**Tatiana's Perspective**
After we had journeyed through the bustling town, Lady Sakuya led me to a place near the southern gate that I'd overlooked before—a rather abandoned looking stable. A quick glance around confirmed my suspicion. It seemed poorly maintained, giving off an air of desolation that clashed with the lively atmosphere of the town.
"We're here," Lady Sakuya announced, her voice filled with anticipation that starkly contrasted with my bewilderment.
"A horse stable?" I echoed, baffled as to why we were standing in front of such a shabby structure.
As I stood there, taking in the surroundings, a man emerged from the stable. His rough exterior was a clear giveaway—he was the Equestrian Manager of this place. A slow grin spread across his face as he noticed us, an odd mix of surprise and curiosity coloring his features.
"That's a rare sight—travellers. We don't usually have many visiting these parts," he said, his gaze resting on me.
"We are actually adventurers," I replied, puffing my chest out a bit. It felt good to be able to say that, to declare our purpose boldly.
"Oho, such a spirited traveller, are you? So, you're hoping to rent a horse, innit?" he responded, his eyes twinkling with mirth. It felt as if he was trying to match my enthusiasm, and despite the situation, I found myself smiling.
In response, Lady Sakuya nodded. There was a clear approval in her eyes, and I felt a surge of pride. I was making my own decisions, negotiating, and she trusted me enough to handle it.
As we conversed, the man lit a cigar. He took a deep puff and then exhaled, the smoke billowing around him, tinging the air with a pungent scent. I wrinkled my nose, but it did nothing to dampen my spirits. "May I ask, where are you planning to go?" he inquired, breaking through my thoughts.
"We actually wanted to check out the nearby forest down south," I answered, revealing our destination. It was part of our quest—the very purpose of our journey. We intended to explore that forest, delve into its secrets.
"So I thought," he mumbled, as though he had been expecting our answer. His cryptic response piqued my curiosity. I could tell he knew more than he let on. But what was it? What was he holding back?
"What do you mean, mister?" I asked, unable to contain my curiosity. He simply reclined on a nearby bench, appearing nonchalant as he continued smoking his pipe.
"You might want to change your destination after you hear from me," he advised cryptically. His words sent a chill down my spine. I braced myself, ready for the revelations that were to come.
"Chaos monster? I never heard of that," I confessed. My voice wavered a bit. Despite all the knowledge I had gleaned from Blanc's book, there was no mention of any such creature.
He raised an eyebrow at my confession. "Well, actually, this thing was a monster from the demon country. We were just immigrants in its path here. The story goes that after the war between the demon country and humans ended two years ago, the tension should've died down. But it seems the troubles are far from over."
"I see," I murmured, my heart pounding in my chest. His revelation was far from comforting. Instead, it felt like we were walking into a nightmare. Yet, a part of me knew that this was the clue we needed to fulfill Horizon's request—to free the oppressed humans from the clutches of the demons.
"But how strong is this monster?" Lady Sakuya interjected, her cool voice cutting through my thoughts. She leaned against the stone wall, arms crossed over her chest, looking every bit the capable leader that she was.
"Rumor has it that this monster was so powerful, only heroes could match its strength," the owner replied. The gravity of his words was palpable. It was as if he was narrating an epic saga of old.
"In the legends, you say?" I couldn't help but feel a tinge of excitement. I remembered the heroes from my own world. They were gallant and strong. Their stories were etched into the hearts of our people.
"But heroes were here four years ago. There were four of them," he continued, his words taking on a nostalgic tone. "I never knew what they looked like, but rumors spread like wildfire. They were figures of awe and respect."
Four heroes? I felt a cold shiver run down my spine. The similarities were hard to ignore. Four heroes, four of us—the Four Villainess. Could it be a mere coincidence, or was fate playing its hand?
"But why didn't they send the heroes to exterminate the chaos monster? If they had heroes, they should've been able to handle this chaos creature," I pondered aloud, the question burning in my mind.
"No more heroes, is it?" Lady Sakuya mused, her words heavy with hidden meaning.
"You're right. After the war, there was no news regarding the heroes. Some say they had returned to the original world from where they had come. But the good news was, they called in the military and rallied willing adventurers to exterminate the monster," the man confirmed, his words painting a vivid picture of the current situation.
"It's been about a year since then, hasn't it?" Lady Sakuya asked, her gaze never leaving the man.
"How do you know?" he inquired, clearly taken aback by her deduction.
"Outside the south of this town and towards the forest, there are no wheel tracks to be seen. The path looks almost unusable, with weeds and grass covering the road. On the other hand, up north, there are bustling trade routes. So, the only way to conduct business is there, causing a demand for products that can only be obtained from the south. This has led to inflated prices when purchased from the north side," Lady Sakuya explained, every word exuding confidence.
"All you said is right," the owner conceded, his tone filled with respect. I couldn't help but feel amazed. It was a natural talent of hers to observe and analyze her surroundings.
"Has anyone ever passed through this forest before?" Lady Sakuya inquired, bringing our attention back to the task at hand.
"Not many, I'm afraid. Only a few capable and lucky souls managed to slip through," he admitted, a tinge of sadness creeping into his voice. It was clear that he was recalling some painful memories—perhaps of friends who had met unfortunate fates in their quest to traverse the forest.
"That's all the information I needed," Lady Sakuya announced, her tone final. She seemed to have made up her mind, and no further discussion was needed.
