My Childhood Friend Told Me to Go Marry the Most Beautiful Woman in the Kingdom, So I Seriously Started Improving Myself—and Somehow Ended Up Making Women Fall Hard - Chapter 58 & 59

Chapter 58: Our Next Move and Resolve

The strength Captain Uragar said I lacked.

The resolve to trust my comrades that Captain Oren questioned.

Night fell.

Footsteps in the barracks hallway faded away, and one by one, the lights went out.

I closed the door to my room and locked it from the inside.

I didn’t light the candle on the desk. I didn’t need the extra light.

Outside the window was darkness.

Only the direction of the slums glowed faintly in the distance.

I pulled the cloth bundle from inside my coat and gripped it tightly.

Cold metal.

The carved number Eleven.

The metallic smell from when we were forced out of the Gate Guard station still lingered in my nose.

—“You talk about ideals, but your hands aren’t stained.”

Captain Uragar’s voice.

And Captain Oren’s.

—“Do you truly see them as comrades?”

The demon cult.

The Black Sheep.

Vice-Commander Daitaros.

Captain Uragar.

What had really happened back then?

I steadied my breathing and walked to the window.

I pulled the curtain aside just slightly and tapped the frame with my finger.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Three times. Evenly spaced.

There was no reply.

Instead, the air in the room shifted.

The floor, which should have been empty, gained another shadow without a single creak.

“Did you call for me, Sir Hort?”

Black hair.

Maid uniform.

A presence so faint it barely felt real.

Gina stood there.

“…You came.”

“Yes. It was your usual signal.”

I nodded and sat down at the edge of the bed.

“Have a seat.”

“…Excuse me.”

As usual, Gina sat down beside me on the bed.

I had grown used to her expressionless mask.

Even this closeness was beginning to feel natural.

The bed dipped slightly, and for a moment, it felt as though we were sharing the same weight.

“I have a report. When we fought the wraith beneath the orphanage, it carried the Eleventh Unit’s insignia. So I went to the Gate Guard and met Captain Uragar.”

“…”

“But we were turned away. Apparently, I’m not worth speaking to.”

If I was honest, it had struck me harder than I wanted to admit.

I was frustrated. Unsure what my next move should be.

Gina lowered her gaze and let out a quiet breath.

“Captain Uragar is someone even we struggle to handle.”

“Even you?”

“Yes. The Eleventh Unit has not allowed any of the Shadow Division to infiltrate it. We suspect they are hiding something. However, Captain Uragar appears to have a sharp eye for detecting traitors. Every operative we’ve sent has been driven out.”

I swallowed.

Detecting traitors.

Had he seen through me as well?

“Captain Oren said Uragar rose in rank during the demon cult incident. But I don’t know the details of that case. Do you?”

Gina’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Even in the dark room, they stood out clearly.

“If what I know is sufficient.”

“…Tell me. About the demon cult incident involving Vice-Commander Daitaros and Captain Uragar. I want the truth. Who did what. Who died. Who concealed it. Why it remains untouchable even now. And what happened to Captain Uragar. …He’s not just frightening. He’s carrying something. Carrying it while standing at that gate.”

Gina remained silent for a while.

Sitting side by side, I could feel her warmth.

Our breathing gradually fell into rhythm.

At last, she spoke softly.

“Sir Hort, I do not know the incident firsthand. It occurred eight years ago. I only have access to written records. Is that acceptable?”

“Please.”

Even a fragment of truth would help.

Gina turned toward me.

Close.

Her eyes looked as if she were hesitating—unsure whether she should speak.

“What I am about to tell you… must not be spoken lightly.”

“I understand.”

Captain Uragar’s words flashed through my mind.

—There are times you stay silent to protect something.

I bit my lip and nodded.

“…I’m prepared.”

Gina finally released a small breath.

“Very well.”

Her voice was quieter than the night.

And yet, something cold spread deep within my chest.

Still gripping the clasp tightly in my hand, I waited for the shadow beside me to speak.

