Ragnis Lien da Levien
Ragnis Lien da Levien
After making Ragnis promise again and again not to leave the inn, I got Alisha's okay and decided to stay there for a while.
When I told her it looked like I'd gotten into trouble with some back-alley thugs and wanted to see how it played out, the madam grabbed a kitchen knife, unleashed a string of curses, and readily gave me a room.
Obviously, reporting to Asilie was the top priority, so I rode the horse straight home. I couldn't even remember the last time I'd pushed it to a full gallop like that.
"I was wondering why things had been so quiet lately," she said.
Asilie pressed her temples, worry already gathering on her face.
"Don't worry. I'm not going to die, and I'm not going to kill anyone either. In a situation like this, killing someone would only give them something to use against me."
"How in the world do you even... never mind. You're right. You've judged this well. So, this time, just focus on being careful."
As she let out a deep sigh and spread her arms, I hugged her. After a slight pause, she slowly began to speak.
"Now that you're tangled up in factional fighting between nobles, you absolutely cannot take this lightly. Since they've decided to target her, they'll try to take her even if they have to send knights. I'm only agreeing because I know better than anyone that your convictions are what keep you going."
"I know."
"Honestly, I want to run over there right now, turn the whole place upside down until I find them, or just go with you and help. But my little brother wouldn't want that, would he?"
"Yeah. You're right."
Right now she was playing the role of my nanny, but ultimately she was an adventurer, and at the same time, an elf who had lived for over a century. What I'd learned from her so far was, literally, focused on broad knowledge and survival skills covering all aspects of life. The combat-related stuff was an extremely small fraction by comparison.
Her specialty, magic, was a field I struggled with. Spirit arts couldn't be used lethally in fights against people, and she didn't know all that much swordsmanship. At best, she could piece together the knowledge and basic principles I remembered from my past life, tell me which parts were useful, and teach me bits of elven swordsmanship.
Even with my ability to strengthen my body by burning Magic Power, I was still woefully lacking in technique, and naturally I was far weaker than she was. No matter who came looking, simply having her beside me would be a deterrent.
But then she'd be identified as someone involved. With no idea how this would unfold, I couldn't ask her to personally do something that might turn an entire kingdom's nobles against her.
I didn't have the hobby of driving my benefactor into a death trap.
"Levi's birthday is fifteen days away, so if they want to settle this, they'll have to move before then. I'll finish it quickly and come back."
"Fifteen days... actually, we probably don't have that much time. Their goal is to get hold of Levi while she's still a minor and make an announcement favorable to themselves as her guardians, right? Even if you ride from Ogwen to Laheira, where the transport wyverns are, and then take the fastest wyvern, it still takes three days to reach the capital. Of course, with fresh horses and wyverns waiting at every relay point, you could make it in a day, but I don't know whether they'd go that far."
"Ah."
Now that she mentioned it, that was true. I'd almost overlooked the travel time and nearly got badly burned.
"Even if they're finishing all other preparations, from their perspective, I think they'd want to wrap things up within a week."
"You're right, Sis. Thanks to that, we'll actually be in a better position."
"Heh heh. Right. The impatient side always makes the mistakes."
I'd nearly missed something important and pushed the plan forward. Asilie, having finished the hug, looked me over anew and said,
"Haah... it's really strange. Back when I used to go adventuring, I'd wander around alone for a month... fifteen days feels so long now."
"It'll be a week at the quickest. I'll do my best and come back fast."
"As if it'll go however you please."
Asilie, stroking my head and smiling, saw me off without another word.
So I rode back, retrieved the sword I'd left with Yans, bought a belt to go with it, and strapped it on. When I returned to the inn, the bustling front had been tidied up neatly.
"Oh, look at you? You even brought a blade?"
Alisha was clearing away the tables she'd lent the Holy Light Cross Order priests and gave me an incredulous look. You'd think she'd want to rest after standing and cooking since dawn.
"I always carry a sword, you know."
"Who are you trying to fool? That thing you always strapped to your back was a practice sword, right? From the way you're wearing it on your hip, I'm guessing you had the edge sharpened. Of all days for something to happen, it had to be today."
At her utterly unexpected, sharp deduction, my eyes went round involuntarily and I froze. She snorted and said,
"Look at that fucking face. My husband was a swordsman. Died like a swordsman, too."
"I seriously never would've guessed. Were you an adventurer too, Alisha?"
"That's right, you little shit."
"Wow, I seriously never imagined that!!"
A completely unexpected piece of Madam Alisha's past! I hadn't been this shocked in six years!
"Stop the bullshit. Have you eaten breakfast?"
"No, not yet."
"Come and stuff yourself. We were going to eat the leftovers together with the kids."
Following Madam Alisha's ever-affectionate gesture, I stepped inside. The fifteen or so kids who'd been bustling around earlier cooking and handing out portions were now gathered together getting ready to eat.
