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“…Cast away this hardship. Refresh.”

Speaking these words from the back of the carriage, the words I spoke transformed my mana and brought about the phenomenon I had envisioned.
I’ve done this countless times before. It’s been a while since I regained my light, but I used to do this often back in my days as a knight.

…I really can’t stand this.

Actually, I get motion sickness easily and feel sick very quickly.
Because of that, during my time as a knight, I’d often get dizzy in the carriage before even reaching our destination, and there were many times I was rendered useless once we arrived.
As a result, the first challenge I had to face after becoming a knight was “how to deal with my susceptibility to motion sickness.”
In the end, I overcame it by studying healing magic. Once I cast a spell to counter the nausea, I’m fine for a while, and if I stay still during that time, my mana recovers.
It’s a bit of a hassle, but since I couldn’t change my constitution no matter how hard I tried, there’s nothing I can do about it.

“Are you all right, Felnoute-san?”
“I’m fine, Zeno.”

The merchant guiding the horse turns back to look at me with concern.
His name is Zeno Kotobuki, my current employer. Technically, it’s more accurate to say we have a business relationship, but since I’m the one receiving wages, calling him my employer isn’t wrong either.

“Magic to restore my health doesn’t drain me much. Whether they’re monsters or bandits, I’ll cut them down.”
“That’s reassuring. You’re a great help.”
“It’s fine. I’m counting on you to get us to the Republic.”
“Yes, leave the driving to me.”

We have our interests aligned: Both of us are heading for the Republic.
I’m chasing after Arje—Argento Vampyr.
I know she’s headed for the border.
The only question is whether she’ll go to the Empire or the Republic. I’m betting on the Republic.
The Empire is in a pretty rough state from its war with the Kingdom. Heavy taxes and repeated conscription have created a tense atmosphere throughout the country.
In contrast, the Republic has not gotten involved in the war between the Kingdom and the Empire. It has taken a wait-and-see stance and maintains relations with both sides.
If I had to choose between the Empire and the Republic, I’d say the Republic is the more peaceful of the two. The military is volunteer-based, and while taxes aren’t light, they aren’t as exorbitant as in the Empire. I hear that life in their countryside is tough, but it isn’t as rough as it is in the Empire.
If that lazy girl is going anywhere, I’m betting she’ll head for the more stable place.

As for Zeno, he says he has to report to the Merchants’ Guild.
The Merchants’ Guild is an association to which many traveling merchants belong.
It seems the rule is that members must visit the headquarters once a year to report their annual income and expenses and pay dues based on their earnings.
The headquarters of that Guild is located in Sakuranomiya, the capital of the Republic. I’ve heard it’s a beautiful city where many cherry trees bloom.
It’s a popular tourist destination, and back in my days as a knight, many of my colleagues used to say, “Sakuranomiya is the place for a honeymoon.”

……a place with lovely scenery and famous food..

A unique culinary culture centered on rice and tempura has taken root there, to the point where people say, “You’re not a true foodie until you’ve eaten Yotsuba cuisine.”
The Yotsuba Republic is also known for its tolerance of same-sex marriage. In the all-female Third Squad I belonged to, there was even a same-sex couple who decided to settle permanently in the Republic after retiring.

……Same-sex marriage.

Before knowing it, the image of a certain silver-haired girl popped up in my mind, and I hurriedly cleared it away. What on earth am I thinking? Seriously.
This is all Arje’s fault. It has to be.
That day’s meal was a soup made from a rare kind of fish she’d said she wanted to try.
It was a rare ingredient to begin with, and since it was slightly out of season, I had a hard time finding it. And yet, she didn’t come home. I got so tired of waiting that I ended up falling asleep at the table that day.
Not only did she not come home, but when I stormed over to Samakah’s mansion the next day… I was implicitly told that she had “left town.” What the hell? Does she know the trouble I went through to get that fish?

……No, that’s not quite right.

I’m not talking about the meal. I was just so frustrated.
She left without saying a word. It made me feel like I’d been cast aside.
I’m getting so worked up over something so trivial that I’m about to leave the country where I was born and raised to search for someone I don’t even know if I’ll be able to meet.
I know I’m being crazy, but I just have to see her. I won’t be satisfied until I’ve met her and said at least my piece.
What happens then, I’ll worry then. Like the specifics of our wedding venue… wait, no, no. I mean, what I’ll do to her; I’ll worry about it once I’ve finally met her.

I met Zeno when I was preparing for my journey at the market and saw him looking for a bodyguard.
Zeno Kotobuki. “Kotobuki” was a Yotsuba word I’d heard long ago. I recall it meant something like “auspicious” or “celebratory.”
So I immediately realized he was from the Republic, and when I asked him if he was perhaps heading there, I was right.

“I’ll need to be able to hold a basic conversation before I get there.”
“In that case, I’ll teach you along the way.”
“That’d be a big help, Zeno.”
“Well, I’m getting a Royal Knight to serve me as a bodyguard at a bargain price, so this is the least I can do.”
“Former, mind you. Don’t flatter me too much. I’ve been out of the game for a while, after all.”
“The Odd-Eye Holy Knight is a name known even abroad—that’s how skilled you are. You’ll get back into the swing of things in no time.”
“That’s ancient history. Please don’t bring it up.”

It’s a name that brings back memories, but looking back now, it’s a bit of a simplistic—or rather, embarrassing—epithet. As someone over twenty who’s supposed to be somewhat mature, I can’t help but feeling a bit ashamed..
My subtle refusal seemed to get through, and Zeno simply said, “I’m sorry,” and left it at that.
Seriously. Making someone younger than me feel like they have to be so considerate… It’s all that lazy girl’s fault.

If I think back just a little, that dazed, sleeping face immediately comes to mind.
Day in and day out, she slept so comfortably—even going so far as to let her nose droop and drool—that silver-haired vampire.
Her robe half-slip off in a sloppy heap, she’d rub her body against the sheets with obvious pleasure, sleeping soundly.
It was incredibly cute how she’d occasionally let out little sounds that were somewhere between a breath and a word.
And yet, when I woke her gently, she’d look at me with those melting eyes and call me “Felnou~te-san” in a sweet, pleading voice, so I’d end up waking her roughly. She was just so defenseless, it was almost unbearable. Though I don’t really understand what exactly I can’t stand about it.

“Seriously; really, really… Arje, you…”
“Eh? Did you just say ‘Arje’?”
“Yeah, I did… Is something wrong?”
“No, it’s just that I know someone with the same name—or rather, the same nickname…”
“…Argento?”
“Vampyr.”

We both blinked in surprise and stared at each other for a moment.
The world is small—probably just as we both realized that, the carriage’s wheels hit a pothole and jolted violently, and I slammed my butt hard against the seat.

“Ouch!?”
“Hawawa!?”

That pothole was definitely that lazy vampire’s fault too. It has to be.
I’m definitely going to catch her and give her a piece of my mind.