25-134

EP.134 [Eugene Schneider Declares Himself Mina’s Boyfriend.] 

"Damn it! The main force was a trap!" 

Antonio, having reached the second caravan, was overwhelmed with regret. In front of him was Vivian’s battered, shabby decoy wagon. 

After finishing the battle at the first main caravan, Antonio was shocked. When about a third of the attacking Tyrannos troops had been cut down, the rest suddenly began to flee. Sensing something off, Antonio checked the armor of the fallen Tyrannos soldiers and discovered they were actually local civilians. He immediately headed for the second caravan, only to find it already in ruins. 

"Oh dear~! Would you believe it, Antonio? The Tyrannos elite detachment came at us! Even our supposedly strong private guards couldn’t do anything~ What should we do about this, oh dear~" 

At Antonio’s side was the traitor Theo Leopold. Adan, having confirmed Vivian’s absence, had thoroughly searched the entire second caravan to see if she was hiding in another wagon. After confirming she wasn’t there, he and his men began to pursue Eugene Schneider and Vivian. Theo had bribed Adan, asking him to smash up much of the second caravan’s property as a smokescreen, to make it look like they had desperately fought off the Tyrannos attack, and to appeal to Antonio. 

"If it was the elite detachment, even Theo’s guards couldn’t have done anything. Don’t blame yourself. It’s lucky the guild leader survived. I just hope Vivian is safe." 

"That’s right~ Oh, Vivian, I should have protected you even if it cost me my life~" 

With Theo laying it on thick and playing his part perfectly, Antonio sent only a few men to search for Vivian. While she was the top protection priority, the goods and Theo were also important. If things had been normal, Antonio might have prioritized differently, but with Theo looking so convincingly like a victim, he was being actively protected. 

'Damn... I pulled every trick in the book to get Antonio on my side, so the Tyrannos guys should catch Vivian. If they don’t, those idiots should tear down their anti-Empire sign!' 

Theo’s performance was fueled by pure survival instinct. Realizing both Vivian and Eugene Schneider had vanished, Theo knew he was screwed. His opportunistic instincts told him Eugene had figured out his betrayal. There was no way to recover by just switching sides Vivian and Eugene had to die. So he even faked self-harm to weaken the pursuit by the Iron Cross Knights and Red Fox Mercenary Band. 

But all his desperate acting and schemes  

"Hey, you traitor bastard." 

 ended in utter failure. 

"!!!!!???????" 

Theo Leopold’s eyes went wide as he continued his method acting. 

"Captain Eugene! Where did you come from??" 

Antonio was also shocked. 

"I had to make sure to catch the traitor, so I circled around and came back." 

CRACK! 

"Arghhhh!" 

Eugene Schneider, now in disguise, had returned and twisted Theo Leopold’s arm, restraining him. 

"A traitor? Guild Leader Theo??" 

Antonio was already shocked by Eugene’s sudden appearance, but even more so when Eugene called Theo a traitor. He looked back and forth between Eugene and Theo in confusion. 

"That’s right, Captain Antonio. Guild Leader Theo colluded with Tyrannos and orchestrated today’s events." 

At that moment, another voice snapped Antonio to attention it was Vivian, guild leader of the Pieta Guild. She emerged slowly from the woods beside the second caravan, accompanied by members of the Red Fox Mercenary Band who had gone searching. 

"Guild Leader Vivian, you’re safe!!!" 

Antonio immediately ran to Vivian. 

"Yes, thanks to Captain Eugene Caesar’s quick thinking and getting me to safety, I survived. The person over there, Theo Leopold, is the one who’s been leaking our information to Tyrannos. Today’s attack was based on his betrayal." 

Vivian revealed the whole truth to Antonio. 

After calming Eugene’s demonic energy with passionate sex, the two of them headed to where Thomas had prepared horses. On their way back via a safe route, they encountered the Red Fox Mercenary Band’s search party and joined up. But if they had returned directly to the second caravan, Theo Leopold might have tried to escape. To prevent that, Eugene returned first, quickly apprehending Theo. 

"It’s a lie!! It’s a lie!!" 

"Shut up, you idiot." 

CRACK! 

"Argh! Dammit!!" 

With every escape route cut off, Theo Leopold thrashed in desperation, but Eugene mercilessly twisted his arm, making it clear he was finished. 

"It was a short time, but it was a truly meaningful collaboration, Lady Jeanne!" 

The quest was over. 

Adan, captain of the Tyrannos elite detachment, realizing too late that Vivian had joined the Red Fox Mercenary Band, retreated back to Tyrannos territory. In the end, he failed to seize the main goods of the Alexandria Merchant Alliance’s first main caravan and failed to secure Vivian. For the Iron Cross Knights and Red Fox Mercenary Band, this meant their objectives were achieved the Alexandria expedition quest was a success. 

