About two days had passed.
"Whew, finally saying goodbye to these damn mountains."
Matthew, who had emerged from the mountainside, gazed at the breathtaking vista unfolding before him.
Snowy fields stretched out white as far as the eye could see, beyond which loomed a massive mountain range, with grayish-white walls built along its contours.
"Is that the castle where Lady Heckenroze resides?"
"That's right. See that spire sticking out right in the middle?"
Ferris chuckled and pointed at the castle.
A crooked spire rose from the mountainside, with a fortress built beneath it.
Terraced fields and villages sprawled down from the fortress base all the way to the foot of the mountains.
One could feel the Atlante family's resolve to protect their territory from the 'magical beasts' beyond the mountains.
This was the heart of the North, built utilizing the mountains themselves—the Atlante Citadel City.
"What do you think? Impressions of seeing a fairy-tale city come to life."
"It's amazing. No, 'amazing' doesn't even begin to cover it! Lady Heckenroze lives in a place that looks like it was painted into existence."
"Something like that. You've got a good eye, at least."
"Even with my small eyes, I see just fine."
"...That's not what I meant."
"Oh. My apologies."
Ferris shot Matthew a look of utter disbelief.
'This guy... no matter how I look at him, I can't tell if he's just a good person or plotting something...'
Even after closely observing him on the journey here, she couldn't reach a conclusion.
It was true that Matthew kept raising her tension levels repeatedly.
But whenever she did, it turned out to be a misunderstanding, deflating the situation time and again.
Even Ferris, who had earned her knighthood in the North, found her guard slipping.
'No way he's calculating all this on purpose... right?'
If he was deliberately acting in ways that invited suspicion just to lower her defenses?
To slip away from prying eyes and achieve some hidden 'true objective'?
Such thoughts kept swirling in Ferris's mind, muddling her thoughts.
Whether it was because she didn't want to suspect him but his appearance forced her to, or if her instincts had picked up on some scheme...
These past few days, she'd been losing sleep over it.
"Miss Ferris, why are you standing there? Let's get going."
Ferris had stopped in her tracks, lost in thought.
Matthew smiled brightly and beckoned her to hurry.
"...For the last time, I'm not a woman."
"Well, as I said before, my eyes don't lie. Ah, is there some reason you have to hide being a woman? In that case, I'll keep quiet."
"Just shut up already."
Ferris pressed her temples against the headache.
...How could someone with such squinty eyes claim such sharp vision? It was unbelievable.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Halt."
Iron fences encircled the villages.
The guards stationed there blocked Matthew's group.
Perhaps because it was near the villages, the security wasn't overly strict, but it was orderly enough.
"This is the Atlante Citadel City, Wallshinati. State your purpose of entry and present your pass... Lady Heckenroze?!"
The armed guards gasped upon seeing Heckenroze's face.
"You've worked hard."
"L-Lady Heckenroze! Why are you... how... what happened to the carriage and your escort troops?"
"..."
The guards' confusion was understandable.
It had only been a few days since Heckenroze had led a procession toward the capital.
Yet the carriage was nowhere to be seen, and only three people had returned.
And one of them was a complete stranger.
"My lady, who is the man behind you...?"
"Ah, are you referring to me?"
The man grinned slyly as he looked their way.
His ominous black hair made the guards flinch involuntarily.
Having inspected dozens of people daily, they'd never seen anyone more suspicious-looking.
He spread his arms like a stage actor and greeted them.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Matthew."
"...What is your relation to Lady Heckenroze?"
"We happened to meet on the way. The kind lady offered to guide me to the territory."
"Guide you...?"
What reason would the lady heading to the capital have to suddenly guide a stranger?
The more they heard, the deeper into a mystery it plunged.
And in cases like this...
"Step away from Lady Heckenroze!"
"Pardon?"
Shing!
The seasoned guards drew their weapons in an instant, aiming them.
Their instincts were screaming alarms.
