kscans

3 - Nowem, the Former Fiancée

On the horse-drawn carriage, I look at the girl sitting opposite me.

When I steal a glance, she is looking back at me. Our eyes meet, and we both look away.

"Hahaha, how youthful," the middle-aged merchant laughs, watching the two of us.

Nowem Foxus—that is her name.

Her hair is in a side ponytail, which suits her bright, long brown hair. Her square leather bag likely contains her travel luggage.

Perhaps she chose clothes that were easy to move in, as she isn't wearing the dresses she usually wears when we meet.

She is wearing thick-soled boots, making her look taller and more mature than usual. Her usually gentle expression seemed tense today.

I ask her in a voice low enough that the merchant cannot hear.

"How did you find out? And are you sane, coming along with me?"

"...Was I a nuisance?"

Nowem, who makes a troubled face, is the second daughter of a Baron's house.

Of course, if she were to marry me, a member of a Count's house, our social statuses would not be balanced. However, House Foxus has served House Walt for generations.

The marriage with Nowem, who came from such a family, was decided by my parents when I was thirteen because it was convenient for them.

Normally, it is standard to bring a proposal to a house of appropriate status, or to consider one brought to them.

"No. I was kicked out of my home. Following someone like me is something only a fool would do."

There is no benefit to Nowem or her family, House Foxus, in following me after I have lost everything.

A proper noble would normally prioritize the benefit of their own house. While there are occasionally abnormal people, they are a minority.

However, I couldn't imagine Nowem being one of that minority.

Since we are the same age, we had met many times as children.

We even had memories of playing together.

But I have no memory of talking to her much since I began to be shunned by my parents. Because I desperately wanted to be praised by them, I had thrown myself into training and study.

"You are a nuisance. I thought I could finally live freely and as I pleased on my own."

If I said something cruel to her face, she might go back. Thinking this, I spoke words I didn't actually mean.

Nowem was not a dreamy girl, and above all, she was a bridal candidate who would undoubtedly pass if measured against the House Walt family precepts.

"...I am sorry. But I have decided to marry Lord Riel."

To Nowem, who smiled as she spoke, I declared:

"I have no such intention. I'm going to become an adventurer, keep women around me, and live freely. I'm actually refreshed that I was kicked out of my home."

It was a despicable statement. With this, Nowem should be disgusted.

Thinking this to myself, I looked down. I didn't want to see Nowem's face looking at me with contempt, but I looked up because the conversation wouldn't move forward otherwise.

(Surely she hates me now.)

That's what I thought when I looked up, but Nowem was smiling.

"It is my own decision. Even if I am not your bride, I will serve by your side."

I wanted to hold my head in my hands.

"...What will happen to House Foxus? Your parents will be sad."

When I brought up her family, Nowem answered with confidence.

"That will be fine. I am the second daughter, and my older brother will inherit the house. I have an older sister and a younger sister, so my parents sent me off, saying it would be fine for just one of us to be free."

(What are you talking about, Mr. and Mrs. Foxus!)

I started to get a headache.

Nowem is a beautiful girl, to put it mildly. On top of that, she was strictly disciplined and is well-educated. Even if she stayed silent, there would have been marriage proposals.

She might have even been able to marry into a Viscount's house.

It's a waste to throw away a happiness she could have had just for me.

Precisely because I've known her since childhood, I wanted Nowem to be happy. But her will seemed firm.

(Come to think of it, she had a stubborn side when she was little too.)

"...Do whatever you want."

When I looked away, Nowem placed her hand over her mouth and smiled.

"I shall do as I please."

Having overheard, the merchant spoke.

"Being young is a wonderful thing. That alone is a treasure."

It seems we were heard loud and clear.

I became embarrassed and my face turned red. But just then, a voice reached me.

'Hey now, you're quite loved, aren't you?'

A teasing voice echoed. I looked around.

Only Nowem and I were on the carriage. The merchant was in front, holding the reins. Around the carriage, there were other travelers and merchants heading for the workplace district, but they weren't within a distance where their voices would reach.

"Nowem, did you hear something? It sounded like a teasing voice."

To my question, Nowem shook her head.

"I-I am sorry. ...I didn't hear anything."

To Nowem, who apologized to me apologetically, I said "You don't have to worry about it" while looking around.

The voice was a man's, and it was a fairly solid voice. However, while there were men around, none were within a distance to be heard clearly.

Moreover, I had the impression that the voice came from quite close.

(Auditory hallucinations? Am I still tired? ...Come to think of it, lately it's been hard to recover from fatigue. Is it because my injuries haven't fully healed?)

