The Porter Is Not Interested in the Hero Party

14 – Forms of Love (3)

Depression doesn’t stop time. Even on that day when dark masses covered the sky of the empire, no one had succeeded in stopping time. Every morning, I had empty imaginations and laughed, then shook my head and kicked out the door.

I haven’t slept for a long time since I got out of the Empire.

Every time I went down the stairs on the first floor, the tree creaked and the owner’s yawning hum broke. As soon as I went down the stairs, I saw a warrior sitting at a table eating bread. The dishonest chef was warming up the warrior’s face by serving warm bread and soup, as if he had been rehabilitated from yesterday’s beating.

“mister. woke up?”

The hero greeted me in the morning with a face that showed no signs of sleepiness. I sat across from the hero and nodded, ordering the same from the chef.

“Yes. I slept well thanks to you. This time, the route is short, so the luggage is light.”

“When we arrive at the fort, we will be supplied again. Rather, are you okay? It won’t be a big deal since it’s about catching two traitors, but waiting behind enemy lines will be a little burdensome.”

“it’s okay. Isn’t what we’re doing, after all, continuing to advance behind enemy lines? Nothing like spending time in a warehouse when you fight.”

Finding a camp a few days away or going to the enemy camp was the most exhausting situation in the life of a porter. My back hurts from having to walk with my drinking water and food full in preparation for an unexpected situation, and talkative talkers like Miles and Lena clung to me next to me, so I didn’t let my mouth rest.

In that sense, the danger of waiting inside the fort was nothing to me.

The hero smiled awkwardly when I made a confident expression, as if telling me not to worry.

“I am always grateful to Mr. Even if we make unreasonable schedules or carry out dangerous operations, you always follow us without question.”

“Because they are traveling companions. And, isn’t it about getting my hometown back? Anyone would have cooperated.”

The warrior nodded at his words. But nothing followed. return home In other words, it was a story of rescuing the villagers trapped in magic stones. The warrior touched the spoon and said.

“There were no people who captured and freed Khalifa this time. People may have been released from other provinces or occupied territories, but… … . Maybe we should get a bigger commander.”

It was after the empire was destroyed and quite a bit of time had passed. What happened to the people trapped inside the Imperial Magic Stone?

“What would happen if we defeated the commander who was said to be confronting Baron Luke this time?”

“Maybe.”

The warrior showed a hopeful smile. I, too, grinned as if I couldn’t lose to the hero and dipped bread into the soup. The soup was moderately seasoned, so it was good to go down my throat.

“This soup is really good. Shall I ask you to put it in a canteen?”

“It spoils quickly and stinks. Be patient with that.”

When I said nonsense, the warrior shook his head and stopped me. While we were joking around, Lena, who slid gently down the stair railing, smiled and spoke to me.

“What, are you eating something delicious just the two of you? mister. Same thing here too!”

“Yes! All right!”

Subsequently, Millet sat down at the table saying the same thing, and Ashuria, who had messy hair, rubbed her eyes and naturally sat down at the table.

Ashuria greeted with an expressionless face as if she was in a better mood than yesterday, then smiled and spoke to Millet.

“millet. You shouldn’t eat it on your face like that. People make fun of me for being a mean elf.”

“where? Where are you buried?”

“It is buried here.”

Lena looked at Ashuria wiping Millet’s face with a handkerchief with a pleased look and said to me.

“It’s mother and daughter. Mother and daughter.”

“I like sisters.”

Unexpectedly, it was Millet who responded to the word mother and daughter. When Millet said that while looking at Lena, Lena nodded her head even though she had an absurd expression on her face.

“yes. Then let’s be sisters.”

An empty bowl and bread crumbs were left on the table. Even though the hero had eaten, he got up clean and not a single crumb was left in Lena’s seat. Ashuria and Miele brushed off the crumbs on the table, I looked at the tidy plate and said,

“Shall we go now?”

It was time to punish the traitor.

*****

Twilight.

The red sky spreads its color widely and wets even the empty fields, and we face a silhouette descending the hill with scarlet skin. The hero said, brushing back his hair, which glowed in a mysterious color in the setting sun.