The man before them was dangerous.
Perhaps even more so than the magical beasts eyeing the North.
They were mere guards, but to protect the Flower of the North, Lady Heckenroze—
"Haa... put your swords away."
"L-Lady?"
"Mr. Matthew saved my life from the bandits. When our carriage broke down and we couldn't go to the capital, he escorted me all the way back to the territory."
Heckenroze looked a bit weary for some reason.
"So please, open the gate."
"Umm..."
"He may look suspicious, but he's not a strange person. ...For now."
"If Lady Heckenroze insists... Understood."
The guards reluctantly stepped aside.
They guarded the citadel city's gates, but ultimately, the two were in a superior-subordinate relationship.
Suspicious as Matthew was, they couldn't defy the lady's order.
Heckenroze passed through the fences with a light sigh.
Meanwhile, Matthew was eagerly craning his neck to take in the citadel city.
"Wow, the North truly has a different architectural style from the capital. Fascinating."
"...Mr. Matthew."
"Hm? Did you call me?"
"When we meet someone, please just stay quiet if possible. And don't speak."
"N-Not even speak...?"
Thud.
Matthew's lips quivered as if shocked, but Heckenroze was firm.
Over the past two days traveling with him, Heckenroze had realized something.
The man before her amplified people's suspicions the more he talked.
So, it was better in the long run to keep his mouth shut.
A insight befitting the lady of the North.
"Even when meeting my father, if you act like that... it might be hard for me to protect you."
"Hard to protect me from your father...? I don't quite follow."
"You're one of the few people in the territory who doesn't heed my words. He's probably finished his campaign and is in his rest period by now."
Heckenroze gazed up at the massive citadel, deep in thought.
Was it really okay to let Matthew meet her father?
"Miss, are you planning to introduce Matthew to Archduke Butlerh?"
Ferris's eyes twitched, clearly sharing the same concern.
Butlerh von Atlante, the Grand Duke of Northern Atlante.
If even he viewed Matthew as an enemy...
"Who exactly is he that you're so worried?"
"...You don't know Archduke Butlerh?"
"My knowledge of the North comes mostly from fairy tales."
"Fair enough. Hmm... if I had to define my father in one word, it'd be 'magical beast'."
The demon realm lay beyond the mountains.
To block the magical beasts pouring from there, he had cast aside his humanity.
A man who had turned feral and savage like a magical beast himself, just to hunt them.
That was Heckenroze's father, Butlerh.
"Umm, even with the explanation, I'm not sure I get it."
"Not getting it might be the most accurate reaction. He's my father, but... unpredictable."
"I see. Sounds interesting!"
"...Anyway, please refrain from speaking in front of him if possible. This is advice for your sake too, Mr. Matthew."
"I'll keep that in mind."
Matthew replied with his usual bright smile.
Whether he'd actually listen was questionable, but there was nothing more she could do.
Leaving him out wasn't an option either—he was needed.
To explain the carriage's destruction and offer him proper compensation.
"For now, let's head to the citadel. I need to report to Father."
"Eh, what about sightseeing...?"
"If you want to sightsee later, I'll send Ferris with you."
"Yes?! But I have a duty to protect you, Miss!"
Ferris rarely opposed Heckenroze's words outright.
To think she'd have to tour the city with Matthew.
Either his antics would make her explode, or left alone, he'd reveal his true colors.
But Heckenroze was resolute.
"The family has plenty of knights besides Knight Ferris. And pairing him with a complete stranger..."
"That's... true, but!"
"You're the only one I can trust with this."
"Ugh..."
Ferris could only chew her lip at Heckenroze's unassailable logic.
She'd spent three days with Matthew and was still like this—what if they assigned a knight who didn't know him at all?
That would cause its own problems.
And without an escort, the citizens might tie him up with rope and stone him in the park.
...Purely hypothetical, but with Matthew as the subject, it all seemed plausible.
Ferris's choice had been decided from the start.
