Several hundred meters behind Sasuke's back, Elisvaria began to walk closer.
Her physical condition felt far better than it had moments ago. The flow of energy within her body was slowly recovering, filling the emptiness inside her, even though sharp pain still pulsed intermittently through each wound. With every step, her footing grew steadier and more assured, despite her body clearly not having returned to its optimal state.
As she continued forward, her eyes swept across the surroundings, now reduced to devastation.
A short breath escaped her slightly pale red lips.
Her appearance was truly a mess. The high-quality steel armor that normally gleamed with dignity now looked worn and pitiful. Tears were visible along her cloak, while dents covered various sections of the metal plates, remnants of brutal impacts she had not even noticed during the fight.
Elisvaria stopped at the edge of a massive crater roughly forty meters in diameter. The enormous hollow in the ground stood as a silent witness to the clash between her ultimate technique and the assassin.
Her gaze shifted toward the mage lying not far away. His body lay stiff against the ground, his condition horrifying to behold.
"Haa... That man is truly strong. He managed to take down a high-level mage and a master swordsman in an extremely short time."
Perhaps the black-haired man had not even been serious when facing the two of them.
Just how far did the limits of his power reach? Was he as strong as Father? Or perhaps already on par with my Knight Commander?
Her feet moved again. This time, her attention fixed on the single-eyed sword embedded at the bottom of another, even deeper crater.
Elisvaria stopped once more.
The destruction exceeded even the collision caused by my ultimate attack earlier. The snowy forest around them was left with nothing but traces of ruin.
Snow and trees had vanished without a trace within the radius of that man's attack, as if swept clean by an unnatural force.
This crater was nearly the same width as the previous one, yet its depth was far more extreme. The earth beneath it seemed to have been forcibly compressed by a terrifying weight, collapsing inward while spewing surface material in all directions.
Her thoughts returned to the display of power she had witnessed. An invisible wave that crushed and repelled anything standing in its path.
Was that some kind of magic? Yet there was not even the faintest trace of mana left behind.
Not to mention his speed, which was utterly unreasonable. How could a human move that fast? In the span of a single blink, he crossed hundreds of meters in an instant. All that remained were faint sparks of lightning lingering in the air, brief traces of movement that were nearly impossible for the eye to catch.
Curiosity began to grow and take root in her mind.
Even so, that man was extremely rude.
Elisvaria quickly brushed the thought aside. At the very least, she was still alive because of his intervention.
. . .
Elisvaria's footsteps finally stopped right behind Sasuke's back.
Does this man truly not notice my presence? Or is he deliberately ignoring it?
Her eyes lingered on his broad back, then shifted to strands of his black hair. The curiosity inside her grew stronger, especially because of his unusual attitude.
He looks at me differently. There is no interest, no flattery, only indifference and disregard. He expected nothing when he helped me. I am used to how people look at me. Many of them are insincere, especially strangers who always expect compensation when helping a noble.
Perhaps he truly does not know who I am.
Then what would happen if he did? Would that cold attitude crumble and turn into the same greed shown by others?
Elisvaria remembered something. Right, the sword.
Her lips moved, her voice flat yet still polite.
"Apologies for disturbing your thoughts."
Sasuke turned around calmly. From the beginning, his senses had already picked up the sound of her footsteps.
"What is it?"
Elisvaria slowly raised her hand, the sword held firmly within her grip.
"Your sword."
"Oh."
Sasuke looked into Elisvaria's eyes for a moment. Blood-red. For an instant, they reminded him of the Sharingan. If only there were circular patterns and tomoe, those eyes would look identical to those of the Uchiha clan.
He raised his hand, took the sword, and slid it back into its sheath.
Elisvaria extended her open palm forward once more, a gesture of formal introduction.
"I am Elisvaria Velmora, ruler of the northern territory of the Valdoria Empire."
"Northern territory? Valdoria?"
Sasuke accepted the handshake. Their skin touched briefly.
Sasuke's thoughts began to move. Ruler of the northern territory meant a noble of extremely high standing. In the fantasy literature he remembered reading, the northern lands were almost always governed by a cold and powerful duke.
A duke, then.
"Sasuke Uchiha. I am merely a traveler. I happened to lose my way in this forest."
"A unique name."
Elisvaria did not dwell on the strangeness of it. This continent was vast, filled with unfamiliar names and lineages. Still, the excuse of being lost was difficult to believe. A man with power like his should be nearly incapable of wandering aimlessly in a snowy forest.
I do not believe a man with that level of strength could truly get lost within my territory.
Elisvaria stepped slowly toward the assassin's body, his chest pierced through completely. Her gaze settled on the gaping hole that had destroyed his heart.
"I will take this corpse."
"Do as you wish. From the beginning, it was your affair."
"I thought you might object or refuse."
"I have no strange hobby of collecting male bodies."
"You...!"
Elisvaria's brows knitted sharply. She clearly disliked that remark. It sounded crude, sarcastic, and completely unfiltered.
Does he not think before speaking? His words show no concern at all for who he is addressing.
"Your handsome face seems to be the complete opposite of your sharp tongue."
Sasuke paid it no attention whatsoever.
I need to return to my original goal. Find the nearest human settlement. Staying involved with this noblewoman any longer will only be troublesome.
He began to walk away. After only two steps, Elisvaria's voice stopped him again.
"Where are you going?"
"I no longer have any business here. There is no need to worry about your two knights. They are safe."
"Thank you for your help. But do not leave yet."
"What do you mean?"
"Stay here for a while."
From the beginning, Elisvaria had already felt irritated by Sasuke's indifferent attitude. During her time as ruler of the northern territory, had she ever been treated like this? Never. Even before ascending to her position, hardly anyone had dared to behave this coldly toward her.
I must keep him here. This man is extremely mysterious, as is his unmeasured strength. Besides, I desperately need additional power in a situation like this.
"Say it plainly if you need something. I do not have much time to keep dealing with you."
"I do need something. That is why I am asking you not to leave."
Sasuke's brows drew together.
"Say it now."
"I am alone and extremely exhausted at the moment. I need you to guard me until reinforcements from my forces arrive at this location."
"You are exaggerating, woman. Are you asking me to become your personal guard?"
Sasuke turned fully around, his gaze sharp. He had no desire to involve himself in the lives of nobles. Political intrigue was always repulsive, no matter the world. The modern world, the ninja world, or this one, games of power always ended in betrayal, greed, and meaningless sacrifice.
Elisvaria smiled faintly at his reaction.
"Lord Sasuke, you were the one who said you would help if I needed something. I sincerely hope you are not the type of man who takes back words once they have been spoken."
"..."
Sasuke let out a long, quiet breath. He realized his carelessness in speaking earlier.
This woman is sharp.
In my previous life, my social interactions with people never went well. Now I am paying for it, from nothing more than words that slipped out casually.
This woman is using my own statement to keep me here.
However.
I cannot refuse. I always honor every word that leaves my mouth, even when it goes against my own wishes. That principle has never changed, no matter where I am.
"As you wish."
****
"Hey, watch how you speak! You should know who you are talking to. You are being extremely disrespectful toward Lady Duke!"
Sasuke glanced sharply at the black-haired woman who had just arrived. Standing beside her was a man with dark red hair. The two were a pair of knights whom Sasuke had helped earlier when they faced the assassins.
Sasuke understood the reason behind the woman's protective attitude. However, as someone whose soul came from the modern world, combined with Sasuke's blunt and cold personality, the concept of speaking formally to satisfy noble etiquette simply did not exist in his mind at all.
A truly stiff and irritating woman.
Sasuke chose to remain silent. He had no intention of responding to rambling that held no importance to him whatsoever.
Elisvaria, sensing the rising tension, immediately stepped forward, stopping her subordinate before the situation worsened.
"Nyra, forget it. Lord Sasuke saved all of our lives. Do not speak in that tone to our savior. Besides, from now on, he will be my guard."
