When the Guide Stopped Playing a Villainess, the Obsession Began - Chapter 176

Craving for more? Read the COMPLETE novel on ko-fi!

The soldier looked puzzled as he answered her question.

“I’m simply carrying out the Commander-in-Chief’s orders.”

“…Did His Highness not give any instructions about the other Guides?”

“No, he did not.”

Lea couldn’t understand it. The reason they had treated the enemy Guides as guests rather than prisoners was surely because they hoped the Guides would settle in the Cantabria Empire.

“I can’t just leave alone like this.”

“But…”

“I’ll explain to the Commander-in-Chief myself. Time is of the essence, so let’s go to the Guides’ tent right now.”

With that, Lea hurried back the way she had come, and the soldier had no choice but to follow her.

In the distance, she could see Leonis soldiers. There weren’t a lot, but their numbers were enough. They were breaking through tents and entering the camp. At their front was a man Lea knew well.

It was Kyle Lukas Leonis, the Third Prince of the Leonis Empire. Lea quickly entered the tent where the Guides were gathered.

“You need to get out of here.”

“Um…”

The soldier standing guard at the entrance of the Guides’ tent hesitated. Lea replied the same as before.

“I’ll take responsibility.”

“…Yes, understood.”

The soldiers, knowing that Calix’s orders took priority, did not dare argue with Lea. This was because they knew, ever since she had arrived, that Lea had truly dedicated herself to guiding the Espers here.

“We’ll have to move for a bit.”

At Lea’s words, the Guides who had been quietly hiding in the tent began to stand up one by one. Lucy stepped forward and asked,

“I might be different, but these people are originally Guides from the Leonis Empire. Is there really any need for them to run? You might just be putting them in more danger.”

Lucy wasn’t wrong. Perhaps this was Lea’s own selfishness, wanting them to put down roots in Cantabria, so that the Guide-less Cantabria Empire would finally have hope.

“…That could be. But there’s no guarantee things will turn out exactly as you say.”

“What do you mean?”

From her past experience, Lea knew a bit about Kyle. Standing in opposition to the Crown Prince of Leonis, it was clear he would be at a disadvantage in the imperial succession battle if he lost this northern campaign.

Although she didn’t know exactly how the battle at Lake Moncha was progressing, it seemed to her that Kyle’s raid on this camp was a move to cover up his past mistakes.

He might claim that, although he lost soldiers and was defeated, he at least managed not to lose the Guides to the Cantabrian army, so there would be another opportunity. Or he might say that at least he managed some revenge.

Either way, he might be able to win the favor of the belligerent Emperor of the Leonis Empire.

Unlike the Crown Prince, who was passive about war, Kyle might even be praised for his aggression. From what Lea knew of Kyle and the Leonis Emperor, it was entirely possible.

“As far as I know, there are many Guides in Leonis. Unlike Cantabria, I mean.”

At Lea’s words, the Guides inside the tent were visibly shaken. She didn’t need to add that they should choose the place where their value was recognized. They already understood what she meant.

At that moment, one Guide stepped forward.

“…Among the prisoner soldiers, there were some who called us traitors. Even the soldiers captured with us said we betrayed our country. What would the Commander-in-Chief think if he saw that?”

Other Guides voiced their agreement. Lucy was frustrated that things weren’t going her way, but she, too, had nothing to gain by facing Kyle.

“This isn’t the time for debate. Hurry!”

At Lea’s urging, the Guides moved in an orderly fashion. After leaving the Guides’ tent, she immediately went to the tent where the prisoners were held.

“Your choice is your own, but if you want to live, come with me!”

“…What’s this supposed to mean?”

“Who are you?!”

To the prisoners, it seemed strange that a Guide from the enemy country was telling them to run, even though their own soldiers had arrived. Lea wasn’t entirely sure, but she sensed that these people, too, would be targets for Kyle’s purge.

Though they were prisoners, she couldn’t just leave them to die a pointless death. Maybe it was a sense of solidarity as fellow werebeasts, or perhaps it was the affection that had built up as they lived together here, however unconsciously.