There is no flower with one leaf (8)
"Young Lady's brothers threatened her. They said that if they heard that her younger sister didn't smile even for a single day during the trip, they wouldn't let her stay still."
"So, just smile. I'll check every day from now on."
"Oh my."
I buried my face in the pillow.
I can't live because I'm so embarrassed because of my real brothers.
"You had a nice walk, so why are you acting like this all of a sudden?"
"No"
"Are you tired? Why didn't you say you would leave the day after tomorrow? Why did you decline?"
"We're not here for tourism. The Duke doesn't express it, so you can imagine how impatient he must be."
"Well, I guess so. The people will be waiting with bated breath. Should I turn off the lights?"
"Yes."
Nadia walked around the room, turning off the lights one by one.
The sky gradually grew darker and darker, and soon it became pitch black.
The window was covered with curtains, so not a single ray of light came in.
I've been riding in a carriage all day doing nothing, but I'm still exhausted.
Traveling isn't something that just anyone can do. I was drowning in the pouring rain.
That's how the first day of the trip passed.
***
We rented the entire inn every time.
Ian did it without me having to say anything.
The innkeepers, who were initially reluctant, became polite as if nothing had happened when I showed them Kjer's pendant.
Kjer invested in each region to develop the central commercial district and received a certain percentage of the profits generated there.
In a city of any size, it would be safe to assume that no merchant did not spend his money.
So It was natural that the innkeepers were weak to Kjer.
Six more days have passed safely and we have already reached the second half of our journey.
We left the city early this morning and arrived at the foot of the mountain.
It wasn't that rugged, but it was so wide that it would take two full days to get through on horseback.
It's so hot right now that I'm sweating even when I'm still, but once we get over this mountain, the temperature will drop so much that I'll start to feel my breath coming out. From there, it was Eldern, the northernmost and largest territory in the empire.
"They say there's a mountain lodge belonging to the Eldern family on the other side of this mountain. It'll take more than a day to get there, so we'll have to camp today. What should we do?"
"It would be fun."
I looked out the window, listening to Nadia's soft sigh.
"..."
Ian's back was visible as he rode near the carriage.
Even in this heat, his perfectly tailored knight jacket was unable to overcome his wide back and became taut.
My gaze went to that shoulder area.
When I return, I will check to see if there is a flower-shaped scar there. My heart is filled with anticipation.
As noon approached, the sun grew stronger.
The inside of the carriage was literally a steamer. Even with the windows wide open, the heat did not escape.
Even though I didn't feel the heat, I could say that it was a little hot, but Nadia was just clinging to the wall of the carriage and panting for rest.
I called Ian because I didn't think I could hold out until dinner.
"Can we just take a short break and then go? Nadia is having a hard time."
Ian looked at Nadia's complexion through the window and raised his hand.
"We're resting here today. Get ready for camping."
The knights' faces brightened.
Even for those considered the best in the empire, the weather made it difficult for them to march.
In particular, Eldern has low temperatures all year round, and the seasons are the opposite of the capital.
Because they were born and raised in such places, they were particularly vulnerable to the heat.
"What are you guys doing just sitting there? Sleeping on the floor?"
"No!!!"
"Aren't you going to lower your voice? Why don't you just go and tell the Young Lady? I'm going to tease you guys."
"I will correct it..."
At the urging of Beorn Estian, Vice-Captain of the Knights of Eldern, the knights moved quickly. In an instant, they set up a makeshift camp and moved the wagon to the center.
And they kept cursing Beorn, without even realizing that I was listening.
While I was holding back laughter while listening to the knights' gossip about ventriloquism, Ian brought me a packed lunch.
"Is it evening?"
He just stood there blankly, holding his lunch box.
"Your Highness?"
"Try to smile."
"I told you not to do that. I'll speak well to my brothers."
"..."
I could feel the unspoken pressure from him as he stood there silently.
I forced my lips into a smile. He tapped the top of my head.
"Well done."
You're really treating me like a kid.
As I shook my head, he chuckled and took my hand away.
"Please eat."
"I'll eat outside. If I eat in the carriage today. I think Nadia will collapse."
"Yes, that's right."
The knights laid out a large mat next to the carriage.
Nadia and I moved there and had an early dinner.
Nadia, who had been drooping like withered grass, mumbled in a dying voice.
