Chapter 27: Worries About Tomorrow

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

Lloyd and Lusha, having stocked up on waterproofing materials and preserved food at the shop, headed next to a furniture store. Inside the furniture shop, rows of wooden shelves, chairs, and desks were neatly arranged. Toward the back of the store, in a corner, mattresses wrapped in cloth were stacked haphazardly.

He had to pick out a good-quality mattress from among them. At the very least, he needed to prepare a proper bed so Lusha could sleep comfortably. Whether it was the bath or the mattress, he wondered why he was going this far, even to himself. Given Lusha’s personality, she would never act spoiled or make selfish demands. And yet, he found himself wanting to grant her wishes and help her live more comfortably.

Or rather… This was the first time he had ever spent so long alone together with someone like this, wasn’t it?

He stole a glance at Lusha as she absentmindedly gazed up at the stack of mattresses, and the thought crossed his mind. Surely, Lloyd’s tendency to look after her had something to do not only with the matter of the Malice Glyph, but also with this. All his life, he had never been able to grow close to anyone.

No. Perhaps during the time he spent in Zaxon Village, that hadn’t been the case. But by the time he was old enough to understand the world, Lloyd had basically been alone. His parents had died, and only his grandfather remained. But he had never been treated kindly. As a member of the “Shadow Clan,” he had simply been subjected to harsh training.

Under those circumstances, there was no way he could have been blessed with opportunities to befriend others and in the end, even though he belonged to the Hero’s Party, he felt he had always been mentally alone.

“This one has wool filling, huh. Not bad.”

Lloyd tested the firmness of a few mattresses before selecting one. When they also purchased a cart for transporting their goods, they were told to bring the horse they had left at the hitching post. The two of them returned to the hitching area, retrieved the horse they had left there, and brought it back to the shop.

Lloyd spoke with a wry smile.

“It feels a bit cruel to make a riding horse pull a cart, but…Right now we don’t have the luxury to complain.”

“But this child is smart. I’m sure he’ll understand.”

Lusha placed a gentle hand on the horse’s back and softly stroked it. Her movements were filled with tender affection, as though soothing a small child. Originally, this horse had belonged to the pursuers who had targeted her. But now, it had carried the two of them all the way out to this region and had become a reliable companion.

Perhaps because it had grown used to the White Saint’s kindness, the horse seemed to be in a very good mood. Even as the cart harness was being fitted, it showed no signs of displeasure. It looked like attaching the cart would still take some time, and the shopkeeper’s son continued working in silence.

“…Seems it’ll take a bit. Do you want to grab something to eat while we wait?”

Lloyd said, glancing toward the street in front of the shop. She must have been hungry. At his suggestion, Lusha’s face lit up instantly.

“Yes, absolutely!”

“Alright. Then let’s walk a bit and head to the market.”

The two of them made their way to the market at the center of town. Along the lively street, stalls selling fruit, spices, and baked goods lined the way, and a fragrant aroma drifted through the air. Hawkers’ voices, the sound of meat sizzling on metal griddles, laughter… Everything was filled with energy, making it truly worthy of being called the heart of the city.

“Is there anything you want to try?”

When Lloyd asked, Lusha looked around restlessly and tilted her head in uncertainty.

“What should I pick…? I’ve never eaten at a place like this before, so I don’t know.”

“Then how about some lamb over there? It’s good.”

He pointed at a stall selling char-grilled skewered meat sandwiched in bread. Between the bread, browned lamb peeked out, accented with red-purple vegetables and sauce. Some stalls dealt in monster meat, but the quality tended to be hit-or-miss. Lamb, on the other hand, was predictable enough, and it was rarely bad.

“Lamb…! It’s my first time, so I’m excited.”

They each bought a sandwich and sat at an empty table beside the stall. The sandwiches were hefty in their hands, and the smell of fresh-grilled meat stirred their appetite.

“…I give thanks for today’s blessings. May Lady Leafia guide us.”

After offering her usual prayer, Lusha took a bite. Juices overflowed from between the bread, and her cheeks softened in delight.

“It’s sooo delicious…”

“Yeah, grilled meat is always great.”

Lloyd nodded and took a bite himself. The charcoal’s toasty aroma, the meat’s flavor, and the pleasantly tart sauce all blended together beautifully. It was truly excellent.

I used to eat things like this a lot back when I was with Julius’s party…

A memory surfaced. Unable to fit in with his companions, Lloyd had usually wandered off alone whenever they reached a town. He would often roam the marketplace like this and grab food from the stalls. But it tasted incomparably better now. The meat wasn’t all that different, and the seasoning was ordinary. And yet, it felt far more delicious.

That was surely because someone was sitting beside him. Because he could share good food with someone and say “It’s delicious” together… Only now did he realize how much that alone could elevate a meal. After taking a breath, Lloyd spoke.

“…Hey, I’ve got something I want to talk about.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“I don’t really want to bring this up, but… It’s about money. Honestly, at this rate, we’re screwed.”

Lloyd explained their pitiful financial situation. They currently had no income, and with today’s purchases, the money they had taken from the Temple Knights had decreased significantly. If they continued buying food like this, they would eventually run out entirely.

“We need to figure out how we’re going to cover living expenses from now on. Whether we start producing our own supplies or find some way to earn money in town.”

“You’re right… That’s true.”

“Sorry. Even though we finally found a place we can stay, I still can’t give you any peace of mind.”

“N-no! If anything, I should be the one apologizing for not thinking ahead.”

Lusha’s shoulders drooped. One problem solved, another arose. Even though the issues of clothing and shelter were finally getting sorted out, the most important one—food—was still unresolved.

Originally, Lusha had lived in a monastery before becoming a Saint, so she had no experience living in a rural, self-sufficient environment. Lloyd was no different. Neither of them knew how to start a life from scratch like this.

“Once the bath repairs are finished tomorrow, let’s think about how to secure food. Luckily, we still have a bit of time and breathing room. Well… I’m sure we’ll figure something out.”

He had no plan at all, but somehow he felt that would be the case. That was surely because she was beside him. As he thought that, Lusha suddenly let out a soft laugh.

“Hm…? What’s wrong?”

“Sorry, nothing. I just thought that Lloyd is really amazing.”

“Amazing? How?”

Being suddenly praised left him confused. What part of him was amazing? If anything, he hadn’t solved a single problem.

“Even in this situation, you’re looking ahead and thinking about how to manage our life. I’m overwhelmed with just what’s right in front of me…”

Lusha’s cheeks were slightly flushed as she looked at him with eyes full of admiration. Feeling embarrassed, Lloyd averted his gaze.

“…I’m not amazing. I’m just doing what’s right in front of me.”

“Even so, it looks very radiant to me. I’ll work hard too.”

When she smiled sweetly, Lloyd couldn’t help but smile as well. He never imagined that a day would come when the White Saint herself would respect him. From Lloyd’s perspective, a “Saint” was someone so far above him that he wasn’t even supposed to speak to her.

“Alright. Once we finish eating, let’s walk around town. There might be some kind of work we can do.”

“Yes! If there’s anything I can do, just let me know!”

The two of them were talking about the future when it happened.

From the distance came shouting and the pounding of hooves. When they looked up toward the roadside square beyond the marketplace, a runaway wagon raced into view at the edge of their sight.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー