115. Festival (2)

Could it be because of Shione’s excitement all day? The time I felt also passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, it became a festival day.

It seems like he’s been waiting for today ever since he faced and fought the orcs in a blizzard. Shione woke up earlier than yesterday and was ready to leave.

“This should be enough.”

Shione checked her appearance in front of a full-length mirror.

A fur coat made of fairly high-quality fur for a cold winter day. It was firmly covered from the ankles down to the neck, preventing the cold wind from entering.

She put her hairpins in her bangs, and gathered them neatly back at her sides and tied them tightly with her string.

‘That hairpin… ….’

Oh, I said I’m used to it somewhere.

Her Fei Osha It was her hairpin I bought her on the way to the artist after her.

It’s also cheap. Not very good quality either. I can only think that Yongke has been using it well so far.

Flutter!

Then she even draped her hooded greyish solid robe over her clothes. Thanks to the long robe, the appearance of expensive clothes was hidden at a glance.

“Um… ….”

She then pressed her hood down deep.

Cianella’s unique silvery-white hair is hidden, and only her sparkling blue eyes are reflected in the mirror.

Seeing her own figure, Sione nodded her head in satisfaction and handed her one of her robes to me as well.

“Ray, you should use this too.”

Shione speaks to her in her supposedly aristocratic tone.

Well, this hallway has been unusually crowded since this morning.

It would be quite difficult if Shione’s voice leaked out to me, saying oppa, oppa, so I also tuned in to her beat.

“I mean the robe?”

“Yes, today’s festival is to honor the achievements of the first head of household. On a day like this, you have to eat and drink without paying attention. If you and I show up openly, the common people will have no choice but to notice.”

From noble mtl dot com

Sione put a robe in my hand.

The fabric is quite good, and it seemed that a moderately thick one would be good for cold weather.

It wouldn’t be bad to dress appropriately.

“It’s all I have to do if I hide my hair color anyway… The clothes you are wearing are also the clothes worn by those who attend the nobility. I’m worried that those who were playing well for no reason might even notice us in the way we look.”

“Please take care of the common people. You are considerate.”

“… What, with this much. It’s natural because we’re all Young Ji-min.”

Shione must have been very shy about my praise, so she turned her head around and looked at her appearance in the mirror again.

While she was checking her dressing, I put on the robe she gave me. The length is perfect for me, and as expected, it seems that Shione has prepared another one for me.

I also tried on the hood once and looked at my appearance.

‘A sword for escort. And some money for armor.’

Rather than her simple male attendant, we will go to the estate together as escorts.

I was able to get a moderately large and inconspicuous armor by asking Ainel.

‘… It’s really done.’

The top was basically a costume based on leather armor.

However, when they signed the oath of mana the other day, it seemed that the words that they would pay more attention to me in the future were not words given lightly.

The count’s spelling and patterns were elaborately engraved on the plate that protected the chest.

He is also wearing active pants and leather calf guards.

They may be weaker than the guards of the territory clad in sturdy iron armor, but they are the ones who make it their business to catch criminals and rioters with knives in the first place.

Anyway, at best, I just match the assortment as an escort.

At least there will be friction with the town janitors and pickpockets.

This level of armament is not enough.

After completing the condition check, I brought a sword hanging in Sione’s room.

A famous neglected sword that has never been used even though it was bestowed by the royal family.

I handed her her sword.

“Take this.”

“A sword?”

“Yes, I will stay by your side all the time, but since I am going out of the Count’s residence, it would be good to bring the minimum amount of armament.”

“Um… okay. It would be much better to have at least one thing to protect than not have. But in that case, wouldn’t a bow be better than a sword?”

I shook my head without hesitation.

“Rather than enjoying the festival with a bow and a quiver full of arrows strapped to your back, it would be much more comfortable to carry only one sword to protect yourself. Also, if something happens, wouldn’t it be better to quickly subdue it with a sword and end it rather than shooting a bow in the middle of the city?”

“Well, from what I hear, it seems you are right. Hmm… It’s been a while since I’ve had a sword like this…….”

“Your body will remember how to handle a sword… As I just said, I will be by Sione-sama’s side, so don’t worry too much.”

“hehehe. Don’t believe me.”

The sword, which had been gathering dust, was finally touched by the laughing master.

However, her attention was focused on the sword until she wore it around her waist. Then, without hesitation, she covered the sword with her long robe and stopped paying attention to the sword.

For a royal bounty, you could say it was a fairly full treat.

Well, whatever it is, I’m sure you’re all ready to go out. I asked lightheartedly.

