The Final Task of the Forsaken Saint: A Command to Marry the Barbarian Count - Chapter 3

The area around Rivière was surrounded by stone walls, some of which were stained with marks—likely bloodstains.

I guessed those were probably blood.

In contrast to the walls of the royal capital, which were adorned with magical circles and looked splendid and elegant, the walls of Rivière had a much more intimidating feel to them.
However, the dirt and grime on these walls were a testament to the fact that they were truly protecting the city.

The walls were properly maintained, and watchtowers had soldiers stationed at them. The training seemed thorough, and I couldn’t help but feel impressed.

In the royal capital, there were no magical beasts, so to see such a tight surveillance system in place in a place like Rivière was remarkable.

There were quite a few people going in and out of the city.
Adventurers armed with swords, merchants with large carts—there were many busy people coming and going.

The lively energy was refreshing.

“When we meet again, I’ll be sure to thank you,” one of the adventurers said as we approached the city.

The shared carriage stopped here, and the passengers who had traveled with me parted ways, each expressing their thanks.
It was quite a change of pace from the battlefield, where I had only been called the “Scarlet Saint” and cursed at.

The adventurers seemed to be reporting the appearance of Wind Wolves.

“If you’re heading to the guild, we can show you the way. Want to come with us?”

The swordsman offered, but I declined.

“No, I’m not planning to work as an adventurer. I have somewhere else to go.”

Ah, but I didn’t know where exactly I was supposed to go.

“Do you know where the castle of the Margrave of Lostork is?”

“The Margrave’s castle? It’s up there on that little hill, in the castle.”

The archer pointed to a hill surrounded by forest, and there it was—a white castle gleaming against the backdrop of the trees. It looked exactly like the prominent castle I had seen earlier. Good, it was the right place.

I could probably make it there by walking today.

As I was calculating the time it would take, the archer gave me a skeptical look and asked:
“What business do you have with the lord of the castle?”

“I’m going to marry him.”

Since it wasn’t something I needed to hide, I answered truthfully. The two adventurers stared at me, their mouths hanging open.

“Wait, marry him? Who, exactly?”

“The Margrave of Lostork.”

I gave them a small bow, then, humming a little tune, I started walking toward Neve Castle.

The sound of their shocked voices echoed behind me.

After asking a few more merchants for directions, I finally arrived at the castle, which was up a winding path.

The road was paved with cobblestones, suitable for carts, though it was clear it must be inconvenient due to the thick trees growing on either side.

“This isn’t just for magical beasts; this is also a defense against humans…? The city was pretty intricate, too,” I thought aloud.

The winding path wasn’t just for elevation; it was also designed to make the castle more defensible if attacked. If someone were to attack from above, the structure would make it easier to defend.

Noble ladies from the royal capital might not enjoy such a secluded castle and city, but for me, it felt comforting.

“If humans can’t easily invade, that means magical beasts would have a harder time getting in too… Ah, here’s the gate.”
At the base of the massive wooden gate stood two guards.

The utilitarian design of the gate suggested this was the service entrance, not the grand one. It felt strange, given the winding road around the mountain, but it made sense.

The guards, initially wary of me walking alone, looked at me with puzzled expressions.

“What’s a young lady like you doing here? You’re not from around here, are you?”

“Are you looking for someone in the knights’ order?”

The guards spoke casually, but I responded politely.

“Hello, I’m Rubel Saint… No, wait, it’s Rubel Saint Carbunculus. I’ve come to request an audience with the Margrave of Lostork, Lord Theodoric de Lostork.”

I still wasn’t used to introducing myself with my new surname, but I did my best to offer a proper greeting.

However, the friendly atmosphere of the guards quickly shifted. Their expressions darkened, and they began scrutinizing me with disbelief.

“You’re not seriously using the name Carbunculus, are you? The lord of the land, is that a joke?”

“Carbunculus has always been under the Margrave’s control. We’re not so stupid as to let someone like you fool us with such a ridiculous story.”

Ah, right. I had only taken on the title of Viscount of Carbunculus recently, so it made sense that people wouldn’t know about it.

The guards stood their ground, blocking my way as if to prevent any further progress. This was a bit troublesome. I needed to clear up the misunderstanding quickly.

“Wait… Rubel, I’ve heard that name before…” one of the guards muttered.

“It’s no joke,” I said. “Here’s the official letter of authorization from the king, and an introduction to the Margrave of Lostork.”

As one of the guards began to ponder, I handed him the letter I had been given. I wondered if they could even recognize the royal seal. If not, I’d have to go back to the city and figure out a plan B.

But then I noticed the guard’s face as he stared at the royal wax seal on the letter. His eyes went wide.

“T-this… This is the royal seal! Only official envoys can carry this seal…”

“Two days ago, we saw a royal envoy with the same seal, and Rubel… That’s the name of the saint who’s marrying the Margrave, right?”

“But she’s supposed to be a saint who doesn’t move without royal orders! And she’s here alone, dressed like a common village girl?!”

“No, the seal is unmistakably real. We shouldn’t judge, whether it’s fake or not. The orders say we should report it to the upper authorities first.”

I overheard their whispered conversation, and I couldn’t help but feel a little impressed. The orders had clearly been passed down thoroughly to even the lowest-ranking guards.

The guard who had been speaking earlier finally cleared his throat and straightened up before bowing to me.

“Please, wait here for a moment. I’ll report this right away.”