Saiki's facial expression collapsed in an instant.
Although their voices sounded somewhat distant, Saiki was even more surprised by the fact that the Duke was present here.
When she met him at that unexpected moment, her body stiffened.
But the most surprising of them all was Johnny and his group.
“Isn’t this the coat of arms of the Central Heraldry?”
One of the attendants quickly recognized the duke's crest on the back and shouted.
However, they were not aware that it belonged to the Duke, much to their surprise.
Johnny also turned his head in that direction.
Just looking at the pattern that seemed to be from a high-ranking noble, Johnny felt afraid for no apparent reason.
“…”
As the Duke entered, Johnny, now pale with fear, sat trembling with shock.
When he was facing Saiki, nothing in this world scared him, but now, it was a completely different story. It was as if he was a different person.
Since he was weak before the strong and strong before the weak, facing the nobles from the Central Region made him tremble in fear.
If he had known that Psyche was the Duchess, things would have been different.
Until now, he could do anything if he could find a way to the Central Region, but unfortunately, he couldn't gather the courage to approach the vicinity of the Central Region.
He did not have a title, nor did he possess enormous wealth, nor was he a person of great influence.
He was just someone who took advantage of those weaker than him and bullied them with whatever they had.
Knowing his personality, Saiki chose to be more assertive with him today.
Regardless, Johnny, feeling that his situation was inappropriate, frowned in annoyance.
There was no need to waste time here. It was wise to leave a losing battle quickly. That's what he thought.
“Jeez…”
He muttered curses under his breath.
In fact, Johnny never believed that Psyche married a noble from the Central Region. He thought it was just a baseless rumour.
Why would a Central Region noble bother to propose to Saeki? This was his reasoning.
But when he arrived at the castle today, he was surprised by the reality. Psyche was alone.
Although Johnny, who believed that Psyche married someone just for looks, viewed her husband as an unimportant person, his perspective changed when confronted by Clint.
And now he realized that Clint was no ordinary person.
“…”
Johnny tried to get up, still holding Ken, and at the same time opened his mouth.
“Okay, I'm leaving now!”
His voice was full of frustration.
He raised his uninjured hand and ordered Kane to support him. Finally, Kane, who had been looking at Clint intently, backed Johnny up when he expressed his displeasure.
Then, as if he had never been there, Johnny quickly disappeared through the back door.
This result can only be disappointing.
His escape was quick, mysterious, strangely subtle, almost comical. However, Saiki couldn't find amusement in Clint's appearance.
In the end, only the group of Duke, Psyche, and Cloud were left in the room.
Psyche stared at the duke's party, holding her breath.
If they had noticed her, they would have come immediately, so what made them realize that something was wrong?
“He definitely looked right at me...”
Although Clint and Saiki initially exchanged glances, he strangely did not move and observed the surroundings in detail.
He looked like he was looking at something for the first time.
Claude approached Psyche and whispered, “Does something seem abnormal?”
Psyche nodded silently in agreement.
At first, when they first encountered Clint, he was easy to spot. However, his looks and movements seemed strange.
“What should we do?” Claude asked again in a whisper.
"I am waiting."
Psyche put her hand to her mouth, then pointed her index finger in the Duke's direction.
Then Clint started moving slowly.
Alejandro and the other knights also remained vigilant, waving their weapons. They were sitting cross-legged, holding their swords as if they had entered enemy territory.
Watching them, Claude spoke in a low voice, “It looks like illusion magic.”
“….”
Psyche thought so too, and nodded, agreeing with the assessment.
[We seemed to hear a noise as if people were leaving in a hurry.]
Clint remained standing there, speaking as he looked ahead.
His voice resonated as if it were an echo.
The fact that his voice was audible despite being so close to him meant that the illusion magic was effective on him.
In an unfortunate situation, he was lucky.
Well, if chasing Johnny with his looks was a harvest, it was a harvest.
If the illusion magic worked properly on Clint as well, there didn't seem to be any need to worry more.
“Yes...”
Psyche admitted the truth and spoke cautiously.
But the opponent was the Duke.
“It seems to be working, but… it seems a bit weak. I was hoping our castle wouldn't be visible at all, but it just looks different. Even we're invisible.”
Saiki added, "He seems to hear it clearly... but a little weakly. I wish our castle wasn't visible at all, but it just looks different. We're invisible too."
If illusion spells were used on people who had undergone strict sword training or physical training, it would sometimes lead to such results.
When used on ordinary people, it often shows landscapes that are very different from reality to their eyes.
Psyche hoped that illusion magic would have the same effect here.
She didn't want their castle to be exposed.
But if illusion magic works somewhat less effectively on individuals with physical abilities.
The landmarks were visible, but they appeared in different forms.
So, it's possible that Clint and the Knights mistook Alister's castle for another building.
Fortunately, all the objects inside the illusion effect were not visible either, so Saiki and Claude were unrecognizable. However, if they stayed here longer, they might be discovered.
[Wasn't there a castle around here?]
[It seems so.]
[Did we take the wrong path?… I have never seen ruins like these before.]
[Weren't you lost when you first came here, just to meet the lady?]
Then, Clint, who had come to Saiki's mind again, nodded awkwardly.
“Maybe we should go back here. It's always scary here, but it seems especially uncomfortable every time we go back there.”
Alejandro pretended to shake violently as he spoke.
Clint squinted his eyes some more, scanning the place around him. As he scanned the air with his eyes, he carefully stared at the spot where Saiki was standing and speaking slowly.
“Why is there no one here? I feel like I can sense the lady’s presence.”
Saiki trembled as he looked directly at her. A dry sip passed her mouth involuntarily. She had to be careful not to breathe too loudly, for fear of being found out.
He was truly a man with brutal instincts.
“Oh, this can't be.”
Alejandro shrugged his shoulders dismissively, showing an indifferent expression.
Who knows how it might backfire on him later.
"Mmm, don't you feel it? The lady's scent?"
Clint took a few more steps towards Saiki.
He was getting closer to Psyche because she was in that particular direction. Claude was surprised, opened his eyes wide and looked at Clint.
Clint continued to scan the surroundings, taking a few more steps.
As he walked, he gradually approached Saiki.
Her heart was beating so hard, she clenched her hands tightly for fear that he would hear it too.
“Here...”
Clint made a weird face and took another step towards Saiki.
Now, if he took a step closer, he might touch her.
As the duration of contact between the outer illusion and the inner illusion lengthened, the barrier of illusion magic would be broken.
Saiki wanted to run away immediately, but if she moved, she felt like she might actually get caught. She stood there frozen, like a statue pinned to the ground.
“Clearly...”
Clint moved again.
And now he was right next to her.
Saiki looked at the man standing right in front of her, hoping he wouldn't hear the sound of her heart. She felt as if her body was trembling in anticipation of the sound of the heart.
Clint stared at Saiki for a long time, as if he was sure she was there.
Finally, unexpectedly, Alexandru, whom no one could see, approached.
“Do you see any strange illusions?”
“….”
“But there is nothing here.”
Alexandro spoke indifferently.
Then it happened.
*Oh...!*
Suddenly, Clint, who was standing still, extended his hand as if trying to grab something. It's like he's trying to grab something, like a person.
In an instant, his hand quickly reached towards Saiki's face.
“I'll get you”