The cabin of the carriage we had commandeered from the Shield of the Sky was as opulent as one would expect of a royal possession. Plush, spring-loaded seats cushioned the body, and curtains embroidered with gold thread swayed at the windows.

Neneva and I were the only ones left in that extravagant space. Outside, the sun had already dipped below the horizon, making it a precarious time to continue down the main road.

Graymond, perched on the driver’s seat, must have come to the same conclusion.

The rhythmic drumming of hooves grew slower until the carriage finally pulled off the road and came to a stop.

Neneva, who had drifted into a nap once her nerves finally frayed, jolted awake. She looked around, disoriented, confirming her surroundings.

"Inside the carriage..."

"That’s right."

"The things that happened today..."

"They were real."

Suddenly, Neneva's eyes welled with tears.

──What depths of despair was she feeling?

The future she had dreamed of for so long had shattered the very instant she thought it was within her reach. And in its place, she was confronted with the cruel truth of her mother's death.

This tragedy was a product of pure human malice. Could a fifteen-year-old girl truly process such cruelty?

A single tear traced a path down Neneva's cheek. Her gaze drifted into the void as if she were reliving the nightmare.

"Excuse me."

Graymond opened the cabin door after tending to the horses. He looked haggard, the exhaustion making him appear years older than usual.

"Lord Walt, I am deeply sorry for involving you in this."

"Don’t worry about it. What matters is that you and Neneva are safe. Besides, I was planning on leaving the Dusk Hollow Wetlands soon anyway. If I look at this as saving on carriage fare, I should probably be the one thanking you."

"I am grateful to hear you say that," Graymond replied with a slight bow before turning to Neneva.

Neneva wiped her eyes with her right hand and forced her voice to sound bright.

"Old Man! I'm hungry!"

"Is that so? However, we left in such a hurry that we have no tools. We'll need to procure ingredients as well."

Graymond looked around at the pitch-black surroundings, appearing utterly at a loss. This was my turn to step up.

I stepped out of the carriage, took a deep stretch, and made an easygoing declaration.

"It’s okay. I have the tools, and I’ll go find us some food."

"Oh, come to think of it, you can use the [Merchant] skill [Storage Space], can you not, Lord Walt?"

"Yes. I have everything we need for a camp stored inside. I also have my hunting gear, so I'll be back in a bit. If I head into those woods over there, I should be able to catch something."

I pointed toward a forest visible in the distance while activating [Night Vision].

"...So there is a forest over there..."

"I'll leave Neneva to you."

If I returned with a large kill, it might surprise Neneva and distract her from her grief. With that hope in mind, I headed into the night forest.

I set up two tripods made of branches next to the fire. Crossing them over the flames, I rested a spit with a Boar tied to it across the supports.

I had already cleaned the fresh kill and stuffed its belly with herbs and Mountain Fruit. I’d seasoned the skin with salt and coarse spices; as the heat intensified, oil began to glisten on the surface.

The red flames of the campfire flickered, illuminating the carcass. With every burst of heat, the skin popped with small snaps, and a savory aroma wafted through the night air.

"Amazing! It looks so professional!"

The tear tracks on Neneva's cheeks had vanished, replaced by the warm glow of the fire. She sat by the blaze, her eyes sparkling as she watched the Whole Roasted Boar.

It had taken some time, but I was glad I hadn't cut corners.

"This is truly impressive," Graymond said, sounding genuinely struck with admiration.

"I serve as both a [Hunter] and a [Cook], after all."

I turned the spit, roasting the meat evenly. Once it was done, I carved off slices with my knife and handed them to the two on plates.

"Wow! The skin is so crispy!"

"This is exquisite."

For a moment, it was as if the day’s horrors were a lie. They seemed to genuinely enjoy the meal. However, we couldn't ignore reality forever.

Once they had their fill of Boar Meat and were relaxing over cups of hot tea, Neneva finally spoke.

"What should we do now...?"

The flames of the campfire flickered, stretching our three shadows across the ground.

Graymond stared into the fire, lost in thought. I didn't have an answer for her yet either.

The Royal Family was clearly targeting Neneva’s life. That was almost certainly because the existence of a [Saint] was inconvenient for someone in power.

And yet, a [Saint] possessed the power to seal away evil. With the seal on the [Fragment of the Evil God] weakening, she was an essential existence for the Kingdom.

Wait... Come to think of it, there was a prince who was trying to hand over the [Fragment of the Evil God] and its surrounding territory to the Empire.

"Second Prince Gaius..."

Graymond turned a sharp look toward me. "What about the Second Prince?"

"It might have been Second Prince Gaius who targeted Neneva’s life."

"Do you have a reason to suspect him?"

Both of them turned their full attention to me.

"Normally, this isn’t something I should disclose, but given the circumstances, I’ll tell you. It seems Second Prince Gaius is in league with the Empire. The Empire is trying to gather the [Fragments of the Evil God] to use their power for something. To them, a [Saint] would be a major obstacle."

"No... to think the Empire is involved in this as well..."

Graymond slumped, cradling his head in his hands.

"What is wrong with this kingdom?" Neneva lamented. "Are all the powerful people insane? Is there not a single decent person left...?"

Her cry was filled with grief, but there was still a glimmer of hope.

"There are factions working to check the Second Prince’s movements."

"Where?"

"In the Royal Capital, and in the Eastern City-states. It’s possible the person who suggested I head to the Dusk Hollow Wetlands was affiliated with them..."

Graymond crossed his arms, deep in thought. "At the very least, we cannot return to the Royal Capital. If there is a chance these people might help us, should we head for the City-states?"

"I think that’s our best bet."

Graymond and I looked at Neneva. A faint spark of hope finally touched her face.

"I don’t quite understand it all, but if there’s a chance things can change, let’s go! To the City-states!"

I stared into the campfire, thinking how strange it was that things had turned out this way. In my mind, I saw the face of Former Count Bradley.

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❖━━━━━❖ ✨New Publication Info✨ ❖━━━━━❖

"The Bottom-Tier Adventurer Devoted to His Fave: Shocking the Experts by Offering Rare Materials Every Time"

Was released by KADOKAWA Dragon Novels on January 5th!

The illustrator is Natasha-sama! The heroine Elulu is incredibly cute!!

I want to continue the series, so please support it! For physical books, initial sales are everything!!

↓↓↓↓↓ Site ↓↓↓↓↓ https://kakuyomu.jp/publication/entry/9784040762586