“Did you have enough money?”

“Of course! I don’t have to worry about money because I’ve taken care of it to the point of overflowing.”

I nodded at her words.

It’s a fun outing.

* *

The scenery of Yeongji that I came to see while walking on my own for the first time in years.

There was a significant difference between the image of Youngji seen from inside the carriage and the image of Youngji captured by the wind.

The world beyond the window. The window that divides the outside from the inside was thicker than I thought, covering my five senses.

In my ears, I hear stories about the thoughts and daily lives of many different people. In the nose, the smell of fragrant food and the smell of the cold winter wind mix to awaken the spirit. With my skin and eyes, I could see and feel the vitality of the nascent city.

“… Long time no see.”

Unfortunately, it’s been a long time. The fact that I was able to walk around the territory without worrying about anything.

I thought the world given to me would always be my room in the mansion. It was more fun to come out of a small gap and experience the world in my memories that I had lost.

It wasn’t just that.

Today is the day to honor the achievements of the first family head.

A long road. I could hear the occasional bards beside her singing songs in honor of her achievements.

“Whoops.”

Laughter came out spontaneously.

I was proud of the count family. Even if it’s luck. I loved the fact that my blood came from that great knight.

However, it wasn’t just the song that caught my attention.

─A snowstorm in winter. Brave women who have not forgotten the spirit of knights defeat the monsters again.

A bard was singing a song praising those who subdued the monsters that had invaded the territory.

The song was simple.

Don’t forget the oath of your ancestors to devote yourself to the territory and not neglect the subjugation of demons and their minions. This time, too, a hymn for those who wonderfully defended the territory.

My shoulders straightened. I also contributed to the subjugation by catching kobolds myself in this cold winter and piercing the belly skin of the orcs. In a way, isn’t that hymn also a hymn for me?

I looked around excitedly.

Everyone seemed to be intoxicated with this festival to wrap up the year. Children holding parents’ hands in both hands and smiling brightly. Lovers who shyly stick together and talk. And friendships who laugh cheerfully and enjoy jokes.

I wonder if I too have assimilated into their bright emotions. Slowly, the corners of his lips rose.

It was then.

“Sniff sniff… ….”

The smell of fire wafting from far away and the sweet scent of meat came to me.

A scent that makes you salivate. I’ll take a lot of money too. There was no reason to hesitate.

In order to act as an escort, I called Ray, who was silently guarding my side, being wary of my surroundings.

“That one!”

“If that is… You mean grilled skewers?”

“Yeah, it would be good to try that first.”

I took out a fairy tale from my purse and handed it to him.

“Sawa!”

I wanted to try grilled skewers quickly.

* *

The blue eyes visible through the pressed hood were shining like bright stars. That’s all. The small lips are smiling, not only showing no signs of going down.

“Um… ….”

That gait.

Since I passed one of the minstrels earlier, I was falling lightly like staccato.

At first glance, he is more excited than necessary.

What was the content of the song…. I think it was about saying thank you to those who subdued the monsters that invaded the territory this time.

Somehow, Shione also participated in the filthy and difficult subjugation and rolled herself. It seemed that I was deeply moved by the song.

Meanwhile, all of a sudden, Shione sniffed him and told me what to say.

“That one!”

That… ?

I followed her gaze.

Indeed, looking over there, I saw a stall where people lined up to buy yakitori.

“You mean grilled skewers?”

“It would be good to try that first.”

… Is that a food worth buying and eating while waiting in that long line?

I wondered, but I put my thoughts behind me.

Shione gave me a fairy tale with a smile.

“Sawa!”

hahahaha… Another trouble is mine.

“Ah… yes. I will buy it.”

In the end, I received a fairy tale from Shione and bought some grilled skewers that I wanted to eat.

One is for Sione. One is mine. A single skewer was held in each other’s hands.

Since you have to wait in line, the taste is guaranteed.

I asked Shione, who took a bite first.

“How does it taste?”

“Good. It wouldn’t hurt to eat another one on the way back.”

… See me in that line and wait again?

“… Next time, I think it would be a good experience to stand in line and try it yourself.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, there is a world of difference between watching from a distance and experiencing it in person among crowds.”

“If so. It wouldn’t hurt to wait and see next time.”

… This time, I was expecting Shione to stand alone and buy it.

The only thing that came back was a friend to talk to while waiting for their turn.

I, too, started walking down the street with Shione while eating skewers.

A harmony of sweet sauce and juicy meat. I was in the middle of watching the scenery of Shione and the town slowly after finishing a satisfying snack with a better-than-expected taste.