Thinking it was a voice I'd heard somewhere, I looked up. After looking at the cloth roof stretched over the carriage, I closed my eyes.

Perhaps I am more mentally pushed to the limit than I realize.

"Are you alright, Lord Riel?"

When Nowem asked in concern, I tried to open my mouth. Just as I was about to say "I'm fine," I heard the voice nearby again.

I could hear it clearly, but Nowem didn't seem to notice.

'To have a partner at this age... I'm way too envious.'

'Father struggled, didn't he?'

Since I was sitting, I lifted my hips and looked around. Nowem was surprised.

"What is the matter, Lord Riel!"

But the surrounding situation was no different from before.

"...It's nothing."

As I said that, I thought.

(Huh? Am I tired? ...I'll go to sleep today.)

We reached the post town within the day and, after consulting with the merchant, decided to continue traveling together from tomorrow onward.

Perhaps because of the season, the post town was bustling.

After confirming the departure time with the merchant, Nowem and I walked around searching for an inn.

However, there was one problem here.

"Only one room? Is two rooms impossible?"

When I confirmed with the innkeeper, he answered immediately that it was impossible.

"There are many people at this time of year. I can't give one room per person. I'm sorry, but if you're acquaintances, could you put up with one room?"

I turned back to Nowem, who was with me.

Nowem had followed me, but sharing a room with a woman was something I had been taught to avoid.

Because I had been taught that way, I was bewildered by the inn's response.

However, Nowem told the owner "That is fine" and paid the money. She paid copper coins and received the room key.

"H-hey..."

Before I could ask if that was really okay, the innkeeper spoke.

"The room is at the back of the second floor. The room number is written on the tag attached to the key. Oh, breakfast and hot water are complimentary, but we don't serve dinner, so you'd better eat somewhere before putting your luggage down."

I couldn't understand the part about "before putting your luggage down."

(If there's a key, wouldn't it be better to put the luggage down first? Putting myself aside, Nowem's luggage is a travel bag.)

Nowem, carrying heavy-looking luggage, thanked the innkeeper.

"Thank you very much. What should I do with the key?"

"I won't pretend not to know you after taking your money. I'll keep it, so please hold onto this tag. If you present this here, I'll give you the key."

I wondered why they were doing this exchange, but Nowem told me to go outside and led me out.

Going outside the inn, we ended up eating at a shop next door that I couldn't tell if it was a dining hall or a tavern, as instructed.

A bustling post town with many people passing by—.

'...Wait a minute. Is this guy a total sheltered brat? He's way too ignorant of the world.'

'He's a Count! Riel is the next Count!'

'Well, it's certain he's been rich since birth. He really is a pampered young master.'

Mixed in with that commotion, I heard easily audible voices again. If they were indeed being spoken nearby, I could even hear my name.

"Are you alright, Lord Riel? Your complexion is poor."

"I-I'm fine!"

My voice grew loud in my panic. It seemed Nowem couldn't hear them. And the voices came again.

'I mean... he should carry the girl's luggage. He's practically empty-handed. He's so inconsiderate.'

'Was he a Count? If he's the heir, this is probably how he is. He's the type people are considerate toward.'

"...What did you say?"

I heard it again. Moreover, the voices were coming from near me. Furthermore, the voices were different. There were multiple people.

"Lord Riel?"

Deciding I couldn't trouble the worried Nowem, I decided to ignore the voices. However, it was certainly wrong for a woman to be carrying heavy luggage while I carried nothing.

"A-ah... Nowem, it's heavy, isn't it? I'll carry it."

Saying that, I took Nowem's luggage. I took the luggage from Nowem, who said she would carry it herself, somewhat forcibly, and entered the dining hall next to the inn.

But the voices were still audible.

'He should just hold her hand and escort her.'

Just as we entered the shop, I heard such a voice. For a moment, I wondered if I should reach out and hold Nowem's hand.

(I mean, we're already inside the shop... it's too late to offer a hand now, right?)

Perhaps because I had reached out and fallen into thought, I ended up just hovering awkwardly in front of Nowem.

Sensing this, Nowem took my hand.

"Lord Riel, that seat over there is empty, so could you lead me there?"

"A, eh... y-yeah."

After escorting her over a short distance, Nowem thanked me at the end.

"Thank you, Lord Riel. Um... excuse me."

Saying that, Nowem ordered from the staff. She asked for recommendations from the menu and ordered for two.

When asked if that was okay, I just affirmed it without knowing what would come out.

