A First Sensation

We crept away from the estate under cover of darkness.

My heart nearly stopped when one of the patrolling guards woke up and started making rounds with a lantern, but we ducked into the wheat and waited him out.

He probably never imagined anyone was hiding in the field.

Given the recent escape attempt, there was a chance he'd search more thoroughly, but we got lucky with a guard who wasn't particularly dedicated.

We kept the light to a bare minimum—just Alexia casting a faint glow at our feet—and held hands to avoid getting separated.

After putting enough distance between us and the estate, we finally reached somewhere safe and let out a collective sigh of relief.

I was starting to feel like we were pushing our luck a bit too hard.

It was the middle of the night. The gates of Ateil were naturally closed, so we found a spot to wait until dawn.

We built a fire to ward off monsters and wild animals, and to warm ourselves while we were at it.

The season wasn't particularly cold, but the nights still carried a chill.

We sat listening to the crackle and pop of the burning wood.

"Should've brought the tent."

"Indeed."

"Well, nothing to be done. We'll just wait for sunrise."

I placed a pot of water into the fire. Once it boiled, I pulled it from the flames and dropped in some tea leaves and dried fruit. A gentle aroma wafted up.

A few citrus fruits were mixed in, giving it a refreshing scent.

I poured it into cups for everyone.

Orleans got hers last.

"Thank you, Master."

"Sure. Things took a strange turn, but I'll be looking after you for a while. That said, while you're in my care, I'm treating you as an apprentice. No more being coddled like a guest."

"Yes, sir."

"If there's anything you don't understand, just ask Azu—she's closest to your age. We're not doing anything too complicated."

I glanced at Azu as I said it, and she nodded.

Azu was older than Orleans. She'd been the youngest until now, so having someone to look after probably made her secretly happy.

Azu brought the cup to her lips and drank.

"It's sweet and delicious."

"Glad to hear it. The tea should warm you up too."

The dried fruit aside, the tea itself was a slightly bitter batch that hadn't been fit to sell. Normally I wouldn't use it casually, but once in a while was fine.

The dried fruit masked the bitterness anyway.

After we finished, Alexia used water magic to wash, dry, and pack away all the cups at once.

"Convenient."

"It is, but I do feel uneasy about relying on magic so much."

"I count on you for it."

Without a tent, we stayed up and talked.

Orleans couldn't hold on and fell asleep, leaning against Azu who was sitting beside her.

After a while, the sun finally rose.

Azu looked a bit drowsy, but she woke Orleans and the two of them went to wash their faces.

While I was cleaning up the campfire, a pack of small wolf-type monsters started circling us.

Looked like they intended to attack.

I gave Orleans a knife for self-defense.

"I'm not asking you to fight like Azu and the others. But you need to be able to protect yourself. Understood?"

"Understood."

Orleans nodded.

Not that I could fight either, mind you.

A pack of about six wolves charged us, but they were no match for our party, which had reached a solid mid-tier adventurer level.

Animals wouldn't attack if they couldn't win, but monsters would attack even when outmatched. That's what made them a nuisance.

Azu swung her sword, Alexia whirled her axe.

Elza chanted blessings while crushing a wolf with her mace.

Only one remained.

It hadn't been able to dodge Azu's blade cleanly and was already wounded. Just needed finishing off.

I stopped Azu from delivering the killing blow.

"Orleans. You finish it."

"Me?"

"Yes. Do it."

"… Yes, sir."

Orleans nodded and pointed the knife at the wolf.

She'd probably never faced a monster before, living inside the estate.

Her body was trembling.

I idly wondered if Azu had been like this in the beginning too.

But Azu had overcome it, and as long as Orleans was in our care, she'd need to get past this much as well.

Azu stepped aside, and Orleans swung the knife down at the wolf.

The knife struck the wolf, delivering the finishing blow.

Blood splattered across Orleans' cheek.

According to the Adventurer's Handbook, this type of Wolf Monster yielded no usable materials.

I collected just the small magic stone. It'd fetch a bit of pocket change.

No need to butcher the rest. The meat wasn't edible either.

We were far enough from the estate. Leaving the carcasses would be fine.

"Scared?"

"No. It's just… a sensation I've never felt before."

"You'll get used to it soon enough."

Azu said this as she wiped the blood from Orleans' cheek.

Words born from real experience carried more weight than anything I could say.

The estate may have been a place with no future, but it was also a sheltered garden, protected from every danger.

A place where you simply tended crops. Nothing more.

Step outside, and malice and danger showed their faces.

Orleans didn't seem to remember, but she'd already been exposed to it.

If you couldn't protect yourself, you couldn't survive.

I relied on money. Azu and the others relied on strength.

Orleans had nothing right now.

Her parents had probably never set foot outside the estate either.

Well, just helping out and understanding that much would be an education in itself.

"Alright, the gates should be opening soon. Let's move."

I had Orleans wipe the blood off her knife, and we set out for the city once more.

Once we reached the inn, I needed a proper night's sleep…