Something’s Not Right About This Transmigration

“……?”

“I said I’d help you. Escape, I mean.”

Frey glanced at Samuel.

Samuel’s senses were sharp, and he was skilled at detecting a presence. Perhaps even now, he was only pretending to sleep with his eyes closed.

When Frey watched Samuel cautiously, Regulus lowered his voice as if telling him there was no need to worry.

“When I put protection magic on the mansion earlier, I made a small change to the formula. It would have been difficult to get you out otherwise.”

“Oh…….”

“Still, come quietly. The Duke’s hearing is exceptionally sharp.”

Regulus added in a voice only Frey could hear, then held out a hand from beside the terrace.

‘……I didn’t expect the opportunity to come like this.’

He had heard that Regulus lost the people who attacked that morning. What if they left the mansion and Frey was attacked again?

What if a wrong choice caused him to die once more?

One worry led to another, but Frey ultimately steeled himself and climbed out of bed.

The future was uncertain, but Regulus would have prepared for what came next. After all, he knew ‘Frey’s’ circumstances better than Frey did.

Accepting Regulus’s help was wiser than trying to decide alone when he still knew so little about this world.

Frey reached out, then suddenly froze.

‘Can I really…….’

Trust Regulus?

Frey knew that Samuel neglected ‘Frey’ and that Frey died on the ducal estate because he had read it in the novel. That was why he had remained wary of Samuel’s every word and action.

But the novel had not mentioned Regulus even once.

He was Samuel’s childhood friend. Samuel had even served as his childhood companion, yet it was strange that there was not the slightest mention of him.

Would it be better to refuse now?

Frey had decided to leave after securing his safety anyway. If he explained that to Regulus…….

“Frey.”

As Frey hesitated, Regulus strode over from the terrace.

“Are you afraid?”

“…….”

“Then I’ll hold your hand tightly like this. Just as I always did.”

Warmth enfolded Frey’s fingertips with the tender words. At the same time, the anxiety surging in his chest seemed to melt into warmth.

In that instant, a scene flashed before his eyes.

A very young Frey and Regulus stood holding hands tightly.

Frey trembled violently in fear of something, and Regulus spoke the same words he had moments before.

“It’s alright. Everything will be alright. I’ll hold your hand until everything’s alright. So don’t cry, alright?”

A tender, gentle voice.

This man had looked only at ‘Frey’ with the same unwavering eyes since childhood. There was no way he would lie.

“……Did you prepare a new identity for me?”

“Oh dear, I didn’t think that far ahead. Would you like to become the head of a rural noble house? Or perhaps a merchant?”

Regulus smiled softly and tapped the tip of Frey’s nose. At the careful touch, Frey relaxed and clasped Regulus’s hand.

“……I’ll trust you.”

Regulus’s face lit up at those few words.

Then he pulled Frey into his arms without hesitation, held him close, and drew a deep breath.

Like someone who had recovered something precious.

“Let’s go, Frey.”

The surroundings began to distort the moment he finished speaking. Frey’s stomach churned, and when he retched, Regulus covered his eyes with one large hand.

Moments later, his vision turned completely black.

When every trace of the two men vanished from the room, Samuel slowly sat up from where he had lain with his eyes closed.

“…….”

Traces of silver magic rippled near the bed, proof that someone had been there until moments ago.

“……I knew it.”

He had found the unnatural drowsiness strange. He had not imagined that Regulus himself would help Samuel’s betrothed flee.

“Asis.”

Samuel roughly shook his head to dispel the last of his sleepiness and called for his trusted aide. No answer came, not even the slightest presence.

It seemed Asis had also fallen asleep under Regulus’s magic.

“Tsk.”

Samuel clicked his tongue, approached the terrace, and traced the remnants of silver magic. In that brief interval, the two had already traveled far from the estate.

“Hmm…….”

Samuel knew Regulus took more interest in Frey than necessary. Ever since their days as childhood companions, Regulus’s gaze had rested on Frey alone.

Perhaps everyone but Frey himself knew it.

“If I still knew nothing, I might have let you leave like this.”

Unfortunately, Samuel had no intention whatsoever of letting Frey go.

The reason was…….