It had been four days since we left the town. Sophie had gotten tired of munching on dried rations.
'We should cook!' She proposed, leading to this outcome.
"Claud..." Sophie called out. "It tastes bad..."
I know...
Neither of us have a talent for cooking. Sophie changed her class to Chef temporarily. That didn't affect the result of our tiny competition. Her dish was undercooked, and somehow charred at the same time. On top of that horrible combination was a saltiness that made one shudder in pain.
It was fortunate, we did not die from food poisoning. In fact, we probably might have passed onto the next plane, if I didn't spot her trying to add in strange ingredients from the surrounding forestry. Certain common sense eludes her.
She had thrown dried meat over an open fire, scorching the exterior while the interior remained cold. Learning from her mistakes, I opted for a boil instead.
At least my cooking is edible. It's cooked all the way through and less extreme on the tastebuds. By no means does it taste good though.
The texture is unappealing and dry. The taste is sorely lacking, equivalent to about- nay lesser than paper.
"I'm not hungry anymore."
She lost her appetite. I've disappointed her.
"Your food was good! I-I was just not in the... mood?" She tries to comfort me, but her attempt drove a stake through the heart.
Why had I even bothered packing cooking utensils? Neither of us can cook. I should have acquired a cooking skill.
I miss eating at restaurants.
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After a sad breakfast, we set out, spirits dampened.
"I'm tired..." She whined.
I know... The passing scenery never seemed to change. Wherever you looked, it was just more rocks and mountain. While I wasn't physically tired, I am bored out of my mind.
I couldn't scold her for being spoilt.
The distance between the fortress and the next suitable resting place was further than expected. Without the protection of civilization, we are constantly on high alert. Looking out for wild animals attacking us plus other natural hazards. It was taking a toll on our stamina. We might have to camp outside again. I really am not looking forward to it.
I've overlooked it so far. It honestly surprises me now that I've noticed. Despite having only half of my endurance, Sophie is faring well.
Carrying heavy bags which as a precaution, filled to the brim with more and more different types of items to deal with unexpected scenarios. She had no part in purchasing any of those, yet she still offered to carry them for fairness' sake. Half for me, half for her.
Though if you were arguing for fairness, it was completely unreasonable for her to be carrying all of her stuff plus a little extra of mine. The weight was mere paperweight for my Strength stat but a burden for her. It would've been more efficient energy wise to have me carry everything.
The only comfort to assuage my guilt is that the effort she's putting in will eventually come to fruition when her stats increase. I try to convince myself of that. This is training.
"I'm tired~~" Another complaint, out of boredom. "My feet hurt..."
In the same breath as her exclaiming her feet hurt, she bounces over next to me. Bluntly put, she's attention seeking.
I may have phrased it negatively, but I don't dislike it. Combined with her poor acting, it makes for a very endearing appearance.
"Hey~ What are you thinking about?"
There are other reasons to appreciate her inability to lie. A Sophie that could successfully pass a deception check from me would be a nightmare to take care of.
"Claud."
I am curious about her.
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A sheltered noble girl who was attended to her whole life, didn't raise a fit without her daily baths. In these gritty circumstances, I never heard her once complain about hygiene.
"Claud?"
Even when we had to answer nature's call outdoors, she didn't complain. Not to flaunt, me being able to endure is a given due to my upbringing. It was completely unexpected of Sophie.
I wonder how she has managed it. What's her motivation?
"Claud..."
...
"Claud!"
What?! I don't see anything dangerous...
"Are you sure we're going the right way? I don't see any more wheel tracks."
She is right.
Honestly, I've no clue. I shook my head and shrugged.
"..." Flabbergasted, Sophie dropped her canteen and stared blankly at me. Ah, what a waste of water. Good thing, I have six more spares.
"Ahaha. You're joshing me..."
I wasn't.
Oh, come now, don't give me that look. Even the villain can feel sheepish at times. Can't really fault me for being lost, there aren't any landmarks around here. The map isn't very detailed either.
We can't scale these sheer cliffs, the cave leading to the Hazy District has to be somewhere. It's big enough for a carriage to pass through.
Could we have passed by it? It's really dark and our lanterns are casting long shadows, we may have missed the entrance.
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We were lost for a short while, going back and forth a lot. We eventually found the entrance after backtracking and we've finally arrived in the Hazy District. The actual cave wasn't difficult to navigate as past explorers had carefully marked the correct paths with a mineral that glowed blue.
