[62]
Sena squatted in front of a bucket.
His face faintly reflected in the clear water, along with the rippling numbers above it.
“Senior, when will it be finished?”
“It’s done now.”
Upon hearing Sylvia’s voice from outside the door, Sena stood up.
He put on his robe and grabbed his travel bag.
Before leaving, he suddenly looked out the window.
‘I really ran away.’
As he welcomed the morning in a different place, he realized he had finally stepped outside.
‘…I felt sorry for Sylvia yesterday. Today, at least.’
Returning joyfully. Back to the place he was born and raised.
There was no more gloom.
Sena opened the door with a cheerful smile.
“Our final destination is Rendel. It will take about two weeks from here.”
“That’s not too far, is it?”
Sena and Sylvia walked side by side, discussing their upcoming tasks. Sylvia found Sena unusually cute today.
Carrying his baggage, Sena turned to Sylvia.
“Well, we’ll make a stop somewhere along the way.”
“Where?”
“The Vatican. There’s something I need to do.”
‘Before we go, I should see Cruyff’s face at least.’
The location of the Vatican was close by, in a place called Hamus, about a three-day journey by carriage.
“That works out well. If it’s that place, we might figure out what’s wrong with Senior’s body.”
Sylvia’s words stung Sena a little and he flinched. His only reason for going to the Vatican was to say his final goodbyes to his adoptive father.
‘I’ve given up, but Sylvia hasn’t.’
He had made a pact with Sylvia. Naturally, Sena intended to keep it. But realistically, it seemed impossible.
So, he set a goal. Even if recovering his body was too much to ask, he wanted to die without suffering. Perhaps that was achievable.
“Excuse me, are you heading to Hamus? We’re looking for a carriage to get there.”
“Hamus? Do you really think a merchant like us would go to that fanatical city?”
“Please, be nice. Do you know who this is…!”
Sena covered Sylvia’s mouth, which was about to protest.
‘Well, this is awkward.’
Finding a carriage to Hamus seemed challenging.
Of course, Hamus wasn’t a popular destination for ordinary people.
It was known as the Holy City.
As expected of a place with the Vatican, it was a location where many priests resided.
The issue was its reputation as the primary residence of the Inquisitors.
‘…Well, who would want to go to such a brutal place where they hang you if you seem weak in faith.’
Sena was afraid of going to such a grim place, but he desperately needed a carriage.
“But isn’t there a way to get there at least part of the way?”
“No, there isn’t.”
Sena took out a gold pouch from his pocket.
“I’ll give you all this.”
“…!”
Contained within was 50 gold paid in advance by Astria.
In terms of value, 50 gold equated to about 5 million won for nobles.
Considering the era, it was worth about 50 million won.
The merchant swallowed dryly at the sight of the gold inside the pouch.
Yes, indeed. If a merchant doesn’t covet money, they’re not a merchant. Hurry up and get the carriage running!
“Okay, isn’t this a little bit not enough?”
Eh.
Sena blinked at the merchant’s false cough, then narrowed his eyes.
‘He’s trying to squeeze more out of me.’
A good merchant, but not a smart one.
He was too greedy.
50 gold could change someone’s life. Better to give it to a good person. There were plenty of merchants with carriages in the area.
Sena tucked the pouch back into his pocket.
“I’ll look for someone else.”
“Wait, wait!”
“Changed your mind?”
“It’s not a joke when I say it’s not enough! I really have to put my life on the line for this!”
The merchant fidgeted around before whispering to Sena.
“There are circumstances I can’t discuss openly.”
“What kind of circumstances can’t you talk about?”
“Saying we can’t get off in Hamus is already too much here.”
Sena was bewildered. He understood not wanting to go, but it was still a city where people lived.
“Ah, well, I guess there’s no helping it.”
The merchant, eyes fixated on the gold, gestured momentarily.
“I’ll tell you once, so listen carefully. Lately, to leave the empire…”
As the merchant was speaking, he sensed a presence and turned around.
“Brother! Can I borrow a carriage?”
About five mercenaries approached, waving their hands.
Naturally, the merchant stopped talking. But to Sena, it seemed like the merchant was being cautious, as if he might be “exposed”.
“Huh? Who are those people?”
“Oh, it’s nothing. But why do you want to leave town so early in the morning?”
“Brother, you’re not planning to thrive as a merchant in ignorance of such news, are you? Listen up. Rumor has it that the Imperial Knights are recruiting in force this time.”
“And what does that have to do with you, who couldn’t even defeat your own wife?”
“Well, listen. So, not only from all over the Empire, but from other countries as well, they’re flocking to the capital. Do you even know the condition to take the Imperial Knight test?”
“I don’t know that, but it’s obviously none of your business.”
“They’re supposed to bring back an orc. How about it, worth a try?”
“You couldn’t even handle a goblin, and now you’re talking about orcs.”
“This guy! That’s why I hired companions. If you can’t do it alone, do it with others, right?”
A mercenary behind them grinned, showing his teeth.
…Looks like they’ve been hired.
One even gave a thumbs up, looking happy, which was fortunate.
‘But asking several people to catch one thing seems a bit much.’
This person must be seriously mistaken. Sena chuckled awkwardly.
“Anyway, we need to catch that orc near the capital before it dries up. Please provide the carriage quickly.”
The merchant sighed heavily as if there was no reply.
However, this man, whether a farmer or a mercenary, seemed rather oblivious.
“Huh? Why such a reaction? Oh, wait, is it because of ‘that’?”
And then, as if suddenly realizing something, he chuckled.
