Only after I had finished eating all the stew neatly did Cedar rise from his seat, saying he needed to clear the dishes.

Honestly, I hadn’t intended to eat so meticulously, but with Cedar beside me, I ended up eating more than usual.

‘If I get on the carriage like this, my stomach will be churning.’

I should walk a little to settle my stomach. I paced around our party with quick steps.

The knights approached me without much hesitation.

“I’ve heard becoming a mage is very difficult, so it’s impressive to see such a young magician.”

“Did you enjoy your meal?”

“Don’t go that way. The horses might charge at unfamiliar people.”

While clearing the rinsed dishes, the knights once again inspected their weapons.

I watched them check their weapons with curious eyes and then asked about the mission.

“Is the subjugation usually around this time?”

If it doesn’t necessarily have to be summer, it would be better to do it in a cooler season.

The knights answered my question diligently.

“In summer, it’s the mating season for magical beasts, so they attack villages to gain energy for breeding. That’s why the four knightly orders in the empire join forces to eliminate the harmful magical beasts, and that’s what we call the subjugation.”

“Ah, so it’s like catching mosquitoes.”

“Mosquitoes…”

The knights frowned, not quite understanding my analogy. I eagerly explained why I mentioned mosquitoes.

“Mosquitoes also only suck blood for a week before laying eggs. Before that, they feed on things like tree sap.”

“Oh, is that so? I thought mosquitoes always fed on human blood because they bite so much.”

Right. Now do you understand? But as I explained, I found the illogical aspect of my own words. I furrowed my brow and rested my chin on my hand.

“But magical beasts harm people even when it’s not breeding season, so it’s not right to compare them to mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are beneficial insects when they’re not sucking blood. They help pollinate flowers.”

“I don’t think that’s the issue.”

What’s the issue then!

I wanted to argue more logically, but there was no time left. The knights gently sent me back to the carriage.

“We need to prepare to leave now, so please step back.”

That was fun. I retreated reluctantly.

‘Since I’ll be traveling with those knights throughout the subjugation, I’ll have more chances to talk with them.’

With that hope, my steps became light and bouncy again.

As I reached the carriage, Cedar was already there, leaning against the door with his arms crossed.

His thick eyebrows were slightly arched. Cedar spoke in a somewhat prickly tone.

“You seem to get along well with others, more than I expected.”

“Everyone’s been so kind to me.”

“Didn’t you say you wanted to see magical beasts?”

Is he hinting that I came to see magical beasts but I’m just playing with the knights?

I puffed out my cheeks and confronted Cedar.

“Why are you being grumpy?”

“Grumpy?”

“You’re being all snippy right now. It doesn’t suit you at all.”

“Me?”

Cedar frowned as if he found it ridiculous. Then suddenly, he muttered in a low voice.

“…You’re right. I am being grumpy.”

Before I could adjust to the sudden change in atmosphere, Cedar reached out and brushed my hair.

A small leaf fell from his fingertips.

Belatedly realizing he was just removing a leaf stuck in my hair, I blushed.

After fixing my hair, Cedar looked at me with downcast eyes and an indifferent expression as he continued speaking.

“I thought you’d rely on me more, but you’re handling things so well on your own that I feel a bit disappointed.”

As a result, my face just kept getting redder.

‘Calm down, heart. This man is speaking without any ulterior motives.’

I shouldn’t read too much into that ‘disappointed’ comment.

I’m not good at reading people’s minds, so if I keep jumping to conclusions, I’ll only end up with the wrong answer.

‘He probably treats everyone this closely, and I’m the only one feeling awkward.’

Seeing how he approaches without minding personal space, that must be normal for him.

I just couldn’t get used to such close contact at all.

‘Please don’t come so close to me.’

Above all, our relationship is supposed to be a secret, so why is he being so openly friendly and caring?

As I stared at him with a wary expression, Cedar furrowed his brow.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

If I told Cedar not to come close now, he would nod willingly.

He might even apologize for lacking consideration. I know he’s kind and gentle.

But I couldn’t bring myself to say it.

Because if I said that and he overtly distanced himself from me, I thought I might feel hurt.

In the end, I shook my head.

“No, it’s nothing.”

“…?”

Cedar tilted his head. Not wanting to explain my inner thoughts in detail, I opened the carriage door myself.

