The Mob Noble Who Got Reincarnated in a World Where Men Are Naturally Protected—So I Trained Like Crazy to Protect Girls Instead, But Their Love Got Way Too Heavy - Chapter 25 & 26: Our Shield | The One I Wanted to Protect, The One I Wanted to Love

Chapter 25: Our Shield

When we opened the door, what awaited us beyond was a plain, empty courtyard.

We stepped into the center and looked around, but there was nothing—no fountains like before, no puzzle inscriptions carved into the walls. Just bare stone everywhere.

“Maybe it’s a rest area?”

“Hmm… I’m not so sure. We’ve come a long way already, so I’ve got a bad feeling the dungeon boss might be close.”

“Wait, seriously? We’ve been searching forever for that magic stone Tect needs to fight the main boss, and we still haven’t seen a single monster!”

Just as we were complaining, three explosions suddenly burst from the far wall.

“—Get ready!”

I gave the order, and everyone armed up in an instant.

I drew my blade.

Wiz raised her rose staff.

Aegis gripped her shield.

We waited, tense.

Then, through the thick smoke, three silhouettes emerged—each about our height.

…Actually, not about our height.

“Uh… those golems kinda look like us, don’t they?”

They were slender stone figures—one wielding a sword, one holding a rose, and one carrying a shield.

Yup. Exactly like us.

“Wiz, can you pin them down with magic? Aegis, you and I will take the front!”

“Y-Yes! But, Tect…”

“Wait, hold on—fighting golems with just a sword? That’s suicide! They’re made of stone! No sane woman would charge at that with a blade!”

The two of them looked at me with obvious worry.
I just shrugged, trying to act cool.

“If this doesn’t work, I’ll leave it to you two. Let’s go!”

The moment I dashed forward, Aegis and Wiz’s panicked voices echoed behind me.

“Aah, seriously! You gloomy idiot! Forget me—just back Tect up!”

“Don’t underestimate me! I’ll support everyone! Fireball! Fireball! Fireball!”

Wiz swung her staff, launching three blazing fireballs in rapid succession.

They exploded against the golems, slamming into their stone bodies and making them stagger backward.

Stunned. Perfect. That was all we needed.

I charged in—no need to worry about counterattacks now.

“Fuuuuuuuuh—”

I exhaled slowly, sharpening every sense to the limit.

Focused everything into the blade.

Adjusted my stance.

And as I passed the first golem—swung with all my might.

“—Haaah!!”

A single clean slash.

A heavy impact surged through my hands, enough to make them sting.

Honestly, the sword should’ve shattered long before cutting through solid stone.

Now I understood why Aegis said no sane woman would fight a golem with a blade—it was like trying to break armor with a candy stick.

But that’s exactly where skill came in.

“Tect! I crushed mine already, so I’ll head your—wait… huh? Seriously?”

I blinked, straightening up.

Behind me, the golem I’d just slashed was lying neatly in two perfect halves on the floor.

“Phew… Aegis, you were right. A sword’s not exactly ideal for this.”

“Wha—no, no, no! You just sliced it in half with that sword, and that’s what you’re saying!?”

Even as Aegis backed off a few steps, she grinned and shouted, “Whatever! I’ll smash the last one!”

She leapt high and brought her massive shield crashing down—

The golem shattered like brittle glass.

“Phew! Yeah, for this kind of enemy, brute force is the way to go! So, Tect—catch!”

Aegis reached into the pile of rubble and tossed something my way.

I caught it midair and opened my hand—two glowing magic stones sparkled in my palm.

“With these, your pile bunker should work, right?”

“Leave it to me. One magic stone equals one shot.”

I pulled another stone from the golem I’d taken down earlier—three shots total now.

That should be more than enough firepower to test how tough the big one really was.

THUD-THUD. 

And then, the ground rumbled.

A heavy boom echoed through the chamber.

The giant golem from before was finally moving again.

But honestly? Perfect timing. We had the stones ready, and now it was coming straight for us.

…Or so I thought.

Because when it appeared, my jaw nearly hit the floor.

“Hah—hah-hah-hah-hah-hah! You’ll regret sparing me! The mighty golem you feared now serves me!”

“Narcis is riding it!?”

Yup. There he was—Narcis himself, standing triumphantly on the golem’s shoulder like some kind of final boss wannabe.

Why the hell was he on top of it!? Did he tame the thing? And how did he even bounce back this fast!?

Before I could make sense of it, Narcis puffed up his chest and started shouting dramatically—like he’d been practicing this speech for weeks.

“My illustrious Orvieto family! For generations, we have produced master craftsmen who create magical tools for the royal family! And this so-called ‘Royal Secret’ mirror—was one of our masterpieces, offered by House Orvieto itself!”

In other words, Narcis continued,

“I know everything about this trial! The giant golem, the maze you struggled through—every single detail is in my grasp!”

As Narcis burst into another fit of triumphant laughter, our classmates—his fangirls—came pouring in from the door we’d entered earlier.

