Chapter 20: Reunion (1)

The carriage rattled along the road.

Normally, I would be alone, but not today.

“Th-Thank you.”

“Haa… It’s fine. I was going this way anyway.”

Lena, the elf, sat across from me, avoiding my gaze.

“You better explain yourself.”

“I-It’s…”

She fidgeted nervously, clearly flustered by the sword at her throat.

I wasn’t letting her off the hook this time.

“Hmm?”

“Wait! I’ll talk! I’ll talk!”

She blurted out as I tightened my grip on the sword.

I lowered the blade slightly, and she spoke.

“I… I have a favor to ask…”

“You’re dropping the formalities now?”

“Would you speak formally to someone who almost killed you?!”

That was fair.

So her previous polite tone wasn’t her usual way of speaking.

“Get to the point.”

“You… You said you were an Academy applicant, right?”

“Yes.”

“Could we possibly travel together…?”

I had suspected it when she mentioned the Academy, but I hadn’t expected her to actually ask to travel with me.

Two conflicting thoughts crossed my mind.

Traveling alone offered freedom, but traveling with her, while slightly restrictive, would make it easier to avoid suspicion.

“I’ll pay you as much as you need…”

“Sigh… I don’t need money. Fine.”

I chose the latter.

That was why we were now in a carriage prepared by Mark’s Trading Company.

I told Mark that traveling with a fellow applicant would be less suspicious, and I lied to Lena, telling her I had already booked the carriage.

Indeed, traveling with another applicant would be less conspicuous.

Are there any problems with supplies?

The distance is the same, and we just need to pack a little more food, so it’s not a problem.

They both seemed satisfied, so there shouldn’t be any issues.

“We should stop soon to set up camp.”

“Alright.”

The coachman’s voice finally broke the silence as the sun began to set.

I agreed, and the carriage stopped shortly after.

We set up tents and ate dinner.

When it was time to decide on watch duty, Lena approached me.

“Are you sure? You don’t need me to take over?”

“I’ll be fine. I can stay up for a night.”

She seemed concerned, but it wasn’t a problem.

I used to stay up for days because of nightmares, and besides, the coachman was out of the question, and I wasn’t sure about Lena’s strength.

“You already provided the carriage… and now you’re taking the first watch…”

“Then I’ll leave the daytime watch to you.”

Nothing would happen during the day.

We weren’t far from the Academy.

“Okay. Wake me up if anything happens.”

“Yes, I will.”

I doubted anything I couldn’t handle myself would be solved by waking her up, but it was only polite to agree.

Lena entered her tent, and I soon heard her soft snores.

“Haa…”

I looked up at a particularly bright star, watching as morning approached.

“Are you awake?”

“Are you really okay?”

“I told you, it’s nothing.”

I greeted Lena as she emerged from her tent, and she responded with concern.

I appreciated her worry, but I was fine.

We boarded the carriage, and it set off.

“How much longer until we reach the Academy?”

“We should arrive by midday.”

About five hours.

In the game, this part would have been skipped.

“I recommend getting some rest.”

“Then I will.”

I closed my eyes as Lena suggested.

When I woke up, the carriage had already arrived.

“What are you going to do now, Aria?”

“I’ve booked a room, so I’ll be heading there.”

“You’re quick…”

Lena asked after we disembarked and dismissed the coachman.

She seemed slightly disappointed by my answer.

“What about you, Lena?”

“I’ll be looking for my sister.”

“Is she taking the entrance exam as well?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll see you at the exam.”

Since we were going our separate ways, there was no reason to stay together. I parted ways with Lena and headed towards the address written on the document.

After asking for directions, I arrived at the building.

A one-story brick house, slightly larger than I expected for a single occupant.

Well, considering I lived in a castle provided to my legion, I couldn’t complain.

“Excuse me.”

I opened the door and stepped inside.

The interior was clean, as if someone had already tidied up.

There were three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a guest room, and a large kitchen.

“This is a bit too spacious for one person.”

I would only be staying here until the Academy entrance exam, and then only during breaks.

“Well, it’s clean and nice.”

The size was the only thing that bothered me.

“I should buy some necessities.”

The house was furnished with only basic items like a bed and a wardrobe.

The cupboards were bare, so grocery shopping was unavoidable.

“I think I saw a market nearby.”

Fortunately, I had seen a market on the way here.

The sun was still high in the sky, but I didn’t know when the market would close, so I put on my robe and headed out.

“Thank you.”

“Come again!”

The shopkeeper greeted me cheerfully after I paid for my purchases.

Thanks to the generous amount of money Mark had provided, shopping wasn’t a problem.

“Excuse me.”

A man bumped into me as I walked down the street.

It didn’t hurt, so I apologized and tried to move on, but…

“Hey, missy, you think a simple apology is enough?”

The man grabbed my shoulder. His companions surrounded me.

“You bumped into me. You have to compensate me.”

“What do you want?”

I considered cutting him down, but causing a scene in the Imperial capital would be troublesome.

The man smirked.

“Ten gold coins, and we’ll let you go.”

“Ten gold coins…”

One gold coin was equal to one hundred silver coins.

Ten silver coins were roughly equivalent to a commoner’s daily living expenses.

His demand was outrageous.

I wasn’t going to pay.

“You were the one who bumped into me.”

“Hah, are you saying I’m wrong?”

“It seems you understand.”

The atmosphere turned hostile.

We both reached for our weapons.

“Wait!”

A blonde figure suddenly intervened.

“Who are you?”

“Her acquaintance.”

“Lena?”

It was Lena.

“Hey, kid, this is adult business. Go home.”

“K-Kid…”

Lena lowered her head at the man’s words.

He pushed her aside.

Boom!

An explosion. The man flew backwards.

“Ugh… Urgh…”

He slammed into a wall, convulsing.

“I was trying to resolve this peacefully…”

“A-Aria?”

“What the hell is she?!”

My sword was still in its sheath.

The added weight was negligible.

“I won’t kill you.”

“Get her!”

“But I will make you regret this.”

With those words, I sent the first man flying, and the one-sided beatdown began.

“Ugh…”

“P-Please, spare us…”

The street was a mess.

The two girls who caused the commotion were long gone, but no one dared to move.

“Excuse me.”

Four people pushed through the crowd.

“What happened…?”

Three of them froze in shock, but a white-haired woman stepped forward.

She approached the injured and extended her hand.

Whoosh

A golden light emanated from her, enveloping the injured.

“What happened here?”

“I-It was… a woman and an elf…”

A bystander spoke hesitantly.

“Did you say an elf?”

A blonde woman next to the white-haired woman reacted strongly.

“Do you remember what she looked like?”

“I… I don’t remember…”

“Did she look anything like me?”

“…!”

The woman removed her hood.

The bystander’s eyes widened.

“Elena…”

“Let’s go.”

The woman called Elena was Elena the Divine Archer.

A member of the current Hero’s party.

“It seems I’ve found my sister.”

And Lena’s older sister.