Obtaining the Antidote (2)
Adelia wore a satisfied expression as she swept her hair back. At the same time, she glanced at me, clearly trying to read my reaction. Not wanting my silence to cost me any reward, I tossed out a half-hearted remark.
“You really care deeply for the soldiers. It was so touching I almost wanted to write it down in my notebook.”
“Haha. Now I feel embarrassed, hearing praise from you as well.”
Adelia covered her mouth with one hand and laughed brightly, looking thoroughly pleased. Sinclair smiled along with her.
“It seems even the Lion Heart Commander was greatly impressed.”
It was becoming difficult to listen any longer, so I rose from my seat. “Just show me the letter already. We don’t have time. Let’s get moving.”
“You’ve made your decision. That’s an excellent mindset. Please follow me to the stables.”
Sinclair left the office first, and I followed close behind her. Suddenly, Adelia grabbed the back of my collar and tugged. It was the first time she had laid hands on me like that, so I was momentarily startled. I turned around with wide eyes.
“What? Why?”
“It’s these clothes.”
She pointed at what I was wearing. “I’ve been distracted by them since earlier. This is the first time I’ve seen you in such expensive-looking attire. Is today a special occasion? Or did you buy and wear fine clothes specifically to meet me? Which is it?”
What kind of nonsense was this? I stared at her face in utter bewilderment. I studied her eyes, trying to determine whether she was doing this on purpose or if she was already showing early signs of senility. They were pure, innocent pupils without a hint of deception. She genuinely didn’t know….
Perhaps the major crisis that had struck the unit had left her so preoccupied that she had simply forgotten. A mischievous impulse rose within me. I smiled and said, “It was a gift from a woman I know. Does it look good on me?”
“From a woman?”
Adelia crossed her arms with a displeased look and scanned me from head to toe. “Hmph. That girl must have terrible taste. These clothes don’t suit you at all. They look like cheap scraps of fabric, the legs are too baggy, and the design is dreadful. I feel sorry for the body that has to wear them.”
It was a scathing insult. I couldn’t help but burst out laughing. I looked at her, still chuckling.
“You really don’t recognize them?”
“Recognize what?”
“I’m asking if you truly don’t know these clothes. You’re the one who bought them for me. Two weeks ago, at the tailor’s shop.”
“What…?”
Adelia’s eyes widened into perfect circles. Her flustered expression was so amusing that I laughed out loud. She grabbed my clothes and examined them from every angle. Only then did recognition dawn; she frowned slightly and bit her lip. Then she cleared her throat, trying to act casual.
“Ahem. I don’t bother remembering trivial matters.”
Her ears had turned bright red from embarrassment, yet she stubbornly played dumb to the end. “For someone of my noble station, buying you clothes may remain a treasured memory for you for the rest of your life, but to me it was nothing of consequence. It isn’t that my memory is poor. You’re simply too insignificant for it to have stuck in my mind. Don’t misunderstand. And though it embarrasses me to say it, people have called me a genius since I was a child. Ahem.”
Watching her shamelessly deploy mental gymnastics made me want to tease her even more. I didn’t know exactly why Adelia had bought me the clothes, but she must have had some purpose. Nothing in this world is free. There had to be an ulterior motive. In that case, what if I rebelled by refusing to wear them, going against her intentions?
“Oh, I see. Then what should I do? After hearing that they’re worthless cheap rags with baggy legs and a terrible design, I suddenly don’t feel like wearing them anymore. Since you don’t care about someone like me anyway, it wouldn’t matter if I threw them away, right?”
“W-what?”
Adelia stammered, her face flustered. “T-that is… I believe I was momentarily mistaken. Looking at them now, they suit you perfectly. Y-you should keep wearing them.”
“Really?”
“I mean it. They are the clothes I chose for you.”
But after looking over my outfit once more, I let out a sigh. “Ah, those words from earlier are still bothering me. Saying they suit me now only sounds like a lie. I don’t want to wear them anymore.”
At my continued grumbling, she furrowed her brow, then suddenly grabbed both my shoulders and shook me vigorously back and forth.
“Wear them! They look good on you, so wear them!”
“You didn’t even recognize them after buying them yourself, so I don’t want to. I only wore them to please you.”
“What?”
The shaking stopped. She stared into my eyes with a stunned expression.
“You wore them… to please me?”
“Yes. But you didn’t even notice, so I feel hurt. I wore them because I was grateful.”
“……”
The fierce energy from moments ago vanished. She fell silent, fidgeting with her clasped hands. After a brief hesitation, she spoke in a small voice.
“The truth is, I didn’t recognize them at first because two weeks ago I only selected the fabric and referenced samples. This is the first time I’ve seen the finished garment, so I couldn’t tell… And the harsh things I said about the clothes weren’t sincere. Honestly, I got a little jealous thinking there was a rich young lady buying expensive clothes for a fine man like you. I said the opposite of what I felt because I wanted to tease you.”
