Chapter 7: A Drunkard’s Question

Helentine wrapped her arms around Landon’s neck and pressed down.

If it were just her weight, there was nothing to worry about.

To Landon, she was only an extra bundle.

But she cheated, and even used magic.

The magical pressure made it impossible for Landon to lift his head, his face drawing closer to her chest. When breathing became difficult, he immediately agreed to Helentine’s demand.

“Thanks for the trouble~ Hehe!”

Helentine laughed and let go, her body sinking back, arms hanging limply.

She wasn’t asleep, but there was little difference.

Landon put his arm around her waist and set her against the corner wall. Seeing her half-lidded eyes fixed on him, he felt uneasy.

Because she had drunk too much, her body was burning hot and her mind was fuzzy. But to bring her along, Landon decided to reduce the things in his pack.

Actually, Helentine had a storage spell that could fit as much as possible into a small box, but in her current state, she didn’t look like she would help.

Helentine leaned against the cold wall, Landon’s uniform under her bottom. She was glad she had worn long pants today; otherwise her bare bottom would have gotten cold on the floor.

The wall behind her bordered the corridor leading to the army canteen. At that moment, the group was holding a welcome party.

The newly arrived “heroes” received a warm welcome from the hospitable locals, but Helentine couldn’t see any joy on the faces of those West Ring City-State people.

Where did these people, who were not wealthy to begin with, or rather poor and miserable, dig up those canned meats and biscuits?

And why did the person in charge of hospitality look so uncomfortable?

Where did the big bottles of rum come from? And which chef brought out the snacks to go with the drinks?

Helentine had many questions for the person in charge, but in the end, she was silenced by repeated words of “gratitude” and forced to drink about seventeen cups of wine.

Even someone as dense as her should have realized something was fishy, right?

So Helentine had come out too, planning to go back to her room for a good sleep. But then she ran into Landon sneaking off. How could he not take her with him?

But she was also aware that Landon was not in a good state. The person he was looking for might be dead, and a dead person couldn’t be found.

Landon surely hoped to find Liana, but not a corpse. He wanted a living, unharmed Liana.

Watching Landon repack his bundle, Helentine found herself saying:

“Tell me about Liana. What does she like to eat?”

Only with the rising alcohol could she ask such things and have Landon answer seriously with a “I can’t stand you” look. That was how it had always been.

So Helentine watched his thin hands as he carefully selected overnight gear, and when he heard the question, he turned his head:

“Must you ask now?”

“Mm, I’m curious.”

“Sigh…”

Landon sighed and finished organizing his backpack, removing half the food and water.

“Liana doesn’t like sweets,” Landon got up and walked toward Helentine, “but I know she was lying to me.”

“Hm?”

Helentine watched him with a hint of amusement as he knelt on one knee in front of her, then turned around, presenting his broad back.

Helentine immediately threw herself onto him. The softness and burning heat of her body passed through the thin fabric, constantly teasing Landon’s nerves.

Landon could feel that Helentine still had some self-awareness, even squirming upward a bit, and then the sensation of her chin hitting his trapezius made him wince.

Then came the feeling of her ear pressed tightly against his cheek.

“When I was a child, I lived in a monastery on the hillside. I’m an orphan. I had no money to buy her nice food. She was the mayor’s daughter, much richer than me.”

“I know that. Otherwise, how could she have paid for your schooling?”

Helentine vaguely remembered that when Landon first arrived, he couldn’t even afford textbooks, and Olivia had “charitably” provided them.

As she spoke, her body shifted upward and forward. Landon’s hands went around her thighs, then he tied the backpack to Helentine’s back, with the straps buckled across his chest and waist.

It looked as if Landon had bound Helentine to his back with the backpack.

Then he bounced her into a more comfortable position, one he could easily carry.

“First, the money Liana gave me was all from her own allowance and her pay as a teaching assistant.”

“Oh oh oh, sorry~”

Helentine closed her eyes, feeling the slight jostling as Landon walked, and his scent, unique to him. Herbs? Or dry old clothes?

Helentine just felt safe.

“Second, the money Liana gave me was actually only enough for my travel expenses and first semester’s meals. The capital’s cost of living is too high. The money for a palm-sized cake could buy a basket of bread in Whisper Town!”

Helentine’s ears twitched. She could tell Landon had raised his voice, probably a little happy.

So she continued with topics about Liana:

“How did you two meet? Why would an orphan and the mayor’s daughter mix together?”

Landon stepped over a stair, carefully descending. Helentine felt it too, so she carved a weight-reduction rune on her palm.

Actually, if it were the old Landon, she wouldn’t need to worry about such things, but now Landon’s muscles had deteriorated too much, so she really worried he might collapse.

It was all Olivia’s fault. When she twisted her waist, didn’t she know about sustainable development?!

Now look, who knows how long it will take for this worn-out ox to recover!

Helentine began complaining inwardly about her good disciple, who had been competitive since childhood. How had such a cold person become so obsessively sick?

“Hehe!”

‘What are you laughing at?’

“Liana came to the church to do charity, though she was with the mayor,” Helentine noticed Landon’s cheek warm slightly, “I thought she was pretty, so I went to talk to her.”

“That’s a really simple reason…”

Helentine didn’t think he was being a downer. After all, as an orphan, suddenly seeing a girl his age come to do charity and being especially kind to him, of course he would be a little moved, right?

She could understand that.

“Then what? Then you two got together?”

Helentine had always been curious.

“It’s strange,” Landon’s pace slowed, “she suddenly cried.”

“Cried?”

Helentine’s voice grew softer, as if she couldn’t fight the drowsiness brought on by the alcohol. Landon unconsciously slowed his steps.

When the breathing by his ear gradually became steady, Landon gave up answering and focused entirely on the road.

From the center of West Ring City-State, it was a full day’s walk normally, but Landon was confident in his footwork. Leaving now under cover of night, he would probably arrive by midnight.

But this time with Helentine on his back, they might have to camp outdoors, so it would be morning before they arrived.

Still, Helentine’s question made Landon recall the oddity of their first meeting. Why had she cried?

Not the kind of wailing that wouldn’t stop, but a sudden wetness at the corners of her eyes.

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