Episode 1-b. The One Following the Trail (7)
Fate, or connection, is perhaps a fragile thread woven from overlapping coincidences.
With the cheers of those brimming with affection spurring her on, she sets out on a journey to find her beloved. Rattling along in a jolting carriage, a conversation with a ragged adventurer she happens to encounter creates a link between two people who should never have crossed paths.
Humans are social creatures who can't survive alone. No matter how hard one tries to isolate themselves, someone always draws near.
And sometimes, that connection becomes inevitability. What started as mere chance leads inexorably to a certain conclusion.
Having received so much love, harboring feelings for her beloved, realizing that solitude brings loneliness, and sensing even a faint kinship in that ragged, pitiable figure—little by little, she helps, grows attached without realizing it, and finds herself smiling. Even after claiming she expects nothing from people, she ends up leaning on them anyway.
Connection and inevitability. Perhaps they are one and the same.
In other words, my decision—after much agonizing—to save him from danger, to let him ride in the carriage, to share conversation. The woman's heart, who fled from me in terror yet apologized first upon our next meeting. It was a quiet resonance captured in just those two words: connection, or inevitability.
The carriage, which had raced through the forest for so long, now advanced toward its destination as it came slowly into view. Eileen, chattering energetically from the cargo hold even while loaded with luggage, grew even more excited as the landscape appeared, calling out to me.
"Whoa~ The duchy at last! Asha, Asha! What're you gonna do first when we get to the duchy?"
"Hmm. First things first, I suppose I'll register as an adventurer to get some proper identification."
This was all assuming we could enter the duchy safely, of course, but I planned to head straight to the adventurer's guild for registration. I couldn't keep wandering around anxiously without any ID to flash confidently.
But my straightforward answer was met with the dumbest response.
"Huh? Asha, you don't have any ID…? Why not?"
"…."
"You can just not have ID?"
I couldn't fathom why someone so naive and dim-witted was on such a reckless journey. The ramblings of that drunken old man on the imperial market street—about heads empty as drums—must have been about people like her.
I fell silent, pondering, then spoke to her again.
"Yes, because I'm gray, the kind you run screaming from when you see."
"Ah."
There. To cure her habit of speaking without thinking, nothing beat dredging up the past to stir her emotions.
"Someone useless, weak, talentless, and thoughtless might have ID, but I'm gray, so I don't."
"Ah."
Even as I whipped the reins to urge the horses on, my mouth moved sharply, spitting out calm yet cutting words.
"A piss-soaked fugitive might call that ID, but unfortunately, I'm gray, so I don't have any."
"Ah."
I had to tighten her guilt further, select words to maximize her shame.
"Even a ragged traveler who can mesmerize men with her tiny tits has ID, but I—with my huge ones—am gray, so I don't."
"Ah."
After jabbing thorns at Eileen like this, several times over as she clung near the driver's seat chattering away...
"Well? Got your answer now?"
"Ah."
"If you have, then shut your mouth until we reach the duchy and stay quiet. You're grating on my nerves."
"Ah."
She'd glitch out soon enough. Clutching her tattered chest—though it wasn't really tattered enough to be—she flopped into the luggage with a thud and closed her eyes.
Not bad. Utterly satisfying.
Now I finally understood Rendo's booming laugh when he said Ain was the perfect guy to torment. Eileen was fun to tease. And since she bounced back after about an hour, springing up to talk to me again, it was even better.
So, until we parted in the duchy, I could use her as an emotional trash bin every hour.
We raced on for a few more hours and finally reached the walls where we could enter the duchy. But a long line of people trying to get in stretched out ahead of us.
"Asha, at this rate, we won't get in until after dark…?"
Just as she said, by the time our turn came, the sun would likely have set.
"After days racing through forest paths, this is nothing."
"Oh, yeah, true."
"And it's safe here, so rest easy."
With that, I loosened my grip on the reins, pulled out the book Idrin had given me, and started reading.
