The Balga Empire was a massive nation counted among the world’s three great powers. It possessed the largest territory of any existing country and fought for supremacy in all areas, including military and economics.
What did it mean for a country like that to target you? Even Tsushima knew enough to be aware of the implications.
Tsushima cleared his throat in annoyance and resumed the conversation.
“Well, whatever. Getting you out of the country is my job. As for the plan going forward, we’ll proceed according to the prior arrangements and head to Sherun. From there, we’ll use the railroad to go to the international port by Middle Sea, then take an international ship bound for Elbar, and you flee the country. Got it?”
“Uhhh, hang on. I can’t follow if you say it that quickly. Go over it again.”
Holy hastily corrected her posture as Tsushima had suddenly started explaining crucial details. She found a map of the entire empire tucked in the sun visor and pulled it out.
She opened the map, which had been folded multiple times. “We should be here, right?” she muttered.
Even from a distance, Tushima could see Holy had gotten their location wrong from the point of departure. She hadn’t even realized she was holding the map upside down.
And yet she was still frantically searching for place names on the map with a serious expression, which made Tsushima slump. He reached out from the driver’s seat and placed his index finger on the map.
“This is where we are now, the northernmost area of the Balga Empire. And the place we’re heading to is the Free City of Elbar, which is here.”
Tsushima traced his fingertip from the northwest of the Empire’s territory to the distant south, then stopped in the farthest corner of the map, pointing even farther across the sea.
In this world, many nations, the Balga Empire included, were part of a giant continent. In the center of that landmass was a large body of water called the Middle Sea.
There was a small island in the center of the Middle Sea, and it was home to the Free City of Elbar, Holy’s final destination.
“The international port is here. During the departure procedures, you’ll use a fake passport to enter Elbar. After that, your comrades from Storm Hill should have arranged a place to live and an identity for you. At any rate, if everything goes smoothly, this should all be over in about three days.”
Storm Hill was the name of the anti-government organization that had hired Tsushima. The people who had died protecting Holy at the port the previous night were also members of Storm Hill. Normally, he would’ve liked to have exchanged more information with them, but that hadn’t been in the cards, given the circumstances.
Tsushima crammed his cigarette butt into the ashtray and leaned back in his seat. Even though he’d moved away, Holy, with a slightly troubled expression, was still having a staring contest with the map.
Then she looked at him in the seat next to her, as if a question had occurred to her.
“You know a lot about this country’s geography. Are you originally from the Balga Empire, by any chance?”
“Most competent adults can read a map, you know.”
“…You’re real funny, huh?”
Holy frowned, taking Tsushima’s sarcasm head-on. Tsushima took the hint.
“It’s not my first time being in this country,” he replied seriously. “I actually know it quite well. So don’t worry. No chance of us getting lost.”
“Whatever. Just because you can read a map doesn’t mean you won’t get lost sometimes.”
Letting her retort sit with him, Holy let out a big yawn. Noticing her slight carelessness, she hastily covered her mouth and casually glanced at Tsushima to make sure he hadn’t seen her just now.
He hadn’t missed anything, of course. He gave a slight shrug.
“No one should be coming after us for a while. Rest a bit.”
“I’m all right. I can miss a little sleep.”
“You won’t be able to rest if your pursuers come in the night. So I’m telling you to get some now while you have the chance. Don’t think I’m being considerate,” Tsushima said in a clearly detached way. Holy seemed to disapprove of his attitude, but sure enough, she appeared sleepy. She blinked her large eyes several times and obediently reclined her seat.
She was just like any other adolescent girl—annoying. Tsushima suppressed the urge to sigh and adjusted his grip on the steering wheel.
But Tsushima didn’t have Holy entirely figured out. After lying down for only a few seconds, the girl sat back up again.
“What?” Tsushima asked. “I get that it might not be comfortable, but you’re just going to have to deal with it.”
“It’s not that. Well, there is that, too. But this is more serious.”
Tsushima looked wearily at her.
“Can you guarantee I’ll be all right sleeping next to you?” Holy asked with a very matter-of-fact expression.
What in the world was this girl saying? His befuddlement clear on his face, Tsushima gave his retort.
“What does that mean?”
“I mean, think about it. This may be a car, but I’m still alone in a confined space with a man I don’t know. There’s a chance you might do something to me, right?”
Leave it to a well-bred young lady to be so wary. Her using this unusual hypothetical as a pretext was all the more annoying. Tsushima looked up in exasperation, finding her statement absurd.
“Unfortunately, I’m not stupid enough to lust after a little girl like you,” he said, intending to reassure Holy. But this backfired.
Holy seemed to have taken his words as a twofold insult, believing he had called her both unattractive and a child. Her cheeks flushed as she stumbled over her response.
“Th-there’s more to me than you think!”
She seemed like she was about to blurt out something, so Tsushima held up a hand to stop her and shook his head in disbelief.
“That’s enough. Just go to sleep before we both regret what we’ve said.”
Holy rubbed her chest, exuding a strange sense of defeat. Tsushima hadn’t intended to criticize her to that extent, but it was already too late.
Having suffered unnecessary emotional damage, she quietly reclined in her seat. After a brief pause, Tsushima heard her mutter something. He couldn’t make out exactly what she was saying, but she seemed to be grumbling some complaints.
Tsushima decided to quietly put on the radio and pretend he hadn’t heard her. Easygoing country music unsuitable for the situation played in the car, and it was only a few minutes before Tsushima heard the sound of her sleeping.