CATB Chapter 18

A brief silence flowed between me, only half my body above ground, staring blankly, and Marquess Berford, staring blankly at me from about a meter away.

The Marquess seemed to be thinking about why I was here right now.

Surely he doesn't think I followed him. It's not entirely impossible.

I don't know why I had to encounter him here of all people, but I desperately wanted to get out of this shitty shit pit faster than that.

Since he's participated in hunting competitions every time, he probably knows well how to escape this level of prank.

"I was trying to participate in hunting alone and got caught in a prank set by the young lords."

"......"

"I don't know how they made it, but I can't escape by myself, so please help me. I'll compensate you."

"......"

The Marquess stared at me intently. He seemed to be gauging whether what I said was true.

Idiot. Just come and pull me out quickly.

Perhaps because I thought someone who could help had come, the shit smell that had been tolerable until a moment ago seemed to assault my nose anew, so I held back my urge to snap at him.

"Marquess, if you don't help me right now, I'll have you tried for disloyalty to royalty!"

I could feel the Marquess looking at me like I was talking nonsense.

"I'm telling you to get me out right now."

When I spoke in a voice devoid of emotion, Berford finally moved toward me.

He who had been walking two or three steps toward me suddenly hesitated.

A slight frown crossed his shining, beautiful brow.

He'd caught the crude smell wafting from the black circle.

Shit, I want to commit suicide.

He unconsciously hesitated and stepped back.

I urgently raised my voice. I was scared shitless that he might run away from the poop smell.

"Marquess Harman!"

He looked at me for a moment, then turned his body around.

That bastard, is he abandoning me and leaving right now?

Just how much of a pushover must Alexa have seemed normally for him to turn away even in a situation like this? I was doubly angry, applying both my current situation and Alexa's situation.

That pretty-faced bastard. Worthless trash that can't even be recycled...

I was muttering curses when Berford, who had been moving away, suddenly drew his sword and cut a small tree branch.

?

What's he doing? I thought, but a moment later my submerged waist began to slowly rise upward.

Is it loosened? Is it over? Is this shit smell over too?

I was looking down in delight when the Marquess walked toward me with slow steps.

"......It's simple erosion magic. They create a core nearby that serves as the source, and the magic only breaks when the core is removed."

"Magic didn't work on it though."

"Since it's magic mixed with various things for a short-term prank, it probably won't accept pure magic because there are many impurities mixed in."

The black liquid was slowly lifting my body upward, but at a remarkably slow speed.

The magic was broken but the smell wasn't, so I smiled bitterly at the shit smell still surrounding me and the Marquess. Should I be grateful that at least the Marquess isn't covering his nose?

Come to think of it, for a broken engagement, we seem to be having quite a normal conversation right now.

Then the Marquess extended his hand to me.

What? I looked up at him.

"It'll take time to get completely out."

I stared at his extended hand.

Wasn't he the person who hated Alexa? Didn't he hate even touching her?

Despite his extended hand, I shook my head.

"Then I'll wait. Thank you for helping. Now the Marquess can continue hunting."

One of his eyebrows went up.

I looked at that carelessly and admired it. He's damn well good-looking.

Looking at a man's face prettier than mine is definitely filling even without eating, but since the subject was Berford, I quickly turned my head. I don't want to be misunderstood again.

Then, strong arms came between my armpits.

?

Just as they firmly grabbed my waist, my body was suddenly lifted up and raised.

"...Marquess?"

"......"

Having pulled me from the black puddle, he was still holding my waist.

I was still caught in his arms, floating in midair.

What, is he showing off that he has strong arms?

"What are you doing? Please put me down."

He seemed startled by my words and immediately put me down on the ground. He immediately removed his hands from my waist.

What, is he a pervert? I quickly frowned and straightened my clothes.

Quite satisfactory except for the shit smell resonating.

Shit, the shit smell is the biggest problem.

The Marquess's gaze kept looking down at me. I pretended not to know and organized my sword and bow, but his gaze was so intense it was burdensome. What are you looking at? Go your way now.

"Princess?"

