The Banished Black Swordsman Wants a Peaceful Life with the White Saint in the Frontier ~Huh? You Want Him to Come Back with the Saint? It’s Already Too Late~ - 50

Chapter 50: I Want Seed

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

Out of the corner of his eye, Lloyd saw steam still rising from the dining table, while outside the window the frost was slowly beginning to melt under the morning sun.

“Fuaaaaahhh……”

Lloyd tried to stifle a big yawn, but in the end failed and let it spill out. The back of his throat trembled, and the edges of his vision prickled and blurred slightly.

“Huh? Lloyd, didn’t you sleep well last night?”

The moment she set her spoon down, the girl sitting across from him blinked her eyes in surprise.

“…I just had a little trouble falling asleep.”

As soon as he said it, memories of last night surfaced, and he gave a wry smile inwardly. After putting out the fire and crawling into bed, it hadn’t been long before a gentle warmth had nestled up against his back.

Lusha’s small head had settled around his shoulder blades, her breathing tickling him through his clothes. Apparently, she had a habit of clinging to people when she slept but of course, she had no awareness of it herself. There was no way he could tell her.

“I see. Then I’ll brew some medicinal herbs to help you sleep.”

Lusha said it with pure goodwill and smiled warmly.

No, that’s not the cause…

The words almost rose to his throat, but he swallowed them back down.

“That sounds reassuring. I’ll be counting on you.”

Lloyd merely shrugged and picked up his wooden bowl. The soup, made by adding herbs to last night’s leftovers, let the sweetness of the root vegetables slowly soak into his stomach. The bread had been cut thick and toasted, with fruit split open and served alongside it. The translucent flesh of the fruit caught the sunlight, and when a thin stream of honey was drizzled over it, the scent of a modest luxury rose into the air.

As if to fill the pauses between spoonfuls, the conversation naturally turned to the fields.

“Speaking of which, about the fields… What should we plant in the spring?”

“At the monastery, we often grew beans and herbs. Ah, but it’d be nice to have vegetables too!”

Lusha lightly clasped her hands at her chest, her voice bright with excitement.

“I see.”

The color of freshly turned soil rose in Lloyd’s mind. The soil the two of them had tilled side by side the previous evening had only just taken shape as several raised rows. Thinking about various crops bearing fruit there made his spirits lift.

“Then let’s aim for that.”

Lloyd nodded. But reality soon showed its other face.

“…But we don’t have any seeds.”

At Lloyd’s observation, Lusha let out a small “Ah.” The sight struck him as oddly amusing, and the corners of his mouth loosened.

“Then let’s head into town today. We still haven’t collected yesterday’s reward either.”

“Yes! Let’s ask Cron-san about seeds too.”

They rinsed the dishes, put out the fire in the house, and stepped outside. The air was still cold, but the sunlight was gentler than yesterday. As Lloyd stroked the horse’s neck and took hold of the reins, the shadows of the woods bordering the abandoned village swayed. As they passed through the trees, the sound of the wheels changing from dirt to stone grew lighter to the ear.

＊＊＊

Gluteridge welcomed them with its usual smells. Freshly baked bread, animal fat, iron, and herbs. Children ran down the street, and the small bell of the belfry marked the passing of time. They pulled the wagon up beside the square, and when Lloyd pushed open the door to the Barmasty Trading Company, the “boy merchant” looked up from his desk and wore his usual light smile.

“Hey, good work yesterday. The client was very satisfied. They spoke highly of you.”

He started with words of appreciation. They were casual, but his eyes never forgot to weigh the value of work done. Lloyd nodded and took the copy of the request form from his coat, placing it on the table.

“Glad to hear it. I’ve got another matter to ask about, do you have time?”

“What is it?”

“You said we could reuse the old farmland, right? We managed to get it into good shape yesterday, but we don’t have the crucial seeds. Where can we get some?”

They had looked over the market after arriving in town that morning, but while vegetables themselves were for sale, there were no seeds to be found. Cron nodded in understanding, saying, “Ah, that,” and rested a hand on his chin.

“Here in Gluteridge, the sale of seeds themselves is restricted to protect local farmers.”

