The Nymph Wants to be Plundered - Chapter 225

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The next morning, no matter how long they waited, the carriage that had left yesterday showed no sign of returning. As she grew anxious, wondering if the child had been severely ill, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

“It’ll be alright.”

“Do you really think so….”

“The child’s mother went with them, so the chief could have returned alone, right? They’ll either come back together once the treatment is nearly finished, or he’ll return by himself.”

Cassis, who had lived a long time and seen all sorts of situations, acted leisurely, but her heart kept racing towards Jupiter. She had a premonition that she had to go back right now, but she didn’t know why. As he said, being a day late, especially after what had happened before, everyone would surely understand.

But why was she so anxious?

Evelyn clasped her hands tightly to her chest, then lowered them. It wasn’t a space where they were alone, so she was worried that if she acted on her old habits, someone might find her behavior familiar and recognize her. Faye, who had returned that morning after planting sweet potatoes with her husband, hovered around them curiously.

“Thank you for putting up with this inconvenience for our village’s sake.”

“Not at all.”

Cassis had already neatly paid for yesterday’s dinner and this morning’s breakfast.

When they showed reluctance and tried not to accept it, he went so far as to toss the coin pouch up onto a crossbeam. Telling them to take it down and use it when they had time.

Faye, who still had a good deal of playfulness in her despite being married, clapped her hands in admiration when the pouch’s drawstring wrapped around the beam and the pouch stuck fast to it like a fruit on a tree. Evelyn, standing beside him, felt she shouldn’t laugh at this sudden scene she had just witnessed, so she squeezed her eyes shut and held it in.

The number of times a knight had visited this village could be counted on one hand. Faye kept trying to talk to him, who, while not the most handsome man in the world, was exceptionally tall and well-built. Even though she was married, she hadn’t completely abandoned her old habits.

“They’ll probably be here soon. My father is the type to keep most of his promises… oh, it’s coming!”

At the entrance to the main road connecting Dendra village and this place, a carriage finally appeared. But that carriage was not the one they had ridden yesterday, and the horse pulling it was also quite different. Its coat was too fine, and it almost looked like a warhorse. Even the slow-witted Evelyn had developed a keen eye from seeing her fair share of fine horses while living in Jupiter Castle, so she quickly tugged on his collar and asked.

“Is that… it?”

“No.”

“Ah! The other one is coming up behind it.”

At Faye’s words, Evelyn’s gaze was fixed entirely on the carriage they had ridden yesterday, but he was different. Cassis silently watched the carriage, which was too large to have come from the Dendra village rental station, and the glossy-coated horses, which seemed somehow familiar.

It was already too late to take her and leave before they met. The carriage led by the well-trained horse stopped quite close by, and from the one that screeched to a halt behind it, the village chief scrambled out first.

“Oh my, you’re still here. What a relief.”

Despite his considerable age, she was relieved by his booming voice.

Phew, that’s good. Hmm….

With the village chief’s friendly personality, she felt he wouldn’t just let them go, but would make them sit down, offering them a cup of water with dried tea leaves and some snacks. But with Faye watching her every move, explaining their situation was difficult, and she wondered how she should break the news.

Just then, someone got out of the front carriage first and bowed obsequiously, extending a hand inside.

“If you would please step down.”

“Hmph! I’ve got it.”

“……”

“Father!”

The village chief, who had all but run over to them, whispered quietly.

“Thank you, Sir Knight. Um… and also, His Highness the Prince of this nation has come out for an inspection tour combined with a summer hunt, and has briefly stopped by to look around here. Goodness, how could we have known he would come all the way to the frontier? This is the first time such a thing has happened in my lifetime.”

“Wow, the Prince?!”

As Faye’s eyes went wide as saucers in shock, the chief moved closer and shielded his daughter.

“Shh, Faye. Be quiet. Where is Johann?”

“He’ll be in the vegetable patch pulling weeds, what else.”

“Go and get him, quickly. And don’t you go snooping around His Highness and get yourself scolded, understand? You’re a married woman now, you wouldn’t disappoint your old father, would you?”

“Yes, I understand. Phew! If Evelyn were here, she would be jumping for joy. She was always going on and on about how much she wanted to see the Prince….”

“That’s enough! Evelyn is living well with the elves, so don’t say unnecessary things in front of our guests!”

“Yeees.”

As Faye scurried away, Evelyn forgot her own resolve and pressed a clenched fist to her heart. She was grateful for the heart of a friend who remembered her even after she had left this place for good, and for the chief, who must have come rushing back in a flurry. Grateful that they allowed her to see their faces one last time.

Suddenly, he stepped forward, shielding her with his back. It was a precise maneuver to block Evelyn from the sight of the human dignitaries getting out of the carriage. As if to hide his true purpose, Cassis spoke casually to the chief.

“So the child is okay, I take it.”

“Yes, that’s right, Sir Knight. The fever is down, but they wanted to fashion a proper splint for the leg while they were there, so they’ll be back tomorrow or the day after. Thank you, once again.”