Chapter 132

Chapter 132: The Owner of the Golden Goose (1)

“Something’s weird.”

Edwin frowned after hearing my answer.

“Is the County of Brown really that dangerous a place?”

“My hometown isn’t the County of Brown. You know that, don’t you?”

It was fortunate that the real Rachel Brown was adopted.

It meant I could make excuses like this.

“Ah.”

Only after my words did Edwin seem to recall Rachel’s background.

“Sorry.”

After apologizing right away, Edwin scrunched his face again.

“But you’re going to a place that dangerous by yourself?”

“I’ll be fine.”

At Edwin’s concern, I pulled the hood’s cap down low.

It was a place I’d known well for a very long time, and it was practically my hometown too.

‘It bothers me to leave at a time like this, but I’ve already put countermeasures in place against the Second Consort or other bastards sending assassins.’

I looked down at Edwin and said, “Your Highness Edwin, didn’t you promise you’d undergo the Gloria Knights’ training camp while I’m gone?”

“That was before I knew you were leaving the Imperial Palace. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have agreed to participate.”

Of course he didn’t know.

I’d kept my leave a strict secret from Edwin until yesterday.

‘Getting permission from the Emperor and Duke Crowner was a bit of a struggle.’

A member of the imperial family, and a direct prince at that, saying he’d eat, sleep, and train together with the Third Unit knights, who were common-born. It was unprecedented in the history of the Empire of Ventrume.

‘In a lot of ways, it was unexpected.’

On top of that, Cavelius III showed a positive attitude toward Edwin’s training camp.

It was harder to get Duke Crowner’s permission than the Emperor’s.

‘In the end, Duke Crowner gave his reluctant permission too.’

If it hadn’t been for Philip, the vice commander, and his relentless persuasion, we never would’ve gotten it.

He had no interest at all in the matter of succession, but as Edwin’s unofficial swordsmanship mentor, it seemed he’d grown quite attached to the boy.

You could tell by how he stepped up so actively for the prince’s sake, even ready to be disliked by his direct superior.

“Nanny!”

Just then, Catherine came running from far off, a basket hooked over one arm.

In her other arm was Emilia, still half-asleep.

“Catherine, didn’t I tell you I don’t need to be seen off?”

“Honestly, you’re going to be away for a long time. How could I not come see you off!”

As if to tell me not to argue, she held out the basket.

“Here, eat this on the way. It’s dried cured meat and apple pie.”

The bundle was still warm.

It seemed she’d just baked the pie.

I took the bundle and made a blank face.

“You baked a pie at this hour before dawn?”

“It’s the only thing I can do.”

Catherine stepped closer to Edwin.

“Then please travel safely, Nanny!”

“Mmng, Achel, where’re you going?”

“Nanny’s going home for a bit.”

“Hooome?”

Rubbing her eyes, Emilia reached a hand toward me.

She naturally shifted into my arms, then buried her face against my neck.

“Mmng, then how many nights until you’re back?”

Maybe because she’d just woken up, the princess’s cheeks were unusually warm.

Warm enough to chase away the chill of the cold dawn in an instant.

“After you sleep for about seven nights, I’ll be back.”

“Mmng, okay.”

Emilia kept rubbing her face against my neck, acting spoiled.

Then, out of habit, she kissed one cheek.

“Then have a safe trip.”

“Shouldn’t Your Highness Edwin say a word too?”

Once his little sister said her goodbye without a fuss, Edwin finally gave up on trying to hold me back.

“…Haa.”

He let out a deep sigh and glanced at me.

“You know.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“You have to come back safe.”

I pulled one corner of my mouth up. “Don’t worry. When have I ever not been safe?”

“Still, if bandits show up again like last time….”

“I’ll be fine because I’m lucky. If something like that happens, someone will help me again this time too.”

It was confidence grounded in fact, but to Edwin, it must’ve looked like nothing but bravado.

He kept looking at me with a face full of worry.

“Rachel, Sir Philip told me that catching one monster isn’t that hard. But bandits are people. They can think like we do, and they can attack in groups, so they’re more dangerous. So….”

“It’s a long way. I should get going now.”

I boldly cut off the prince’s words and tugged the reins. The horse lightly kicked up its front hooves.

“Rachel!”

“I’ll see you in a week.”

I heard Edwin calling for me desperately from behind.

But I only spurred the horse on.

