Return to Routine (2)

"Have you calmed down a bit now?"

I patted Lily's back gently as I asked. She had been sniffling slightly, but at my question, she gave a small nod.

"...Yes. I'm feeling a little better now."

Had she been worried I might have gotten badly hurt in the subjugation expedition? Well, Abel had warned me several times that this one would be particularly dangerous.

Since she'd heard those words beside me, it was only natural for her to worry. Truth be told, the battle had indeed been quite perilous.

First, there was the appearance of the Oblivion Whale, a Disaster-class Monster.

Then, when I went inside to rescue Yurp, that monstrous Katra had been waiting for me.

It was only through a series of coincidences piled upon coincidences that I barely survived—had things gone even slightly differently, I might have died and regressed over ten times.

"You were really worried about me, weren't you?"

I took out a handkerchief from my pocket and dabbed at her damp eyes. Normally, she would have scolded me for using such a precious handkerchief on her.

But seeing how she just sniffled quietly, it seemed she had genuinely been anxious. Lily cleared her throat, steadying her choked-up voice.

"Yes... You mentioned before that a Disaster-class monster appeared during this expedition."

She must mean the Oblivion Whale. In terms of sheer strength, that thing was disgustingly powerful.

Even the subjugation force, composed of nothing but elite ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fighters, had been helpless against it. We only managed to defeat it thanks to Abel's presence.

Otherwise, it would have likely escaped after leaving dozens of casualties in its wake.

"But the news has already spread all the way here?"

"It just came out in the papers yesterday, so I got worried and..."

As her voice began trembling again, I slowly patted her back.

Timing-wise, the news must have reached her just three days after I lost consciousness. I had returned to the Duke's estate about four days ago...

No wonder Lily was so worried.

First, there was the sudden appearance of the Oblivion Whale in the expedition I participated in, and then I didn't wake up for days on top of that.

At this point, it would be stranger not to be concerned.

And when you factor in the Oblivion Whale's memory-erasing ability...

So that's why she was acting so awkward.

She must have been afraid I'd forgotten her. If I had treated her carelessly like usual, who knows what might have happened—no wonder she was being cautious.

Finally, the mystery began to unravel a little. Turning my head, I saw Lily's eyes still trembling with unease.

I chuckled softly and met her gaze.

"I didn't forget you, Lily."

"...Really?"

Lily asked again, her voice tinged with doubt. For some reason, she looked like a kitten abandoned on a rainy day—pitiful enough to make my heart ache.

"Of course. I barely inhaled any of the mist."

Well, right after waking up, my memories had briefly disappeared. But they came back quickly, so there was no need to worry.

"...I-I was really worried!"

With that cry, she clung tightly to me. Her slightly cool body temperature brushed against my skin. Smiling, I hugged her back.

"I thought you might have forgotten me, I really did..."

"I wouldn't forget. How could I ever forget someone like you?"

Lily was the first person who gave me a place to belong.

If she hadn't been the first to believe in me, I might have lost my mind long ago in the endless cycle of regression.

So forgetting her was impossible.

"...You promise?"

She sniffled as she asked again.

"Of course. Should we make it official?"

I held out my pinky finger, and Lily tilted her head in confusion. Come to think of it, this world didn't have a pinky-promise tradition, did it?

Well, I could just teach her.

"We link pinkies like this to make a promise. So neither of us ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠can break it."

"L...Like this?"

Lily awkwardly extended her right pinky. I did the same, hooking my finger around hers.

"Mm. It's a promise. I'll never forget you."

After linking pinkies, we pressed our thumbs together. The unease that had lingered in her expression earlier had mostly faded now.

"...Thank you."

Lily murmured in a tiny voice. She looked so adorable that, without thinking, I ruffled her hair.

Was this the same feeling Abel had when he messed up my hair back then?

"Lady Adel."

"Hm?"

Her voice and expression were much more relaxed now. It seemed her usual lively self had finally returned.

Lily looked at me with bright eyes.

"I... There's somewhere I want to go."

"Where?"

"A place you want to visit, huh."

It was rare for Lily to make such requests. Unlike the other maids of the Count's household, she ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hardly ever asked for anything upfront.

