Chapter 16
Faithful to my innate laziness, I slept in as much as I pleased and only woke up late in the morning.
Since I had promised myself the day before that I would go out for a walk but instead ended up stuffing myself with popcorn and falling asleep, I was now gnawing on a bunch of fresh greens as a kind of penitence.
That was when ushla delivered a letter to me.
“For me?”
“Yes, the addressee is you, my lady.”
What could it be? Was there really anyone who would send me a letter, when I was quietly (?) living the days of a mere bystander?
Tilting my head, I accepted what was held out to me.
Hmm, surely it’s not a duel invitation telling me to sneak out at night by myself? The sender was Kenneth.
Entertaining such a silly thought, I unfolded the neatly folded paper and was immediately struck by the unmistakably feminine handwriting.
It turned out to be an invitation.
Ah.
The words triggered a memory, and I put down my fork and snapped my fingers.
Right, of course. This event was supposed to happen!
On fine-quality paper, the Danolla barony invited guests to attend a tea party. The date: tomorrow at noon.
This invitation had surely gone to Evelyn as well.
Because there was a planned episode where the heroine set out to attend the tea party and ended up in danger.
It was meant as an arrangement to let us get a glimpse of Kenneth’s genius in swordsmanship.
Score!
I made up my mind, thrilled, that I would wake up at dawn tomorrow and hurry to Evelyn.
This was an event I absolutely could not miss. It promised a rare spectacle.
For Evelyn was destined to get caught up in none other than an orc horde.
Orcs! The very name reeked of fantasy—representatives of the monster race itself.
As familiar as they were, they were usually treated as the most common and lowly punching bags of the fantasy world, and yet I had never actually laid eyes on them before.
Even though the world of The Flower of the Beast followed a rough fantasy setting, with orcs and similar creatures certainly existing in droves, they never just popped up in the middle of the capital.
To see a monster, you had to leave the city, venture into some remote forest, or cross the treacherous mountains filled with ghost stories.
Of course, I had no such guts.
That’s why the chance to witness a monster horde from the 0%-risk vantage point—right beside the heroine—was an opportunity worth dancing for.
To see green-skinned beasts wheezing and snorting in person! What an event! Heroine, ever the danger magnet, you’re the best!
Decision made: today I would stay home quietly and conserve my energy.
Judging by the sequence of events, today was the day I should have met the crown prince, but since I had already overslept, I figured it was better to skip a day.
Yes, I’d rest well and give my all to tomorrow’s spectacle.
With resolve, I lounged in comfy loungewear, hair a complete mess, and wandered the mansion for a stroll.
Normally, my nanny would have appeared the moment she saw me to lecture about proper ladylike attire, but perhaps she was busy with business, because I didn’t run into her even once.
What a win.
Unrestrained, I strode boldly through the wide corridors, humming and hanging by the windows whenever one caught my eye.
Ah, how exciting. Let the sun set and rise again already!
I spent the day buzzing like a child on the eve of a picnic.
The Danolla barony wasn’t far in terms of distance, but a tall mountain stood between it and the capital.
Unless you crossed the mountain, you had to take a much longer detour. Until recently, most people did exactly that.
The reason was none other than rumors of monsters prowling the mountain.
And those weren’t baseless rumors—when the number of people disappearing while crossing the mountain began to rise, the imperial court hastily dispatched a subjugation force.
The group was led by none other than Duke Esvande—Kenneth himself—accompanied by a small elite team. True to his reputation as the strongest swordsman, Kenneth wiped out the monsters in no time.
The purge took less than half a day. With his strength, the result was a foregone conclusion.
Thanks to the duke’s brief effort, the man-eating mountain became a safe shortcut, and now everyone used it without hesitation…
But Evelyn, of course, was different.
She could conjure danger out of nowhere—so why not a monster revival?
In the middle of the mountain path, Evelynn and I stopped at the sound of a strange snorting breath.
“What was that sound?”
“I don’t know.”
We were crossing the mountain on foot, without a carriage.
Though the terrain was too rough for a carriage, the bigger reason was that Evelyn had suggested we enjoy the scenery while walking.
I had no reason to refuse, so I gladly agreed.
And that brought us here.
“Snrk, humans. Snrk, kill the humans!”
Jackpot!
Eyes wide, I stared at the newly arrived horde of orcs.
Just as the descriptions I’d once read, they had burly human bodies topped with pig heads, their skin green, clustered together and glaring at us.
Each held a club or some sort of weapon, looking menacing enough.
Monsters! Real monsters! And they speak our language!
I wanted to shout it into a megaphone.
The hideous pig faces—not the friendly ones you see on dinner tables, but terrifying mercenary pig faces—snorted loudly like people with bad colds, spitting out human words. The sensation was uncanny.
