* * *
The three of them arrived at the village, returned a horse and cart, and exchanged the contents for supplies necessary for their journey. They collected cloaks and candles, but most of the goods were food.
They placed Lancelin on horseback and walked steadily toward their next destination.
In the early afternoon, they arrived at a village at the foot of the mountains, called Yellow Pass Village.
Ezio mentioned that it was a place he did not know well since he always just passed by.
Initially, they thought it was an empty village due to the lack of defensive palisades or watchtowers, but surprisingly, people still lived there.
It was a village of fewer than twenty households, with half of the buildings empty. The atmosphere was bleak, devoid of children’s laughter, but oddly, the villagers did not completely reject visitors.
Anis told a slightly wary villager they were looking for a place to stay. The villagers guided them to a nearby house.
The house was occupied by an elderly couple who gladly offered to let the three people and a horse stay. They even heated collected rainwater for Anis, who wanted to take a bath.
Grateful, Anis offered the corn and potatoes she had received today, while Ezio presented a pouch of salt. The elderly couple gratefully accepted and said they would prepare dinner with these ingredients.
Ezio tried to help and went to the kitchen but quickly gave up when he noticed the couple’s reluctance to let outsiders handle their household items.
Anis was the first to finish her satisfying bath with hot water in the back of the house. Afterward, Ezio went out to wash while Lancelin had already laid out a makeshift bed with blankets around the fireplace on the first floor.
As Anis shook her half-wet hair, she plopped down in one of the two empty spots next to Lancelin.
Watching the flames dance in the fireplace, Lancelin spoke up.
“I don’t feel good.”
“You always look like you’re not feeling well.”
As Anis tried to pass it off lightly, Lancelin glared at her.
“Take it easy. Why are you so anxious?”
“Give that advice to the skeleton lying in a coffin in a catacomb niche. It’ll listen very well.”
Anis stared blankly at the prickly Lancelin.
“I’m not trying to pry into your identity, but how about talking about your hometown? Recalling good memories can make you feel better.”
Deliberately, Anis changed the subject, hoping to ease Lancelin’s anxiety for a moment.
Lancelin pulled his knees together and rested his chin on them. In such a defensive posture, the boy looked very fragile and small.
When he didn’t answer right away, Anis shrugged.
“If you don’t want to, then don’t.”
“…That place is not my hometown. I don’t have a home.”
He had lived in the royal palace and then moved around the countryside under the pretext of recuperation. None of those places felt like home to him.
The more he moved, the more sensitive he became, always uncomfortable in his surroundings. He did not know a safe place that could suppress this anxiety.
Is there a paradise for me?
The feeling of being disconnected and adrift left Lancelin feeling empty. When he encountered relationships or connections, he viewed them as fleeting illusions, seeing the world through dry, rough eyes.
“Don’t you have any memories…?”
“No.”
Lancelin could answer immediately, having been treated as a troublesome burden shuffled around by minor lords despite being the king’s eldest son.
“Hmm.”
Anis rolled her eyes around in embarrassment.
Lancelin felt refreshed seeing this side of Anis, who was always headstrong and never listened to others.
His violet eyes, once fixed on the floor, turned toward Anis.
“Even without hearing the details, you think I lead quite a problematic life, don’t you?”
Lancelin laughed self-deprecatingly. Anis, fidgeting with her hands, replied.
“Aunt Valize used to say she looked into people’s eyes when choosing her subordinates. I didn’t understand it at the time. Not height or muscles? But Aunt said she could see their ability to confront problems without avoiding them.”
Lancelin stiffened in surprise as he felt a hand lightly touch his shoulder. The next moment, he was startled to see Anis staring intently at his face from a close distance.
Then, she brushed away the shaggy hair covering his forehead.
“You might have that ability too… Wow. But your eyes are really pretty.”
Anis’s pure admiration embarrassed him.
Just as Anis was observing the boy, Lancelin couldn’t help but take in her features. Her distinct eyebrows, slightly upturned eyes, elegant nose, and moderately full lips, made him curious about her parents.
Although Lancelin had never been particularly interested in the beauty of people, he could not deny that Anis had a pretty appearance.
With a bright smile, Anis removed her hand from his forehead. His black hair slid back down, covering his eyes again.
“I won’t ask what kind of problem is bothering you. But I can assure you of one thing…”
Lancelin blinked, frowning.
