Special Side Story (2)
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“Welcome home. I wanted to celebrate your return in the grandest way possible.”
The voice, muffled inside the armor, carried far into the distance.
Slowly, my eyes widened.
He took off his helmet completely, brushed back his slightly damp hair, and turned to shout toward the gathered crowd.
“Our Saintess has returned!”
His voice carried strength and that strength embraced everyone present.
“To celebrate her return, we will hold a festival for four days! There will be wine and meat for all, so enjoy to your heart’s content!”
Thunderous cheers erupted at Alois’s words.
His dazzling figure filled my vision.
I couldn’t look away from Alois, standing before the people who looked at him, and at us.
The parched thirst I had endured for months was finally soothed, if only a little. It was like water brushing the edge of my lips. And that alone was enough.
Alois smiled at the rejoicing crowd then turned back toward me.
He stretched out his hand, and I instinctively took it.
Our eyes met and his eyes curved gracefully. I couldn’t help but be drawn into them.
“Now then, shall we head back?”
And then, just like that.
“…???”
I was kidnapped.
***
I climbed onto Alois’ horse as he guided me up.
After issuing a few commands and waving briefly, as though to appease the people, he spurred the horse forward.
Just the two of us.
“What about the escort?”
“It’s fine, isn’t it? Just the two of us, once in a while.”
The horse, at first slow, gradually picked up speed.
The refreshing wind rushed against us, and the gathered crowd blurred, shrinking into dots in the distance.
“You finally have time to rest. I couldn’t waste this chance.”
I tilted my head back, resting it against his chest and my gaze following the sharp line of his jaw.
He lowered his eyes slightly and let out a quiet laugh.
“I made time too. Let’s spend it together, like before. Just us.”
I gently swung my feet gathered beneath the horse. Letting out a soft hum, I tapped his leg with a teasing remark.
“So you distracted everyone with a festival just so we could sneak off to play?”
“Not a bad idea, is it?”
A chuckle slipped out of me.
“So we’re free for the entire four days of the festival…”
He nodded.
Four days…four days, huh…
Not long, but long enough. Perhaps enough to quench this burning thirst completely.
“Perfect.”
The wind was cool, carrying with it a familiar scent. That soft leather smell unique to Alois, the one I loved.
I buried my face against his chest and closed my eyes slowly.
“So where are we going?”
He tightened his hold on me as he grasped the reins. It felt like it had been forever since I had nestled into him like this.
“A place with some romance and comfort but…no people.”
He dragged out his words mischievously. I tugged down my rising lips, demanding a proper answer.
Only then did he explain.
“If we keep going this way, there’s a villa. It used to be full of demons, so people still avoid it. It’s quiet.”
He said it in past tense, but even if demons remained, it wouldn’t matter with me around.
I nodded.
“No attendants and no knights. But don’t worry. I won’t let my precious companion, my Saintess, my one and only companion, go four days without care.”
He brushed aside a branch that almost touched my face.
I tilted my head at his words.
“But if there’s no one there, who will tend to me?”
“I will.”
He gently straightened my tilted head. Then he spoke with reassuring confidence.
“As long as I’m here, all you need to do is enjoy yourself.”
It didn’t sound like the words of a man who was unsatisfied with being king and aimed for the title of emperor, marching forward to the peak of power.
But instead of a retort, what burst out first was laughter slipping through the smile on my lips.
“Hahaha!”
Not the polite smiles I wore throughout the pilgrimage; a real laugh, the first in so long.
“Is it to your liking?”
“Haha… hahaha! How could I not like it?”
Only four days.
But still, four days.
Four days with just me and Alois.
I let myself sink into the sweetness of that thought and closed my eyes.
As I leaned my body languidly into his arms, he stopped the horse and removed his armor.
“The wind is chilly, put this on.”
He wrapped me in the robe he had prepared. He looked like he needed it more than I did, but I liked the gesture, so I wrapped myself in the oversized robe.
Then, holding me close again, he resumed riding.
“Feel better like this?”
“…Yes, it’s nice.”
He’d said it would take about half a day. We began to ride, aiming for the villa nestled on the slope of the next mountain.
Not once did I think the travel time was wasted.
I simply melted into his embrace, as though dissolving into the quiet greenery.
At least, until we ran into a certain group of people.
“Bad luck for you two.”
“Running off for a lovers’ escape or something?”
“Hand over everything. And the woman too!”
Right until we encountered some bandits spouting the most cliché lines imaginable.
***
Since I wasn’t steering the horse myself and was nestled in Alois’s firm arms, the ride had been comfortable.
The journey wasn’t boring in the slightest.
And yet, just as I was thinking that, something appeared to make this journey even less boring.
“…?”
“…??”
I knew something was off when I heard a rush of footsteps and Alois slowly reined the horse to a stop.
I had just opened my eyes lazily, about to mention something from his last letter, when it happened.
“Stop!”
“If you want to pass, you better do as we say!”
We ran into the infamous bandits.
Crude and armed in mismatched gear, they poured out and blocked the path ahead of us.
Alois raised a brow as if amused, while I, still half-drowsy, yawned and tried to take in the situation.
“Must be a lovers escape, eh?”
One who seemed to be their leader looked us over with a coarse laugh.
“By the looks of it, a noble lady and her knight. Bet you brought plenty from home.”
More like a priestess than a noble lady, but… well.
I glanced up at Alois.
He gave a sheepish smile, like the situation was mildly troublesome.
“How much do you want?”
He seemed to be trying to resolve things peacefully.
“Everything you’ve got.”
“Fair enough.”
Alois pulled out a pouch and tossed it forward.
Surprised by how easily he handed it over, the bandits scrambled to pick it up.
“That should be enough. Now, let us through.”
“…”
The leader peeked inside the pouch and his eyes went wide.
How much did he pack in there to get a reaction like that?
I was curious, but didn’t ask.
Neither of us lacked money, but still, it felt wasteful to hand it over to bandits like these.
“That won’t do.”
Tucking the pouch away, the man straightened with a swagger.
He looked at the horse, then at me, then at Alois. Whatever went through his head, his face turned determined.
“Leave the girl and the horse. We don’t need a man.”
“…”
“…”
You should’ve just taken the money.
They were clearly underestimating Alois because of his calm appearance and gentle looks.
I could feel the muscles I was leaning on tense and relax with his breathing.
Is he alright?
For me, this was starting to get entertaining.
When else would I get to experience something like this?
Compared to demons, bandits like these are child’s play.
I lifted my head to see Alois’ reaction.
The warm smile had disappeared, replaced by cold anger. My heart skipped a beat.
“If you won’t let us pass, then I have no choice.”
The bandits tightened their grips on their weapons, and almost at the same time, Alois jumped down from the horse.
Oh, right… he did say he had just finished a subjugation a few days ago.
I doubt mountain thugs like these could compare to a man who had just returned from a bloody battlefield.
He slowly drew his sword.
I leaned against the horse’s neck and watched his side profile.
…He really looked angry.
More than I expected.
I assumed he would just brush off this kind of thing.
“You’ll end up worse than dead if you keep acting arrogant. With that pretty face, I bet you can’t even swing that sword properly.”
Alois didn’t respond.
“When you’re dead, we’ll make sure your woman—”
He never finished his sentence.
Crunch.
Alois’s sword pierced straight through his mouth.
It happened in an instant.
I waved toward the stunned bandits behind him.
“I’ll bet my crystal necklace that this pretty boy defeats every single one of you.”
Their gazes scattered in panic.
“So, what will you bet? Your lives?”
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