Chapter 48 (1/2)
The next day, we were inside the horse-carriage on our way to the imperial capital.
Look, I’ve gotta be honest, I’ve just about had it with this carriage. But when I remember that we’ll reach the capital in three days, I feel like I can still manage.
Even so, I’m a bit depressed.
When this journey by carriage ends, so will these carefree days.
After so much — too much — happened along the way, it completely slipped my mind, but my objective in going to the capital has never been the same as the Elite Guard’s.
They’re simply coming home.
My goal, or else Leon’s, is —
“Big Sister, you don’t know when to give up.”
With an affirmative ‘mm-hmm’, Aira delivered the final blow.
Yeah, I know. I know.
Alright, so right now I’m being pretty girly — girly, huh? That’s rich, given my current condition.
“No… but, you know? When we arrive in the capital, look, I’m going to be married, even if it is an act…”
I groaned.
Why, for the love of G.o.d, did I agree to this?
For the nth time — ah, I’ve lost count of how many times since I accepted the commission — the thought spun around and around in my head.
When I sat down and really thought about it, I remembered that Leon hadn’t told me the details of the arrangements following our arrival in the capital. Yeah, so, are we pretending to be married, or engaged, or…? Speaking of which, wasn’t I stressing out over this very same question before? I felt a harsh déjà vu.
Basically, that was a place I didn’t want my thoughts to go, and I’d been actively avoiding the topic until now. At any rate, I did have several opportunities to talk to Leon about it, but there was so much going on, I couldn’t ask him any questions in the end. And incidentally speaking, I also pretty much forgot.
“Aira, be gentle with Chris. It’s definitely… that thing you get before marriage… um, cold feet.”
“Ahh, I see…”
“No, hold it right there. That’s not something you’re supposed to agree with, Aira. And Palmira, don’t act like you just dropped some profound wisdom.”
So basically, you guys, even though I told you that I turned into a woman only a short while ago, you’re going to treat it like it’s a done deal? How about you guys stop s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g around? Thanks.
“But Big Sister, you’ve already come this far. All you can do now is give in and hold your head high, right? Like ‘Bring it on’.”
“Easy for you to say, when you don’t have to deal with the fallout afterwards…”
There’s a limit to messing around, Aira. But her sort-of advice is right on the money.
I know. I know, but I just can’t bring myself to accept it. At a time like this, is it possible to separate reason from emotion?
“But you have no intention of running away, right? In that case, there’s nothing you can do even if you worry, is there?”
“I think so too. Chris, the moment you agreed to his request, it was checkmate. Give up.”
Their att.i.tudes pleasant, they kept dealing fatal blows to me from point-blank range.
I didn’t even have the words to respond.
For some reason, I felt like they cornered me into giving in this way all the time. What’s going on…
“Alright, alright, enough already. I get it. What will be, will be.”
Sulking, I flopped down onto the long seat.
As I did, the jouncing of the carriage wheels was transmitted directly into my body. From the clouds in the patch of sky visible through the window, I could tell that the carriage was moving at a good clip.
It didn’t matter what I did anymore; sooner or later, I’d arrive in the capital. And as soon as I got there, I’d have to carry out the request.
Yeah, it’s like Aira said: I can’t run away or cancel the request now, not after all this time.
I had no clue what I should say to Leon, and even if I did, or possibly just ran for the hills, what would he think of me then? I didn’t want to imagine it at all.
I was well and truly screwed.
I couldn’t help feeling averse to the idea, but I had an obligation to see it through to the end. I let out a huge sigh.
“…Oh come on, Big Sister. Please keep your chin up. We’ll be there to help you with everything we have.”
“That’s right. Chris, you’re not alone. We’re right here with you.”
Their follow-up came a bit late, but I was a little grateful for it. Still, my uneasiness didn’t disappear, and I sighed again.
–
–
In complete disregard of my will, we proceeded to the capital with no problems whatsoever.
We were about a day out from the mountainous region of Basragate Fortress, and the scenery had turned back into rolling plains.
I say ‘plains’, but unlike the Sarcalnaa wastelands around Brellwandy, this area had considerable greenery.
What’s more, spa.r.s.e as they were, I began to catch sight of the homes near the highway.
On the way here, public order had differed quite a bit from place to place. Now that this area was under the protection of the capital, there was, of course, no room for monsters or bandits to conduct their activities here. If they did appear, they were crushed in the blink of an eye.
As a side effect, the flow of traffic on the highway increased slightly.
Until now, we wouldn’t know whether we’d come across even one caravan during the whole day. Now we were constantly pa.s.sing by them, big and small. You might even say that on this side of the Sarcalnaa mountains, the culture was markedly different from that of the other imperial territories.
Though the empire boasts of great holdings, when split down the Sarcalnaa Mountain Range, the area we’d traveled through would be the northern territories, and the southern part would be the heartland.
Of course, because the core territories have been parceled out to regional lords to rule, even finer distinctions are possible, but in terms of atmosphere, only the north stands apart from the other domains within the Empire’s borders.
If I had to say, there’s a lot about the northern territories that seems uncivilized from the southern point of view. The culture and population density are that different.
The presence of the Sarcalnaa Mountain Range has a lot to do with how recently the northern territories fell under imperial rule.
Though right now there’s a lull, that doesn’t change the fact that the northern territories are the frontier of the empire, with the effect of strengthening the tension among the general populace.1
“Somehow, it seems so lively.”
Aira let her thoughts slip out as she kept peeping out the window.
This was already the third day. We were expected to arrive in the capital in the evening. Our surroundings could already be considered the outskirts of the city, so there were a fair number of homes, and we even had a clear view of the comings and goings of the residents.
Inside the carriage, it was just Aira and me.
Palmira should be outside riding with Leopard as usual.
“Come to think of it, where are you from, Aira?”
When I really thought about it, unlike Palmira, who spoke of her past in very clear terms, Aira had breezed by hers too easily. In the end, I realized, I didn’t really know where she came from.