The mercenary wolves were amazed at Lara. They kept smiling whenever they saw her, saying how she could look so much like Madam Isadora. She even looked like her when they saw her from the back.
Lara liked it when they said that. It was nice to hear that she looked like her mother. Every time she heard that she would make it obvious that she felt good.
"Look at that. Even her smile is the same."
A wolf giggled and imitated Lara's expression. His eyes were haughty and drooping coyly, and he had a strange expression with only his lips twitching.
"Our lady is a bit scary but she did not smile that scary."
"Konny, stop it."
Lara let out a sigh and muttered.
Since they ran out of the food they brought when they left, they set up a bonfire and cooked simple food.
"We can sleep in the village tonight. It'd be better if we can arrive before the sun goes down. Would that be too difficult?"
Lara asked the wolves. Looking far away at the horizon, the oldest man among them said.
"We will have to run at full speed to get there before sunset. You will be more tired, too.
"Then, just go as usual."
"If you're really tired, we can take a two-day break in the village. Since the next village is quite far, you either have to run at full speed or sleep on the streets."
"It's fine. Why would I be tired just sitting in the carriage? You should rest and take it slow…"
A warm conversation kept on going. The wolves had now roughly figured out what Lara was like.
"Looking at her face, she seems like a cold and picky lady… But she's subtly affectionate."
"What do you mean subtly? Just say that she's kind."
"I don't think so…"
Lara, who was listening to their whispers, sighed once again.
"I can hear you."
"Oh, my!"
They laughed out loud. Lara also laughed after them.
The food was delicious. At the beginning of the trip, Konny loudly shouted that she would be responsible for everyone's meals, which includes Valentine, Lara, Demian, and the mercenary wolves. However, Valentine's skills were much better than Konny's. Even among the mercenaries, there were people who cooked better than her. The frustrated maid sat close to Lara and learned how to make fire.
It has already been five days since they left home. They would soon reach the border of Hautean.
"Seniors, let's go now."
Demian first climbed up the horse. The wolves were excited every time he called them seniors politely.
Lara was so amazed to see Demian getting along well with the wolves. The Demian Rhode Drake whom she knew seemed to be a ruler from his birth. She had never imagined him lowering himself to please someone or being nice to his superiors. But he naturally melted into the background among the mercenaries. There was no sense of incompatibility between them. It was as if they had been on the same side for a long time.
Demian knew how to intervene in their harsh conversations. From Lara's eyes, it seemed like they were fighting, but that was an expression of intimacy between them. Sometimes when Lara was in the carriage, she could hear unusual cuss words that she had never heard before, but they just giggled as though they found it funny. It was a great pleasure for Lara to observe this unfamiliar side of Demian.
"Let's go."
After finishing her meal, Lara extinguished the bonfire with Konny. As Valentine was very sleepy during the day, Konny moved to Lara's carriage.
"Let's move now!"
After closing the carriage door, Konny came inside and sat down. Then, sitting in the coachman's seat, Demian gave the signal to go.
"Milady."
"Yeah?"
Lara stroked her full belly and looked out the window. Konny pulled something out of her skirt's pocket.
"Eat this."
Two wild apples slightly smaller than Lara's fist came out of Konny's pocket. It was red and ripe.
"Where did you get that?"
"Master Demian secretly brought it to me."
"When?"
"A while ago. He said he picked it up nearby for you."
He said he would look around before eating. It seemed that was when he picked up the apple. Konny took out a clean handkerchief and wiped the apple. Then, she put it in Lara's hand and said.
"I heard the wolves talking at the inn. They said it was their first time seeing such a young man fight that well. They were really curious about where he was from and how he had been living."
"I see."
"Yes, so I told them everything."
"About what?"
"He's a man that you bought for 2 gold at the slave arena! Only you got the man that no one even looked at!"
For goodness' sake, Konny.
Lara—who was drunk on the sweetness of the apple that Demian brought—grumbled.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
The place where Lara and her party stayed that night was a small village on the way to the border. There was no inn there for guests who had a long way to go, there was only a house that rented rooms while receiving a small amount of money. When the outgoing Konny gave them a handful of silver coins, the villagers gave warm meals and new blankets for the party.
It was a pleasant night. Considering that it was a journey to the person who would become the hero to win the upcoming war against devil worshippers, it was quite a romantic journey.
The wolves were pleasant and Konny was still excited. Valentine still had a hard time with Lara, but sometimes he tried to smile awkwardly when he made eye contact with her.
Above all, Demian was next to Lara. From morning till night, excluding when they were sleeping, he was always by her side.
'Am I happy right now?'
Lara suddenly thought of that while lying in bed.
So I could still be happy even without a fancy dress, a huge house, and people's praise and envy. How nice would it have been if I had known this in my previous life? If I had known that there was no size in happiness.
"Konny."
"Yes?"
"Thanks."
"…For what?"
Konny approached her and organized her blanket. The touch of the small but skillful maid was filled with a lot of affection. Lara buried her face half in the pillow and said.
"For coming with me."
"You don't have to say that."
Konny was shy. As Lara raised her eyes and stared at her, Konny wrinkled her nose with a slightly red face. Then, she chatted in a very small voice.
"How can I just watch you go to the Empire without me? I heard that place is incomparable to Hautean. The arena must be bigger and the lighting in the red-light district should be more erotic, right? I heard from the girls in the trading company that there's a store where men dress up as women and sell liquor!"
"Did you insist on following me because you wanted to see that?"
"Geez… It's just a figure of speech. Hurry up and sleep."
"Konny."
"I'm just curious. Am I not even allowed to be curious?"
"That's not it. Come up and sleep here."
Lara moved her body to make room. Though the bed was not very big, the two small ladies could still sleep together. Lara could not bear to see Konny sleep on the floor on her blanket, and so she eventually gave up half of her bed.
"How can I sleep with you?"
"Why are you so uptight about it? Do I snore?"
"Nope."
"Come up. It's cold."
Konny no longer refused. She came up to the bed with her blanket and pillow. Then, she laid down with an immobile posture next to Lara. Then, she whispered.
"I'm going to brag about this tomorrow."
"To whom?"
"Master Demian."
"Why?"
"I'm sure he will be really jealous."
Konny was sure Demian would be jealous. She said that these days he would probably be jealous of the doorknob that Lara held. She muttered that she would brag and tease him all day tomorrow.
Lara fell asleep with Konny's voice as a lullaby. She was tired even though she had just been sitting in the carriage. Lara, who had never traveled like this before, quickly breathed at an even pace after closing her eyes.
That night, intruders appeared in the village.