Chapter 27
The coachman kept bowing his head, apologizing over and over.
“Stop that and find somewhere nearby to stay.”
“Yes, I’ll find a place right away.”
I watched the coachman run off and then looked at Calyx.
I was surprised. I expected him to explode in anger, but he understood. This was the first time I had seen him like this, despite being by his side all this time.
Now that I thought about it, Calyx could be harsh to his soldiers, yet they spoke of him highly. Some even described him as a hero who had saved them.
Even Nosril, who had worked under Calyx for forty years, had a good opinion of him.
Calyx glanced back. Our eyes met unexpectedly. His hair fluttered slightly, and his sharp, handsome gaze landed on me.
“It’s not possible to go straight there. We’ll need to stay somewhere nearby.”
“Yes.”
“Since we know where the scammer is going, we’ll still have enough time.”
“Yes.”
Calyx narrowed his eyes slightly and then turned his head. I awkwardly settled at the front of the carriage.
‘Did I seem strange because I kept giving the same answer?’
I stole a glance at him. His dark eyes and straight nose stood out. Calyx was undeniably handsome.
Even in Rollend, where he appeared once every two years, his face was always a topic in high society.
‘His personality may not be great, but at least he’s good-looking.’
God was fair, I thought. Then Calyx turned his head, and I looked straight ahead, flustered.
I tried to act indifferent, but the scenery around was stunning. The sun was nearly set, and the sky was painted with the colors of sunset.
Purples and pinks mixed beautifully, giving the air a mystical, romantic feel. I looked down at the plains.
Unlike Setos, colorful flowers bloomed here, and the soft, warm breeze brushed past gently.
I spoke without realizing it.
“This place is really nice.”
Calyx gave me a crooked look.
“You like this place?”
“It’s not cold, and there are pretty flowers. And butterflies are flying around.”
A yellow butterfly was about to land on a white flower right in front of us. I said with a swelling heart:
“Rollend is like this too. It barely has winter, so it’s warm and nice.”
I wanted to return to Rollend. That was all I felt—longing.
I felt Calyx’s gaze. Feeling a little guilty, I added quickly:
“Of course, Setos was nice too. It had lots of snow, blizzards, and it was freezing…”
“Sounds like you’re only saying bad things.”
“No! I mean…”
“That’s enough. The north is like that by nature.”
Calyx crossed his arms and looked at the distant sky. I followed his gaze and then became curious. I wondered what his home was like.
In Rollend, a noble’s townhouse often reflected their personality.
I had never been to Calyx’s townhouse—only heard it was the Demerut Duke’s estate from afar. I wondered what his real home would be like.
“How is your estate, Duke? Does it snow there like in Setos?”
“No.”
“No snow at all?”
“Not as much as Setos.”
Calyx’s gaze seemed to darken slightly as he spoke, as if he were touching a long thread of his past.
Before I could ask why, someone ran up and stopped in front of him.
“Duke, there’s a room to stay nearby, but it’s very shabby. There are no other houses around either.”
Calyx looked toward the setting sun and told the coachman,
“Since the sun is setting, let’s go there for now.”
The coachman quickly guided us. I followed Calyx, and the coachman spoke beside him.
“We’ll repair the carriage so it can start again by tomorrow morning.”
“No need to go to such trouble. We can call another carriage nearby if needed.”
“But I asked the owner. It takes two hours on foot to reach the village.”
Two hours on foot was a long distance.
Calyx stopped and looked at the coachman. The coachman hurriedly replied:
“We’ll fix it properly. We brought tools anyway, so it won’t be a problem.”
Calyx said nothing more. I hurried to keep pace with his steps. In the distance, I saw an old house. The sun had set completely, and the small light inside glowed dimly.
“That’s it. The owner is an old woman with very poor eyesight. She can’t see clearly, but she sells food and rents rooms to travelers.”
A neatly tied old woman stood at the door.
“You’re here. Come in!”
Her voice was lively. She smiled widely and opened the door, stepping aside. Then she narrowed her eyes at Calyx and said:
“My eyes aren’t good, but your face is very clear and handsome.”
The coachman started to explain, but Calyx answered first.
“Thank you.”
His voice was emotionless. He entered through the open door. I glanced at him.
‘Maybe he’s heard that a lot, so it doesn’t affect him.’
It made sense. Even in Rollend, his face was famous for being handsome. He must have heard such compliments countless times.
We followed Calyx into the house. Like from outside, it was narrow. There barely seemed enough space for three people to sleep.
“Fewer people come to rest here these days, so I wasn’t sure anyone would come. But I’m glad you did.”
She busied herself, pulling a chair from the table.
“Sit here.”
The kitchen area had old pots, ladles, and chipped dishes. They weren’t new, just worn, but they felt somehow comforting.
It reminded me of a house in the Lukru Kingdom.
Calyx stood briefly before sitting. His presence filled the small space. He really didn’t fit this kind of place.
I stood beside him, and the old woman tilted her head.
“And this one is…?”
“A mercenary.”
“Oh, one who protects someone?”
Her words were slightly off, but I nodded.
“Seems skilled for protecting someone important.”
I just smiled. That was true.
Then the coachman spoke to Calyx:
“Duke, I’ll stay in the stables.”
“Are the stables livable?”
The old woman chimed in:
“Yes, it’s fine. My son fixed them a few days ago.”
Her eyesight was poor, but her hearing was sharp. The coachman nodded.
“I checked earlier. It’s clean. I’ll stay there to repair the carriage.”
The old woman handed him three boiled potatoes, beans, and some bread.
“Take these to eat.”
“Thank you.”
After the coachman left, she handed Calyx and me our bowls.
“You must be hungry. Eat up.”
I sat awkwardly at the table. There were only a few seats, so it was beside Calyx. The table was unusually long. The old woman also sat beside Calyx, probably because she hadn’t finished her meal.
The food was very simple: boiled potatoes, beans, cooked sausage, bread, and some unknown fried insects, like grasshoppers.
“I made this quickly. Not sure if it tastes good.”
I took a piece of sausage and tried it. Salty, but familiar.
“Delicious.”
“Really? That’s good.”
The old woman smiled and looked at Calyx, who remained silent. I lightly touched Calyx’s arm. He flinched and looked at me, his eyes annoyed.
I smiled and said:
“Try the sausage. It’s quite good.”
Calyx, noticing, picked up a fork and tasted it.
“Tasty.”
The old woman laughed and took her fork.
“Eat plenty.”
Calyx skipped the sausage and ate the fried insects. I looked at him in slight shock.
He ate surprisingly well. As expected from someone with Berok blood. I watched with mild admiration. The old woman’s gaze returned to him.
She smiled brightly and patted his back firmly.
“You eat well. Reminds me of my son.”
Calyx’s upper body bent slightly from the force. His brow tensed.
‘Oh no.’
Calyx was a dangerous man… if he were annoyed, he might even kill. Yet the old woman didn’t back down. I watched worriedly. Calyx, however, remained calm, gripping his fork tightly.
The old woman smiled warmly and said,
“Good, right? Eat plenty.”
I watched them quietly. I expected Calyx to complain, but he ate the insects in silence, only enjoying the food that suited his taste.
After finishing, the old woman led us to the room.
“There’s only one room. What should we do? You can stay there and protect the master.”
“Huh?”
I looked at her in surprise. She explained patiently:
“It’s normal here. Since you’re a mercenary, it’s not unusual. Staying in the room will keep the master safer.”
I couldn’t respond. Some nobles had requested mercenaries to stay inside before, so it wasn’t unusual.
“Alright then…”
The old woman smiled and left for another room. I still stood there, a little dumbfounded.
