My Niece Is Not A Villainess

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ian’s words implied that if Claude didn’t like what he was saying, he could leave the Black Wolf Knights and find another master.

 

Ian, turning his gaze away from Claude, who seemed surprised at the unexpected offer of revoking his knighthood, asked William.

 

“Is everything prepared?”

 

“Yes. We have all the supplies ready for the seven-day journey through the mountains.”

 

“What about the camps?”

 

“There are designated sites along the route. Some knights will be sent ahead to set them up.”

 

Setting up camps along the way instead of preparing them in advance seemed unusual.

 

Seeing Ian’s puzzled expression at the situation, William calmly explained,

 

“To hunt monsters scattered in the mountains, we need to keep moving.”

 

“Isn’t it similar to a regular hunting competition?”

 

Ian asked, recalling hunting competitions from the novel.

 

“It’s fine for small monsters, but capturing larger ones takes a lot of time.”

 

Ian frowned at the explanation, clearly displeased.

 

“Is the seven-day duration for the same reason?”

 

“That’s correct. However, if it’s too strenuous, Duke, you’re welcome to attend for just one day and return.”

 

Ian sighed.

 

It was bothersome to explain when it wouldn’t be well-received anyway. Besides, this was a place for the duke to command, not to explain.

 

“Three days. We’ll finish the monster extermination within three days. Let’s set up the camp in the middle of the mountains.”

 

“Duke.”

 

“What on earth are you talking about, someone who clearly doesn’t understand anything!”

 

Claude, who had been in a daze, burst out.

 

“Do you think we’re going on a simple hunting trip?! It’s difficult to even capture three monsters in a day. And if we only stay for three days and come back, the extermination will fail. The remaining monsters will descend to the villages in winter!”

 

William interjected urgently.

 

“Claude is right. Even investing more than a week wouldn’t be enough to exterminate all the monsters. No matter how many we capture, some villages will still suffer from monster attacks in winter. But with only three days of extermination, more villages will be at risk.”

 

“No, we’ll do it my way this time.”

 

“Duke.”

 

William, attempting to persuade once more, bowed his head at Ian’s firm expression.

 

However, Claude, who still couldn’t accept it, reached out to Ian.

 

“Duke!”

 

But before Claude’s hand could grasp Ian, Ian’s body moved faster.

 

With a thud, Claude found himself rolling on the ground, blinking in surprise.

 

“This is your final warning. If you dare to be insolent again, your life won’t be spared.”

 

Claude stared fixedly at Ian’s back after his words.

 

“Claude! What disrespectful behavior are you showing to the duke?”

 

Despite William’s shouting, Claude still kept his gaze fixed on Ian.

 

“If you dare to be insolent to the duke one more time, then it won’t be the duke who dismisses you—”

 

“…Commander.”

 

The commander, who usually nagged in a gentle tone, looked at Claude differently.

 

Feeling his heart pounding like never before, Claude muttered under his breath.

 

“Commander, this is a dream, right?”

 

“What?”

 

At William’s bewildered question, Claude forcefully slapped his own cheek.

 

“Ouch!”

 

“Are you out of your mind?”

 

At William’s words, Claude grabbed his own head.

 

“No! This must be a dream!”

 

Claude suddenly got up and started sprinting towards the training grounds.

 

After the fall, the attempt to forget the momentary racing heart continued for an hour of running.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 ***

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now, dawn was breaking.

 

The knights stood tall, but their eyes were fixed on one place.

 

“Uncle, only going to stay for two nights. You have to eat well, sleep well, and if you feel sick or scared, tell Sebastian. Got it?”

 

“Mm-hmm.”

 

Watching Rose wobble like a little pillar as she bid farewell to her uncle and answered, Ian handed the child over to a maid.

 

He wished he could take her with him somehow.

 

Even if monsters appeared, he felt confident he could protect her.

 

But condensing a 7-day schedule into 3 days meant an exhausting, intense schedule.

 

Moreover, the campsite wasn’t like camping.

 

With barely a blanket on the ground, he couldn’t subject her to such a harsh lifestyle, even if it meant giving her only the best.

 

Ian had many things to say but restrained himself, giving Sebastian a meaningful look, to which Sebastian confidently nodded.

 

“I will take good care of the young lady. Don’t worry. If anything happens, I’ll send for you immediately.”

 

Ian looked tenderly at Rose sleeping in the maid’s arms.

 

‘Ian, if this guy were sane, he wouldn’t be going out to hunt monsters, leaving Rose behind.’

 

Before being possessed, if Ian had ever gone out to hunt monsters, gained the knights’ trust, he could have delegated the task instead of going himself.

 

Everything was a mess left behind by Ian before the possession.

 

Ian, exhaling another sigh, spoke to Sebastian again.

 

“Sebastian, make sure all the travel preparations are done.”

 

“My lord, that’s…”

 

Ignoring Sebastian’s words as if refusing to hear them, Ian turned his body with the weight of a thousand pounds and addressed the knights.

 

“Let’s depart.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Climbing the mountains in armor was no easy task.

