Chapter 37 - <3>
Several hours had already passed since the commotion subsided. Franz, along with his companions and the inspectors, was gathered around a bonfire. A few dozen minutes ago, Kenny had sent his subordinates to search for a campsite, but they hadn't returned yet, and they were waiting for their report.
Franz was just staring blankly at the fire burning in front of him. Just doing that calmed him down a little. Was it because he was a Fire Spirit user?
In the flames, Sara, having finally gotten her meal and a wide space, was frolicking about. Kenny and the others had been astonished when they first saw this sight, but after seeing it three times a day for three days, they had gotten used to it, and it had blended into the daily scenery.
He casually glanced at Kenny, the inspector squad leader, and noticed that his walnut-colored hair, which was always neatly tied back, was disheveled, probably from the earlier battle.
He probably didn't realize it himself, but Franz was likely in a similar state. No, he might be even worse.
But right now, he couldn't be bothered with such things. The reality that had been laid bare before his eyes was too heavy.
He hugged his knees and once again cast his eyes to the fire. It was painful to think about anything. But he couldn't stop thinking. When he closed his eyes, the face of the man who had attacked him floated into view.
Moreover, the moment he was cut down and died…
He shook his head slightly, trying to shake off the afterimage, and his eyes fell on Anna sitting nearby. Anna, too, unlike her usual self, was staring at the bonfire with vacant eyes. She was probably thinking about various things as well.
“Sara-chan is so lucky, getting to eat. I’m hungry~ I want to eat dinner soon.”
Franz was stunned by Anna’s words, which were far from what he had imagined. It seemed he wasn’t the only one; the eyes of everyone who had been silent turned to Anna.
“Eating on the side of the road like this is weird, isn’t it?”
Noticing everyone’s gaze, Anna smiled shyly and tossed the small branch she was holding into the flames. Sparks flew up in a small burst.
“You sure get hungry a lot, Anna.”
Unable to understand Anna’s behavior, his tone became sharp without him realizing it. He couldn’t believe Anna’s insensitivity, complaining of hunger after the carnage that had taken place here just moments ago.
But Anna, without even noticing Franz’s sarcasm, smiled and declared firmly.
“That’s because healing a lot of people makes me hungry.”
“That’s what’s strange.”
He had ended up saying something sarcastic, but he knew his voice lacked strength. So Franz shut his mouth, rested his chin on his knees, and fell silent.
“Franz?”
He pretended not to hear the concerned voice and let it pass. He knew it was childish, but he couldn’t put his inner frustration into words.
Anna had probably come to some kind of conclusion within herself. But even so, it was a quick conclusion.
As if sensing Franz’s mood, it was Ritz who leisurely stepped between the two of them.
“It’s a good thing to get hungry, no matter the situation.”
It felt off-topic, but it somehow struck a chord in Franz’s frayed heart. In Ritz’s case, it seemed likely that nothing could ever make him lose his appetite.
Somehow, he felt as if he was being told he was being neurotic, and Franz sighed again.
As if sensing Franz’s sigh, Edward chuckled softly.
“Your reaction is perfectly normal for an ordinary person. Don’t worry about it.”
“I know that, but…”
Franz replied with a groan. A great sense of unease weighed on him, and his mood was unbearably heavy.
Hurting people to survive… he had never had such an experience before.
In the first place, back when he was in Faldina, had he ever thought that his own life was important?
No, he didn’t think so. He had never even truly felt that he was alive.
He knew that things like this could happen on a journey. Franz had no intention of being killed so easily either. To that end, there would be times when he would have to protect himself and defeat his opponent.
But why was that? Did he truly have that meaning within him? Until now, he hadn’t had much attachment to life, so he didn’t really understand the attachment to living.
And yet, at that moment, he had truly thought from the bottom of his heart that he didn’t want to die. That much was a fact for Franz.
With his head down, he stared at the fire again and fell silent. Anna, who looked like she wanted to say something, closed her mouth and once again stared blankly at Sara in the fire. He was grateful that she didn’t try to force a conversation.
Just like before, without exchanging any words, everyone fell silent, staring at the fire.
