The Old Man on the Roadside

Other than Finn, nobody seemed to have strong objections.

They'd be unsure at first since it was new to them, but compared to their usual work, there was no danger involved. It should make for a nice change of pace.

Orleans seemed interested too.

If this turned into a hobby for any of them, all the better.

Having more things you could do was never a bad thing.

A few days later, word came that preparations were ready, and Azu and the others began making day trips to the castle to learn instruments from Lady Anatia.

Since it was just practice, they went in their usual adventurer gear.

Special passes had been arranged for this occasion so they could come and go without any trouble even on their own.

Finn and Alexia entering the castle was no longer an issue either.

Naturally, Orleans went with them, which meant I'd be working alone.

… Having her by my side every day had been such a blessing. You don't realize how much someone contributes until they're gone.

It wasn't just the loneliness, either. My work efficiency was completely different.

Everything moved so much faster with Orleans around.

She contributed that much. I needed to treat her even better.

I did wonder what instruments they'd each choose, though.

Alexia had looked awfully confident when she heard about the plan. Did she have some experience? Or was it just baseless confidence?

Lady Anatia would probably consider the overall balance, but honestly, I couldn't begin to imagine what they'd pick.

Still, I was looking forward to seeing them perform.

I finished up work, though it took longer than usual.

At the same time, I'd been thinking about Azu and the others so much that I couldn't sit still any longer.

Just watching them practice would probably be entertaining.

It had been on my mind the entire time I was working.

I wanted to see them. So I decided to go check on them under the pretext of bringing refreshments.

Something easy to eat with one hand during a break would be ideal.

And since everyone except Orleans ate a lot, it needed to be portable food in large quantities…

Sandwiches it was, then.

I'd spread the bread generously with mustard and butter, lay down cheese, then stack smoked meat, scrambled eggs, and sausages. Add tomato, cucumber, and lettuce, and it should be plenty satisfying.

I got right to it.

Without any help, making this much on my own was quite the task, but I was well practiced at cooking.

I prepared everything efficiently and got it all done.

I packed the sandwiches tightly into a large, two-tiered basket.

Then I made a consomme soup with chopped celery and poured it into a thermos.

That completed the refreshments.

Lifting it, the weight was considerable.

Carrying it in both arms would make them ache, so I put everything into a bag enchanted with a weight-reduction spell and slung it on my back.

How many portions was this?

Well, they'd polish it off as a snack without thinking twice.

I used the portal to travel to the Royal Capital.

I was getting used to that peculiar sensation by now.

I was genuinely glad the meteor incident hadn't destroyed it.

Without the portal, this wasn't the kind of distance you could casually travel.

I made my way toward the castle.

It was just past noon, and the flow of foot traffic had settled down.

Unusually, there were hardly any stalls catering to passersby.

Maybe they were gearing up for the evening rush.

After walking for a while, I spotted an old man sitting in an alleyway.

He was in the shade, likely avoiding the sunlight.

He was terribly gaunt.

His clothes were shabby and dirty.

The people around him didn't seem to notice him tucked away in the shadows.

(Is he from the slums? I'd heard things had improved considerably there, but…)

Thanks to Queen Tianis and the others' efforts, nobody in the Royal Capital should be going without shelter or food.

But perhaps the net hadn't reached everyone just yet.

"Hey, old man. You all right? Want me to walk you home?"

I figured it would weigh on my conscience to just pass him by.

I didn't have anything pressing besides the delivery, after all.

The old man slowly raised his face and looked at me.

His face was deeply wrinkled, but his eyes were sharp and clear.

I felt a faint wariness from him.

"… I'm just resting because I'm tired. I'm fine. I'll move along once I've rested a bit. I came here on some business, but the place has changed so much that it caught me off guard."

"Well, a lot's happened."

With the reconstruction, the area had been rezoned, and Imperial building techniques had been incorporated.

If he hadn't been here in a while, the transformation would be startling.

A stomach growled.

He was hungry, it seemed.

Maybe that was why he'd been sitting there.

"Here, old man. Have some of this."

I took out one of the large sandwiches I'd made and handed it to him.

He had an empty canteen, so I poured some soup into it.

I'd made plenty, so this much was nothing.

He said he was fine, and pressing further would just be meddling.

The old man accepted it with both hands and bit into the sandwich.

He must have been starving.

"… Delicious. It's been a long time since I've eaten something this good."

"You're exaggerating. It's just a sandwich I threw together from leftovers."

"Thank you for the meal. You seem like a kind person."

Being praised so sincerely was a little embarrassing.

Good deeds weren't so bad.

"I'd like to repay you, but as you can see, I have practically nothing."

"Don't worry about it. I'm glad you're feeling better. Well, I should get going."

The color had returned to the old man's face, so I made to leave.

"Please wait. At least let me offer you a reading."

"A reading?"

I wasn't much of a believer in fortune-telling, superstitions aside.

But if he wanted to do it as thanks, I might as well let him save face.

If the result was bad, I just wouldn't believe it.

The old man slowly grasped a faded silver chain in his right hand and let it dangle.

At its end hung a small charm shaped like a moon.

The moon swayed gently, then stopped.

"In the days ahead, someone claiming to be a saint will appear before you. No matter how wonderful they may seem, you must never believe their words. It is all deception, and their true nature is filled with nothing but malice."

"… A saint."

The first person who came to mind was Elza.

But she had never once called herself a saint.

So it had to be someone else.

No, this was just a fortune-telling in the first place.

And I'd never even heard of anyone called a "saint."

"You seem to be a man burdened with many hardships. In my current state, this is the most I can offer, but I hope it serves as thanks for the meal. Farewell."

The old man had risen to his feet at some point, and after bowing deeply, he walked away with surprisingly light steps.

I watched him go, savoring an odd feeling.

His words had a strange persuasiveness to them. I couldn't dismiss them as complete nonsense.

But it was also something I had no frame of reference for.

"A saint, huh. That was a pretty unflattering description for one, though…"

Standing there pondering wouldn't accomplish anything.

I set off again toward Azu and the others.