Chapter 224: Lainella's Fate is Decided by Lainella (17)
Chapter 224: Lainella's Fate is Decided by Lainella (17)
My hometown was far from any urban center.
To begin with, most of the Empire's major cities were under the Emperor's direct control. While the territories of the Five Great Noble Families were exceptionally large, most other estates had limits to their prosperity.
The number of cities that could enjoy the modern convenience of a Warp Gate was limited, as installing and maintaining one required an astronomical amount of capital.
Consequently, nobles still frequently traveled by carriage.
They would travel to a major city near their destination and then set out for their home territory from there.
The journey back to the Percus Territory was no different.
We first took a Warp Gate to a nearby large city. From there, we boarded a carriage the family had purchased in advance to begin the journey home in earnest.
It was expected to take about two days by carriage to reach my hometown.
Whenever I had to travel along these winding roads, I felt a faint sense of regret.
The Percus Territory was not well-off. As a result, there was a lack of capital to invest in infrastructure, including the roads.
That was why it took two full days to travel from a city that wasn't even that far away. If the road conditions had been just a little better, the journey would have been significantly shorter.
Because of this, my younger sister’s goal was to one day earn enough money to renovate the roads.
She was the one who felt the most inconvenience from the terrible state of the paths. It was only natural, but her obsession with road maintenance was beyond imagination.
Not long ago, she had even sent a letter, excited that she was close to reaching her target amount.
However, that dream was shattered not long after.
It was all because she had a worthless older brother.
I still felt sorry about it, but at the time, I had no other choice.
Of course, it was also because I secretly believed in my sister's resourcefulness. I was the one who had observed her longer than anyone else.
She was not a pushover who would simply take a hit and do nothing.
In fact, hadn't my sister lived up to my expectations brilliantly?
While she couldn't prevent the bankruptcy of the merchant guild itself, her letter mentioned that she had managed to preserve a significant portion of her assets.
She added a request not to leak this information, as she still had much to squeeze out of the Princess.
From here on, it was a matter my sister would handle perfectly well on her own.
My only thought upon receiving that letter was a slight pang of sympathy for the Princess, who was about to be fleeced by my sister.
In a way, it was no different from a scam using the Princess's guilt as leverage.
But this matter was already out of my hands.
The only thing I could do for the Princess was to try and talk some sense into my sister once I got home.
After all, my sister listened to me better than anyone else in the family.
As the journey continued, I remained lost in thought.
My consciousness resurfaced when I heard the sound of my companions bickering.
"…It’s truly impressive that the Saintess would come all the way to such a remote place for a volunteer dispatch."
At the voice that suddenly reached my ears, my gaze flickered across the interior of the carriage.
There, I saw Celine with a somewhat dissatisfied expression. Opposite her sat the Saintess, wearing a benevolent smile as if playing innocent.
Aside from them, I noticed Senior Elsie, who was stuck to my side, and Seria, who was sharpening her sword with her usual expressionless face.
Reto, tucked away in a corner, was enjoying a nap with a book covering his face.
Since Yuren was driving the carriage, there were only six of us inside.
The Saintess responded to Celine’s subtle jab by making the sign of the cross.
"The grace of the Heavenly God is like sunlight; it does not discriminate between bustling cities and remote corners. Even if there are limits due to various circumstances, a member of the clergy must not forget their duty. Immanuel."
She certainly had a way with words.
However, Celine’s amber eyes only sank into a more skeptical light.
"Isn't it strange, though? I'd call it a coincidence the last time, but for our destinations to overlap twice… And lately, your attitude toward Ian oppa has been particularly…"
"Ah, Lord! Thank you for creating such a wondrous coincidence. Your lamb must be waiting there."
A sigh finally escaped Celine’s lips.
It was a sign of surrender. She seemed to realize that no matter how much she poked the Saintess, she wouldn't get a drop of blood out of her.
With her frustration having nowhere to go, she simply pouted. Celine had been like this all day, ever since I agreed to take four more companions.
She looked thoroughly disgruntled.
Celine’s next target was Seria, who had been quietly sharpening her sword.
"Hey, loser."
"Is something the matter, Miss Haster?"
Seria shot back in a cold, haughty voice. She didn't seem to care at all about being called a 'loser' anymore.
At this point, even Celine might have started thinking of 'loser' as a sort of nickname.
Still, as if acknowledging that they were the closest among the group, Celine continued talking to Seria.
"You're going there to lead the Yurdina family's private army, right?"
"Mhm, for now."
"Then you'll be staying over there?"
My eyes flickered toward Seria.
In principle, it was correct for Seria to stay at the Yurdina family's encampment. But this was likely her first time visiting a friend's house, and she probably wanted to stay together.
Seria's decision was important to me as well.
Seria was a member of the Yurdina family. She was a VIP who had to be treated with as much care as the Saintess or Senior Elsie.
If Seria decided to stay at the Percus mansion, preparations would be necessary.
Seria's voice, as she answered Celine, was perfectly calm.
"Hmm, I could do that… but I think it would be better to impose on the Percus mansion, wouldn't it?"
"Eh? Why?"
When Celine asked back as if surprised, Seria showed a rare, brilliant smile.
"We're friends, aren't we?"