It was the two inspectors who had returned from exploring the vicinity who changed the heavy atmosphere.
“Captain, there was a village nearby.”
“A village?”
Franz perked up his ears at the inspectors’ words. Kenny fell silent, as if in thought upon receiving the report, and Edward also tilted his head.
“A village… was there a village around here?”
Edward seemed to have no recollection, and he posed the question directly to Ritz, who was sitting next to him. Even Ritz, with his extensive knowledge of travel, didn’t know and just shrugged his shoulders.
Somehow, it felt unsettling.
“Your Majesty, I said a village, but more accurately, it’s the ruins of a village… in other words, a deserted village.”
“…A deserted village?”
The deserted village was not yet too dilapidated, and it was said that there would be no problem for this large group to stay there. There was a plaza, houses they could stay in, and water could be secured from a well. There was not a single condition to oppose it.
“To find a place so suitable, it’s impressive.”
Edward gave a wry smile.
“When it’s this perfect, it’s suspicious, isn’t it?”
“Well, that’s true. And the fact that neither I nor Ritz have any recollection of it means…”
“Yeah. It means the village didn’t exist until after the civil war ended.”
“Right. So the village was built and then vanished within the last thirty-five years.”
“…That’s too suspicious. A village that seems so conveniently prepared.”
That was the common consensus of Ritz, Edward, and Kenny. Franz also found it suspicious. In the first place, why were there no people in a place with such favorable conditions?
“What are we going to do?”
At Ritz’s irresponsible question, Kenny let out a large, troubled sigh.
“As for myself, I would not want to take Your Majesty to such a suspicious place.”
“I’d imagine not.”
Ritz nodded in understanding. Even Franz thought their concern was justified. Kenny had a duty to protect the king.
But the final decision could only be left to Edward, the king. Ritz and Kenny watched Edward, who was stroking his chin slightly as he thought.
As Edward remained silent, Kenny asked.
“Your Majesty, what will you do?”
“Let’s go. There’s no point in staying here. That deserted village is still better.”
Edward didn’t hesitate at all. Such decisiveness. Was this what it meant to be a king?
Though it was suspicious, with Edward’s one word, their lodging for the night was decided. They immediately reformed their convoy and headed for the seemingly ill-fated deserted village.
“I wonder what a deserted village is like.”
After the four of them were alone in the carriage again, Anna asked. There was no way Franz, on his first journey, would know. When he silently shook his head, Anna’s target shifted to Ritz.
“Ritz, what’s a deserted village like?”
“In a word, it’s a ruined village. As for its appearance, how should I put it… like a bunch of haunted houses gathered together to form a village?”
An apt description.
“That sounds kind of scary.”
Though she said that, Anna didn’t seem particularly scared.
But Franz, honestly, just hearing that made him want to stay away. Franz, who could control spirits invisible to the human eye, was terribly afraid of their fellow invisible beings, ghosts.
“You’ll see when we get there.”
At Ritz’s carefree words, Anna nodded.
“You’re right!”
Anna cheerfully turned to Franz.
“Hey, I wonder what’s for dinner tonight?”
Did Anna no longer have any memory of the battle? It was ridiculous to even say something sarcastic. When he glanced at Ritz next to him, Ritz seemed to be staring blankly at Edward’s face. Edward, who was being watched, was looking out the window.
It was a strange sight. He felt that there was some kind of tension between the two of them, but Franz couldn’t figure out what the two older members of the group were thinking.
In the town of Faldina, Franz had heard a little about the legend of the civil war from Ante at the tool shop.
The story was that Edward and Ritz, the two leaders of the revolutionary army, had saved Yuresla, which was on the verge of collapse due to the tyrannical rule of the false queen who had poisoned the sick king and her usurper son, as well as the nobles. That civil war was Yuresla’s last battle, and it had been nearly forty years ago.
He couldn’t imagine that the two people in front of him were such big shots. After all, the hero who saved the nation, King Edward, was pinching his cheek and pulling it, making sarcastic remarks, and his right-hand man was thrashing about in pain from being pulled.
Looking at the two of them fooling around, he thought that if he ever got the chance, he’d like to read a history of the Yuresla Kingdom.