A pleasant low voice reached my ears.

Could it be?

I quickly raised my head. A black silhouette entered my vision.

If there's one good thing about this shitty reincarnation, it's timing that rivals makjang dramas.

"Belkellion!!"

I was so happy for a moment that I called his name loudly.

We're not at the stage of calling each other by name yet. That was rude.

Belkellion approached me. It was the same quick movement as when he left on horseback earlier.

He politely but strangely squeezed between me and the Marquess, so I stepped back to secure my position.

"Didn't you decide not to participate in the hunt?"

"Grand Duke, I didn't give you a definitive answer."

This time I used the proper title.

"You're unharmed? I was worried."

Though I ended up rolling in a shit pit because of you as a result, seeing that handsome face washes away all that suffering. I looked at him happily and smiled.

"What do you mean..."

"No. Where did the person who was accompanying the Grand Duke go?"

I was going to scold the one who tried to lead Belkellion into a trap too, but he was now completely alone.

"I sent him ahead on business. How did you know that, Princess..."

"I have ways of knowing everything. Anyway, I'm glad nothing happened."

The Grand Duke's eyes looking at me narrowed.

As I looked up at him, I suddenly became very embarrassed about the shit smell that must be wafting from me.

The Grand Duke, who would have a normal person's sense of smell, must be smelling this odor sufficiently, yet he showed no sign of it.

"Ah! Grand Duke! This isn't mine! It's absolutely not mine!!!"

"Grand Duke Belkellion."

While I was flustered making excuses and Belkellion silently looked at me, the Marquess who had been quietly squeezed out suddenly spoke. Belkellion turned his head to look at Berford, gave a slight nod, then looked at me again. It seemed like a question of why he was here, so I quickly spoke up.

"The participants set a prank and I was stuck unable to move. This...smell too...it's all from there...absolutely! It's not mine."

"Princess."

"Marquess Harman discovered me and helped. That's all."

Though he's usually called Marquess Berford, since his original surname is Harman, calling him Marquess Harman follows proper etiquette. However, those known publicly in Pellipe were more famous by their given names than surnames. For example, Marquess Berford, or Grand Duke Belkellion. And decisively, like Alexa the Beast.

I had no intention of calling Berford by his given name anymore. If calling him by his surname could make others see that Alexa no longer obsessed over Berford, I would certainly do so.

"...Thank you, Marquess."

Hearing my words, the Grand Duke turned his head and spoke to the Marquess.

"It's nothing for the Grand Duke to thank me for."

Ah, come to think of it, I haven't thanked the Marquess yet.

"Marquess Harman, thank you for helping. May Demeter's protection be with the Marquess."

Though simple to find fault with, I expressed my gratitude with perfect etiquette.

The original Alexa wouldn't have ended with such a simple greeting, but whatever.

"There was a small stream on the way here. Would you like to wash at least your hands and feet?"

The Grand Duke asked me quietly, desperately needing a shower.

If I wash my hands at least, will the poop smell disappear a little?

I smiled and nodded.

"This way."

Following the Grand Duke who led me, I gave a small greeting to the Marquess and left.

The Marquess will go his own way.

From Belkellion came the same deep musk scent and cool forest smell as before.

I grinned and grabbed the edge of his sleeve.

I can't even grab it properly for fear the shit smell will transfer. Shit, tears.

He who had been glancing down at the sleeve I grabbed suddenly stopped.

"......"

He silently extended his arm.

I barely prevented the corners of my mouth from tearing to both ends and linked arms with Belkellion.

"Is the stream far from here?"

"Just a short walk will do."

Berford watched the disappearing figures of Belkellion and Alexa.

Looking at the black hair fluttering in the wind, he suddenly looked down at his own hand.

The warm warmth he'd felt with his whole hand when he grabbed Alexa's waist earlier seemed to still remain.

He clenched his hand.

He was annoyed that the sensation of that beast still remained on his hand.

He rubbed his palm roughly against his uniform.

He didn't care that his white uniform got dirty.

He was annoyed that he still seemed to feel the warmth.