Episode 637
by CristaeEpisode 637
“What’s wrong?”
“N-no, it’s just, that person just now…”
The coachman pointed in confusion.
He had only asked for directions, but the man was running away at full speed as if he’d seen a wyvern.
Seeing this, Gainando spoke seriously.
“Maybe he’s scared of carriages.”
“…?”
The coachman stared at Gainando.
No matter how he thought about it, that sounded like nonsense.
Who in the world was afraid of carriages?
‘No, this young master is from Einrogard. He must know far more than an uneducated coachman like me.’
The coachman shook his head to dismiss his disrespectful thought.
Though still young, the person he was serving was a wizard of Imperial royal blood (albeit with a low rank) and a student at Einrogard.
His wisdom could never be underestimated.
“Yes. Then let’s continue on.”
“Oh! Look! There’s another one!”
“!”
This time, it was a peddler traveling with goods loaded on a pony approaching.
He must have been an experienced peddler—his face was weathered and covered in scars. His eyes shone with the resolve of one who had wandered from the Empire’s hot southern deserts to its cold northern glaciers.
There were few better people to ask than peddlers who traveled all over the Empire. The coachman quickly called out.
“Excuse me! Excuse me! May I ask something?”
“Ask away.”
“Is this the road to the Wardanaz estate?”
“You’re heading to the Wardanaz estate?”
“Yes. As a guest…”
The peddler quickly grabbed whatever he could from his pony and hurled it at the coachman. The coachman, shocked, shielded his face.
“Ugh! What are you doing…?”
Without so much as a glance back, the peddler fled. He left behind both his pony and his goods.
“……”
“…Maybe he’s scared of carriages too?”
‘Something’s wrong!’
The coachman felt a growing sense of unease.
No matter how he thought about it, they weren’t afraid of the carriage.
They were afraid of the name ‘Wardanaz’!
It was one thing for that first passerby, but for a peddler, who had surely seen it all, to flee as well?
“Young master, doesn’t something feel off? Could something have happened at the Wardanaz estate?”
“No. Lee Han said everything’s fine.”
“And who is Lee Han?”
“My friend. Lee Han of the Wardanaz family! By the way, I’m his best friend.”
“…?”
The coachman hesitated.
If you wanted to find out if something was wrong at the Wardanaz estate, you were supposed to ask an objective outsider, not ask a member of the family, “Is your family alright?”
What if this Lee Han friend was actually plotting something sinister…
Even the coachman had heard rumors about the terrifying Wardanaz name.
The Kraha family had assured him, “It’s just baseless rumors,” but now, he couldn’t help but remember them after all this.
What if they weren’t just rumors?
‘N-no. This young master is from Einrogard… If his friend were up to some nefarious scheme, he’d have found out first!’
The coachman did his best to steady his mind.
Shh!
Gainando tossed a crumpled piece of paper out the carriage window. The coachman asked in confusion.
“What did you just throw out, sir?”
“Oh. A math problem. It’s a secret. I’ll just say a bird carried it off later!”
“……”
While Gainando was marveling at his own cleverness, he failed to notice the coachman’s gaze growing colder by the second.
“We’re at the village. Let’s rest here a bit before going on.”
The vast domains of great noble houses were practically independent, with their own villages and retainers.
Of course, the Wardanaz domain was the same, and the Udamhwa Village just ahead was the closest village to the estate and the last stop before entering the domain proper.
And for the coachman, it was the final chance to get any useful information.
Creak!
The coachman stopped the carriage in front of the -Raft on a Cloud- inn.
“You wait here, young master.”
“Okay.”
Gainando nodded, completely engrossed in -Toberiz the Puppy Beastkin Detective-.
“This way! This way!”
The inn’s servant rushed out and gestured to the stable.
Clearly, this village, while not a city, was fairly large and prosperous. The fact that the inn accepted an eight-horse carriage without hesitation proved it.
In smaller villages, there often wasn’t space, so you’d have to tie the carriage up outside.
‘Perfect. If the town’s this big, I’ll be able to get some proper information.’
The coachman steeled himself.
In small villages, maybe not, but in large towns, someone always gave you reliable information.
“…?”
Opening the inn’s door, the coachman felt a sense of discord.
The spacious first floor was filled corner to corner with old round wooden tables, villagers, and travelers all seated around, sipping from large tin mugs.
Behind the counter, the innkeeper worked deftly with the barrels, and bards were gathered nearby. It was a big inn, fitting for a thriving village.
But—
‘Why is it silent?’
Amazingly, the inn was eerily quiet.
Villagers and travelers sat in silence. Even the innkeeper and the bards said nothing—there wasn’t even music.
“Ha-has someone passed away?”
“Shh!”
A local next to him gestured for silence at the coachman’s question.
“Keep your mouth shut, outsider. Now’s not the time.”
“…??”
“Sit here. Now.”
The coachman sat next to the villager, not knowing why. The villager frowned and whispered.
“Of all days, you came today. Bad luck for you.”
“W-what do you mean?”
“Look outside.”
The coachman turned to the window.
A gigantic, amorphous demon with dozens of hooves was lumbering through the town.