On the last day of this successful collaboration, Antonio bid a bittersweet farewell to Jeanne, leader of the Red Fox Mercenary Band, who was preparing to depart. 

"It was meaningful for me as well. I gained the experience of mercenaries and knights working together so harmoniously. It’s a valuable addition to my career." 

The farewell took place right at the entrance to the Iron Cross Knights’ camp. With the Red Fox Mercenary Band ready to leave, Jeanne expressed how much friendship they had gained on this expedition. 

"Thank you for everything." 

"Hehe! Thank you for all your support for us on our way out, Guild Leader Vivian!" 

Vivian exchanged farewells with the Red Fox Mercenary Band. Holding Marie’s hand, she expressed her gratitude with a refined smile befitting a guild leader, while Marie couldn’t stop smiling from all the support they’d received she’d never been treated so well by a noble before. 

Vivian shook hands and said goodbye to each member of the Red Fox Mercenary Band. 

"Thank you for protecting me throughout the quest, Captain Eugene." 

Vivian also said farewell to Eugene. 

"I was just doing my job. I’m just glad you weren’t hurt, especially since it was my first time as a bodyguard." 

Eugene replied with a calm expression. 

"It’s all thanks to you, Captain." 

Smile... 

But having gone all the way with this man, confessed her love, and shared a deep kiss, even Eugene’s calm demeanor now seemed sweet to Vivian. She couldn’t help but smile. 

"And I’ll definitely remember what you said." 

At the same time, she spoke with a tone of determination. 

"I’ll make sure to become someone worthy of your expectations, and I’ll see you again." 

This seemed to be her answer to what Eugene had said to her after their second time together. 

"Wowww!!! It’s Uncle Eugene!!!" 

With the Alexandria quest over, spring had passed and early summer had arrived. A voice perfect for the season rang out across the wide fields it was Margaret, the slum girl. 

Clatter! Clatter! Clatter! 

"Haha! Didn’t I promise, Margaret? I wanted to see you so much I made sure to come right on time!" 

Eugene Schneider, pulling a large cart, responded to Margaret’s enthusiastic greeting. The cart was loaded with supplies for the slums. 

After returning from Alexandria, Eugene spent about ten days preparing for his promised visit to the slums. While Marie, who had already received payment from Mina, handled the procurement, Eugene also pitched in. Because of all the effort put into the supplies, Eugene decided to deliver them himself. 

"Wow! Uncle! Uncle Eugene!" 

Thump-thump-thump-thump! 

Having kept his promise, Eugene was met with uncontainable joy from Margaret, who ran out to greet him. Margaret was always cheerful, but of course, such a small girl had her own wounds. She’d worried a lot about whether Eugene would really keep his promise. Now, with that worry gone, she was as happy as could be. 

"I’m so happy you came, Uncle! Hihi!" 

Hug! 

"Haha! Of course I came I promised Margaret, didn’t I?" 

Margaret ran up and hugged Eugene’s leg, truly grateful and happy. Eugene, knowing why Margaret was so emotional, played along, assuring her he’d never leave her side. 

Smile... 

Behind Eugene, Mina watched, pulling a smaller cart, and smiled warmly at the scene. 

"Wow, it’s true! Mina came with a man, just like Margaret said!" 

Eugene and Mina entered the slum, pulling their carts into the block where many children lived. The kids went wild when they saw Mina with another outsider such visitors were rare in the slum. Especially since Margaret had spent a month bragging everywhere that someone she promised would visit. 

"Wow, I feel like a celebrity, Mina!" 

Seeing the kids swarm around him, Eugene felt rather welcomed. 

After parking the carts, Eugene and Mina stood before the children. 

"Is Uncle really Mina’s boyfriend?" 

The kids crowded around them, suddenly asking if they were a couple. 

'Huh? What’s this about? I definitely told Charlotte and Margaret last time that Mina and I were just really good friends...' 

Eugene was puzzled by the kids’ question. Mina, too, was at a loss, trying to manage the situation. 

'Huh?' 

At that moment, Eugene looked down. 

"Uuung... uuung..." 

Margaret was still clinging to his leg, glancing up at him nervously. 

That’s right. Having gotten the attention of the other kids, Margaret wanted even more of the spotlight. So she’d bragged that the person coming with Mina this time was Mina’s boyfriend. 

"Well, kids, actually " 

"Wait a moment, Mina." 

Noticing what was happening, Eugene stopped Mina from explaining. 

"That’s right. I’m this pretty and kind Mina’s boyfriend. So please take care of us, everyone." 

With that, he declared in front of all the slum children that he was, just as Margaret had said, Mina’s boyfriend.