Chapter 23. The Hidden Village (1)

　The day after receiving information from the arms dealer Goliath.

　In a room in the royal palace, Elliot was preparing to leave early in the morning. Then Lloyd arrives.

“I’ve canceled all my plans with the guests under the pretext of investigating the undead beast that appeared yesterday. Combined with the leave I was originally supposed to be given, I think I’ll be given five to six days.”

　After returning to the castle yesterday, Lloyd quickly adjusted their schedule to head for the hidden village and made arrangements to be ready to leave in the morning.

“Ah. Sorry for the trouble, Lloyd.”

“It’s fine. Thanks in part to Bishop Powell’s haggling, everything went well. Convincing Marcus and Richard was actually a lot harder.”

　Lloyd smiled wryly.

“It’s probably best if those guys don’t know about this yet, too, right?’

“Yes. …… I suppose. ……”

　　How would they, who respected and admired Elliot as a Holy Knight, react when they found out about his current situation? It was easy to imagine that it would be more than just disappointment, and he didn’t want to even think beyond that.

　–We need to get this back to normal as soon as possible. ……

“If it takes two days by stagecoach, we can get there in less than a day if we just ride the horses ourselves, right?”

“Well, that would be possible, but we won’t be able to talk when we get there in the middle of the night. Stay calm.”

　Lloyd calmed Elliot’s impatience.

“I wonder how long it will take to repair the sword…”

“I can’t say without asking him.”

　While there are clues, anxiety is also growing, and silence falls on the room. Even the sound of the rustling of his clothes, as he puts on a hooded cloak over his casual clothes to avoid drawing attention, sounded awfully loudly.

　As if to break the silence, a light, cheerful voice rang out along with a knock on the door.

“Good morning, Elliot! Hey, is it true you’re taking the day off?”

　As Emily peeked her face in, Elliott’s shoulders relaxed.

“Yes, we’re heading out to investigate yesterday’s undead beast for the next few days.

“Oh, I see. …… I was thinking that if I had the day off, I could go on a date with you in the city. But if you’re working, I guess there’s nothing I can about it…”

　Elliot stroked Emily’s head in a comforting manner as she slumped her shoulders slumped sadly.

“That’s true. But let’s get this done as quickly as possible then we can make as much time as we can.”

“Yay!　I’ll talk to Marianne and see if I can get her to give me some time off at the same time too!”

　Emily’s eyes lit up with joy and then she walked away with a spring in her step, as if she was planning to go and consult with her right away.

“Is it okay to make such a promise…?”

　As the air fell silent again, Lloyd asked with a sigh, and Elliot raised his eyebrows and gave a wry smile.

“We can’t let her be sad. Time’s a-wastin’, let’s get going as well.”

　Saying this, Elliot hurriedly left the room to depart. As he put his hand on the room’s door, which is now closed because of his late start, Lloyd suddenly stopped moving.

“I wonder …… when does she actually pray?”*

　The small voice of doubt that Lloyd muttered never reached anyone’s ears. To forget the words he had just uttered, Lloyd took one deep breath, opened the door, and followed Elliot.

　Along the road connecting the royal capital and the provincial territories, a small stream flows along which several watermills stand. Behind them is an expansive forest.

“That’s strange. I was told it was somewhere around here. ……”

　Elliott looked around, but couldn’t see any path leading off the main road.

　It was still early in the morning, so it was still dim and foggy, but visibility wasn’t that bad. And yet all he could see before him was a deep grove of trees.

　After leaving the royal castle and a full day on horseback they finally arrived at their destination, which didn’t seem like a settlement at all.

“Did we take a wrong turn…?”

“No, this is a straight road. The water mill landmark that Goliath had told us about was indeed there. It’s the so called “Hidden village,” are the roads leading there also hidden from the public eye. ……?”

　The two of them together turned their attention to the forest spreading out before them.

　They wandered through the thickets that led from the roadside into the forest, cutting through the overgrown weeds, but could not find any traces of a path or even any signposts.

　By the time the sun was high in the sky, fatigue had set in.

　He had been riding his horse day and night since yesterday, without much rest. Elliot’s brow wrinkled with fatigue and impatience, and he gripped the hilt of the sword at his waist.

“……. I think I saw some houses just before the water mill  that area is probably a station for horse-drawn carriages. There should be someone there, so why don’t we go and ask them?”

　Elliot nodded at Lloyd’s suggestion, though he made a bitter face. Given the circumstances, he would have preferred not to be seen by anyone if possible, but he couldn’t keep insisting on that.

　Along the road just before the watermill, there were a few small houses built close together.

　At first, they had thought this might be their destination, but the houses were common farmers’ dwellings and did not look like the kind of place where a blacksmith would live.

　The small stables and a watering hole bordering the road suggested that this was the station for the horse-drawn carriages.

　When they visited the house, they found that a hunchbacked old woman lived in the house.

“ma’am, have you ever heard of a village around here called the Hidden village?”

“Hidden village……?　Ah~, you mean the blacksmith village ……Did you… not… see… it?”

　Elliot nodded and the old woman laughed softly.

“If you can’t find it, then that means you weren’t invited… Well then, there’s nothing you can do, just give up.”

“…not invited? Does it need some kind of forewarning or introduction? We really need to get there, so if you know anything, please tell me.”

　Giving up here wasn’t an option.

　Elliot couldn’t hide his impatience and irritation as he questioned her, and the old woman sighed, looking genuinely troubled.

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