What a rundown village this is. All the streetlamps were lit with traditional fire instead of magic. Some households were completely pitch black. I expected as much. This is the boonies.
The Hazy District used to be a commercial hub between East and West. It has an advantageous location for trade, in the center of the border. But its purpose, safe passage between East and West, was taken over with the introduction of the railroad.
Animals instinctively avoid this ash-ridden volcanic territory. Only weak monsters have adapted to the environment, carving out a niche for themselves.
Speaking of weak, the locals were brazenly staring. Their gazes followed us all the way till the inn. I couldn't help assuming malintent.
I should wear my uniform. They'll have to think twice.
Judging by the rotting floorboards, and horrid smell, I don't think I can expect much from the inn here.
"Hello Miss, can we get a room for two?"
The innkeeper looked the both of us up and down.
"... It's four silvers a night. Your room's on the left, second last down the hallway."
"Thank you~" Sophie replied sweetly.
Did she not notice the innkeeper openly examining us?
Once, we were in our room, Sophie began chattering away.
"C-Claud, the front desk lady was weird, wasn't she? The people outside were staring too."
She isn't dense after all. She was pretending, to not draw any suspicion. Clever.
"Ugh, my tummy hurts..."
We have more pressing matters than some peepers to attend to.
Breakfast had come back to haunt her- Us. My stomach grumbled, reminding me of its existence.
"Claud, where's our bathroom? I don't see another door..."
Oh... I have to break the bad news to her.
-Willpower: 48/52-
"Sophie, having a private bathroom is a privilege in high-end hotels. This is a rural inn. There's a community washroom and an outhouse instead."
"Outhouse?"
-Willpower: 47/52-
"You squat over a hole in the ground, and answer nature's call." I said naturally, without hesitation, in hopes that Sophie wouldn't react badly.
Her face froze in an indescribable state. "T-that's alright. No different from the outdoors. But surely, girls have a separate bath..." She tried to reason. Her reasoning fell on deaf ears. The universe paid no heed. The bathroom remained a community one.
I gave her a sympathetic smile. Realizing the meaning, she plopped down on the wooden bed with a squeak.
The truth had dropped on her, like a cold shower.
-Willpower: 46/52-
"I'll cover you with a towel. We can go when everybody else is asleep."
"But that's... I c-can't... F-fine. You can't look at me, okay?"
The urge to clean herself won over her shyness.
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Previously in Karreira, I had splurged money on a nice inn to stay at. I wanted to enjoy the high life. Because of that, Sophie didn't experience any hardship.
This time we don't have the luxury of going to another inn.
"Where is the bathtub? How am I supposed to wash without it?"
-Willpower: 45/52-
"... There isn't one. You fill water from the pipe, in this pail and pour it over yourself."
She did the same action as me. Her reaction was completely different with her eyes going wide and shaking almost immediately.
"Nnn... You forgot to turn on the heater. The water's too cold."
-Willpower: 44/52-
"There isn't a heater..."
Her eyes sank into despair, as if I had committed the highest form of betrayal. All hope is lost. There is no hot water for Lady Sophie. I apologize for my inadequacy.
She resembled a puppy afraid of water, with her wet hair.
While I cleaned the grime out of my hair, her arms remained firmly strapped to the towel on her chest. She looks miserable.
"It's too cold..."
This reminds me of the old days. Everybody in the orphanage used to shower together too. We weren't allowed to boil water even in the winter months. Compared to that, the water now is plenty warm.
I've come a long way. A lifetime of riches and luxury awaits me. All I have to do now, is not screw anything up. It's a big reason why I spared Paige's father. There's no need to do anything unnecessary.
Clear the path for Sophie, and she'll handle the rest.
That's why I don't mind doing the little chores and bothersome logistics of travel. Laundry, sorting bags, finance, food.
I take care of that, and she can spend her precious time training and learning combat skills.
-Willpower: 43/52-
"I'll clean your hair. Close your eyes or the soap might get in."
To think that experience would come in handy. I washed the other kids' hair at least a thousand times. I took care of Keith just like this too...
Without realizing it, my hand had stopped moving for a few seconds too long.
"Claud?"
-Willpower: 42/52-
"Ah, yeah. I just got a little soap in my eyes. Give me a moment."
"Hihi~ You, alright?"
-Willpower: 41/52-
"Yeah. It's starting to hurt less."