“Ah, forget it, forget it.”
Suddenly, Ritz said in a loud voice and collapsed limply onto the sofa. Franz was so surprised by the suddenness of it that he was at a loss for words. Anna leaned forward with a face full of curiosity at such a Ritz.
“Huh? What are you forgetting?”
“I’ve stopped thinking.”
“Were you thinking about something?”
At Anna’s puzzled question, Ritz laughed and tried to brush it off.
“It’s nothing important.”
“It was probably about a woman.”
Edward, who had interjected without a moment’s delay, was having his mouth hastily covered by Ritz.
“If you say that, it’ll just complicate things!”
“What are you talking about now…”
Edward, his face contorted in a pained expression, retorted, but he froze when he noticed Anna’s gaze.
“What about a woman? I’m a girl too, you know?”
“Ugh…”
Faced with her pure, untainted green eyes, Edward, for once, flinched. When she looked at you like that with those big eyes, it was generally impossible to lie. Franz had experienced it too. It seemed even Edward was no exception.
“Anna, Ed will tell you all about it, so listen carefully.”
Releasing Edward, Ritz pushed him toward Anna. It seemed he was fully intent on pawning him off. Edward didn’t look like he would be freed for a while.
“Ed-san, when you say ‘about a woman,’ are you talking about me?”
Leaving behind Edward, who was at a loss for words, Ritz suddenly turned to him. Feeling his gaze, Franz reflexively looked away.
“Franz, my bad.”
“…About what?”
At Ritz’s unexpected, whispered words, Franz’s eyes lifted his face.
“You’ve been thinking about that battle this whole time, haven’t you?”
It seemed he had been seen through. Was it written on his face? Lowering his head again, Franz answered just like that.
“Yeah.”
“Thought so.”
A heavy silence ensued. It seemed Ritz was waiting for Franz to speak.
Finally making up his mind, Franz opened his mouth.
“I know we would have been killed if we hadn’t done that. But… how should I put it… people die so easily…”
Ritz nodded silently.
“That’s right. My sword, your fire, Anna’s Water Dragon. All of them have the ability to kill people. But, by using them correctly, they can protect lives.”
“…I know.”
Franz covered his face with a sigh. When his life was targeted, he had to defeat his opponent or he would die. It was probably a simple theory. Even if he understood it in his head, his emotions wouldn’t allow it.
In fact, the man who had attacked Anna and Franz… didn’t make it in the end.
“But I need time to accept it.”
He covered his face at the true feelings that leaked out like a groan. He still didn’t really understand his reason for living, so he didn’t know if he wanted to live to the point of killing people.
That’s why it pricked his heart as a sense of guilt.
Ritz lightly patted Franz on the shoulder. It wasn’t comforting, but it felt as if his feelings were being acknowledged, and he looked up to see Ritz smiling wryly.
“I get how you feel. It’s not like I was this tough from the start either.”
“Eh…?”
“I had my young days too, you know.”
Ritz’s true feelings were lost in the joke. There were times when Ritz’s true feelings would seep out like this, and they were always surprisingly quiet, to Franz’s astonishment.
And always, Ritz exuded an atmosphere that made it impossible for Franz to ask any further.
Ritz patted the silent Franz on the shoulder again.
“Franz, I’ll tell you this, but don’t tell Anna yet.”
“What?”
When Franz looked up at Ritz, he was taken aback. He had a frighteningly serious expression.
“There’s bound to be another commotion. When that happens, I’ll probably have no choice but to draw my sword this time.”
“…I see…”
“But you know, when I do that, it’ll be for my old friend, or for you guys. Don’t hold it against me.”
As Ritz said that with a slightly joking tone, Franz noticed a subtle wavering in his heart. It felt as if a Ritz who was not the perfect adult he had seemed to be until now was peeking through.
That’s why he nodded honestly.
“I know.”
“I see…”
Ritz muttered softly. It seemed he had some kind of hesitation in his heart. He didn’t know what it was, but for the first time, Franz realized that Ritz might be a human who also had worries, just like him.
That’s why he forced a change of subject.
“Ritz, don’t you think you should help Edward-san out soon?”
