136 - Return to the City of Grenore
"It's such a big boat, deshu ne......"
I had heard that the boat we would be using for the return trip to Grenore could carry a carriage, so I had imagined it would be a certain size, but it was bigger than I had imagined. Or rather, it was not just the boat that was bigger than I had imagined. The river was big too. It was not the size I would imagine when I heard the word "river."
I have never seen it, but maybe the Amazon River is about this big?
Even when I stared straight ahead, I could barely make out the opposite bank. I could see tall things like mountains and forests, but I could not tell what the shoreline looked like.
"Leonyaldo, you crossed a river this big on a horse... deshu ka?"
"Even I cannot do that."
Apparently, to get to the Lugmilama Fortress on the far side of the river, they crossed a stone bridge a little ways downstream. It seemed the knowledge of what construction techniques were used for it had been lost because it was too old, but apparently there really was a bridge spanning such a large river. However, Leonardo said he had not told me about it because I would have to leave the city to go see it as a tourist.
"But it seems like it would be hard going upstream in such a big boat, deshu ne."
Since there were no engines or propellers, I thought it would be difficult for a boat big enough to easily carry a carriage to go upstream, but Leonardo just raised one eyebrow slightly and gave a wry smile. I was made to promise I absolutely would not go near the dangerous area, then led to the bow. Held securely by Leonardo so I would not fall off the boat, I peered down into the river ahead and saw seven creatures that looked like hippos, tied to the boat with chains.
"They are so... big!"
My first impression was "they look like hippos," but they clearly were not hippos. Their faces really did look just like hippos, but they were three times the size of the hippos I had seen in my past life. Even if that was all, I would have thought they were giant hippos, but these creatures had fish-like tails.
...What are their lower halves like!?
Their faces were hippo-like, but I could not tell what their bodies looked like submerged in the water. Considering that the tail that occasionally kicked the water and emerged was fish-like, they might be hippo-headed fish.
"Is this the first time you have seen an Aback, Tina?"
"Those creatures are called Aback, deshu ka?"
When I asked whether they were animals or fish, I was told they were both. Apparently these hippo-like creatures called Aback can breathe with both lungs and gills.
...So they have gills.
Having heard they had gills, I could not help but look for where their gills were, but apparently it looked to Leonardo like I was about to fall off the boat. As if declaring that his explanation about the boat's power source was over, he moved me away from the bow.
"The Aback pull the boat upstream... deshu ka? There are only seven. Can they pull a boat this big?"
"Abacks in the water are strong. They usually pull boats with much more cargo on them, so having just Tina and a carriage on board is nothing."
"That is amazing, Aback, deshu ne."
I declined Leonardo's invitation to go inside because it was cold, and watched the scenery begin to flow past. Since this was basically a river flowing through a forest, the view was not particularly good. No matter how far we went, there were just trees and the occasional rocky area, with nothing particularly worth seeing, so I quickly got bored with the boat trip despite it being a special occasion. When I let out one little sneeze, Kalisa enforced a mandatory evacuation.
Once inside the boat, Kalisa quickly prepared a warm drink for me. Since this was not a passenger boat, the decor was purely functional, and if you wanted to sit on a bench with soft cushions, you had to get into the carriage. Of course, Leonardo would not bother with something so troublesome, so he sat on a pile of boxes as a makeshift chair. I am not some noble princess who would insist on having a soft cushion either, so I sat down on the box Leonardo was sitting on.
"How long until we reach the city of Grenore, deshu ka?"
"Probably around evening? The exact time depends on the Abacks, though..."
I was honestly surprised that it was so fast. Even going from Mandez to Lagarette took several days by carriage, so I never imagined we could go from Lagarette to Grenore in a single day.
"The river is almost a straight path. Compared to going by carriage on mountain roads, it is fast."
I was surprised just to hear that we would arrive in one day, but a crew member told me that actually, since we were going upstream, this was the slow way. Apparently going downstream takes half a day with the wind, and only two or three hours if pulled by Abacks.
"...If William and his group had gone downstream, I would not be here right now, deshu ne."
Realizing the speed if they had gone downstream, I could not help but shudder. If they had escaped using the river, I would have been kidnapped far away from Lagarette before Leonardo could catch up. Feeling a vague fear, I hugged Leonardo, and he gently patted my head. I think he probably meant to comfort me, but the words that came out of his mouth were "if it had not been winter, that possibility would have existed," which had completely the opposite effect.
"By the way, after I take you back to the residence in Grenore, I plan to go to Mey Fortress to check on the Restham Knight Order..."
"I will stay home. I would slow you down if I came along, and I want to rest at the residence."
"...I see."
I thought he might try to invite me a bit more, but Leonardo gave up easily. The trip to Mandez had been unplanned to begin with, and on the way back, I almost got kidnapped, then actually got kidnapped. It had become a rather busy journey. For someone still in single digits like me, I felt I needed some proper rest at the residence for once.
