■ Meltreza of Woodstock’s POV
“Hugh…”
Unable to sleep, I found myself sitting alone on a bench in the garden, gazing at the moon overhead.
At this very moment, Hugh was no doubt busy subduing the bandits plaguing Sailbridge. The previous night, he had made a promise to me—to come back safely, no matter what.
…So please, come home soon…
I had given him that tassel ornament as a good luck charm, and I hoped it would protect him. He was probably in the midst of battle right now, his saber in hand, complete with its new decoration.
So please… Please…
“O Galene… Please, please lead Hugh home safely…!” I whispered, my hands pressed together in prayer as I uttered the name of the goddess. I had never beseeched her like this before. I entreated her to protect the safety and well-being of my beloved. But soon, a strange feeling came over me.
“…?”
I stopped praying and lifted my head. Just now, I’d sensed malice—ill intentions directed specifically at me…
Glancing around, I tried to identify the source of the hostility.
“They must be over there…” The malevolence I sensed was coming from behind the mansion—from six individuals in total. “…They have some nerve, taking advantage of Grandfather’s and Hugh’s absence to break into the Woodstock family mansion.”
To make matters worse, it seemed the trespassers were making their way to my room.
They shouldn’t be able to navigate the mansion on their first visit—which meant that someone had to be guiding them. But who would possibly…?
The moment the intruders realized I wasn’t in my room, they started searching the mansion at random. Before long, however—
“…?!”
—one of their group looked out a window and spotted me in the garden. It would likely be only a matter of minutes before all six rushed down after me.
“Ho-ho… What fools,” I murmured, my mouth curling into a smirk.
It was downright idiotic of them to set their sights on me, a vampire perfectly capable of defending herself. Yes, they would have the honor of witnessing my true powers.
“…Found her.”
Before long, five individuals dressed in black had surrounded me. Then the sixth approached—their leader, I suspected. He wore armor from head to toe and hid his face behind a mask.
“Oh-ho… I assume you’re here for me?” I said.
“Come along quietly and you won’t get hurt,” the leader replied. Evidently, he had no idea that I could see straight through his lies.
“And if I refuse?”
“Then we’ll have to take you by force,” he said as the others closed in.
Oh-ho… Something tells me they mean to have their way with me.
“Then I respectfully refuse,” I declared with a graceful curtsy.
The next moment, they struck.
“…You realize it’s most uncivilized to attempt to touch a lady without her permission? Especially one already betrothed.”
“Gah?!”
I grabbed the arm of the first man who lunged toward me, spun him around, lifted him effortlessly up into the air—and slammed him forcefully into the ground. I heard a dull thud as he made impact, but I had more important things to worry about than his well-being.
“…Y-you…!”
The remaining black-clad figures rushed forward as one, but their movements were so sluggish that I began to feel a yawn coming on.
“Ugh!”
“Gah!”
Delivering one open-handed strike after the next, I sent each of them rolling across the ground with their heads twisted at unnatural angles.
Oh-ho… I’m rather merciless, aren’t I?
“Now, then… It’s just me and you,” I said with a sneer.
“…You freakish monster…” The leader fixed me with an odious glare from behind his mask.
I hadn’t heard the word “monster” since my first meeting with Hugh.
“In that case,” the leader murmured, “I’ll be the one to slay you.” He pulled out a sword a full 50 percent longer than average from the scabbard at his waist. “Heh-heh… It won’t matter one whit if I kill you—as long as I make it seem like you’re still alive. Accept your fate.”
…This man truly was conceited. His arrogant attitude, his obnoxious laugh, his vulgar speech—everything about him was so starkly different from my beloved Hugh.
Hugh would treat me with unparalleled care. He would heal me, embrace me… He would never use a vulgar word like “monster” to address me. Nor would he allow anyone else to do so. He was the most wonderful person in the whole world—he positively radiated kindness.
Hugh… I want to see you… I want to hold you…
That wish, that prayer, swirled around and around inside of me.
I had been scorned as a monster, and my heart was grievously wounded. It was a wound that only his kindness could heal.
“Now…die,” the armored man muttered, interrupting my thoughts. But just as he lifted his sword into the air—
“…?!”
“You… Just who do you think you’re pointing that blade at?”
—an incensed voice rang out behind me.
…Was I hallucinating? Timidly, I turned to look over my shoulder.
And there he was!
“Ah… Ah…!”
“I asked who you think you’re pointing that blade at!”
Oh…! There he is! It’s him…!
My one and only beloved—
Hugo Grenville.