Northern Journey -1-: Five Hours Earlier
After a long carriage ride, I stretched my aching back and gazed up at the northern sky.
"Ahhh... This damn thing takes forever."
The north, at the empire's edge, had demanded a full week in the carriage. The well-maintained roads had cut it down from what would have been at least twenty days otherwise. The expensive carriage had spared us some fatigue, but my body was still worn out. We'd camped in the carriage for that entire week, after all.
The surprising part was that the Young Lady hadn't complained once. Someone used to her soft bed must have felt the exhaustion even more.
-Camping...! Like beggars!
-You're the beggar, Young Lady. I'm the rich one.
-Hoo...!
Every time we built a campfire and bedded down outside, the Young Lady got excited, humming tunes in anticipation of the northern trip. What was there even to see up here? Having only read novels about harsh environments and protagonists' trials, I couldn't understand her. But seeing her smile washed away my doubts. She must have a plan. I firmly believed she hadn't dragged us here on a whim, so I trusted her completely for this journey.
Stepping out of the carriage, I unloaded our luggage while glancing at the Young Lady.
"Hmnya."
With our extended itinerary, there was a lot to unload, but she sat blankly on Perry No. 1, doing nothing.
"Hua...! Snow, it's snow...!"
The Young Lady rubbed her cold hands together, white breath puffing from her mouth. She showed no intention of helping.
I sighed and called out to her.
"Didn't you just see some a little while ago?"
"That was bland snow. This is aged snow."
With a scarf wrapped tightly around her neck, she sat beaming in her wheelchair.
It'll work out somehow.
I bowed to the departing carriage. It had cost a pretty penny, but I was grateful for the long journey together.
"You've worked hard. Use this for expenses on your way back."
"Oh, you didn't have to... This is too much."
"No, no. We're sorry we caused you so much trouble—we should give more."
I added a generous tip, and the coachman, thrilled, scratched his head as he looked at me.
"But really, no second thoughts about heading back? The north's atmosphere is rough right now, and it's monster mating season... Too dangerous."
I gave a small smile and shook my head at his concern.
"We're fine."
"At least let me take your luggage to an inn."
"Ah..."
I smiled awkwardly and admitted we hadn't planned for lodging. The coachman stared in disbelief, and it took ten reassurances before I could send him off.
"Then have a great trip. Come back anytime...!"
"Thank you. Young Lady, say goodbye."
"Bye."
-Whoooosh.
Now where to? The Young Lady and I stood dazed in the middle of the northern city streets, our piled luggage beside us. Starting the trip was fine, but we'd come without a detailed plan. Money would solve most things, but we hadn't even booked a room. So we just stared blankly at the snowy mountains ahead.
"Wow, so pretty..."
"Yeah."
The Young Lady turned to me.
"Ricardo, where to now?"
"Yeah."
"..."
"No place in mind?"
"Me?"
"Yes."
"Nope?"
She declared it boldly—no plans in that head of hers. Better to admire the mountains than waste time on trivialities, she said.
"Didn't you say you wanted to come north?"
"Yeah."
"Nothing you want to see or eat?"
"Secret."
"What happened to my romantic bikini?"
"It ran away."
"..."
Grinning, she told me, "No idea! Secret!"
So butlers handle planning? Cursing my past self for trusting her, I sighed. Money made anything possible. She might not like plans from my dull butler brain, but I smiled faintly and racked my mind.
First things first...
To handle the luggage, I grabbed a nearby local and asked about inns for a ten-day stay.
"Sorry, could I ask for directions? We're tourists—any decent inns around for about ten days?"
"Pardon?"
"Yes."
"Paaardon?!"
"Yes."
The local in a thick fur hat eyed us like weirdos. He dug in his ear, tilted his head to confirm what he'd heard, then gawked at our stacked carriers.
"You're here on vacation?"
"Yes."
"Now?"
"Yes."
"During frost wolf mating season?"
"Young Lady, should be a good show."
"Mating...!"
The local stared like we'd gone mad. Shaking his head, he said calmly,
"You'll die."
"We're good. Our lifespans are longer than they look."
