Suspicious Atmosphere
Listening to the soft clatter of the carriage wheels over the cobblestones, Ale leaned his elbow against the backrest and stared absently out the window.
The lights of the town gradually faded, and soon the view shifted to the forest.
“… Come to think of it, the orphanage is doing alright, yeah?”
The question slipped out of his mouth, and Salvia beside him narrowed her eyes just a bit as she answered.
“Of course~ the barrier is always up, so there’s nothing to worry about~”
Her voice sounded sleepy, and the way she dozed while clutching the large book with her tiny hands made her seem childish—almost too young for her age.
“You’re not protecting it with just your Saintess powers, right?”
“No~… a holy barrier disappears when I get too far away, you know~ So this time I carved a magic circle filled with enough mana~ With that one, even if monsters or bandits try to get in, they can’t break through easily~”
She pointed outside the window. Tiny flickering lights floated in the darkness of the forest, as if showing the flow of magic.
“And when they go shopping…”
“I gave Miss Himari a defensive magic tool~ It can repel most things, so preparations for the worst are perfect~”
Despite her lazy tone, her words carried a calculated intelligence. Her faint green hair and golden tips swayed and sparkled with the movement of the carriage.
“… I see. Well, if you’re saying it, I guess it’s fine.”
Unlike the fake mage that he is, she was the real deal. If she said it was safe, then it probably was.
“Yes, yes~ Actually, I’m monitoring the surroundings even now, you know~? And~ there are no loopholes in my barrier~”
“… You haven’t changed at all.”
“Really~? I think I’ve grown a bit since the old days~”
Saying that, she lifted her chest from below. Even if it was small and childlike, for a girl her age it was still properly there…
“Stop that, it’s improper…”
He turned away and averted his eyes. That was close. He almost stared at his daughter’s chest.
While they were doing that, the carriage exited the forest and moved into an open field. The sunset lit the grasslands, and the wind rocked the carriage. Ale took a deep breath and reorganized his scattered thoughts.
“… Hm? A person?”
Outside the window, at the end of the roadside, he spotted a black silhouette, and mixed with the sound of the horse’s hooves came a low growl.
“That might be… bandits~?”
Salvia’s voice was sleepy as always, but her eyes were sharp and gleaming. She was clearly on guard.
As the carriage rolled forward, the shadows approached, revealing three bandits dressed entirely in black.
“Stop right there, you’re all detained. Throw all your luggage out of the carriage and step out with your hands up, one by one!”
“Looks like there’s no way around this~”
Salvia slowly stood up, closed the book on the floor with a soft pat, and suddenly chains spilled out from it, rattling loudly as they shot forward and wrapped around the bandits.
“I can’t move!”
“Guh…!? What is this!!?”
“She’s not a Saintess, she’s a mage!? Nobody told us that!!?”
Easily captured, all they could do was complain.
Hearing their shouting, Ale frowned and glanced at Salvia.
“They said something about a Saintess and a mage…”
“That’s right~ And it’s strange for such a small group to attack this carriage~ Normally we’d interrogate them, but~…”
Salvia tilted her head slightly.
Grass rustled with the movement of the carriage. The glow of the sunset deepened from orange to a dark red, casting long shadows.
“… Well, safety first in cases like this, so let’s question them later~”
Salvia maintained the chains and dragged the bandits under the carriage, binding them together.
They flailed their legs helplessly, yelling “Let us go!” and “Cut it out!” like true small-time thugs.
Ale shrugged and turned his gaze back to the scenery outside.
“… Looks like we’ll reach the domain without any problems.”
“Yes~ The chains are made of mana, so they can’t break them easily~”
With the screams of the dragged men as background noise, they eventually reached the gate of a town surrounded by stone walls.
A soldier who appeared to be the gatekeeper glanced at the crest on the carriage and bowed his head, letting them pass without stopping them. The carriage they were riding belonged to Salvia and had been gifted by the Holy Nation—nobody around here would dare halt it.
By the way, a magic carriage was pulled by golem horses and cost a ridiculous amount. Hundreds of gold coins’ worth, that kind of thing.
Beyond the gate was a lively town, and the luxurious carriage dragging three men in black naturally stood out.
Through the murmuring crowd, they finally arrived at the lord’s mansion.
“Welcome to our—… umm… those people are…?”
The man who seemed to be the lord, having come out to greet them personally, stood before the carriage and frowned at the sight of the bound, black-clad bandits being dragged behind.
His confused expression made the atmosphere go stiff for a moment.
“We were attacked on the road. It seems someone hired them…”
Ale shrugged and answered plainly.
“… Anyway. We’ll leave dealing with these bandits to you. Salvia.”
Salvia sleepily opened her mouth and detached the chains from the carriage before adding,
“They can’t escape or harm anyone thanks to the magic~ The chains will disappear in about thirty minutes, so handle them before then~”
The lord lowered his gaze, thinking for a moment, then nodded.
“I understand… So that was the situation. Then we shall take custody of them. A meal has been prepared in the dining room, shall we speak there?”
“We’ll take you up on that.”
Ale bowed his head lightly.
Salvia also dipped her head while holding her book, eyes narrowing.
“And to think Saint-dono himself would visit our domain… Our land may see great prosperity ahead.”
The lord smiled faintly and gestured toward the mansion’s interior.
“Now then, allow me to show you to the manor. Everything you might need is already prepared, so please feel at ease.”
The carriage door opened, and the two stepped down onto the ground.
The men in black were handed over to the mansion guards and taken inside.
In contrast to the bustling city outside, the interior of the mansion was wrapped in a calm silence.
After hearing explanations about the guest rooms, lavatories, and the large bath, they finally arrived at the dining hall.
There, a lavish meal awaited them, along with the lord’s family and servants.
“Well then, let’s begin with introductions, shall we?”
Taking their seats, the lord spoke first.
And so, the long night for the two of them quietly began.
What do you think about this chapter?
