Shall We Go, Abel?

We left the Milano Forest by that same road and headed for the border, meaning to re-enter the Vesta Kingdom.

"Alicia. So what are you supposed to eat, anyway?"

"Hm?...W-well. I have only ever lived in the nest, so such things I do not rightly..."

"You've never eaten anything before?"

"Th-that is so."

So she just lived off nutrients being fed to her? Well, she had said she'd never left the nest her whole life.

"What do monsters usually eat, Estelle?"

"I believe they eat food in the ordinary way. Of course it would be a little different from human food...but they still hunt other animals and plants the same as anyone."

"Huh. Is that so?"

Come to think of it, Estelle had overturned a monster's dinner table before... Maybe eating itself wasn't all that different.

"Ah, right. If the soldiers ask about you, you'd better answer properly, okay?"

"A-all right. I am a girl rescued by the Hero Abel, is that it?"

"Yeah."

We agreed on the story. Without it, wandering around with a Mother in tow would be impossible.

"But are you going to be okay?"

"Hm?"

"I'm going to be cutting down other Mothers and monsters. You fine watching that?"

"I-I am fine. They are not my children anyway...and come to think of it, I have no children left now. Someone killed them all..."

...Is she sniping at me on the sly? I casually rested a hand on the Holy Sword. Alicia freaked out at once.

"H-hiiik! It was a jest!"

"Was it?"

When we reached the border, I felt a little puzzled. The line was far shorter than when we'd crossed over from the Minerva Kingdom before.

"The line's short."

"The Apollo Kingdom doesn't trade with the Vesta Kingdom all that much."

That was Celine. Apollo was fairly close to Vesta too, so why was that?

"Have they always gotten along poorly?"

"Not exactly... Apollo's diplomatic reach just isn't that strong. The same goes for the Diana Kingdom that borders it."

"Ah..."

Those two countries had been at each other's throats constantly, hadn't they. No wonder they'd had no energy left for anyone else. Meanwhile the remaining three nations had traded among themselves and grown close.

"Still, less waiting is nice."

"Yes. If we're to reach Bonaparte City by August twelfth, it's going to be a little tight."

"How long from here to Bonaparte City?"

We had roughly six days left, didn't we?

"Riding hard from the border, perhaps about five days."

"That long?"

Far. So we needed horses, then?

"I don't know how to ride."

"You rode last time, didn't you?"

"Estelle was the one doing the riding. I was just..."

I'd only been clinging to Estelle.

"And where are we even getting horses?"

"From the post station on this side of the border. Last time the kingdom awarded you two horses as a reward, Hero. We can ride those."

"Ah, right."

So that was why they'd given us horses—so we could use them like this. Convenient system.

"Abel, get ready. It's our turn."

"Ah, yes."

Just as Estelle said, it was our turn for inspection. The people ahead of us passed through, and a border guardsman greeted us.

"Good day. Welcome to the Vesta Kingdom. There will be a brief inspection before entry."

"Yes."

"Where have you come from?"

"From the Apollo Kingdom."

"And the purpose of your visit to our kingdom?"

"I'm here to see a friend in Bonaparte City. Elfride Bathory..."

At Elfride's name the soldier flinched and looked at me. He studied my face a moment, then made a sound of realization.

"Would you by any chance be Hero Abel?"

"Uh...yes. That's right."

"Good heavens, I failed ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to recognize you, Hero. Please, come right through."

"Hello."

...He actually knows me? I hadn't expected to be recognized, so I felt a little dazed. Behind me Estelle laughed lightly.

"You've become quite the celebrity, Abel♡"

"Haha..."

Once the soldier recognized me, the rest of the inspection was over in moments. Knowing me meant he already knew who Estelle and Celine were as well.

"And the young girl behind you?"

"Ah...a girl I rescued. She has no parents and nowhere to go, so she's traveling with us for now."

"I see. Might I have the child's name, then?"

I looked at Alicia and spoke, smiling sweetly.

"Go on. Answer him."

"A-Alicia..."

Why is she scared? I'd only smiled the way you do at a kid.

"Inspection complete. You may enter at once."

At the soldier's words, Estelle spoke up.

"We'd like to borrow horses from the post station. Our Hero received two horses from the kingdom."

"Ah, then I'll show you there myself. You—take over here for a moment!"

Guided by the soldier, we went to the post station and were handed two fine horses. The station master proudly added that they were the finest mounts they had.

"When you're finished, leave them at the post station in Bonaparte City."

"Understood."

Two horses meant we'd have to ride double. And the people here who actually knew how to ride were...

"Just Celine and Estelle."

"What is?"

"People who can ride. Alicia obviously doesn't know how, and neither do I."

"W-why do you say 'obviously'!?"

I looked at Alicia's build. Tiny.

"...Isn't it obvious? So can you ride, then?"

"...I-I cannot."

...Told you.

Estelle smiled with her eyes, wearing a smug little grin.

"Can't be helped, then~♡ Just like last time, Abel rides behind me..."

"What are you talking about? This time you ride behind me, Hero."

"...Celine? What is that supposed to mean?"

"Last time the Hero rode behind the Saint, so this time it's only fair that it's my turn."

"Hold on—what exactly is 'fair' about that. Are you trying to steal Abel from me again?"

...Why are they fighting again all of a sudden.

"Steal? Someone might get the wrong idea hearing that, Saint. I simply want to ride with my man as well."

"You thieving cat...he's my man, you know!?"

Estelle and Celine started snarling at each other. Like two cats going at it. Beside me, Alicia tugged my sleeve and asked,

"W-why are they fighting? It is rather frightening..."

"...No idea."

In the end, under my mediation, Estelle and Celine agreed to settle it with rock-paper-scissors. The winner got me; the loser rode with Alicia.

Estelle and Celine faced each other and got ready. Then Estelle said,

"I'm throwing scissors."

Oh, psychological warfare. Classic rock-paper-scissors mind games.

"Is that so? Then I'll throw rock."

But Celine wasn't about to fold. She took Estelle's mind game without so much as a flinch and fired right back.

It's just rock-paper-scissors—why are they this serious... At this rate, the only way to stop them fighting would be to split myself in half.

"Ready."

I counted them down and called it.

"Rock, paper, scissors!"

"...!"

Their ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠reactions split clean down the middle. A delighted smile bloomed on Estelle's face; a rueful one settled on Celine's.

Estelle had actually thrown scissors, and Celine had thrown paper. Looks like Estelle had won the mind game after all.

"Kyahaha♡"

"Nngh..."

Estelle beamed as she came over to me. She looked happier than she had in ages. She tilted her head a little and looked up at me.