Chapter 22: The Heroine Has Appeared Too!?

(Li… Liliana, isn’t that her!?
Whoa, she’s insanely cute in person—!?)

Her face is tiny!
Her eyes are huge!
Her lips are plump!
Her skin is flawless!
Her hair is silky smooth!

Despite the situation, my eyes sparkle at the sudden appearance of the heroine.

But wait—why is Liliana here!?

According to the original story, Liliana belongs to the same monster-subjugation corps as Adolphus.

At first, she fights as a water-magic user, and after awakening to holy magic, she serves as a saint, working alongside him.

But I don’t remember any part of the original plot where Liliana accompanied Adolphus on an expedition to a remote frontier like this…?

“Miss Liliana…
This is Saint Logy.
It seems she recently awakened to holy magic.”

“Oh my, a saint…?”

Liliana covers her mouth with both hands, her pink eyes widening.

“Is it truly so?
This lady can use holy magic…?”

“It’s understandable that you would find it hard to believe.
However, she—”

As the young lord begins explaining to Adolphus and Liliana, my thoughts drift elsewhere.

(Ah… of course…
If you think about it, Adolphus and Liliana are newlyweds who just reached their happy ending…)

Perhaps, for some reason, Adolphus’s expedition to Diudo was unplanned, and unable to bear being apart even briefly, the two of them came together.

That must be it.

In The Black Wolf General’s Beloved Flower, Adolphus starts out cool and awkward, but once he and the heroine become mutually in love, he turns into a completely different man—soft, indulgent, and doting beyond belief.

His devotion to the heroine is intense, so bringing her along on an expedition wouldn’t be strange at all.

(I see… I see…)

I gaze absentmindedly at Adolphus and Liliana standing side by side.

As expected of the original couple.

Anyone would call them a perfectly matched pair of stunning beauty and handsome hero.

I had wanted to avoid any involvement, but perhaps being able to witness my favorite couple with my own eyes is a blessing.

The faint stab in my chest must simply be because their beauty is overwhelming.

It can’t be for any other reason—

“Logy, are you listening?”

I snap back to awareness to find the young lord peering at my face.

“Ah, sorry, I was spacing out a little…”

I force a small laugh, but his brows crease with concern.

“They would like you to demonstrate your holy magic.
Could you do so at tomorrow morning’s meeting?”

“Ah, yes. Of course.
Um, young lord… may I take my leave for today?”

With Adolphus and Liliana both here, I’m beyond my emotional capacity.

I just want to return to the Lycoris Tavern, hold my adorable Lowell, and fall asleep.

“That’s fine, Logy.
That was the plan from the start.
I’ll have our carriage take you.”

“Wait—just a little longer—”

“I apologize, General Duer.”

It’s the young lord who cuts Adolphus off.

He draws me gently by the waist and smiles at Adolphus.

“Please allow her to return home for today.
She’s exhausted from using holy magic, and besides, she has a young child waiting for her.”

“A child…?”

Adolphus’s eyes widen.

“Shall we?” the young lord says, keeping an arm around my waist as we walk away.

I can feel Adolphus’s gaze burning into my back, but I don’t turn around.

—

After we’ve put sufficient distance between ourselves and the great hall, and no one else is nearby, the young lord speaks.

“I dragged you out rather forcefully.
That was the right move, wasn’t it?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

If I had stayed any longer, I might have let something slip.

Honestly, I’m grateful.

Though I don’t think holding my waist was necessary.

And I would have preferred he not mention my child in front of Adolphus!

“Logy, this isn’t a question but a confirmation…
Lowell’s father is General Adolphus Duer, isn’t he?”

I inhale softly.

I suspected he’d realized.

Lowell resembles him far too much.

There’s no point denying it.

When I nod, resigned, the young lord runs a hand roughly through his hair and gives a wry smile.

“I knew he must be a noble, but I never imagined someone of that stature…”

“Young lord… about this…”

“It stays a secret from everyone, yes?”

“…Please.”

“And judging by his reaction, the general doesn’t know about Lowell’s existence, does he?”

“That’s correct.”

“Hm.”

He falls silent, clearly thinking.

After a while, he speaks again.

“Logy, you said you want to continue living here in Diudo, didn’t you?
Has that changed?”

“It hasn’t…?”

Why is he asking that now?

When I answer, he smiles.

“As I said before, I’ll help make your wish come true.
Given the situation, it may be best to move up the plan.
I intended to take my time, but it seems we can’t afford to be so leisurely.”

“The plan…?”

When I ask what he means, he only says, “Soon,” and gives me a wink.

We had arrived at the carriage by then, and the conversation ended there.

I returned to the Lycoris Tavern in the baronial carriage.