Soon after passing through the Dragon’s Maw――They arrived at Mitskronetia.
This fort was named after the hero Mitskronia and was originally built to defend against the northern barbarians, but it is now a key trading hub connecting the Kingdom’s center to the north.
The Dragon’s Maw is flanked by mountains, the ground is steep and footing is unstable. It is natural for many merchants and travelers take a break at Mitskronetia and eventually people started settling there――so the fortress Miskronetia became a large trading town.
Trade from the northern Kingdom and Arna Empire pass through here before being distributed to the south.
The market here is famous for its vibrancy with streets packed with shops and open air stalls.
This town had established a free market district to stimulate the economy, anyone could trade tax-free just by setting up a stall in this district.
This district expanded as the town developed and is now a two square league area packed with stalls.
Since they had arrived early, Bery brought Krische and Selene to the market, accompanied by three soldiers.
Krische was in a good mood with her arm entwined with Bery’s as she looked around excitedly.
There are many ingredients that she had never seen back at the estate, so many novelties.
Selene had also started learning to cook recently and they chatted as they explored the market.
“Here, Bery, Aaahn.”
“Krische-sama, er……okay, thank you……”
Bery had bought Krische some fruits and snacks.
Krische fed Bery a small fruit and ate one herself.
The small fruit is a nirkana fruit, a fruit similar to strawberries but sugary sweet.
Krische’s lips relaxed into a smile as she enjoyed the taste.
It is gluttonous and embarrassing to be the only one eating.
So Krische usually fed Bery before eating herself. But this is not in their estate, Bery’s face was bright red as Krische fed her in public.
Although she is their servant, Bery is also a proper noble.
Eating while walking is already embarrassing enough for her, being fed by Krische makes it even more so.
Bery herself also enjoys feeding Krische and does it often, but that is in the estate.
Bery was educated as a noble and shares their values.
Although she does not prejudice against the commoners eating on the streets, it is very embarrassing to do it herself.
But she is unable to tell Krische that when Krische looks so happy.
Krische grew up in a village and it was normal to pluck fruits and just eat them on the spot.
Giving each other food like this was an everyday thing.
Since Bery knows their sense of values are completely different, it is hard for her to say anything.
Nobles’ values are not necessarily more correct than others.
Bery has no intentions of raising Krische to be a proper noble, she just wants Krische to be happy.
As a result, this thinking limited Bery’s actions and the embarrassing act continued.
“Ehehe, delicious.”
“Y, yes……”
“Selene too, here, it is delicious. Aahn.”
“……I will refrain. I won’t be able to eat dinner otherwise.”
Selene’s attire is a white shirt and black riding pants that flare out at the thighs.
It matches Krische’s black cloak with silver embroidery.
Selene had given up on the scene next to her, but adamantly refused Krische’s innocent offer herself.
Accepting such an offer on the street would be embarrassing.
Even if she might accept it indoors (where it has already become a habit as of late), she has no interest in being publicly humiliated.
Selene’s eyes seemed to say ‘you deserve it’ as she looked at Bery.
“That’s why I told you to stop. This was clearly going to happen……”
“Y, yes but……I cannot help it……”
“This is because you’re always doing these kind of things, I’m not helping you.”
“Uu……”
It is the result of her own actions, so Bery could not protest.
She had a feeling this would happen when she had bought the fruits for Krische.
But Bery is too soft on Krische.
She had lost to Krische’s silent plea combined with upturned eyes and bought fruits they could eat while walking around.
Bery blushed from both embarrassment and happiness, but did not stop Krische.
Her arm is tightly entwined with Krische’s, but leaving Krische free enough to hold the fruits.
Selene smiled wryly as she watched them walk together happily.
The three of them with their beautiful appearances drew a lot of attention.
The market is crowded and not a very safe place.
There were some that looked at them with ill intent, but the lightning and falcon crest stopped them.
Unlike simple bandits that attack any passing carriage, thieves that lurk in towns are wiser.
They know very well what will happen if they do anything to those girls.
Lower ranked noble daughters are often the targets for kidnappings. Kidnapping them is like kidnapping any other girl in town, once the kidnapping is accomplished, things will work out somehow.
But daughters of powerful nobles are different.
Such nobles will do everything they can to find the culprit, even if they had to look through every piece of hay in the haystack.
The country will also take action.
Such crimes are seen as a rebellion against authority that was granted by the absolute ruler, the king.
The culprits must be caught and punished in the most cruel way to set an example.
Such punishments also extends to anyone associated, whether or not the person is actually involved, anyone suspected will be taken in and anyone that belongs to the same group will be executed.
Basically, every single person involved in any shady dealings in the vicinity is included.
In the past, a royal relative was kidnapped and a third of the citizens in the town where the incident occured was executed. Similar ‘hunts’ were carried out in neighboring areas and anyone who ever interacted with the guilty group was executed, including merchants and lower ranking nobles,.
This is how heavy the punishment is for such a crime.
The syndicates in towns are well aware of this, all members, even the lowest ranks, are strictly controlled.
People like these are in a sense a necessary evil, so they are overlooked in order to maintain a certain level of order.
Since there will always be criminals, a system is necessary to keep them under control.
But this is just an unspoken agreement.
There is a need to show that the Kingdom is merely overlooking their presence, so when such crimes occur, the crackdown is excessively severe.
This is the reason why though there are still kidnappings and ransom of merchants, no nobles have been kidnapped in the past few decades, at least not officially.
Because of these circumstances, the three of them were not exposed to any danger and their day passed peaceful.
The sun will be setting soon.
Normally, travelers will stay at an inn when stopping by a town.