“The so-called Black Ram Incident. A case in which black-robed ‘Sheeps’ who worshipped demons offered human sacrifices in order to summon one and gain power. The Third Knight Order encountered a demon during the investigation, which led to uncovering part of the truth.”

Black Sheep who worshipped demons.

Gina paused there for a moment.

She wasn’t trying to frighten me.

She wasn’t provoking me either.

She was simply giving me time to bear the weight of what she had just said.

“…Please continue.”

“Yes. The Black Ram members call themselves Sheep. They disrupted order from the shadows. The incident began with disappearances.”

“Disappearances?”

That single word sent a chill down my spine.

Natasha’s story surfaced in my mind.

The night her father never returned.

The morning when no body was brought home.

“Yes. At first, people went missing in the slums. Then merchants who passed through the city gates. Then criminals who frequented the back alleys. And then… children from orphanages. They vanished one by one, starting from places where it would cause the least commotion.”

“…And that was treated as simple missing-person cases?”

“At first, yes. Even within the Third Knight Order, no one realized what was happening. But as the reports increased, each unit began investigating independently.”

Gina lowered her gaze and continued calmly.

“In the end, it was revealed that they had been abducting people and offering them as sacrifices to a demon.”

Her voice was cold.

Yet at the very edge of her words, there was the faintest tremor.

“And the demon that was summoned… appeared in the royal capital.”

I inhaled sharply.

Demon summoning.

A cold shiver ran down my back.

“The one that appeared was said to be a low-ranking demon. But the true issue was that a demon had appeared at all. The Third Knight Order continued investigating the one who performed the summoning.”

“And that led them to the Black Ram?”

“Yes. The battles between the Third Knight Order and the Black Ram spread across the entire royal capital. During that time, Captain Uragar earned great merit.”

“…So that’s why he was promoted.”

Gina briefly closed her mouth, as if carefully choosing her next words.

When she spoke again, her voice was softer.

“Sir Hort. Captain Uragar is a strong man. And because of that… his wounds run deep.”

“Wounds?”

“He eliminated his enemies as he was supposed to. However, the incident did not truly end.”

“What?”

My brow twitched.

“It was officially reported that the purge was successful. But internally, it was believed that some Sheep were not completely eradicated.”

“Members who escaped…”

“Yes. Or worse. There were concerns that demons may have possessed some of the members’ bodies. And perhaps… even infiltrated the Knight Order itself.”

A chill shot down my spine.

That sounded like it meant—inside the Third Knight Order.

Gina did not press that point further.

Instead, she quietly placed the next truth before me.

“And there was one more person… who changed.”

“Vice-Commander Daitaros.”

“…Yes.”

Her voice lowered slightly.

“Vice-Commander Daitaros lost his fiancée in that incident.”

Daitaros’s face rose in my mind.

Gentle eyes.

A calm voice.

And yet, overwhelming pressure.

Was that weight born from losing her?

“Several knights also died. Lady Natasha’s father—the Eleventh Unit’s Deputy Gate Guard Captain—was declared dead near the end of the incident.”

“Declared dead?”

“His body was never recovered. However, he was processed as having fallen in the line of duty. Officially listed among the missing.”

“….”

My chest tightened painfully.

I imagined how Natasha must have waited for her father.

A death without a body.

Being told someone is dead—

Even though they never came home.

“There are records showing that her father was investigating the Black Ram incident alongside Captain Uragar. And Lady Natasha’s mother is suspected to have been one of the Black Ram’s victims.”

A father who died in the Black Ram case.

A mother who may have been sacrificed.

Natasha was deeply tied to this.

“The wraith beneath the orphanage being from the Eleventh Unit. The clasp you recovered. …There is a strong possibility these are connected.”

“…Why would something like this happen?”

The moment I said it, the question sounded childish—even to me.

Gina did not blame me.

“Because the incident never truly ended.”

That was the answer.

My breathing grew shallow.

Gina’s brows lowered slightly as she stepped half a pace closer to me.

“Sir Hort… I do not wish for you to go any deeper into this incident.”

“…What?”

Without another word, She leaned her head against my chest.

Her weight rested against me.

“G-Gina?!”