"We had a lot happen, but I had fun with you, Leonyaldo."
It really was a trip full of unexpected encounters and incidents. But I had also made more acquaintances, and I had secured a capable person like Kalisa whom I had no resistance to having join us at the residence immediately.
...More than anything, I am happy I can eat pudding now.
As I smiled secretly about that, Leonardo, perhaps remembering this winter as well, started holding his head for some reason. Apparently my existence as his little sister had become known even to people he had never planned to introduce me to, and cleaning up after that was going to be troublesome.
"...I wonder how many more years you will stay by my side, Tina."
Leonardo started muttering incomprehensible things about not wanting me to ever get married, so I tried to console him by saying he was jumping too far ahead.
"More importantly, who would I even marry, anyway?"
"I feel like Dietfried-sama would want you."
"What is that, deshu ka? No way, absolutely not."
Becoming a prince's bride or some noble's relative. I could only see a future more troublesome than being taken in by noble relatives. I decline such a future.
...I still can only vaguely think about marriage, but even so, I think I would hate a prince or a noble.
If I were to marry, I would want an ordinary commoner with compatible values. Nobles and royalty, who come with troublesome relatives and duties and roles, are far too objectionable as marriage partners.
...If it came to marrying Diet, I would rather stay unmarried and never leave my home (Leonardo) for the rest of my life.
As we exchanged such jokes, the boat pulled by the Abacks arrived at a pier north of Grenore.
"...Huh?"
I spotted a carriage on the far side of the pier and squinted. I felt like I could vaguely see a familiar silhouette in the distance.
"Hermine-sensei... and Bart?"
The figures standing with straight postures were definitely Hermine and Bart, but I could not understand why the two of them would be waiting at the pier. There was no way Hermine and the others would know that I and Leonardo were returning today, and via the river at that.
When I asked Leonardo in puzzlement, he told me he had sent word ahead as a plan. Boats pulled by Abacks are fast, but if you switch to a smaller boat, it is even faster. Apparently using that small boat, a message from Lagarette to Grenore could arrive almost immediately.
Feeling happy at the somehow nostalgic faces, I ran along the pier without even waiting for the carriage to be unloaded from the boat. I got close enough that my hand could almost reach Hermine, then hurriedly stopped.
...Hermine-sensei, that face is... terrifying!?
Realizing I was being glared at with an intensely ferocious gaze, I instinctively backed away. If I just took one step, two steps back, I could make excuses later, but instead I ran back at full speed to Leonardo, who was still a little behind me, and hid behind him.
"Tina? What is wrong?"
"Please! Get scolded with me!"
I did not really understand why, but I could tell Hermine was absolutely furious. I thought I had been playing the part of a well-behaved child, so why was she glaring at me with such an angry face? When I desperately searched for a reason I might be scolded, I did find something likely.
...I was enjoying the trip in a carefree way, but back in Grenore, I am supposed to be a lost child!
My memories were still hazy, but I was supposed to have gotten lost right in front of Hermine. If that was the case, it would be only natural for her to be angry as soon as she saw me.
Pushing Leonardo's legs forward, I made him stand before Hermine. I knew I should apologize properly, but since this was the first time I had made Hermine angry, I did not know how to apologize.
"Um, Hermine-sensei..."
"...I am not angry, you know."
"But you have a scary face."
"This is just my natural face."
Her voice was flat and controlled. I could tell she was angry, but it did not seem like she was going to shout, so I steeled myself. Cautiously emerging from behind Leonardo, I looked up at Hermine again.
"...I am home."
"Welcome back. ...I am glad you returned safely."
I thought I heard a faint tremble in her voice at the end, when suddenly Hermine's ferocious expression snapped into a blank one. Normally, the change from an angry face to an expressionless one would make you fear you had made her even angrier, but the tremble at the end of her words told me Hermine was not angry. I could just tell that she had been truly worried. Her feelings of happiness at my safety had simply been hidden behind her tutor's face.
"...Hermine-sensei, would it be alright if I resumed lessons starting tomorrow?"
I told her I was tired from just returning and it was difficult to maintain a ladylike facade, and Hermine made an exasperated face, sighed, and then said she would be strict again starting tomorrow, with a smile. Having secured Hermine's verbal promise of "today is a day off," I unhesitatingly hugged Hermine and said, "I am home." Hermine scolded, "What about being a lady! How improper!!" but I played dumb and said, "I confirmed that lessons resume tomorrow." The feeling of finally being back in the city of Grenore made me too happy.
And so, we have finally returned to the city of Grenore. The Lagarette arc was originally planned to end in about five chapters. Plans are uncertain.
I will fix typos and errors another day. I have found and corrected the typos and errors I spotted.
I will be taking the 18th off from updates.