CPSMBD Chapter 29

​Chapter 29

Tavern

Perhaps because it was located in the southern part of the empire, the climate was noticeably more humid and sultry than the capital. Yet the streets buzzed with energy, befitting its status as the heart of southern commerce.

Being close to other kingdoms, languages besides Imperial could often be heard floating through the air.

Fortunately, the southeastern warp gate wasn't far from the Epola Mountains.

We hired a carriage and drove for half a day straight until we reached the foothills of the Epola range.

I could feel myself getting closer and closer to the antidote.

"Your Highness, where do we go from here to find the fairy folk?"

"I don't know."

What? What kind of answer was that? I glared at the Crown Prince with raised eyebrows.

'But you said you knew! You definitely said you knew where the fairy folk lived.'

I had trusted those words and come all this way, so what was this nonsense now?

"You said you knew!"

"Yes. And I told you - the Epola Mountains."

Ah. My head started to ache.

"Don't worry. The locals will know. Let's go get something to eat first."

The Crown Prince pointed casually to an inn right in front of us.

***

The first floor of the inn was filled with people eating and chattering loudly.

As soon as the three of us opened the door and entered, the noisy interior fell silent in an instant.

Though no one stared outright, I could feel everyone in the inn stealing glances at us.

I whispered to the Crown Prince in a small voice.

"W-why did it suddenly get so quiet?"

"Our appearance sets us apart from them."

I gave the Crown Prince and Lord Dale a sidelong glance. Indeed, their attire was distinctly different from the other inn patrons.

Though both men were dressed more simply than when I'd seen them at the palace, they still carried an inexplicable air of refinement.

Moreover, there was an unmistakable nobility and dignity about them that couldn't be hidden.

They should have worn traveling clothes like me.

"You're certainly right about that."

"You're not exactly inconspicuous yourself."

"Yes..."

"And..."

The Crown Prince lowered his voice further and whispered in my ear.

"Use my name here. It could get troublesome if my identity is discovered."

"Yes, understood."

As I nodded and took an empty seat, an employee brought over a worn menu and placed it on the table.

"What would you like to eat?"

At the Crown Prince's question, I scanned the menu but couldn't make heads or tails of it. It was filled with words I'd never seen before.

"Um... what should I order? I don't really understand any of this..."

I rolled my eyes in confusion.

"You've never been to a place like this before?"

"No."

"Such a sheltered upbringing."

The Crown Prince smirked before calling the server over and placing our order with practiced ease.

Sheltered upbringing? That seemed rich coming from the Crown Prince.

"Then have you... I mean, has Sir Friedrich been to places like this before?"

"Yes. Sometimes Dominic and I would sneak out of the palace and visit places like this."

It was rather shocking to learn that the Crown Prince made these nighttime excursions while nobody in the Aide's Office knew about it.

When I narrowed my eyes and gave him a skeptical look, the Crown Prince added defensively:

"Only occasionally. Very occasionally."

Still, it was surprising that the Crown Prince, who I'd assumed would never set foot in establishments frequented by commoners, had actually been to places like this.

Even more surprising was that this wasn't Lord Dale's first time either.

"I've visited such places several times during official trips. In small towns, we're grateful just to have an inn like this. Often we're lucky not to have to sleep outdoors."

The food arrived promptly.

There were skewers with meat and vegetables cut into small pieces and threaded onto long wooden sticks, along with a thin soup full of unidentifiable chunks.

I tried the thin soup first since it was closest. The spices and fishy smell were overwhelmingly strong.

It seemed to be some kind of fish soup.

"Ugh. I can't eat this."

Lord Dale, who had also tasted the soup, spoke up.

"It's fish soup. Since Miss Violetta doesn't do well with fish, it would be better not to eat it."

The Crown Prince pushed my soup bowl in front of Lord Dale.

Then he placed one of the long skewers on my plate.

"Try this instead. It's not fish, so you should be able to eat it."

I picked up the skewer and carefully took a bite. The moist and tender meat released rich juices with just one bite.

My eyes widened involuntarily.

I'd never tasted anything so delicious.

"This is really amazing!"

At my words, the Crown Prince pushed the entire plate of skewers in front of me.

"Sir Friedrich, this way Lord Dale won't be able to eat properly."

The Crown Prince furrowed his brow slightly as if he didn't understand the concern.

"Why not? There's plenty of other food to eat."

What other food? There's only the fish soup that I couldn't finish.

Lord Dale said with a somewhat bitter expression:

"It's fine. I can eat this. There's plenty enough here."

"See? He says it's fine. Stop worrying unnecessarily and eat up."

We began eating in earnest.

Lord Dale, who had been watching the Crown Prince barely touch his own food while attentively taking care of me, spoke up.

"I've noticed before, but Friedrich... Sir and Miss Violetta seem closer than a typical lord and subject."

The Crown Prince wiped his mouth elegantly before speaking.

