The Nymph Wants to be Plundered - Chapter 127

“……”

“I was scared when they said the next destination for guardian training was the Thorn Forest. Unlike the other trainees, that last expedition was my first. I don’t know much, and yet they’re sending me to the most distant place — the northern Thorn Forest. They say there are only four days left, but to suddenly steel my resolve… It’s too difficult. Oh, I’m not saying I won’t go. I just wanted a bit more time to prepare — to get my weapons and potions ready, to look up maps in the library too. I was trying to buy myself even a little breathing room so I could join calmly. How could I take sick leave when I’m not even sick?”

After instantly throwing out that long, rambling excuse she didn’t even mean, she observed Iel.

She had at least pretended to be brave. Enough to make her brother think ‘Hey, she’s quite sincere’ and change his mind rather than just pity her. But honestly, she was also nervous. The eviction grace period remaining on her residency permit was about seven months. Just as she worried about what to do if she heard the cold words that she should just subtract from that period, Iel opened his mouth.

“That’s a good idea.”

As expected of Brother!

As if affirming that her thoughts were correct, birds that had flown to nearby branches began chirping in tune with the early summer weather. Spring was leaving, and when summer came and the heat began in earnest, wouldn’t Brother worry and eventually excuse her?

Her gaze, which had been cast downward, turned upward triumphantly, and her drooping shoulders shot up like vigorous mountain peaks in the morning, returning to their original position, when his words fell.

“This worked out well.”

“What?”

What did he mean by ‘worked out well’? While she stood there bewildered, Iel met her gaze intently and brought up a story she hadn’t known.

“We can’t just carelessly send inexperienced guardian trainees to the Thorn Forest where danger lurks. I spoke to His Majesty the King and had him select two people each from the other knight orders, excluding the 1st Knight Order, to provide support. Even though it was unprecedented, he readily agreed.”

“That…”

This was the detailed story that Brax had told her, which she hadn’t fully listened to since she wasn’t planning to go anyway. She had brushed it off carelessly, wanting to quickly find out about extending her residency permit, but soon she heard words that made Polyxene ‘s head spin.

“The Thorn Forest isn’t such an easy area, so I was thinking of joining briefly to inspect it myself, and this worked out well. I was hesitating because several knights were absent. I’ll tell Brax about it, so once you’re done preparing, come with me. I’ll escort you.”

“What…?!”

“The departure is in four days, so how much more preparation time do you need? Two days? Hmm… let’s add three more days and go a week from now. That should be enough, right? Hey, go notify Brax. Tell him Polyxene is coming with me.”

“Understood.”

She didn’t even have time to object that this couldn’t be happening to such unbelievable words. It was because his attendant ran off immediately after hearing his command.

What? What was happening here? While Polyxene stood there dazed with her hopes vanished, the schedule was set and couldn’t be reversed. And so, some time later, she ended up leaving the castle indefinitely, led by Iel’s hand. Toward the Thorn Forest.

Those footsteps left trailing traces on the ground, but after one rainfall, they were quickly buried by the flowing mud.

***

Finally, the familiar daily routine that Evelyn had waited for with some fear and a bit of excitement returned. Cassis would go off to do his work and she would roam around the castle. The sight of the two standing side by side as they emerged from the Hall of Glory felt unfamiliar.

“Evelyn!”

「…….」

“Sir Ruba, Sir Nike. Have you been well?”

Nike spread his neatly groomed wings and approached with a whoosh, chattering away.

“Oh my, Evelyn. Were you alright? I was scared to death when I heard the news about you. You suddenly disappeared, so when I asked, they said it was a summer cold. So I kept pestering them saying I’m sturdy so I won’t catch the cold, wanting to visit you, but do you know what the Hall said?”

Clop, clop. Ruba’s hooves scraped the ground in annoyance as if supporting Nike’s words.

“What?”

“They suddenly told me to go inspect some old sanctuary outside the castle, you know? Ha, that place can only be reached by climbing broken sky stairs, so it’s easiest for me to go there… But still, if they’re going to do that, they should do repairs. Anyway, I went through all that trouble and when I came back, everything was over.”