So bizarre.
Feigning fear, I whispered, “W-what do we do now?”
“…Why are there monsters…?”
Unlike her usual coolness, Evelyn looked shaken.
Of course—who wouldn’t be startled? Even I, knowing Kenneth would appear to save us, felt my heart pounding.
Sticking close to Evelyn, I glared at the orcs, memorizing their features while I had the chance.
Each one looked slightly different—it was fun to study them.
Wow, those bodies! So muscular, flexing dynamically—though green. Still, impressive—though green.
“Snrk, kill! Snrk, kill the humans!”
Repeating the same lines, the orcs advanced on us, swinging their clubs through the air. The intimidation was real.
Wow… terrifying. If I didn’t know a savior was about to arrive, I might’ve fainted.
And just then, right on cue, he appeared.
“Snrk, another human! Snrk!”
“New human! Snrk!”
The orcs noticed him before I did.
Turning, I saw Kenneth standing tall some distance away, his handsome brow furrowed as if he’d just come upon the scene.
Why he was passing through this mountain path, I didn’t know. But whatever the reason, he had stumbled across us.
“…So some stragglers survived?”
His voice, laced with displeasure, was chilling.
Step by step, Kenneth approached. The orcs stayed frozen in place.
Why weren’t they moving?
Then I realized—the pressure of Kenneth’s killing intent had paralyzed them.
Drawing near, he slowly unsheathed his sword.
I hesitated—should I close my eyes when the orcs got sliced? This wasn’t a movie; the reality would surely be gruesome.
Just then, Kenneth glanced my way.
“….”
Had he just noticed me?
His brow furrowed tighter, irritation deepening.
He looked between me and Evelynn. Then, to my shock, shoved his sword back into its sheath.
…What are you doing?
His lips curled into a smirk.
One step closer, he slipped an arm around Evelynn’s waist and in one motion lifted her up into a princess carry.
Then, without warning, he darted away with her—at astonishing speed.
Leaving me behind.
…Huh?
Stupefied, I stared at his retreating figure shrinking into the distance like a shooting star.
I just blinked as they vanished completely.
…What was that? What did I just witness?
I couldn’t process it. Only question marks filled my mind.
So… Kenneth bailed? Just with Evelynn? Leaving me here in the middle of monsters?
“That fish-faced bastard!!”
I swore in disbelief. As the situation sank in, the words burst out. This was utterly unexpected.
In the original, Kenneth should’ve showcased his dazzling swordplay by sending the orcs straight to hell. But instead, he’d scooped up Evelynn and bolted.
And the reason was obvious.
His most hated target had walked straight into mortal peril—why would he bother interfering?
Jackpot for him. Just run away. Bye, enjoy the afterlife!
…That’s what it was!
Sheer, breathtaking pettiness. More cowardly than I could have imagined.
It reminded me of those spineless villagers from a certain manga I used to read—but worse. His heart was smaller than a shrimp’s liver!
Turning back to the scene Kenneth left me in, I saw the orcs still hadn’t moved.
Why were they just standing there?
As I wondered, one of them spoke.
“Snrk, abandoned. Snrk.”
“Snrk, human abandoned. Snrk, pitiful.”
“….”
So you guys can talk, huh.
Their speech was more versatile than I’d thought.
I had assumed they only knew “kill human.” But no, surprisingly eloquent.
I almost wanted to applaud—if not for the tears stinging my eyes.
Pitied by monsters. My life… tears welling, I looked up to the sky.
But their sympathy was short-lived.
“Still, snrk, kill!”
“Snrk, humans must die! Snrk!”
…Wait, weren’t you pitying me?
Another betrayal.
I gazed at the orcs, now chanting “kill” again, with a heavy heart.
Yes, this is our fate after all…
With a wistful look, I reached into my robe.
And pulled out seven scrolls, ready to tear them all.
Thankfully, I had brought everything I had.
The orcs stayed eerily still while I prepared my magical counterattack. Their mouths chanted “kill the humans,” but their bodies didn’t budge. Strange, but I didn’t care to analyze it.
The moment they moved, they’d come at me to kill anyway.
Best to strike first.
Without hesitation, I ripped a scroll. With Kenneth’s face in mind, my hand tore even harder.
The paper split, and instantly a gale roared before me.
Whoooosh!
Yes, let’s use them all. Every single one! I’ll vent all my pent-up stress!
I gleefully shredded the scrolls two at a time. After the gale came a raging tornado, sweeping the orc horde away.
Branches and stones flew through the mountain path, but none of it touched me—I had already used a shield scroll.
One shield, five wind-element attack spells, and a teleport scroll.
A perfect set. I didn’t know how I’d managed to save just the right ones.
Do I… have foresight?