But not every town has a high class inn suitable for the Christands, high-class nobles and a general.
Nobles have a status to uphold and unless they are travelling incognito, upper-class nobles travelling for official duties must not stay at an inn meant for normal travelers.
They have a reputation to maintain.
Bogan was born as a lower ranking noble and has spent a long time on the battlefield, a bed and a roof above his head is sufficient for him. He might find it ridiculous, but there is an unspoken agreement in the Kingdom that nobles must act as befitting of their rank.
Even if he personally finds it ridiculous, if he stayed at an inn, other nobles would shun him for insulting nobles as a whole.
If the town they visit is nothing more than a rest stop and there is no suitable inn, then they would have to set up a tent and camp outside.
It is stupid but this is the norm in the Kingdom.
Nobles are somewhat protected from crime, but they are bound by such troublesome traditions to maintain their image.
But this is a problem shared by all nobles.
So there is also an unspoken agreement that nobles should welcome and provide lodgings to other nobles travelling on official duties.
The country also approves of this.
There are five main roads leading to the capital, known as the ‘King’s Fingers’
The towns and territories along these roads generate a lot of income and the nobles that manage them benefit from this.
The Kingdom allows them to earn more than the other territories so that they can host nobles travelling on official duties.
They have to provide lodgings and luxurious meals for visiting nobles.
Of course this costs money and with many nobles passing through, the expense becomes quite significant. The unspoken agreement was formed naturally over time and there have been nobles that went bankrupt because of it, so the nobles that manage these territories are granted a greater share of the taxes compared to other territories.
This road is one of the King’s Fingers and the large town of Mitskronetia is also managed by such a noble.
Since the hero, Bogan Christand is visiting, he must be welcomed. They were granted a magnificent estate to stay in.
The Christand estate is not that small, but this is twice as large.
The walls are smooth stone and the pillars are engraved with intricate carvings.
The garden is well cared for, decorated with fountains and flowerbeds.
When the three of them returned with their guards, a guest was just leaving.
They came face-to-face with that guest in front of the gate――and Krische felt Bery’s arm tense.
Bery’s brow was slightly furrowed as she looked at the man before them.
Krische curiously followed her gaze.
“Oh my……Bery-sama. You have grown beautiful. You look lovely.”
The fat middle-aged man greeted them.
He wore a gaudy red coat and his slacks looked like they were bursting at the seams.
Gold accessories decorated his fingers and a large ruby hung around his neck.
The man removed his silk hat and bowed elegantly, his gaze crawling down Bery’s body as he did so.
Krische’s arm was entwined with Bery’s and she could feel Bery tense.
Krische is familiar with this kind of lustful gazes.
Grace drew such gazes in the village and Krische also clearly remembers that unpleasant man she killed for touching her had also looked at her like that.
Such gazes are common when walking around town with Bery, even today.
Krische did not care since there was no harm――but frowned now as she saw Bery’s reaction.
They had come back in a good mood after having a ‘fun time’.
But the instant Bery met this man, that mood disappeared and Bery looked distressed
It is very rare for Bery to look distressed.
Bery has a gentle disposition and makes special effort to not show Krische such emotions, so Krische has never seen Bery like this.
But Bery looks distressed now.
――at this point, Krische already found the man unpleasant.
“Nice to meet you too, ojou-samas. I am Roland, a merchant. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”
He bowed to Selene, then to Krische.
His gaze was less blatant than when on Bery.
“It must be thanks to the goddess of fortune, Arsay, for me to have this chance to lay eyes on Margrave Christand’s two beautiful princesses. Your beauty is just as rumoured and joy fills my heart.”
“You have a good tongue, Roland.”
“Hahaha, I mean it.”
Selene replied as a noble would, but did not let him kiss her hand and looked at him in disdain.
It is rare for Selene to look at someone she had just met like this, even if he is a commoner.
“……it has been a while, Roland-sama.”
“Yes, indeed. How many years has it been? Lazura-sama was beautiful, but Bery-sama could be mistaken for her……you look very alike.”
“……thank you.”
Bery’s voice was stiff.
Roland smiled unpleasant as he spoke, but Bery replied expressionlessly.
Krische could feel the tension grow in Bery’s arm and Krische’s displeasure grew with it as she looked towards Selene.
Selene noticed Krische’s gaze and stepped forward.
“Sorry but we are tired after looking around the market. Could you move?”
“Ah, silly me, my apologies.”
“Thanks. See you again if there is such a chance. Please excuse us now…… let’s go Bery.”
“……yes, ojou-sama.”
They passed by him and went through the gate.
Roland kept his head lowered until the door closed behind them.
Selene sighed in irritation.
“That was disgusting. A gaze that blatant is unusual. Such an unpleasant man. Bery, who was that?”
“A merchant that used to work with the Argan house……it is not somebody I want to see either.”
Bery smiled bitterly.
Although she has returned to her usual self, her voice is still a little stiff.
Selene did not inquire any further.
Selene does not know all the details of Bery’s past.
Her mother had said that they were saved when they were facing difficult times, but her parents did not speak anymore on the matter. Bery herself also does not speak of that time.
But Selene knows the fate of nobles that go bankrupt.
She could infer who that man is based on Bery’s words.
The displeasure she felt grew stronger and she vented it by pinching Krische’s cheeks.
“Ue……”
“How long are you going to cling to Bery. We are guests here, so behave yourself properly when we are here.”
“N, now now……”
“Bery is also spoiling Krische too much, seriously.”
Krische reluctantly let go at Selene’s sudden unreasonable demand and looked up at Bery.
Bery smiled back with her usual smile.
-End-
