Chapter 112
It wasn’t until the next day that I was finally able to regain my usual composure. I was still troubled, but I managed to put on a calm exterior somehow. Of course, unpleasant memories would occasionally pop up and throw me off balance, but I was getting better.
“Take care, Norman. Let’s meet again if we get the chance.”
Marco came to see me off at the carriage. However, he couldn’t leave the medical tent for long, so we had to part with brief farewells.
“I’ll miss you.”
“Come visit sometime.”
He gave me the location of the clinic he runs. I promised I would definitely do so as we said our goodbyes.
The sight of his back as he hurried away. I had expected another rough journey back, but Cromwell gave us an entire cargo carriage. He even layered several blankets over the rough wooden floor to make it quite comfortable. It was all thanks to Marco.
I learned today that Marco had been reporting on my condition daily by Cromwell’s orders after the incident. After adding that it would be good for me to rest due to yesterday’s misunderstanding, it was decided to send the three academy students back.
After confirming that Marco had entered the medical tent, I boarded the carriage. Alteo was crumpled in the corner, and when he saw Luwen, he hugged his knees and trembled with a pale face.
‘Did Luwen do something again?’
It seems our Luwen has grown into quite a rough fellow. That’s what happens when you do something deserving of punishment. Glancing at me with a very uncomfortable expression, it seemed like he had something he wanted to say.
“Will you really be alright?”
Luwen asked as I was about to close the carriage door. To be honest, I had wanted to ride Luwen’s horse on the way back.
‘If only that incident hadn’t happened yesterday…’
But now, I wasn’t confident I could stay composed if I was pressed close to Luwen.
“Yes. I’m sure he won’t be that stupid.”
I answered while deliberately looking at Alteo. Realizing it was a warning directed at him, the chairman nodded vigorously.
“I’ll ride alongside the carriage.”
Luwen pulled on the reins of his white horse.
Neigh-
The long muzzle suddenly poked into the window. Does it want to be petted? I rubbed its nose bridge, and the horse flared its nostrils, exhaling hot steam.
‘This one strangely likes me.’
It was curious because I hadn’t particularly taken care of it or even fed it once. Still, I liked the soft feeling of its nose bridge, so I stroked it a few more times.
After doing that for a moment, I looked at Luwen to move the horse away… and he was watching me with a fond expression.
“…”
How am I supposed to interpret this? Hmm. An indescribable, subtle emotion welled up.
“Can we depart?” the coachman asked.
Luwen looked at me as if to confirm. When I nodded, he answered for me.
“Yes. Let’s go.”
Luwen joined the knights who would escort us. The group gathered a little distance from the carriage all mounted their horses at once. It was none other than the vice-captain’s unit, and among them, Luwen stood out. His refined movements were so captivating that I couldn’t help but stare.
“Norman.”
I was absentmindedly watching Luwen when a voice calling me made me turn my head. Alteo was looking at his own feet. Just then, the carriage started moving with a jolt, and I leaned loosely against the wall.
“What is it?”
“You… did explain properly to Luwen, right? That I didn’t harm you, but that an accident happened when I went to apologize?”
There was no need to tell Alteo that I had been honest, so instead of answering, I asked a question.
“Why are you suddenly asking that?”
“Luwen came this morning.”
This morning…
It was when Marco told Luwen and me to prepare to leave. Luwen had left, saying he would go greet Cromwell. It took longer than expected, but I thought it was just due to the situation at the front. So he had visited Alteo too.
“And?”
Alteo glanced outside. He seemed to be checking on Luwen.
Honestly, I was curious about what Luwen had done, so I closed the window to hear the story. Alteo let out a long sigh of relief and then promptly lifted his shirt.
“Oh…”
I couldn’t help but admire the artistically imprinted footprint in the middle of his stomach, and Alteo glared at me.
“He just kicked me out of nowhere.”
“Well, you did deserve it, Chairman.”
“He thinks it was an accident!”
Alteo raised his voice, then startled himself and rolled his eyes as if checking the situation outside the carriage. When he heard only the rattling of the carriage and no approaching presence, he continued in a hushed voice.
“…And I also got beaten up by you pretty badly.”
Do I have to say the same thing again? I don’t understand what he finds so unfair.
“No, forget it. Looking at your expression, I can tell exactly what you want to say. It’s all because of me, right?”
“You know it well.”
Alteo glared at me when I replied lightly, but when I fiddled with the window, he flinched and curled up. Seeing his pathetic behavior, I lowered my hand from the window and asked.
“It wasn’t just a kick, was it? You seem really scared of Luwen.”
“In the valley… I was half in a panic state, so I thought it was a misunderstanding. But this morning, I realized that what I felt then wasn’t a misunderstanding. That bastard, he tried to kill me.”
But you’re perfectly alive and well. Not even a single broken bone.
Was he just terrified after experiencing Luwen’s killing intent? Since it was nothing serious, I lost interest. He didn’t die, but it’s true that Luwen had intended to break one of his limbs.
“I see.”
Not wanting to pay too much attention, I gave a perfunctory answer and put my hand on the window to look at Luwen, when suddenly Alteo lunged forward. I thought he was going to attack me, but this guy grabbed my arm that was holding the window and trembled.
“P-please don’t open it… I’m really scared. He’ll k-kill me without anyone knowing… Eek!”
He turned pale mid-sentence. Then he even started hiccupping. I imagine this is what someone who’s seen the Grim Reaper would look like.
Is he like this because it’s his first time feeling killing intent directed at him? Or maybe he has a strong trauma about ‘death’ itself, making him more sensitive than others.
“What are you doing to Norman?”
I raised my head at the welcome voice and saw Luwen outside the wide-open window. Alteo, who had been looking back and forth between me and Luwen, hurriedly backed away and bumped his back against the opposite wall with a thud.
“Are you alright? The carriage’s movement seemed strange. I’m glad I checked.”
“I’m fine. The Chairman just gets severe motion sickness, so he fell while trying to change seats.”
“Then why don’t you get out of the carriage and walk a bit? It should help with the motion sickness.”
As all eyes turned to him, the dumbfounded Alteo nodded frantically.
“I will! That would be better!”
The carriage stopped, and Alteo got out. Since the ground was bumpy to begin with and not suitable for speed, some knights were leading their horses on foot. Alteo scurried away between the knights as if they were his lifeline.
“Norman, please rest comfortably.”
The corners of Luwen’s mouth turned up gently. As if he was pleased that I had the carriage to myself now. To reciprocate, I stretched out my legs and assumed a comfortable position, and he extended his clasped hands.
Thinking he was going to hand me something, I opened my palm, and ruby berries poured out. It didn’t end with just one handful. Two, three times. It was amazing where all these were coming from. Some fruit that I couldn’t catch in time fell onto my legs.
“When did you pick these?”
“I picked them on my way back after greeting the Honorary Duke.”
He had been busy running around since morning. Still, it was much better than when he couldn’t move an inch from my side.
I picked up one ruby berry and held it out to Luwen.
“You eat too.”
That’s when a problem arose. I thought he would naturally take it with his hand, but after briefly scanning the surroundings, Luwen ate it directly from my fingers! I froze momentarily at the soft sensation felt on my fingertips.
“It’s delicious. Norman should eat some too. And don’t close the window.”
“…”
Luwen moved away with a captivating smile that almost made me lose my senses.
I sat there blankly and only came to my senses after the carriage jolted heavily. My face was heating up. Those ruby berries that I had liked so much. Now they felt like a very dangerous fruit.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
