Chapter 5
The next morning, Lowell and I finished preparing to return to the capital.
The carriage was loaded with jewels, gold coins, and other expensive gifts Jerome had given as payment.
After confirming that everything was safely packed, Jerome spoke.
“Are you certain you’ll be fine returning without an escort?”
Lowell smiled lightly.
“Don’t worry. One imperial mage is equal to an entire battalion.”
“I suppose I worried unnecessarily. I wish you a safe return to the capital.”
Before parting, I used my final move of the day.
[Activating “Charm. ”]
“Hing… thinking about parting with you makes Aisha so saaaad, Duke! Hngh!”
Fine. Do whatever you want, system.
At this point, I didn’t even have the energy to protest the cringeworthy lines.
Jerome raised one eyebrow.
“Do you speak like that elsewhere as well?”
Of course not.
I never expected I’d be saying things like this either.
His surprisingly normal reaction caught me off guard.
Did he finally come to his senses?
“No. I don’t.”
“That’s good.”
He continued in a low voice.
“It’s enough that only I hear such words.”
[Jerome Winston’s affection has increased by 10.]
[Jerome Winston’s Affection: 21]
Ah.
So he liked it?
Well, as long as his affection rises, I guess it doesn’t matter if the man I’m romancing has slightly questionable tastes.
I opened the affection window.
Affection
Lowell: 25
Jerome: 21
??? : 0
??? : 0
??? : 0
Good. I’m catching up to Lowell. Let’s keep going like this.
Even now, Jerome maintained a perfectly calm expression.
“I wish you a safe journey.”
He looks so normal. What a shame.
With Jerome seeing us off, the carriage departed. As it swayed along the road, I organized my thoughts.
‘It’s going more smoothly than I expected.’
But the real problem was someone else.
‘Vivian Angus.’
The young lady is in love with Jerome. The villainess who poisoned me.
In my previous playthrough, I died after drinking tea at her tea party. She had clearly poisoned my cup.
I couldn’t fall for the same trick twice.
But simply avoiding her tea wasn’t enough.
She was ruthless enough to commit murder. I had no idea what she would try next.
I needed to deal with her in one move.
While I was thinking about how to get rid of this problem, Lowell suddenly spoke.
“Do you prefer men who are blunt and reserved?”
“Huh?”
It didn’t take long to realize he meant Jerome.
Instead of answering directly, I gave an awkward smile.
I didn’t want my superior interfering in my private affairs, especially romance.
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
Didn’t work.
Lowell just stared at me silently.
I was about to add another excuse when his eyes turned cold.
He lowered his head slightly and muttered in a low voice.
“…How amusing. Did you think I wouldn’t notice?”
There was a faint killing intent in his eyes. A chill ran down my spine.
Notice what?
My thoughts began to spiral—
“Inimiki Crocum Me Revelentur.”
As Lowell chanted, pale green waves spread out from the carriage.
It felt familiar.
I had seen this spell before in a previous playthrough.
Same time. Same place.
I finally remembered and understood.
“Monsters
“Yes. They’re hiding nearby. Around a dozen. Likely snowfield spiders.”
After visiting the duke’s estate in the game, we had been attacked by snowfield spiders on the way back.
When Lowell said he noticed something, he meant the hidden spiders.
“How foolish. They thought we wouldn’t detect them.”
Lowell stopped the carriage and slowly stood.
I pretended to rise as well and asked,
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
“I appreciate the thought, but with your mana level, there’s nothing you can do.”
“Oh no, how unfortunate!”
I immediately sat back down.
“I really wanted to help, but I shouldn’t get in your way. I’ll just stay inside the carriage and wait!”
I was the kind of person who would faint at the sight of a cockroach in my apartment.
The first time I played this game, I nearly threw my console after seeing the illustration of the snowfield spider.
It was manageable because it was just a game.
But I had no desire to see a spider the size of a human in real life.
Just then, Lowell, who was stepping out of the carriage, said,
“Still, it would be good practical experience. At least observe.”
“…”
I should have just kept quiet.
Regretting my words, I followed him outside.
A vast white snowfield stretched before us. There were no visible monsters.
Suddenly, Lowell grabbed my arm and pulled me close.
“Don’t stray from my side.”
For a moment, my heart skipped.
Lowell’s smile was stunning, beautiful enough to outshine even the most famous beauties.
It annoyed me that my heart reacted, but I couldn’t deny his looks.
“Fulmen Lance Ignis.”
A yellow flash shot from his palm.
It seemed to cut through empty air, but crackling sounds filled the air as something invisible burned.
Lowell spoke calmly.
“Snowfield spiders lay webs and wait for prey. They’ve set a lovely net right in front of the carriage.”
Soon, electric currents spread through the air like a giant web, becoming visible.
“Since their nervous systems are highly developed, they’re easy to defeat.”
He snapped his fingers.
The electricity surged through the web.
“Skreeeech!”
A piercing scream echoed everywhere.
The hidden snowfield spiders leapt out.
Their fur was nearly the same color as snow, making them hard to see until now.
Some rolled across the snow in agony. Others flipped over, legs twitching violently.
Over ten of them convulsed at once.
Goosebumps covered my skin.
“Ugh…”
The smell of burning flesh mixed with the sight of roasted spiders made my stomach churn.
I stepped back.
“Can I return to the carriage first?”
Lowell seemed to have finished them off anyway. I felt like I would faint if I stayed.
As I took a few steps—
“Skreeech!”
One spider leapt toward me.
It must have escaped Lowell’s earlier attack.
Damn it!
Cold sweat ran down my back. I had no ability to fight it.
Just as I thought I was done for—
“Perfora Tonitrus
A blinding flash filled my vision.
I squeezed my eyes shut as an explosive roar rang out.
“Skreeeech!”
When the scream faded, I slowly opened my eyes.
A charred black spider corpse lay on the snow.
And silver hair fluttered in front of me.
“Haa…”
I heard a low sigh.
I felt warmth. The steady rise and fall of Lowell’s chest.
He was holding me.
Our faces were so close our breaths almost touched.
“You were told not to leave my side.”
His violet eyes locked onto mine, as if they wouldn’t allow me to escape.
