# 63
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Matthias glanced at his brother, then smiled as he greeted Elinor.
“Good morning. It's still almost dawn, you're up early.”
“My eyes woke up early.”
Elinor answered lightly.
“His Highness the Duke is up early too.”
“I have to get ready to go to the border.”
Matthias looked at the valley mixed with black and red.
His complicated feeling about the Hilliard problem was evident in his eyes.
He must be very tired, Elinor suddenly thought.
Ten years ago, the Duke himf was a minor.
How much he suffered as the head of a large family, managing the territory and protecting his family.
His cruelty in the original story may have been due to his loss of many valuables.
“What's wrong?”
“Oh, nothing.”
Her eyes suddenly met his, and Elinor quickly turned her head.
"nothing."
“Boring.”
Matthias laughed lightly.
"We'll be setting off right after breakfast. So, Logan, don't linger here and go get ready."
* * *
Due to the narrowness of the valley, it was not possible to use the cart.
So, they had to ride horses to reach the contaminated area.
But here a problem arose.
“I don't know how to ride a horse.”
In her previous life before incarnation, she had never seen a real horse, let alone ridden one.
There were horse-riding lessons as part of the general education at the academy, but Elinor was not interested.
“Then, I'll pick you up!”
Logan raised his hand excitedly.
But his enthusiasm was met with a barrier from Matthias.
"You must open the way. Are you going to go dangerously in front with Miss Elinor?"
“Ah…”
“I am the one who will protect Miss Elinor. So, focus on leading the way and don’t worry about her.”
“Okay...”
Logan turned his back, shoulders slumped.
Elinor looked at his back regretfully.
'Maybe it would have been better if I rode with Logan.'
Would riding with Matthias really be comfortable…?
“Come on, I will help you, you go up first.”
Matthias extended his hand to Elinor.
His large hand, full of rough skin, seemed as if it would not move until he held it.
'No other choice.'
Elinor did not struggle unnecessarily and obediently mounted Matthias' horse.
Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
The horse shook its head, and the people lined up in procession and set off.
It was a fairly large procession, including twenty elite knights.
It also meant that they were heading into a very dangerous area.
gulp.
Elinor's body froze.
She thought that riding with Matthias would be uncomfortable, but in reality, she couldn't think of anything because of the tension.
They will not enter the depths of the valley today.
Since it is the first day of exploration, they decide to observe the last part tainted by black magic and return.
So, there would be no need for holy power.
Of course, I couldn't use holy power anyway…
“Miss Elinor.”
"Yes."
“Don't be so tense and breathe.”
Was I holding my breath?
“Hoo.”
Elinor took a deep breath.
She now realized that her heart was beating fast.
"The border is a dangerous place, but not all of it is. Logan took good care of it, so it's still under control."
“Yes...”
“If you're this nervous from the start, you'll collapse before we get far. Calm down.”
Elinor tried to regulate her breathing slowly.
But her heart kept beating fast.
I frowned.
“It doesn't work.”
"Hahaha."
"Don't laugh. I'm so nervous right now."
“Nothing serious will happen to you, Miss Elinor.”
“It's a place full of dark magic. How can you guarantee my safety?”
“Tidian said I have to protect you even if you get hurt. Cornelia said the same thing. My little brothers are like this, no matter how hard I work to raise them, it’s no use.”
“This…is because they trust you because you are so strong.”
"exactly."
Matthias gripped the reins tightly.
At that moment, his arm slightly touched Elinor's body.
“I will definitely protect you, don’t worry.”
Elinor suddenly remembered the time she was trapped in a burning inn.
Escape routes were closed, and her body became heavy from smoke inhalation.
She thought there was no hope.
Are you going to die like this in vain?
But just when she was about to lose consciousness, Matthias broke through the fire and saved her.
His face was an expression of deep satisfaction, as if to say that he was truly happy to have found her.
Pulse.
Pulse, pulse.
strange.
Why does my heart seem to beat faster than before?
Elinor rubbed her chest with her hand.
After thinking for a long time, I concluded that Matthias is not good at reassuring people.
* * *
“Quiet, calm.”
After about thirty minutes of slow progress, Logan stopped the convoy.
“From here, the pollution is mixed in. You have to be careful.”
Elinor craned her neck.
There was a black rock in the direction Logan pointed.
It's like it's sucking the life out.
Dark magic was gradually spreading around him, like water dripping on a leaf.
“It's only been thirty minutes.”
Matthias clicked his tongue.
“If we run fast, it will only take ten minutes.”
Logan pulled a small bottle from his chest.
It was the backup holy water, a sparkling blue liquid.
Elinor asked Matthias.
“Is he purifying now?”
"no."
When Logan sprinkled holy water on the tainted rock, gray smoke billowed out.
“At first, I thought that holy water purifies black magic. But it is not necessarily purification.”
Matthias muttered.
“It brings him back to nothingness.”
Elinor soon realized what he meant.
The black rock tainted with black magic had completely disappeared.
When the wind blew, rock dust scattered in all directions.
“See? Those holes in the canyon walls.”
"Show."
“These are the effects of using holy water to stop pollution. As we go, you will see more of them.”
Matthias signaled, and they resumed their advance.
Elinor watched her surroundings nervously.
As Matthias said, the valley, which had certainly been scenic in the past, was full of holes.
Like moldy cheese.
But instead of being funny, it was strange and disturbing.
Biiii-
The golden bird, which had been flying in the sky, suddenly landed on Elinor's arms.
“What's wrong?”
Elinor examined the golden bird.
He was trembling, hiding in her embrace.
Until now, the golden bird had only landed on her head or shoulder, but it had never hidden in her lap before.
I felt a foreboding.
Is it safe to keep going like this?
“Your Highness, shouldn’t we be back now?”
"It's still safe. Before your visit, Logan already checked how safe it was."
“But...”
I feel like something bad is going to happen.
While Elinor was holding the reins tightly with both hands, she heard.
Tododoc.
"Yes."
Small grains of dust suddenly fell from above.
Did Logan use holy water again?
But when I checked, Logan was silently moving forward.
There were no areas tainted by black magic nearby.
Where did this dust come from then?
“…Your Highness the Duke.”
“I said it was all right, Miss Elinor.”
“No, not that. Look up.”
“Top?”
Matthias followed Elinor, raised his head, and then froze.