And as I tried to climb into the carriage with effort, Cedar, standing behind me, spoke in a serious voice.

“You won’t actually have to face magical beasts on the frontlines of battle, so don’t worry too much.”

He seems to have misunderstood my hesitation as anxiety about facing magical beasts that I was trying to suppress.

But at those words, far from being reassured, I was startled.

“What? I can’t see the magical beasts up close?”

What did I come all this way for?

I could have stayed in the capital with Grisha, peacefully making magic potions, but I came all the way to the subjugation to see magical beasts up close.

And now what? I won’t have to face magical beasts?

That can’t be!

“I came here to observe magical beasts! I even brought this much paper and pens.

To observe and write down everything right away! I declare that the information I record will be enough to make even the magical beast majors at the Academy kneel!”

I passionately expressed my determination to observe magical beasts.

Cedar, who had been listening quietly with his hands on his hips, retorted in a light tone.

“How are you going to dodge when a magical beast comes charging at you with its fangs bared? You can’t even jump well.”

“I, I can do it!”

“Show me then. Come on.”

What’s the big deal about jumping? I jumped with all my might on the spot.

And the moment my feet left the ground, I realized. That in my entire life, I had never properly jumped before.

Hop.

Cedar’s shoulders, who had been watching me jump intently, began to tremble.

“…Can I laugh?”

“If you laugh, I’m going to cry.”

“Then cry.”

Saying that, Cedar burst into loud laughter. Since I opened my eyes, it was the first time I saw Cedar laugh so heartily.

I wonder if I wasn’t the only one seeing this for the first time, as the nearby knights turned to look this way with wide eyes.

“Wow, the Captain.”

“What’s going on?”

Of course, the more embarrassed one was me. I clenched my fists and hit Cedar’s side repeatedly.

“Stop laughing. Stop it.”

But Cedar couldn’t stop laughing for a while.

After laughing for a long time, holding his stomach and making choking sounds, he wiped away tears with his index finger and apologized to me.

“Sorry. I’m sorry.”

“You’re really too much.”

“But what can I do when it’s so funny? I think I can laugh for 3 years just remembering your image just now.”

“Please forget it. Right now.”

At my desperate request, Cedar showed the extremely cruel behavior of bursting into laughter again.

I gave up in the end too. Fine, laugh. Laugh. I’m glad I could make you laugh.

Anyway, my lack of athletic ability was a fact, but I couldn’t give up on observing magical beasts.

After standing with my arms crossed for a moment, I suggested a bright solution.

“Why don’t you just carry me and run? That wouldn’t be difficult for you, right?”

“Are you serious?”

“I really want to see the magical beasts up close.”

“Do you think this is some kind of picnic…?”

Cedar sighed, but in the end, he nodded in agreement with my opinion.

“…I’ll do my best to fight while carrying you.”

“Thank you!”

I knew you’d listen to me in the end! I smiled brightly.

After traveling for as long as it took to get here, we arrived at a quiet town.

While we were going through various identity verification procedures at the city walls, Cedar tapped on the carriage window.

When I opened the window, Cedar explained the situation in a calm voice.

“We’ll be staying in this town today.”

I thought we’d be rushing to the requested area without rest for the subjugation, but it seemed we could take breaks and go slowly like this.

Feeling like I was on a trip, my eyes sparkled.

“Wow, are we staying at an inn?”

“What inn? We’re on official duty, of course we’ll stay at the lord’s castle.”

“I see.”

Official duty, he says. My feeling changed from being on a trip to being on an adventure.

The city gates opened and the carriage headed towards the lord’s castle. Many citizens came out to watch the knights riding in a line towards the castle.

‘They don’t even blink an eye. They must be used to this kind of thing.’

As I was peeking out slightly to see how Cedar was doing, a child standing by the road pointed at me and shouted.

“Oh! I think it’s a princess!”

“A princess?”

I guess the sight of numerous knights escorting would look like a princess. But I’m not a princess!

‘I’m sorry, little one.’

Not wanting to cause more misunderstanding, I hid inside the carriage like a mole burrowing into the ground.

After going a bit further and passing another gate, the carriage finally entered the lord’s castle. Sir Jack opened the door.

“Please pull your hood down too.”

“Yes, yes.”

Right. Showing my face to the knights is one thing, but showing it to unknown nobles is another matter.