Raymond wrapped her hand around the back of my head and winced.

“How can you suddenly hit like that! And that by moving the tree with magic!”

“The wind must have moved the tree.”

Johan shrugged and replied.

“Don’t you know that magic doesn’t work well in this demon forest in the first place?”

The wind was blowing hard around the demon forest now.

The reason it was named the demon forest was because the weather around it changed capriciously, just like where the demons lived.

But Raymond looked at Johan with wronged eyes.

“Are you really not, my lord? Can you suddenly be hit by a tree…?”

“It seems the tree knew your sin.”

“How could that be, leaving my lord!”

I kept talking to that tree.

[Dash]Can’t you hear me?

I couldn’t be fooled, not even by my own eyes.

The tree suddenly moved and hit Raymond.

‘No answer is coming back.’

Occasionally, there were trees that couldn’t be talked to.

‘But it seemed to be sending me a warning.’

So I contacted the great reservoir trees right away.

[Dash]Excuse me, trees? I can’t talk to the demon forest trees at all?

But strangely enough, there was no answer from the great reservoir trees either.

It feels ominous.

‘What’s the reason?’

Before entering the demon forest, I asked the trees about the demon forest.

[Dash]The trees there are different from us and are not cooperative. But it won’t be too different.

[Dash]Really?

[Dash]Of course!

Having said that.

‘There’s no contact!’

Sometimes the trees’ information was wrong, as they didn’t experience it themselves.

I felt a strange gaze and turned my head, and Johan was closely examining my complexion.

I blinked and smiled like a child caught doing something wrong.

“Is there something on my face?”

“You look paler than this morning.”

There was no big difference in my condition.

“Well, I don’t know about that.”

“Doesn’t that mean you’re not feeling well?”

Lately, Johan checked my condition every time our eyes met.

At first, I was worried about how to deal with it, but now I knew how to answer.

“But Johan, what do you mean magic doesn’t work well in this demon forest?”

Just change the subject!

“Ah.”

Then Johan would answer according to the new subject.

“The magic in this demon forest is as unstable as the weather. So there are restrictions on using magic.”

“Even you, Johan?”

“Even if there is a slight error, I fail in magic. And if magic fails, I get a reaction. So I try not to use magic in this demon forest.”

That was enough to explain why the great reservoir trees couldn’t be contacted.

Johan loosely raised his mouth, pointing to his waist.

“But don’t worry. I can definitely protect you.”

“You know how to use a sword?”

“I can’t not do anything.”

It was a really arrogant statement, but I nodded because it was Johan.

But I was still worried and asked.

“But if the opponent is a demon, might it be a little dangerous?”

“It’s the same then.”

Johan raised his eyebrows slightly and asked in return.

“How much do you know about demons, my lady?”

“I know the types of demons and their general characteristics.”

Demons are beings that violate the order of the gods.

Born from chaos, demons were dangerous beings that ruined the world.

‘Come to think of it, Johan’s black magic was also a power close to chaos.’

It is a very curious thing to use black magic while using ordinary magic like Johan.

Johan seemed quite surprised at my quick answer.

“The nobles of the capital don’t know either. My lady is very smart.”

“I lived reading books at home, so that’s why. I don’t know what others know well.”

I felt awkwardly shy and gave an awkward smile.

“But knowing something is a great thing.”

But I felt good to hear the compliment.

‘Is it because it feels like recognition even if it’s fake?’

It seems that I had quite a lot of desire for recognition that I did not know.

Warm and peaceful conversation, a smile that flows unknowingly sometimes, warm physical contact.

‘If all this is a deception…’
I wish this deception would last as long as possible.

Tap, thud[Dash]

A few raindrops fell from the sky. The sky was soon darkened.

‘It will be hard to move by carriage like this.’

Then, the party in the lead suddenly stopped walking. A strange sense of unease spread.

“Master, Master! Something terrible has happened!”

A scout on horseback ran up and arrived in front of Johann. The scout’s face was pale.

Johann narrowed his eyes and asked,

“What happened?”

“Suddenly, a group of Krolins has appeared nearby. A whole group is gathering here!”

“Krolins are gathering in a group?”

Johann’s expression stiffened.

“Are you sure it’s not another monster mistaken for Krolins? Krolins don’t usually live in groups.”

“No, it’s Krolins. They came separately but simultaneously from various directions, heading for the monster forest.”

The atmosphere grew even darker.

Krolins were known to be very dangerous monsters.

‘Their magic doesn’t work at all, and it’s hard to control them since they don’t respond well to commands.’