As if sensing Franz’s consideration, Ritz returned to his usual confident smile and nodded.
“You’re right, I guess I’ll let him off the hook.”
With his slight sense of unease somewhat resolved, Franz turned his eyes away from Ritz and let out a big breath. As for Ritz, he had stepped between Edward and Anna and was starting to say something.
He consciously shut out their voices and recalled Ritz’s earlier words.
He was frustratingly no match for Ritz in terms of experience and power, but he too would fight if his companions’ lives were in danger.
He might worry about it again, but it was better than losing his companions and regretting it. So he decided to focus on protecting rather than hesitating.
Just as he was thinking with such resolve, he heard Ritz’s words from behind him.
“Listen, Anna. A man is always searching for his best partner. That’s why he thinks back on the various women he’s met.”
At the selfish logic, he glanced over and saw Ritz saying it with his usual tone for persuading Anna, without any hesitation.
“Oh, is that so~”
“So, when he’s thinking about a woman, that’s what it means.”
Anna was nodding, looking impressed. It seemed she was being fooled again, but in the end, that was probably for the best for these two.
“So you’re saying he’s having trouble deciding on a marriage partner.”
“Exactly!”
It was slightly off, but Edward was freed, and Anna was convinced, so was the case closed?
“Such nonsense…”
Edward shrugged his shoulders with a look of utter exasperation. Franz shared his opinion.
In the end, no matter what, Ritz was Ritz. That was probably it. Franz let out a sigh that was a mixture of relief and exasperation at Ritz’s nonsense words as he persuaded Anna.
Despite all that, with only the light from the lamp illuminating the darkness, the carriage moved slowly along. Unlike the highway they had been on until now, the side road they had turned onto was narrow and unreliable.
Eventually, the trees opened up, and the deserted village appeared.
“It’s pretty clean for a deserted village…”
That was Ritz’s first impression as he looked out the window at the village. Edward, also looking outside, agreed.
“…It certainly is.”
It was far from the image of a deserted village that everyone had. It was too clean. There was a sense of unease in calling this a deserted village.
Certainly, there was no sign of people or daily life. The doors of the houses were left open, and carts and buckets were scattered about, rotting.
If the village had been abandoned recently, someone would surely know about it. But no one in this group, including the inspectors, knew of this village.
“Is this what a deserted village is like?”
At Anna’s question, who was looking around as if seeing something scary, Franz murmured, his gaze wandering.
“It’s as if only the people vanished.”
Having said it himself, Franz felt like he was about to tremble at his own words. Franz was truly afraid of ghosts.
There was nothing more frightening than an existence beyond human comprehension. He felt a chill at the situation, which could only be thought of as the people of the village suddenly disappearing.
The fountain in the center of the town was already dry, and the bricks forming it were dry and discolored. It was proof that it hadn’t been used for a long time.
“In any case, it seems we have no choice but to stay here. Come on, let’s get ready to camp.”
At Edward’s words, everyone began to prepare in silence.
In the silence, with only the light from the lamps attached to the carriages, the sound of their preparations for the night echoed loudly.
“Ritz, I feel like the side of the road was better than this place.”
Anna, relying on the light of the lamp holding Sara, complained in a low voice while pulling on Ritz’s clothes after securing their spot.
Franz, standing next to Anna, didn’t say it out loud, but he shared Anna’s opinion.
As they looked at him imploringly, Ritz let out a small sigh and shrugged his shoulders.
“It can’t be helped. We’re not traveling as a group of three. Just put up with it for tonight. If we leave first thing tomorrow, there won’t be a problem, right?”
When he put it that way, Franz had no reason to object. But Anna, who usually agreed right away, pressed on unusually.
“But I have a bad feeling about this village.”
It seemed Anna also had a vague sense of this strange situation.
Attacked by bandits, they stumbled upon a conveniently located deserted village.
Even without knowing the reason, this alone was enough to cause anxiety.
Franz looked around cautiously. Having heard Ritz’s words, ‘There will be another disturbance,’ every situation felt suspicious.
Perhaps even the existence of this deserted village was some kind of trap. As Franz looked around nervously, it was Ritz who eased his tension.