At full speed.

***

Pruuuh.

I brought the horse to a stop for a moment.

Below the mountain, a massive city displayed its grandeur.

To the west of the city, an endless horizon stretched out, and to the east, a gigantic mountain range towered as if it could pierce the sky.

‘It’s been a while.’

After riding without rest for two days, the place I arrived at was the massive city of “Paradis,” located in the Empire’s southeastern region.

This was the largest port city in the Empire of Ventrume, a metropolis that drew not only merchants but also tourists from across the continent thanks to its beautiful scenery.

‘And….’

I recalled Paradis’s nickname.

‘The continent’s greatest pleasure city.’

As facilities sprang up for people who gathered in search of pleasure, it naturally came to be called that as well. A pleasure city boasting history and tradition. It was laughable.

“Hm? You came alone?”

When I came down from the mountain and entered Paradis’s gate checkpoint, every gaze turned to me.

The soldier conducting inspections kept looking back and forth between my pass and my face.

“You really came alone?”

“That’s right.”

“Hard to believe a woman would think of coming to a place like this alone. Are you, by any chance, a widow?”

“I’m not.”

An unmarried girl came to Paradis alone?

The soldier stared at me with wide eyes like he couldn’t believe it.

“Did you come willingly to sell yourself because your family needs money?”

In Paradis, there were quite a few young men and women who got sold in place of gambling debts.

Most of the time, it was the children of incompetent heads of household who’d lost money they couldn’t afford at gambling tables, or the children of naïve noble ladies who didn’t know how the world worked.

And among the children sold off like that, there were many who despaired over their fate and ended their own lives.

“That’s not it either. I came because there’s someone I’m looking for, so will you let me in?”

“Ah, someone you’re looking for.”

Only then did the guard look like he understood.

Just as there were children sold off to cover their parents’ debts, there were also many children who came looking for parents who couldn’t leave Paradis.

“Go on in. Watch yourself. This isn’t a place for a young girl to walk around alone.”

Even a total stranger worries this much.

Do I really look that weak?

‘When I get back, I should increase my personal training time.’

I gave the guard a slight nod and passed through the gate.

Wahaha.

As if to prove it’s a pleasure city. The moment I stepped inside, a raucous burst of laughter greeted me.

‘This town hasn’t changed.’

A fine drizzle was falling on the streets. Even so, all kinds of people were mixed together out on the road.

‘That noisy, frivolous atmosphere never changes either.’

Men spilling outside a tavern and slashing at each other with knives, as if a fight broke out inside, and spectators cheering and jeering as they watched. Flashily dressed men and women trying to drag customers into their shops without caring who they were.

On top of that, there were plenty of nobles walking around with servants or escort knights. Raggedly dressed children darted between them like mice, picking pockets.

‘It really is a sewer.’

Even though Luxen Village was covered in stench, it still smelled like people living their lives.

Paradis, on the other hand, was filled with pleasant fragrance on every street, yet it couldn’t hide the stink rising from human greed.

It was a sight far too familiar to me.

‘It’s not my real hometown, but it feels like I’ve come home.’

With a self-mocking, bitter smile, I slowly urged my horse forward.

Then the young men who’d been deeper inside started swarming around me.

“Miss, where’re you from? Have you found a place to stay? If you haven’t, come to our shop. You can even hire older sisters or older brothers that suit your tastes as attendants.”

“Our shop has the finest grand bathhouse in the Empire, second only to the Imperial Palace! Come on, Miss!”

“Other places have bathhouses too! Our shop has the biggest stables! We’ve even got a dedicated caretaker! Come on!”

So they were canvassing women only.

I frowned.

‘Still disgusting.’

Why does it look so horrific when beautiful young men and women press in wearing clothes that leave almost nothing to the imagination?

They looked like demons thrashing in hell. Ignorant demons who didn’t even realize the ground beneath their feet was a pit of fire.

“Move. Unless you want to get kicked by my horse.”

I deliberately lowered my voice and spoke in a threatening tone.

Then the people gathered around the horse eased back a step at a time.

The type who worked in places like this lived on their ability to read the room.

At my firm voice, like you wouldn’t get a single drop of blood even if you pricked it with a needle, they seemed to realize I wasn’t an easy mark.

“You. There.”

I pointed at the woman who looked the most docile among them.

“Do you know where the golden goose is?”