Finally, unable to bear the awkwardness and boredom any longer, Leo called out to Lena. She, pretending to be indifferent, responded to his call.
“Hey, Lena. Want to play word chain game?”
“...What's that?”
“It's a word game. Here’s how it works...”
They broke the silence by playing word chain game (a Korean word game where you say a word that starts with the last syllable of the previous word). At first, they casually tossed words back and forth, but later they were laughing and having fun.
The carriage stopped more often than expected.
Especially if there was water nearby, like a stream, they would always stop to let the tired horses rest.
The coachmen drew water in buckets to feed the horses and poured water over them to cool them down.
Each time, Lena and Leo would get out of the carriage and stretch their stiff bodies.
Feeling refreshed, Lena smiled brightly.
“Hehehe~ Leo. You’re not as smart as I thought.”
“Cheh. You’re just too good at it.”
It was foolish of him, someone unfamiliar with this world, to suggest playing a word game with Lena. He was completely outmatched in vocabulary.
“Let's do something else.”
“Like what? the word chain game is fun.”
“This time…”
Most of the games played by the young people here were outdoors. There were very few games that were played sitting still, facing each other.
Leo thought about introducing Lena to some games from modern society.
He concentrated, trying to recall all the games he had honed while in college, but Lena quickly caught on and beat him at most of them.
The journey dragged on. Leo tried to come up with various games, but it couldn't be helped. A week was too long to spend just sitting still.
At night, the caravan would stop and set up camp. The merchants and mercenaries would pitch their tents, and the coachmen would make their beds in the driver's seats. Leo had planned to sleep under the carriage, but he couldn't win against Lena's insistence and ended up sleeping inside with her.
The space was so cramped that they had no choice but to sleep back-to-back.
He could feel Lena's body heat through their backs. Leo could tell that she wasn't asleep yet either. Asif sensing that he was also awake, Lena spoke.
“Leo.”
“Yeah?”
“We’ll probably have to work there for a year, right?”
“...Probably.”
He knew that Lena planned to earn money in the capital to save up for the journey to the Holy Kingdom. In reality, even working for a few years wouldn't be enough to cover the travel expenses to Lutetia.
She was essentially being stranded in Nebis because of him.
Leo felt a pang of guilt, worried that she could sense it through their backs.
Lena asked in a voice laced with a sigh,
“What kind of work should we do there?”
“How about working at a bakery? Mrs. Hans spoke highly of you.”
“But I only know how to knead dough.”
“I heard they pay well in the capital.”
“...I guess so.”
Lena sounded as if she had already accepted her fate. And Leo knew that a priest who was heading to the Holy Cross Church would be stopping by the village soon.
His heart ached with guilt.
‘Lena, I’m sorry. But I promise I’ll make you a princess instead.’
What was so great about being a priestess anyway?
Lena and Leo exchanged a few more worried words before drifting off to sleep.
The coachman in front of them snored loudly.
* * *
The caravan stopped at a small village for two days to trade goods before setting off again. Finally, after a long and tedious journey, Leo could stretch his legs.
“We’re here! We’ve finally arrived!”
“No, we’re not. We’re only halfway there. Silly Leo.”
The caravan arrived at a fairly large city.
He heard the name of the city, but he quickly forgot it, as they were planning to join another caravan heading to the capital.
The merchant leader kindly introduced them to another merchant leader who was heading to Nebis, and the cost and conditions were the same as before.
This time, Lena paid.
Copper coins poured out of her pocket, the money her parents and the priest had collected and given to her. The merchant leader, perhaps feeling sorry for their situation, gave them a discount.
This caravan was also scheduled to depart the next day, so they got a room at an inn.
Leaving a tired Lena at the inn, Leo reminded her to lock the door securely and went out to find a blacksmith again.
“A sword? Do you have a permit? No? Then I can’t sell you one.”
There were several blacksmiths in the city, but none of them were willing to sell him a sword easily. Just as he was about to give up, he found a blacksmith who reacted differently.
“You want a sword without a permit?”
“Yes. Is there any way?”
“Hmm… Are you a gangster by any chance?”
“What? No. Why would you think that?”
“Then what's that tattoo on your arm? Isn't that your gang’s tattoo?”
The blacksmith pointed at Leo's arm.
On Leo's arm was a tattoo of several trumpets crossed.
“My father gave me this tattoo. He has the same one.”
“What does your father do?”
“He's a hunter.”
“I see. So, you’re not a gangster here?”
“I’m not a gangster here, or anywhere else.”
“Alright. Follow me.”
He followed the young blacksmith inside, where he found all sorts of equipment and a blazing furnace. The floor was covered in metal and wood shavings of all sizes.
Several shields and a few swords were hung on the wall. The blacksmith walked over and gestured towards them.
“Choose one.”
“You only have one-handed swords?”
“Oh? You really aren’t a gangster, are you?”
“How many times do I have to tell you?”
“I need some convincing. You’re at the perfect age to start acting like one… Hold on a second.”
The blacksmith pulled out three two-handed swords from a drawer. Leo examined each sword and handed them back.
“Don’t you have anything else?”
“Why?”
“These are all unbalanced.”
“Hahaha. That's why I’m selling them. Honestly, I only know how to make shields. I made these for fun. I can manage to make a one-handed sword, but two-handed swords are… So, what do you think? Are you going to buy one? I’m going to melt them down if they don’t sell anyway, so I’ll give you a good price.”
An unbalanced sword would shift its center of gravity easily and tire the wielder quickly, but it was better than nothing.
Leo chose the shortest one.
If it was unbalanced anyway, it was better to have a shorter one.
However, the price the blacksmith quoted was higher than expected. Leo tried to haggle a bit, but the blacksmith wouldn’t budge, saying he had already lowered the price as much as he could.
Leo had no choice.
“Don't tell anyone you bought this from me. I didn't even stamp it, so I’ll deny ever seeing you if anyone asks.”
“...Don’t worry, this thing wouldn't even qualify as a sword.”
Leo, a little annoyed, retorted sarcastically. It was the only petty revenge he could take, but the blacksmith didn't even blink.
“Oh? I have a scabbard that fits this sword perfectly. You don’t need it?”
“...I apologize.”
Considering he was getting a scabbard too, the price wasn't that bad for an illegally purchased sword.
Leo regretted his careless remark and apologized.
He had a feeling that the real Leo wouldn't have said anything.