Preparing for a Journey Without Companions
This was a noble’s dining table, after all. The antique atmosphere of the tablecloth suddenly drifted through my mind, and on top of it sat dishes that made my mouth water. My stomach let out a loud growl, demanding to be fed.
“Hehe. You don’t have to wait. Go ahead and eat.”
“Then I won’t hold back.”
I only needed to take one step back earlier. With survival on the line, nothing else mattered. Instinctively I sliced the meat and shoved it into my mouth. Damn. This is living. The flavor made me crave a cold beer. I had no idea what kind of meat it was, but whether it came from a pig, cow, bird, or snake didn’t matter. Once it hit my stomach it was all the same, and right now anything that kept me alive was good enough.
The vegetables were perfect too. Honestly I’m not usually a vegetable guy. To me they’re just decoration for the meat. Why the hell would anyone eat grass? It doesn’t even taste good. Of course I like aromatic herbs and spices, and lettuce or perilla leaves are acceptable, but anything beyond that is off-limits. Today, though, the situation was different. I was starving, so anything that caught my eye went straight into my mouth. I knew this wasn’t the usual me. People say humans change when they’re pushed to the edge. This was exactly that moment. I was clearly out of my mind.
“How is it?”
“Fucking delicious.”
Isabel immediately cut in. “You are in front of the young lady. Please refrain from such vulgar language.”
“Isabel.”
“Young lady, I spoke no falsehood.”
“I know. So what do you want me to do about it? I was speaking to the hero, not to you.”
“…My apologies.”
Sis, you’re awesome. I had thought she was acting like a nagging old-timer for a second. Of course Isabel wasn’t wrong, but Seria had already said the same thing. What exactly did she expect me to do? I’d tasted the food and called it fucking delicious. A compliment is a compliment. Did you give it to me? No. It came from a noble as lofty as the heavens. Maybe it’s because I’ve been stepped on for so long, but even the slightest touch makes me bristle. I knew I shouldn’t feel this way, yet a small sense of release still washed over me.
“Isabel, if you understand then bring it quickly.”
“…Yes.”
I was about to ask what she was bringing when a clear clink came from the cloth pouch in Isabel’s hands.
“Here it is, young lady.”
“Is the amount exact?”
“Yes. Exactly three hundred shillings.”
Oh. Finally, the reward. The solid weight of coins. The unmistakable feel of money. The pure joy of knowing I could finally sleep in a proper bed tonight. I’d run into bandits three times on the way here, so the compensation was more than welcome. Three hundred shillings was easily enough to live on for three months.
“Thank you.”
“No, thank you. I… well…”
“Hm?”
“To be honest, I was terrified. If the hero hadn’t been with me, I…”
“Haha.”
She was scared? Yeah, right. I knew Seria’s current demeanor was pure acting. The aura she had shown Isabel earlier was unmistakably that of a powerhouse. I had simply appeared at the perfect moment. Without me, those bandits would have been dealt with by her own hand. I didn’t know why she was pretending, but at least I’d confirmed there was no malice. That sticky, murky gaze held no hostility, yet it gave me a strange sense of déjà vu.
How much time had passed? I must have been starving, but the food refused to go down. Seria watched my face with a contented smile. It was a little uncomfortable. No, very uncomfortable. Having her rest both hands on her cheeks and stare at me dreamily while I ate was honestly embarrassing. Why it embarrassed me, I couldn’t say. It reminded me of a prank a friend pulled during my school days while I was eating. I remembered smacking him hard on the head and calling it disgusting. The feeling was similar.
I asked Seria, “Aren’t you eating?”
“I’m already full.”
“…Ugh.”
What she had said on the way here floated through my mind.
I’ve dreamed of meeting the hero for so long!
The hero who saves the world. The exact trope you’d find in fantasy novels or movies. When I first arrived in this other world I’d felt the same way. The only difference was that my illusion had shattered instantly. Maybe she, too, had wanted to meet the hero she’d only known from stories and rumors. As the second daughter of a ducal house she should have had the chance before… yet I had no memory of her. Only that idiot Vidar. Honestly, if I could go back in time I’d pay Vidar to take her off my hands. Please, just take Lunaris with you. I was almost jealous of the guy who had screamed at me that he was being forced to bring her. At the same time it made me think in an entirely different direction.
“Vidar should be grateful to me.”
“My brother Vidar?”
“I saved one person. For real.”
“Umm… I don’t really follow.”
“You don’t have to. Just pass on this message. When you see him, tell him to slam his head on the ground first.”
I really did save him. Traveling with the mage Lunaris for even a week would make anyone realize she wasn’t companion material. Today, too, I saved a guy. Good work, me. Come to think of it, why hadn’t she traveled with proper escorts? A ducal daughter could have brought an entire retinue.
Perhaps sensing my question, Seria smiled brightly. “It’s been a while since I last set out on a trip. Having watchers around would ruin the fun, don’t you think?”
“So you only brought a single maid?”
“…Yes.”
Was she naïve or just bold? Either way, after today we’d probably never meet again. No point dwelling on it. If the day ever came when I cleared up the misunderstanding and returned to the royal castle, we might run into each other once or twice.
With basic funds secured, I could look forward to a somewhat comfortable life starting tomorrow.
Time passed and evening arrived. The mansion was strangely quiet. The current head, Vidar, was nowhere to be seen. The former head and my old drinking companion, Candel, was even more absent. The only Lionblood family member present was Seria. The blazing sunlight had vanished, leaving only the moon casting its gentle glow. I had originally planned to leave the mansion this evening, but I couldn’t.
“Hero?”
