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Chapter 55

Because I had accumulated some experience traveling by carriage, I was already familiar with carriage journeys. In other words, there were limits to enjoying the sensation of riding in the carriage and appreciating the passing scenery outside the small window. Watching Andrea sewing was also not particularly entertaining.

Before long, I started dozing off. At first, I was jolted awake by the shaking of my head in the air or hitting the wall in a half-dazed state. But soon, something warm and firm, like a support, appeared beside me. Leaning my head on that support, I felt comfortable and satisfied. I must have slept deeply for about three hours without any dreams. I woke up to the sound of raindrops hitting the carriage.

"Huh...?"

With a surprised sound, I opened my eyes to find Andrea sitting across from me. He was quietly wearing a straw hat on his knee and looking at me. Reflexively, I wiped my mouth. The area around my mouth was wet, perhaps because I had drooled a bit

He pointed out of the window with his thumb. As he said, "the window was blurred with raindrops, and heavy rain falling, making a loud noise like a whip hitting the carriage." The air inside the carriage was much cooler and more humid than before. The unique scent of the forest, intensified by the rain, was rising fresher and stronger than any perfume.

"Are you awake?"

"Yes... Have we arrived?"

At my foolish question, Andrea chuckled.

"Not yet. We still have a long way to go. But it seems the rain is heavy, so I think we should let the horses rest for a while."

"The coachman also wore a raincoat, but he'll catch a cold if he gets soaked in this rain. It would be better to take a break until the rain subsides a bit."

Come to think of it, the coachman was a man with a large scar on his face, and according to Andrea, he was hired as a laborer for money. However, from my perspective, he seemed more like an assassin affiliated with the Cruel Guild.

I agreed to Andrea's suggestion to stop by a nearby village and take a rest. Nodding, Andrea tapped the carriage wall twice with his fist and once with his palm. Soon, the coachman outside kicked the carriage once. It seemed like a prearranged signal. If it weren't for the assassins' guild members, it would have been a desirable and somewhat exotic means of communication within the workplace. Feeling a bit more uneasy, I instinctively raised the corners of my mouth and laughed, only to notice that one of Andrea's shoulders was slightly wet.

"Did you get wet in the rain?"

Following my gaze, Andrea turned his eyes. Upon seeing his own roundly wet shoulder, he chuckled cheerfully.

"Yes, a little bit."

Even after answering, he continued to laugh as if finding it amusing.

I wanted to provoke him or say something annoying, but I didn't want to shorten my lifespan by challenging the Empire's top assassin. So, I closed my eyes again. I'd rather not see that sight.

As I closed my eyes, Andrea stopped laughing, thinking I might be asleep again. Still, I could hear him suppressing his laughter.

"Are you asleep?"

"......"

Pretend you don't know, just pretend.

"You sleep well when you rest your head. Mr. Fake."

I kept my head from tilting up, offering no response. I deliberately controlled my breathing, fearing that revealing I wasn't asleep would give something away. Whether it was due to my mental effort or not, Andrea fell silent. He tapped the wall four times with his fist. Wondering what that meant, I noticed that the carriage's speed noticeably slowed down. I heard the coachman outside soothing the horses with a "Whoa, whoa," slowing down the pace.