I barely got my finger out and stopped the movement. I carefully wrapped my throbbing finger.
Damn it. Look at my red, swollen fingers. You handed me such a dangerous plant. Hien, you damn bastard...!
Meanwhile, the guy who made my finger swollen rolled up a leaf and lifted it up, like it was proud. My blood pressure soared at the sight of the thumbs up.
"What did you do well...!"
"Gyeek."
"Don't make a sound... huh? "
Could I use this as an excuse to leave?"
"Okay."
An even quieter answer came back. My expression became subtle.
No... I'm grateful, but I still have the dignity of a hero.
There's no way I could go home with just a finger injury. Rather than that, was it because you really care about me?
Aren't you just annoyed because I keep poking you?
It seemed like it was busy outside, but in the end, it seemed like the noise inside couldn't be ignored. A voice was heard along with urgent footsteps.
"My lord! I heard there was some trouble! Can I come in?"
"Now wait a minute! It's not possible! Please wait for a moment!"
"..."
Damn it. I told you not to come in, so why are you bringing Lien?
I hurriedly stuffed the flower pot into my bag.
It may not have been the answer I was expecting, but there was silence for a while, and as I was struggling with the latch of my bag that wouldn't lock properly, the solemn voice came back.
"It is true that there is a problem. I'm going in."
"!"
I haven't fully locked my bag yet!
... Let's just put it in the corner. I quickly pushed the bag with my foot. It was almost at the same time that the cloth covering the tent entrance was parted.
Lien strode in with her sword drawn, opened her eyes sharply, and looked around the inside. After confirming that there was nothing wrong, her eyes fell on me as I stood awkwardly covering my bag.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes, yes..."
"My lord, you always answered like that. I won't believe it."
If that's the case, why did you ask?
Unrelenting eyes scanned me thoroughly. Her gaze, which had been examining me with the intention of tearing out every strand of hair, finally landed on my slightly swollen fingers.
Her expression turned grim.
"After all, an assassination attempt!"
"Why does this have anything to do with an assassination attempt! It's just a sprain!"
"If it had been nothing special, you wouldn't have rushed to stop the guard or me trying to come in! There must have been an assassin!"
"..."
I have nothing to say...
I couldn't say I did it because I had something to hide, so I kept my mouth shut, and a confident voice continued as if she had accepted that as an affirmation.
"I understand your desire to resolve this quietly, but in the first place, the sentry and I exist to protect our lord. It will be difficult if you keep trying to hide it like this."
"..."
"I heard that one of the types of assassination involves stabbing a person with a needle dipped in poison. I'll call a doctor right away."
"No wait... wait a minute...!"
"Don't stop me! Isn't your finger this red and swollen already? We need to treat it before the poison spreads further!"
What are you so motivated for? It's like a runaway carriage!
Even if it was embarrassing, I can never let you call a doctor. I stretched out my hand to catch Lien, who seemed to be leaving at any moment. The large hand of a man with thick joints that was completely different from hers was grabbed.
... Huh?
"Did you say poison?!"
When did you come in? No, before that, can you please let go of my hand?
Cleter seemed to have heard Lien's cries from outside and stormed in. I was suddenly grabbed by the hand and shoulder and was shaking helplessly as he moved, but I came to my senses late.
"If they come in without permission..."
"Where are you? Where were you poisoned?"
"No..."
"Then where is it!"
"Nowhere..."
"Cleter. I'll punish you for your rudeness later. Bring a doctor right away."
"All right!"
No! Stop now!
I quickly caught up with Cleter who was trying to run away at any moment. But this guy just moved? For your information, I still was holding onto him.
As his body stretched and seemed to fall to the floor due to his movements, Cleter, who was so embarrassed, forgot that he was going to leave and hurriedly helped me up.
"Why are you stopping me?"
"It's not poison. Sir Lien just misunderstood."
He blinked, then let out a deep sigh, as if relieved, and flopped down on the floor. At the same time, I also fell down.
You bastard... I lifted my head while rubbing my nose and still heard a voice full of doubt.
"Then why are your fingers swollen?"
Lien was standing with her arms crossed, looking at me with suspicious eyes.
"I said it was sprained."
"So what I'm saying is, how did you end up like that?"
"... Do I even have to tell you that?"
I just sprained my finger?
Even if my mouth is torn, I cannot say that I was harmed by a plant. Because it's dangerous? No, because I'm embarrassed.
Lien also cleared her throat and shook her head, probably because she didn't think it was necessary to say that.
"No. I'm glad it's not poison."
"Yes... Sir Lien."
"Yes?"
Eyes full of doubts turned to me.
I'm just throwing this out because it came to mind after seeing her. I blurted out the words indifferently.
"I want to go home."
"Oh, I heard from the deacon that you must be tired due to a lot of paperwork. It's not possible."
"...?"
As expected, she was resolute.
No, wasn't the back and forth of words more strange than that?
"His Majesty is coming too, so you can't go back first, right? If the reason is that you don't want to participate in the hunting competition, you don't have to force yourself to catch monsters, so just stay in your seat..."
Her eyes inadvertently raised and met mine.
She paused, uncrossed her arms and straightened her posture. Her expression, which had relaxed slightly, became stiff again as if it had never happened before.
"My lord, would you please raise your head?"
"?"
"Cleter. Lift his head. Make it look to me."
"Do you... mean like this?"
