My Villains Episode 311
56. On the Frontier (4)
I’ve been wandering around ever since I fell into this world, but this was definitely the first time I’ve had a pleasant trip like this.
When heading from South Harbor to Longville, they were attacked by all sorts of bandits and monsters, including horsemen, and later, when passing through Troshire, a province ruled by the king’s riders, they experienced great inconvenience due to overly strict security.
The Gistol region was a vampire den, so there was no need to mention it, and the road leading to Sete Niora Monastery was also said to have suffered quite a bit because monsters appeared.
On the other hand, this time there was really no inconvenience. Let alone monsters or thieves, there were no elements that could interfere with the trip.
Once, I encountered a merchant ship, and Arya, who was caught on this side of the fleet, saw the family crest, quickly folded the sails and put the boat on the river. And it quietly anchored while our side passed, and only carefully opened its sails when it was out of sight.
At first, I wanted to do something like that, but the other boats I met afterwards also acted the same as if they were squeezed. Apparently, that was the unspoken rule of this town.
On the evening of the first day, they stopped at a riverside village, and as if the advance party had taken action in advance, the village chief and village officials, as well as the baron who ruled the area, came out to the dock and waited for Marquis Eavon.
And, naturally, a party ensued. In addition to abundant food and alcohol, a traveling band specially invited by the baron even presented performances.
The local wine of the Antrum region was excellent, the dishes made with fresh ingredients were satisfying, and the music was decent. However, I was a little embarrassed to think that such expenses would be a burden on the village.
Since it was a village nestled in a plain along a river and a forest, the financial situation would not be so bad, but it was still an ordinary farming village. It would not have been so easy to entertain not one or two people, but up to three hundred people.
But I was able to shake off the awkwardness in no time. Marquis Eabon, drunk and in a good mood, declared that he would exempt the village from paying taxes for five years from this year.
The villagers, including the baron, cheered at the hot treatment. In the fifth year of tax exemption, there would be plenty of change left even after making up for today’s expenses.
Even as a marquis, it didn’t seem like he was overdoing it. There are over eighty large and small villages in Antrum, and this place was just one of them.
Even the sum of all three gold collected in those many villages is not enough for the income of the family-owned trading company. In a word, it was said that the 15 gold coins offered by this village were a small amount of money that the Marquis didn’t need.
It was new, but indeed, the lord was no different from a king in his territory.
In particular, the Marquis of Eavon, thanks to the 200-year history of the Arya family, was the absolute king and less than a god in the Antrum region.
There was no way there would be any inconvenience in the journey that followed with the kindness and consideration of such a being. I said everything because I felt like I was sightseeing along a luxurious course with a top-notch guide.
Others also enjoyed their leisure time to see if this feeling was not my own.
Unlike me who got on the lead ship because of the Marquis’ strong will, the rest of the party all boarded the third ship. So sometimes, when I looked over there from the stern, I could often see them giggling about what was so fun about them. Utequai made a fishing rod and draped it over the boat, and in just an hour he caught five or six trout or carp. I don’t know how he could show such a performance with a crudely made fishing rod.
When the boat docked in the village, they also held a swimming competition as a bet.
The ponytail Fritz, the chubby Eson Yukson, Mitelman, and Gollman came forward, but it was heavy swordsman Umberta who took the money. In fact, there was no way that the villagers of the mountain valley could withstand her, who was from the Crescent Islands and was polished by the rough waves.
Heila became close friends with the Marquis, Panabel, just four halls after she set out on the trip.
According to Panabel, it’s the first time he’s had a conversation with him so well, but I’ve never seen Heila open her mouth in front of the Marquis, so I’m just curious. What tricks did you do?
In the meantime, I became a little friendly with the young grandson of Earl Orth, the Marquis of Eavon.
The reason was nothing. I was getting some air in the boat, and I found Os, who was sullen after being scolded by his grandfather for making a pointless quibble.
The reason I spoke first was… I felt sorry for the boy who, in Korean terms, would have been a high school student, was burdened with the burden of being the heir of the great lord.
When I spoke to him casually, Os’ face was half confused and wary, but soon he seemed to recall the Marquis of Eavon’s teachings, and he spread his chest and greeted me with a relaxed expression.
The conversation that started like that was interesting in its own way.
I guessed it to some degree, but Osu was a humble and good-natured boy who was not befitting his noble status.
Seeing him say that he is envious of me, a knight of high reputation, because he is not good at swordsmanship. It seemed that he knew roughly why the Marquis was frustrated with him.
Well, it wasn’t hard to understand that until just two years ago, he was just an aristocratic boy who liked to draw.
And personally, it didn’t look bad. Rather than an arrogant boy pretending to be an adult, a boy who looks a bit stupid but has an innocence is more humanly attracted.