"You just have to get over the mountain, but because of me... I'm sorry."
"We can't climb the mountain once it gets dark anyway. If you have the strength to speak, drink some water."
"Yes."
Nadia gulped down some water and opened her lunch box.
"I had no appetite at all, but now that I see something to eat, I feel like eating again. Miss, please eat quickly."
"You eat a lot too."
Across from us, the knights were having an early dinner.
They must have been conscious of me because they kept their voice very low, but unfortunately, my hearing was very sensitive.
"Hey, isn't it really different from the rumors?"
"What?"
"Young Lady, you say? She's a witch?"
"She wasn't a witch, she was a fool?"
A witch tries to control the empire by using the Third Prince as her puppet, a fool who is blinded by men and has no regard for her duties as a guardian. This is the world's opinion of me.
Somehow my head felt heavy. I lowered my gaze to my lunch box.
"You can't say that even after watching from the side? That person, except when she was at the lodging for six days, never got out of the carriage. She said it was a disruption to the schedule. What do you call that person? A witch? A fool? You're making me laugh."
"That's right. Montpain was also prepared by the Guardian's power. I don't know what it was like before, but it's clear that it has changed."
The knights nodded.
"But isn't our little lord being too polite to Young Lady? If they've known each other since childhood, shouldn't he be a little more relaxed?"
"You ignorant fool, don't you know what a guardian is? How can you speak rudely to someone that even His Majesty can't treat with contempt?"
"Oh, is that so? I thought our little Prince had feelings for Young Lady."
"This guy is crazy. She was the lover of the Third Prince until a few days ago. How can that be? Don't go around saying things like that."
"They broke up anyway, so what does it matter? Hey, let's be frank. Wouldn't the little Prince like her? She's so pretty."
My face felt hot. I quickly looked down and controlled my expression.
The knights of Eldern had a strong tendency to flatter me.
It's been a while since word got out that I had told Kjer to gather Montpain.
"They say she wears an eye patch because her eyes look like the eyes of a dead fish. What kind of idiot spread such a rumor?"
"That kid's mouth needs to be ripped off."
I remember the first time I wore a blindfold.
Even though my skin was chafed and soaked in pus from the lace. I didn't take it off because Sierra advised me it was too ugly.
I unconsciously touched my eyes and then lowered my hand.
I was afraid that I would hear more embarrassing things, so I focused on my lunch box.
After dinner, the knights laid out their individual sleeping bags in a circle around the carriage.
Nadia watched the scene with her chin resting on the carriage window.
"Even if a pack of wild animals attacks, the young lady and I will be safe."
"This is your first time camping. You must be worried."
"Should we start getting ready? Please wait a moment, we just need to connect the chairs."
As Nadia manipulated the chair next to her, the two chairs connected to each other, creating a perfect bed.
"The world has become a better place. There are even carriages for travel."
"Even if I order this, it will take three months? So how did my father prepare it in one night?"
"With money. Money can solve everything."
Nadia, who had been assessing the reality coolly, tapped the soft floor.
"Please lie down. Should I close the window?"
"What if you pass out again? Let's just leave it alone."
"Phew, I survived."
Nadia lay down and fell asleep in an Instant. Her snorting could be heard throughout the carriage.
After spending the night at the mountain lodge tomorrow, we will finally arrive at Eldern Castle after another full day of running.
In two days, this journey will be over.
It was fun, even though I only remember being in the carriage for a few days. I guess I'll be able to look around a little more leisurely on the way back.
"We stand watch every two hours. I do it at midnight."
Outside the carriage, Ian was giving Beorn instructions to keep watch.
I closed my eyes, listening to Ian's voice as a lullaby.
***
"..."
Suddenly my eyes opened.
The moon is hidden by clouds, so it's pitch dark all around.
It might be uncomfortable for a normal person, but I was used to the darkness.
I looked up at the pitch-black ceiling and recalled the dream I had just had in my past life.
It was around the time I left home and started living in a villa in Oslo.
One day, Oslo came to visit and smelled strange.
It was bitter and slightly spicy. It smelled like medicine.
"Your Highness, are you hurt? I smell medicine"
"Medicine? Oh, does it smell like paralyzing poison?"
"Paralyzing poison?"
"I met Baba a little while ago. He said he made his own poison and the smell was lingering on my body."
Baba was the name of the leader of the Assassin's Guild.
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