I Tried to Avoid The Male Lead, But I Made Harem - Chapter 5

Episode 5

* * *

“Lady Shannon, you must depart.”

The soldiers have already arrived at the gate.

He carried Shannon as soon as he took his gaze away from the window.

“Pardon me…… please excuse me.”

“Let go of me! Who do you think you’re touching?”

However, no matter how much she struggled, he did not budge.

In the first place, she couldn’t defeat a man who was strong enough to win consecutive Toono martial arts competitions.

“Where the hell are we going?!?”

Shannon had never been to the western forest, and their horse was taking them there.

“All we have to do is cross the border.”

“What, what? Do you want to cross the border?”

The Dukedome there was in a conflict with the Empire. The cease-fire was only declared a few years ago.

“I’ll die if I go to the Dukedom!”

“You’re not going to die.”

His voice has proved worthy to it.

The potential to believe in the impossible.

“Before becoming a Toono, my lady, I was a man of the Dukedom of Castaques.”

“What?”

“Valhail Castaques.”

A Toono who was bought as an escort from the temple, a man who was simply referred to as a Toono because he had no name.

“That’s my name.”

Shannon looked at his fluttering brown hair blankly.

“Nothing from those belonged to you, my lady, no family name, no property, not even the Grand Duke.”

Shannon returned her gaze to the Countdom of Crawford. Her heart was pounding.

That could be the reason. Her heart is as hard as steel, just like the arm that is holding her.

“Forget about everything. Just like I did.”

That was Shannon’s last moment in the original story.

Shannon, unlike Camilla, was a persistent villain who tormented Selina until the end.

But it’s such a cliffhanger for her!

‘It’s bitter even if I cursed her.’

In addition, Valhail Castaques was a very capable man.

He kidnapped Selina, who had fled, and brought her back to the Grand Duke, after which he infiltrated the Grand Duke’s mansion alone, kidnapped, imprisoned, and tortured her.

‘Valhail Castaques…’

An extremely strong man who can do anything at Shannon’s command!

I wanted him.

Shannon’s meeting with Valhail marked the start of the original plot.

Given the passage of time, I believe he is currently sweeping the martial arts competition.

Well, it’s just my calculation.

I need to do well and show up there as scheduled, or else I’ll be kidnapped and tortured, as in the original storyline.

I need to make certain that the plot will not turn out the same way it did before.

I did not, however, leave the Countdom solely to meet Valhail.

Plan number 2. Chasing out Camilla.

I needed a priest to see if the plan was conceivable.

A priest in whom I had trust enough to discuss my plan to kick the stepmother out of the house.

I need a priest who is loyal enough so he could never speak out about it.

‘Whoever it is.’

* * *

The monastery of light is the place where the priests of the Western Great Hall train.

As stated in the letter, the majority of the participants there perform the following tasks:

Of course, the priests would never assign me to any field work or structural repairs to the Great Hall.

The monastery could not, by rule, give special treatment based on one’s status, but the priests couldn’t risk their jobs to do so.

So, as expected, I was assigned to assist with the martial arts competition’s chores.

“Uhm, uh…… What should I address you as, Lady Count Crawford?”

The eldest daughter of a Western aristocratic family.

The Count’s lady, who was said to be rarely seen outside.

Everyone found it difficult to deal with me.

The trainees were distributed, yet no one dared to let me work.

“Selina.”

I had to get used to this place so That I could find Valhail and establish a strong bond with a loyal and dedicated priest.

“Please address me as Selina.”

“Lady Selina.”

When I smiled and reached out my hand, the apprentice priests and trainees immediately became friendly.

And a young high-ranking priest who had been staring at me intently vanished after being slapped in the back by an older priest.

‘Is it because of my face?’

Because this face truly resembles that of an angel!

I use this female protagonist’s face more than Selina did previously.

“I know how to perform basic first aid, priest.”

“Really?”

“Yes, I’ve learned. So I’d like to assist you in treating the Toonos in prison.”

“Oh, my God……how considerate of you.”

I put on a big smile and pretended to be an angel.

“At long last, I’ll be able to get up close and personal with Lady Selina.”

Following that, the red-cheeked apprentice priest packed various herbs, bandages, and drugs.

We all went down to the prison to see the injured Toonos.

The Toonos, who were about to die, groaned horribly all over the place, and blood odors vibrated. The stench made it difficult to breathe.

The priest spoke in hushed tones that only I could hear.

“People here have been seriously injured and are on the verge of death.”

Yes, it appears to be the case.