“Well, it’ll work out somehow, so don’t worry. Let’s just grab a bite to eat for now!”
“You’re right! I’m starving!”
Franz also let out a small breath. He still had no appetite, but if he just filled his stomach and went to sleep, he could say goodbye to this creepy village soon enough.
But on their way to the inspectors, lamp in hand, Anna, who was in the lead, found something she shouldn’t have.
“Ritz, Franz, come here! There’s a house with a light on!”
“What?”
Ritz, next to Anna, strained his eyes in the direction she pointed. Ritz and Anna had much better eyesight than Franz. If anything, Franz had poor eyesight, so he couldn’t see well.
Even so, he could faintly see a house with a light on.
“It’s not a house… it’s a mansion, at that size.”
At Ritz’s murmur, Anna also nodded.
“Even from this far away, the windows are so clear. Each one must be pretty big.”
An inhabited mansion in a ruin… wasn’t that getting more and more suspicious?
Feeling an even greater sense of creepiness, Franz shivered. Please, he thought, just spare me from ghosts.
“What is it?”
Noticing the commotion, Edward and Kenny rushed over. Anna once again pointed to the lit window. The two who confirmed it groaned.
“It seems someone is there.”
Edward muttered.
“So it seems. I’ll send a scout immediately.”
Kenny immediately called over three of his subordinates. One was the person who was often by Kenny’s side, who was supposed to be his adjutant. They were ordered to investigate with a tense look, and eventually, the three of them saluted Kenny and Edward, and the adjutant spoke.
“We will go and investigate the situation.”
“Alright, be careful.”
After seeing the three of them head off toward the lit house with hurried steps, Anna turned back.
“I wonder what kind of person lives there? Isn’t it scary to be all alone in a place like this?”
At Anna’s murmur, Franz couldn’t help but look up at Ritz.
What kind of person lived there… What if it was the same people who had attacked them earlier…
Thinking that, he couldn’t stay calm.
But Ritz calmly met Franz’s anxious gaze and turned his face to Edward.
“Ed, what do you think?”
“I don’t know. An enemy, or perhaps a civilian…”
It seemed the possibility of them being an enemy was high. At their exchange, Franz clenched his fists in tension. If they ended up heading to that mansion, wouldn’t it be quite dangerous?
As if noticing Franz’s tense gaze as he watched the two of them, Edward looked back at him and smiled cheerfully.
“But well, it’ll work out somehow.”
“Yeah.”
At their overly casual words, Franz staggered.
“How can you be so nonchalant!”
When he snapped at them, the two older men looked at Franz as if teasing him and laughed. It seemed these two were not the least bit concerned about the anxiety Franz was feeling.
“If you get this neurotic now, you’ll go bald.”
“Why aren’t you so nervous?”
At Franz’s very reasonable words, Edward replied nonchalantly.
“If they’re an enemy, we defeat them. If they’re civilians, we have them provide us with lodging. There are only two options. It’s only natural for a person to hope for the better outcome, isn’t it?”
Finally realizing he was being played with, Franz fell into a sullen silence. With two eloquent people, Franz was no match.
“Well then, I hope they’ll let us stay. I’m tired today, so I want to sleep in a nice bed, don’t you?”
Anna, who had been listening to the conversation, said cheerfully and patted Franz on the shoulder. In Anna’s case, she meant it seriously, so Franz had no choice but to swallow his words.
“If they’re nice people.”
At Franz’s drained, dismissive words, Anna replied with a smile.
“I’m sure they’re nice people. You know, in this world, there are very few truly evil people. We met some bad people today, so we won’t meet any more bad people, I’m sure!”
Franz was a little impressed that Anna could still say such a thing after experiencing the commotion earlier. What sturdy nerves.
Besides, if what Anna said was true, the world would be filled with peace, but reality wasn’t like that.
“You’re optimistic, Anna.”
A sarcastic remark came out reflexively, but Anna seemed completely unfazed.
“You think so~”
At Anna, who tilted her head, Franz once again let out a big sigh. He felt like they weren’t quite on the same page. Was it just his imagination?
