IDGM 22

Chapter 22

The carriage left the imperial palace.

At first, the path was somewhat familiar, but after passing through the outer wall, everything became completely unfamiliar.

As I kept glancing curiously out the window, Callias asked,

“Are you looking for something?”

“Ah.”

Maybe I had been too obvious. Embarrassed, I gave an awkward smile.

“It’s just… this is my first time going beyond the outer wall. Everything is so new to me.”

Callias raised an eyebrow slightly.

“You’ve never been this far out? Not even for a trip or convalescence?”

“This is my first time.”

After all, I had practically lived imprisoned inside the palace.

Though Callias didn’t know that, he looked slightly surprised but didn’t press for more details.

And I had no intention of explaining, so I turned my gaze back out the window.

But then, Callias suddenly began explaining the route.

“If we keep going this way, we’ll reach a wide field of farmland. We’ll pass through there and head for the river. Following the river upstream, we’ll reach a small fortress.”

At the mention of a fortress, I perked up and asked,

“Are we using a teleportation circle?”

Teleportation magic circles are convenient but can become invasion routes for enemies in emergencies.

I had read in books that such circles were installed outside cities—at a reasonable distance to balance safety and accessibility—and were surrounded by walls for military defense.

As I expected, Callias nodded.

“Yes. We’ll use a teleportation circle to travel to Avené in the north. By land, the trip from the capital would take at least two months without rest.”

“Two months…?”

It was a distance I couldn’t quite comprehend.

Seeing my blank expression, Callias chuckled and pulled a parchment from his coat, spreading it over my knees. It was a map of Arental.

He pointed to various spots on the map as he explained.

“This is where we are now. If we follow this path and reach the fortress, we’ll soon ride the teleportation circle and…”

His hand swept up the map to the very top.

“We’ll go all the way here.”

I gaped at the vast world spread across my lap.

The imperial palace and capital, where I had lived my entire life, were barely a speck on the map.

Seeing that made it hit home—how far we were truly going.

“Where is Ronhaim?”

Callias tapped somewhere off the map—on my knee.

“It’s about here.”

“So it’s even farther from Avené.”

“You’ll need to brace yourself. The journey won’t be easy.”

He looked straight at me with his dazzling golden eyes.

“Once you go in, you might not be able to come back. The path there—and the way back—will be a journey risking your life.”

The words were grim.

But they didn’t seem meant to scare me.

To show my determination, I clenched my fists and answered firmly.

“Yes, I’ll do my best.”

Then I smiled brightly. Somehow it felt reassuring—this wasn’t a place that a complainer like Andrea would ever make it to.

“Thank you.”

For taking me somewhere safe.

Callias looked at me with a strange expression I couldn’t quite read.

Not long after, we arrived at the fortress where the teleportation circle was located.

Though it was a military base and not really a place for people to live, surprisingly, the inside bustled like a giant marketplace.

Vendors had set up stalls along the walls and even on narrow staircases—anywhere a foot could step.

They energetically called out to travelers entering the fortress, trying to grab their attention.

“Dried rations here!”

“Leather shoes, wooden shoes, flower-decorated shoes—we’ve got them all!”

“Leather guards for sale! And lots of leather bags too!”

Some travelers were annoyed, while others followed the vendors eagerly, as if they’d been looking for those items.

I simply enjoyed the chaotic scene.

It was fascinating to see people shouting, bargaining, and blending together in this noisy flurry.

I even half-expected the merchants to swarm toward us, since we had a relatively large group.

But strangely, they only glanced at us and stepped aside to let us pass more easily.

“Why aren’t they coming to us?”

I asked Callias, a bit disappointed. He calmly explained,

“Probably because of how we look.”

“Our appearance?”

“They recognized us as Northerners.”

“…And what does that matter?”

“They don’t have anything to sell us. Most merchants here don’t carry items suitable for the north. There are many things you simply can’t use in the snow-covered regions.”

“I see.”

Or at least, I thought I did.

Still, I nodded like I understood. I’d already asked a lot, and I worried Callias might get annoyed if I kept pestering him.

I was used to being brushed off like that.

No one had ever answered my questions with genuine interest. Most treated me like a nuisance.

But then, noticing my expression, Callias started explaining in detail again, just like before.

“For example, Northerners rarely use leather water pouches. Water freezes quickly, and more importantly, we have fresh snow every day in the north. So there’s no need to carry water. It’s better to bring flint instead—we melt snow to get water.”

“Ah, I see…!”

“You also can’t wear ordinary cloth or leather shoes. Walking through snow quickly soaks them, and wet shoes are dangerous—they can cause frostbite. In the north, we wear only specially treated waterproof and insulated leather boots.”

With those examples, I could finally understand.

I listened intently to his passionate explanations and found myself staring at him.

The way he looked at me, the way his lips moved when he talked, his Adam’s apple shifting as he spoke, how he leaned slightly toward me, how his hands moved through the air—everything caught my eye.

Despite talking for so long, he didn’t look the slightest bit annoyed.

If I showed interest in something, he explained it even more thoroughly.

And when I asked questions or expressed curiosity, his voice rose slightly, as if he was enjoying himself.

Someone other than Karl is talking to me with this much enthusiasm.

My chest felt warm and fluttery. Like on the day of our engagement.

I liked how he answered my questions, so even the smallest curiosity made me ask him everything.

Time flew by as we talked, and before I knew it, he opened the carriage door.

“I’ll answer the rest of your questions on the way. But for now, we have to move.”

Startled, I widened my eyes. I hadn’t even noticed the carriage had stopped.

“Are we taking the teleportation circle now?”

“Before that, we have a quick stop to make.”

As I stepped out of the carriage following Callias, a merchant woman was waiting and greeted us.

“It’s been a while, Marquess.”

She was a woman in her late twenties who seemed to know Callias.

“You look well, Rhonda. How’s Polletto?”

“My husband went hunting with his comrades in Avené. We ran out of Nyak leather. But more importantly, Lord Brentean said you were looking for women’s clothing?”

“Do you have anything decent?”

“Of course! I just happen to have a few good pieces ready. Who will be wearing them?”

“My wife.”

Callias turned slightly to reveal me hiding behind him.

In that moment, not only Rhonda, but the entire party turned to look at me.

Wife…

Though we hadn’t had a wedding, we were officially married. So “wife” was technically correct—but hearing it made me feel shy.

My face reddened, and I tilted my head slightly so no one could see.

Callias leaned over and whispered to me,

“You won’t last even a minute in the north wearing what you have now. Rhonda is the only merchant here who sells Northern goods. Everything she sells is top quality. You can trust her.”

I looked down at my dress.

I wore my thickest outfit, though.

Still, compared to what Callias was wearing, mine did seem much too thin.

Just then, a man with blue hair standing beside Callias spoke to me gently, as if sensing my hesitation.

“I’m Viscount Brentean Krief, the Marquess’s aide. Your Highness, please forgive the informality, but since there’s nowhere in the capital that makes proper clothes for snowy regions, we had no choice but to bring you here. This is a merchant we’ve trusted for many years.”

But his face was stiff with tension.

I blinked and looked around at the others.

All of Callias’s knights—and even Callias himself—were staring at me with serious expressions.

What… what’s going on?