“I apologize. But you are capable, Sir Hort.”

“I don’t even understand everything yet!”

“You will reach the truth eventually. Even if it is dangerous, you will step into it. You will shoulder it. …And you will try to protect everyone. That is why I am afraid.”

Her body, pressed against mine, trembled faintly.

This was not the same as the day I had held her before.

“The demon cult may still be operating in secret. It was never completely destroyed. If anything… the surviving Sheep are even more cunning now.”

“So you’re saying I shouldn’t get involved.”

“Yes. It is an extremely dangerous organization.”

Gina lifted her face and looked into my eyes.

Even behind her calm mask, her concern was unmistakable.

“I am a shadow. It is my role to get my hands dirty. But you… you stand in the light. If your feet are caught in the mud, the slums, the Fifth Unit, Lady Natasha… you will no longer be able to protect them.”

Those words pierced deep.

Walking in the light.

Losing the ability to protect.

“Even so, I—”

“No.”

She cut me off, her voice unusually firm.

Then, as if realizing the strength of her tone, she exhaled slowly.

“…I’m sorry. But I truly believe this is dangerous.”

Beside me on the bed, her fingers trembled.

Small. Clenched tightly.

It was the kind of tremble that came from fearing the loss of something precious.

“Sir Hort. If you touch this matter, there will be a price.”

“A price…”

“The Black Sheep demand payment. They will try to turn what you protect into that payment.”

My throat tightened.

Natasha.

The orphans.

The slums.

The Fifth Unit.

There were too many things I wanted to protect.

And that was precisely why they could become targets.

—”You’re weak. Far too weak. Your hands aren’t stained.”

Captain Uragar’s voice echoed in my mind.

Captain Uragar.

Vice-Commander Daitaros.

Captain Oren.

Each of them carried something within the Third Knight Order.

And still, they stood on the battlefield.

“Gina. I can’t stop.”

The moment I said it, her shoulders lowered slightly.

Not in despair—

But as if she had renewed her resolve.

“…Understood. If that is your decision, Sir Hort, then I will assist you.”

Rely on others.

Entrust things to them.

Be grateful.

Broaden your view.

Take responsibility for your own words.

I looked at her profile.

My sister’s words returned to me.

And at the same time, they pushed me forward.

“…Alright. Gina, I’ll rely on you. But—Gina.”

“Yes?”

“You’re one of the people I want to protect, too. So don’t push yourself too hard.”

“…Sir Hort, thank you.”

For just a moment, it felt like the corner of her lips softened.

“How will you proceed from here?”

“I’ll move in my own way. And for that, there’s someone I want you to investigate.”

“A man?”

“Yes. One of the Eleventh Unit knights—Gantetsu.”

“Gantetsu?”

The rough knight who came to seize Nagi.

“The one who tried to capture Nagi after being tipped off by a slave trader. There’s clearly something behind him.”

Chasing the case head-on wouldn’t be enough.

I needed a thread I could slip through.

Chapter 59: The Gate Guard’s Work and the Pleasure District

While Gina gathered information on Gantetsu—since intelligence was her specialty—I decided to observe the Eleventh Unit’s duties myself.

Gina returned with her findings two days later.

“…Sir Hort. I have collected information on the Eleventh Unit knight, Gantetsu.”

As usual, she wore her calm, expressionless mask and sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Thank you. Tell me.”

“Yes. I will begin with the conclusion.”

She spoke steadily, without hesitation.

“Gantetsu has ties to slave traders.”

“I figured.”

A bitter feeling spread through my stomach.

His face came to mind—those sticky eyes, the hand that tried to seize Nagi.

But Gina didn’t stop there.

“However, his involvement is not deep.”

“…What do you mean?”

“He accepts bribes. In return, he makes gate inspections slightly easier to pass. Or he looks the other way. That is the extent of it—minor corruption.”

Minor corruption.

Those words were strangely more unsettling.

“Unfortunately, that level of bribery occurs at nearly every checkpoint. Even if you call it a crime, without solid evidence, no one will take it seriously.”

“Yeah. I know.”