I had finally drawn out the truth. A victorious smile spread across my face. “You could have just said that from the beginning. Why go in such a roundabout way with all that talk about not caring about trivial things and being a genius?”
“Because I didn’t want to lose to you! Hmph!”
Adelia snapped back with a pout, then strode out the door first. I followed right behind her, the corners of my mouth subtly lifting. Though Adelia possessed a strong sense of class superiority and high pride, I began to think her true nature might actually be kind.
In any case, we headed for the stables.
Inside were warhorses of obviously superior breeding. Thanks to their fine bloodlines and proper feeding, they were on an entirely different level from the gaunt horses I had seen among the bandits. The one that stood out most of all was Adelia’s beloved steed, Frosted. The pure white mare, as snowy as if blanketed in fresh powder, chewed her fodder while staring at me with wide, innocent eyes.
Warhorses that tread battlefields thick with the stench of blood usually possess fierce temperaments. If a stranger other than their master mounts them, they buck wildly. Yet Frosted showed no wariness toward me, a complete stranger, and simply continued eating in peace. When I reached out to stroke her neck, she seemed to enjoy it and even extended her long tongue to lick my face. Ordinary tense horses would step back first, but to avoid her tongue I ended up retreating instead.
“She’s gentle?”
“There is a saying that horses take after their owners. She has a very docile personality because she resembles me.”
I’m not so sure about that.
“Frosted is remarkably intelligent. There are times she almost seems human. Right now, she likely senses that something serious has happened to Lady Adelia and is welcoming you. She already knows she must embark on a long journey with you. It’s truly astonishing. This must be why people speak of fine horses with such reverence.”
As Sinclair said, Frosted behaved as though she understood exactly what lay ahead. She remained calm and obedient even when I mounted her. After I bid farewell to Adelia and Sinclair and left the stables, galloping hard through the city, she followed so perfectly that we felt like a single being.
While heading home to gather travel supplies, only one thought occupied my mind: This horse is truly excellent. Nobles really do ride magnificent steeds, I marveled. If a horse like this ever appeared in the market, I would buy her on the spot.
Upon reaching the house, I tied Frosted in the garden, went inside, and changed into my assassin outfit. Since it was midday, only Jane, Peggy, Haida, Evynee, and Dana were home. While I packed my supplies, Haida and Evynee diligently attended me. I entrusted the clothes Adelia had given me to Evynee with strict instructions.
“You must never let Dana see these. Hide them deep inside your closet.”
“Got it! Leave it to me!”
While Evynee went off to conceal the clothes, Haida hurried to the kitchen. Together with Jane, she prepared simple dishes for the journey and packed them into my bag.
“I included the rice balls Master likes. Please don’t skip meals and return safely.”
The rice balls were nearly Korean-style, lacking only the seaweed. I had taught Haida how to make them myself whenever I craved familiar food.
“Thank you. While I’m gone, tell Evynee she may jump on my bed in my room.”
“Understood.”
Haida smiled. Evynee had long enjoyed sneaking into my room to bounce on the bed. I had forbidden it out of fear she might injure herself or break the frame, but I decided to allow it as a special treat during my short absence. She would probably do it secretly anyway. Letting her jump freely without worry might actually reduce the chance of accidents.
“Safe travels, Commander.”
“Uncle, have a safe trip~”
“If Marcus, Pasvachio, and Unia come by this evening, tell them I’ve gone far away on business.”
“Yes.”
After bidding farewell to Jane and Peggy, I quietly approached Dana’s room and carefully opened the door. The entire space was filled with thread and needles. Dozens of needles and colorful strands floated in the air, simultaneously weaving multiple garments. Failed pieces dropped straight down into the waste bin.
It seemed the clothes Adelia had gifted her had inspired Dana. She had been working diligently since yesterday to make me new attire. Having no money of her own, she couldn’t buy expensive garments like Adelia and could only craft them by hand. She sat cross-legged on the bed as if in meditation, controlling the needles and threads with magic. After confirming the scene, I gently closed the door and stepped back out.
I had wanted to tell Dana I would be away, but I worried that if she knew, she would insist on coming along. Traveling alone to the neighboring territory of Nublang on Frosted would take roughly two days. Adding another rider would increase the burden, causing the horse to tire faster and require longer rests. What should take two days might stretch into three. Therefore, going alone was the correct choice in this situation.
What was truly fortunate was that Dana was so absorbed in her sewing that she probably wouldn’t notice my absence even for two or three days. Given her personality, she might not emerge from her room or eat until the clothes were finished. The timing was perfect.
After loading all my luggage onto the saddle, I hung the Swift Bow I had obtained as loot a few days earlier on Frosted’s saddle to test it. As expected.
Magical Shortbow
Passive Effect: Grants agility and speed enhancement to carrier and mount. Small whirlwinds of swift magic now danced around Frosted’s four legs.
A bright smile spread across my face. With the bow’s latent swift magic now active, our travel time to Nublang would be shortened even further. In high spirits, I set out on my journey.