"Are you really that stubborn?!" the owner protested, trying one last time to dissuade her from the dangerous path she was set on.
"Just discuss my terms with her," Lady Sakuya retorted coolly, dismissing his concerns with a nonchalant wave of her hand as she retreated to the barn.
"Haah…, I guess someone's really that stubborn," the owner mumbled, finally giving up on trying to change her mind.
"Ahaha…, I also feel like that sometimes," I chuckled, imagining myself in his shoes trying to convince Lady Sakuya otherwise.
With that, we resumed discussing the reward for completing this dangerous quest. The owner mentioned that the townsfolk would be willing to pay handsomely for the chaos monster's extermination. The prospects of a hefty reward piqued my interest, and I remembered the financial lessons Blanc had taught me.
"Here is our currency. As our leader, you should always keep track of your coins," Blanc had told me as she showed me a small decorated box filled with coins of various denominations.
"There wasn't much left," I thought, feeling a twinge of concern. We couldn't afford to run out of money in this strange world.
"Of course, although after selling my jewelry and booking the inn for the past two days, there wasn't much we could get," Blanc remarked, nonchalant about the whole situation. It seemed she wasn't worried about the finances, confident that we would make do.
I couldn't help but ask about her jewelry and its significance. I wondered if parting with her precious possessions held any sentimental value for her.
"Who do you think I am? A daughter of aristocracy? Sorry to disappoint you, but back in my world, I don't even carry my own coins or currency. The jewelry was the only thing we carried, as it was smaller in number and widely accepted at any place, even in other worlds," Blanc revealed, giving me insight into her world and lifestyle.
"I see," I nodded, understanding that sometimes valuable possessions could be sold for quick money in times of need. It was a pragmatic approach, one that made sense in her situation.
Blanc had taught me the importance of carrying gemstones or polished stones instead of large amounts of currency to avoid encumbrance. I recalled how she had pulled out a few beautiful and seemingly valuable gemstones from a pouch.
"What if we deal with a situation where the exchange was in coins? So, we still need to take the coins?" I asked, wondering about scenarios where currency might be the only acceptable form of payment.
"For now, if you can manage, just stay away from it, or you can take something in exchange for the coins themselves. Provisions, weapons, armor, or even a patch of land should be sufficient. At least, until we can have our own storage. I can't put my trust in that system yet, or carry it around," Blanc advised, determined to avoid carrying coins whenever possible.
With our finances and arrangements settled, we returned to the stable to secure horses for our journey. Inside one of the stables, we found Lady Sakuya caressing a magnificent black horse. The horse exuded strength and grace, seemingly drawn to her like a long-lost friend.
"That was the wild horse that trashed the whole barn when it was caught," the owner explained, but I couldn't see any signs of wild behavior in the horse's gentle demeanor.
"Are you sure, mister? I don't see it running wild," I commented, observing the horse's friendly behavior towards Lady Sakuya.
The horse came closer to Lady Sakuya, nuzzling against her without hesitation, as if recognizing her as a kindred spirit.
"I thought about letting that horse run back to the wild, as it didn't get tamed after it came. It's almost as if it was waiting for someone like her to arrive," he mused, surprised by the unexpected turn of events.
"I guess it's amazing?" I said, still trying to wrap my head around the situation.
"Of course, it is. Do you know how many people can ride that horse? Only royalty has ridden one, as it seems to recognize the person's power. To witness such an event, even with my own horse, is a dream come true," the owner exclaimed, revealing his admiration for Lady Sakuya and the horse.
"Yeah…" I agreed, not wanting to offend him by downplaying the significance of the experience.
An air of agreement hung between me and the stable master, "Yeah…" I didn't want to get on his bad side, so I agreed it was amazing.
He then fetched the finest saddle he owned and fixed it atop the majestic beast. "Here, you, girl," he gestured towards me with a second horse, its coat gleaming under the midday sun.
The horse seemed calm, inviting even. But I had a confession to make. My equestrian skills were non-existent, though how hard could it be? After all, I'd seen Catherine ride numerous times before. Encouraged by that memory, I boldly attempted to mount my steed, but my first step was my undoing…
"HUMP… ARGHH!!" I shouted, as I lost my balance, teetering on the brink of a rather embarrassing fall.
"Are you alright?" Lady Sakuya's voice was laced with concern as she swiftly reached out and steadied me, her grip firm and comforting.
"… I'm fine," I responded, blushing with embarrassment.
"You can't ride a horse, can you?" Lady Sakuya asked, a knowing look in her eyes.
"Yes…" I admitted, my voice barely a whisper. I felt ashamed for not having learned to ride a horse despite my father's multiple attempts to teach me.
Lady Sakuya merely nodded, understanding etched across her face. "Come, you can ride in front of me," she offered. She held out her hand and as I accepted it, she guided me onto the saddle with surprising ease.
I found myself seated in front of her, clutching the saddle as she instructed. My heart raced as I found myself in such close proximity to her. It was a peculiar sensation, one that sent a flurry of butterflies through my stomach.
"What is this situation?" I thought to myself, my mind spinning at the unexpected turn of events.
With a little hop, Lady Sakuya gallantly rode the horse, and I clung to the saddle, trying my best not to show any signs of nervousness. We made our way southward towards the Everwood Forest, our spirits high and our hearts filled with anticipation for the adventures that awaited us.
- Chapter 11 End -