Chapter 72
Harold wore a peculiar expression at Maeve’s reply, then soon let out an “Ah,” as if he had remembered something.
He immediately pulled a piece of black charcoal from his bosom.
“Speaking of bandits reminded me; there is one place nearby that is frantic to strip any outsider they see. Besides that, it is good to avoid this area as well. Here, there is a drinking water problem. Whether it’s the river or a well, red water comes out, and if you drink it, you’ll suffer lingeringly before dying. So there are no people.”
Prince Declan stared blankly as Harold marked circles on various parts of the map with the charcoal in his hand. A land of red water. A land full of bandits. It felt terrible just hearing about it.
Maeve looked down at the map where Harold had marked the danger zones with a satisfied face.
“Thank you, Mr. Harold.”
Prince Declan looked awkwardly at Maeve’s smiling face.
‘So she does laugh.’
Muttering this very rude observation to himself, Prince Declan continued to look at Maeve’s face. When she smiled, her cheekbones rose plumply and her eyes became half-moons, which suited her quite well. To say a smiling expression suits her—even this felt a bit strange, but anyway, it was that Maeve. That girl who didn’t smile kindly for everyone.
While talking with Harold, Maeve abruptly raised her head and looked at Prince Declan. It was as if she knew he had been stealing glances at her. Prince Declan, startled, quickly looked elsewhere, pretending he hadn’t.
And when they arrived at a village the next day, they bid farewell to Harold. Harold said he planned to load up on new supplies in the village and return to his original village.
After a short farewell to him, Prince Declan and Maeve slowly looked around the village.
In a long journey, equipment is more important than anything else. Prince Declan knew that much. However, because Colm had flown off with everything from food to cooking utensils, they had to re-equip everything.
For now, the only thing that could be called cooking equipment was a small pot Maeve had bought. Maeve and Prince Declan visited not only the people doing business in the village but also every ordinary house, talking to them and exchanging the items they needed for the potions or ointments Maeve had made. The ointments were particularly popular.
They obtained leather pouches for carrying water, flints, and an old tripod that looked like iron skewers. Because the land surrounding the village was gentle and the road was not very rough, they left the village as soon as they had gathered the items.
However, a bit of a problem arose here.
“Wait a minute……. Are you the one holding the reins?”
After distributing the luggage evenly between the donkey and the horse, Maeve naturally hopped onto the horse. Then, holding the reins, she told Prince Declan to get on behind her.
“Yes.”
Maeve replied, looking at Prince Declan as if he were asking something quite peculiar.
Prince Declan spoke, trying his best not to show that his pride was wounded.
“Ah, I’m grateful that you’re willing to go to the trouble for me, but I can drive a horse too. And wouldn’t it look…… better for me, with my larger build, to lead the horse?”
“Who is watching?”
“Well. People we might encounter, like Harold? And…… ourselves?”
“I don’t mind.”
Maeve spoke, looking down at Prince Declan as if he were truly nitpicking over nothing.
As it turned out, the only one who minded was Prince Declan himself. When Prince Declan groaned, unable to explain the reason, Maeve jumped down from the horse and held the reins out to Prince Declan.
As if to say, “Go ahead.”
“Thank you, Maeve.”
Prince Declan accepted the reins with an elegant smile. It was the moment he tried to slide his foot into the stirrup of the horse. The horse snapped its head around and snorted ominously while looking at Prince Declan.
Prince Declan, not wanting to show any more of an embarrassing side, ignored the horse that was acting as if giving a warning and forced himself onto the animal.
The horse, enraged, suddenly reared up its front legs.
Prince Declan slid right down. Before he could fall pathetically to the ground, Maeve caught and held him stably as if she had been expecting it.
“……This.”
Prince Declan wanted to die from the sheer embarrassment.
“……This crazy horse.”
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