The Extra Wants To Live

"Rather than that, first of all, obtain the information or weaknesses necessary for negotiation with Marquis Gasto. After negotiation, I will secretly betroth you to Elke Gasto and form an alliance."

"…why...."

"Because I have to hide the pattern to counter Adrian's plan."

Carl said that coldly and then pulled his hand away. Of course, Carl knew that Camilla hadn't asked that.

Unfortunately, Carl did not know that these actions were not very effective. Camilla's hand did not leave Carl's wrist, and she pulled him close with an almost brutal force.

Camilla had been observing Carl for a long time and knew quite a bit about him.

If Carl really didn't care about Camilla, he wouldn't have reacted like this. He would have acted coldly, as if cold steel were flowing instead of warm blood, or, on the contrary, he would have held her in his arms and whispered sweet words of love.

If he just see her as a tool, Camilla can act the way she wants and use me as a tool.

He must have thought that his words and actions toward Camilla were just the price he paid for using her as a tool, and he must have acted out his love by coldly judging the pros and cons and giving her fuel.

Carl is a man who can commit such cruel acts without any hesitation, as long as he makes 'rational judgments.'

However, Carl neither harshly rejected Camilla for crossing the line nor hugged her affectionately. This fearsome monster, who enlightened the world by simply reading books from the imperial library, has learned one thing from others besides martial arts.

"Are you sure that's okay?"

Camilla held Carl's hand tightly, wrapped her arms around his waist, pulled him close, and whispered in a wet voice.

"Yeah."

Carl's cold voice did not change.

But Carl, knowing that he could shake Camilla off with just a look of contempt and disgust, simply remained indifferent, unaware that he was sending her subtle signals, leaving her open to it.

Because the one thing Carl learned from anyone other than martial arts was love, which he learned from Lilly.

Carl, who felt as if he had everything just from his love for his mother, was, in fact, no better than a baby just learning to walk when it came to those vast and complex emotions.

The reason why her jewel-like eyes keep coming to mind. Why her curly black hair looks so beautiful. The reason why her body temperature feels soft. The reason why her scent feels sweet.

Carl didn't know.

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He just looked at Camilla's hazel eyes, which were like jewels, and that's why they came to mind.

The shiny, curly black hair resembled the twinkling stars in the night sky that reminded him of his mother, and it looked beautiful.

The reason the body temperature felt soft was because the air soaked in rain was cold.

The only thing that smelled sweet was the perfume. The only love he knew was for his mother, so this feeling could never be love.

"Even if you hug a woman you've never even met, not me?"

"What difference does it make?"

"Are you sure you won't regret it?"

"Regret… … ."

Carl's lips, which had been speaking coldly and confidently, paused. He had no regrets.

He had spent that night with Camilla, one stained with too much regret and pain, to say those words in front of her.

"Is it so?"

Camilla, as if she had heard Carl's silent words, suddenly took a step back from him.

And she looked at Carl's elegant eyebrows and noble eyes, furrowed and glaring at him, as if savoring them. She enjoyed the moment when she realized that he was wavering with the utmost feeling.

"Then, I will convey it thusly, Your Highness."

Camilla spoke coldly with a face that was cold and disinterested, unlike her satisfied mood, and disappeared into the shadows. Carl glared at the shadow.

Camilla had already gone. It was just a shadow of nothing.

But it wasn't just a shadow, as Camilla's warmth slowly cooled and her scent lingered as it disappeared in the fishy air.

After all traces of Camilla disappeared, Carl returned to his cold, expressionless face and walked calmly as usual.

She couldn't find anything in him, she couldn't feel anything.

But the act of wasting precious time pointlessly seemed to show how Carl unconsciously viewed Camilla.

'… Now that I think about it, he's only 18…'

Camilla, who had been watching him contentedly from the shadows until Carl left, ended up covering her eyes with her hands.

But it was not Camilla but Carl who reached out first! He grabbed her chin, lifted her head, cupped her face, and declared that she was his.

She did nothing wrong.

'… I hugged Carl, who was crying loudly, just because I felt sorry for him.'

Camilla muttered to herself as she left the room. After the man and woman left, only cold loneliness flowed through the alley again.

***

The rain that had been pouring down as if a hole had been ripped through the sky stopped. But I can't like it, because now the real heat is starting. It was a real shame for the Laurel Legion, who had to gallop through the eastern part of the empire in this humid and hot weather.

Especially when you go into a swampy area that has flooded the forest due to the heavy monsoon rains, in this hot weather, wearing armor.

Choa, choa, choa… Metal armor is heavy and prone to rust, while cloth gambitons get soaked. So they're all wearing armor made from tough monster hide.

The forests of Gilin Territory, these swamps formed by the overflow of small rivers, will in fact disappear naturally over time. It is an annual event for nearby villagers to scour the remaining ponds for fish that flow in from the river.

"Do you see that rope up ahead?"

A man from a nearby village who was guiding us points to a rope tied to a tree.

"Is that the place?"

"Yes, it gets really deep from there. The water is so deep that if you go in by mistake, you'll die for sure."

The man shudders as he answers Billford question, now looking like a dignified knight.

They tell you to be careful, put up a rope as a warning, and even hang a long rope so you can grab it in case you fall. But every year when the water recedes and I go out to fish, I always find piles of bones of people who drowned.

In the past, I would have just assumed that it would happen no matter who died. But this year, things are different.

"Sir, you must be careful. Eight people have already disappeared, including those from other villages, and among them is an old man who has lived in this forest for over 50 years."

The man said in horror. It's been just over ten days since the rainy season ended, and eight people have disappeared.

Above all, the fact that an old man who frequents this forest as if it were his own home has gone missing is terrifying.

To survive in this cruel world means you are strong, in whatever sense that may mean.

Even if he is just an old man from a rural village, his life experience and wisdom cannot be ignored.

There is no way that an old man wouldn't know about the disappearances and drownings that occur every year, and yet he was victimized.

"Stay back."

"Yes, sir. Please do so."

The man bows and steps back at Billford words. But he could not sense any fear, dread, or rejection of the knight in him.

There is no commoner who dislikes the Laurel Legion, which solves numerous problems arising in the eastern part of the Empire. They deserve respect and love.

"Approach slowly."

"Yes."

At Billford command, the soldiers move slowly, wading through water cold up to their calves. They were all armed with spears, and instead of their usual large shields, they wore long, thin shields that protected only their forearms.

If you fall while fighting a monster with a large shield in the water, you may die without being able to get up.

Clank, clank… . The soldiers following behind them had nets wrapped around their arms instead of spears and shields.

It's not a regular net. It is an excellent weapon that has a creepy hook attached to the part where a thick and strong rope is woven, and it digs into the flesh of the person it catches and catches them.

Billford struggled to control his nerves as he approached the deep water marked by ropes in the lead.

'This is my first time conducting. I can't make a mistake here.'

This is the first mission that Billford will command alone, without any other knights, including Carl and Catherine.

There is no one to cover for his mistakes when an emergency arises. All kinds of problems arise immediately after the rainy season ends.

The rainy season is a tough time for monsters, so they stay put and wait for the rain to stop. Then, when the rain stops, they run out and roam around causing trouble to fill their hungry stomachs.

There are also quite a few commoners who turn to robbers because they run out of money and food while enduring the rainy season, or because their houses collapse.

Despite the support of the Duren Church, Carl was so short-handed that he split his Laurel Corps into four units.

The 1st Division is operated by Carl, the 2nd Division by Catherine, and the newly created 3rd and 4th Divisions are operated by troops supported by Aric and the eastern nobles of the Empire, respectively.

So, Billford, who became the 3rd Division Commander of the Laurel Unit less than half a year after becoming a knight, couldn't help but be nervous.

Of course, Billford has the skills, so he can definitely come back alive.

However, there must be no casualties among the soldiers.

Above all, Billford cannot ruin the record of the Laurel Unit, which is building an undefeated legend, with something like this.