“You don’t handle them either?”

“We can’t sell seeds directly either. That said, there are farmers in town who might be willing to share. Last year’s weather caused uneven yields, so there should be a few households with surplus.”

“Would you be able to introduce us to someone?”

Lusha asked Cron.

“Sure, I don’t mind.”

He replied, pulling open a drawer in the counter. He slid his fingertips between slender stacks of paper and pulled out a single blank sheet.

“There’s one farmer who might give you some seeds. Want me to write a letter of introduction?”

“Really!? Yes, please!”

Lusha’s face lit up instantly. Cron shrugged and set his pen moving.

“No, no, this is nothing at all. An easy favor, in fact. But…Well, they’re a bit of a difficult bunch. Could you try paying them a visit?”

The letters flowed smoothly across the page, lining up neatly, and at the end the trading company’s seal was pressed into place. The dry scent of ink rose faintly from the paper. Cron sealed it, then, instead of handing it over, left it on the table and looked at Lloyd.

“…Also, about the church. I did a little digging…”

“—!?”

Lloyd and Lusha both looked up at the same time. Cron’s eyes were serious. Lowering his voice, he continued.

“For now, it doesn’t seem like any talk about a fake saint has surfaced in this town. You should be able to live quietly for a while.”

At those words, both of them let out relieved sighs. Still, this was only a temporary situation. There was no telling when this peace might crumble. They couldn’t afford to let their guard down.

“Now then, your reward for yesterday’s job. Check the contents.”

Cron returned his voice to normal and placed a small pouch on the table with a soft clink. When Lloyd peeked inside to confirm, the amount was exactly the same as what was written on the request form.

“I’ve confirmed it. No problems.”

“Then that wraps up this request.”

Cron deepened his thin smile and cast his gaze down to the letter of introduction resting on the table.

“The letter’s addressed to a farm south of town, past two hills. The husband doesn’t talk much, and the wife talks fast. They’re the type who work with their hands more than their words. …Oh, and one more thing.”

His gaze briefly slid to Lusha’s hood. As usual, she had pulled it deep over her head when coming here. Lloyd remembered that just yesterday, Cron had warned him to keep her white light concealed.

“There are a lot of people out today. Be careful. Don’t stand out unnecessarily. I think you’ll be fine, though.”

He ended on a joking note, but his expression was serious for just a moment.

“Understood.” 

Lloyd replied shortly, slipping the letter of introduction into his coat. When they stepped out of the trading company, the sunlight on the street was dazzling. As Lloyd checked the wagon’s load, Lusha looked up at him.

“Cron-san is kind, isn’t he?”

“From his point of view, kindness is just another business tool.”

“Oh, Lloyd, that’s terrible.”

Lusha shook her shoulders at Lloyd’s banter.

“Up you go.”

After confirming that Lusha had climbed onto the wagon, Lloyd mounted the driver’s seat as well. Before taking hold of the reins, he glanced back at her. As always, Lusha was gently adjusting the edge of her hood with her fingers.

“Aren’t you cold?”

He asked on a whim. She tilted her head slightly.

“Hm…? No, I’m fine. Why do you ask all of a sudden?”

“Just a thought. It’s a bit chilly today.”

After offering that excuse, Lloyd lightly tapped the horse’s neck. The wheels began to turn slowly, and the rhythm of the cobblestones carried up through his body. South of town, past two hills. The letter of introduction rustled faintly inside his clothes.

I couldn’t exactly say that I’d asked because I’d suddenly remembered the warmth at my back last night. Seeds, huh… Me, out of all things. 

Not a sword, but work that planted the future into the soil. A different kind of tension than gripping a blade spread across his palms. Someday, green threads would line those rows, and by summer the leaves would cast shade. He vaguely pictured such a future.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

Their replies were short, but their pace was in sync. There was only one road leading out of town. At each bend, Lusha’s cloak caught the sunlight, scattering small flecks of light. At the top of the hill, the wind was strong, and beyond it, the ridge of the next hill stretched faintly into the distance.

The wagon swayed gently as it made its way toward the destination written on the letter of introduction.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー