Chapter 13 - <5>
Wanting to be alone, he went up to the top floor of the inn. Opening the wooden door revealed a small terrace with a view of the entire village. It seemed to be a place for drying laundry; familiar clothes belonging to Anna and himself swayed in the wind.
"I have to do it, don't I…"
He muttered, leaning against the railing. Ritz's proposal was something he felt a strong resistance to. That method was practically a scam.
Sure, a lie can be a means to an end. But Franz didn't want to act like Ville in front of the merchants. He didn't want to become like his father.
A part of him ached. He had just escaped the cage of Saradio, a place full of lies and vanity, only to have to lie again. And to do so by invoking the name of the father he despised most.
The wind gently stroked Franz's hair. It was a refreshing, cool autumn breeze, carrying the faint, warm scent of home. Franz looked up and down at the village.
The villagers were being tormented by merchants. And the ringleaders were the merchants of Saradio. Was he supposed to let that stand?
The answer was no. He couldn't forgive it. Franz understood the importance of merchants. But he couldn't forgive them for exploiting the villagers like this.
"But… I hate it…"
As he muttered the words, his own feelings of disgust became clearer and clearer.
He hated that he was Ville Lucina's son.
He hated having to play the part of an arrogant merchant like Ville.
He hated having to deceive the merchants.
Hate it, hate it, hate it.
Realizing he was being controlled by those words, Franz froze.
Isn't this all about my own likes and dislikes? The debt to the Roubaix couple, the stolen herbs, this village—was he ignoring all of that and only talking about himself?
Wasn't he just asserting his own likes and dislikes, overlooking what was truly important?
The thought made him shudder.
Wasn't that very selfishness the image of the father he despised most?
Franz covered his face with both hands. Leaving on a journey meant interacting with others. But if he just stayed withdrawn in his shell because he didn't like something, he'd never be able to change things the way he wanted.
Franz groaned, his face still covered. An inarticulate sound escaped him.
He hated being a Lucina, and having to advertise it so brazenly was agonizing. It was no different from what his father did. But if it was the way to help the villagers, what was the right thing to do?
He had met Ritz and Anna, and set out on this journey thinking that maybe there were people like them, that maybe he could trust people. Franz had wanted to change. But he didn't know what that even meant.
As he agonized, the terrace door suddenly opened. He turned to see Philia rushing in. She smiled when she noticed Franz.
"Oh, there you are."
"…Yes."
"Anna-chan, she's awake, you know?"
"What…?"
"She's your companion, isn't she? I'm so glad she's safe."
Philia's words, spoken as she deftly folded Anna's laundry, struck a chord in his chest.
That's right. They had become companions. Anna had been injured protecting him. And the ones who had saved Anna were Philia and Morris.
In that case, didn't he, as their companion, need to set aside his own likes and dislikes and repay that kindness for his companions' sake?
He still didn't quite understand the concept of a companion, but Ritz and Anna had helped him back in Saradio. So, it seemed only natural that in a difficult situation, Franz should use the means available to him.
No, it was more than natural.
Following Philia, Franz began to walk quickly toward Anna's room.
He went downstairs and burst into Anna's room to find Ritz, who had arrived before him. With a look of profound relief, he was patting Anna on the head.
"Glad you're okay…"
"Yeah. Sorry to make you worry."
Anna, too, was smiling happily as she looked up at Ritz. He'd thought so since they first met, but they really were a close pair.
"Oh, it's Franz! Hey there!"
To be greeted so cheerfully by someone who had been unconscious just moments ago was draining.
"You're full of energy…"
"Yep! Though my body's completely paralyzed from the neck down!"
"…You normally wouldn't call that 'full of energy'…"
Franz sighed. A seriously injured person who was paralyzed from the neck down shouldn't be laughing so carefreely. Where Anna's energy came from was a mystery to him.
"Ritz, can you help me sit up? My back kind of hurts."
At Anna's bright request, Ritz shrugged.
"You're supposed to say things like that a little more meekly."
"Huh? But I'm all better now."
"Even though you can't get up without help?"
"My body might not move, but my spirit is full of energy!"
"…Honestly, you."
With a sigh, Ritz helped Anna up. It still seemed to hurt a lot; a faint, pained groan escaped her lips as she held back the pain. It was painful just to watch. But, though breathless, she managed to sit up with Ritz's help.
"Heheh. My back feels so much cooler now."
With a light sheen of sweat on her forehead, Anna smiled.
She's strong, Franz thought, frozen in place, able only to admire her.
