Reincarnated with an SSS-rank Tamer System: My Harem of Villainesses-Chapter 23 – Unexpected Encounter

Adam was walking along the dirt road that the carriage should have normally followed before the ambush, his steps slow but steady as he cautiously observed the forest surroundings.

He had been unconscious for approximately three hours, based on what he deduced after seeing that it was still night when he woke up, which meant he had not lost valuable time.

One of his suitcases of clothes had miraculously survived the carriage fire, probably because it had been thrown far away during the initial explosion.

Adam had found it half-buried among the ashes and dirt, intact for the most part.

He had changed clothes immediately, discarding the torn and bloodstained garments for a clean set that at least made him look presentable again.

Then he had used water magic to wash the dried blood from his skin and hair so he wouldn’t look like a complete mess.

Before leaving, he had done one more thing, and that was bury Roderic.

It wasn’t much, just a hole in the ground where he placed the body of the soldier who had accompanied him. Without wasting any more time, Adam simply began walking along the path they originally should have taken.

As he walked, his mind inevitably drifted toward a single question that had been bothering him since everything began.

Who was the one who sold him out?

Someone inside the mansion had leaked information about his trip. Someone had paid those noble hunters to kill him before he reached the academy.

After all, these noble hunters only worked when they were paid. It was something Adam knew when he obtained the memories, as they were a known and feared group.

The question was who would be capable of doing that.

He ruled out Seraphine almost immediately. If she wanted to kill him, she would have done it herself or used more subtle and effective methods.

Besides, she had shown genuine interest in seeing him grow stronger at the academy, which made no sense if she planned to assassinate him.

Layla also seemed unlikely. Her "gift" had been inappropriate and embarrassing, yes, but he had not detected real hatred behind it.

She seemed more like she enjoyed teasing him in uncomfortable ways.

Selene was too distant and uninterested to even care enough to plan his death.

Her brief farewell had made it clear how little she cared about other people’s affairs.

His mother Liora was obviously ruled out completely.

His father... was complicated. The man was cold and demanding, yes, but he had paid for his enrollment at the academy, which would make no sense if he planned to kill him before he arrived.

Kaelen, his older brother, was possibly the most obvious candidate simply because he had left right after the duel with Dorian without saying goodbye.

But even then, Adam had not felt that level of hatred from him. Disdain maybe, disappointment perhaps, but not that murderous hatred.

’It might not be someone from the immediate family.’ He thought as he jumped over a large root protruding from the road. ’Maybe some resentful servant or someone from outside with access to the information...’

He did not have enough clues to draw definitive conclusions yet, but it was definitely something he needed to investigate when he had the opportunity.

For now, he could only focus on reaching his first destination.

***

The hours passed slowly.

The forest eventually began to thin out, giving way to open fields and meadows where Adam could see the sunrise painting the sky.

It was approximately seven in the morning when he finally saw signs of civilization in the distance.

A small town.

It was the place where they were supposedly meant to arrive the night before to sleep before continuing their journey to the royal capital.

Adam quickened his pace as he approached the town; when he got close enough, he saw merchants opening their shops, farmers bringing goods to the market, and so on.

It was at that moment that he saw something that caught his attention.

Another carriage.

It was parked near what appeared to be the town’s main inn, an elegant and well-maintained vehicle with the emblem of some noble family engraved on its side.

It wasn’t as elaborate as the Shadowend one, but it clearly belonged to someone of certain importance.

’Could it be another noble making the same trip to the academy?’ he thought as he observed the carriage from a distance.

That was confirmed when he saw several soldiers dressed in uniforms he did not recognize, standing around the vehicle in guard formation.

And there was someone else.

A girl approximately his age was standing beside the carriage speaking with one of the soldiers. She had bright red hair that reached her waist and eyes of the same crimson color that seemed to shine even from a distance.

Adam began walking toward the town without paying too much attention to the carriage or its occupants. He just wanted to find food and maybe a place to rest for a moment before continuing.

But apparently she had noticed him.

The girl turned her head in his direction and her red eyes focused directly on him with curiosity.

Adam could see how her gaze traveled up and down his figure before stopping on something specific.

The emblem on his clothes.

The symbol of the Shadowend family was visibly embroidered on the chest of his shirt, immediately identifying him as a member of one of the most powerful noble families in the kingdom.

The girl’s eyes widened slightly in surprise before an expression of interest crossed her face.

To Adam’s alarm, she began walking toward him with firm steps.

One of the soldiers tried to stop her. "My lady, you shouldn’t-"

"I’ll be fine." She interrupted without even looking back as she continued forward.

The soldier froze for a moment before sighing in defeat and simply watching her go, while the other guards tensed, ready to intervene if necessary.

Adam stopped where he was as the girl approached, watching her cautiously but without showing any obvious hostility. He did not have the energy for more fights today.

When she was close enough to speak without shouting, she stopped in front of him with a small smile on her face.

"Excuse me." She said politely. "Are you Adam Shadowend?"

Adam looked directly into her eyes as he processed the question.

’Does she know me?’ he thought with some confusion. ’I don’t remember seeing her before in the memories...’

Nox, inside him, was alert at this new person, but without showing hostility.

Adam decided to respond honestly. He had no reason to lie about his identity and clearly she had already identified him by the emblem.

"Yes." He replied simply as he watched her carefully. "And you are...?"

The girl smiled more widely at that, clearly satisfied to have confirmed her suspicion.

But before she could answer, one of the soldiers quickly approached with a worried expression.

"My lady, we should return to the carriage. We don’t know if-"

The girl raised a hand silencing him without taking her eyes off Adam. The soldier immediately fell silent, although the concern on his face did not disappear.

Adam simply waited, watching that strange situation unfold before him while feeling the exhaustion from the previous night begin to weigh on his shoulders.

’Who the hell is this girl?’ he wondered as he maintained eye contact with her.

At that very moment the girl smiled at him in a calm manner as she extended a hand toward him, confusing him even more.

"Pleasure to meet you, I’m Evelyne Ravenshade"