favorability
Lowell: 25
Jerome: 21
??? : 0
??? : 0
??? : 0
===================
Good. I’m catching up to Lowell. Let’s keep it this way.
Meanwhile, Jerome gave a perfectly composed farewell.
“Please take care on your way back.”
He looks so normal. What a shame for such a fine young man.
With Jerome seeing us off, the carriage finally departed. As it swayed along, I gathered my thoughts.
Things are going more smoothly than expected.
But the real problem lay elsewhere.
Vivian Angus.
The name of the noble lady who had a crush on Jerome—and the villainess who had poisoned me—came to mind.
In my previous playthrough, I had died after drinking tea at a tea party she hosted. She had definitely laced my tea with poison.
I couldn’t fall for the same trick twice.
But simply refusing to drink her tea wouldn’t be enough to feel safe.
She was vicious enough to murder someone—who knew what she might try next?
Which meant I had to eliminate her in one decisive move.
As I was thinking about how to deal with this troublesome woman, Lowell spoke.
“Do you prefer cold, stoic men, my lady?”
“…Pardon?”
I looked at him in confusion. It didn’t take long to realize who he was referring to.
Instead of answering, I gave an awkward smile.
I didn’t want my superior prying into my personal life—especially my love life—so I pretended not to understand.
“I’m not quite sure what you mean.”
Was my lie too obvious?
Lowell simply stared at me in silence.
Just as I wondered if I should come up with an excuse, his eyes grew cold.
Lowering his head slightly, he muttered in a subdued voice,
“…How amusing. Did you think I wouldn’t notice?”
Unlike usual, there was a faint killing intent in his gaze. The chilling sensation sent a shiver down my spine.
What did he notice?
Just as my thoughts began to spiral—
“Inimici crocum me revelentur.”
As Lowell chanted, a faint green wave spread outward from the carriage.
It felt familiar. I had seen this magic in a previous playthrough.
At the same time. In the same place.
Only then did the memory return, and I finally understood his actions.
“Monsters?”
“Yes. They’re lurking nearby. About a dozen. Most likely snowfield spiders.”
After first visiting the duke’s estate in the game, we had been attacked by snowfield spiders on the way back.
When Lowell said he had “noticed,” he meant he had detected the hidden spiders.
“How foolish. They must have thought we wouldn’t notice.”
After stopping the carriage, Lowell slowly rose to his feet.
I pretended to get up as well and asked,
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
“I appreciate the thought, but there’s nothing you can do with your level of mana.”
“Oh dear, what a shame!”
I immediately plopped back into my seat.
“I really wanted to help, but I shouldn’t get in my master’s way. I’ll just stay here quietly in the carriage!”
I was the kind of person who would faint at the sight of a cockroach in my apartment.
When I first played this game, the illustration of a snowfield spider had nearly made me throw my console.
I could barely endure it because it was virtual—but I had no desire to see a human-sized spider in real life.
Just then, as Lowell was about to step outside, he spoke.
“Still, it would be a good practical experience. You should at least observe.”
“….”
I should’ve just kept my mouth shut.
Regretting it too late, I followed him out.
Outside the carriage stretched a vast white snowfield. There was no visible sign of monsters anywhere.
Then Lowell grabbed my arm and pulled me closer to his side, smiling gently.
“Just don’t stray from me.”
My heart skipped a beat.
Lowell possessed a smile so beautiful it could put even legendary beauties to shame.
It annoyed me that my heart reacted even for a moment—but I couldn’t deny his striking looks.
“Fulmen lancea ignis.”
As Lowell chanted, a yellow flash shot rapidly from his palm.
Though it seemed to cut through empty air, it crackled as it burned something invisible.
With a relaxed expression, Lowell explained,
“Snowfield spiders spin webs and wait for prey. Looks like they’ve laid a nice trap in front of the carriage.”
Soon, electric currents traced the shape of a massive web suspended in the air.
“If you take advantage of their highly developed nervous systems, they’re easy to defeat.”
With a snap of his fingers, the current spread across the web.
A piercing, ear-splitting screech rang out in all directions.
“Kiiieeeek!”
The hidden snowfield spiders leapt into view.
Their fur, similar in color to the snow, had concealed them until now.
Some rolled across the snow in agony, while others flipped over, their legs twitching violently in spasms.
Seeing more than a dozen spiders like that at once made my skin crawl.
“Ugh…”
My stomach churned. The sight of the charred spiders, combined with the nauseating burnt smell, was too much to endure.
I took several steps back.
“May I go back to the carriage first?”
It looked like Lowell had already taken care of everything—and if I stayed any longer, I might faint.
As I moved toward the carriage—
“Kiiieeek!”
A shriek rang out.
One of the spiders lunged toward me—it must have escaped Lowell’s attack and remained hidden.
Damn it…!
Cold sweat trickled down my back. I had no way to defend myself.
Just as I thought I was done for—
“Perfora tonitrus.”
A flash erupted before my eyes.
I squeezed them shut at the sudden brightness, and a thunderous explosion followed, along with the spider’s dying scream.
“Kiiieeeek!”
As the sound faded, I slowly opened my eyes.
A charred black corpse of a spider lay sprawled across the snow.
And then—I saw it.
Silver hair, swaying softly.
“...Haa.”
A low sigh reached my ears. I could feel Lowell’s chest rising and falling, his warmth close against me.
At a distance close enough for our breaths to mingle, our eyes met.
“I told you not to leave my side.”
His violet eyes seemed to bind me in place, as if refusing to let me escape.