 

Especially the day after grueling training sessions, even walking was a hardship.

 

Unlike the knights who climbed the mountain with quiet groans, William and Ian’s steps were light as if they were out for a stroll.

 

“Duke?”

 

William, suddenly stopping his steps, called out to Ian, who then pressed a finger to his lips and looked at a specific spot.

 

A rustling sound, barely audible if not listened to carefully, could be heard.

 

“Prepare yourselves.”

 

“Yes.”

 

When William gestured to the knights behind him, they all drew their swords.

 

“Here they come.”

 

Along with the growing sound of footsteps as Ian had predicted, five goblins wielding pickaxes rushed forward.

 

“Kikkkikkkieekk.”

 

Ian gracefully avoided the goblin horde and stepped back, like water flowing.

 

The goblin horde didn’t seem to target Ian from the start; instead, they charged toward the knights.

 

Although the knights didn’t panic at the sudden rush of goblins, questioning if Ian had truly gone on monster hunts before, they began their attack.

 

Ian watched their movements closely.

 

While the knights’ posture had improved significantly due to their training, there were still too many inefficient movements.

 

Above all, their sword swings lacked force, and despite several attacking a single goblin, they struggled to inflict fatal blows.

 

‘The one who wields the sword properly…’

 

Ian shifted his gaze.

 

While four knights were struggling with one monster, Claude and his partner, Jean, had already killed one and were rushing toward another.

 

With a final grunt, the last remaining goblin fell.

 

The knights, panting heavily, showed no signs of injury but appeared extremely exhausted.

 

Ian clicked his tongue.

 

It was unfathomable how knights could grow weary swinging their swords. How they had earned their knighthoods was beyond Ian’s comprehension.

 

“Sir William.”

 

“Yes, duke.”

 

William, who had been observing the knights alongside Ian, responded.

 

“Have you always done things like this?”

 

“…Yes.”

 

“Now I understand why it took seven days.”

 

As William bowed his head in apparent remorse at Ian’s displeasure, Ian turned and spoke.

 

“Double the intensity of the knight’s training. We don’t need those who whine about it. Cut them loose immediately.”

 

“…Yes.”

 

Leaving the squires to deal with the goblin corpses, Ian and the remaining knights resumed their ascent up the mountains.

 

“Did you wait for monsters at the outpost?”

 

Monsters feasted on living beings, particularly favoring humans. If humans gathered at an outpost, monsters would come seeking their delicacy.

 

“No. We roamed the mountains until sunset.”

 

“And you only killed the monsters you encountered?”

 

“Yes.”

 

The place they halted was the designated central outpost where Ian ordered construction.

 

Ian, surveying the circular clearing, spoke to William.

 

“Are there any other clearings besides this one?”

 

“Yes, there’s another one about 100m to the right.”

 

“Then leave the ones building the outpost here and have the knights wait over there.”

 

“Yes.”

 

As soon as he heard William’s response, Ian dashed into the woods.

 

The methods they had been using for hunting were too inefficient.

 

Especially considering the knights were already worn out from just walking, such methods couldn’t be continued.

 

With time running short, gathering monsters and bringing them to the knights was the best option.

 

“Let’s start with just one or two.”

 

Ian spotted a goblin and halted his steps.

 

Looking around, he picked up a stone and threw it at the goblin.

 

However, the stone made a loud thud as it shattered the goblin’s head.

 

Ian clicked his tongue at the sight of the goblin collapsing, oozing green blood.

 

It was due to not considering the strength gained from skills.

 

“Guess I’ll have to find another one.”

 

Ian scanned the area.

 

However, there were no other goblins in sight, not even the one he had just killed.

 

“Hmm. It’s better to climb up a tree and have a look around.”

 

Jumping in place, Ian landed on a thick branch covered with leaves.

 

Looking down at the dense forest, Ian’s eyes caught sight of a group of lizardmen wielding spears, moving somewhere.

 

“Where are they headed?”

 

Ian, able to discern the path the group was taking, furrowed his brow slightly.

 

The direction the lizardmen were heading led to where the knights’ outpost was.

 

Monsters seeking out humans first was unexpected.

 

It was a different situation from William noticing and killing monsters while roaming the mountains.

 

Moreover, only the personnel stationed at the outpost remained there. The knights ready for actual combat were gathered where Ian had mentioned.

 

Realizing things had taken a turn, Ian swiftly started leaping from tree to tree towards the direction of the outpost.

 

“Duke?”

 

Ian arrived at the outpost before the lizardmen and grabbed hold of a seedling.

 

Pointing to the right, he said,

 

“The knights should be gathering about 100m ahead. Converge in this direction.”

 

“Understood.”

 

Ian instructed the remaining seedlings to enter the grandest outpost and muttered softly,

 

“Fragarach.”

 

As Fragarach, stored in his inventory, materialized, a solid and reassuring sensation enveloped his palm.

 

Gripping the perfectly summoned hilt of the razor-sharp blade, Ian swung it several times, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound, signaling the lizardmen to charge towards the outpost.