After spending the night in the Elven Forest, they set off as planned for their destination: the mountain. Since Percival had given them directions, they would probably arrive within two or three days.
Allen had stayed in Noel’s guest room. He had half expected Percival to say something about it, but it seemed there was no problem, perhaps because he had come as Noel’s guest, or perhaps Percival trusted him just enough. In any case, for Allen, who had already spent countless nights sharing lodgings with Noel on their journey, it wasn’t anything new.
“Safe travels. I look forward to your swift return.” As when they had been welcomed, Percival alone came to see them off. Still, Allen sensed the presence of others nearby, so it was likely that Percival’s fellow elves were merely keeping their distance.
As Noel and Percival exchanged their parting words, Allen watched them absentmindedly.
“Yes, I’ll be off. I’m leaving things in your hands,” said Noel.
“Of course. Leave it to me. I will see to everything without issue.” Percival maintained a calm demeanor, as though nothing had happened the day before. If anything, it was Noel who couldn’t keep her composure. She had been that way ever since their prior conversation, and even now, her expression remained clouded with doubt.
“In truth, what Percival said is totally valid,” Anriette murmured as she watched them.
Allen could not deny her point and could only shrug. “Well, yeah. Even Noel insisting on coming along to guide us to the mountain where she used to live is just her selfishness in the end. The only reason it’s being allowed is because, in practice, it doesn’t cause much trouble.”
“Noel already finished everything she had to do in that town,” Mylène added. “Staying three extra days was incidental. From my perspective too, there’s honestly no point in going back.”
If Mylène, who was closest to Noel, said it, then it must have been true. And yet Noel remained conflicted, even knowing that.
“Come to think of it, she only stayed for about a year, right?” Allen said. “Even if Vanessa did save her life, guiding us to the mountain and finding what we’re looking for should be enough to repay the debt.”
“I agree. In fact, I heard she already tried to thank her directly and was refused, so even that really wasn’t necessary,” Mylène replied.
“Ah, I thought as much. I get it now.”
That only underscored that Noel’s actions were based on nothing more than her own whims. Or perhaps even she didn’t truly understand why she felt compelled to do this. Why go to such lengths for Vanessa? Why did she feel obligated? Allen couldn’t shake that question.
“Well, in the end, it’s up to her, isn’t it?” he said.
“Pretty much. It’s not a matter for us to interfere in,” Anriette agreed.
“Whatever choice Noel makes, I’ll just protect her,” Mylène said quietly. “But if possible, I don’t want her to do anything reckless.”
That was surely how Percival felt, and Allen agreed. In any case, it would take time to reach the mountain, and even if they found their goal right away, the return trip would take just as long. There was no need to rush. Noel only had to think it over carefully and reach her conclusion in the meantime.
“Well...I wonder how this will turn out.” Muttering to himself, Allen narrowed his eyes as he gazed at Noel.
Their destination technically lay within the empire’s territory but so far on the outskirts as to barely count. The Elven Forest was already near the empire’s easternmost border, but the mountain lay even farther south. The place was treated like a remote frontier, where hermits or at times criminals might hole up.
“The empire’s huge. Too huge, really,” Allen remarked. “Even if they leave local lords to handle things, there’s a limit. It’s no wonder such places exist here and there.”
“Speaking of which, it’s strange that Anriette went all the way to the kingdom when such places exist here too,” Mylène said.
“Not strange at all once you know the circumstances, you know?” Anriette shrugged. “The kingdom’s Frontier really is free, and that’s all there is to it.”
“So that means the empire’s version...isn’t?” Allen asked.
“How can I say this? In the empire’s case, it’s supposed to be lawless, but one’s old status still ends up mattering,” Anriette explained.
“So if a former marquis’s daughter like you showed up, you’d be ranked super high?”
“More like treated as the top outright.”
Allen had heard that in prison, the hierarchy among inmates was based on the gravity of their crimes. Perhaps this was similar. Still, if Anriette was respected rather than treated lightly, it didn’t seem like such a problem for her.
“Give me a break. I ran away because I wanted to cast off everything about being a marquis’s daughter. If that still followed me, it’d be meaningless. And if order is being kept, that means someone’s enforcing it, right?” Anriette retorted.
“I see. Which means, in the worst case, your family’s influence could still reach here.”
“In which case, it really would be pointless.”
Even in the Frontier, there was order, but it was maintained by the guild. And the guild was neutral and impartial, which defined the character of the towns themselves. So yes, the empire’s “outskirts” might resemble those towns on the surface, but in truth there was a significant difference.
“In the worst case, at least in the kingdom, status from the empire doesn’t matter. And it was relatively nearby too. In every sense, the kingdom was just more convenient.”
“Got it. By the way, I was wondering: How long were you actually working as an adventurer there, Anriette?”
Given her knowledge and experience, she must have matured early. That was common among noble children with extensive schooling, but when had that awareness taken root? Allen was genuinely curious.
“Ah... How long was it, I wonder. I think quite a bit of time has passed, but...”
“Wait. Don’t tell me you genuinely don’t remember?”
Allen thought that was impossible, but it wasn’t a joke. Anriette averted her eyes awkwardly.
“That... That can’t be helped, okay?! Back then, I had so much to deal with, and even once I finally made it to the Frontier and became an adventurer, I had to struggle just to live properly. So I don’t remember those days clearly.”
“I understand,” Mylène said with a faint smile. “When I first became Noel’s guard, things were so hectic, I don’t remember much from that time either.”
“Hm... I guess that’s how it goes, then...” Allen wanted to deny it, but against the majority, he had no chance. The only one left to weigh in was Noel, but since boarding the carriage, she had been deep in thought, showing no reaction to their chatter. That was how seriously she was troubled, and none of them wished to intrude.
“Maybe Noel herself doesn’t clearly remember the past either, and that’s why she’s been agonizing over it all this time?” Anriette suggested.
“It’s possible,” Mylène admitted.
“Judging from her behavior, I think she remembers just fine,” Allen said.
Not every detail, of course, but likely most of it. At least, that was how he saw it. Of course, Anriette and Mylène probably weren’t entirely serious anyway, and dragging the topic out any further would only risk disturbing Noel. It was better to switch to another subject, although Allen couldn’t think of one right away.
Glancing at Noel’s troubled face from the corner of his eye, he began pondering what to do next.