“Hey Franz, if you keep sighing like that, your happiness will fly away.”
At Ritz’s sudden words, Franz became annoyed and looked away. Mind your own business. Instead, Anna was answering.
“Why will happiness fly away?”
“A sigh, you see, with every one you let out, you expel good fortune from your body.”
“I didn’t know that~”
Franz grimaced in exasperation at their exchange. He was annoyed at them for saying such carefree things at a time like this. When he glanced at Edward, for some reason, he was watching the two of them with a fond smile.
“So it’s better not to sigh!”
“Okay!”
Ritz had completely drawn Anna into his pace, but when his conversation with her ended, he once again turned his gaze to the mansion.
Following his lead, Franz also followed his gaze. Even though he was saying carefree things, Ritz probably knew that the mansion was suspicious.
Besides, to continue living in this deserted village, one would have to have considerable nerves. In the first place, how did they obtain daily necessities? That alone was suspicious.
Even the closest village was a half-day’s journey from here.
“Ah, they’re back!”
When he strained his eyes in the direction Anna had indicated, he could see the figures of four people. Three had gone to the mansion. That meant the other one was probably a resident of that mansion.
The figures in the darkness gradually grew larger in his vision, and he could finally make out their faces. He didn’t recognize the face. That meant it was indeed someone from the mansion.
The three who returned came before Edward and reported that there was indeed someone living in that large mansion, and that the person did not seem to be hostile.
The group’s gaze focused on the other man, who had yet to be introduced. In response, the adjutant introduced the man standing behind him.
There stood a thin, elderly man.
“This person is the butler of the mansion.”
The fact that there was a butler meant that the resident of that mansion was not alone.
“He would like to invite us to the mansion…”
Kenny, looking perplexed, informed Edward. Everyone couldn’t help but look at each other. Another instance of such convenient timing…
Was it okay for things to go this smoothly?
“A pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am the butler of that mansion.”
The man who had been waiting finally spoke. His tone was as solemn as his appearance. The man’s gaze was surprisingly sharp, and he possessed a certain air of dignity. The way he effortlessly wore a well-tailored three-piece suit was also flawless.
Even Franz, who had been accustomed to the presence of butlers since childhood, found his demeanor convincing.
“The master of our mansion has expressed a desire to invite you all, which is why I have come.”
His words were polite, but in the atmosphere that seemed to brook no opposition, Ritz silently looked at Edward.
Without turning around, Edward nodded. He didn’t understand the meaning of their exchange, but it seemed there was some kind of agreement.
“That is much appreciated. We were attacked by ruffians on our way here, you see.”
“That must have been terrible.”
“Yes, it was. So we were just wanting a place to rest. Truly exquisite timing.”
Edward’s words seemed to be testing his opponent, but the elderly butler listened to Edward without so much as his expression, or even an eyebrow, twitching.
“That is good to hear. Then you will accept our invitation?”
Something invisible flew between Edward and the butler. It became a tense atmosphere that dominated the place.
“…Now, what shall we do, gentlemen?”
Edward looked at Ritz with deliberately theatrical words. Without answering, Ritz gave a small shrug. At that, Edward smiled faintly and turned back to the elderly butler.
“Does this village have a name? Unfortunately, it is not within our knowledge.”
Implicitly emphasizing the suspiciousness of the village, Edward continued to test his opponent. The butler replied with a blank expression.
“This village has no name. It is simply called by my master’s name.”
“Oh? And what might that be?”
“Laria.”
“…A woman…”
After muttering with some surprise, Edward finally turned to face them. His mind seemed to be made up long ago.
He knew something, and he was knowingly walking into a trap. There must be some secret.
Moreover, a secret that only he knew.
But Franz had no words to question Edward about it.
For Franz, who knew nothing of the world and couldn’t read the situation, he had no choice but to follow that decision.
Edward looked around at all the inspectors and drivers present. They too were looking at him with expressions of trust in their king.
After giving them a serious nod, Edward turned back to the elderly butler and announced with a dignified expression.
“Then, Butler, we shall accept your invitation.”
“My master will be pleased.”
The butler bowed deeply. At that moment, no one saw the strange twist of the butler’s lips.