Towards Breitenfeld
The County of Breitenfeld was further away than I had anticipated. It was a territory bordering the North, rather than being anywhere near the Imperial Capital. When I mentioned the strange mana I’d felt while arriving at the capital yesterday, Elena gave me a blunt answer.
"That would be a Teleport Carriage. They are extremely expensive items, and usually, only someone like His Majesty the Emperor is permitted to use them."
"Hmm... Is that so."
I had made such a grand exit; it would be a blow to my pride to go back now and ask for permission to use one. So, I decided to just leave. I didn't have much luggage anyway, and I didn't need a carriage. After three days of preparation, today was the day I’d finally depart the capital. A sturdy warhorse was all I needed.
"From now on, your name is Yellowy."
Puh-hoo— The golden horse standing before me snorted, but I ignored it. So what if it’s golden? To my eyes, it just looks like a mutt, so you’re Yellowy.
"Your naming sense is... truly unique."
I decided to let Elena’s assessment go in one ear and out the other. As for Elizabeth, she had so much stuff to pack that she brought an entire carriage to the front of the Weisswaltz estate. Elena, like me, had just one horse. She said its name was Bucephalus. Well, I suppose that’s expected of a member of the Hero’s party... Regardless, as soon as the three of us were ready, we departed the capital.
Fortunately, the roads to the Breitenfeld County were well-paved, so it seemed a carriage could travel without much trouble. Still, the distance was quite significant—about 1,200 kilometers. If we took it easy, it would take a full month. It almost made me wish I’d just asked to borrow that teleport carriage or whatever it was. But what was decided was decided. I’d leave like a man!
Elena followed along silently, but Elizabeth kept whining.
"Ugh... I want to go back to the capital..."
If you want to win my heart, you have to do at least that much, Princess Elizabeth. With that thought in mind, I picked up the pace even more. Then, suddenly, I spotted a woman blocking our path.
"Where do you think you’re going without me, Commander?"
Uh... she definitely looked familiar.
"Who are you?"
"Have you forgotten me already!"
"Do I know you?"
"It’s Anastasia! Anastasia Tashkievich!"
The name Tashkievich rang a bell.
"Oh, that crazy bitch!"
"'Crazy bitch'? That’s a bit harsh!"
She was the lunatic who’d begged me to treat her like my dog. What was I supposed to do with this? It was annoying, so I decided to ignore her. Puh-hoo— As if Yellowy understood my feelings, he started walking again. The desperate-looking lunatic—no, Anastasia—blocked the path again and pulled something out of her bag. It was a leash. It even had a metal lead attached to it.
"Didn't I tell you I would become the Commander's dog!! Please, take me in as your dog!!"
Was she actually serious?
"I believe you. You really are a crazy bitch..."
The expression on Elena’s face next to me was rotting in real-time. Elizabeth, who had been looking out the carriage window, was also aghast, her mouth hanging open.
"How utterly vulgar, Lady Tashkievich. Mimicking a beast on the street like this."
"To think that that is a noble of the Empire..."
Elena and Elizabeth sent her looks of simultaneous contempt, but Anastasia’s lunatic behavior knew no bounds.
"..."
I’ll be honest. A beautiful, fragile girl blushing and begging to put on a leash herself... it did stimulate something deep within a man’s instincts.
SLAP—!!
I slapped my own cheek without hesitation. I am a gentleman, not a beast. I had no intention of accepting such an insane proposal.
"Get lost."
"M-Master!"
Good grief. Now she’s even calling me Master. I’m going to go out of my mind.
"If you don't move, I’m going to trample you."
Anastasia flinched at my sincerity. However, she didn't back down; instead, she nimbly changed direction and walked toward the carriage. She then stuck herself firmly to the cargo space at the back of the carriage Elizabeth was riding in.
"T-then I’ll follow the carriage! I’ll prove my worth by running after you, steadfast like a loyal dog!"
She wants to run 1,200km following the carriage with that stamina? There’s really no helping her.
"Do you even know where we’re going?"
"You’re going to the Breitenfeld County, aren't you!!"
...She knows that much, at least. She’s truly out of her mind.
"Your Highness. Can I just run her over with the carriage wheels?"
At my question, Elizabeth inside the carriage sighed and replied.
"She is, in name, a lady of a Grand Duke's house, so we can't truly run her over. How about we just tie her up as she wishes and throw her in the cargo hold?"
The Princess’s permission was granted. In the end, Anastasia was tied up with the leash she’d brought herself and tossed into the corner of the cargo hold like a piece of luggage. But why does she look so happy?
This world is truly impossible to understand. Well. One crazy bitch added to the party. "Alright, let's go, Yellowy."
This time, we finally took the first step of our true journey. It felt like a harem, but the feeling was strange.
Since there was no suitable inn to stay at tonight, we decided to camp out. Elena seemed used to camping, as she quickly set up a tent and started a fire. My job was just the cooking. Since we had plenty of ingredients, I decided to boil up some stew. Bubble, bubble.
"Y-you’re going to eat... something like this?"
Elizabeth was horrified, so I gave her a piece of my mind.
"There are plenty of people who can't even get this much, Your Highness. If you’re going to complain about the food, you’re welcome to return to the Imperial Palace."
"N-no, that’s not it, Count! I will eat it deliciously!"
I smiled contentedly at her desperate reply. Good. She’s changing steadily. In truth, I knew that what I’d said at Elena’s estate was just to get under Elena’s skin. But I can't tolerate anyone insulting food in front of me. I’d only accept a rebuttal from someone who’s tried chewing on monster meat, but since there’s no one like that here, I’ll pass.
I put some tobacco leaves into the long pipe I’d brought along and lit it.
"Phew."
"Go Suhyun. Smoking is bad for your health, you know."
"Did the members of the Hero’s party not smoke?"
"...Most of them did."
"Even that idiot Lucas?"
"Yes, well..."
I understood that feeling perfectly. When you think you’re going to die any second, hearing that smoking is bad for your health just makes you want to say, 'You go fight instead and send me to the rear, you son of a bitch.' That’s probably why most of the Hero’s party members smoked. They might say it simply as 'I cut off the Demon King’s head,' but going near the Demon King’s castle, where demonic energy lurks, is impossible with ordinary courage. The Hero’s party had gathered some pretty impressive people, after all. Of course, I still couldn't understand Lucas’s pathetic behavior and his bizarrely weak appearance.
"Phew."
I took one last puff and tapped out the tobacco. I ladled the stew into everyone’s bowls. Anastasia was... well.
"Since you’re a dog, should I give it to you in a dog bowl?"
"Yes! I don't mind at all!!"
"..."
I felt like giving it to her in a dog bowl would actually be a reward for her, so I just put it in a regular bowl and gave her a spoon.
"Thank you for the meal."
Everyone said that and picked up their spoons. Everyone ate in silence, but Elizabeth’s reaction was worth seeing.
"Wow, this is tastier than I thought?!"
"Of course. It’s just that I didn't have proper ingredients before, but my cooking skills are quite substantial."
When I first fell into this world, honestly, what could a 10-year-old do before being thrown into battle? Back then, the Northern Wall was somewhat prosperous, and thanks to that, I was able to cook. It was all skill I’d cultivated back then. More than that, seeing a beautiful girl eat the food I’d made so well made me feel content. I ladled out another portion for her.
"Count? I’m starting to get full..."
"Ahem! When an adult gives you something, you accept it and eat it quietly."
"But my status is higher, and there’s only a one-year age difference..."
I ignored anything that was disadvantageous to me. I am the adult. Because I am stronger! Still, I couldn't help but laugh as I watched her eat it quite deliciously. After all, isn't a beautiful girl eating the food I made deliciously the greatest reward? In a way, it’s the ultimate prize.
Seeing my smile, Elena made an unreadable expression and said, "...I will do the cooking tomorrow."
"We’re staying in a village tomorrow, aren't we?"
"...Regardless, I will do it."
"Well, alright..."
I replied listlessly. Aside from monster meat, I don't have any picky eating habits, so it doesn't really matter to me. After we finished eating, Elena finished the dishes with magic. Magic is truly convenient. All I had was combat ability, so I had to do the dishes myself. As I was stretching, I heard shouting from the direction of the tent.
"Lady Weisswaltz! Isn't this tent too small?"
"...I only prepared a two-person tent, Your Highness. Did you not bring anyone with you, Your Highness?"
"Ha! Are you not being too blatant about your ulterior motives?!"
"Since we are no longer engaged, you must be frustrated that you cannot say much."
"This!!"
They were on the verge of a fight, but there was no room for me to intervene.
"I’ll sleep outside."
I like a soft bed, but I’ve become accustomed to sleeping in the cold air. Whether it’s a tent or sleeping outdoors, it’s all the same to me. Hearing my voice, Elena and Elizabeth approached me.
"Sleeping outdoors? If you get bitten by bugs..."
"Count! Don't say such ridiculous things. Shouldn't you be sleeping with me?!"
"Just sleep together in the tent, you two."
It’s nice to have two beautiful girls fighting over me, but now I just want them to get along. Aren't they colleagues who will be traveling together? Colleagues should have some camaraderie. I calmly took Anastasia’s leash and headed toward a nearby tree.
"You said you wanted to be treated like a dog, so you don't have any complaints about sleeping outside, right?"
"...... Yes!!"
Watching Anastasia’s eyes sparkle, I blankly looked up at the sky. The stars are bright tonight, too.