Chapter 44

The gates to the port of Golfsdorf opened at 4:00 AM. Clara-sama’s scheduled liner was set to depart at 5:00 AM, so she was likely already awake. While I kept watch over the lake-pirates, I sent Yoshioka to fetch her.

A crowd was already beginning to gather, drawn by the sight of the bound pirates on the deck. Naturally, the town guards arrived shortly after.

“Hey, what’s the meaning of this?”

A guard clutching a spear directed a suspicious glare toward me, clearly marking me as a person of interest.

“My name is Hinoharu, an attendant serving Lady Clara Ansbach, Knight Bachelor of Ebba-berg. We have captured individuals who attempted to smuggle magic stones on an island in Lake Baden. My mistress will arrive shortly. Might I ask you to summon your superior officer?”

I had no desire to be slapped with false charges, and as expected, mentioning Clara-sama’s name caused the guard’s hostile stance to soften immediately.

“I see. Our apologies for the misunderstanding. I shall fetch our captain at once.”

One of the guards dashed off, and just as he disappeared, Clara-sama and the others arrived.

“Kota, I have heard the gist of the situation from Akito. You have done well.”

Being praised by Clara-sama made me feel incredibly happy.

“As you may have heard, the cargo consisted of magic stones.”

“Indeed. And the buyers’ vessel reportedly approached from the west?”

“Yes. It appeared to be a ship of similar size to this one. Unfortunately, they managed to slip away.”

Clara-sama knit her brows slightly.

“They likely intended to smuggle the goods into the Duchy of Ostrea.”

The Duchy of Ostrea, located on the opposite shore of Lake Baden, had very few underground dungeons, and its production of magic stones was proportionally low. Consequently, when Ostrea imported magic stones from other nations, they did so at significantly inflated prices.

However, no matter how profitable it might be, magic stones from the Kingdom of Saxens were strictly forbidden from being exported to Ostrea. This was because magic stones were used exclusively for military purposes. Though I hadn’t seen one yet, magic stones served as both fuel and ammunition for large, cannon-like devices known as magic-guided cannons. In my mind, I pictured them as something akin to the mega-particle cannons from science fiction.

Because of this, the state was the sole purchaser of all magic stones, and the Kingdom of Saxens prohibited their sale outside its borders. Violating this law apparently carried severe penalties. It was no wonder the lake-pirates had been so desperate to avoid being handed over to the authorities.

“Lately, it is said that selling magic stones to Ostrea can fetch two to three times the usual price. The smuggling never truly stops.”

“That smells of trouble. If Ostrea is that desperate to gather stones…”

“Yes. Rumors of preparations for war are frequent,” Clara-sama sighed.

The Kingdom of Saxens was currently engaged in conflict with the Kingdom of Portand to the east, and now it seemed the Duchy of Ostrea might be getting involved as well.

The seized magic stones were apparently worth a fortune, and we were rewarded by the Lord of Golfsdorf with both a monetary gift and a citation of merit. A citation is essentially a certificate documenting military or combat achievements, and it’s very useful when applying for positions as a soldier or an attendant. Normally, even for a common soldier, having a citation can lead to being hired as a corporal or a squad leader.

Furthermore, the Lord’s own vessel was heading toward Bregantz, and he offered to give us a lift. We missed the regular liner, but this ensured we’d reach Bregantz by the end of the day. I’d have to rely on Yoshioka’s wind magic to speed things along.

The ship moved slowly through a light drizzle. Until moments ago, the vessel had been flying like an arrow thanks to wind magic, but Akito was currently taking a break. In the cold rain, the deflated sails looked strangely unreliable.

When I stepped down into the cabin, both Kota and Akito were fast asleep, completely unguarded. I signaled Fiene to stop before she could wake them, and I took a seat as quietly as possible. Neither of them had slept much last night, I imagine. They should be allowed to rest for now.

Before I realized it, I found myself reaching out to stroke Kota’s head, only to pull my hand back in a panic. Kota is not a dog. He is not someone I should be petting so casually.

And yet… his sleeping face looked quite endearing.

…Perhaps just a little.

“F-Fiene, could you fetch some hot water? I wish to wipe my face.”

