CH 23

Borders of the Kingdom of Ernia

The Kingdom of Halkeginia and the Kingdom of Ernia are quite far from each other. Nevertheless, the three of us sometimes helped each other and sometimes encouraged each other as we traveled along the road. Sophia may look like a lowly noblewoman, but she is a princess of a country. Normally, I would have thought that she would not want to be in such a dirty carriage or camp, but she enjoyed the journey without losing her smile.

And so we arrived at the border of the Kingdom of Ernia. But when I saw the soldiers guarding the border, I frowned.

“That armor and that flag, …… if I’m not mistaken, belong to the Kingdom of Henesys,”

“Yeah. The security of the Kingdom of Ernia these days is no longer possible without the defense capabilities of the Kingdom of Henesys.”

“How so?”

“So that its soldiers can be employed in agriculture to grow wheat.”

“…And the wheat will flow into the Kingdom of Henesys and be used as a supply for the invasion of our country?”

“…… yes.”

“Let’s just get in there.”

“Yeah. ……”

Sophia, who is sitting next to me, snuggles up closer to me. I think she is probably trying to reassure me.

With a tight grip on the reins, I drove the carriage to the soldiers guarding the gate. Although this is the Kingdom of Ernia, the soldiers guarding the border are from the Kingdom of Henesys.

Using the fake IDs we had prepared in advance, we were allowed through. On the way, we were asked why we were carrying a maid in the back of the cart, even though we were nobles.

The place is like the countryside in Japan. There are no glittering cities like in our country or the Kingdom of Halkeginia, and it is quite deserted. According to the map, the royal palace would probably be about an hour’s drive from here.

The sun shines on the carriage, but thanks to the sunshade, Sophia and I do not burn our skin.

In a mixture of comfort and tension, Sera suddenly opens the window and shouts to us in a flurry.

“Eric sama! Princess Sophia! Look over there! There’s a little girl lying on the floor!”

Sera pointed to a certain spot in surprise. Sophia and I were caught by her pointing and saw that there was indeed a little girl lying under a tree. I hurriedly stopped my horse and rushed to the tree where the girl was lying. Then, I hear a moaning sound that becomes clearer and clearer. I can’t help but feel that this is something out of the ordinary, but I hope that she is safe and sound.

sera and sophia hurriedly followed behind me.

Her clothes themselves are fine. Her silky hair is well groomed, so she is probably not an abandoned child.

“Uuu…..”

“A-Are you okay?”

I call out to the little girl who moans. Then the girl turns her eyes towards me. Flaxen hair and eyes. She is probably not a commoner.

“Iiii…….”

“..?”

The girl who distorts her face and looks into my eyes and says things I don’t understand.

“IIiiiiiii….”

“?”

“I’m hungryyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!”

So it’s that kind…

X　X　X

We parked the wagon near the tree where the girl had fallen and decided to have lunch. We had loaded up on vegetables and meat before we came here, so Sera made one for the girl, and the four of us ate lunch together.

Buffalo meat with various spices, sweet fruits, and healthy vegetables. Since it is not night, I can’t cook anything elaborate, but the taste is perfect. The girl seemed to like this dish, too, and quickly devoured their portions with great speed.

“W-wow. Do you want another one?”

“Yes! Yes!”

Sera handed the girl’s plate with the browned meat, fruits and vegetables, and she ate them again with great energy.

Sera, Sophia, and I started to eat, admiring the girl’s daredevil-like eating.

“Thanks for the food. …… I’m so full!”

“Hahaha, that’s great.”

“Thank you! Onii chan! And Onee chan!”

The girls sat down happily and rubbed their stomachs, smiling fully and thanking us. So we smiled and nodded our heads.

“By the way, why were you lying in such an empty, unpopular place?”

“That’s …….”

Sera, who was trying to clean up the mess, asked that. But the girl was at a loss for words and had a thoughtful expression on her face. I was curious about her condition, so I spoke to her.

“You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to. But I think you will feel better if you do. We are not from this country, so people won’t find out.”

I gently patted the head of the girl sitting beside me.

“Eric’s stroking….. can’t resist that temptation.”

“Yes,…… no matter how young she is, I’m sure it will hit”

The two people across from me are talking about something, but I can’t hear them very well. They both have smug looks on their faces. I wonder what’s going on.

“N…………., yeah…………., okay….”

“Okay, slow down and say it.”

I quickly pulled my hand away and listened closely.

“To tell you the truth, I lied to that person. I told the lie because that person would be sad if I told the truth. …… So I told the wrong thing. ……that person was very happy, but my heart was very painful, so I kept walking. Then I got hungry, and I didn’t have the strength to move, so I went under this tree …….”

“I see. ……”

In short, this child lied not for her own benefit, but for the happiness of others.

“That’s very kind of you. I don’t think it’s something even most adults would do to make themselves suffer for the sake of others.”

“……”

“By the way, what kind of person is ‘that person’?”

“a very kind person, always working for others, and sometimes looks very lonely. All the commoners and nobles love that person.”

“that person must have quite a personality to be so well-liked by everyone.”

“Yes, she is very beautiful! And she’s very beautiful and has big breasts.”

“B-Breasts?

At that moment, the two people sitting across from me suddenly scrunch up their faces.

“Yeah! Whenever I go to visit her, she always hugs me so tightly! That feeling is so soft, just remembering it makes me happy~”

“Hahaha …… I see.”

“But she only hugs girls, she never hugs guys!”

“That would …… be true. ……”

“I asked her why, and she said she would only do it to a prince on a white horse!”

“Hahaha …… a very maidenly person, isn’t she?”

“Yes!”

Why are Sera and Sophia giving me the eye, and why is it that it sticks in my mind so strangely?

Well, anyway, there it is.

She likes “her” very much. And vice versa.

“You’ll work it out, I’m sure. You lied, but it was out of love for the other person. I think she loves you very much. So, when you feel better, you should tell her honestly, right? Then she will forgive you.”

I patted her head again.

“…… this gentleness …… just like the old……-sama …….”

“Hmm? What did you say?”

“Nothing.”

“I see.”

The girl who does not refuse my hand has a very nostalgic look in her eyes as if she is thinking back to a bygone era.

“Eric, would you like me to give her a ride home?”

“Oh! Sophia, nice idea!”

I gave Sophia a thumbs up. Then Sera smiled and increased the speed at which she put things away.

“Oh, by the way, what’s your name?”

“I’m Raquel! And what’s onii chan’s name?”

“I’m Eric!”

“Eric?”

“yeah? Eric!”

“Eric. ……! Nice to meet you! Ericnii chan! Hihi”

When she heard the name Eric, she was at first very suspicious of me, but eventually she got back to her normal self and laughed very brightly.