Cleter grabbed my chin and lifted it towards Lien.
"My lord, would you please remove your hand?"
"..."
"Cleter."
"Yes."
Shit. Cleter grabbed my hand that was covering my lower face and lowered it.
The warm liquid that was flowing under my nose ran down to my chin, condensed, and dripped onto the floor.
"You're having a nosebleed!"
"Oh... was it a nosebleed?"
Again? I thought it was a runny nose and tried desperately to hide it.
... No wait. Nosebleed?! Why at this timing? I raised my trembling eyes and looked at Lien. Sure enough, there was fire in her eyes.
"Of course it's poison...!"
"no! I fell down because of this bastard earlier...!"
"When did I... ah, ah?!"
Cleter, who had been jumping up and down reflexively, stopped as if he remembered something. It was clearly visible that the pupils were shaking.
Yes, while he was helping me, he felt relieved and sat down.
Thanks to you, I also fell down.
Shall I drag you along? I shook my head and called out to Sir Lien, who asked with her eyes. Because I covered my nose with a handkerchief, I made a slight nasal noise.
"Cleter."
"Yes... Count..."
"Why did you come?"
You have to listen to the reason and bring it out.
There was no way that this guy who was supposed to be with the crazy dogs some distance away from here happened to be in front of this tent by chance.
Cleter seemed to belatedly remember the purpose of his visit and straightened his posture with a short exclamation of 'Ah'. I was reflected in his serious eyes.
"I heard that you are taking Dan as an assistant to the hunting competition."
"I am."
"Could you please take at least one more person? I'm a little nervous about you being alone."
"Why...?"
The maximum number of assistants that could be taken to a hunting competition was four. Oh, since only the royal family meant four total, I guess it's three, to be exact.
I didn't have any particularly passionate plans to catch monsters, so any further assistance would be a luxury... At first, I was planning on participating alone without a dagger.
Cleter spoke hastily, as if his expression showed that he was not very moved.
"Dan's eyes look a little suspicious."
"What?"
"During the subjugation a little while ago... the way he looked at the Count..."
"...?"
"... Um... So... passionate irritation? Creeping doubts? Burning anger?"
What kind of spell are you reciting?
"Anyway, it was very suspicious."
"Yes... that's right... then, Sir Lien."
Lien, who was standing still, walked forward and grabbed Cleter's arm.
"Count?"
"... Sir Lien? Why don't you hurry up and drag him away..."
"I don't know anything else, but I agree with the opinion that you should bring another assistant."
I will go. The firm eyes were speaking.
... I appreciate your concern for me, but... I can't let it go any further than this.
I've been swayed like this once or twice. I was also a person with some ability to learn.
I rolled my eyes to avoid the burdensome gaze.
"It's not possible."
Not even because of the strange creature in the bag.
What caught me more than anything was her personality. Dan didn't know, but it seemed like the worst situation imaginable will unfold the moment he gets caught by her.
After confirming that the nosebleed had stopped, I folded the handkerchief, put it in my pocket, and quietly grabbed my bag.
"Get out. I'm going out too."
"My lord?"
"It's not possible. No way."
"Count?"
"No."
"Is the Count still young? Why are you going out of your way without any valid reason?"
Oh, I don't know. No. I said no. Originally, I was going to go alone.
If I'm going to be pressured like this here, I'd rather just go outside. I went out, pushing the backs of the two humans.
And I regretted it.
"Why is an Honorary Count called 'Count'... Tsk."
What happened to my luck?
As soon as I came out, there was a fight. I looked at the person arguing with me with a bit of admiration.
Since he proudly boasted about his status as 'Earl', he must be a person with a title. Did you recently become the head of the family? He's very young.
But he looks very mean. As I stared at the face that seemed to have put forth all its effort to express its shining personality, Cleter, who could not help but notice the prolonged silence, came forward.
"Excuse me, but may I ask who you are?"
"Get out of the way. Someone like you would dare to talk to me."
And. If the master is unlucky, then the attendant is also unlucky.
Cletor closed his mouth and grinned.
'Hey... Hey, take your hand off the sword. Hurry.'
No matter how annoyed you are, what if you put your hand on the sword? What should I do if he is a noble whose status I cannot protect?
I looked at him with tired eyes and then found Lien. She must have been watching Cleter put his hand on the sword and didn't stop him...
'Uh... right... I guess they tried to draw the sword together...'
Then, her words and actions were 'My lord'. It touched on her 'chivalry'.
Still, you must not draw your sword. Know who your opponent is.
I blocked the two people with a wave of my hand and quietly looked at the arrogant man.
What did you say earlier? Oh yeah. He said, 'Why is an Honorary Count called 'Count'?' Honestly, I don't have anything to say either.
'He's not wrong.'
My official title as 'Honorary Count' was 'Honorary Count Hardt.'
It's right to call me that to prevent unnecessary confusion.
However.
"Who are you...?"
Who are you to start a fight like this?
The man who made eye contact with me trembled and answered in a raised voice. The shout came back, more of an attempt to hide fear rather than an arrogance.
"This is the 'real' Count Hardt! I'm different from a fake like you!"
Huh?
"..."
"..."
Silence fell.
In the quiet space, I slowly blinked.
What did I just hear? Let's think again.
Um... again.
Again. Again. Again.
...
"... Aha."
At that moment, the man in front of me blushed and took a step back.