Chapter 34 — Arrival in Rendinium
Chapter 34 — Arrival in Rendinium
Translation: Godtl
The procession moved without rest for two days and arrived at Rendinium.
Lelia was dazed.
Honestly, it didn't feel like she had become a squire, but rather like she had become a young lady of noble birth.
Indeed, the knights didn't ask Lelia to run any particular errands.
On the contrary, they prepared food for her, gave her clothes to change into, and even patted her head.
When moving, she even rode in a carriage because walking would be burdensome.
Not a cargo carriage, mind you, but the finest carriage carrying the elderly noble who had saved her. She didn't ride in the cargo compartment but together with the elderly noble.
'Are they treating me well only to sell me off in Rendinium?'
She had heard there were those who secretly traded young slaves illegally.
'But Rendinium, the city of knights, has security as excellent as the capital, so slave trading shouldn't occur.'
The carriage entered Rendinium and headed toward the central bustling district.
Lelia gazed out of the carriage with anxious eyes. The elderly noble sitting across from her asked.
"Is there something you're worried about?"
"...No."
"You have such a frightened look on your face."
"...."
Lelia looked at the elderly noble with suspicious eyes.
'Is he really not planning to sell me?'
No matter that it was called the city of knights, there would certainly be those doing illegal things.
She had heard that the younger the slave, the higher the price. Because they had many years of labor ahead of them.
Lelia recalled the magical medicines she had prepared over the past two days whenever she had a spare moment.
'I made anesthetics and flame medicine besides sleeping pills... if it comes to that, I'll have to run.'
She hugged her bag tightly, making that resolution internally. The elderly noble looked curious about what exactly was inside that bag.
The knights who had been taking care of Lelia were also curious, but Lelia had never once shown them the bag.
None of the knights tried to force her to show it. Seeing that, the people of this knight order were excellent adults who knew how to consider young children.
'As long as they don't sell me, that is.'
Come to think of it, she still didn't know which family's knights they were.
She had seen the family crest, but Lelia didn't know much about Aurarian nobles to begin with, so it was useless.
As they entered the city, the carriage moved a bit more slowly. Then it stopped in front of a certain building.
Lelia poked her head out the window to look. A symbol representing a temple was drawn on the building.
It was a symbol she had seen enough to be sick of while staying in the neutral zone.
As Lelia stared at it for a while, the elderly noble spoke.
"One of our knights was poisoned, so we entered this city to receive treatment. A priest dispatched from the Central Temple is here."
"...Yes."
If it was a knight who had been poisoned, it was likely the giant knight with a splint on his ankle she had seen when she first hid in the carriage.
"He doesn't get along well with the priests in the capital and absolutely refused treatment there, so we came here instead."
"...."
"It won't take long. If I show my family's crest, the priest will heal him immediately. After receiving healing, we'll stay in this city for a few days before leaving."
"...Yes."
Lelia nodded. After waiting a short while, she saw the knight who had received treatment coming out with light steps.
The reason the five empires could not defy the Temple was not only because of the sacred oath.
The priests possessed tremendous healing power. It was light power twice as strong as the healing magic of mages who possessed mana.
The five empires had to respect the Kreuz Church if only to receive dispatched priests in each city.
The carriage departed again and arrived in front of an inn.
Lelia kept her guard up during the few days she stayed in the city. It was because she suspected the knights might sell her to slave traders.
However, fortunately, after a few days passed, Lelia was able to leave the city intact.
'I suspected them for nothing.'
Lelia felt sheepish as she watched the city of Rendinium growing distant outside the window.
The elderly noble laughed seeing Lelia like that.
This time too, Lelia rode in the finest carriage together with the elderly noble.
"Now we're going to my territory. The journey will be a bit more arduous. It's very far from here."
"...Where is it?"
Lelia asked the question she had been curious about all along. The elderly noble asked back with a smile.
"Have you ever seen a map of Auraria?"
Lelia shook her head. She had seen a map of the Drakanea continent at the Temple, but she had never seen a detailed map showing only the Aurarian Empire.
"Hmm...."
At those words, the elderly noble thought for a moment. He seemed to be pondering how to explain.
While waiting for the elderly noble's answer, Lelia looked down at the robe she was wearing.
This brown robe was one Sir Tethys had bought new for her while staying in Rendinium.
It was made of very light and soft material.
No matter how she thought about it, all the people in this knight order had good personalities.
She didn't remember seeing such kind adults in her life.
'I did well to escape from the Imperial City.'
Lelia nodded, feeling proud of her own choice. She also felt sorry for having suspected them and thought she should treat them well in the future.
And there was one more good thing.
She had found a new ingredient for the 'Alchemy Lottery' at the inn where she stayed in Rendinium.
It happened last night, the final night she stayed at the inn.
Lelia woke up from sleep hearing a ringing sound.
Sir Tethys was sleeping on the next bed, snoring. Lelia was startled, afraid Sir Tethys might wake from the ringing sound, and fumbled for her necklace.
But fortunately, the sound seemed to be heard only by Lelia's ears.
Anyway, when she turned on the game screen, the Alchemy Lottery wiggled and floated a speech bubble.
[Ah! Σ(ʘoʘ/)/ A new ingredient is nearby!]
[system: New alchemy ingredient 'Dust Fragment from the Corner' discovered!]
When the system text appeared, a gold dragon appeared, moving with a flourish, and collected the item.
'What kind of ingredient name is that...?'
Lelia frowned, but looking closely, it was one of the ingredients used frequently in new recipes.
'Oh...!'
The 'Alchemy Lottery' game had a system where once you first found an ingredient, the dragon would collect it automatically afterward.
The saying was that finding it initially was difficult, but gathering it was easy.
She thought it was fortunate to have found a frequently used ingredient first. With that comfortable thought, Lelia fell fast asleep again.
Life with the knights was very peaceful. First, the knights had enormous appetites, so they ate huge meals.
Thanks to that, Lelia could also always eat her fill, just like when she stayed at the Temple.
So when night came, her full stomach made her even sleepier.
Recalling the memory of sleeping soundly last night, Lelia fiddled with the end of her necklace with a satisfied heart.
To properly make use of this necklace, collecting more ingredients was important.
It was then.
A small commotion arose outside the carriage.
"What is it?"
At the elderly noble's words, a knight guarding beside the carriage spoke.
"There is an inspection ahead."
At those words, the elderly noble went "Hmm..." and stroked his chin.
On the other hand, Lelia's expression turned pale.
'Inspection... surely not....'
Lelia fidgeted with her fingers, looking anxious.
They had moved away from the city and were about to pass through the gate at Rendinium's border, so if there was an inspection....
'They found out I disappeared.'
Emperor Perseus might have noticed her escape and was trying to find her.
Just then, a knocking sound was heard on the carriage window.
Lelia was so startled she almost screamed. She covered her mouth and trembled, and the elderly noble watched her with narrowed eyes.