"Of course. I lo-"

Not this nonsense again!

Fortunately, the Crown Prince was sitting right next to me. I firmly stepped on his foot under the table.

Despite how hard I stepped on it, the Crown Prince didn't make a sound.

Worried he might continue speaking, I quickly interjected:

"Well, we spend a lot of time together due to work. We're just a bit more casual with each other, but I suppose it might look different to Lord Dale."

"Ah, I see. Given the nature of your work, it's quite understandable that you'd spend significant time together."

Lord Dale nodded and returned to his meal.

I'd enjoyed the food so much that before I knew it, the plate of skewers was empty.

Lord Dale, who had been picking at his fish soup, looked at me with somewhat surprised eyes when he noticed the empty plate.

"Miss Violetta, you certainly have a healthy appetite. You're quite different from other young ladies."

Did I eat too much?

There was already a pile of empty wooden skewers in front of me.

I felt somewhat embarrassed at Lord Dale's observation.

"Y-yes, well... I've never had such delicious food before... haha."

As I stammered out an excuse, the Crown Prince spoke as if it were nothing:

"You need to eat this much to keep your strength up. Besides, Violetta, you need to eat more. Looking at you makes me worried you might collapse from weakness. So, when you find food you like, make sure to eat as much as you can."

Um... Your Highness. I don't think it's quite that serious...

After finishing his statement, the Crown Prince called the server over to order more skewers.

Just then, a burly man with a thick beard who had been glancing at our table spoke up in a gruff voice.

"Looks like the young lady really enjoys the skewers. This place does make them exceptionally well. They're probably the inn's most popular dish."

"Yes, they're delicious! I feel like I could eat these for the rest of my life!"

At my response, the man slapped his table and burst into hearty laughter.

"Hahaha! To hear such praise for this humble food from a refined young lady like yourself makes me proud!"

The man pulled his chair over and settled himself at our table.

"So, where might you folks be from? You carry yourselves far too nobly to be regular visitors to a place like this."

The Crown Prince offered the rugged man a drink as he answered. The man didn't hesitate to down the offered alcohol in one go.

"We're from the capital."

"I knew it! You've come from quite far indeed. I've got quite an eye for these things. Where are you headed that brings you to these parts?"

The words hung in the air as I looked anxiously at the Crown Prince, wondering how he would respond. We couldn't exactly announce we were searching for fairy folk to cure a mysterious poison.

The Crown Prince appeared completely at ease as he refilled the burly man's cup. There was something almost artful about how naturally he played the role of a mere traveler, despite his royal upbringing.

"We're searching for someone," he replied smoothly. "I heard they might be found in the Epola Mountains."

The man's eyes lit up with interest. "The Epola Mountains, you say? That's quite the treacherous destination for such refined folks. Though..." He stroked his beard thoughtfully. "If you're headed there, you might be looking for them."

My heart skipped a beat. Could he mean the fairy folk?

"What can you tell us about the mountains?" the Crown Prince asked casually, pouring another drink.

The man leaned in closer, lowering his voice despite the general din of the inn. "The locals say strange things about those mountains. Beautiful music on windless nights. Lights dancing between the trees when no one should be there. Some claim to have seen beings that aren't quite human."

I found myself unconsciously leaning forward, hanging on every word. The Crown Prince maintained his neutral expression, but I could tell he was listening intently.

Lord Dale, who had been quietly observing the exchange, finally spoke up. "Have you seen any of these beings yourself?"

The man shook his head. "Not personally, no. But my brother's wife's cousin? She swears she once stumbled upon a clearing filled with creatures that shimmered like morning dew. When she blinked, they vanished. Left nothing behind but a patch of flowers that bloomed out of season."

He took another long drink before continuing. "If you're really planning to head into those mountains, you'll want to follow the eastern path past the old shrine. The locals say that's where most of the... unusual sightings occur."

The Crown Prince nodded thoughtfully. "The eastern path past the shrine. We'll keep that in mind."

"But be careful," the man warned, his expression growing serious. "Those mountains have a way of leading travelers astray. Many who venture too deep never return. Something about the paths changing when you're not looking."

A chill ran down my spine despite the inn's warmth. The man's words carried the weight of generations of local wisdom - and warning.

The Crown Prince thanked the man for his advice, pressing a gold coin into his hand that was far too valuable for the information and company he'd provided. The man's eyes widened at the gesture, but the Crown Prince had already turned away, signaling our conversation was at an end.

As we prepared to leave the inn, I couldn't help but feel both excited and anxious. We finally had a concrete lead on finding the fairy folk - but the path ahead seemed more dangerous than I'd imagined.

I caught the Crown Prince watching me with an unreadable expression. "Having second thoughts?" he asked quietly.

I straightened my shoulders and met his gaze. "Not at all. We've come too far to turn back now."

A slight smile tugged at his lips. "Then let's find that shrine."