The quiet country road wound on and on. To either side were fields that boasted a wide variety of crops. The point of this inspection was to observe with our own two eyes what was being grown and how. But I had to wonder—why, pray tell, couldn’t we have done this from an office back in Rohze?
We were conducting this inspection on foot in order to take a closer look at the goods. Corydalis and I were trudging along at the back of the procession. Seeing as we had to follow after the prince, we were moving at a snail’s pace.
“I want this trip to hurry up and end.”
“Huh? Are you crazy? We only started the inspection two days ago.”
“Do we really need to spend a whole week on this? Why, we could’ve done it in a day.”
“Like hell we could’ve! His Highness is just a kid.”
“And what benefit is there to having that kid spend a week inspecting anything? It’s a good idea to teach him how to run the kingdom from a young age, sure, but he’s too young.”
“You know, it sounds like you’re concerned about him, but I’ve known you long enough to tell that you only care about getting home as soon as possible.”
“I’m not hiding it.”
I’d been ordered to accompany Prince Dianthus as a bodyguard on his on-site inspections, but to be perfectly honest, I didn’t want to be here. All I ever did on this trip was follow the prince around as he looked things over, complaining to Corydalis all the while. My subordinates had already scouted out the areas His Highness was supposed to go, so there was very little to be concerned about. Was there really any point to me sticking around?
“We need someone to hand out orders if things go south.”
“Get out of my head.”
Corydalis knew what I was thinking like the back of his hand. We’d known each other a little too long for comfort.
“And the worst of it all is that I’m banned from sending any letters.”
“What can you do? That one was a direct request from your wife.”
“Tell me—why would Viola request something like that?!”
“She learned from the last time.”
“Hrk...!”
Well, there was nothing I could say to that.
The last time I’d gone on an extended business trip, I’d been worried she might be lonely...okay, no, I’d been worried she might forget about me, which had driven me to write her letter after letter. The inspector had later come crying to me that looking those over had been “a trial (on the emotional front).”
“That considerate wife of yours is just trying to make less work for us and the mail inspectors. You could learn a thing or two from her.”
“Now see what’s happened?! I’m running low on Viola fuel! And to make matters worse, this time I have my beloved daughter to think about. Seven days is too long to be away!”
“Hey, at least there’s only five to go.”
“Oh, how I want to write her a letter! No—I want to get one.”
“Seriously? Lettie’s too young to write to you.”
“Anything would do, so long as I know how she’s doing.”
“Maybe you should’ve had her make a handprint on a sheet of paper!”
“That’s a great idea! Why didn’t you say that before we headed out?!”
“You were too busy whining.”
“If you’d given me that idea, I would’ve left without a fight.”
“Uh-huh. I totally believe that.”
He’s right! If only I had her handprint—no, maybe a portrait of her to look at, I’d at least have something to keep me company in the lonely hours! Now who should I ask to paint her? Perhaps I’ll have Rohtas seek out the most famous artist around. As soon as I get home...no, I could even write him a letter right now and... Wait, I was banned from doing just that.
Corydalis’s little suggestion had given me my second wind.
“When I get home, I’ll have her make a handprint—no, I’ll have someone else draw her portrait!”
“How did you end up at that?!”
“Now that we’ve got that settled, let’s get this job over with!”
“Uh, Cercis? We’re working on a set schedule, so there’s not a lot we can do to speed it up.”
“We can make sure it doesn’t drag on longer than it needs to. Anything to get home a minute or even a second sooner!”
“You go all out over the dumbest things, man...”
Corydalis could sigh and roll his eyes all he wanted; I couldn’t have cared less. I was going to do whatever it took to get home as soon as physically possible.