I'm the Only One With a Different Genre - Chapter 202

Chapter 202

An Unknown Anxiety

***

To prepare for any possibility of Lian’s rescue, the Duchess quickly sent Lian’s portrait to the Empire. It was a request to protect him if they found a man who looked like this.

Since the Empire wouldn’t pay attention to finding a mere commoner, the Duchess subtly spread the lie that Lian was her son.

Looking at just these facts, they didn’t need to loudly curse Lian as a traitor. Because they might end up antagonizing the Duchess’s family.

Yet they were enraged as if they’d gone mad, all because of Noah.

While she ignored whatever insults were thrown at her, she wouldn’t tolerate any dismissive words about Lian. Naturally, those who disliked her directed their antipathy towards Lian and hurled all sorts of insults.

…Though they stopped insulting Lian after nearly being killed by Noah, their anger hadn’t subsided.

The fact that the White Mask was ‘Lian’, whom Noah had been protecting so fiercely, was enough ammunition to bring down Noah who had perfectly dominated the battlefield without a single gap.

The nobles rushed in eagerly, raising their voices to tear Noah down.

“Let’s behead him and hang it up!”

“Oh! That’s a good idea. It will lower the enemy’s morale!”

They spoke cruel words with gleeful faces about decorating Lian’s severed head where the enemy could see it well as his body grew cold.

Not everyone agreed with such extreme opinions.

“He could have been under dark magic. Like the enemy soldiers.”

“We might antagonize the Duchess. We mustn’t forget that she could rush here at any moment.”

Some said Lian could be an innocent victim, while others worried about the enraged Duchess’s family. At this, the nobles cleared their throats and changed the subject.

The commander silently watched those speaking incoherently before speaking heavily.

“Since nothing can be determined right now, let’s start with an investigation first.”

At the commander’s serious gaze, the nobles grumbled a few words before reluctantly nodding.

At the moment their meeting was concluding, Noah stared down at Lian’s lifeless body with a blank face. Then she suddenly turned her head to look at the person beside her.

Black-haired Lian filled Noah’s vision as he looked down at his motionless body with a serious expression.

Noah reached out with trembling hands to gently cover Lian’s hand. At this, Lian’s gaze softly turned toward her from looking down at his body.

Lian blushed at the unfamiliar skinship and slightly grabbed Noah’s hand. He still lacked the courage to interlock their fingers.

“You’ll be able to return to normal soon. Don’t worry.”

“..Yeah…”

Though his atmosphere and appearance were completely different, the Lian that Noah knew was right in front of her, from his way of speaking to his small habits. While her anxiety hadn’t completely disappeared, it wasn’t enough to make her fall into despair.

Noah looked down at the hand Lian was holding and fidgeted with her empty hand. Without realizing it, she stared intently at Lian’s wrist.

Soft fur-covered handcuffs floated around in her mind. Lian turned his gaze back to look down at his body as Noah appeared quite stable while lost in thought.

Though it seemed unnecessary to worry when his original body was right in front of him, a subtle anxiety gripped his ankles and wouldn’t let go, preventing him from attempting to return to his original body.

It felt like being lost in thick fog. Everything felt both familiar and strange, and fear constricted his chest that he might be sucked deeper into the fog the moment he took a step.

‘Why exactly?’

He tried searching his mind for where this fear began but couldn’t find even a clue.

As Lian was lost in thought, there was a fluttering sound and the tent entrance curtain was pushed aside.

When he turned to look, white robes entered his view. The ones who strode into Noah’s quarters were all priests wearing pure white priestly garments.

They walked in confidently as if this was their territory and looked at Lian and Noah.

“Everyone please leave.”

As soon as the blonde-haired priest in front spoke, the three priests standing behind quickly approached Lian’s pale corpse.

“..! What are you trying to do!”

When they tried to take Lian’s body, Noah blocked them with a fierce expression as if about to draw her sword. Lian could only roll his eyes wondering what this situation was about.

“I’ll explain that.”

Someone who had been hidden behind the priests stepped forward. It was one of the nobles who had shouted that Noah was a traitor.

“From now on, the White Mask’s corpse will be managed by the High Priest of the Light Temple, so don’t come anywhere near here from now on.”

“What do you…”

Noah tried to object immediately, but the noble cut her off lightly and continued speaking.

“Though dead, this is the White Mask who is presumed to be one of the Demon King’s army’s executives. Since he might be faking death with evil dark magic, it’s right for the High Priest to manage him.”

He continued with a sneer.

“This isn’t a recommendation but an order. If you approach the White Mask without the High Priest’s permission, you’ll be treated the same as him.”

His gaze turned to the White Mask’s corpse, Lian’s body.

“Be careful if you don’t want to be called a ‘traitor’ who betrayed humans and sided with the Demon King’s army.”

“..! Lian is not a traitor..!”

“Huh? Don’t tell me you’re defending the White Mask who massacred Imperial soldiers?”

Due to the remaining ‘gag filter’ on his body, the soldiers that fake Lian injured only appeared to have painful wounds on the surface, but not a single person was fatally injured or killed.

For some unknown reason, it was information spread above that the White Mask ‘doesn’t kill’.

If Noah had known this fact, she could have confidently objected, but she was merely a ‘commoner’ and lacked information.

Though she understood intellectually that defending the White Mask was worthy of being called a ‘traitor to humanity’ as he said, she couldn’t understand it emotionally.

With anger rising to her head, Noah was deeply indignant.

Just as Noah was about to show rough behavior falling for his provocation, Lian blocked her path.

“I understand well. I’ll be careful.”

“Hmph?”

The noble flinched at Lian’s appearance which gave off a decadent yet dangerous aura that seemed closer to ‘evil’ than justice. Soon he averted his gaze from Lian as if looking at something dirty while muttering a small curse.

Lian immediately grabbed Noah’s hand and pulled her out of the tent.

“Wait..! Lian!”

Though she tried to stop Lian, she had no choice but to be dragged along by his firm grip. She bit her lip and kept looking back. Two knights were now guarding the entrance with cold expressions.

Wary gazes followed Lian’s back. They were on guard against Lian who hadn’t done anything wrong, simply because he had ‘black hair’.

Noah who keenly noticed this fact felt the urge to draw her sword immediately.

Grip.

As if to stop or comfort her, a firm yet warm hand tightly held hers. Noah suddenly came to her senses as the hand gently stroked her palm, her mind that had been in chaos from anger turning blank.

Her mind went white at the chilling yet ticklish sensation.

Lian led Noah to a place away from others’ gazes.

***

After walking for about 10 minutes, Lian’s footsteps stopped at a location slightly away from the Imperial army’s camp. Noah immediately voiced the question she had been holding back.

“Lian, how -…”

Before any words could form from her mouth,

Thud!

There was the sound of feet kicking off the ground, then something red leaped out and pounced on Lian.

“Ugh…!”

Having such a weak body, Lian fell backwards from Jess’s body slam like she was greeting an owner who returned after a week.

Fortunately, Noah who was standing behind caught Lian’s falling body.

“Hehehe!”

Jess burst into cute laughter and nuzzled her face against Lian’s nape. Though Lian had removed his pheromone glands during transport in the palanquin after learning how stimulating pheromones could be used, Jess habitually rubbed her cheeks where the pheromones used to flow out even though no scent came from his nape now.

End of Chapter