We helped bury the seven fallen soldiers in the nearby forest. Couldn’t leave them, couldn’t take them.
Of the three surviving escorts, the youngest one dug graves in silence. His older brother had been among the dead; he bowed deeply to us once the graves were finished.
Beside him the white-haired old man also bowed.
“You truly have my thanks. I can’t begin to express—”
“Please, don’t worry. And — even though your wound is healed, you’ve lost a lot of blood — don’t push yourself.”
I scrambled to wave him off. I always cave around elderly people. Same as with the god.
“Truly, Touya-dono! You are my life-saver — and not only mine, but the young lady’s!”
The blonde girl spoke in a high, formal register. Almost certainly a noble’s daughter, I thought.
The carriage was substantially more luxurious than even Zanac’s, multiple armed escorts, the elderly butler-type, and a girl with imperious bearing — pattern: noble.
“My apologies for delayed introductions. I am Laim, household steward of House Ortlinde. And this is the daughter of House Ortlinde — Lady Sue Ernea Ortlinde.”
“Sue Ernea Ortlinde! A pleasure!”
Duke? Higher noble, then.
I was processing this calmly while the twins and Yae had — frozen up.
”…What’s wrong with you guys?”
“What’s wrong — how are you so casual?! House Ortlinde is a duke house!”
”…Duke is the highest rank… most ranks below it can be granted to commoners, but Duke is reserved for royalty…”
Royalty. Wait — what?
“Indeed. My father, Alfred Ernes Ortlinde, is the King’s younger brother.”
“So the King’s niece. Impressive.”
”…Touya is taking this surprisingly well. Big presence, you.”
I turned and the twins and Yae were both on their knees, foreheads down. Dogeza? That necessary?
“Uh — Sue-… -sama? Should I also—”
“Sue is fine. We are not at court — no need. No formal address. As I said, Touya and the others are my life-savers. By rights I should be the one bowing. All of you, please rise.”
At Sue’s instruction the three of them stood up. They relaxed a little, but their faces stayed tight.
“What is a duke’s daughter doing out here, anyway?”
“On my way home from Grandmother’s — my mother’s mother. We were there about a month for research. We were returning to the capital.”
“And you got ambushed… not just bandits, were they.”
Bandits don’t use summoning magic. Sue was the target. Targeted assassination or kidnapping, probably.
“With the attacker dead, we cannot question him — what was behind the attack stays in the dark.”
“My deepest apologies…”
Yae had her head down. Right — she was the one who took his head. If we’d captured him alive we could’ve interrogated him.
“Do not concern yourself. I am grateful — well-done, taking him down.”
“You honor me with those words… I am unworthy.”
Yae bowed even deeper.
“So — Sue, what do you do now?”
“On that matter—”
Laim stepped forward apologetically.
“More than half of our escort is dead. If we were attacked again on the way, we couldn’t protect the lady. So — Touya-san, could we hire you as escorts? Payment to be made upon arrival in the capital. Would you accept?”
“Escort job, huh…”
We were heading there anyway, and leaving them like this would be hard. Fine on my end — what about everyone else?
“Sure, why not. We’re going there anyway.”
”…No objection from me.”
“Sessha is along on Touya-dono’s invitation. As Touya-dono decides.”
No dissenting votes.
“Accepted. We’ll escort you to the capital.”
“Thank you! Truly!”
Sue beamed.
Two carriages convoy: theirs in front, ours behind. Three mounted soldiers led the procession in front of the noble carriage.
I rode in Sue’s carriage to act as direct guard. Magic and sword, so I was the best-positioned. I sat on unfamiliar luxury upholstery across from Sue, with Laim beside her.
”…And so, the brave warrior Momotaro defeated the wicked oni and brought back great treasure to the village.”
“Splendid! How wonderful!”
She clapped, delighted. That was enough? Really? She’d asked me to tell a story, so I’d pitched it as “a heroic tale from my homeland” and dropped Momotaro on her. Worried it wouldn’t land. Apparently fine.
“More! Tell more!”
“All right… another old tale. There was once, in the castle town of a certain kingdom, a girl named Cinderella…”
Telling a story about magicians in a world with actual magicians, I’d never thought I’d be doing that.
I went through everything I knew. Then anime films. I was relabeling settings on the fly.
When she demanded I want to find the castle in the sky! I panicked, but Laim talked her down. This young lady loves adventure stories. Eccentric, for a noble.
The carriage carried us north toward the capital.