Chapter 605
Chapter Title: A Little Push
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605.
“What a nice room.”
Leo looked at the innkeeper, his eyes slightly wide with surprise as he took in the room.
The inn room was quite large.
What's more, each room came with its own small hot spring.
“A simple storage room would have been fine.”
“Haha. After hearing your story, how could I do that? Not when the younger siblings are trying so hard for their older brother and sister!”
The innkeeper laughed heartily and clapped Leo on the shoulder.
Then, he turned to Macel and spoke seriously.
“It’s natural to fight sometimes when you’re living together. But there are far more good times than bad.”
The innkeeper's voice grew a little somber.
“I lost my wife a long time ago. We fought a lot, too. And I regret it deeply. That I didn’t make more memories… that I didn’t treat her better…”
His expression clouded over for a moment before he cleared his throat with a loud “Ahem!”
“I suppose I’m being a bit nosy. In any case, please stay the night without any worries. But! I’ll be working you to the bone until early evening, so be prepared!”
“We’ll come help as soon as we’ve unpacked.”
The innkeeper nodded at his words and left the room.
“So that’s why he gave us such a nice room. He has his own story.”
Leo muttered softly, then took off his shoes and stepped into the room.
“The floor is warm.”
“It’s an Eastern continental interior.”
Macel, who followed Leo into the room, surveyed its interior.
There were no beds in the room.
Instead, there were thick quilts, suggesting they were meant to be spread on the floor for sleeping.
“Hoo. I made a scene again just now, my apologies. I couldn’t control my emotions, even though I knew why you arranged this, Young Master Leo.”
“Don’t worry about it. I didn’t expect everyone to just meekly enjoy the tour anyway.”
Leo said as he unpacked his things.
“Well, if they can put everything aside and cooperate for just one day, maybe a sense of teamwork will develop. I’m planning to do this again on our way back after finishing our business in Retin. For a week, that time.”
“Hmm… There will surely be those who disobey your orders tomorrow. What do you plan to do with them?”
“If they’re asking to be cut open, then I’ll cut them open.”
‘…I’m glad I came here with Lady Chelsea and Young Master Leo.’
Macel breathed a sigh of relief.
“By the way, I’m worried about Lady Chelsea’s room.”
Macel, for his part, was favorable to Leo, who was a magic user and a Flove.
But it was impossible to know what feelings Niel might have for Chelsea, who was Celia’s arch-rival.
“Still, it wouldn’t be right for a man and a woman to share a room.”
“That’s true. Lady Chelsea is all grown up now, so I couldn’t dare to share a room with her… Yes. That’s right.”
Watching Macel trail off, Leo asked bluntly.
“Do you want to share a room with Senior Niel?”
“Ugh, cough! Cough!”
At Leo's sudden question, Macel choked and began coughing violently.
Then he snapped.
“What are you talking about!”
“Nothing, just that Chelsea told me you two were quite passionate back in the day.”
“We were like that in the past, but not anymore! That’s ancient history! And I’ve never once thought about Niel Roda in that way…”
“But you thought about marriage. No matter how young you were, for the heir of the Llewellyn’s top vassal family to consider taking a knight, not a mage, as his wife… that means you were pretty serious, doesn’t it?”
The heir of a famous mage family marrying someone who isn't a mage.
That's impossible without some serious resolve.
“…”
Silent at Leo's words, Macel let out a small sigh.
“When we were dating, I did picture a future like that.”
“Quite the little rascal.”
“Young Master Leo, you haven’t forgotten that I’m four years older than you, have you?”
Macel asked incredulously, looking at Leo who was treating him like a complete child.
Leo just smiled at him.
“Sometimes, when I look at you, Young Master Leo, you seem like a much older brother.”
Macel said, shaking his head with a dry laugh.
“Not once since we learned each other’s true identities. I felt it would be disrespectful to her.”
Leo stared at him intently and asked.
“What if Senior Niel wasn’t from the Roda family?”
“…”
At those words, Macel fell silent before giving a bitter smile.
“That could never happen, could it?”
‘So he does have lingering feelings. Not very honest, is he?’
Leo clicked his tongue inwardly at the firm reply and said.
“Well then, shall we go help out?”
“Let’s.”
