Chapter 66
“Elli, why did you order so much?”
Loyle asked with a surprised face.
“Since I was placing an order anyway. You can never have too many arrows or throwing knives, right? Same with daggers.”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
Loyle looked as though he was wondering how on earth they were going to carry it all. Ellen had her magic pouch, but he didn’t.
“It’s fine, it’s fine. I’ll just put everything in my pouch first.”
Ellen didn’t say aloud that she wasn’t sure her parents would approve of her lending Loyle her pouch.
If they say no, I can just keep everything in my storage box instead.
Thinking that, Ellen glanced through the basket.
At least there are plenty of arrows and throwing knives. That’s reassuring.
As she admired the haul with satisfaction, Loyle spoke.
“But still—arrows, sure, but the daggers, the throwing knives… none of them have crests engraved on them?”
“Oh, right. Without crests they can’t be traced, you know?”
“…Are you going on an assassination mission or something?”
He had nodded in agreement at first, but then suddenly realized how her words sounded and gave her a baffled look.
“You never know what might happen on the road! …Just kidding. Besides, who has the time to carve crests on every single one? We’re busy, so I told them to leave them plain.”
Only then did Loyle nod in understanding.
“Anyway, I really like this dagger. Both the blade and the hilt.”
He slid the dagger he had been holding back into its sheath.
“Good. That one’s yours. Mine’s a little smaller.”
Ellen pulled out her own dagger. Just as she said, the blade was shorter and the hilt thinner than Loyle’s.
After testing its weight against her sleeve, Ellen met Loyle’s gaze and gave her dagger a quick swing.
Clang!
Loyle instantly blocked with his own dagger, sheath and all.
“Oooh. As expected.”
Ellen, satisfied, sheathed hers again.
“I’m the one teaching you dagger arts. Why are you the one testing me?”
“What does it matter who does it? Since we’ve got new blades, should we go practice a bit before heading in?”
“Not today. I need to go straight in. I won’t be working for a whole month anyway, so we’ll have plenty of time then.”
“Hmm. Wonder if my stamina will hold out…”
Ellen scratched her head.
She had trained in martial arts to some degree, but riding and moving nonstop for an entire month was a whole different matter.
“Right. Your stamina is the issue.”
Loyle, who had been planning to drill her every day during the journey, found himself scratching his own neck.
“Well, we’ll see when we get there. How do you like these daggers, though? They’re just the right size for throwing, aren’t they? They feel good in my hand.”
Ellen spun a smaller dagger around her finger.
There were two types in the basket: one with a blade short enough for sparring yet longer than a knife, and another, smaller than a paring knife, perfect for slipping between fingers to throw.
“Yeah. They’re great. Same weight and feel as the practice ones we used before.”
Loyle tossed one lightly in the air a few times, catching it smoothly, before answering.
“You hear that, Herc? We’re happy with all of it. Nice work.”
Ellen said as she swept the throwing knives into her pouch.
“Since it was the young lady’s order, of course I gave it my all. I’m glad you’re satisfied.”
Herc bowed deeply at the praise.
“Mother said, how about having lunch together the day before departure? She thought you’d be too busy with last-minute checks in the evening.”
“That day some of the retainers are coming, so we’ll probably have a late lunch with them. Hmm… maybe brunch would be better for her?”
“That sounds fine. I’ll tell her that, then. Shall we part here for today?”
“Sure. See you the day after tomorrow.”
“Mm. I’ll send Nesh.”
They split up right there in front of the forge.
After saying goodbye, Ellen glanced at the three kasa birds sitting by the doorway imitating voices. She quickly turned away before accidentally making eye contact with one.
That would’ve been a headache.
She sighed and walked off.
✿ ✿ ✿
That night, after finishing her duties and returning to her room, Ellen wrote a note to Gerald.
Dear Father. I need your blood.
After writing it simply and putting the pen down, she realized the message sounded like something straight out of a horror story.
Hmm, maybe I made it too short. She picked the pen up again and added a few more lines.
Please put just two or three drops into this glass vial. I’ll be going to the capital with Loyle for the debutante, and I want to let him use the pouch in the meantime. I’ve already gotten Mother’s permission.
She folded the note, tucked it into her pouch, then called Nesh. Taking out a fresh sheet, she wrote another.
Loyle, you can pack whatever you want. I got my parents’ permission to lend you our pouch. Come a bit early on departure day so we can load everything into the “storage” before we leave.
“Off you go, Nesh.”
As Ellen petted Nesh’s head, the bird rubbed its face once against her hand before flying off.
Now, unless she specified otherwise, Nesh always delivered letters to Loyle first.
Guess I really have been sending him a lot of notes lately.
Watching Nesh disappear, Ellen scratched her chin.
✿ ✿ ✿
Early the next morning, a man in travel clothes and cloak arrived at the Quinter estate with a carriage carrying Loyle and his luggage.
“Loyle!”
