Ep1c

7

The town is far.
Instead of walking, Krische and Gallen will be hitching a ride with the cart going to town.
The village’s specialties are rock salt and animal pelt.
They sold some to peddlers, but most of it was sold directly to other villages and the town’s merchants.
A cart travelled between the town and village regularly for this trade and two of them will be hitching a ride on this cart.

The journey is quite long and the road is not entirely safe.
Four skilled villagers usually went along as guards, but there had been many deaths and there is a lack of manpower. On the surface, the traders appeared happy that the two of them were coming along as guards.
Memories of Krische from that day still sent chills down their backs.
But conversely, there is no better guard than Krische in the village and Gallen’s sword skill as a former centurion is well known.
Their presence is reassuring.

Women and children that were particularly close to Krische had come to see her off.
Although some children are scared of her, most of their young minds saw her as ‘the hero that punished the bad bandits adults could not defeat’.
With how Krische had cared for them, they were still attached to her. Some cried while other endured their tears with clenched fists as they sent her off.

The women had expressions of guilt for not being able to protect Krische.
If they could have protected Krische, there would be no need for her to leave.
No matter the things said about her, Krische was just a pitiful girl that had lost her parents and then thrown out of the village.
Their regret was proportional to the strength of their love for her.

They said their farewells to Krische one by one, handing her various parting gifts.
Most of them were either sweets or pelts and cloth such that she would not be cold.
There was so much that Krische could not carry them by herself and Gallen received them instead, loading them onto the cart with their luggage.
Krische received the gifts with a smile and exchanged farewells.
The women clenched their teeth, determined not to show her their tears.

“……Krische. If it gets tough, you can come back anytime. Don’t hesitate to come back.”
“Yes, Oba-san.”

Galla wrapped a muffler around Krische’s neck and embraced her one last time.
Watching them, some of the women could not stop their tears from spilling over.
They were the ones who knew their relationship and it was painful to watch.

“……Gallen-san, it’s time.”
“Aah. Krische.”
“Okay.”

The coachman called to them and Krische nodded to Gallen.
Then she turned back to the women and children, deeply bowing her head.

“Thank you very much for taking such good care of Krische…… Goodbye.”

Krische said with a smile, then hopped onto the cart.
Soon, the cart set off and as it drew into the distance, although Krische had been sitting straight at first, they could see her head gradually hanging lower.
Seeing that, the women finally stopped hiding their tears and the children bawled.

――Very, painful.
Krische’s vague desire to try riding on a horse carriage vanished in less than half an hour as she battled with the pain of the shaking cart slamming into her butt.
Although she tried to maintain her composure, it hurts.
Krische subconsciously shifted her weight, gradually leaning forward.

Of course, there was a cushion placed under her butt, but Krische did not have much meat on her body to soften the impact.
Seeing how Gallen sat composedly next to her, it was normal to be able to endure this pain.
With that assumption and the promise to herself to be better than others, Krische desperately endured, pulling her hood down to hide her face.

Gallen patted the head of his beloved granddaughter and gently hugged her closer.
Krische is smart, talented and brave――definitely not a normal girl.
But Gallen believed that Krische had the same feelings as anyone else.
Gorka and Grace had told him that they had never seen her cry.
But she must be at her limit, thought Gallen.