“Of course, the craftsmen of the past only added one command to the golem! That it would obey a member of House Orvieto! At first, I wasn’t sure how to use that power… but then, you fools came waltzing in to challenge the trial! So naturally, I let you do all the hard work for me!”

“…Anyway, at least now we know one thing for sure—Narcis is completely our enemy.”

Even so, a few things still didn’t add up.

Sure, Narcis could command the giant golem, but that didn’t mean he knew how to overcome the trial itself.

He clearly wanted whatever lay beyond this chamber, even if it meant exploiting us to get it.

This was getting shadier by the second.

And just as that thought crossed my mind, Narcis waved his hand.

“Thank you for that earlier humiliation! Now allow me to return the favor—with a golem-sized payback!”

The enormous golem began to move. From a distance, its motion looked slow but the sheer size made one thing clear: even if we ran at full speed, we’d never escape its reach.

“This is bad! Damn it, what do we do!? That bastard’s really asking for it! Once we’re done here, I’m gonna beat him ten times worse than before!”

“This isn’t the time for that! Focus on staying alive first—Magic Wall!”

Wiz jumped in front of me and cast her barrier spell.

But compared to the one that shattered under the orc’s attacks before, this one looked just as fragile—and against a giant golem, it wouldn’t stand a chance.

The golem’s fist came crashing down.

It seemed slow at first, but as it loomed closer, it was like watching a meteor on a collision course.

My teeth clenched instinctively.

And then—

“Are you two idiots!? Against an attack like that, my shield’s the only thing that can block it!”

Aegis charged forward, her living-stone armor flashing under the light, and planted herself squarely between us and the golem’s massive fist.

Chapter 26: The One I Wanted to Protect, The One I Wanted to Love

He had no idea—

But the truth was, ever since she was little, Aegis had been constantly introduced to men.

The reason was simple: her mother’s endless matchmaking.

To anyone else, that might have sounded normal for a noble girl.

But to Aegis, it was nothing but a string of humiliating memories she’d rather erase forever.

“Hah? You’re a scrawny little shrimp. You seriously come from the line of Grand Generals? I’ve seen better-built ladies in the slums.”

Boys her age sneered at her.

“Well… I guess harems need variety, but as a flavor change, not a main dish. Sorry—no offense, but I just can’t. You’re physically impossible for me.”

Calm, well-mannered young men looked at her like she was a curiosity made of porcelain.

“Your mother was the same way, but tell me—can that small frame of yours even work a day in the fields? You look like you’d snap after a single chore. I see no reason to give my seed to a woman who can’t even earn her keep.”

Arrogant middle-aged men spat insults straight into her face.

From boys to grown men, she’d met them all—because of her “noble bloodline.”

And that same bloodline chained her to endless arranged meetings that only made her despise men more and more.

One day, after yet another disastrous introduction, she turned to her mother and said,

“Mother? Could you tell the next man who appears before me this—If he ever insults someone’s body to their face, he shouldn’t assume he’ll walk away without getting punched.”

For that, her mother scolded her sharply.

“Listen carefully, Aegis. You’re of the second seat in our bloodline. Since you couldn’t claim the first, even as a noble, you’ll be treated accordingly. You’re not the one who chooses—you’re the one who gets chosen.”

That was what her mother always told her.

According to her mother, men were beings of absolute value—free to do whatever they pleased.

Because, as she claimed, “If a man isn’t truly pleased, he won’t give you a child.”

“Learn to please men, Aegis. Only through the finest service do we earn their affection. Otherwise, women like us aren’t even allowed to continue our own bloodline.”

Those words seared into her memory.

At the very next arranged meeting, Aegis drove her fist straight into an arrogant man’s nose—earning herself a long stint confined to her room.

It was around that time she first met Tect.

She’d heard the rumor: her mother’s trusted knight had a son.

Still, she figured a knight’s child and someone of her standing would never cross paths.

“Aegis, I’ve invited the knight’s family over for dinner today—as friends. They have several children, so do be kind to them.”

“Yes… wait, didn’t that knight have a son?”

So when she realized she’d have to meet a boy without warning, her mood had already sunk before breakfast.

By the time the knight’s family arrived at the estate, Aegis had plastered on her most polite smile for appearances—but inside, she’d already decided: if that boy even tried to act smug, she’d knock him flat.

Which was why, when she finally saw him face to face—Aegis was genuinely stunned.

“B-Be polite… polite! She’s a lord, and my mother’s boss! I’m so nervous I could puke—ugh…”

It was the first time Aegis had ever seen a boy her age that nervous.

“Mother… what’s that?”

“Adorable, isn’t he? Apparently he’s so tense just because he’s meeting us! I’ve never seen a boy like that before!”

Her mother was right—Aegis had never seen a man like that either.

Men didn’t get nervous.

Men looked down on women—always confident, always smug.

But this knight’s son was fidgeting, flustered, blushing when his family teased him for it.

