IARMDH - Chapter 67

“The top of the Lopri will be here soon, Ma’am!”

I was overjoyed to hear the good news.

A luxurious inn we stopped at on our way to the port. I, who was resting in my room, came down to the restaurant to have dinner.

There, I overheard some drunken merchants talking amongst themselves and obtained information about the Lopri merchants.

“This is a merchant that deals with the Lopri merchants. They have an appointment to meet at the port in two days.”

“That’s good.”

I who couldn't keep this good news to myself, woke up Caroline, who was trying to go to bed, and told her.

“I was worried about sending Madam  on the boat alone, but I’m really glad.”

“Honestly, I feel a lot more relieved.”

Caroline had never traveled alone before. She didn't show it, but after being a Marchioness and having ten escorts her entire life, she was actually quite anxious now that she was traveling with just the four of them.

But there was no news more reassuring than the fact that she could meet her younger brother as soon as she arrived at the port.

“I can’t just pass up such good news.”

Caroline shook her head and ordered another glass.

“Cheers, Miss Harrington.”

Caroline poured less than half a glass of wine into the glass the waiter had brought her. She would have liked to have filled it to the brim, but they were still fleeing to the harbor, so she just let it linger.

“For the safe escape of the Lady from the Empire.”

“For the settlement of Miss Harrington’s debts.”

I and Caroline drank our glasses so much that we were almost overflowing with alcohol and emptied them all in one go. As expected, the first drink is best when it's a shot.

“Ugh.”

I let out a refreshing sigh and this time I picked up the bottle myself.

“Please take my glass too.”

“Of course.”

I also poured Caroline a drink. The two of them toasted lightly again and poured themselves a drink.

“Then get some rest, Ma’am. We’re leaving early tomorrow morning.”

“Yes. Miss Harrington must be tired, too. Get some rest.”

I closed the door to Caroline's room and went into my room right next door. Despite the alcohol, I couldn't sleep. My head was in a state of confusion due to various worries.

I opened the window and collected my thoughts as the night breeze welcomed me. Even though it was a dark night, the garden in front of the inn was bright with lanterns left on for the night guests.

“...Where have I seen that phrase before?”

A man in black robes entered the well-kept garden, leading a sleek horse.

“It’s the same as our Gold?”

The person standing next to me looks exactly like Erne.

But the real Erne would be interrogating Roam somewhere in the capital right now. Gold would be waiting for Erne somewhere where Roam was imprisoned.

“Are I drunk? You’re seeing things.”

I muttered, but couldn't take my eyes off the horse and the man in black robes.

At that moment, the person who had been handing the horse over to the hotel staff suddenly raised his head.

“...Huh?”

As the hood was removed, the blonde hair, bright even in the moonlight, was revealed. Even from afar, the high nose and gestures seemed to recognize me.

“Erne?”

It was Erne. I put on the gown provided in each room at the inn and hurried out to the inn lobby. At that moment, Erne, who had left Gold at the inn, was passing through the inn’s main entrance with long strides.

“Erne, what is this place, what is this place!”

I ran to him in one stride. I couldn't believe it even though I was seeing Erne in front of me. I poked his arm and chest to see if he was real.

This firm texture felt at the tip of my fingers. It was definitely Erne.

“Is this harassment at first sight?”

Erne said, grabbing my wrist and pulling me down.

“I can’t believe Erne is here. No, wait. What’s really going on here? Did you fail?”

You set fire to the Marquis of Ferney and still haven't caught Roam? Is that so? 

O grabbed Erne by the collar and looked up at him with desperate eyes, hoping for a no.

“No, I got him. Now that I’ve got it, let go of it. This isn’t something we should be discussing here, so go up for now.”

Erne grabbed me by the shoulder and swung me toward the stairs. It was meant to be a lead. I led Erne to her room.

“What happened, tell me now.”

Why did Etrn come all the way here when he didn't even fail to catch Roam?

“Is Roam dead?”

He caught Roam and his men, but he still couldn't get any answers? Erne shook his head at my question.

“Then why did you come?”

“To hold yoir hand.”

"Yes?"

“I came to hold your hand.”

I just blinked at the unexpected answer. You came all the way here to hold my hand? Through the night?

“You promised to hold my hand if I make a wish. If I don’t hold your hand today and the lewd steam builds up again, I’ll threaten to declare the contract invalid.”