“My bad, do we really have to do that between us? Well, considering how scared you are, I guess we have no choice. One, two.”
After giving a sign, he sat down on the ground, raising both hands to the sky.
“Long live Her Majesty, Empress Astria!”
“Long live Her Majesty, Empress Astria!”
“Long live Her Majesty, Empress Astria!”
Sena stared dumbfoundedly at the mercenaries, who were cheering with raised arms.
“Oh, I see.”
Sena quickly understood and looked at Sylvia.
“I’m still dreaming, aren’t I?”
“…It’s not a dream.”
“But, this doesn’t make sense! Why would mercenaries suddenly cheer Empress Astria as they pass by?”
Sena pointed and gestured, but Sylvia seemed unimpressed.
“What’s wrong with praising Her Majesty? It’s only right to worship her constantly.”
“…”
For a moment, Sena had forgotten. Knights who had recently become Imperial Knights were often immersed in what was commonly called ‘nationalism’.
‘Wait a minute. Isn’t this merchant also watching the three cheers as if it’s obvious?’
Am I the only one who finds this situation strange?
Sena was deeply concerned, questioning if he was the odd one out.
“senior.”
“Senior.”
Suddenly, Sylvia grabbed Sena’s wrist and pulled him, hiding against a wall in a nearby alley. Sena looked bewilderedly at Sylvia.
“W-why all of a sudden?”
“Shh. I sensed a presence. It’s a Teutonic Knight.”
“…!”
Could it be the tracking squad!
Sena covered his own mouth and raised his head.
Shortly after, three knights in shining armor passed by. One of them was someone Sena knew.
Reston. He still couldn’t forgive being treated like a woman.
Their conversation could be heard carried by the wind.
“I never thought they’d go to my recommendation.”
“Sylvia is so naive.”
“Even if she’s naive, there’s a limit. If it’s that bad, she’s a fool, stupid.”
“Wasn’t it rumored that she had low intelligence?”
“True.”
“…”
‘Cold.’
Sena felt a chill and immediately looked back.
Sylvia seemed to be emitting a dark aura.
“I’ll go somewhere for a moment.”
“You can’t go now, you can’t…!”
Sena desperately grabbed Sylvia’s sleeve and clung to her.
Fortunately, thanks to Sena’s persuasion, Sylvia was able to calm down.
‘My skills as the top graduate of the Larden Academy are still alive and well. I managed to stop a Teutonic Knight in her tracks.’
The form may be temporary, but class is eternal, was that the phrase?
Sena felt a subtle sense of pride, but the reality was a bit different.
‘Cute.’
Sylvia glanced sideways, pulling Sena’s arm and trying hard to contain her amusement. Sena, who was exerting all his effort, embodied the word ‘adorable’ in its truest sense.
Heart-wrenching.
“Oh, I’m coming back.”
The odd mercenaries who were bothering the merchant seemed to give up and waved as they disappeared.
Sena quickly rushed over to the merchant.
“What’s going on? Why suddenly chant?”
“…Is there anything wrong with praising Her Majesty?”
The merchant said lifelessly. But Sena knew.
-Damn, I’ve fallen for a trick. It’s all because of Her Majesty.
The merchants, those who blamed Her Majesty for their own failures…!
“Don’t lie. Merchants are on the side of those who pay in gold, aren’t they?”
“Where did you hear that? Sounds like a wise saying.”
The merchant sighed in admiration.
“From someone I know. But more importantly, weren’t you just on the side of a gold-paying mercenary? What’s the reason for that?”
The merchant looked slightly puzzled at Sena’s boldness.
He was told he shouldn’t say this. But, well, there are people everywhere who are indifferent to the news. Could it be that such a young-looking person is the ‘Her Majesty’s personal physician’?
“Last night, Her Majesty issued a decree throughout the city. ‘Anyone leaving the capital must chant praises three times before leaving. And, do not inform my physician, ‘Sena Birkender’, of this fact. If you find Sena Birkender, report it. If you disobey this, I will wipe out eight families.’ Do you understand now? The amount is certainly abundant in gold, but it’s not enough to stake my life…”
Sena listened to the merchant’s story in a daze. He also gave the merchant a reward of ten gold for sharing the information.
Sylvia looked worriedly at Sena. She now understood. How much disappointment had Sena felt and how much did he want to return to Rendel?
‘He must have been very disappointed.’
But Sylvia half knew this would happen. There was no way Astria would willingly send Sena away.
As they walked in silence for a while, Sena stopped.
Then he chewed his lips thoughtfully.
“Astria.”
So he was pretending to stay quiet.
That was his intention.
-‘If you want to run away, try.’
It was as if Astria was saying that.
He was really furious.
It was like telling a puppy you’d been raising to go play for a bit.
“What if you just call out Her Majesty’s name like that?”
Sena’s eyes were filled with anger and stubbornness. When Sena looks like this, he’s always up to something big.
“Listen carefully.”
Sena compressed his suppressed emotions.
She didn’t bother to look for him and just prevented him from going outside the capital.
That meant only one thing.
She was tired of struggling, so she was waiting for him to come back on him own.
In other words, try it, that’s what it meant.
‘…Did she think I couldn’t do it?’
Astria had underestimated Sena.
Even though Sena was like this… He was an expert in the field of running away.
If he decided to hide, not even the Empress could find him.
Of course.
“We are going to the church from now on. Because my father is here to help in times like this.”
‘Cruyff wins everytime anyway.’
The power of Pope-to-be Cruyff was truly invincible!
Filled with confidence, Sena’s necklace shined for an instant.
