Chapter 39
Damian gave a thin, fishy smile. The attendants coughed awkwardly and turned their eyes away.
This was the outskirts—an area where contact with the Emperor wasn’t immediate and surveillance was loose.
At the mere mention of “the Land of Death,” their faces went pale. After exchanging a few uneasy glances among themselves, they firmly expressed that they would not go.
Looks like they’re really uneasy.
The mountain range there was treacherous, and even then the soldiers stationed along it guarded the area heavily.
Still, it was a region where battles against monsters continued. We weren’t fools—we didn’t intend to go all the way to the forward base.
Our actual destination was a nearby village. Not a supply base for soldiers, but a town ordinary people passed through.
But even that seemed terrifying to them. I now completely understood why Damian said we didn’t need to worry.
“Then… we will escort you.”
The head maid spoke quickly, her gray-brown eyes trembling.
I didn’t particularly want to go with anyone, but having local help would make finding what we were looking for easier.
“What shall we do?” Damian whispered softly to me. I replied in a voice only he could hear.
“It’d look suspicious if we went alone. Locals should be fine.”
He nodded. With the head maid’s help, he put together a small group.
The head maid, the mansion’s gatekeeper, and one young servant.
The gatekeeper was a stern middle-aged man with thick eyebrows, and the young servant had a blank, almost bored expression. I liked that neither seemed interested in us.
To head into town, we switched from the imperial carriage to a modest one. The trip here had been rough on it, so the wheels needed replacing and other parts checked.
“And it would be unwise to reveal that you are the Crown Prince and Princess. Refugees have increased lately…”
The head maid trailed off, fidgeting, so the gatekeeper finished her thought in his blunt tone.
“To speak plainly, the public sentiment isn’t good. Ever since Count Chardena of the Border died, the front has been steadily pushed back.”
Under such circumstances, no one would feel favorable toward Duke Moore, who abandoned succession, nor toward the imperial family now managing the region.
Following their advice, Damian and I changed into simple clothing. It reminded me of the day we visited the salon.
We disguised ourselves then, too.
The gatekeeper took the reins while the rest of us climbed into the carriage. Inside, it smelled of old plywood and dusty velvet, but it was cleaner than expected. The seats were moderately soft as well.
Once the door was securely locked, the head maid spoke.
“May I ask why you wish to visit the village?”
I looked at Damian. He answered without hesitation.
“I wish to meet treasure hunters.”
“Treasure hunters?”
It was the young servant—silent until now—who suddenly spoke.
“Why? Does that surprise you?” Damian asked casually.
Startled, the boy shook his head quickly and looked down.
“Right now, it’ll be hard to find them out and about. They only return to the village late at night.”
“You know treasure hunters well?”
“My older brother was one. A long time ago.”
“I see. Then going now won’t let us meet them.”
Damian folded his arms thoughtfully. I took a closer look at the servant. Freckles, baby fat still lingering—he wasn’t just young, he probably wasn’t even an adult yet.
“Did your brother quit treasure hunting?”
I asked to keep the conversation going—and immediately regretted it. What if he quit because he died or got injured? A chill ran down my back, but the boy answered calmly.
“Yes. He works as a broker now. Recently he even opened a small shop…”
My eyes lit up. That meant his shop must have all kinds of artifacts brought from the Land of Death. Maybe even books.
When I glanced at Damian, he also seemed intrigued. I quickly spoke to persuade him.
“Damian, if we go to the shop, we can gather information about treasure hunters too. Wouldn’t it be good to learn more about them before meeting them? And since he used to be one, he’ll know a lot.”
Damian nodded. The head maid, who had widened her eyes in surprise, spoke anxiously.
“But Fabian… your brother’s store is deep in a back alley. It’s dangerous.”
Fabian lowered his eyes, expression as indifferent as ever.
“That’s right. He couldn’t afford rent elsewhere, so he took the most tucked-away spot. The alley’s narrow too. It’s not really suitable for Their Highnesses.”
Hmm… The image of a grimy alley sprung to mind.
Stagnant puddles, musty smells, barely any sunlight.
Not exactly a place for the crown prince and princess. But I wasn’t in a position to be picky.
As long as it isn’t dangerous, dirt doesn’t bother me.
A glance at Damian told me he had already made up his mind. He gave a small nod.
“It’s fine. Wasting time on pointless errands doesn’t suit me anyway. Lead the way.”
Fabian’s face brightened.
“Yes, sir! The inside is quite spacious and comfortable to stay in. My brother put a lot of work into it.”
So he wasn’t reluctant after all. If anything, he seemed proud of his brother’s shop—typical for someone his age.
“Wait… will you two be staying in the village until nighttime?” the head maid asked anxiously.
Damian raised an eyebrow.
“Why? Is there a problem?”
“A village that close to the wasteland—but still populated—means there are many vagrants. You two already stand out as outsiders. If you stay too late, you’ll definitely attract attention.”
She clutched her skirt tightly.
“Must you really meet the treasure hunters?”
I looked into her eyes. Deep in her hazel gaze swirled fear and concern. I gently held her rough, work-worn hands.
“You’re right to worry. But… I’ve been curious for a long time.”
Before continuing, I checked Damian’s expression. Calm. Not fearful at all—rather, intrigued.
“And we came here to observe the land. It’s hard to get accurate information from the capital. We want to know the real situation here, and what hardships the people living nearby are facing.”
I smiled softly at the head maid.
“Since it’s dangerous, is there somewhere we could stay the night without drawing attention?”
Her eyes trembled. Her hands were rough, cracked from years of labor. Did I remind her of my mother?
Tears welled at the corners of her eyes. She lowered her gaze quickly. Fabian answered instead.
“There’s an inn in the same building as the shop. It caters to treasure hunters, so it’s fairly clean. But the entrance is different, so we’ll have to circle around when you go in.”
“Does the inn have a dining hall?”
“No. Just rooms and baths. You’d have to go out for meals, but I don’t think that’s safe. I can bring you food instead.”
Damian looked at me. I gave a small shrug. I had grown used to plush beds and extravagant meals, but I had lived a normal life before—I could handle simple food.
“Fabian, let’s do as you suggest.”
His face lit up. When we first met, I wondered if he disliked our presence, but now he looked exactly like a child pleased that someone appreciated his older brother.
“Yes, thank you!”
He beamed. Outside, the gatekeeper’s rough voice—“Hyah!”—rang out as he steered the horses.
I pulled the curtain aside and peeked out. Scattered fields and a few quaint houses dotted the landscape like pieces of a painting.
The carriage, which had been jolting over dirt roads, smoothed out as we reached the paved street. Soon after, we stopped at the entrance of an alley.
Indeed, imperial carriages were far more luxurious—my back and hips ached the moment I stepped down.
