Chapter 66
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“I shall return to the palace. Let us go.”
As Hestia linked arms with Seikan and disappeared, a knight cautiously suggested I board the carriage.
I nodded in agreement, but as I felt the cold metallic touch of the carriage handle, I changed my mind.
If I return to the palace now? I’ll rely on the elf mage, catch my breath, and end the day. And when I open my eyes, one less day of my life will remain.
“…There’s somewhere I’d like to stop.”
“Pardon? Where…?”
“I want to go to Hildia Street.”
When I mentioned a destination other than the palace, the knights assigned to my escort wore troubled expressions.
“That place is…”
I gave them a Why? Is there a problem? look. The knights exchanged glances, and one of them stepped forward.
“It’s not a suitable place for someone in ill health.”
The taciturn knight spoke so seriously that it made my intended destination sound incredibly unsavory and dangerous.
The place I mentioned was simply a popular dating spot, brimming with pubs where young men and women mingled, drank, and, well, checked each other out.
“Do you have a specific reason for going there? If you wish to purchase something, I can procure it for you.”
I chuckled at the knight’s words, which sounded like a military declaration.
Having grown up as a trainee priestess in the temple, I had never tasted alcohol aside from the sacramental wine. Even in my past life, the one I remembered after hitting my head, I died right after coming of age, so I never experienced being properly drunk.
There were plenty of opportunities if I had wanted to drink secretly. However, I always had a clear goal in life. This was merely a bit of rebellion, something I hadn’t done while single-mindedly pursuing my goals, something I wanted to experience before I die.
I just wanted to sit by a pretty river and have a few cocktails, but their deadly serious expressions made me want to be mischievous.
“I plan to get completely drunk, pick up a man, and have a wild night.”
“P-pardon?”
“I’ll probably get a room, so you can inform the palace that I won’t be returning tonight. Please tell them not to worry about me and to get a good night’s sleep. Be sure to relay that message word for word. As for my escort, please fulfill your duties, but keep your distance. It’ll be hard to pick up a man with you knights hovering so close.”
My outrageous words left the knight frozen in place.
A mischievous urge to tease him further bubbled up, but I decided to leave it at that.
“Aren’t you going? If this carriage isn’t suitable, I’ll hire another one.”
At my words, spoken as I settled into my seat and crossed my legs, they huddled together, whispering and seemingly discussing countermeasures.
They whispered busily amongst themselves, someone dashed off somewhere urgently, and finally, the coachman took the reins.
“We shall depart.”
That ‘departure’ took a long time.
Clip-clop, clip-clop—The carriage, moving at a leisurely pace, soon left the city center and headed towards the river.
As dusk began to settle, the wide river that flowed through the imperial capital shimmered beautifully, like powdered champagne stone scattered across its surface.
A sight almost too beautiful for someone with only a few days left to live.
“Where should we go from here?”
I had been watching the couples strolling arm in arm and the passersby heading towards the pubs. At the coachman’s question, I tapped on the door, signaling him to stop.
“I’d like to walk from here.”
“Are you sure?”
At the knight’s anxious question, I felt a smile tug at my lips.
Anyone listening would think I was some precious, delicate lady.
A street orphan, an extra who should have already died, now living the high life.
Ignoring the knight, I headed towards the largest of the brightly lit pubs lining the street.
As I took a seat at a white wrought-iron table outside, a quick-witted young waiter rushed over.
“Welcome! Are you… with those gentlemen over there?”
He gestured towards the knights standing at a distance, watching anxiously, and delivered his witty remark. I quickly nodded.
“I don’t know them. Just think of them as statues.”
“R-right. Understood. So, besides those… statues, are there any other members of your party?”
“No.”
“Then, what would you like to order?”
“I’ll have one of everything on the menu!”
It was a line I’d always wanted to say.
As I energetically declared this epitome of extravagant spending, the boy’s eyes lit up. He looked as if he was shouting, “Big catch!”
“Right away!”
The boy, true to his nimble first impression, began moving with lightning speed.
As I watched him place one glass after another on the table, I cracked my knuckles.
My last hurrah, with the extravagant backdrop of imperial knights.
As the table filled with a colorful array of wines, beers, and cocktails, the pungent aroma of alcohol filled the air.
I reached for the nearest cocktail glass, a vibrant concoction with a lemon slice.
But just before my fingers grasped the glass, a large hand intervened, snatching it away.
My hand, robbed of its target, swiped through the air. I looked up at the owner of the hand that had stolen my drink.
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