A store caught my eye.

“There… ….”

A shop that specializes in cosmetics.

Come to think of it, I always wanted to change Shione’s hairpin.

No matter how much it is, it takes a little while to become the daughter of a count and wear a cheap hairpin that I picked up from the small market.

I put my hand inside the hood that was covering Shione’s face and hit her lightly.

I lowered her waist and made eye contact with her.

“Le, Ray? What’s wrong all of a sudden?”

“Please wait a moment.”

I stepped behind her and checked the hairpin she had stuck in her bangs.

As expected, after quite a while, the hairpins had faded.

At this point, it would be better to change one.

You just handed me a fairy tale, but I’m afraid I’m not the daughter of an aristocrat. Shione also brought quite a lot of gold coins in her purse. There are also gold coins, but it’s about a small hairpin. Enough to buy.

Without hesitation, I took her hand and led her.

“I’ll buy you a new hairpin.”

From noble mtl dot com

With your money, of course.

* *

Fast! All right!

Three people rode on horses.

All together. The horse was galloping through the wind.

Unlike those words, the people riding on it were not all normal.

The priest who holds the reins of the horse at the forefront has had one arm cut off and is barely able to stop the bleeding. The priest’s clothes were stained with dried blood, so there was no holy white or yellow color to be found.

The same was true of the faces of those driving horses on either side, led by the priest.

The one running furiously on the right had his left eye gouged out. The traces of blood flowing underneath and the body full of various wounds prove how fierce the battle was.

“… If only I had a little more divine power left.”

The priest clenched his molars and expressed the resentment of a woman full of her wrath.

She glanced behind me.

Of course, the priest dispatched with him. Dozens of comrades were all killed, and all that was left were the two rangers of the count family.

Even their bodies are not in good condition, so treatment is urgent. If they were to be saved, they had to return to the count’s house as soon as possible.

“Keep your mind straight. If you return to the Count’s house, the church’s priests will somehow save you.”

“… I see.”

I heard a voice.

She was the woman following from the right.

So that was the problem.

She was the most talkative and skilled woman among those dispatched to the mountains. She said that until just a moment ago, she somehow inspired us and the one who opened her mouth showed no response.

Confused, the priest turned his head and looked to her left.

“Hey… !”

“… Go It seems like I don’t have much time left for my mind to blur little by little.”

“I’d better stop talking for a moment. I will try to wring out my divine power somehow!”

She shook her head.

“I know my body best. I want to live, but… Now I feel like I have no answers.”

“…But—”

“So, I ask you one last thing. Don’t worry about me and move forward. Since we are in an urgent situation, I hope you guys can tell us what we saw instead of me.”

“…… I’m sorry.”

“… What, why?”

She seemed to have given up on the way she laughed.

“What nonsense is this crazy b*tch talking about… !”

The woman on the right had pupils, no pupils. Now, the gaping hole chased the ranger.

She swallowed her cries. Since she was a child, she grew up like her sister and was the most trusted and close friend.

“Sorry for hiding it.”

“You… you…… !”

“A little… I had a few big scars left. But if I were healed of this wound—”

The Ranger’s posture was staggering for a moment.

“I thought the priest might not have enough holy power to heal you.”

The woman looks at her friend in vain.

“… You ugly bastard.”

It was a voice that barely escaped from being squeezed.

The Ranger smiled lightly with the last of her strength. Dark blood was oozing from her back and chest.

“… Become a woman and don’t cry bitterly, but go forward, b*tch…….”

That was the end.

She seemed to want to tell her last story. Soon after, she couldn’t bring out a hoarse voice to the world.

Blurred focus. Pupils unraveling. Her hands that held her reins gave way and she fell helplessly.

Fluff! Chin! Degurur…….

The body that fell to the ground rolled as it collided with the beak of a stone, and then collapsed helplessly on the cold soil.

The Ranger looked at his comrades in the dark world. They went strong

Now she stopped trying to close her eyes. She did but didn’t.

One. Because there was one coming back.

A horse that I took care of diligently like my own child and was with. The horse, which gladly returned when its master fell, only rubbed its face against a face full of bloodstains.

It was warm. And I also wanted to become warm again like this close friend who stayed by my side until the end.

… I didn’t want to die yet.

I’m sorry about that.

What am I saying? Just ignore them and run with them.

The only things that will come cold to me here are hungry beasts and monsters.

Just… I am my sweetheart…… My poor… Stay by my side…… Death——not knowing—sad———.