It seemed that Count Ossu didn’t like the conversation with me either. Although I was polite, it was clear from the way I talked to him as if I were talking to my younger brother or nephew.
Of course, the conversation didn’t last very long. This is because Os had to stay next to the Marquis of Eavon to educate the heir, and I
had to take care of Mungchi, who was suffering from seasickness.
Thanks to the recent rise to level 32, I have become more proficient in blood manipulation, and my ability to take care of wounds has also increased accordingly.
However, motion sickness was a slightly different problem. There was no damage on the outside or inside, so there was no specific treatment.
In the end, all I could do was nurse the moaning mungchi by my side. At least, if I gently styled his hair, he would regain some stability.
Then, just in case, he sought help from Princess Theodora.
The reason why he dared to ask for a gongnyeo over monk priest Okan… Well, it was because there was no reason to call a stinky middle-aged man over a beautiful woman with bright eyes.
Anyway, after examining the bundle, Theodora smiled bitterly and shrugged her shoulders.
“It’s normal motion sickness. There is nothing special I can do for you.” “Is that so?”
“exactly. At least as far as I know, there is no such thing as a prayer to relieve dizziness
.”
Theodore said with an ambiguous face, as if he was embarrassed to finish the diagnosis like this.
“I think this smell will make it a little better.”
“You mean the smell?”
“hmm. Since motion sickness is a symptom related to the senses, covering your eyes and smelling a familiar smell will help you calm down.”
Come to think of it, the smell in the cabin was not that good.
The acrid smell of oil from ship’s bitumen, the damp smell of dust from luggage piled up in the dock, and the faint smell of fishy water mixed together to create a slight but unpleasant stench.
“Familiar smell…. What is there? Mungchi, can I make you some tea?”
Mungchi, whose face had turned pale, stood up instead of answering. And like a newborn baby monkey, it climbed up my body with my eyes closed.
“……What are you doing?”
“It smells familiar.”
The bundle wrapped its legs around my waist and buried its nose in the nape of my neck. Then, taking a deep breath, I made a sound like ‘Uh-uh-‘ and the air was deflated.
I felt a firm gaze as I supported the bundle with my arm, which was about to flow back to the bed.
“Princess?”
“…Sir Phoenix.”
Theodora came out with a slightly embarrassed face and examined the bundle in turn. And after a moment choosing words, he opened his mouth with difficulty.
“Well, didn’t he say he promised to marry Miss Heila?” ” ah.” The sight of a grown woman clinging to a man who owns it must have been a shocking sight to Theodora, who has lived as a nun and paladin for nearly 12 years.
“As you can see, this guy is a stranger. I came from a place called Yoonguk (倫國) in the far east. I don’t have any acquaintances, let alone relatives, on the continent, but somehow I got to know them and they follow me like a real older brother.”
“…Well, that’s a pitiful situation—however, wouldn’t Miss Heila be offended?”
“yes’?”
I smiled unconsciously and shook my head.
“First of all, Heila isn’t that kind of girl, and I think you’re misunderstanding me. It was a family decision that she and I got engaged to, and it had nothing to do with our intentions.”
“Isn’t that what a noble marriage is all about?”
“Uh, yes, but… Anyway, the horse is engaged, and Heila and I are just colleagues. He is also a cousin.” “A cousin? You mean marriage between cousins? That kind of nonsense ”
After opening her mouth half as if surprised, she mumbled for a while and then brushed her pale blonde hair.
“No no. Excuse me. Reunion between relatives was taboo among women, but it was an occasional occurrence among nobles. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in the priesthood, so I acted recklessly.” Contrary to
her
words of understanding, Theodora’s green eyes
were filled with confusion.
Either that or not, I gently comforted the bundle in my arms. The guy who put his nose on my collarbone would occasionally tremble and droop his shoulders. It must be a process of finding comfort.
“What the princess said was right. You’ll be fine soon.”
“…well, I’m glad.”
“I have to send you off, but I can’t wake you up because it’s been the first time in a while. sorry.”
“no. Never mind me.”
Theodora, who was about to clear up the confusion and leave the cabin, stopped abruptly and looked back at me. And he seemed hesitant, as if he had something to say.
“…Why is that, princess?”
“that is.”
The princess, who was hesitant, brought up a question she had barely harbored in response to my repeated questions.
“That revelation from before.”
“timing? Are these the revelations left by the Holy Son?”
“exactly. Could you possibly… see the revelation again?” I nodded with a puzzled face.
“Yeah what. it’s possible. There is nothing that can’t be done.”
“…Really?”
“yes. If you want, right away-”
“Eh? No, not right now.”
The princess hurriedly waved her hands.
And then he put on a satisfied expression.
“Because I need to be prepared too.”
“Are you ready? which.” Theodora smiled brightly instead of answering. With her mouth open for a moment in a dazzling smile, she left the cabin.
