Chapter 87: Side Story 11: Fileontina’s Great Adventure – Part 1
"Onii-chan!"
My sister Sistina rushes over to me.
"Now now, what is it? As the wife of a count, you should stay calm and act more gracefully."
I gently scold my sister.
It’s true that I was kidnapped yesterday by bandits. Apparently for some ritual to revive the Demon as a sacrifice...
But Yabe-sama, the one I called my prince, saved me and even defeated the Demon Gulaad. Honestly, it was way too much.
I had wanted to go with Yabe-sama to the royal capital, but the Frontier Count told me my sister Sistina was worried, so I came back to Tarbarne town first.
"What are you saying! My sister was kidnapped and almost turned into a sacrifice for the Demon! Of course I was worried!"
My sister shakes my shoulders while pouting.
My sister Sistina married Count Gailand von Tarbal and is now a proper countess.
A countess should, in principle, be able to stay calm even in most situations, but...
"Well, Sistina was really worried. I’m glad Fileontina is safe."
Count Tarbal also holds Sistina’s shoulder.
Well, Count Tarbal dotes on his wife Sistina to a ridiculous degree, so I can’t really blame him.
"By the way, Sistina."
"Yes, Onii-chan?"
"I’m going to the royal capital tomorrow after I finish preparations."
"H-How come? Suddenly."
"Please listen, Sistina. My sister was saved by the Yabe-dono who was a guest of the Coluna Frontier Count house. And Yabe-dono said he is going to the royal capital, so I’m going with him."
"H-How?"
I explain the whole story of being saved by Yabe-dono.
"Ha~ So you fell for the guy who saved you... Is it love at first sight? Ah, there’s a prince!——"
Sistina looks a little exasperated. Please, don’t tease me.
"Still... I never thought my sister would start having feelings for a man..."
Sistina crosses her arms and sighs.
"Hey, Sistina. Aren’t you going to stop your sister?"
Count Tarbal asks worriedly.
"It’s useless... Once my sister decides something, she’s stubborn and won’t move even if you try to pull her. She won’t listen to a single word."
Sistina gives up and answers Count Tarbal.
"However..."
I stop Count Tarbal, who looks like he wants to say something, and Sistina speaks.
"Sister. Rest well today. I’ll have a delicious dinner ready, and you want a bath, right? Preparation can wait until tomorrow. Departure is the day after tomorrow. Okay?"
"But preparation will take at least a day..."
I complain, but Sistina stops me.
"The royal capital is quite far away, Sister. Proper preparation is necessary. Tomorrow, go shopping and sort out your house. Also, hire a guard party at the adventurers’ guild. You. I’m sorry, but could you borrow the Coluna Frontier Count house’s reserve carriage? Even if it’s a reserve, it’ll take quite a while to prepare a proper carriage, so we’ll lend it now."
"Ah, the reserve carriage is fine, but..."
"Two horses too?"
"Yeah. I’ll have them ready by tomorrow morning. Still, you really want to support Yabe-dono going to the capital that much?"
Sistina, who I thought would try to stop me, is now cheering me on. It looks like Count Tarbal is acting as the brake.
"As I said earlier, once Sister decides something, she’s stubborn. Since she’s decided to go to the royal capital, the only thing we can do is support her as safely as possible. Even if we can’t buy a carriage, she might walk there."
"Oh my, Sistina really knows me well."
I say with a grin.
"Thank goodness I don’t have to worry about you so much."
"Oh? Really?"
"Yeah! I was worried you weren’t going to marry at all, but suddenly you’re chasing after a prince to the royal capital..."
Sistina smiles wryly at me.
"Well, preparation can wait until tomorrow! Rest well today!"
Sistina takes my hand and leads me to the dining room.
"Oh my, this is terrible."
The fortune-telling shop and residence had its entrance broken in dramatically.
A rope is strung up and a guard stands in front.
It seems the Frontier Count took care of the security. I’m grateful.
When I enter my house, everything is destroyed, but my fortune-telling tools and the hidden valuables are safe. I immediately pack them into a large bag.
I unlock the locked money box with a spell and take out all my assets.
