It was afternoon.
The loan shark I'd beaten up yesterday returned with a noble in tow. The ugly noble, his face glistening with oil, held his head high and swaggered as he demanded, "Where is the woman named Tiel?"
I had anticipated the noble's arrival.
This virtual world was designed to teach nobles about the lives of peasants. If all they did was peacefully till fields and pass the time, it would be little more than a vacation. Therefore, it was inevitable that nobles would eventually appear and wreak havoc. After all, the loan shark had come for me even though I hadn't borrowed any money.
"...Tiel is my wife, my lord. What brings you here?"
I prostrated myself on the ground and spoke. The usurer beside the Noble smirked at me.
"Oho," the Noble said, looking down at me. Irritation flared, but I had to endure it for the sake of my plan.
Ten soldiers armed with spears and swords stood guard around the Noble, protecting him.
"I've heard that the woman Tiel is exceptionally beautiful," the Noble said.
From whom? It was obvious the usurers beside him.
"My wife, Tiel, is a peasant. How could a peasant possess such beauty? I don't know where you heard that, but it's all exaggeration and baseless rumor!"
"Whether it's rumor or not is something I'll verify with my own eyes. If her beauty truly captivates me, I'll take her as my concubine. Bring Tiel before me immediately. That's an order."
Of course, I didn't move.
Sell my wife out of fear of a noble's authority? Maybe other peasants would, but I had no intention of handing my woman over to anyone else.
"My lord! Please have mercy! I beg you! Don't touch my wife!"
I prostrated myself on the ground, bowing my head. Silently, I glanced back at my humble home. I could sense someone inside Elaine was likely hiding, watching the scene unfold.
The fact that I, a descendant of a great noble family, am bowing my head for Elaine is what truly matters.
Elaine would feel both rage and pity. The more intense her emotions, the higher the chances of my plan succeeding.
"You talk too much for a peasant. Didn't you hear my command? Go fetch your wife and bring her to me."
"My lord! Please! Have mercy!"
"You ignorant peasant! How many times must I repeat myself before you understand?!"
Thwack!
The noble kicked me.
Though the blow was as weak as a cotton ball, I exaggerated my reaction, flying backward and collapsing to the ground. I immediately prostrated myself before him again.
"Just once more...! Please, just once more! If it's money you want, I'll repay you somehow...!"
"This lowly wretch still dares to defy me!"
Enraged by my disobedience, the noble struck me. I skillfully dodged the vital points.
"Hah... hah... This is your last chance. Bring Tiel to me immediately!"
"My lord! Please, have mercy!"
"...You damned peasant. My patience has run out! Living on my territory, you've defied my orders and insulted my authority. You will pay dearly for this sin."
Two soldiers grabbed my shoulders and arms, hauling me to my feet.
The noble glared at me as if he wanted to spit out my face, then abruptly turned his head and pointed at Panres, one of the farmers watching the scene.
"You there! Come here!"
"Y-yes, yes!"
Startled, Panres sprinted over and prostrated himself on the ground.
"You look like a farmer from this village. You must know Tiel. Bring her to me immediately. That's an order."
Panres's eyes darted back and forth. To him, I was a childhood friend he had grown up with. The noble, on the other hand, was a stranger with power but no connection to Panres.
"Don't tell me you're defying my order too?"
The soldiers took a step forward. Panres flinched and cried out.
"Th-that can't be true! I'll bring Tiel here immediately!"
It was betrayal. Or perhaps not, since I had never truly trusted Panres from the start.
Over time, I had realized Panres was jealous of me. I was skilled at farming and had a beautiful wife named Tiel.
Panres hesitated, about to head toward my house, when he stopped. Elaine, the woman called Tiel, was walking confidently toward them. Though dressed in humble peasant's clothes, her bearing and aura were those of a high-ranking noble.
"Lord Hotain Galgalmar. I am Tiel."
"Oh, oh! Are you truly a peasant? Your beauty and grace rival even my own wife's!"
The noble, seeing Elaine's face up close, grew visibly excited.
"Lady Elaine...!"
Elaine didn't glance at me, her gaze fixed on the Noble.
"I will do as Lord Hotain wishes. If he wants me as his concubine, I will become one. But please, spare my husband, Told."
"...Originally, I wanted to execute this wretch immediately and display his head in the town square. But if you obey my will without complaint, things will be different. Come closer."
"Yes."
Elaine stepped forward, resignation and despair clouding her eyes.
"Oh... oh..."
The Noble reached out to Elaine as if entranced.
My patience snapped.
I forcefully shoved aside the soldiers restraining my arms, knocking them off balance. Seizing the sword from the waist of one of the soldiers, I gripped it tightly.
"Aaaaaaah!"
"Kuaaaah!"
Without the slightest hesitation, I slashed through the flanks and shoulders of two soldiers and charged at the noble. Startled, he stumbled backward, instinctively putting distance between us.
"Stop him!"
"Protect Lord Hotain!"
