Chapter 247

Journey as the Princesses' Guards
I've heard that the two princesses have already completed their preparations for departure.
It seems the only remaining step is to load a few spare clothes.
Aren’t there any attendants coming along?

"Ah, you mean the ladies-in-waiting and maids? They've already been sent along with the main caravan of carriages. For this journey, only Their Highnesses the princesses will be traveling with Lily."

"Really? Is that okay?"

"It’s ideal for diverting enemy attention. Besides, Master Plum's maids are here, so the minimum preparations are in place."

I see, that makes sense.
When I looked over at Plum, she gave me a reassuring nod, so I'm sure they’ll handle the essentials.
Though, I wonder if that’s sufficient for two princesses, even though Plum herself is technically royalty.
I can’t imagine Princess Rodenlight or Princess Annette being too demanding, but with Plum's maids around, they’ll likely refrain from making unreasonable requests.

"Well, is our discussion concluded? If everything’s clear, we should depart at once."

"Huh? Already?"

"I want to return to Vardmoi as soon as possible. Even if our movement is detected, I intend to leave them far behind while they’re scrambling."

So they're planning to take advantage of the Lumite Grand Wing’s speed.
With that reasoning, I have no reason to decline.

Quickly loading the princesses' luggage, the Lumite Grand Wing once again left the city of McFarlane.
However, we exited through the opposite gate from the one we entered.
This way, we'll gain distance until McFarlane is out of sight, and then we’ll leave the main road, traveling cross-country to Vardmoi, as suggested by Rumaja.
On the main road, we might encounter guards, but it's unlikely they would be stationed in the plains or hilly areas off the path.
After all, they can’t cover every possible route.

"Your Lumite Grand Wing is truly impressive. We’re blazing through rough terrain at high speed, yet there’s hardly any jolting. It must have been quite pricey, no?"

"I got it discounted from 2 billion Rubies down to 1.2 billion. How much does a regular Lumite Grand Wing cost?"

"Well… without any extras, it’s about 300 million Rubies, I think. Without add-ons, it’s not fuel-efficient, so to make it practically usable, it would take around 800 million Rubies."

Wow, my Lumite Grand Wing was pricey.
But with its ample storage and smooth ride, I really can’t complain.
Even Rumaja is considering proposing it to the Adventurers' Guild.

With Plum's maids taking turns driving, my Lumite Grand Wing managed to keep moving continuously for three days and nights, returning us safely to the city of Vardmoi.
We likely outran any potential attackers, since we encountered no ambushes.
Following Rumaja's orders, we headed directly to Marquis Vardmoi’s estate in the Lumite Grand Wing.
Upon arrival, we were directed to a parking area at the rear, where the entire Vardmoi family, including the Marquis himself, came out to welcome us.
Naturally, as the princesses were on board.

"Princess Rodenlight, Princess Annette. Welcome to our home."

"Thank you, Marquis Vardmoi. Has the main caravan not yet arrived?"

"If they don’t encounter any bad weather, they should be about three days away. What would you like to do?"

"We'll wait at the Marquis's residence until they arrive. Once they do, I’ll board the caravan alone."

I wonder why she’d take such a risk, but it seems that’s the duty of those in power.
They believe they must present themselves before the people, even when danger is expected.
It’s not a world I can fully grasp, but I’d like to support them however I can.
For example, with a dress from Talat’s threads!