The Monster Lady and the Holy Knight - Chapter 14

“Did you see them?”

Veronica hurried over, tugging at Leon’s sleeve.

“Look over there, it’s people. There seem to be several large carriages. Could they be nobles?”

They had noticed the group while resting for lunch. At first, she couldn’t believe her eyes. They weren’t the only ones crazy enough to venture into the wilderness!

Veronica was excited to see other people for the first time in three days in the vast snowfields. But Leon remained calm, even after spotting the group at the edge of his vision.

“We’ll find out soon enough. Since we’re headed in the same direction, we’ll catch up if we pick up the pace.”

After lifting her onto the horse due to her sore ankle, Leon mounted behind her. Just as he predicted, they quickly caught up to the group. As they rode without stopping, even after darkness fell, the figures sitting around a fire grew closer. How many were there? Seven? Ten?

Her heart raced with tension and anticipation. These were living people. Perhaps they had escaped Aseldorf before them.

“Hey, stop there. Don’t come any closer.”

A booming voice called out, and Leon yanked the reins harshly. The other group had been expecting them, it seemed, and waited for their approach. While Nightstar pawed at the ground with his front hooves, Veronica tightly gripped the mane and quickly scanned the campsite with her eyes.

There were six large wagons and two carts. About ten men, all sturdy-looking, stood around. The sides of the wagons bore the symbol of a sunset over the sea—the emblem of the western nation, Ruega.

The world was made up of five major powers, excluding countless smaller nations: Whiteland in the far north, Ruega to the west, Chesania and Tanvia to the south, and the vast Kaisenmeer Empire, which stretched from the heart of the continent to the northeast. To the east of Kaisenmeer lay the Rom Archipelago, and beyond the great sea was the First Land, but these were the major neighboring nations. Of these, only Ruega worshiped the sun as a god. The sight of their heretical symbols made Veronica glance nervously at Leon.

“Where are you coming from? Identify yourselves first.”

“We escaped from Aseldorf. I’m a member of the city watch, traveling with my wife to Kart,” Leon calmly replied as the horse settled down.

Veronica flinched at the lie but didn’t contradict him. If Leon wanted to conceal his identity, pretending they were married was the perfect cover, and, truthfully, she didn’t mind being called his wife.

“Aseldorf? Where’s that?”

“It’s a city in Kaisenmeer, nearby.”

The men sitting around the large campfire exchanged glances. After some murmurs, a burly man who seemed to be the leader stood up and approached them.

“Nice to meet you. We’re refugees from Ruega, also headed to Kart.”

“I figured as much. Since we’re headed in the same direction, how about we travel together? You have a lot of cargo, but not many to protect it. As you know, once we leave the wilderness, you’ll need someone skilled with a sword.”

Leon, with his characteristic sly demeanor, requested to join them. His tone was shameless, as if he were doing the other a favor, yet somehow it didn’t come across as irritating—a talent of his. The leader must have felt the same, as he grinned, revealing his yellowed teeth.

“We’re not so weak that we need to worry about bandits.”

“Are you sure? You’ve got men without weapons among you.”

Leon tilted his head slightly, glancing at the group as he added, “If I were a bandit, I’d kill you first and take out the unarmed ones one by one. Oh, but don’t take offense; I’m just speaking hypothetically.”

The man’s face hardened at Leon’s threatening words.

Even without armor, Leon’s tall, broad-shouldered frame gave him the appearance of a seasoned warrior. The men sitting around the fire quickly grabbed their weapons, sensing the tension.

Veronica, who had been silently watching, suddenly found herself wondering if a person’s mood could affect the temperature, as she felt a sharp chill in the air. But before she could dwell on the thought, the sound of metal clashing rang out.

With a spark, a blade flashed between them.

The burly man had drawn the axe from his back and swung it down, but Leon blocked it with his sword, which had been hanging from the saddle. The timing was nearly simultaneous—no, Leon was faster, despite using only his left hand.

“I thought you’d draw the one at your waist. Must be saving it for a special occasion.”

“It’s a family heirloom,” Leon replied quietly. With a forceful shove, he pushed the man back, the sound of metal scraping as the larger man took a step back.

Veronica couldn’t tear her eyes away from the scene. Instead of covering her mouth in shock, she was mesmerized by what she saw.