For a brief moment, Gina’s brow furrowed, as if she disliked saying it.

“On top of that, Gantetsu has made it function as part of his duties.”

“Part of his duties?”

“Yes. In exchange for bribes, he extracts information from the slave traders about incidents happening behind the scenes. The merchants benefit as well—having ties to a knight serves as a shield. It’s… a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

My mouth went dry.

Anger rose within me. How could something like that be tolerated?

But Gina’s voice remained calm—almost detached.

“It is not commendable.”

“Obviously.”

“However, it has prevented more serious crimes from escalating in the past.”

Captain Oren’s words pierced my mind.

—”Did you ask about their situation?”

I bit my lip and clenched my fist.

Call it naïve if you want. But if I truly wanted a broader perspective—if I wanted to eliminate genuine threats—I had to understand the other side.

And they were doing the same.

“…So even like that, he’s still fulfilling his duty as a knight of the kingdom.”

“Yes. It is not a clean method. It is more… outlaw in style. But he appears to believe it is necessary to understand what happens beyond the gates.”

She lowered her eyes.

“Are you angry, Sir Hort?”

“That’s… honestly, I don’t like it.”

“But not all nobles of the kingdom are just.”

“What?!”

She chose the word nobles, not knights.

Perhaps that was consideration for me.

But coming from Gina—who knew far more than she ever revealed—those words carried weight.

“Even among those who govern the kingdom, there are people who commit wrongs. And… the Gate Guard is constantly overburdened.”

I leaned back against the wall and sank deeper into my seat.

I already understood what she was trying to say.

For the past two days, I had watched the Eleventh Unit at work.

Thousands of people pass through the royal capital’s gates every day. Inspecting each one is exhausting.

And yet, they continue working while suspecting someone—every single day.

“There are three gates to the royal capital. The Eleventh and Twelfth Units guard them. Goods, merchants, travelers, adventurers, messengers from noble houses… the flow of people never stops.”

They say the capital holds several hundred thousand residents.

I remembered the sleepy gatekeeper in my baron family’s territory—half-dozing under the sun.

That kind old man with the relaxed smile.

This was nothing like that.

“The gate is a battlefield. The attacks don’t come with swords—but with lies, disguises, and money.”

“….”

“The Gate Guard’s duty is to doubt. If they stop doubting, the capital will be contaminated. Because they strengthen security at the gates, some crimes still slip through—but many are stopped before they can grow.”

It was the same as the slums.

Just like how the Fifth Unit tries to sever the chain of mud, hunger, and crime.

The Eleventh Unit stands at the gates—

Trying to stop major crimes before they ever enter the capital.

“I don’t like Gantetsu.”

“Yes.”

“But… I can understand him. What Captain Oren meant about understanding the other side.”

I stood up.

Through the window, I could see the outer wall of the capital. The gate. Tiny figures stationed there.

Those who stand there deal with lies, money, and violence every single day.

If they aren’t firm, they are swallowed.

If they aren’t strict, things slip through.

It isn’t just thugs they face.

There are cunning criminals as well.

Only now did I realize—

The friendly gatekeeper in my family’s territory and the gatekeepers of the royal capital were entirely different.

I hadn’t truly understood what it meant to guard a major city.

“…Thank you, Gina.”

“If I was of help.”

She replied calmly, but her shoulders seemed slightly more relaxed.

I had been looking at the Gate Guard as enemies from the start.

Suspicious of them from the beginning.

That wasn’t the face of a comrade.

They were simply carrying out their duty.

And the one interfering—

Was me.

♢

The air around the gate felt different.

The smell of metal.

Sweat.

The creaking of carts.

Raised voices.

People. People. People.

It wasn’t the desperate chaos of the slums, where everyone struggled just to survive.

Here, the noise came from clashes of judgment—

Let them pass or stop them.

I observed the Eleventh Unit closely.

The way their eyes moved during inspections.

Checking cargo.

Reviewing documents.

Voices rising in protest.

Voices firmly refusing.

Hands resting lightly on sword hilts.

If even one forbidden item slipped through, the capital would rot.