Soldiers rushed to block my path, but they couldn't stop me. Though I couldn't use Mana, my physical abilities remained identical to those of the outside world. Moreover, my swordsmanship the Yeongcheon Style and my accumulated combat experience hadn't vanished.
I effortlessly dodged the soldiers' attacks, slicing their throats as I passed.
Some soldiers, stunned by my skill, fled into the distance. My target, Hotain, stumbled backward and landed hard on his rear.
"D-do you realize what you've done?!"
"Do you realize what you've done?"
If I had my way, I would have slowly tortured him to death, starting with his limbs. But there was no time for such luxuries. And Elaine was watching me, her eyes wide with shock.
I raised my blood-soaked sword high.
"P-please spare me! I was wrong... Gah!"
I plunged the sword into the noble's heart. His body convulsed before going limp. He was dead, beyond any doubt.
I turned my gaze sideways and met Panres' eyes.
"Panres. I never thought you would betray me."
"T-Told! No! Listen to me!"
I withdrew the sword from the noble's chest.
"Eek!"
Realizing there was no room for negotiation, Panres screamed and bolted. I tightened my grip on the sword and hurled it at him. The blade pierced his neck with deadly accuracy. The onlookers scattered in terror, likely fearing I would kill them too.
I approached Elaine, who stood among the corpses with a dazed expression.
"Mother..."
"...Yujin. What have you done? You must know how grave a sin it is to kill a noble..."
In the outside world, if a commoner killed a noble, not only would the commoner be executed, but their entire family would suffer a brutal fate. Even distant relatives could be massacred, and in the worst cases, entire villages might be slaughtered.
"Mother becoming that bastard's concubine! How could you even consider such a thing?!"
"If I had become his concubine, we all could have lived."
"I'd rather die than live by selling you, Mother. Besides, we don't belong to this world! We have a world to return to! Surely you haven't... given up on going back, have you?!"
Elaine sighed deeply.
I knew that I would either die in this world or automatically be forced out after four days, but Elaine knew nothing about this place.
"There's no way back. This world has no Mana. In other words, there's no magic. How can we return without magic?"
"If we search...! If we search, there must be a way!"
"Perhaps. But Yujin, can you truly be certain there's a way back?"
"...That's..."
"In the worst-case scenario, we might have to live our entire lives in this world. In that case, wouldn't it be easier... for me to become a Noble's concubine?"
"Don't say such things!"
I shouted passionately and wrapped my arms around Elaine. She seemed startled by my sudden embrace but didn't push me away, remaining still in my arms.
I desperately suppressed the turmoil rising inside me.
"I don't want to live comfortably at the cost of your sacrifice."
"...I feel the same way. Do you think I don't know you're suffering because of me? I can't even dress myself properly, and I know nothing about farming. I can't cook peasant food or handle livestock. I'm just a burden. I should be helping you, not holding you back. I refuse to be that kind of woman."
"Elaine!"
I stepped back slightly, gripped her shoulders, and met her gaze.
"I love you! I was able to endure everything because you were by my side!"
Her expression shifted from surprise to a subtle nod.
"...Yes. I love you too. You've become the person I've relied on most."
"That's not it, Elaine! I don't love you as family, but as a woman!"
Elaine's reddish-brown eyes flickered.
"...You're mistaken. In this world, we're the only ones we can rely on. And you're clearly very agitated right now. Calm down. We killed a noble, so we need to think about what comes next..."
"It's not a delusion! I've loved you since I was in my original world! For years now! I know it sounds absurd! I know people would condemn me for changing what we've always been to each other!"
"I'm glad you understand that. First, let's calm down..."
"But in this world, no one knows our past! I love you, Elaine!"
Sensing the danger in my words, Elaine panicked and tried to pull away.
"Wait."
I reached for Elaine, but when she stiffened, I stopped myself.
"If you don't want this, I'll stop."
Elaine stared at me, breathing unevenly.
"...You're giving me a choice?"
"Yes. I won't force you."
After a long hesitation, Elaine slowly relaxed. When she did not pull away, I drew her into my arms, and she lifted her face toward me first.
Our lips met in a cautious kiss. Elaine's hands trembled against my shoulders, but she did not push me away.
When I squinted to study her face, she slowly closed her eyes.
Elaine had decided to accept me. This would have been impossible under normal circumstances, had she not nearly given up on returning to her original world.
Once you cross the line, even if you return to your old world, crossing it again becomes easy.
I kissed Elaine more deeply, and when her lips trembled and parted on their own, I slowly slid my tongue into her mouth. She flinched in surprise but quickly responded to my tongue's movements.
A married woman who kisses so poorly? It seems she hasn't had much experience with Antion. I can understand why.
Antion and Elaine's marriage was a political arrangement. Moreover, Antion's true love was his first wife. Their relationship was far from typical.
I slowly pulled away, the silvery thread stretching between our lips before snapping.
Elaine, her cheeks flushed crimson, opened her eyes.
"..."
We gazed silently into each other's eyes.