For her to say this to me now meant it must be a place she truly wanted to see. Lily's eyes sparkled as she answered my question.

"The Night Market!"

"Night Market?"

Night Market. Hearing that nostalgic term from her lips felt strangely unfamiliar. Did markets of that concept still exist in this era?

"Yes. They say there's something called the Night Market in the Hardenberg Duchy."

Night Market.

A week-long festival held once a year after the harvest season. Though it goes by different names in each region, the Hardenberg Duchy calls it the Night Market.

All sorts of chefs and merchants flock to the Hardenberg Territory during this season.

The specialty goods they bring and the dishes they prepare naturally form a massive marketplace.

"But why do they all gather here specifically?"

At my question, Lily continued her explanation with visible excitement.

"Because this is the place where merchants and chefs are treated best."

In the past, the merchant profession carried a stigma of being lowly. Chefs too, with the exception of certain court chefs, suffered similar perceptions.

The Hardenberg Duchy was the only place that treated them with respect during every festival.

It had been the first policy Duke Abel implemented after inheriting his title.

"Of course it was only natural they'd flock here."

With not just good treatment but sometimes full financial support, both chefs and merchants gradually expanded their influence.

This growing reputation attracted more people, which in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠turn further increased their prestige—a virtuous cycle repeating itself.

Through this process, public perception of merchants and chefs had changed significantly compared to the past.

That's why so many merchants and chefs now gather here every harvest season.

This was also why the festival came to be called the Night Market.

"Hmm? Then do you know what 'Night Market' actually means?"

"Well... I heard an Eastern bard came up with the name. I don't know any Eastern languages though."

Lily giggled while scratching her cheek. Watching her, I smirked and continued my thoughts internally.

An Eastern bard named it.

'Night Market...'

Until now, I'd dismissed it as the author's lack of background knowledge. But would a Romance Fantasy writer really use a name like "Night Market" in a Western-style setting?

At the very least, wouldn't they use an English-style festival name? That would fit the atmosphere better and seem more plausible.

No matter how lacking their background knowledge, no matter how terrible their naming sense, I doubted they'd choose that name.

'...Could there be another Possessor?'

It was just a hypothesis, but a credible one.

Given that I—a precedent—existed, I couldn't rule out the possibility of other Possessors.

Though the evidence was still flimsy. Based solely on a festival name, it could just be the author's bizarre naming sense.

'Sigh... Had I known this would happen, I should've read it myself.'

This regret always surged whenever I hit such dead ends. Well, no use crying over spilled milk now.

"When does the festival start?"

"Starting tomorrow!"

I smiled at Lily's excited voice.

"Alright. Let's go together then."

"Really?"

"Yeah, promise."

I held out my pinky, and Lily mirrored the gesture as we locked fingers.

It's not like I had other plans tomorrow anyway—shouldn't be a problem.

§

"...Didn't I tell you to rest properly?"

"I did rest, in my own way?"

At Abel's question, he sighed deeply. He didn't seem convinced by my answer.

Carefully, he set down the stack of documents he'd been holding onto the desk.

Allen had definitely said he'd processed the paperwork earlier, yet the mountain of documents looked no different from before.

For paperwork to pile up this much in such a short time—being a Duke clearly wasn't an easy title.

"Why is there so much paperwork?"

"My thoughts exactly."

Abel exhaled another long sigh at my question, rubbing his temples as he answered.

"Work related to the Holy Kingdom has exploded."

"The Holy Kingdom?"

Wasn't that alliance supposed to end after the subjugation? Why would they be contacting us now?

As if sensing my thoughts, Abel shook his head.

"You personally entered the Oblivion Whale to rescue the Saintess Candidate, while I provided major assistance in its subjugation."

"...Ah."

Even just hearing it sounded extraordinary. Now I understood why the Holy Kingdom reached out first.

Come to think of it, hadn't the newspapers prominently featured news about the Oblivion Whale too?

Which meant...

"Indeed. An invitation from the Holy Kingdom."

Personally handwritten by the Pope himself.

As he added this, a trace of exhaustion surfaced on Abel's face.