***
“Chelsea, the food’s ready.”
“Okay!”
Chelsea went into the kitchen, picked up the food Leo had made, and headed out.
She then placed it on the table where the customers were waiting.
The inn where Leo’s group was staying was not a high-end establishment.
As such, there were no noble guests.
However, it was a place frequented mainly by traveling families.
“Here is your order.”
Chelsea set down the dishes with a bright smile.
“My, what a pretty and pleasant young lady.”
The woman who appeared to be the wife in the family of four seated at the table chuckled softly at Chelsea.
“Enjoy your trip!”
The daughter, who had been staring at the cheerfully greeting Chelsea, tugged on her mother’s sleeve.
“Mom, Mom. I think I’ve seen this lady somewhere before.”
“Hm? Where?”
“Um… in the newspaper?”
“Oh, sweetie. Why would someone from the newspaper be here? Besides, you don’t really read the paper.”
“No, I’m sure I’ve seen her. Right, big brother?”
“Yeah. I’m pretty sure I have.”
“Haha, you kids. Even when you do look at the paper, you only read the articles about heroes.”
Chelsea had been in the newspaper a few times.
But they never would have dreamed that the famous Chelsea Llewellyn of Lumerne's Golden Generation would be working as a waitress in a place like this.
So they just thought, ‘She looks familiar,’ and left it at that.
But the children were sharp.
Chelsea smiled sweetly as she watched the children whispering about her.
‘Cute.’
It reminded her of herself and Abad when they were young.
Chelsea returned to the kitchen.
There, Macel, who was also waiting tables with Chelsea, was relaying an order to Niel.
“Did you get that?”
“Hmph, I’m not deaf.”
“Glad to hear it. Good to know your ears are open.”
At Niel's sharp retort, Macel gave a cold smile and went back outside.
Watching them, Chelsea shook her head.
Leo spoke to her.
“Is the customer service work hard?”
“Nah. It’s actually kind of fun.”
“You’re okay with the customers treating you casually?”
“Do you think I’m some sheltered little noble lady, Leo?”
Chelsea was a young lady of a status higher than most royalty.
As such, she had been revered and waited on since she was young.
But that didn't mean she was authoritarian.
If she were, she would have had a hard time growing.
She had quickly befriended Karl, a commoner, right from the start of the academy.
Her way of thinking was remarkably flexible.
“Anyway.”
Chelsea crossed her arms and watched Niel chopping ingredients.
Niel also had a talent for cooking, so she was put in charge of the kitchen alongside Leo.
The other kitchen staff were amazed by Niel’s knife skills.
“Amazing!”
“How can she slice through that thick bone in one go?”
Her skills, honed through a lifetime of training as a knight, shone even in the kitchen.
“There’s a chilly wind blowing in here.”
“Tell me about it.”
Niel had reacted very sensitively to being paired up with Macel as a “married couple.”
“I think Senior Macel still has some lingering feelings.”
“What? Really?”
Chelsea's eyes went wide.
After a moment of surprise, Chelsea’s expression turned serious, and she approached Niel.
“Senior Niel. Do you still have feelings for Macel?”
*CRACK-!*
“Hah?”
Niel, who had just sliced through the meat and the cutting board, glared up at Chelsea.
At her murderous aura, all the kitchen staff held their breath.
But Chelsea didn’t even blink, simply staring back into Niel’s fierce eyes.
“Answer me.”
Niel glared at her, then clicked her tongue and answered.
“Why should I answer you? This has nothing to do with you.”
“Part of the reason you two broke up was because of my family. I don’t think it’s unrelated.”
At Chelsea’s reply, Niel put down the kitchen knife and took a deep breath.
Then she said.
“What does it matter if I have feelings or not? It wasn’t because of your family, and it wasn’t because of mine, either. We just weren’t meant to be from the start. So you don’t need to worry about it.”
With that, Niel took off her apron and said.
“Sorry. I’m going to get some fresh air.”
Leaving those words behind, Niel walked out of the kitchen.
Seeing that reaction, Chelsea looked at Leo.
“She seems to have lingering feelings too, right?”
“Looks like it.”
Leo nodded.
“What should we do?”
As Chelsea fell into thought, Leo spoke.