"Hmph, I've slept plenty on the way!"
"Then grab the exercise gear from the cargo and work out. If you want even one useful part about you, put in the effort during downtime."
"… But suddenly, I feel kinda, sleepy…."
I pointed firmly at the gear to silence her grumbling.
The line to the duchy's gate stretched long. The murmur of people waiting to enter filled the air, but I ignored it and kept reading.
The line shrank bit by bit. Carriages passed inspection one by one, entering as the sun dipped west, our turn drawing near. Lost in thought with my book, I pondered.
How much of Ain's traces would remain in the duchy? Surely the marks he'd left over the past three years lingered thickly everywhere. The adventurer's guild he'd hit first, the smithy where he'd refitted and repaired gear, the souvenir shop for gifts for me, the inn where he'd stayed and left his scent.
I anticipated those a little. Hoping to retrace them, follow in his footsteps to his next moves.
I wanted to gaze at the sunset sky again with him.
"Ain."
I missed him so much already.
"Ain."
I wanted to face him, call his name myself.
"Ain."
I wanted him to call my name.
So.
"Ain."
So lost in thoughts of Ain, I forgot for a moment about the person behind me in the carriage.
"Whoaaa~"
"…."
My face flushed.
"Asha, that was so pretty just now! Your face all red, lips curving up, usually so expressionless, but you looked just like a girl totally in love!"
"…."
Shame surged from my fingertips and toes, every word she uttered stinging my body.
"I'll help! This love expert Eileen has a way to make your romance come true! First, I…!"
"Eileen."
So I cut her off firmly, hiding my fluster.
"Yes?"
"I get it, so shut your mouth, plug your ears, nose too—hold your breath."
I had to shove aside that ragged figure waving her hands excitedly toward the driver's seat.
"W-Wait… No, I really have a way to help… But that's basically telling me to die…?"
"Yes, exactly."
"B-But it's really helpful, so just hear me out once… Mmph! Mmmph! Mm!"
I blocked her mouth tight with a flick of mana as she tried to speak.
Embarrassing. Mortifying enough to die.
So until our turn, I focused solely on the book to calm my flushed face.
From behind came Eileen's muffled mmphs, but I pulled my robe over my reddened ears and kept reading.
Anyway.
Finally, our carriage reached the gate for inspection. The darkened sky. Flickering torches. Guards in armor blocking the way with spears.
And.
"Please present your identification."
"Ah."
They demanded something I didn't have.
"Please present your identification."
"Um… I don't have any, that's why I'm here to register as an adventurer."
The guards exchanged troubled glances and shook their heads at me.
"Well, apologies, but for the past few months, orders from above say no entry without ID."
"Ah… Is there no way? We've driven this carriage for nearly a fortnight."
"…Regrettably, no ID means no entry. Unless you have a noble's guarantee? That would work too."
My plan to enter, register as an adventurer—ruined from the start.
Yansen and Idrin had both shaken their heads at a noble's guarantee. Maybe I should've registered in the empire first, even if it was more complicated and time-consuming. My mistake, banking on the duchy's free-spirited reputation.
"…."
"Sorry, please turn the carriage around."
"…Yes."
With a bitter nod, I started to turn the carriage. I'd have to drop Eileen off and head elsewhere. I released her mouth and gestured for her to get down.
"Mmph… Phew…! Haa… I-I almost died…."
"Eileen, looks like I can't get in, so go on alone."
A shame, but a quick farewell. I gave a slight smile and wave.
And.
"I-I have ID! I'm with her, so it's fine, right? I'll vouch for her!"
Eileen blurted it out, stuttering ridiculously. Even after the guard specified a noble's guarantee.
"Sorry, unless it's a noble's…."
"I-I'm a noble!"
"Pardon?"
"Pardon?"
Wait. What nonsense is this?
"Eileen Phrygia Delfinium, eldest daughter of the Delfinium Count of Haven Kingdom! A noble from another kingdom should count, right?!"
"Pardon?"
"Pardon?"
This useless, powerless, mana-less, talentless, oblivious, shameless, flat-chested ragged traveler had finally lost it.
"W-Why are you all staring like that…? I really am a noble…?"
"Uh, w-well… No. First… Yes. Could you present your ID, mil… lady…?"
"Y-Yes! Here. My ID!"
She'd clearly gone mad. Desperate to get arrested by these spear-wielding guards and thrown in jail.
How else could Eileen be a noble…?
"Yes, Eileen Phrygia Delfinium of Delfinium County, Haven Kingdom. Identity confirmed."
"Pardon?"
Pardon?
"Asha… Why do you keep questioning it…?"
Of course I would.
"Then just sign the guarantee form, milady…?"
"Why's the guard looking at me like that…?"
Probably because the guard and I shared the same thought, but held back since she was still a noble.
"Ah, um… Sorry, milady. My mistake. Guarantee verified."
"…."
The guard glanced around nervously and changed tack hurriedly.
"Then, you two, enter the duchy. Welcome to Saravati Duchy!"
He slammed his spear on the ground with a thud, shouting loudly without meeting eyes, eager to end it.
I drove the carriage in, glancing back at her.
"Why…?"
"No one would take one look at you and think 'noble,' Eileen Phrygia Delfinium."
I'd learned her real name by chance. Her true identity: your average kingdom noble I wouldn't have dared approach in a normal meeting.
"No way, it's not that bad! And just call me Eileen!"
"Not that level— even street beggars don't look that bad, Eileen Phrygia Delfinium."
But I spoke to her with the same familiarity, no distance.
"So mean! And my name!"
Her eyes were the same, her dumb expression and speech unchanged, so I kept conversing as before to avoid making her uncomfortable.
Meanwhile, the duchy's inner scenery began welcoming us. Brilliant lights illuminating the dark streets, a massive statue symbolizing freedom. Night markets bustling with people, mouthwatering food aromas wafting everywhere.
Quite beautiful. A different beauty from the empire filled the space around me, stirring overwhelming emotions.
And.
Amid it all, a finger poked my back.
"Asha."
"…Yes."
"I really helped this time, right?"
Turning, there was the ragged traveler beaming at me, straight-faced.
"Yes… You did. Thank you, Eileen."
"Hehe, told ya! I said I had a way to help!"
The useless lump of baggage puffed out her tiny chest proudly.
"So you did. The world's full of surprises."
"Right?"
"…."
With her usual smile, her usual smugness.
Reaching out to grip my robe tight.
"Don't hate me…."
She said it with sad eyes.
Eileen.
Eileen Phrygia Delfinium.
Pure noble lady.
So.
"I don't hate you."
I smiled gently at her.
She'd said my smile was beautiful with lips curved up.
Truth be told.
Well.
Amid the rags, she was pretty beautiful herself.
Yes, maybe enough to make several men weep, as she claimed.
Even with breasts smaller than a fist.
Life is a chain of choices.
People choose constantly.
To advance or halt.
To help or ignore.
They agonize at those crossroads.
And the gray woman was no different.
She agonized, surely.
Save the ragged adventurer? Or not?
Rescue the one who'd fled from her in terror? Or pass by, relieved his chance to expose her identity was stolen?
But.
The dilemma didn't last.
She followed her beloved's trail.
Beautiful, risen again by selfless love.
Her choices, her paths—always toward the good.
Thus, new connections bloom.
It was.
Asha.
A connection won by her strength alone, an undeniable inevitability.
A pure noble girl, spotless, who might have met a miserable end without her aid.
A clear ally to help her.
So.
Asha.
Clutch your choices and press on.
Write your story with steps taken for your beloved.
Clearly.
So the world can't erase you.
Even more clearly, leave your footprints on the world.