Raising the Princess to Overcome Death-Chapter 12: Childhood Friends - Nevis
12. Childhood Friends - Nevis
The newly contracted caravan set off.
As they approached the capital, Nevis, they encountered more small villages and towns, causing the caravan to stop frequently.
Fortunately, they had some extra money. Lena and Leo took leisurely tours during their stops, and Leo subtly encouraged Lena to try some alcohol.
In Demos Village, alcohol was quite strictly controlled, and it was not given to anyone under the age of majority. While the youths would sometimes sneak drinks, they were severely punished if caught.
Thus, diligent Lena had never tasted alcohol before.
Leo bought a barrel of beer and brought it to their lodging with a clear plan in mind.
As he set down the barrel and took out the cups, Lena looked both excited and anxious, licking her lips nervously.
"Are we really allowed to drink this? We'll get in trouble..."
"By who?"
"Maybe Binar..."
Binar was one of the five gods revered by the Cross Church, known as the god who guides against evil deeds.
Leo, playing the tempter, insisted.
"The priest drinks wine during the sacrificial rites, doesn't he?"
"That's true."
"Think of it as practice. Come on, you’re almost an adult now. Besides, we'll be of age in a few months. Binar will understand this much."
Lena, tempted, accepted the cup he handed her, fidgeting with it.
She had long been curious about alcohol. The village elders always seemed in high spirits and laughed a lot after drinking it.
Pretending to give in, she raised the cup to her lips.
"...Shall we?"
"Of course! Just take a sip. There's a reason adults like it."
Sharing their first drink as close friends was a special moment.
Leo, recalling hazy memories, filled Lena's cup. It was partly to kill the boredom of staying two days in a small village.
Lena cautiously sipped the drink.
"Wow! The taste is so unique."
Seeing her gulp down the beer, seemingly enjoying it, Leo laughed inwardly.
Just as planned.
"But Leo~ This makes me feel a bit dizzy."
"That's part of the charm, they say."
He played along, sipping his beer. He carefully moderated Lena's drinking.
As expected, Lena started getting tipsy and chatty.
This was the perfect time to ask about the past without raising suspicion.
Leo picked a random moment from the past.
"Lena, do you remember that time, two summers ago?"
"Oh! That! I remember it sooo well~ That time you~"
"Yes, yes, exactly!"
Drunk, Lena reminisced about their old memories. Leo, who didn’t know these stories, listened to her detailed recollections.
The time they tried to catch a kokoren and got scolded by the village elders, the time Leo saved Lena from falling into a stream, the time they accidentally rang the bell in the church, causing the village men to think there was a fire...
Oddly, Leo felt a sense of fulfillment listening to these memories with her.
He felt like he was becoming the real Leo more and more with each story.
'I am not Leo.'
This premise always tormented him.
It might have been easier to just accept that 'this is a game and I am Leo!' but he couldn't abandon this premise.
It was a necessary barrier for Lena, whose condition improved the more Leo's consciousness merged with the scenario.
Facing someone's heartfelt kindness required this kind of response.
Setting up a small wall in return was all he could do.
Because he wasn’t Leo.
Lena leaned forward, her face close to his.
Her small tongue struggled to articulate her thoughts.
"Hey you, why do you keep being so nice to me! Huh? What are you planning?! Huh?!"
While Leo was lost in thought, Lena's words became more blatant.
And her drunkenness made her voice louder and louder.
"When I become a priestess! Huh?! What are you going to do then?! Huh?! I won't have anything to give!"
"You could at least give me a blessing or something."
"A bles-sing? A bles-sing? Leo! Just wait. When I become a priestess, I'll give you one big..."
It was amusing, but it was time to put her to bed. If she drank any more, things would get out of hand.
Leo lifted Lena and laid her on the bed.
She wrestled with the blanket, telling it to move over, before falling soundly asleep.
The next day, as expected, she didn’t remember what she had said.
He planned to teach her about the dangers of drunkenness someday, but the opportunity never arose again.
The caravan arrived in Nevis.
*
The caravan leader led Lena and Leo to find lodgings.
After wandering for a while, he finally stopped.
"Here we are. I almost lost my way since it's been so long."
He had brought them to a small inn on the outskirts of Nevis. It looked clean, with a few potted plants outside.
Upon arriving in Nevis, the caravan leader had offered to introduce them to a cheap and good inn he knew.
He laughed awkwardly, saying it was run by a friend of his, so they shouldn’t feel pressured.
For newcomers to Nevis like them, it was a great help. They accepted his offer gladly, trusting his experience.
When the caravan leader opened the inn door, they saw a spacious lobby despite the building's size.
Behind the counter sat the owner, sporting an impressive mustache.
"Long time no see, my friend!"
"Hey! It's been a while. I almost forgot about you since you hardly come by."
The two men greeted each other warmly.
Lena and Leo followed the caravan leader and greeted the innkeeper, asking if they had a twin room available. The innkeeper, speaking more to his friend than the guests, replied with some regret.
"Of course, there's a room for these two, but there's no space for your entire caravan. We’re quite booked up at the moment."
The inn’s lobby was empty, so it seemed that most guests were either out or reserved rooms in advance.