"I shall obey my lady's command."
"Oh! With Knight Ferris along, it'll be reassuring. Don't worry about meals—I'll treat you."
"...All I feel is worry."
Ferris barely suppressed the urge to flick Matthew's forehead.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"The lady is entering!"
Rumble!
Not the village guards, but armed knights opened the citadel gates.
Heckenroze's expression had returned to that of the North's icy flower.
"Lady...!"
One knight approached rashly.
"I understand you have many questions."
Heckenroze raised a hand to cut him off.
"I'll explain after meeting Father. For now, make way."
"A-Ah, understood."
"This man saved my life, so mind your words and actions. Alright, let's go."
Clack, clack.
Her confident stride made the knights hesitate and step back.
A charisma that captivated knights with mere words.
Ferris watched the back of her head, feeling an indescribable emotion.
'Miss...'
How much time and effort had she poured into gaining such presence?
Yet the reality that she could never become the next Northern Archduke... pained Ferris deeply.
Aware or not of her feelings, Heckenroze addressed Matthew.
"Father is on the top floor. Follow closely."
"..."
Matthew nodded silently.
Faithfully honoring Heckenroze's request to refrain from speaking.
'He seems so innocent like this...'
With his mouth shut, she suddenly noticed how handsome he was.
Flawless white skin without a blemish, and his suit fit perfectly, as if tailored just for him, without a single wrinkle.
If he covered his face, he'd draw plenty of admiring glances from ladies at a noble salon—
"?"
Matthew tilted his head at her, questioning.
As if wondering why she'd suddenly stopped and stared.
As he touched his cheek, Heckenroze awkwardly looked away.
"...It's nothing. Let's hurry."
Meeting her father was the priority now.
Best to shelve strange thoughts.
After climbing the stairs for quite some time, the three reached the top floor of the citadel's spire.
A small, austere room that made one wonder if the Northern Archduke truly lived there.
Heckenroze knocked on the door with a stern expression.
Knock knock—
-Who is it.
"...It's Heckenroze."
-Hm? Come in.
Creeak—
The old wooden door swung open with a shrill creak.
The first thing visible upon entering was 'heads'.
Magical beast heads filled the small room's walls.
The taxidermied trophies brimmed with lifelike menace, as if ready to snap at human throats any moment.
And in the center of that room stood a middle-aged man who seemed sculpted from a magical beast himself.
"Didn't you head to the capital? Why are you back so soon, Heckenroze."
The man wore leather armor made from taxidermied bear hide.
Muscles bulged where even the leather couldn't cover.
A bear's head perched atop his silver hair gave a chilling impression just to look at.
This was the current head of the Atlante ducal family and Northern Archduke, Butlerh von Atlante.
He was polishing a massive spear with an oiled cloth.
"We were ambushed by bandits."
"By mere bandits?"
"They weren't mere bandits. I believe it was a planned attack with backing."
"Planned attack, eh... Interesting."
Thud!
He rose, spear in hand, and finally took in Heckenroze.
"I hope this isn't an excuse fabricated out of shame for your defeat, Heckenro... Hm?"
His gaze shifted from Heckenroze to the side.
A man curiously eyeing the taxidermied beast heads.
Ferris belatedly tugged Matthew's sleeve to signal him, but it was too late.
"Who are you."
Butlerh's eyes locked solely on Matthew.
"...?"
Matthew glanced at the lady and Ferris, as if asking permission to speak.
"Father, please hear me out calmly."
Before Matthew could open his mouth, Heckenroze hurriedly spoke.
She couldn't let strange misunderstandings arise with her father, who was like a living magical beast.
"This man is the one who saved my life from the bandits—"
"Why is a demon here?"
"...Pardon?"
Demons.
Rulers of the demon realm, locked in an endless war with humanity...
"I asked why a demon is here."
To Butlerh, who had faced them across the border for ages... they were mortal enemies he yearned to tear apart.