Chapter 32 — Escape from the Capital
Chapter 32 — Escape from the Capital
Translation: Godtl
Lelia looked at the scenery outside visible through the gap in the carriage's canvas covering.
Before she knew it, the carriage had passed the central road leading to the Imperial Palace and was heading toward the bustling street lined with merchant quarters.
'If they find out I've escaped, they might block the capital's gates. I need to get out as soon as possible.'
She was anxious without a concrete plan, but her will was firm.
When the carriage stopped, Lelia slipped out quickly before the merchant could even get down from the driver's seat.
Then she pulled her robe's hood down deep over her head.
Fortunately, the dark evening streets were full of bright lights and many people.
The imperial capital's security was relatively safe, so quite a few shops remained open even at late hours.
Moreover, perhaps because festival season was approaching, a night market seemed to be open nearby.
She could see young children holding their parents' hands, carrying lots of food.
'That looks delicious.'
Only then did Lelia remember she had been starving all day. But she soon shook her head.
'I don't have money anyway, and this isn't the time.'
To avoid looking like a lost child, Lelia walked close to ordinary adults with a bright expression.
So that to strangers, she might look like their child.
Making her way through the crowd like that, Lelia suddenly stopped.
'What's that carriage procession?'
In front of a certain merchant building, large carriages were lined up.
The family crests drawn on the carriages weren't clearly visible, but seeing how incredibly luxurious the carriages were, they were definitely from a noble family.
'Are they trying to leave the capital?'
Well-dressed servants were loading something abundantly onto the carriages. As if departing on a long journey.
Peeking out from behind a carriage, she could see large horses and people wearing armor that knights wore.
'A knight order's procession?'
The expressions of the knights packing their belongings looked very bright. As if they were people who found the journey departing this night quite enjoyable.
'Going to their hometown? Or... ah! Are they going there?'
What Lelia thought of was 'Rendinium,' called the holy land of knights.
Rendinium was a place she learned about through her friends' stories while in the neutral zone.
Romeo had said.
"I want to go to Rendinium in the Auraria Empire later! I heard it's full of brave knights, is that true, Leo?"
"...Huh? Um... well..."
Lelia had equivocated, searching her memories of the original work at the time.
"It's in your empire. You don't know? You idiot, are you really the Crown Prince? Why are you so stupid?"
Romeo had teased Lelia, who couldn't answer immediately.
"No, I know! I've just never been there personally..."
"Really? Well, I guess a Crown Prince raised delicately in the Imperial Palace wouldn't have gone anywhere. Anyway, I want to go there. It's the city where the Oracle Knights stayed and shared deep friendship before founding the five empires. My dream is to become a strong knight!"
Romeo had said that, showing off.
At those words, the content of the original work had come to mind late.
'Rendinium 'was a city considered a holy land for knights and those dreaming of becoming knights.
That's why many knights, regardless of nationality, traveled there or used it as a stopover.
Thinking about that time, Lelia narrowed her eyes.
'That Romeo guy... said he wanted to be a knight but becomes a mage...'
Lelia shook her head slightly.
Just then, the carriage where Lelia was hiding lurched and moved.
A huge knight with a splint on his leg, perhaps injured, had climbed onto the carriage.
"Damn! Not being able to ride a horse, it's a knight's shame."
"Get over it. Are you going to keep whining like a child? You're stuck with the carriage until we reach Rendinium, so don't move a muscle."
"Hell!"
The tall knight who had supported the huge knight held the carriage door and grinned as if teasing someone inside.
"If you hate it that much, get healing from the capital's priests."
"Absolutely not! I'd rather die than get healing from the priests here."
"Always so stubborn..."
Lelia pretended to doodle on the ground to avoid being seen by the conversing knights. Like a local merchant's child.
But she felt a persistent gaze behind her. Lelia's back stiffened.
"Hey, kid. It's dangerous sitting behind the carriage like that."
"Huh?"
Lelia quickly raised her head.
The tall knight who had been talking with the knight inside the carriage shrugged and spoke.
"It's dangerous there. Where are your parents?"
"…."
Lelia randomly picked someone far away.
"They told me to wait a moment."
"Is that so? Then go wait over there? This carriage will be departing soon."
"…Yes."
Lelia nodded and stepped aside.
Such a kind knight.
Usually, knights are unkind. If that man had been an unkind knight like most, he might have just kicked Lelia away.
The knight confirmed Lelia stepping aside and walked ahead to climb onto a large brown horse.
More than ten carriages began preparing to depart.
She hadn't made a concrete plan for where to escape yet, but it was better to leave the capital first and then think.
Lelia looked around and quickly slipped into the cargo-loaded side of the carriage. It was the carriage the huge knight was riding in.
Fortunately, this time she could hide in a slightly larger space than when she had left the Imperial Palace earlier.
'I can lie down.'
Lelia thought thankfully and lay on her side in a comfortable position.
"We're departing!"
A loud shout came from outside the carriage. Soon after, with the sound of horse hooves, the carriage began to rattle and move.
'Maybe because it's a luxurious carriage, it's less uncomfortable.'
A relief. It would take quite some time to reach Rendinium. The problem was arriving there without being caught.
'If only I wasn't hungry, I could keep hiding in the carriage...'
Lelia frowned, clutching her starving stomach. Still, with the stamina recovery potion, she wouldn't starve to death.
Thus, she gradually fell asleep.
The carriage left the capital and began racing across the rough fields.