“Problems can be solved. If you have the will and enough time.”
“…”
Normally, he would have scornfully retorted, “That’s easy for you to say, living without a care in the world”. But he didn’t.
A slight shiver ran through him, different from his usual instinct to be alert. Lancelin instinctively realized that he was experiencing an important moment.
This dirty and shabby place, which seemed insignificant, could not possibly be important. So then…
His cautious violet eyes returned to Anis, watching her shake out the blanket.
Who are you really? What do you want from me?
Unspoken questions circled in his throat.
Yet, with his quick intuition and survival instincts, Lancelin already knew the answer.
The red-haired girl genuinely didn’t want anything from him. She was doing this simply because she wanted to. Because she could.
Lancelin became curious about the source of Anis’s simple yet clear confidence. It was clear that Anis had things that Lancelin did not.
What could it be? What kind of paradise does she have, and who could belong there?
Perhaps it could become a paradise for someone like him, who had nowhere else to lean.
“Ahh, that’s refreshing!”
At that moment, Ezio burst in, exclaiming his delight. He seemed to enjoy the warm water, wearing a content smile.
Lancelin felt relieved to escape the awkward atmosphere but also experienced a twinge of regret. Not wanting to reveal his feelings, he fixed his gaze on the brazier.
After Lancelin finished washing, the elderly couple brought out dinner for the three of them, as if they had been waiting. It was a modest meal of one bowl per person, with steaming mixed stew.
Despite its humble appearance, it was surprisingly delicious. However, it was not so delicious enough to make one’s hands go limp, body fall back, and drift into a sweet sleep.
‘Ah, damn it.’
The wooden bowl rolled on the floor. His eyes grew heavy and started to close. He heard the sound of teeth grinding nearby. Knowing who it was, he didn’t want to look.
As Anis watched the elderly couple rummage through their belongings, one last thought crossed her mind before she lost consciousness.
‘Lin is going to throw a fit saying he knew this would happen…’
* * *
When she regained consciousness, Anis found her hands and feet bound. As she collected her senses, she felt relief upon hearing the breathing of her two companions, who seemed unharmed.
Next, she examined her surroundings. It appeared to be a watchtower of sorts, at least two stories high.
The floor was cold dirt, and the stone walls were stacked in a square shape surrounding them. A wall-mounted torch and an old banner hung on the wall.
There was also a square hole that served as a window, through which the outside appeared dark. In front, there was a sturdy-looking wooden door, likely locked.
The storeroom was empty, and she had no weapon at her waist. Her hands and feet were tied together in front, making it difficult to move.
“What’s going on now?”
Anis realized she was the last to wake up. As soon as she came to, Lancelin, with ragged breathing, hissed in a voice as low as possible.
“I knew this would happen!”
‘This guy is so predictable, down to the last detail.’
Anis closed her eyes again, pretending to be unconscious.
“Hey, aren’t you going to wake up?”
“Nnngh.”
Ezio mumbled about how he should have gone to the kitchen, while Lancelin grumbled about needing to be more alert.
Opening her eyes, Anis spoke calmly.
“Everyone calm down. Blaming yourself disrupts your mental strength preventing you from doing what needs to be done. At times like this, we shouldn’t blame ourselves.”
She was right.
Much more constructive than that fierce little black-haired brat.
Ezio nodded, listening attentively to Anis.
Anis continued in a firm tone.
“So, let’s peacefully resolve our internal crisis by blaming others.”
“Huh?”
Ezio stared at Anis, bewildered.
‘How does that even make sense?’
“This is all your fault, you idiots.”
Lancelin was the first to apply Anis’s advice. As he naturally blamed others, Anis immediately agreed, saying that’s how it’s done.
Confused, Ezio muttered, “Where am I, who am I,” trying to dissociate from reality. However, given the situation, he wasn’t successful.
“By the way, that emblem looks familiar.”
Anis gestured with her chin toward the old and tattered banner. It was a dirty, frayed banner with a picture of a gray snake coiled and flicking its red tongue.
Anis racked her memory.
“Ah, I remember.”
There was a wooden shield with that emblem in the underground storage of the Red Lion Castle. When she was young, she had snuck into that dark place looking for treasure, and startled by the snake image, she had punched it, secretly smashing it to pieces.
