Episode 1-b. The One Following the Path of Adversity (6)
The rattling carriage barreled toward the duchy. We'd come within a day or two of our destination, but that only deepened my worries bit by bit. Leaving the familiar empire behind for somewhere new, hoping my identity wouldn't be exposed in a place where I knew no one—it all tangled my thoughts into knots.
And then.
"Lady Asha."
"…."
There was this ragged adventurer crammed into the carriage compartment again, dragging her butt all the way up near the driver's seat to call out the name I'd given her.
"Lady Asha."
"Haa… why do you keep calling me?"
Behind her loomed Eileen, her eyes sparkling even brighter than before, making the whole thing incredibly burdensome.
"So, why are you heading to the duchy?"
"… Do I have to tell you?"
"What if—what if I could help!"
"… You?"
As if. Someone who can't do a damn thing on her own. No strength, no mana—what help could she possibly be? She's just someone I plan to dump off in the duchy and forget about.
I thought that as I turned my head just a fraction to shoot her a glare. Our eyes met, and Eileen's welled up with tears.
"Th-that look, those words… that's too much…!"
"Your words were the shameless ones."
And honestly, wasn't I the one who deserved to cry foul?
"… W-well, yeah, but even someone like me has some value, some use… right?"
"Not really. Since you can't help, I won't tell you why I'm going to the duchy."
But.
"You're so harsh…. We've exchanged names, built a bond of friendship, and you can't even share that much…."
She didn't seem to get it no matter how firmly I spoke, so I twisted the knife deep into her heart.
"After running away."
"…Ugh!"
One jab clearly wasn't enough, so I pulled out something bigger and stabbed it in.
"After I treated you well, you ran because of the gray."
"Gyaaah!… S-sorry…!"
Even that wasn't enough—same old stuff—so I poked her with something weird-looking that even smelled off.
"After pissing yourself silly."
"Kuh…? W-wait a second! You don't have to say that…!"
To shut her yapping mouth, I sniffed her supposedly odorless robe and drove in another stake.
"The stench of piss on my robe still lingers."
"Aaaah! Stop, stop…! I'm sorry for overstepping…!"
"Then shut up. You're annoying."
Put simply, she was an expert at making me spew venom. I needed to drop her off in the duchy ASAP and go our separate ways.
"My heart… it feels pierced by an awl…."
"A tiny chest like yours wouldn't change much even if it were."
No one would notice a hole in breasts that flat anyway—just cover it with clothes.
"Uwaaa… too much…."
Finally, I heard a thud as she collapsed. I glanced back, saw her sprawled out, and smirked.
At least the unchanging forest scenery didn't feel so boring anymore. The silence of rumbling wheels and whispering wind was a touch—just a touch—better now.
Dark night.
The campfire crackled steadily. A pot atop it bubbled with meaty stew.
So.
She'd been staring holes into that stew earlier, singing prayers for it to boil faster.
"Lady Asha, I've been thinking it over."
"Don't bother. Just eat your stew."
"Too harsh."
Why was she now propping her chin on her hand, staring only at me and striking up endless chatter? And grinning like an idiot in those filthy rags.
"Are you maybe meeting a man?"
"What kind of nonsense is that? Can't you tell I'm a woman just by looking?"
"No, no. I mean, is your trip to find a man or something!"
"…."
Some of her guesses hit too close to home, so I cracked my eyes open and glared.
"Right! Th-that night! You mumbled 'Ain'! That's a man's name!"
Her face flushed as she inflated her delusions, babbling on.
"Be quiet—the stew's done…."
"I knew it! At first I thought it was a spell, but your spells are always gibberish!"
"Eileen."
"So romantic…. Pure love… devotion to one man…!"
"Ah, for real."
Her cringey words nearly turned my face red too.
But her sparkling eyes showed no sign of dimming.
"See? I can help!"
"… How exactly?"
Ragged clothes, grimy face, that pathetic habit once a day. Not a single useful trait.
Still, she kept talking.
I stared at her with utter disbelief, and Eileen thrust out her meager chest proudly.
"Hehe, I'm a love doctor! Back in Haven Kingdom, men chased me in droves—a whole carriage full!"
"…."
"For real! I made tons cry!"
Yes. She said that with her chest puffed out.
But.
"… Men who like such a meager chest are future criminals, so you did well to flee your homeland."
"…."
No such men exist, as far as I know.
"That was amusing. Next time, something more interesting. Now eat your stew."
"… Lady Asha."
"Yes."
"Sorry, but a woman's not just her chest…?"
"Of course not just that, but no man likes small ones."
No man chases tiny over ample. And even Eileen, saying this, snuck peeks at hers then stared holes into mine.
"D-don't lie!"
"A man can love a woman with small breasts, but he won't love a small-breasted woman."
It's an eternal truth. Amid life's uncertainties, this is absolute. I learned it that way.
"Wh-who said that…!"
"… A librarian researcher I knew back home."
A woman named Idrin.
A pervert who regularly ravaged my body, but she never lied. So this was truth too.
"M-my mom said even small ones are plenty charming…."
"Parents call ugly kids cute too. So they'd say small breasts are charming."
"Wh-who?!"
"A librarian researcher from home."
"…."
Eileen, sitting on that stump with bowl in hand, toppled backward with a thud.
I flicked my hand, cushioning her fall with soft leaves.
"Too much…."
"Eat your stew and sleep."
"Yeees…."
The once bubbly Eileen now wilted and limp, stirring something odd in me.
So I defined a new feeling.
"Hm. This is glee."
"…."
Tormenting her, being mean—it sparked this joy. Lesson learned.
"Feels pretty good."
"Eee…."
At least for the remaining two days, I could indulge plenty.
Being mean isn't nice, so before we part, better rack up satisfaction. Revenge for her running away.
Truth is, I hold grudges forever.
So, well….
I'd thought her utterly useless.
But luckily, she had one redeeming quality.
I thought that as I filled bowls with steaming stew—including the sprawled Eileen's.
The sky was dark.
A cool breeze whispered through the forest.
Horses by the carriage snorted softly.
In that scene, beautiful me and ragged Eileen ate stew and sank into deep sleep.
A quiet, peaceful night.