Ritz, having helped Anna up, quickly rolled up a blanket and made a backrest for her. Despite his appearance, Ritz was strangely good at taking care of people. It made Franz wonder if he was really a mercenary and not something else entirely.
"Ah, I feel alive again. Hey, hey, how many days has it been?"
"How many days? …It's only been one day. One."
After arranging things behind her, Ritz helped Anna lean back against the support.
"One day? Really? It feels like I was asleep for a really long time."
"Well, you were hovering between life and death."
"Whoa… that's amazing."
At Anna's cheerful words, Franz sighed. Ritz pressed his forehead.
"You're really something else…"
"So, so, where are we? How was I saved? Did we buy the herbs? Was there a doctor? Why isn't your hair tied back, Ritz?"
At the barrage of questions, Ritz sighed and explained the events so far. He probably sensed that if he didn't explain, the patient Anna would keep pestering him.
Having finished his explanation, Ritz casually took a cord from his pocket and tied back his hair.
"My hair, I just overslept and forgot to tie it."
"Oh, I see! Hey, hey, can I tie it next time? If I braid it, we'll match, you know?"
"I refuse."
The single long lock of Ritz's hair was smooth, sleek, and beautiful, without a hint of unruliness. Anna sometimes played with it, a little envious. Anna's hair was straight too, but perhaps because it was red, it didn't have the same luster as Ritz's black hair.
"Meanie!"
Anna pouted at Ritz, but then she burst out laughing. Ritz started laughing too. Seeing that, the tension finally left Franz's shoulders. This was normal. It was okay, she was back to being the old Anna.
"Hey, hey, the herbs were stolen and it's a big problem, right? We're going to help, of course, right?"
Her eyes sparkling, Anna looked back and forth between Ritz and Franz. Her eyes were filled with the light of her conviction to help anyone in trouble. Without noticing the taken-aback Franz, Anna's eyes were brimming with motivation.
"Of course. As for how…"
Ritz, while being mindful of Anna, explained that he and Franz were about to put on a show for the merchants. Franz hadn't agreed yet, but he felt like the net was closing in.
"Hey, isn't that lying? Lying is a bad thing, you know?"
He hadn't expected a lifeline to come from Anna of all people. Franz was about to agree with her, but Ritz cut in a split second before him. With a knowing smile, he leaned close to Anna.
"Listen, Anna. There's such a thing as a white lie, right? Lies that hurt people are bad, but lies that help people are good lies. And hey, we talked about this before, right? Mutual aid. The villagers, us, and even the merchants will all be happy. I think it's a good thing."
At Ritz's words, Franz could only sigh. After being told that, Anna's answer was obvious. She had absolute trust in Ritz.
"Oh, okay. You're right! It's better if everyone is happy!"
Just as he'd thought.
"Right?"
Feeling vaguely dissatisfied, he lightly punched Ritz on the head, but Ritz didn't even flinch.
Just then, Morris came in. He was carrying a large wooden tub, inside which sat a tray of drinks.
"Ritz-kun, sorry, could you grab this?"
As the addressed Ritz quickly took the tray, Morris set the now-lightened tub on the floor. Then he hurried downstairs again, this time returning with a large kettle. As he poured the hot water from the kettle into the tub, preparing for something, Ritz asked.
"Morris-san, what's this?"
"Oh, sorry, sorry. It's a medicinal bath. Philia gave it to me to give to her."
"Thank you very much."
After thanking him, Ritz walked over to Anna.
"This is an antidote tea, so drink it slowly. I'll hold the cup for you."
"Ritz, you're like my adoptive father."
At Anna's words, Ritz's face clearly fell.
"When you say that, it makes me feel really old, you know."
"Huh? Really?"
Anna's eyes widened. It seemed she had meant it as a compliment.
"I'm still single, you know."
The cup Ritz held to Anna's lips with both hands had a pleasant green aroma. From its color and scent, it looked quite bitter.
Anna, too, looked a little nervous as she brought it to her lips, but after one sip, she blinked, and then drank the rest in one gulp.
"Hey, hey, you'll choke if you rush."
Ritz warned her with an exasperated look, but Anna finished it off and let out a big breath.
"Ah, I'm starving! Drinking something warm made me hungry!"
"You really are…"
As Ritz sighed deeply, a laugh came from behind him. He turned to see Philia standing there with a ceramic bowl and a spoon. At the steam rising from it, Anna's nose twitched.
"That smells good… it's porridge."
Anna's face broke into a happy smile. Wheat was the staple food in northern Yuresla, but rice cultivation was common near the river mouths in the south. Around here, wheat was the main staple.
