Now we are here.
I sat inside a carriage, with Yuki beside me, as we traveled through the town of Salem, the village closest to the one that had recently been destroyed near our borders.
The reason for this journey was simple.
I came here to find someone I deemed important.
Of course, my parents would never allow their only son to travel so far without reason.
So I made an excuse—telling them I wished to explore the famous Village of Salem.
I even promised to bring back souvenirs. With that, they allowed the trip, assigning five knights to guard me so that I would not be placed in danger.
The carriage continued to move, the quiet rhythm of the wheels filling the silence.
Until Yuki broke it.
He looked at me with a calm but observant expression.
"Young Master," he said slowly, "I believe this visit was not decided on a whim. What is your true intention?"
His tone was polite, but the suspicion within it was unmistakable.
I sighed inwardly.
His sharpness was truly troublesome.
Pretending innocence, I tilted my head slightly and replied, "What do you mean? The Village of Salem is well known for its knights. I simply wanted to visit and learn more about them."
Yuki raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced.
After a moment, he sighed.
"If you do not wish to reveal it, then so be it. I only hope this journey will not be a waste of time."
I simply smiled at his words.
"I promise you," I said calmly, "our visit here will definitely be worth the travel."
After the realization I had days ago, I spent time reflecting carefully.
If I wished to survive in this world—and perhaps even change its future—I would need allies.
People with talent.
People with influence.
People who could stand beside me when the darkness of this world eventually surfaced.
Over the following days, I searched my memories of the novel, trying to recall individuals who could be accessed early in the story.
A few names came to mind.
But many of them were still unreachable. Some had unknown locations.
Others were powerful enough that they would never need my help in the first place.
Recruiting them now would be nearly impossible.
Then I remembered a name.
Alicia.
The heroine of this novel.
The daughter of the deceased couple whose names I saw in the report.
I leaned back slightly as the carriage continued forward.
Could I make her my ally this early in the story?
I carefully weighed the advantages and risks.
And in the end, the conclusion was clear.
The person with the greatest potential—the one who could become the most valuable ally—
was the heroine herself.
My idol.