"Oh? Is Boss eating with us today?"
"He says he'll be staying here for a while. Levi, after we eat, show him one of the empty rooms. I'm going to take some stew to the priests."
"Yes, Auntie."
So the kids called her Auntie. One new discovery after another. Thinking that the surprises really hadn't stopped all morning, I sat down, and the kids kindly started passing me food.
"Boss, have this."
"Eldmia, have this too."
"This too."
But they were trying to give me way too much!
"You little runts, I can feed myself. Am I a baby?"
Seeing them take care of me because I'd solved their food, clothing, and shelter issues made it sink in that the kids had found some breathing room. Still, all I'd really done was secure a spot with a few copper coins, and their goodwill was excessive.
"More importantly, why are you staying here? Did Asilie chew you out?"
"He'd never do anything that would get Asilie mad at him, even if someone beat him half to death."
"Then why are you staying here?"
"Levi beat the back-alley thugs who messed with her to a pulp. They might retaliate, so I'm waiting to see."
It was a joke I'd thrown out to see Levi vehemently deny it, but far from denying it, her reaction was strange—she just scoffed. Even the older kids simultaneously tilted their heads and expressed doubt. Why were the boys tilting their heads?
"That can't be right? Did some new guys show up?"
But that reaction was a bit off. 'That can't be right?' The thugs got hit and are grinding their teeth, so why would that come up?
"What do you mean? New guys?"
"No, I mean, the back-alley kids don't mess with the inn people?"
"Huh?"
Had I really been that out of touch with town lately? There was way too much I didn't know. I gave him a look demanding an explanation, and he elaborated while chewing a piece of bread soaked in stew.
"Since you went around stirring things up, they don’t even come near this area. They avoid it altogether."
Oh, crap! The little kids, seeing my expression, laughed and said,
"Ah! Eldmia, you were lying just to tease Levi, weren't you?"
"What, it was a lie? Eldmia can't become a mage!"
The occasional back-alley conviction-instilling lectures I'd given had apparently been stupendously effective. I realized my mistake at the unexpected answer, but it was already spilled milk. Levi spoke, tousling the giggling little kids' hair.
"See? Eldmia's a liar, so he can't become a mage."
Tch...! Levi... is laughing...!
◈
Having eaten a hearty meal, I helped with cleaning up and washing the dishes, then took Levi and headed for the Adventurers' Guild. Ragnis walked along just as I'd suggested, but asked,
"Didn't you say earlier not to move from the inn?"
"That was for when I wasn't around. From now on, you're going to periodically walk the same route with me for the remaining time."
"T-together? W-why?"
"So that they either realize there's no opportunity and give up, or they try something reckless."
Fifteen days to find someone wasn't a long time at all. If you had to search for someone across an entire kingdom's territory, that would obviously be insane, but if it was finding someone in Ogwen who was a stray, or pretending to be a stray, and not originally a village resident, it wasn't that difficult a problem. Even I could find someone if only a few characteristics matched.
"Places with lots of eyes on us. Places where guards openly patrol. Places full of adventurers. We'll keep moving through places like that and make it obvious there's no opening to kidnap or threaten you. It doesn't matter if they don't recognize you through the disguise, and it doesn't matter if they do."
The Holy Light Cross Order's temple was right near Alisha's inn to begin with. The priests might look kind and guileless, but put injustice in front of them and they turned into crusaders who saw red. Follow us and try a kidnapping? The moment they were spotted, the priests would probably crack their skulls barehanded. With people ready to come running at the slightest commotion, nobody could pull something that brazen.
"Just because there's a rumor going around that they're looking for you, there's no guarantee they haven't already found you. It's possible they already pinpointed you and were just waiting for the right opportunity, but I caught on before then. So, what should we do?"
"W-well...?"
"We wander around outside, through the biggest crowds we can find."
We needed to spend as much time as possible in places where we could shout for help at any moment.
I pulled her shoulders close and with my other arm swept my open palm across the empty air as if showing her the wide city. I felt Ragnis's shoulders stiffen under my hand.
"In this town, the only ones who'd flat-out ignore you and me shouting for help would be adventurers at most."
"Ah!"
Ragnis finally understood properly, her eyes going round.
She'd spent three years working diligently, taking whatever jobs came her way and always giving them her all. Ogwen had a habit of treating hard workers generously, whether they were outsiders or another race.
"Well, let's use this chance to walk around eating all sorts of things. I'll cover the expenses for now, so pay me back later when you can."
"Th-that's right! Then we shouldn't get separated, so we should stick, stick together a bit!"
"Obviously! Let's act like a couple for a while."
"A c-c-couple!"
Just as expected of a smart kid, she caught on immediately. It was always a pleasure when conversation flowed, so I grinned and walked the streets just like that, arm wrapped around Ragnis's shoulder.