Chapter 245: Recognizing The Time
The sudden marriage proposal came as a surprise solely to the princess.
However, her astonishment was short-lived.
She had somewhat prepared herself for this moment.
Being born a princess, it seemed there was no other way to contribute to the kingdom than through a political marriage.
Celestina composed herself and slowly said,
This is the first marriage proposal Father has brought up. It wouldnt be right to reject it without consideration.
I appreciate you saying that.
However I would like some time to think about it.
Ill give you four days.
At the kings firm response, her gaze wavered slightly.
Four days.
It might seem long, but under the current circumstances, it was quite short.
To decide on a life partner in just four days.
She couldnt help feeling somewhat disappointed, understanding the kingdoms situation.
It seems Father is in quite the hurry. I hope his eagerness to strengthen our national power doesnt backfire
The royal finances were not in dire straits, but the kingdoms power was indeed lacking compared to other countries.
It was seriously worrying that he might be planning to resolve this through the Saint, risking potential trouble.
Ahem
As the king coughed to hurry her answer, she had no choice but to comply.
Celestina let out a small sigh.
Understood. I will give you my answer in four days.
The king nodded at her words.
I look forward to it.
Ray taught them about the outside world and basic knowledge on the ship.
What he felt during their brief time together was their monstrous learning ability.
Like cotton absorbing water, they made everything taught to them their own, making teaching them enjoyable.
Even if rotten, still a seed. Perhaps this is what being of a blessed lineage means.
The goddesss blessing made their learning fast and their understanding deep.
Teach them one thing, and theyre already applying it to two.
Moreover, he briefly taught them about the medicine available on the ship.
That alone took up the entire journey.
Before long, the ship docked at the port of the Silia Kingdom.
Iriel was the first to disembark and stretched.
Ah, this smell is unmistakable. I finally feel at ease.
She sniffed around, not in her homeland, murmuring, This nostalgic smell
Their actions seemed suspicious enough that, as in the Western Continent, a group of guards gathered around.
With wary expressions, they addressed the crew as the ship lowered its anchor.
Sorry, but this port is not a free trade harbor, and ships without permission cannot dock here.
Ray scratched the back of his head at their words.
This is troublesome.
In the Priyas Holy Kingdom, showing a silver badge could resolve the docking issue, but that wasnt an option here.
It wouldnt do to show a Priyas silver badge in the Silia Kingdom.
As he pondered what to do, Iriel suddenly interjected and handed something over.
Would this suffice?
Hmm
After a moment of examining the parchment she offered, the guards promptly cleared the way.
They stood with their spears erect, turning their gazes away.
Sir, its an honor to meet a saint!
I apologize for the delay!
Observing their sharp readiness, Ray looked on.
The parchment turned out to be a personal letter sealed by the king of the Silia Kingdom.
It must have been something prepared during the first pilgrimage.
With a triumphant expression, Iriel puffed out her chest.
How about that? Isnt my preparedness impressive?
Her smug look was so endearing that one would want to pat her on the head.
Thanks to Iriel, they safely passed through the harbor and stopped by the village to buy simple foods like jerky.
They wanted to buy blankets and leather shoes as well, but purchasing two hundred of them was a bit too much.
As they passed through the central part of Silia Harbor and entered the outskirts, Hael approached and struck up a conversation.
Are you planning to spend the day here before departing?
No. The sun hasnt set yet, so we need to leave right away. Monsters roam around late in the evening, so we need to find a camping spot before then.
Puzzled by the unfamiliar term, Hael pondered for a moment before responding.
Monsters Im not sure how strong they are, but our power is not insignificant either. You know that best, dont you?
Its not about being strong or weak. If we engage in unnecessary battles now, without securing a spot, well accumulate fatigue. That would delay our return and disrupt the perfect plan Ive made.
Whatever the plan was, it didnt sound promising.
She must be planning to use someone for a big scheme.
She knew Ray too well.
The massive kingdom-crossing journey of over two hundred sword masters began.
On the first day, they madly climbed mountains; on the third day, they showered in the orc tribes; and by the fifth day, food was running low, so they raided an ogre tribe.
It was a cruel act to rob even the orcs hidden pocket money simply because they stood out like a band of brigands.
That night, after thoroughly looting the orcs, they camped in an unnamed forest beyond the borders of the Silia Kingdom.
Ray skillfully started a fire and hung a metal pot over it.
Whistling while he cooked a soup with herbs, the savory aroma spread thickly in the air.
