“Ah, a reward.”
“Ah, thank you.”
I happily accepted the sub-quest reward that Zero was offering.
[Reward is given.] [Acquired one long-distance magic scroll for large-scale personnel!]“Hehehe.”
With this, if anything went wrong on the way back, I could transport a large number of people to the Keaton estate.
It felt as if I had an extra life, as comforting as having devoured a bowl of hot soup.
I excitedly said to Benedict,
“I’ll make sure you won’t regret fighting alongside us.”
“……Okay.”
Huh? Why did he agree so smoothly?
‘I thought he would be the hardest to recruit because he seemed antagonistic.’
It was amusing that he turned out to be a slightly temperamental tsundere cat after the capture(?).
That said,
“Since we’re comrades now, no more casual language.”
“Huh?”
“I understand you don’t like me, but as comrades, shouldn’t we show some etiquette?”
“But you’ve been talking casually to me so far……”
Aha, he wanted to keep talking to me casually because he’s used to it.
But I am someone who even got formal language from the elusive Rus Critchren!
I glanced at Rus and said,
“Rus also uses formal language when addressing me.”
“Rus is Rus, and I’m me…”
“No, since Rus is older than you, Benedict, it’s only proper for you to use formal language toward me.”
Rus was twenty-four, I was twenty-one, and Benedict was the youngest at twenty, so age-wise, I deserved the formal language.
‘I don’t intend to flaunt human status to a mixed-blood elf, but as Duchess Keaton, it wouldn’t look good to be spoken to casually.’
Small things mattered since I was the linchpin in eradicating the zombies.
Authority was important for leading and governing people.
Rus chimed in to assist me,
“Listen to Duchess Keaton, Ben. If you’ve decided to join us, also respect human etiquettes and order.”
“……Fine, okay, Rus.”
Benedict and Rus seemed to be quite close, calling each other by nicknames.
“Hmph.”
Benedict hesitated for a few moments, then in a soft voice said,
“……Duchess Keaton, I look forward to our future cooperation.”
He seemed awkward using formal language, but the effort was endearing.
‘He was always calling Siena “Sis, Sis,” but here…’
Here, my name was Elizabeth Keaton, the villainess.
I didn’t ask for much, just his cooperation in killing zombies.
“Okay, I look forward to it as well.”
I extended my hand for a handshake, and the hesitant Benedict cautiously grasped it.
Watching us, Nadia timidly asked,
“Um… does that mean you won’t kill me now?”
Benedict’s face soured at Nadia’s voice.
“That’s a separate matter.”
“But ultimately, I prevented us from going to the source of the zombie outbreak in Hwangseong……!”
Nadia’s attempt to gloss over her mistake didn’t work.
“That’s a separate matter.”
“……”
“Duchess Keaton, I want her to face appropriate punishment.”
“Formal language?”
“Ah, I want her to face appropriate punishment.”
Benedict, as the victim of Nadia’s unlawful act, requested her severe punishment from me.
‘Can’t say no to that.’
“It worked out since we got the quest.”
“Yes.”
Zero gave me the bonus quest, “Special Mission—Rescue the potential party member who’s been captured!” and it was time to complete it.
I had already saved Benedict; all that remained was to punish Nadia.
I looked at Benedict and Nadia in turn and asked,
“Benedict, what kind of punishment do you want Nadia to receive?”
“I want her to be punished so she can experience the discomfort I felt.”
Upon hearing the unequivocal request, Nadia’s complexion turned pale.
“I still became allies with Duke Keaton before you did.”
It was none of her business.
‘What does zombie hunting have to do with her deserving punishment?’
Though it was absurd, Nadia Rutri wanted to smoothly gloss over the matter.
“Duke Keaton agreed to forget past matters as a condition for securing my cooperation, didn’t he?”
“That doesn’t involve Benedict, does it? It only makes our past a non-issue.”
“Um…”
She kept nervously biting her nails, clearly anxious.
‘Count and Countess Rutri are already dead. She has no one else to rely on in the Rutri House.’
It was not something I was unaware of.
What should I do?
A solution came to mind while I was pondering.
“Nadia.”
“Y-Yes.”
“The survivors aren’t just here. There’s one group in Duo-2 Zone and another in Duo-1 Zone, so we need to visit them.”
“Which families have survived?”
“The houses of Duke Daymon and Count Celest.”
“….”
Seeing the names of the houses she wished had survived or those she had friendly relations with, Nadia’s face turned blue.
It was because Nadia hadn’t only tormented Siena but had also troubled Sherry Daymon and Jaqueline Celest, who were friends of Siena.
This was all possible because she had the backing of Elizabeth Keaton.
However, the moment the real Elizabeth abandoned Nadia, that promise would turn to scrap paper.
“I plan to bring all the survivors back to Duke Keaton’s residence. Duke Daymon and Count Celest will also listen.”
“Can we go later? Sister.”
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