"Rice is a luxury item around here, isn't it?"
At Anna's words, Franz tilted his head. He had never once checked the price of rice.
"Is it?"
"Franz, you didn't know you were eating it?"
"…Well…"
"I'm so jealous! In Vishnu, it's a luxury we rarely get to eat."
Philia giggled at the practically drooling Anna.
"Sometimes the merchants who come to buy herbs bring rice. In exchange for the expensive medicine. This is this year's new rice."
"Wow…"
Her eyes narrowing, Anna finally seemed to notice Philia's presence.
"Um… who are you?"
"It's nice to meet you, Anna-chan. I'm Philia. And this is my husband, Morris."
"I'm Anna! It's a pleasure to meet you!"
Philia entered the room with a smile and placed the ceramic bowl on the built-in chest next to the bed. A pleasant aroma of porridge was indeed wafting from inside.
"It's still hot, so let's let it cool a bit, okay?"
As Philia said that, Morris, having finished filling the tub with hot water, left the room. As Ritz and Franz stared, wondering what was about to happen, Philia turned to them with a smile.
"We're going to wash her whole body with hot water and give her a massage. It'll help her body move again soon."
"I'm so happy! I couldn't bathe on the road!"
"I'm glad you're happy."
Laughing, Philia pulled back Anna's blanket, but she suddenly stopped and looked at them. Not understanding, Franz stood frozen.
"Is that all right with you two?"
"Huh? Can we help with something?"
To Ritz's reflexive question, Philia crossed her arms and looked at Ritz and Franz like a mischievous child pretending to be a little sulky.
"Do you two want to watch Anna-chan bathe and change?"
The moment she said it, a flustered Franz bolted into the hallway. Behind him was a similarly panicked Ritz.
"Sorry! Take your time!"
Scratching his head, Ritz apologized into the room and closed the door behind him. So that's what washing her whole body and giving her a massage meant.
Franz, having fled the room and come downstairs, let out a deep sigh. Beside him, Ritz gave a wry smile.
"Man, I was totally prepared to take care of her myself, bath and all!"
In response to that, Franz, who had just been standing there blankly, could only shrug. He hadn't intended to help, but he had forgotten to leave.
"Well, now, since you two were there, I was about to say, 'Is it okay to peek at her bath?'"
Morris, who had left the room earlier, came over to them laughing, holding some herbal tea.
"You should have said something! How embarrassing."
Ritz plopped into a chair with a weary sigh. At the same time, Franz also sat down. After serving them tea, Morris went out to clean. It seemed running an inn was surprisingly busy work.
They drank their tea in silence for a while, but then, as if waiting for the right moment, Ritz spoke up.
"…So, is that enough time to think?"
"It's enough."
Franz replied with just that, his voice tinged with a sigh. It felt as if, in all the commotion, he had left his convictions somewhere behind.
He certainly still had his reservations. But he also felt that to continue their journey safely, they had to make every effort to ensure something terrible like what happened to Anna didn't happen again.
Losing sight of his goal by getting hung up on his own pride and feelings was worse than using the Lucina family name. He didn't want the journey to end like that.
Besides, for now, his only place to return to was his master's in Saradio. He couldn't afford to give up halfway.
For that, he would still need ample funds.
Because he didn't want to return to Saradio, he would make the most of his value there. In other words, use what you can, even your own parents.
As Ritz silently watched the pensive Franz, he sipped his tea and muttered.
"Well, the Lucina name only has power up to this village. Once we pass this village, the Saradio autonomous district ends, and we enter the next one."
In other words, even if he wanted to, he couldn't use the Lucina name anymore. What was the point of not using it when he could? Franz nodded at Ritz's words. Just because Saradio was a large commercial city, its influence on the country as a whole wasn't that great as a single autonomous district. In fact, it was rather small.
If anyone had significant influence, it would be Ritz, the old friend of the King of Yuresla. Ritz would probably make the most of that too, if necessary.
For the sake of Franz and Anna, who had nothing else.
No, he'd probably use it just for the fun of it.
Thinking that, he felt a little better. He might not like to admit it, but in these six days, he might have been influenced quite a bit by Ritz and Anna.
"So, shall we go over the plan?"
At Ritz's question, Franz silently brought the tea to his lips.
"After I finish this."
When he stated it bluntly, Ritz shrugged as if surrendering to Franz's bad mood with a smile.
"…Alright, alright. I'll wait."
Even if his mind was made up, he still wanted to rebel a little. That much self-indulgence should be allowed.