And then, the voices were heard again.

'Isn't this guy a bit pathetic?'

'He's ignorant of the world. Well, he does have a slightly unreliable side.'

'This is fine because the girl is considerate, but a normal girl would have abandoned him.'

As my evaluation continued to drop, I thought.

(What is this situation!)

Night.

Returning to the inn, I received the hot water the owner had prepared.

I was told to use the hot water in the bucket to wipe my body.

"Is there no bath?"

To my question, Nowem answered.

"In post towns, there are places that have them depending on the price, but basically, using hot water to wipe the body is common. Even in inns that have baths, most are large public baths for guests to use."

"Is that so? I heard that in cities there are baths in private rooms..."

Nowem, with a troubled face, put a towel in the bucket of hot water and wrung it out. Then, she had me take off my clothes and wiped my body.

"Inns with baths in private rooms are expensive. They're at a level where they take silver coins per night."

"I have silver coins. It must be tough for you too, Nowem, without a bath, right?"

When I said that, Nowem cautioned me.

"You mustn't, Lord Riel! From now on, money is important. If we don't save where we can, the money will disappear quickly."

"I-is that so?"

Nowem, who cautioned me, finished wiping my back and others, and it was now time to wash my hair. When I brought my head over the bucket, Nowem washed it carefully.

Then, an exasperated voice was heard.

'Hey, sheltered brat. Once you're done wiping your body, get out of the room.'

"Eh?"

"What is the matter, Lord Riel?"

Since I heard a threatening voice, I looked around. My hair was wet, and water splashed around.

'No good, this girl... she hasn't noticed at all.'

'I think it's not a problem, though.'

To the worried Nowem, I said it was nothing, and after having my head washed, I put on my clothes.

I wanted a change of clothes, but I had nothing other than underwear.

"Then, I shall use it next. Um..."

To Nowem, who seemed to want to say something, I said:

"Y-yeah. I'll be outside. I'll be outside the door (Why do I need to go out?)."

"I am sorry."

Saying that, I went outside and found a chair in the hallway. When I sat on the rattling chair, the voices were not heard.

"Are they hallucinations? I mean, for today, already..."

Once I sat, my eyelids gradually became heavy. I closed my eyes just like that. Perhaps because I felt refreshed from wiping my body, my mood was good.

(I'll sleep just a little...)

'Wake up, you bastard!'

Hearing a shouting voice, I woke up to find myself in a different place than before.

"Eh, a... huh?"

Moreover, there were people around. Seven figures were sitting in chairs, surrounding a large round table—.

Everyone's attire was different. And they were faces I felt I had seen somewhere. Where had I seen them? Just as I thought that, there was a man wearing beast fur as a vest.

His arms were as thick as logs, and his hair was shaggy. Around him were men who looked refined. All of them were around the age of late twenties to early thirties.

I turned my gaze toward the barbarian in front of me.

"Huh? Could this voice be—"

'That's right. It's us.'

And among them, there was a man I recognized. He was different from in my memories, quite young. But the atmosphere had not changed.

'Riel!'

"Eh? G-Grandfather!"

There was the figure of my grandfather, rejuvenated. His back was straight, and his build was firmer than in my memories.

'To have grown this much... I am happy, Riel.'

However, the welcoming mood was only from my grandfather. The other figures lined up were either indignant, uninterested, or exasperated.

Looking at me, it seemed they each had a different evaluation.

Then, my grandfather spoke.

'Do you lot have a complaint about my grandson!'

The one responding was the man in the barbarian style.

'Of course I do! What is this wimpy bastard! It's impossible that my descendant is such a pathetic man!'

"D-descendant!?"

I couldn't grasp the situation. And since my grandfather was here, was this a dream? While I was thinking that, a different person spoke up.

'No, it's not really a problem, is it? Rather, more than that, there's something I want to ask. Let's see, Riel, was it. I am your great-grandfather.'

"...Eh?"

The man with red hair and a slightly wild look was dressed properly. However, he wore his clothes a bit loosely.

And then, I remembered the paintings in my family home. Those paintings, which depicted the successive heads of the house, were displayed in the home. A few had quite different impressions, but most were similar.

The irritated barbarian-style man spoke.

'You're slow on the uptake! I'm tell-ing you, we are your ancestors!'

The man sitting next to him, dressed like a hunter, muttered softly.

'You probably don't want to admit it, but this guy is the first generation of the local noble House Walt. Ah, you don't have to show respect or anything like that.'

"...Huh?"

I must be making a vacant face right now.