The Gate Guard’s strictness wasn’t personal.

It was their duty.

Even while I stood there watching, the knights calmly repeated the same explanations again and again—faces steady, though they must have been exhausted.

That kind of strength…

I hadn’t understood it before.

And as I continued watching—

A voice called out from behind me.

“…You’re Hort Rubel, aren’t you?”

My shoulders stiffened on instinct.

The woman standing there was impossible to overlook.

Tall.

Long hair falling to cover one eye.

Her purple hair caught the sunlight in a strangely alluring way.

Slim, yet built without wasted movement. Her posture was straight.

Amid the crowd, it felt as though the air parted around her.

“…That’s right. And you are?”

“I’m Marletta. A merchant. I’ve come because I have a request for you.”

A merchant?

For a moment, my brother-in-law’s face surfaced in my mind.

But the aura surrounding her was entirely different.

“A request?”

“Yes. It’s something only you can handle. Will you hear me out?”

“…Alright.”

“Then come with me.”

One of Marletta’s eyes peeked through the curtain of her hair.

I followed her, moving away from the Gate Guard and into a much flashier street.

“W-Wait… where are we?”

“Oh? Is this your first time in the pleasure district?”

“Pleasure district?!”

“That’s right. This way.”

Overwhelmed by the atmosphere, I trailed after her until we stopped in front of a particular building.

The place radiated an unmistakably suspicious aura.

“This is the shop.”

“Hold on! What exactly is this request of yours?”

“It’s not something I can discuss outside.”

“But—”

“Oh? Are you getting scared, boy?”

“What?!”

It was clearly a provocation.

But I still didn’t understand why we had to enter a place like this.

Why hadn’t I brought Daut with me at a time like this?

“Well? What will you do?”

Her eyes challenged me.

Leave now?

“If you hear my request, I’ll give you information from the underworld—exactly what you want.”

The way she said it made it sound like she knew my situation.

If it was information, Gina could gather it.

But could I really bring Gina to a place like this?

No. I couldn’t.

“So it’s a trade?”

“You may think of it however you like.”

—”You lack the resolve. You talk about ideals, but your hands aren’t stained.”

Captain Uragar’s words echoed in my ears.

“…Alright. I’ll hear you out.”

“Fufu, that’s a good look in your eyes. Don’t worry, we’re not doing anything shady. There’s simply someone I want you to meet.”

With that, Marletta walked straight into the shop.

I took a breath and followed her inside.

The interior was dim, difficult to see clearly. It didn’t appear to be open for business.

She continued toward the back and entered a room where a single light was on.

The moment I stepped inside—

“Well now~ so you’re little Hort, huh? Ufufu. I’m Falcon. Captain Falcon Smash of the Sixth Unit.”

Sitting there was a massive figure.

Muscles bulged across the entire body, radiating overwhelming presence.

From the top of the head hung a long, thick braid.

Thick lips parted as the introduction rolled out.

“…Huh?”

“Oh my~ are you so shocked you forgot how to introduce yourself? You’re Hort Rubel, right? Fufu, you look even cuter in person than you do in the newspapers.”

I was completely overwhelmed.

But gradually, I began adjusting to the situation.

Beside the hulking figure calling herself Falcon, Marletta stood smiling.

It seemed…

I had been brought here deliberately.

“Captain Falcon Smash of the Sixth Unit, correct? I’m Hort Rubel of the Fifth Unit.”

“Good. At least you remember how to introduce yourself.”

She was seated—

And yet our eye level barely changed.

She was undeniably enormous.

“But… why bring me here?”

“I wanted to hear what you’ve been up to. Ufufu. Tell me, Hort-boy. You’ve had quite the run. Called a hero in the Second Knight Order. Saved the slums. And now you’re poking at Uragar over a dead knight. So straightforward. So charming.”

Even being called charming didn’t feel like praise.

It felt like invisible fingers tightening around my throat.

Not killing intent.

But her presence alone was on a completely different level from mine.

“Ufufu. Now answer me. What is it that you want?”

If I lied beneath those eyes—

I had the feeling something terrifying would follow.