Attracted by the mouthwatering scent, including the tribal chief and some elders, sneaked closer.
Elder Xian cleared his throat and spoke.
Hmm Isnt that too much for one person to eat?
Despite his status, his attempt was futile.
In this world, even cold water has its hierarchy. Move your face away; your drool is falling.
He received nothing but a scolding.
Elder Xian stepped back with a sullen face, while the tribal chief smiled contentedly.
Indeed, the saint understands the order of things. Then
As he spoke and slowly moved a wooden spoon towards the pot, Ray flicked it away with a mysterious movement.
Thud
The wooden spoon sadly fell to the ground.
Why! Why cant I eat! Its a sin to prevent someone from eating when theres food!
His blatant nonsense was ignored before it could even reach the ears.
Fiddling with his ear, he muttered, Wow, cant even recycle this, and guarded the pot.
How can people only think about feeding themselves?
Food is meant to be eaten.
There are such unreasonable people in this world. I must not become like that.
After stirring the pot briefly, he served three bowls and handed over the metal pot.
The rest can eat. Dont hoard it like last time.
Hahaha. Of course.
Dont worry. No matter how hungry we are, we are one tribe. Shouldnt we share even a single bean?
Until just the day before yesterday, they fought like dogs, biting and tearing at each other, yet now they spoke of tribe with convincing authority.
They had been camping out for a while, growing sick of nothing but jerky.
So, a smooth and delicious soup like this was indeed a treasure, making the struggle for it somewhat inevitable.
Of course, whether they fought like dogs or pigs was a completely unrelated story to him.
Ray, holding a bowl he had carved from wood, passed it to Hael and Iriel, who were munching on hard bread in a corner.
Huhuhu. Thank you.
Eat well.
With a light thanks, they accepted the soup, and Ray casually sat down on the ground.
As evening approached and moonlight brightly illuminated the surroundings, the forest was imbued with a certain charm.
Iriel murmured while looking up at the sky.
Well soon arrive at the Holy Kingdom.
Not much longer. Probably by tomorrow afternoon, well get there.
Thinking of the Holy Kingdom, he strangely felt at ease.
His real homeland was undoubtedly the Silia Kingdom, but what was this comfort settled in his heart?
Having experienced many events in the Holy Kingdom, he had grown fond of it.
While eating his soup, he pondered the future.
I cant stay in the Holy Kingdom forever.
His mission as a saint was to excel in medicine and learn the medical practices here.
However, he had primarily focused on spreading medical knowledge, rarely taking the opportunity to learn.
Thus, he made a new resolution.
Until now, his efforts had been directed towards disseminating medical knowledge.
But from now on, he planned to study the local medicine, taking into account the characteristics of monsters and different races.
The Holy Kingdom has prospered enough. It should be fine to leave it in the hands of Eclair and Iriel.
The medical academy and the lineage of heroes would advance it further if they were set on the right path.
Matters of nobility or families were for the Pope to handle, while the minutiae would be sorted out by the lower administration.
There was nothing left for him to intervene in.
He looked up at the night sky, filled with countless stars.
The wind rustling through his hair felt incredibly pleasant.
Its a bit earlier than I expected.
He felt it was about time to leave the Holy Kingdom.
Aira was pacing back and forth.
Seeing her restless, an elder waved her off.
Calm yourself, Lady Aira. Hes not a child who would die so easily, is he?
Theres been no word yet There must have been an incident.
Its probably not a big problem.
Despite the elders attempts to reassure her, her gaze remained unchanged.
If our connection has been cut off, its not a minor issue. No, it might actually be a significant problem
She had tried several times to infuse mana into the signaling device, but there was no response.
Had it malfunctioned due to age?
Or why else would there still be no reaction?
The elder gave up first as her state remained unchanged for over a month.
Hell return safe and sound before long. Hes always been capable on his own, so dont worry.
If Lady Aira shows signs of anxiety, all the elves in the village become restless. Please, maintain your dignity now.
At the elders polite words, she halted her frantic pacing.
Being a high elf carries a heavy responsibility.
Thus, there are moments when they cannot cry in sorrow or smile in joy.
Regrettably, this was one of those times.
She stiffened her expression and straightened her shoulders, sighing as she closed her eyes.
Ive made a mistake.
Lifting her head proudly, she pushed out her chest.
Despite her valiant appearance, Airas eyes shimmered with a hint of sadness.
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