What kind of ridiculous reason is this? Could it be that you came here because you were worried about me? Why would you leave Roam behind and come all the way here...?

I couldn’t close my gaping mouth.

“Why, you don’t like me coming? Did I disturb you when you were sleeping alone in this nice room?”

When I remained dumbfounded and said nothing, Erne furrowed his eyebrows.

“Then let’s go again.”

“Why did you come all the way here and say things you don’t mean?”

I hurriedly grabbed Erne who was trying to stand up. Honestly, I felt completely relieved the moment I saw him. Much more so than when I had heard the news that the Lopri upper class would arrive soon.

My shoulders, which had been heavy with the tension of having to run away, on an unfamiliar path, and even protect Caroline, felt as if they were flying away. It was to the point where I wondered if I had been relying on Erne this much.

“The room rate here includes a meal and a bottle of alcohol.”

I gladly offered Erne the food and drink I had been given.

“I think you’ve already had a drink?”

“I didn’t even drink half a glass, but it smells?”

Anyway, in this regard, he was a ghost.

“Ha, running away and drinking at the same time, you’ve got guts, Miss Harrington.”

Hearing Erne's sarcastic voice, the upscale inn became as familiar and comfortable as the inside of a Rhineland mansion.

The back of my neck, which had been stiff, relaxed as if it had been blinded by the splendid interior decoration.

I didn't realize it before, but I was already feeling a bit drunk. I fanned my cheeks with my hand, and when I stumbled and twisted my legs, Erne clicked his tongue.

“You're drunk, You're drunk.”

Even though Erne pressed my cheeks with his hands, I just smiled bashfully.

“Thank you for coming.”

I used my drunkenness as an excuse to express my sincere gratitude. Erne was the one who was embarrassed by my seriousness.

“...This is really taking it. Go and get some sleep.”

“I just can’t sleep.”

“Why can’t you just sleep?”

“I have to hold your hand to sleep.”

***

Judith, feeling relaxed and intoxicated, fell asleep as soon as she lay down on the bed.

“But shouldn’t you ask how he caught Roam and if I'm hurt anywhere? If I came from that rough terrain, huh?”

Erne muttered to the sleeping Judith. Judith, who was sleeping peacefully, only twitched her lips as if she was eating something in her dream.

Erne wanted to meet Judith and tell her about what happened that day.

Roam asked him, "What kind of enlightenment did you have when you came back from the dead?", the woman hiding in the villa was the Marquis of Ferney's lover, and as he came back, the Marquis of Ferney's residence was completely burned down, etc.

It wasn't the first time they were apart all day. And there were a lot of things going on. But Judith fell asleep without even having a chance to talk to him, so he was secretly disappointed.

“...Do I regret it?”

Ha. Erne realized the emotions that were welling up in his heart and burst out laughing. What a pity. Since when did he start telling everyone everything he knew, from start to finish?

Even when the Countess of Rhineland was kind to Erne, if only in a pretense, Erne was a quiet man. Even when he had achievements in swordsmanship, he did not speak out about them first, but only through his swordsmanship teacher.

He was the one who put off even joining the Knights Templar because he was lazy, and ended up causing stress-related hair loss in Roam.

But in the few months that he had been living with Judith, which was not much time in comparison to the number of days he had lived, Erne had completely melted into her.

The meals they eat together, the conversations they share at night, the fights over bottles of alcohol - even the smallest details of their daily lives have changed from before.

“I guess you feel empty without me too.”

The only fortunate thing is that Erne wasn't the only one who changed.

Erne could not forget the bright face of Judith, who had found him and was running down in a hurry. Her face looked like she had found a bundle of gold coins.

He didn't come here worried that he wouldn't be welcomed, but since he was welcomed, it was worth running all the way here.

“Do you drink so much that you get drunk while doing something dangerous?”

Do you think there wouldn't be thieves in a high-class guesthouse? In fact, there were a lot of petty thieves in this kind of place.

“Just rip me off, put up a sign, why.”

Erne looked at the sleeping Judith and closed his eyes. It had been a hard day for him too.

***

I woke up refreshed. It was a lively morning, a good start.

“Would you mind bringing me a robe, Miss Harrington, who is so very grateful to me?”

The beginning was good. I, who was preparing to go out, pursed my lips at the voice that brushed my ear.

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