It was her sword that had blocked the axe, the sword she had once considered useless—a mass-produced longsword bought from a weapons shop. She had only taken it because it was given to her, but she had barely thought about it since, leaving it strapped to the horse like a forgotten gift. And now, it shone with a fierce gleam, cutting through the night, whispering to her, “Don’t forget me.”

It’s strong. I can be strong.

“Stay out of this. I was just testing him.”

The man with the axe shouted to his companions as they began to rise from their seats. He glared at Leon for a long moment before lowering his axe.

“You’re right. I can’t say for sure that I’d win.”

“You wouldn’t. Even if all eleven of you attacked together.”

“Wrong. If all eleven of us attack, we won’t lose. Especially with your wife to think about.”

The man grinned as he gestured toward Veronica, threatening to use her as leverage. But Leon didn’t flinch.

“If you want to live long, you’d best leave her alone. She’s scarier than I am. That’s what attracted me to her.”

“That’s the funniest joke I’ve heard all year.”

The man chuckled as he slung his axe back over his shoulder. Leon calmly sheathed his sword and extended his hand.

“Volund.”

“Noah Berg.”

A false name. He hadn’t bothered to change his last name.

In Kaisenmeer, children of unknown parentage were given the surname “Berg,” meaning “mountain,” because seven-tenths of the empire was mountainous.

Volund narrowed his eyes. “Are you an illegitimate child or an orphan?”

“Neither.”

“Well, you’re an interesting group. Come sit by the fire. Your hands must be cold.”

Volund laughed heartily and signaled to a young boy to take the horse’s reins. Veronica, who had been tense with fear, finally let out a long sigh of relief.

“You can get down now.”

Leon reached out to help her dismount. Veronica, accustomed to it by now, wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her down, but this time, even after her feet touched the ground, he didn’t release her. Holding her in his arms, he carried her toward the fire.

“I can walk on my own.”

“Are you planning to stumble again?”

“You don’t want them to think I’m weak, do you, Noah?”

She emphasized his false name, and Leon chuckled. Leaning down, he whispered in her ear, “No, I’m worried about you.”

His deep voice was strangely tender. Even knowing it was all an act, she froze, unsure how to react.

When she looked up, their eyes met. Leon lowered his gaze, pressing his forehead against hers in an oddly familiar gesture. By the time he set her down by the fire, Veronica felt like steam was rising from her body, like a well-cooked potato.

If it hadn’t been for the need to greet the strangers with a polite nod, she might have remained dazed for even longer.

“My, you’re much more beautiful in the light than I expected. Come, sit closer to the fire. You must be cold.”

“Warm the inside first, not just the outside! Gunther, bring more wine!”

The men from Ruega treated her kindly and openly. Having grown used to the curt demeanor of men from her homeland, Veronica was somewhat taken aback. She had never encountered people from Ruega before, and all she knew of them were rumors about their reputation as raiders. She couldn’t understand why they had such a bad name.

The young man sitting beside her asked kindly, “Have you had dinner?”

Veronica shook her head. “No, not yet. Would it be alright if I had some of that stew?”

“You haven’t eaten yet? Of course, help yourself. We have enough food to make the trip to Kart and back twice over. Those wagons are all filled with provisions, and the empty carts are being used as firewood.”

The young man with shoulder-length golden hair and sweet blue eyes smiled warmly at her. His good looks, combined with his smooth, Ruegan accent, quickly eased her tension.

“Really? You’ve come all the way from Ruega, and you still have so much food?”

“Actually, we’re spice traders. We were traveling with a full load of spices when we heard about the Bahamut advancing north, so we joined the refugee caravan. We’ve been trading expensive spices for food in every city we pass.”

“So Ruega is at war, too?” Veronica asked nervously.

Across from her, a man with mutton chops chuckled bitterly. His response was tinged with the kind of condescension reserved for someone naive. “As expected from Kaisenmeer, always in control of information. Out of the five major nations, the only one not involved in the war is Whiteland in the far north.”

Veronica paid more attention to his earlier remark. When she glanced at Leon, he remained silent, his expression unreadable. She had no choice but to ask, “What do you mean by ‘information control’?”

“The church says that humans need not worry in the face of adversity because God is watching over them. Judging by your reaction, I take it you really didn’t know.”