"Heh heh... If you're set on it, fine. But what about lodging? None available."
"Pardon?"
"None."
"..."
"All decent inns are closed. The outskirts hotel collapsed in an avalanche."
My backup plan crushed, I stiffened. Watching the Young Lady blithely build a snowman, I said,
"Young Lady, no place to stay."
"...Why?"
"They're on strike. Resting pays better than upkeep."
"Smart."
"Yes."
I sent the local off and stood blankly on the windy street.
"Shall we grab food first?"
"What about the luggage?"
"Mostly empty bags. Chocolate, kitchen knife, butler uniform, fur clothes—that's it. Even if stolen, no big deal."
"Then why bring it?"
"For souvenirs."
"..."
She nodded, eyeing me like I was incomprehensible.
"Okay."
We ate at a restaurant, then climbed the northern mountains for digestion. No grand reason—just looked fun. Snowy mountains meant sledding first. With protective magic on Perry No. 1, safety wasn't an issue, so we dove into play.
-Eeeeek!!!
-Young Lady, no accelerator! You'll bury us!
-What? Can't hear over the wind! Hee hee... Hiiiiek!!!
We kept sledding. Luckily, we met an innkeeper.
*
James hated the world. The crazy guest he'd pegged as nuts stood before him.
"Haa..."
Back from subjugation work, his inn had a traveler laden with bags.
-Open?
-Uh... well.
-Young Lady!
-Eeeeek! Depart!
No time to turn them away—they'd rushed in. James, who'd run the inn for ten years, faced his biggest crisis. Should he take them? He'd just seen them sledding like maniacs. His shoulders trembled.
-Hee hee! Fun! Again!
-Haha! If I'd grabbed a second later, Young Lady nearly went off the cliff!
-Eek! I'll drive carefully next time!
-It's fine! I've got you.
No guest like this in years of service. James sighed deeply at them. Tall red-haired man. Woman with leg issues.
Right...?
Bags piled on the wheelchair-bound woman's lap.
"Hiiiik... Heavy...!"
"I'm fine."
"Eeeeik...!"
They didn't look ordinary—hair too well-kept for commoners, but actions like barbarians. Ominous vibes. Instinct screamed disaster if he hosted them.
"Eeeeik...!"
"Just a bit longer."
"You put yours down, Ricardo!"
"I'm fine."
"I'm not!"
James sensed he couldn't shoo them quietly. As he pondered, a tap-tap on the counter.
The redhead smiled faintly at him.
-Tap tap tap.
"Boss, got a room for tonight?"
"Pardon?"
"No inns nearby, scraped this place together. If even this is closed... Double pay—no, triple."
James eyed the pair.
"Kng...!"
"Don't wipe on your clothes, Young Lady."
"No handkerchief."
"Ask me."
"Then give it now."
Pitiful leg issues, but actions spelled inn ruin. Deep in thought, three minutes passed.
-Thud.
The man plunked a heavy gold pouch on the counter.
"Got a room?"
Too much to refuse.
*
Academy girls' dorm.
Yuria sat at her desk, nibbling her pen tip, pondering her letter to Dad.
"..."
Hi, Dad! First letter since spring started. Sorry it's been so long—academy schedule's been crazy. Third year means way more to learn...
"Haa..."
Yuria couldn't continue. She wanted fun stories to make Dad laugh, but academy woes, fights with Ruin, heretic issues—nothing fit. She'd hoped to brag about rankings, but heretics killed that too.
Sighing deeply, lost in thought, one story flashed: her friend who'd helped her adjust. But she'd written about fighting him before, so smiling, she inked the page.
Oh, remember that friend I mentioned? The one we ate with, who helped when I got lost? I wrote about fighting him, but we made up this time. Still awkward, but we'll get back to being close, right...?
Yuria smiled, filling the page. At the end, she cautiously added worry.
Hearing more monsters in the north lately—nothing dangerous, right...!
Miss you, Dad.
Love, your daughter.
*
That same moment.
"You got no interest in dating my daughter...?"
James was trying to hook up the red-haired man.