It was… new. Strange.

And it caught Aegis’s attention before she even realized it.

The formal greetings between the two families began, and when it was his turn—the knight’s son, Tect, stepped forward.

He muttered, “Uh, proper manners… right,” then knelt before her, gently took her hand, and placed a light kiss upon it.

With a soft smile, he said—

“Ahem. It’s an honor to meet you, Lady Aegis. I am Protelclus Garland, eldest son of the House Garland.”

“—♡”

Her heart skipped so hard she nearly forgot to breathe.

A warm, respectful smile—gentle and kind.

It was the first time in her life anyone had ever looked at Aegis that way.

After a lifetime of sneers and disgust from those so-called suitors… how could she not fall for him?

From that day on, Aegis started finding every excuse she could to talk to Tect.

And just like she’d hoped, Tect treated her as an equal—not as a trophy, not as some delicate noble girl.

If anything, he treated her even better because of her status, with genuine courtesy and warmth.

That kindness slowly melted her guard.

Bit by bit, she began acting like herself around him.

And maybe it helped that everyone in the Garland family had that same easygoing, big-hearted energy that felt so natural to be around.

But over time, their little group of playmates began to shrink.

The stronger Aegis’s abilities became, the fewer kids could keep up with her.

“Next up—deer hunting! …Huh? Wait, aren’t we missing three people?”

“They said they were tired and went to rest.”

One by one, her playmates stopped showing up.

She still remembered that lonely feeling clearly, even as a child—the realization that she was different.

That her strength, her talent, were far beyond anyone her age.

That it came from her bloodline.

And that someday, she might end up all alone.

That even Tect might stop keeping up with her.

But Tect never stopped.

He always stayed by her side.

“Tect! Let’s go climb that tree together!”

“Tect! That waterfall looks amazing! Let’s jump in!”

“Tect! A monster showed up! Let’s take it down!”

Every time Aegis shouted something wild, Tect always answered the same way.

“Tree climbing? You’re on! Uoooooh—victory’s mine!”

“A waterfall? Sounds awesome! Ready—set—gooo!”

“What monster!? Then let’s see who beats it first! Damn it, you got me this time!”

Only Tect could keep up with her.

Only he refused to leave her behind.

Only he protected her heart from breaking.

In a world full of arrogant, self-absorbed men who treated women like ornaments—he was the one boy who truly respected her, laughed with her, and stood by her as an equal.

In a world where no one else could walk beside Aegis—

Tect was the only one who could.

That was why Aegis loved him.

The whole “knight family harem duty” thing? She couldn’t care less.

If her mother opposed it, she’d be ready to elope.

If refusing the harem meant paying a huge fine, she’d pay it herself.

No matter what obstacle stood in their way, Aegis believed—as long as it was her and Tect, they could overcome anything.

So when she threw herself in front of the giant golem to protect him—to her, it wasn’t even a choice.

It was simply natural.

“Aegis! Can you hear me!? Aegis!”

“Mmgh… y-yeah, I’m… fine! Ugh! But what about you, Tect!? How long’s it been since I blocked that punch!?”

“Thank god… you’re alright. You got sent flying by that golem, but it’s only been a few seconds.”

Aegis sprang to her feet with surprising agility and quickly surveyed the scene.

Tect was safe. Even the gloomy one looked fine—though judging by the spiderweb cracks in Wiz’s barrier spell, the impact must’ve been brutal.

“Still, I’m seriously impressed, Aegis. I didn’t think you were that strong. Blocking that golem’s punch head-on? That’s insane.”

His expression was pure relief, and Aegis couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh before replying,

“Tect’s way more reckless than me. If I want to protect you, I’ve gotta be at least this strong.”

“Haha, bold words. But don’t get it twisted, alright? You’re not the one protecting me—I’m the one protecting you.”

“With less defense than I have?”

“Ever heard the phrase, ‘the best defense is a good offense’?”

Tect raised his right hand, and the pile bunker on his arm came alive with a burst of sparks and light.

After seeing the sheer power behind her hammer throw earlier, for him to say that so confidently—even Aegis couldn’t help but be a little amazed.

But that was exactly why she smiled.

Why she felt her heart swell with warmth.

And why she loved him even more.

“…Really, how many times are you going to make me fall for you again.”

Aegis grinned to herself, muttering under her breath, then lifted her head and glared at the giant golem.

On the golem’s shoulder, that idiotic low-rank noble trembled.

“The golem’s attack didn’t hurt them…? Impossible…”

Aegis hefted her shield.

The gloomy one clutched her rose and scanned the surroundings.

Tect aimed his left grappling hook and raised his right arm, the pile bunker humming to life.

“Good thing Aegis is safe. Let’s take those bastards down again!”

“Yeah, yeah! Let’s go!”

“…Let’s crush them even harder than before.”

They moved as one.

Aegis smiled, feeling that unbreakable sense of unity wrap around them like armor.