After that, clothes and underwear... I also need to buy some slightly younger-looking dresses and gowns so I can show my age-appropriate beauty. After all, my husbands are both quite young and cute. I need to make sure I look beautiful in my own age.
I prepare three large bags and a tote bag. I have all the luggage delivered to the Frontier Count house. I also have the property rights for this building and land transferred to the Frontier Count.
I no longer need this house and land. My place is beside Yabe-sama now.
After handling all the luggage, I leave my house.
...Thank you. Until now. I am going on a journey to become happy.
Klink klink
I arrived at the adventurers’ guild.
Of course, my purpose was to hire an adventurer party for the journey to the royal capital.
I wanted a relatively skilled adventurer party that would go to the royal capital with me.
I went straight to the counter.
"Welcome. What can I do for you..."
The receptionist girl who greeted me was surprised.
"Eh!? Are you the fortune-teller who is said to always hit the mark, Fileontina-sama?"
"Ye-Yes... that’s right."
Hitting the mark... As a fortune-teller, it sounds nice, but it also makes me a little shy.
"Today, what can I do for you... Ah, I heard about the attack on the fortune-telling house yesterday, right? Are you looking for a place to do fortune-telling? If you’d like, we can provide a location inside the guild..."
The receptionist started talking nonsense. I stop her.
"No, it’s not that. I have to go to the royal capital urgently. I’m preparing the carriage right now. I want to hire an adventurer party for the journey to the royal capital tomorrow morning."
"Eh!? You’re leaving for the royal capital!?"
The receptionist starts muttering that I won’t get a fortune-telling session.
I’m sorry for the fortune-telling, but could you introduce me to a skilled adventurer party that can depart tomorrow?
"You’re really going to the royal capital!?"
The girl suddenly approaches me aggressively.
"Is something happening in the royal capital?"
"The royal capital is large. Even if I go, it’s not like we’ll meet. But I want to say thank you properly."
"That’s a wonderful story. I’d be happy if you let us be your guards."
"The party I’m thinking of is the C-rank party from Tarbarne adventurers’ guild. Their skills are excellent."
The receptionist recommends them. That’s very helpful.
"Fuu, I’m relieved. There’s no good weapon in hand at all..."
"But we can’t accept any guild requests without weapons."
At that moment, two men enter the guild.
"Ah, Rigen, Caldera! Hey. Patti wants to hire a guard party for the journey to the royal capital tomorrow morning."
It looks like the party members have just returned.
"Eh!? Impossible! We don’t even have weapons!"
Caldera is shocked, and Rigen flatly refuses.
"Patti looks so down..."
If you’re unable to accept the request because you don’t have swords and spears...
"Yeah... that’s right."
"So you’re the person who hired them?"
"Yes. I want you to guard me on my way to the royal capital. I’ll get swords and spears from the Frontier Count. If they’re the swords and spears used by the Frontier Count’s knights, they should be of good quality."
""Eh!?""
Both Rigen and Caldera are shocked. Swords and spears from the Frontier Count’s knights are out of the question to complain about.
"R-Really?!"
"That would be incredibly grateful, but..."
"Besides the regular guard fee, I’ll pay for the escort. If you accept the request, please."
"U-Understood. Will Paula be okay with this? As far as I’m concerned, I’d love to have a sword and a guard fee. I can’t let this slip."
"I’m the same. A sword and spear from the Frontier Count’s knights are like a dream."
"I’m fine with it too, but I need to check with Arlen and Thorn..."
Paula, the older sister-type woman, scratches her head.
It feels like Paula is the one who leads the party.
"For now, since there’s no other choice, I’ll accept the request. The weapon supply is so precious that I won’t let this slip."
"Then please guard me to the royal capital. I am Fileontina."
I bow my head.
"Eh, the famous fortune-teller!"
Paula is surprised. She seems to know my name.
"Ah, nice to meet you too. I’m Rigen, leader of . I’ll guard you to the royal capital properly."
With that, we finally finished preparing to depart for the royal capital.
Please wait, Yabe-sama.
This Fileontina will come running to your side!