"Yes, Lady Duke."
Vaelor seemed to tug at a faint smile when he saw Nyra finally relent after receiving the Duke's mild reprimand.
On the other side, Sasuke's brows knit deeply. He disliked the direction this conversation was taking.
"That is an excessive statement, Elisvaria. I only agreed to guard you for now, not permanently."
"Lord Sasuke, are you intending to go back on your own words? You have already given your consent to become my guard."
"That agreement only stands until your reinforcements arrive. Now both of your knights are here. You are no longer alone. That is sufficient. I see no reason to remain here any longer to protect you."
Elisvaria merely smiled calmly. Her gaze then sharpened as it shifted toward Nyra and Vaelor. Both immediately understood the signal. Their lord was about to issue an absolute command, one that allowed no room for refusal.
"Very well, if that is your wish. Nyra, Sir Vaelor, leave the two of us immediately. If you encounter Sir Roderic on your way, tell him to await my arrival and stay in his position until further orders."
Nyra hesitated. Leaving the Lady Duke behind while her armor was in disarray and her wounds had yet to fully recover felt completely unreasonable for a knight. She was about to voice her objection, but Vaelor was quicker in reading the situation.
"I understand, Lord Duke."
Nyra turned toward him with a look full of protest. A second later, she let out a shriek as Vaelor forcibly lifted her and carried her away.
"Kyaa! Vaelor, what are you doing? Let me go!"
Vaelor offered no response. He ignored her loud protests and continued walking without hesitation.
Their figures slowly disappeared behind rows of snow-covered trees. Elisvaria smiled faintly at the sight. She had long noticed the sparks of interest Vaelor held toward Nyra, but she had no intention of interfering in their personal affairs. Time would decide how that relationship unfolded.
Sasuke's voice broke her thoughts.
"What is the meaning of this?"
Elisvaria let out a soft chuckle, looking straight at Sasuke standing before her. From the beginning, she had already decided to bind this man to her side. Her curiosity and interest had grown stronger, especially after seeing those mysterious red eyes earlier. The unique pattern in his left eye remained etched in her memory, forming a puzzle that was difficult to ignore.
"You still have to guard me, according to the agreement we just made."
Sasuke glanced at her briefly, then turned his face away.
This woman is truly cunning. Because of a single careless sentence from me, she managed to exploit it until I had no opening to counter.
It had to be admitted. She was indeed worthy of the title Duke. A ruler capable of exploiting even the smallest gap to ensnare someone she desired.
She is a very intriguing woman.
"I will escort you to the nearest force or the closest city we can reach. Lead the way."
"I apologize, but I am extremely tired at the moment and cannot walk any farther."
"You are toying with me, woman."
Elisvaria then sat down on the cold ground. She cast a brief glance toward the mage named Luke, who was still lying unconscious not far from them. His body remained pinned by Sasuke's black rods. His breathing was steady, a sign that his injuries were not in a critical state.
"I am speaking honestly, Lord Sasuke. My energy is truly depleted. And do you really think it is appropriate to speak so harshly to an injured woman like me?"
Sasuke stared sharply at the woman seated on the ground. His mind began weighing the situation seriously.
This woman behaves like a child. Yet her stubbornness, for some reason, reminded him of Sakura, Sasuke's wife in the Naruto universe. He recalled fragments of the past, when a young Sakura had stubbornly insisted on leaving Konoha just to follow a young Sasuke. Even as they grew older, no matter how many times Sasuke tried to distance himself or hurt her, Sakura's resolve never wavered.
And now, look at the woman before me. She is exploiting my careless words and refusing to let me leave with an absurd level of stubbornness.
Leaving her here was not a safe option. This woman held immense influence. She could easily use her authority to spread damaging rumors or even frame me. With the power she wielded, twisting facts and turning lies into absolute truth would not be difficult.
Living in a new world with a ruined reputation was not something anyone would want.
Sasuke suddenly let out a quiet chuckle.
Elisvaria was startled.
So that rigid, perpetually serious face was actually capable of laughter after all.