Chapter 8: The Two’s Destination

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While being rocked atop the horse’s back, Lloyd looked up at the cloudy sky. Until they made it out of the dense forest, he hadn’t been able to relax even while riding, but once light began to filter through the breaks in the trees and the sky opened up, his tension finally began to ease.

“…It’s beautiful.”

Sitting in front of him, Lusha leaned hesitantly against Lloyd’s chest and murmured softly. She had been keeping her back rigid the entire time so as not to touch him, so he had told her she could lean if she wanted.

“Yeah. Since no one’s touched it, the scenery is nature just as it is.”

The night still hadn’t completely lifted. Ideally, he had wanted to get a little farther before dawn, but the horse’s pace was growing heavier, and the breaths leaking from its nose were becoming strained.

He had thought he’d chosen the sturdiest of the three horses. Even so, on a long march while carrying two humans and heavy luggage, even the strongest horse had its limits. They had slowed the pace several times already, but its fatigue could no longer be hidden. Spotting a small clearing ahead, Lloyd tugged on the reins.

“…Let’s rest a bit. The horse’s at its limit.”

“Yes.”

The two dismounted and sat down on the grass. Lusha gently stroke the horse’s neck while whispering to the horse.

“Thank you very much. Please rest well.” 

Lloyd let out a small, secret sigh of amusement upon watching that sight. She was truly kind. To him, a horse had always been little more than a means of transportation; he had never even considered offering it gratitude.

Lusha took dried meat, dried fruit, and a water skin from the luggage and began preparing a simple breakfast. Under the sky, now tinged with the colors of dawn, even a modest meal somehow felt warm. He had been expelled from the party, had fought for his life, had rescued the White Saint, and now he was sharing a meal with that girl. It felt like nothing but unbelievable things kept happening.

“So… Where are we heading?”

As they ate, Lusha asked. Lloyd answered.

“A few days’ ride from here, there’s an abandoned village.”

“An abandoned village?”

“Yeah. It was destroyed about fifteen years ago. My birthplace. If it can at least keep out the rain and wind, I figured it might work for now.”

The only goal he had formed after being expelled from the party had been to visit the abandoned village where he was born. After leaving the hidden settlement of the Shadow Clan due to his grandfather’s death—though by then, his grandfather had been the only one left—he had done a little research on the state of his home village. 

According to what he’d heard, it had turned into ruins, but a few houses still retained their shape. There was a chance that bandits or monsters had taken up residence, but if the buildings still stood, he believed they could be made livable with minimal repairs. Tearing a piece of bread, Lloyd spoke in a self-mocking tone.

“After that… I haven’t thought of anything. In terms of circumstance, I’m not that different from you. I figured I’d fix up a house and live there for a while.”

“…I see.”

Lusha murmured while looking down. Surely she had many concerns of her own, but she didn’t seem inclined to press him.

“There’s a fairly large town near that abandoned village. If you want, I can take you there… What do you think?”

“Ah… Uum.”

Lusha lowered her gaze, quietly lacing her fingers together as if thinking. After a moment, as though sweeping away her hesitation, she drew in a small breath, lifted her face, and said to him.

“Um… Would it be possible for me to go there with you as well?”

“Go where? The abandoned village?”

“Yes. I think the town probably has a church and honestly, it’s a little scary. Of course, only if it wouldn’t trouble you, Lloyd.”

“No, I don’t mind that, but…”

Lloyd frowned and shook his head. He understood what she was saying, but he couldn’t recommend that she spend time alone with a man in an unsafe, unprotected abandoned village. More than that, she trusted someone she had only just met far too easily. What would she do if he were a villain or a slaver? Well… If that were the case, he wouldn’t have interfered with the Temple Knights back then, he supposed.

“But really, it’ll probably just be a bunch of collapsed houses scattered around. They might be able to keep you out of the rain and elements, but they probably won’t function as real homes. I only ever heard rumors too. I haven’t actually seen it myself.”

“In that case, it’s all right.”

Contrary to his expectations, Lusha smiled brightly.

“All right what?”

“I can use〈Repair 〉, you know. I’m sure I can be useful.”

“Ah… I see.”

That wasn’t the issue, but he didn’t push it further. He had just told her earlier not to reveal anything that would put her at a disadvantage. Besides, having her with him was reassuring for Lloyd too. Even if Malice Glyph went out of control, she could probably do something about it—that thought gave him peace of mind.

As for the issue of being alone with a woman, it would be fine so long as Lloyd harbored no improper desires.

“…All right, then let’s go to the village together first. After we see what it’s like, we’ll decide from there.”

“Yes!”

Unaware of Lloyd’s concerns, Lusha nodded cheerfully.

Good grief… What’s going to happen now?

Lloyd let out a small breath and looked up past the cloudy sky. A heavy sky. Yet at its edge, just faintly, a pale light was beginning to spread. Just being able to eat like this and having a destination… That alone felt like a big first step for him.

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