“It’s their business. Like Senior Niel said, it’s not something you need to worry about.”
“I know. But it still bothers me that they broke up because of our families.”
In the past, Chelsea would have just thought ‘it can’t be helped’ and lost interest.
But things were different now.
“It’s not right for the Llewellyns and Jerdingers to keep being at odds with each other.”
Chelsea understood better than anyone why Leo had arranged this.
Because she knew that Leo was Kyle, the Hero of the Beginning.
In the not-so-distant future.
A disaster might strike that would require everyone in the world to join forces.
In such a situation, was it right for Rodren's two great hero families, the Llewellyns and the Jerdingers, to remain hostile?
During her second year at Lumerne.
Chelsea had also changed a lot.
Celia was still infuriating.
But it was different from the times when she would just shout ‘Down with the Jerdingers.’
She knew what Leo’s goal was.
For the present she was living in.
And for the future she would live in.
How hard a path Leo had walked, and how much harder the road ahead would be.
Chelsea knew.
That’s why….
‘I want to be of some help, even if it’s just a little.’
Ar-on had said.
That Leo would never try to share his burden.
If that was the case.
She wanted to help Leo as much as she possibly could.
Even Leo couldn’t do everything.
So she had to do what she could.
‘The situation with Macel and Senior Niel is ultimately symbolic of the feud between our two families.’
She wanted to resolve it, even if just a little.
“They might not go back to how they were before. But I hope they can at least resolve their feelings and remain friends.”
Chelsea said seriously.
“Isn’t there some good way to do this?”
As Chelsea was pondering.
The innkeeper, who had just entered the kitchen, saw Leo and Chelsea and smiled brightly.
“Thanks to you two, the customers’ reviews are great! They say the food is even more delicious than usual! And with the pretty young lady and her handsome brother serving, business is booming! You’re doing a fantastic job!”
The innkeeper, who had been giving a thumbs-up as if today’s sales were excellent, suddenly paused.
“What’s this? Why the long faces?”
“Well, the thing is…”
After Chelsea explained the situation, the innkeeper, who had been thinking seriously, slapped his chest.
“Still in a cold war, are they? Can’t be helped! Then we’ll just have to force them to make up!”
“Is there a good way to do that?”
“Just trust me!”
The innkeeper gave a confident thumbs-up.
Watching him, Leo narrowed his eyes.
‘This sounds like a very reckless plan.’
***
After dinner time passed.
The moon hung high in the quiet night sky.
Niel was walking down the hallway.
‘Why is Young Master Leo looking for me?’
Niel's expression clouded over.
‘Is he going to reprimand me for my behavior this afternoon?’
If so, she had no excuse.
Sighing deeply, Niel arrived at Leo’s door and knocked.
“It’s Niel.”
There was no response to her knock.
Puzzled, Niel carefully opened the door.
“It’s Niel. May I come in…?”
*Shove-!*
In that instant, Niel flinched at a presence she felt behind her and turned around.
But before she could, Leo shoved her from behind, pushing her through the open door.
*SLAM-!*
Chelsea, who had been waiting with him, quickly shut the door.
Suddenly trapped inside the room, Niel’s mouth opened and closed wordlessly.
Then she spotted Macel inside, wearing the same dumbfounded expression.
A lavish meal was set up in the room.
Seeing it, Niel rushed to open the door.
*Clack- Clack-*
*BANG, BANG-!*
“Young Master Leo? Open the door! Let me out!”
She struggled to open the door, her face fraught with panic, but it showed no sign of opening.
***
*Snap-!*
Leo snapped his fingers, casting a spell on the door.
“Success!”
“It worked!”
Chelsea grinned and high-fived the innkeeper.
“I knew it would be this kind of plan.”
As Leo muttered with a shake of his head, the innkeeper laughed heartily.
“Sometimes, forcing them to be together is the right answer! Now, now! Let’s leave the rest to the ‘couple’ and you two get some rest! There’ll be good news by morning!”
Watching the innkeeper walk away, laughing boisterously, Chelsea looked at Leo.
“Do you think this will help them reconcile?”
“Who knows. It could make things worse.”
Leo glanced at the door.
“Judging by their reactions, a little force seemed necessary. What happens next depends on how much they still feel for each other.”