“Right away, My Lady!”

“There is no rush…”

Fiene was gone. The door was closed. Akito was… mumbling in his sleep.

“Where is Totoro…?”

He seemed to be dreaming of searching for an acquaintance. Falling into the illusion that the sound of my own heartbeat was echoing throughout the room, I reached out and softly touched Kota’s shoulder, careful not to wake him.

My chest tightened with a pain that was somehow not unpleasant at all. It was bittersweet and aching, yet the desire to remain like this only grew stronger within me. I became terrified that the trembling of my fingers might wake Kota.

His hand rested near his face as he slept on his side. I adored these fingers. His nails were neatly trimmed, and his fingertips were beautiful. Lately, I had seen him using these hands to give Akito massages. He had invited me as well, but I refused.

How could I possibly accept? I believe such things should only be permitted between lovers or a married couple. It was an immense relief that Fiene had apparently refused as well. If she had accepted a massage from Kota… I fear I would have been driven mad by the flames of jealousy.

And yet… if Fiene had done it, I could have used it as an excuse to try it myself…

What am I to do? If those fingers were ever pressed against my shoulders or back, would my heart not be carried away to a point of no return? That is what frightens me.

“Nn…”

Oh no! Did I wake him?

“Ah, Clara-sama… my apologies. Did you need something?”

How careless of me! In my attempt to catch his scent, I must have leaned too much weight onto the hand I placed on his shoulder.

“I-I am sorry. I grew a bit thirsty. I wished for you to prepare a drink.”

“I’ll make something right away. …Hm? Clara-sama, do you have a fever?”

Kota reached out and placed his hand against my forehead.

You fool! Doing such a thing will only make my temperature soar higher!

Instinctively, I used ice magic to instantly drop my body temperature. It was a blessing that my strongest magic happened to be of the ice element…

“Whoa, your body is freezing. I’ll make some cocoa immediately.”

It seemed I managed to hide my agitation. Was that… for the best?

Kota began pulling various tools from his Spatial Storage, and the aroma of cocoa soon filled the room. It is a scent I love dearly. Just watching Kota stir the pot filled my heart with a certain warmth. One part of me believes these feelings must never be known; another part of me wishes for them to be understood. Both are me, which makes this so difficult to manage.

“Are you truly feeling unwell? You seem to be in quite a bit of distress.”

“Distress” is an understatement when two conflicting versions of myself are churning together to form a single individual. But…

“Here you go, the cocoa is ready.”

For now, I am enveloped in a scent I love, standing beside the man I care for. I suppose that, in itself, is a form of happiness.

Thanks to Yoshioka’s hard work, we arrived in Bregantz in just about three hours. Apparently, that distance would have taken twelve hours on a regular liner. The captain was practically begging him to become a specialized mage for the navy. With wind magic, they could make incredibly effective use of high-speed vessels.

Perhaps because we had moved over a hundred kilometers south in a single day, Bregantz felt a bit warmer than our previous stops. This area is famous for its thriving vineyards and high-quality wine.

We headed to the outskirts of town to give Blitz some exercise after disembarking. Winter-bare vineyards stretched out as far as the eye could see. I took the bridle, and Blitz, carrying Clara-sama, neighed happily as we walked slowly through the vineyards at dusk.

“Since we are here, why don’t we try some Bregantz wine with dinner tonight?”

Clara-sama seemed to be in high spirits. She really does love her wine.

“That sounds like a plan. But let’s let Blitz walk a little longer first.”

The Reinga River, which flows out of Lake Baden, was wide and moved with a gentle current. Starting tomorrow, we would be heading down this river toward the Royal Capital on a military vessel. It would likely be a cramped few days for Blitz.

Looking back, I saw Clara-sama’s silver hair reflecting the sunset, glowing a brilliant orange.

“What is it?”

(I was just captivated by the sight.)

If I actually said that, she might scold me.

“Nothing…”

I couldn’t find the words to follow up. However, Clara-sama didn’t press me any further. We walked in silence through a world dyed in sepia tones. Somehow, even the sunset seemed as though it were trying to say something. In the vineyards where the darkness was slowly deepening, the only sound was the rhythm of Blitz’s breathing.