And next to the demon was a boy. The boy placed a bundle on the demon and murmured to himself while holding a piece of paper.
“Hmm. What’s next… Chocolate? Ah, this guy, probably just wants chocolate…”
-Have you sired children at Einrogard…?
The coachman nearly fainted. The townsfolk, even more startled, grabbed him.
“Outsider, are you trying to get us killed?!”
“I-I’m sorry. I was just so shocked. W-w-what in the world is that?”
“That’s the demon of the Wardanaz estate.”
The villagers spoke the name of the Wardanaz family with voices full of awe and fear.
“The great mage’s minion!”
“Why on earth did the Great Great Great Magician send the demon to the village?”
“Who knows?! That’s why we’re all like this!”
Finally, the coachman understood why the inn was deathly silent.
And come to think of it, it wasn’t just the inn—the whole town was silent.
Everyone was holding their breath, terrified of attracting attention!
“B-but the Wardanaz family are mages who protect the Empire…”
“Right. Outsider. Why don’t you go and tell that to the demon?”
The coachman shut his mouth.
“Do you know why this inn’s called the -Raft on a Cloud-?”
“N-no?”
“The owner took a raft out on the lake in his youth, and got carried up onto the clouds.”
A dwarf elder who had been listening to the conversation quietly spoke up.
“There’s an old saying among dwarves. Never get mixed up with a great mage. No good can ever come of it, even if they’re righteous. It’ll ruin your li—”
Clunk!
“!?!?!”
Everyone in the inn stopped breathing.
While they were talking, the inn door had swung open and the Wardanaz boy had entered.
“Shall I wait with the horses in the stable?”
-I am not a hors… Understood…
Gulp!
Someone’s swallow sounded thunderously loud.
The boy walked over and asked the innkeeper,
“Could I possibly buy some lemon sugared preserves? The general store said they’re supposed to be delicious here…”
Thunk!
The innkeeper immediately brought out a whole tub of lemon preserves. The boy answered in confusion,
“There’s no need to give me so much.”
“It’s a pre-pre-pre-present from the heart!”
“Please, just a little is plenty.”
The boy packed some lemon preserves, then seemed lost in thought.
“Do you have grapefruit?”
“G-g-g-grapefruit? Yes!”
“It’s really grapefruit, right? Wait, please hold this for me.”
-Why did you send me to the stables in the first place… Not that I’m complaining…
Short-handed, the boy called the demon over.
The inn became even quieter than before. Even the tiniest pin drop would have boomed like thunder.
“Don’t drop this.”
-Yes…
“Would you like one?”
-Yes…
“Is it good?”
-It’s delicious…
“That’s a relief. Hahaha.”
Chattering with the demon, the boy finished packing the preserves and left.
Finally, the people could breathe.
“See? Now you know why we told you to keep your mouth shut…”
Instead of answering, the coachman kicked open the door and ran out of town.
- * *
Nillia sat in the Meikin family’s carriage and glanced outside.
‘Ah. That flower tastes good.’
For an instant, she thought about stopping the carriage, picking the flower, and having Yoner taste it, but Nillia restrained herself.
The coachman might secretly snicker.
-Oh my! How could the Meikin family daughter act so barbaric and uncouth, tearing into game raw and with her teeth like some savage…
“Wait! Stop the carriage!”
Yoner shouted to the coachman, then jumped out of the carriage.
He quickly picked the flower and climbed back in, panting.
“…This flower, it’s good for making wind barrier potions. Sorry for surprising you.”
Meeting Nillia’s gaze, Yoner sheepishly explained. Nillia felt very pleased.
“No, that flower’s tasty too! Look, that person’s eating the flowers too—ack!”
“???”
Yoner turned in surprise at Nillia’s scream to look out the carriage.
A familiar relative was sitting sadly in the grass, chewing flowers with a gloomy face.
“……”
“……”
Gainando, chewing flowers, looked up. Seeing the Meikin family carriage, Gainando cried tearfully,
“Yoner!!!”
“Go!”
Yoner shouted coldly.
But Gainando, incredibly fast, grabbed onto the carriage.
“It’s me! It’s me!”
“How can you prove you’re not a fake?”
“…H-here. I have homework from Lee Han!”
“Fake. Go!”
Not wanting to get mixed up with an annoying relative even during vacation, Yoner gave the cold order.
But Nillia’s heart softened a little.
“Shouldn’t we at least ask what happened?”
“…Sigh. You’ll regret it.”
Sighing, Yoner opened the door. Gainando climbed in, sniffling.
“What happened?”
“The coachman ran away!”
“It’s your fault, right?”
“No!!”
With a voice full of sorrow, Gainando explained the coachman’s story.
That he had been left behind in the carriage!
“I asked the townsfolk, and they said he just ran off. Sob.”
Yoner and Nillia exchanged looks.
There was only one thing that came to mind.
“You forced the coachman to read magazines?”
“You probably used black magic on him.”
“Did you beg the coachman to buy you snacks?”
“Did you make the coachman do your homework?”
“It wasn’t any of those!!”
Gainando was indignant at their suspicions.
He couldn’t even call these people friends!