“They’ll probably only have a day or two to live.”

“Then this much medicine……”

“Well, it isn’t really medicine.”

I expected it, but couldn’t believe it.

The priest spoke with a sad expression on his face.

“The temple is not wealthy enough to provide medicine to the destitute.”

I tried the medication, but it tasted oddly sweet.

‘It tastes like strawberries.’

The potion was nothing more than a strawberry-flavored drink.

“However, if we treat them, we can give them the ‘hope’ that they’re still alive.”

So, basically, these people pretend to treat people who are about to die by administering fake medicine to them.

“Please let them go at ease, Selina.”

It was the priest’s and my job to hold the dying Toono’s hand and send him off in peace, in a place less than a square foot away.

“Ugh, can I live if I… ugh… take medicine?”

“I’m going to pray for your survival.”

It was a terrifying death, but it wasn’t a lonely one.

‘Well, it’s nearly impossible to look for Valhail before the winner is announced.’

Because everyone here is called by number, I can’t just call out ‘Valhail! Valhail!’ and expect him to come out.

It’s been about a week since I’ve been assisting the priest in this form while also secretly searching for the brown-haired Toono.

And in this prison, where everyone wants to live, I met a strange man who only wanted to die.

* * *

I discovered four priests whining and moving something while filling the potion.

It was a man being carried on a stretcher.

I could only see his legs sticking out because he was so tall. At a glance, I recognized who it was.

‘It’s the man in the containment room.’

Through the small door, only the man’s chest was visible. Normally, I could see his face through this tiny door.

“High Priest, he is not yet dead.”

I hadn’t seen his condition, but I knew he was still alive.

Everyone referred to him as The Berserker.

“He isn’t going to die.”

That was an odd tone. I lowered my voice and asked, my brow furrowed.

“Will he be going somewhere?”

When I asked him a follow-up question, he whispered as if he were telling me a secret.

“He intends to take part in the competition.”

He’s going to participate again…….. in that condition?

The blood dripped from the fingers that had fallen outside the stretcher.

Given his current state, the man will be unable to participate again.

‘I don’t think he can even stand up.’

Contrary to my concerns, a thunderous roar erupted from outside the door through which the man was being carried out.

“That man is a monster.”

I sensed both reluctance and fear in the priest’s low voice.

“If we give him a knife, he’ll jump up like a ghost and slaughter his opponent.”

“……”

“He’s been playing like that, winning one after the other, then coming back. That’s why he’s known as The Berserker.”

Berserkers was a term that meant ancient warrior. It was never meant to be a living being.

The crowd applauded outside the closed door.

I’m not sure what’s going on, but it wasn’t a pleasant sound to hear.

“He’ll be the winner if he comes back alive just two more times.”

That, unfortunately, could not have been the case.

Aside from that guy, I know two other preliminary winners. And what a dreadful bunch of winners they were.

That man never seemed to stand a chance against them, no matter what kind of magic he used.

“He’ll be able to join the Holy Knights if he wins.” It is the winner’s privilege.”

“……”

“It’s a tremendous honor for a Toono.”

It is said that when Shannon obtained Valhail from the temple, he belonged to the Holy Knights.

‘Valhail is the winner of this martial arts competition.’

Even if he wins this game, he will still be the runner-up.

Is it then better for him?

It’s an honor to be listed among the Holy Knights, but he didn’t seem to want it in the first place.

“What if he loses in the final?”

Please allow that poor man to regain his freedom and rights.

But the reality was harsh.

“He’s going to be executed.”

It’s then either kill or be killed.

That was the only win-loss result I was aware of from this martial arts competition.

“Those who did not win but did survive are thought to have received God’s mercy. They have the opportunity to make a wish to the High Priest. But…….”

Even if he survived despite failing to defeat his opponent, his body would be in poor condition.

As a result, the martial arts competition only acknowledged the winner.

The runner-up is not the winner of the final, but rather the survivor of the final.

‘How thoughtful of this place.’

It reminded me that I was in the Medieval Era right now.

Then a ferocious roar erupted, and the closed door burst open.

The man who had been carried away on a stretcher was brought back in.

His body was drenched in blood.

His strong grip on the broad toothless knife.

My heart suddenly ached.

“Is he dead?”

He didn’t appear to be like that.

“What……”

“He-he’s alive! He is the winner today.”

The blue-clad priest pulled an amethyst-like stone from his arms as the other priests placed him down.

‘Huh……?’

The stone turned purple when the priest closed his eyes and muttered something.

Something unexpected happened at that precise moment.