I couldn’t refuse Seria’s request that I stay the night. I explained the situation and she understood. She believed my former party members were searching for me by now, and I agreed. A party without me—let’s see if they could even make it back. They could figure it out themselves. My plan was to run far enough that they’d never find me. So I decided to stay just one night. At least I wouldn’t be sleeping in the open like last night. A soft bed instead of cold stone. Now that was heaven.
“Hero!”
“Yes?”
Seria’s voice pulled me back. I must have drifted into my own thoughts while talking with her. Her white hair fluttered in the breeze coming through the window. It reached all the way to her waist; it must be inconvenient. “What were we talking about again?”
“Your adventure stories!”
“Ah. Right.”
At first Seria had stammered when speaking to me. Now the stuttering had vanished and she spoke comfortably. Why had she been so flustered at the sight of me? Probably a useless thought. I brushed it aside and continued. Honestly it wasn’t a pleasant tale. I was simply venting my resentment. But the fact that someone understood this dog-like situation felt so good that I let every emotion pour out.
As she listened, Seria’s brows gradually furrowed. I knew that look better than anyone. That’s why I was grateful for the way she empathized and grew angry on my behalf.
“They really are insane bastards, aren’t they?”
“Yes… I had no idea…”
The sound of grinding teeth reached my ears. When I glanced over, her expression was perfectly calm. Had I misheard? Wearing an expression that said she understood everything, she asked, “If you wish, I can tell His Majesty the King the truth.”
“If you do too much it becomes burdensome.”
“I suppose it would be…?”
“Yeah.”
It was true. She had already given me food, money, and lodging. Now she wanted to go straight to the king. As a person I couldn’t help feeling glad, but she was a noble. There wasn’t enough connection between us for her to do that much. The only thing I’d done was stop the bandit attack. That was it. There was no reason for her to treat me so well. Just having someone sympathize with my feelings was enough.
But! I wasn’t stupid enough to let an opportunity like this slip away. She offered to clear my name directly with the king. She belonged to a ducal house—the family closest to the royal family. In other words, someone with real influence.
“…As expected, since we’ve only just met it must feel burdensome.”
Yeah. It really does feel burdensome. But maybe because I’ve only ever been on the receiving end of abuse, I don’t actually hate this kind of burden.
“However!”
“…Eh?!”
I grabbed both of Seria’s hands tightly and pleaded. “Please do it for me.”
“…Pardon?”
“Should I kowtow too?”
“Ah, no. Um… your… hand.”
She seemed startled by my sudden change in attitude. Honestly, I had been terribly wronged. I’d endured it for two whole years. If—if those bastards couldn’t even enter the kingdom and could only return after defeating the Demon King, there would be no greater joy. The more I thought about it, the wider my grin grew. Waitress, another glass of makgeolli over here!
“Ughhh…”
After years of sleeping outdoors every single night, how long had it been since I last used proper bedding? No wonder my back ached. There was no reason to strain my waist, yet my lower back and pelvis felt stiff. Maybe it was because I hadn’t slept in a real bed for so long, but even though my back hurt I felt refreshed. Bright sunlight poured through the window, forcing me to squint. Birds chirped and leaves rustled gently. It was a warm, cozy morning in the Blue Lion’s territory.
Time to get ready to leave. I’d leave the rest to Seria. The sound of peaceful breathing told me she was still asleep. I didn’t want to disturb her. She had treated me far too well. All that remained was to depart. Following the path down from Sarme Ridge would lead to the village that served as the Lionblood family’s territory. Therefore, heading upward would take me to the ridge itself. Yes. Let’s head there first. I would make up for all the time I had wasted until now. It was time to heal this furious heart. I’d climb the ridge and decide on a destination. Since I had already deserted, I might as well run as far as possible from those bastards.
With that thought, I left the mansion.
After Kim Taesik left the mansion, Seria smoothed the flush from her cheeks and spoke to Isabel. He must have believed she was sound asleep, but reality was nothing like that. From late night until dawn she had panted and gasped, using the very hands he had held.
“…Which direction did he say he was heading?”
“He said he was going to Sarme Ridge.”
“Follow him.”
Had she misheard? Isabel understood the meaning behind that single command. Still, did she really have to go that far…? Knowing her young lady’s feelings toward him for a long time, she couldn’t help but ask again. The hero had looked at her as if seeing her for the first time, but that was false. At the very least, Seria had been watching ever since Kim Taesik was summoned to this world.
“…Yes?”
“Follow him and learn everything you can. If he reunites with the saintess or the mage, report to me at once.”
“What do you—”
“Isabel, I dislike repeating myself. You know that. I’ve had a one-sided love for him since long ago.”
She knew it well. Candel Lionblood—Kim Taesik’s drinking companion and the former head of the Lionblood family. As Seria’s father, he knew a great deal about the hero. Taesik might not realize it, but Candel had seen him many times. Only in secret, of course, watching from the shadows. Even with a mask on, there was no way she wouldn’t recognize him. It really was Taesik. The man who had saved her a year ago. It was him.
“Hehe. Hiding my feelings was so difficult.”
It still came to her vividly—the face behind the mask, the scent, the voice. They still brushed across Seria’s mind. Just thinking about it sent a tingling heat through her lower body. Noticing the change in her young lady, Isabel quietly closed the door. She truly was a willful young lady. Nevertheless, as a servant who cherished her, Isabel had no choice but to obey.
“I will carry out your command.”
“Good. Go quickly.”
Hehe. Seria’s cheeks flushed again as she watched Taesik through the window. Promising herself they would meet again one day, she set off for the royal castle.