Celine immediately looked dumbfounded. However, Seria simply repeated the word with a firm tone.
"Friends."
Celine’s lips opened, then closed again. She let out a deep sigh and shook her head.
"…Do whatever you want."
Now, only one target remained.
With a particularly uncomfortable gaze, Celine spoke up, her brow furrowed.
"Um, Senior Elsie?"
"Yes?"
Senior Elsie tilted her head as if asking what was wrong.
It was such an adorable gesture that even Celine’s momentum faltered for a moment. However, quickly regaining her resolve, Celine threw a question filled with deep suspicion at Senior Elsie.
"Why do you keep clinging to Ian oppa?"
It was just as she said.
Senior Elsie had been stuck to my side the entire time. She wouldn't let go even if I tried to pull away.
Even now, she was leaning her body heavily against my arm and nuzzling her head against me.
Perhaps she hadn't expected to be called out on it, as Senior Elsie cleared her throat and blushed slightly.
"W-What! Why! Do you have a problem?! How dare a junior be so rude to a senior about what she's doing…"
"It's because Brother Ian might be uncomfortable."
The woman who supported Celine by saying that was none other than the Saintess.
Senior Elsie was momentarily speechless at the unexpected strike. She shot a fierce glare at the Saintess, but the Saintess simply sat with her hands clasped in silence.
A faint chill emanated from those narrowed, pale pink eyes.
"No matter how close you are, there should be boundaries between a man and a woman…"
"M-Master and I have a special relationship, you know?!"
"…Regardless, that doesn't mean it's a romantic one."
At the Saintess's solemn words, Senior Elsie was once again left speechless.
She only looked at me with pleading eyes.
She was asking for help. Though, I had no idea what I was supposed to do for her.
Eventually, a sigh-laden voice escaped my lips.
"…Just leave her be."
"Yes, of course we should… wait, what?"
The joy and sorrow that split at those words were clear.
The Saintess, who had been nodding in anticipation of my answer, widened her eyes in shock.
On the other hand, Senior Elsie’s face lit up. Her eyes sparkled with such gratitude that it was almost overwhelming.
Regardless, my answer remained the same.
"Let Senior Elsie do as she pleases. It's not like rumors spreading will change anything at this point."
That was true. Senior Elsie and I were already practically inseparable.
Ever since she declared she would serve me as her Master, there wasn't a single family left that would take her in.
Even if dating rumors spread now, there was no reputation left to lose.
In that case, it was better for Senior Elsie to be at least a little happy.
Thinking about it again, the situation was enough to make me sigh repeatedly.
If it came down to it, I would just have to take responsibility for Senior Elsie.
However, the Saintess's reaction to my words was a bit strange.
"…A-Are you taking that woman's side right now?"
Her voice, laced with sudden emotion, even held a hint of moisture. I looked at the Saintess with a slightly flustered gaze.
This wasn't the Saintess I had known until now.
The term 'that woman' was an expression that only came out when the facade was stripped away. Even Celine and Seria opened their eyes wide in surprise.
"Master…"
Only Senior Elsie, oblivious to the atmosphere, continued to nuzzle her head against my arm.
Actually, I had felt the Saintess acting strangely for a while now.
To be precise, ever since we ran into each other at the Warp Gate, a strange atmosphere had lingered between us.
It felt as if the Saintess was wanting something from me.
Could her current reaction be related to that?
Just as I was feeling confused, a long yawn reached my ears.
"…Let's be a little quiet, everyone."
It was Reto.
Having been asleep until now, he rubbed his eyes and adjusted his posture. The book that had been covering his face had long since fallen off.
"We're almost at the Percus Territory anyway. You won't even be able to argue properly once we get there."
Everyone except Celine turned a questioning gaze toward Reto.
In particular, a slight tension could be felt from the Saintess and Senior Elsie.
It was because Reto’s expression as he looked at the two of them was far too sly.
He gave a short chuckle and tossed out a single sentence.
"Ria is… not an easy opponent."
Celine was the only one who truly felt the weight of Reto’s words.
She let out a weary sigh, then rested her chin on her hand and turned her head away.
The interior of the carriage fell into a dazed silence.
The wheels were now crossing the boundary into the Percus Territory.
The carriage passed through a quiet rural village and entered the town center.
And once we passed the heart of the town, there stood the only building in the territory that could be called a 'mansion.'
The Percus mansion.
Waiting for us in front of it was a girl with a delicate appearance.
Her long, straight hair, as dark as ebony, fell down her back, and her pale skin and slender limbs gave off a fragile impression. And then, those golden eyes—the symbol of the Percus family.
That intense gaze instantly shattered the girl's seemingly weak impression.
Beautiful, fragile, and strong.
That chain of contradictory elements was surely the true charm of this lovely girl.
She lightly lifted her skirt and bowed her head.
"…It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Ria Percus, the youngest daughter of the Percus family. It is an honor to welcome such precious guests today."
As she spoke, my sister wore an inscrutable smile.
"You must have gone through so much trouble taking care of my worthless older brother… Please, leave him to me from now on."
I had finally returned home.
Accompanied by three unfamiliar women.
And the first meeting between my sister and those women was, frankly speaking, not a very pleasant one.
Before I knew it, a chilling silence was settling over us like a morning mist.