The caravan leader looked disappointed.
"That's a shame. Well, can you at least give my friends a room? They're traveling with me, so perhaps you could offer a bit of a discount for my sake."
After some back and forth, the innkeeper laughed heartily and agreed.
"Planning to stay long?"
"We might, if you keep the current rates. We'd like to book for one night first to see how things go since we still need to find work."
"Got it. If you’re considering a long stay, I'll show you a good room. Follow me. Oh, wait a moment. I have something for you that I forgot to give you last time."
The innkeeper showed them a room on the second floor.
As expected, the capital's accommodations were different.
The bed looked plush and comfortable, and there was a neat dresser and wardrobe in the corner.
A small table by the window added charm to the room, even though the flower in the pot was wilting.
Lena poked Leo from behind, clearly pleased with the room. Leo had no intention of refusing, so he immediately took out the money. Thanks to the caravan leader, the price was affordable.
Even though Lena's job situation was still uncertain, it seemed likely they would stay here for a long time. A good room was a big plus.
The innkeeper, having received the money, handed over the keys and went downstairs.
Lena, delighted, spun around the room.
"Leo! This place is amazing. And it’s cheap, right?"
"Yes. I think it's affordable because it's on the outskirts. But the facilities are really nice."
"Shall we stay here for the long term?"
"Unless your job ends up being too far away, let's stay here."
Lena excitedly opened the window and saw the caravan leader leaving the inn below.
She leaned out and waved her arms enthusiastically.
"Mister! Thank you!"
The caravan leader looked up, waved lightly, and walked away with dignity.
"He's really a good person."
"Yes, unlike the first caravan leader who made those indecent jokes."
The first caravan leader they met had a foul mouth, constantly making suggestive jokes that made Lena uncomfortable.
In contrast, this caravan leader was polite and had offered them a discount out of compassion for their situation.
Lena and Leo watched his back for a moment before closing the window.
"Will we ever meet him again?"
"If we’re meant to, we will."
They unpacked their things and informed the innkeeper that they were going to explore the city center. He smiled and stroked his mustache, indicating they were free to do as they pleased.
As they stepped out onto the main road, the view of Nevis unfolded before them.
"Leo! Look at that castle! It's huge!"
Lena couldn't hide her amazement.
In the distance, towering castle walls, likely eight meters high, stretched endlessly. The closer they got to the castle, the more imposing the walls seemed.
Near the castle gate was a bustling marketplace.
Merchants selling grains, vegetables, leather goods, livestock, flour, and salt set up their stalls, creating a lively scene.
Street vendors sold their goods outside the outer gate, while processed goods were sold inside.
Lena, overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of the capital, hopped from foot to foot in excitement.
The market here dwarfed the one in the big village (Torito) and surpassed any city they had passed through so far.
Leo was also fascinated, as it was his first time outside a castle.
The setting for the betrothal scenario, Castle Avril, was primarily military and lacked this kind of liveliness.
He had never ventured outside the capital city of Orville in the beggar siblings scenario, but he imagined it would be similar to this.
As they wandered around, they noticed a crowd gathering.
"Uh... Is that a slave market?"
On a small stage, half-naked and emaciated slaves were being paraded one by one.
They were covered in scars from severe beatings, and their faces showed utter resignation.
Most of the people gathered seemed to be mere onlookers.
The ones seated in the front row, who appeared to be actual buyers, examined the slaves with critical eyes.
The seller stepped onto the stage and began explaining. In short, the slaves were from a barbarian tribe in the southern swamps.
Even though the "Age of Humanity" had dawned, there were still many unexplored lands on this continent.
In ancient times, the Achaia Empire had swept across the continent with vast armies in the name of the gods.
In the process, all other races were exterminated, but some barbarian tribes survived. The Cross Church, which advocated for humanity, had opposed exterminating them.
Thus, many barbarian tribes still lived in the uncharted territories.
The Ainar tribe from the betrothal scenario was considered barbarian by the central and southern kingdoms' standards.
Only because the northern kingdom accepted them as citizens upon gaining independence from the empire were they recognized.
The central and southern kingdoms despised the Austin & Aster Kingdom as barbarian lands, and only the Holy Kingdom, heavily influenced by the Cross Church, maintained relations with them.
This meant that the potential princes Lena Ainar from the betrothal scenario could meet were limited.
Only princes from the Austin & Aster Kingdom or the Holy Kingdom were worth considering.
She could try to hide her identity to approach any prince, but Leo doubted he could convince the proud Lena Ainar to do so.
Lena nudged Leo.
"Leo, what are you thinking about? Let’s go. I don't want to see this anymore..."
"Oh! Sorry. Let’s go."
Caught up in pondering another scenario, Leo had momentarily forgotten about Lena beside him. She looked away with a pained expression.
For Lena, a theology student and inherently kind-hearted person, it was a distressing sight. Theology always taught them to serve humanity.
But reality was often different.
They left the market and approached the castle gate.
Suddenly,
"Hey, you there. Come here."
A guard at the castle gate called out to Leo.
.
!
Chapter 12: Childhood Friends - Nevis
Comments