“They seem to be the commanders.”

“Nice to meet you. Warrior.”

Before the warrior’s words could be finished. The commander shouted as he waved his hand from afar. Even from a shady spot, he had a big mustache flapping like butterfly wings, and he was a man with a very hearty laugh.

His size was so huge that he wondered if his words would be burdensome, but his hands were even thick, which embarrassed the warrior he faced.

“It is an honor to meet you like this! Warrior! The performance that the warrior showed on the front lines here! I was listening!”

“Ah yes. Nice to meet you… … .”

The warrior awkwardly held out his hand and greeted. It was a bit of a strange reaction to see it for the first time.

The hero felt the embarrassment of meeting someone he shouldn’t have met. Lena tilted her head and looked at the hero, while Ashuria and Millet looked at the commander with indifferent eyes.

“Hero! why are you so stiff? ruler! Let’s shake hands! Heh heh heh heh!”

“Ah, ah, ah, heh, don’t shake it!”

The commander held the warrior’s arm tightly and shook it around, then looked over at the other party. The commander, who gave me a brief look at the porter, looked at the bag I was carrying on my back, shrugged his shoulders, and looked around at us.

“My introduction is late. I am Count Houllier, the military tactical instructor in the capital. If I and the hero are together, we will be invincible. How about watching the sunset from here for a while? Heh heh heh!”

“Oh, is that okay? Warrior. Can I rest?”

When Lena asked a question with her eyes twinkling, the hero shook his head and smiled wryly. Lena nodded, raising the corner of her mouth, as if she wasn’t serious. After the commander’s greeting, the hero said.

“Then shall we go? As I said before, please wait for Ashuria and the uncle in the inner room. Others will go inside and catch them as soon as they enter.”

“okay.”

Lena nodded, and Millet took out her bow and ignited her will. The commander laughed as he saw the enthusiasm of the two, and I carried my luggage from the back. The commander looked at me again and asked.

“Are you a porter?”

Unlike the cheerful appearance a moment ago, there was a cautious and wary light. I answered his question as if it were nothing.

“Yes. It’s a porter. They were selected directly from the kingdom.”

“Ah, about that pageant. I couldn’t go because I was busy, but I heard it was very fun. I heard that a nimble man from the Empire came and won first place.”

“That man is me. It’s a pity that you couldn’t see it in person. You should have seen the scene where I dramatically took first place in the obstacle course.”

“You’re so nimble, you must have been a soldier in the Empire?”

I shook my head.

“I was just a wanderer. I lived a life full of shame to be called a soldier.”

“is it?”

Looking to the side, the commander was staring at me. The hero who was walking in the front also looked at us with a strange face, and Lena, Millet, and Ashuria were watching our nervous warfare. I nodded to the commander and said.

“That’s right. I am not a soldier.”

The commander didn’t ask further. When I spoke firmly, he nodded and said:

“Right. I must have mistaken it for someone I know. When you get older, your memory gets dull. Heh heh heh!”

A subtle tension that is smoothed out with laughter. The sound of horses hooves receding and the gazes scattering again. I looked at the warrior’s back and sighed, and Lena spoke to me.

“what. Who do you think you look like?”

“The most handsome man in the kingdom. I heard you look like Georges?”

“Shameless, really.”

Lena shook her head at my answer and moved forward. There was no point in responding to questions that were being asked just for the sake of thinking. The fortress was close, and in front of the gates, the captain of the defense and the guards, who had been secretly ordered by us, were waiting with nervous faces.

Ashuria warmed up with her knuckles, and Lena caressed the dagger on her thigh. Millet took a step back and opened up the distance, and the hero touched the handle of the sword.

The commander said in a loud voice.

“I am Count Houllier and this man here is a warrior! Captain of the guard, open the door!”

I had nothing to do while my party members were getting ready, so I checked my luggage while adjusting my bag.

“let’s go.”

With the warrior’s words, a dangerous operation has begun.

Jim was safe in the hands of the great porter.