Fairy Tale - 5
The Hero leading the way suddenly stopped and spoke.
"If we set out now, we won't reach the Imperial Capital until nightfall."
There was nothing wrong with what he said. I remembered that every time we used fast travel, it always ended up being night by the time we arrived.
The Hero continued.
"For that reason, how about we buy some provisions and stay the night before departing?"
His suggestion certainly had merit. Come to think of it, had he really set out for the Holy Kingdom without any food at all? Or had he packed only the bare minimum and left right away? Either way, it was a completely insane choice.
You always need to keep a generous surplus of food, potions, and items! You never know when you might get stranded or face a crisis. This Hero was definitely a total newbie. I felt ridiculous for even briefly suspecting he might be a transmigrator like me!
Whether he knew what I was thinking or not, the Hero kept talking with that handsome face of his, still smiling slyly.
"Would that be all right with you?"
He seemed to be seeking agreement from both Jerome and me.
Yes.
Of course I agreed. Getting food first and then setting out was the priority.
Jerome still seemed awkward about the whole situation. He kept a brief silence before finally opening his mouth.
"Yes."
Why are church people so terrible at forming human relationships? I wasn't a church person, so that doesn't include me! I'm only the Saintess when I want to be, and an ordinary person when I don't!
Moments like this were when being a transmigrator was more convenient than anything else. I could slip right out of it with self-justification, slick as an eel!
Yap! Eel Theas!
Somehow my thoughts were getting more and more childish, like a little kid's. But it wasn't really a big problem. As far as I was concerned, I was still maintaining a rational and reasonable state. Appearances aren't everything, you know!
Haha.
I tossed random jokes around inside my head and laughed at completely trivial things. Had I actually gone crazy?
...Maybe.
Sigh. Enough of the depressing talk. Let's try thinking positively from now on. Assuming only the worst among countless possibilities is just too sad, right?
I know full well that throwing my inner thoughts into empty air that never answers back won't get me a reply. Just like when I was very little and wished on the shining stars in the sky, only for them never to help me—this place is no different.
Scientifically speaking, stars are just chemical reactions. Romance can go die for all I care. Even if a god who actually became a star exists in this world, he never helped me one bit, and I have zero intention of praying for a god who sits there actively shaving away my lifespan in real time!
Hmph.
With all sorts of ridiculous thoughts swirling around inside me, I followed after Ain as he walked ahead.
Ugh. Since when did I start thinking of the Hero as "Ain" by name first? Something feels off.
Anyway, following behind Ain brought us to an inn. The exterior looked so shabby that I felt a little disappointed. How could he have such a terrible eye for inns? It looked like he'd received national support funds or something—why pick a place like this?
A question rose in my mind. Had he taken a bribe from the innkeeper so they could hang up a sign that said "The Hero's Party Stayed Here"? Haha, that one was actually pretty funny. My sense of humor! I'll give myself a compliment!
Beside me, Jerome was watching me with a worried look. Instead of staring at me, shouldn't you be worrying about that shabby lodging you're about to spend the night in? I feel a little wronged here.
He was probably thinking that because I'd grown up my whole life in that strangely small-yet-luxurious church in the Holy Kingdom, I wouldn't be able to adapt to a place like this. But that was a useless worry. The girl you're fretting over is already dead and gone.
Or... can I even call it dead? I don't know.
Ahaha. That wasn't something I should have laughed at. Yes, I'm sorry.
Guilt became a blade that stabbed into my chest and tore around however it pleased. Ugh, it was so disgusting I felt like I might throw up. Filthy sludge kept pushing up from a black, dark hole. I forced it down. My breath caught. Punch a hole through it.
Hoo—ha—
I slowly drew in a breath and let it out. But I couldn't let it show. I always had to be the ideal, pure, young, wise, and complete Saintess. A finished Superhuman who still carried a girl's heart, hiding her pain while leading the party, only to exit at the decisive moment—that was the role. The only difference with me was that I had no intention of exiting.
They could go to hell.
The Hero opened the inn door. The creaking sound as it swung open felt a little ominous, but the moment I saw the interior I had no choice but to change my mind.
The innkeeper was an older gentleman. White hair stuck up here and there like gray strands, and his full beard made him look a bit like Santa. Maybe a little less than Santa. The beard, trimmed into a neat square, somehow felt approachable. The fine wrinkles beside his eyes seemed to show his years of experience.
The inside of the inn was completely different from the outside—in a good way. There was no trace of the shabby exterior. The first floor gave off the cozy atmosphere of a family home. Considering that inns usually combine the first floor with a dining area, the place was truly clean and well-kept. Unexpectedly, the Hero might actually have a decent eye for inns.
As if familiar with the place, the Hero walked up to the counter and said,
"Three rooms—is that possible?"
The innkeeper answered.
"No, only two left."
Oh no. He didn't bring us here knowing that, did he? I'd already suspected that the reason there were only two cabins on the ship might have been the Hero's shady intentions, so of course I was suspicious here too. Honestly, it was obvious. He was being completely transparent about it!
The Hero pretended to be flustered, looked back at us, and casually put on an act. That's how it felt to me, anyway!
"What should we do?"
But my pathetic stamina was already hitting its limit, so I honestly didn't have the energy to go looking around more. No choice, then.
It's fine.
Jerome, who had been reading the room behind me, finally opened his heavy mouth. He was probably taking his cue from me. You don't really need to read the room that carefully, though. Heh.
"I'm fine as well."
The Hero said he understood, turned back to the counter, paid, and received the keys. He casually handed one to Jerome and took the other for himself. Why not give one to me? His intentions were completely transparent. But I was too tired, so I let it slide.
Side: Ain
Ever since that day, the Saintess's condition has been strangely off. Excited? Energetic? Looking at it in isolation, those would clearly be positive words—but the context before and after was the problem.
If someone who had forced herself to hide her health while continuing to travel, looking after me the whole way, only to suddenly leave my side, then forced herself to put on that kind of act again... the first thing I felt was déjà vu.
Outwardly there was no difference, yet she was giving off a faintly different atmosphere. Something had changed. Rather than our first meeting, it felt closer to the way the Saintess had been right before she died.
An unexplainable anxiety settled over me. Even before I turned back the clock hands, she had clearly been anxious and precarious, and her personality would sometimes shift as if she were someone else—but I had never seen her like this.
Had seeing the Saintess cough up blood done something? If it became difficult to predict the future, I wouldn't be able to protect her. I couldn't put it into words, but last night's events worried me so much that I had planned to choose rooms in the same place. Watching from right beside her seemed the most certain way.
Fortunately, only two rooms remaining was pure luck. Even though they could have prepared more rooms, staying silent about it wasn't exactly a lie when you looked at it closely, so I was still a conscientious person. That was how I rationalized it to myself while laying out the plan.
Today, I intended to keep watch over the Saintess. Being able to function perfectly fine after skipping sleep for about two days was one of this body's advantages. The Holy Sword was what turned an ordinary country boy into a Superhuman, after all.
I had to move efficiently. All I had was knowing things a little earlier than others and being a little stronger than others. After tasting powerlessness, all that remained was realism. That was why I always thought of the worst case.
And aboard the ship, a blonde woman with her face hidden—a Holy Knight wearing the uniform engraved with the Holy Kingdom's distinctive emblem—secretly boarded.