BSS 120

chapter 120

“Ugh! This can’t be happening.

The continent is so vast, and yet I run into you here.

Even if the crown princes are on the path of the trial, the odds of this happening are ridiculously low.”

At this point, it had to be seen as inevitable fate. Yet, I actively denied that fleeting thought.

“When I was little, there was an accident.”

“I see.”

“Everyone was curious, too.”

While I couldn’t take my eyes off the back of his hand, the man tried to gently detach Aini from himself—but failed.

Aini was shaking her head violently, refusing with all her might to come to me.

It was as if the world would crumble if she let go of him—desperately clinging.

Esh looked utterly defeated.

The expression on his face was almost comical, like he was holding an octopus in his arms.

“What do we do about this?”

Pfft.

“Aren’t you an idiot? Why pick her up and get her used to it if you’re just going to hold her?”

“She was crying so pitifully…”

“There’s a reason you shouldn’t accept that. Take responsibility!”

“Huh? Responsibility?”

“Yes. Responsibility.”

Among the three adult men in the party, it was clear that the leader was this seemingly ordinary man named Esh.

At first glance, it might have seemed like it was the burly Chad, but if you looked closely, the real power belonged to the man who appeared to have the least presence.

Chad was utterly devoted to Esh’s words, and the other unnamed man acted almost like Esh’s bodyguard.

“When we get to the city, we’ll need to book an inn, right?”

“Right?”

“Have you decided which inn you’ll stay at?”

“Not yet. It’s my first time in Mielta.”

“Good. Then let’s stay at the same inn.”

Why did his face look so surprised? I wasn’t even suggesting we share a room.

“For what reason…?”

“I’ll buy dinner. How about it?”

Huh, now that I said it, it kinda sounds like I’m asking him out.

“No way!”

“I refuse!”

The two men, excluding Esh, protested vehemently, but the more they resisted, the more I focused on Esh.

With a teasing smile, I asked him, as if it didn’t matter what anyone else thought:

“How about it?”

I just wanted to observe him a bit more, purely out of curiosity.

The name Esh held significance to me, and because of the scar on his hand I had glimpsed, I still felt some lingering attachment.

That small, hopeful feeling hadn’t faded.

“Well… um… it’s so sudden…”

“Aini seems to like you. If you help take her to the city, it’ll be as a gesture of thanks.”

“Say no, Esh! This woman is completely suspicious!”

“No! You can’t! Even if we go to every other inn, it cannot be the one she wants!”

What the… why am I being treated like some dangerous woman?

Chad and the unnamed man teamed up and tried to forcibly remove Aini from Esh’s arms.

“Waaah!”

But Aini immediately started crying so pitifully that they had no choice but to put her back.

It was as if they were trying to separate her from her real mother, making them feel guilty for a moment.

Back in Esh’s arms, Aini buried her face in his shoulder, sobbing, clinging tightly as if it were the only place she felt safe.

Esh, though embarrassed, accepted the small tear-streaked head warmly and patted her gently.

It was easy to guess that Aini found comfort in his touch.

Even crybabies could be useful sometimes. Well, Raido helps occasionally too. Everyone is useful in some way.

“…As you said, I guess it’s partly my responsibility.”

“Right? You shouldn’t have held her.”

“Yes.”

“We’re going together, right?”

With a gentle smile, I coaxed him.

It was the kind of smile I used when I wanted something, and Esh quickly yielded.

Not necessarily because of my smile, but because he couldn’t push away Aini clinging to him.

“You don’t need to buy dinner. I’ll take the child to the inn where you’re staying.”

“Thanks!”

“You might as well stay in a witch’s den.”

“Chad!”

That muttered complaint was a bit loud, wasn’t it? Almost like he wanted us to hear.

“That woman does whatever she wants! Look at how she gets what she wants in an instant. You’re acting like you’re enchanted!”

“That’s not it. It’s because of the child… Aini, right?”

I stood with my hands behind my back, watching quietly.

Was it Aini who was strange, or was Esh—the man with the unnecessarily pleasant voice—just naturally so kind that the children responded to him?

“If I take you to the village, will you stop crying?”

“Yes…”

“You’re good, you know that?”

“Really?”

“Yes, now don’t cry. Everything will be okay.”

He still held Aini’s tear-soaked hand firmly.

Then, lightly pressing a kiss on her knuckles and gazing warmly at her, he instantly stopped her from crying.

It was… magical, like wizardry. Truly impressive.

I couldn’t take my eyes off the man who could calm Aini so effortlessly.

His name was Esh.

The name I knew well.

<Blue Swallow Inn>

It was the inn my sister had instructed me to entrust the horses to.

Perhaps because it was evening, the moment I opened the door, the smell of freshly baked bread hit my nose, followed by the savory scent of soup reminding me I was hungry.

As a typical inn with a restaurant, the first floor was mostly filled with tables, and the guests who had already taken their seats were enjoying their meals.

Jingle.

I tapped the small bell on the counter with my finger.

Soon, a lively boy of about fifteen appeared, greeting me with a practiced smile.

“Welcome! Are you here to stay, or just to eat?”

“Both. And I’d like to leave a horse… I heard you know the Silver Wolf tribe?”

“Oh! Yes, of course. They’re regulars.”

The boy kept smiling as he wrote in the lodging log. He clearly had a knack for service.

“To leave a horse, you’ll need to pay a month’s worth of meals first, plus hay and various management fees.”

“And?”

“Show your ID…”

I had none, having been kidnapped in a rush.

“Instead of an ID, how about this?”

I secretly handed over a 5-silver coin. My sister said this was enough.

“That’ll do!”

“Thank you. Also, I need a room. One double room… no, a room with two separate beds.”

“Let’s see… double rooms are always in short supply. You’re lucky! One is still available, but it has only one bed. Is that okay?”

“I’ll take it. Aini can’t sleep alone anyway.”

“Anything else?”

“Just in case… are pets allowed?”

The boy’s smile faded slightly as I gestured to Raido standing beside me.

He leaned over the counter to inspect Raido and shook his head apologetically.

“Something that big….”

[Master! Give him money! Show him the power of gold!]

Even as a spirit, Raido knew the value of money. I gave him another coin under his pressure.

Sliding it across the counter, the boy still didn’t react as enthusiastically.

“That’s problematic. The owner insists that animals stay in the stables.”

“Hm…”

“Since this is a lodging, we have to consider other guests’ views… please understand.”

I had no choice—Raido would have to stay in the stables.

He clearly didn’t like it. I mean, where else would you see a wolf puffing out its cheeks? Just act like a normal wolf already.

“Okay. Can I get the room keys? I need to lay the child down to sleep.”

“I’ll give you the keys. Go to the third floor. We’ll put the horse in the stable for you, and you can tell us which horse it is. We’ll put the dog there, too.”

Nice service. I liked it.

[Not a dog, a wolf! Say ‘Master, it’s a wolf’!]

[You’re not getting kicked out.]

“But he won’t bite, right?”

“For now.”

He wouldn’t bite without my permission. It was scarier when he just bared his teeth.

Raido was dragged out by the leash, while I took the room keys.

Leaning on the counter, I glanced at Esh and his group following behind.

“You guys get rooms too. I’ll be down soon—I’m hungry.”

“Who made you the boss?”

“You can order whatever you want.”

Chad immediately kowtowed.