Ellen, in riding clothes, dashed down the stairs, looking a bit excited. Seeing her, Loyle realized he wasn’t the only one restless.
He’d had trouble sleeping the night before—not from nerves as he once had before campaigns, but from excitement.
“Elli. Where’s Madam?”
He took off his cloak and handed it to Albert with a greeting.
“She’s upstairs. Let’s go.”
Together they went up to the second floor, following Gloria to the storage room. Inside, Loyle looked around in fascination.
“You keep ice in here?”
“Yeah. It’s under preservation magic.”
“Wow, nice. We have to hire a mage from the Tower every two years just for that.”
He stared at the piles of ice with admiration.
Meanwhile, Gloria pulled a pin from the door handle—the same needle Ellen had pricked her finger with when she was first registered.
The memory made Ellen fidget with her fingertip.
“Ellen, give me the vial.”
Ellen pulled a small vial from her pouch—the one Gerald had filled with a few drops of his own blood.
Gloria poured the blood onto the flower-shaped carving in the center of the handle. The blood was quickly absorbed, and the petals glowed red.
So this is the ‘blood-drinking door handle.’
Loyle remembered Ellen once describing it. Back then he had pictured something grotesque, but in reality, the glowing petals were strangely beautiful.
Still, an object that drank human blood was nothing he liked.
“All right, Loyle. Give me your hand.”
Gloria held out her hand, a needle in the other.
Realizing what she intended, Loyle extended his hand, though his body instinctively drew back.
Gloria grabbed it and pricked him before he could flinch.
“Ugh.”
The groan didn’t come from him, but from Ellen, peeking out nervously from behind. Loyle only twitched his eyebrow.
Gloria pressed his bloodied fingertip against one of the carved petals. This time, only one petal turned red.
“There. Done.”
She wiped the needle clean, reinserted it into the handle, then handed Loyle one of the pouches hanging on the door.
He accepted it carefully. He’d always envied Ellen’s pouch, and when offered the chance to borrow one for the journey, he’d gratefully agreed. But now that he held one in his hands, he couldn’t help but feel awed—it was a treasure of the Quinter family.
“Thank you. I’ll use it carefully and return it safely.”
He said, finally tearing his gaze from the pouch. Smiling, Gloria led him further inside.
“This way.”
She guided him to where several large chests were stacked.
“You’ll use this box.”
She indicated a large purple chest.
“All your carriage luggage will go inside here. And this blue one has a sleeping bag, cooking tools, and such. I don’t expect you’ll need them, but just in case.”
Ellen lifted the lid of the blue chest.
“Sleeping bags, pots, pans… oh, is that for starting fires?”
“Yeah. And salt, too.”
Loyle, who had stuck his head in beside her, answered.
“If you need anything else along the way, just write it on a note and drop it inside. I’ll prepare it right away.”
“Yes, Mother.”
“Thank you very much.”
✿ ✿ ✿
“Are you sure you two can go alone?”
On the way back downstairs, Gloria still fretted.
“Maybe I made the wrong decision. I should assign some knights to escort you, even now.”
“It’s all right, Mother. You know we’re already short on guards since so many were conscripted.”
“Don’t worry, Madam. You confirmed yourself the route isn’t dangerous.”
Ellen and Loyle reassured her in turn.
“Still, at least one knight… How can you go on your own? What about some cavalrymen?”
“Ordinary soldiers might just get in the way if trouble happens.”
“Serel, Santuke, and Adrian will join us on the way anyway. If we really need more, we’ll hire mercenaries.”
They had already decided this yesterday over brunch, but Gloria still looked uneasy.
At that moment, Masha, waiting in the lobby with Ellen’s robe, stepped forward.
“Then, young lady, shall I come with you? Having at least one attendant would be helpful.”
“Masha, you don’t know how to ride a horse. And I can handle most things myself. Didn’t we already talk about this last night?”
Ellen smiled, putting on her robe. Masha straightened the hood and fussed over her.
“Please don’t forget to lock your door when you stay at inns. If you camp outside, keep a fire going even if it’s hot.”
“Okay.”
“Don’t skip meals, avoid strange people instead of fighting, and keep applying your cream regularly.”
“Got it.”
“Stay close to Lord Loyle at all times. Don’t wander off alone just because something looks interesting.”
“I got it. You already said all this first thing this morning.”
Checking that her pouch was secure on her belt, Ellen headed for the entrance. Albert was waiting with her bow and quiver.
“Have a safe journey, young lady.”
“Thanks. Please take good care of Mother while I’m gone.”
“Of course, don’t worry. She worries a great deal about you. Please send word often.”
“I will.”
Shouldering her bow and quiver, Ellen swung herself onto her horse. Beside her, Loyle mounted as well, after hearing Gloria’s last reminders. Nesh leapt lightly onto the horse’s head.
“We’ll be back!”
“Goodbye!”
Together, Ellen and Loyle nudged their horses forward.
