The carriage that left the village raced down the night road beneath a starry sky.
I had been entrusted with the role of coachman until morning. In long-distance travel like this, the horses generally take the lead, while the coachman holds the reins and keeps watch for any abnormalities. Although I didn’t have much experience handling horses, I boldly raised my hand for the task. In case of emergencies, the carriage and harnesses are equipped with various safety mechanisms. Perhaps that mysterious magic is woven into them as well.
I was filled with determination to protect the peaceful slumber of everyone who had been bustling about all day to prepare the carriage…
“Mr. Gilbert, you can rest easy now.”
Mr. Gilbert had been working all day, cutting wood and entertaining the children. As the main character heading to the battlefield, he certainly needed to conserve his strength.
“No, it would be dangerous to leave the coachman’s seat to a single woman on a dark road.”
After saying this with a very serious expression, Mr. Gilbert suddenly became fidgety a moment later. His eyes darted around as he slapped his face with both hands, then he quietly repositioned himself at the edge of the coachman’s seat.
“Ah, um, please don’t worry, I have no strange ulterior motives, I swear…!”
“…! O-of course, I understand!”
Understanding the implication, I quietly moved to the opposite corner. The coachman’s seat was meant for two, but it was surprisingly narrow, and sitting side by side brought us quite close together. Spending time in such proximity at midnight, when we were neither a married couple nor lovers, could lead to various complications. My face felt warm.
As I pondered this, a small window on the back of the coachman’s seat opened. The seat was connected to the upper bunk of the two-tiered bed inside by this small window. The light spilling out from within illuminated a small portion of the night.
“What are you two doing? It’s dangerous to sit so far to the edge.”
Ms. Barbara leaned on the window sill, peering out at us as she alternated her gaze between the two of us.
“I’m just trying to reassure Miss Flora…”
“I-I thought it might be rude to be so close to Mr. Gilbert, considering he has someone important to him…”
As we both offered our excuses at the same time, Ms. Barbara chuckled merrily.
“Someone important…?”
“Isn’t Gilbert single? We’ve known each other for a long time, but I’ve never heard any romantic tales about him.”
“Ah—…”
After a half-smile, Mr. Gilbert covered his face with both hands.
“It’s a bit strange, isn’t it? He’s not bad-looking or a bad person, yet he’s been single for so long. Don’t you think so, Flora-chan?”
With a meaningful smile, Ms. Barbara rested her chin on the sill, while Mr. Gilbert looked up at her with a troubled grin. Then he turned to me.
“There’s a deep reason for that… I was born into a complicated situation. To put it simply, I’m what you’d call a bastard child, a child born out of wedlock.”
“What!? You mean… you’re a royal bastard!?”
Dolf’s face suddenly peeked through the window next to Ms. Barbara.
“Wha—? That’s not true! You know my grandfather, right? Well, he was a nobleman of some repute. You might have heard similar stories; perhaps he was drunk or senile, but the old lord might have fathered me in his old age.”
Then Mr. Gilbert began to recount his background.
“My mother was a compassionate woman, and she sought me out, believing that the fault lay with the lord, not with me or my mother. Especially my half-brother, who is quite a bit older than me, took a great interest in me. Thanks to him, I had a rather fortunate childhood despite my origins.”
As he gazed up at the starry sky, Mr. Gilbert wore a gentle expression, as if reminiscing about cherished memories.
“However, being born into a noble family can be troublesome, as there are those who would seek to exploit someone like me.”
In stark contrast to earlier, he now wore a troubled expression and let out a long sigh.
“But I didn’t want to be a burden to my half-brother. So, I tried to avoid any frivolous relationships… and before I knew it… I was this age…”
Mr. Gilbert’s voice grew serious, and he buried his head in his hands.
“Here, eat this to regain your strength…”
“…Would you like to drink some of my secret wine?”
Ms. Barbara offered a small jar filled with candies that she had somehow produced, while Dolf displayed a bottle of wine. Mr. Gilbert looked utterly embarrassed.
“By the way, Gilbert, if you’re able to share that with someone you’ve just met, maybe it’s time to start calling him ‘brother’?”
Dolf grinned meaningfully, while Mr. Gilbert’s eyes darted around.
“…Lionel has been complaining to me for ages. Maybe it’s because of the age gap, or perhaps there’s another reason, but he feels he can’t call you ‘brother.’”
At those words, the pieces clicked together in my mind, and I stared intently at Mr. Gilbert’s face.
The man himself was becoming fidgety again. Mr. Gilbert’s usual troubled smile showed no signs of shadow, but his ears were flushed red. It almost seemed like he was trying to hide his embarrassment.
Just as I was feeling warm and fuzzy inside, the carriage suddenly jolted with a loud clatter, causing me to nearly tumble from my seat.
“Miss Flora…! Watch out—!”
Mr. Gilbert instinctively grabbed my arm and pulled me close, managing to keep me safe. However, as I regained my composure, I felt my body temperature rise in response to the situation.
“Oh, I’m sorry…”
“N-no, thank you for saving me.”
As we quickly distanced ourselves, we both straightened our postures. I felt completely out of sorts.
“See? I told you it’s dangerous to sit too close to the edge.”
“Must have run over a stone or something… I should have worn a seatbelt.”
With those words, Dolf and Ms. Barbara settled down to sleep.
With the lively pair now asleep, the atmosphere grew suddenly quiet. The sounds of the carriage wheels and the horses’ hooves echoed in the night, accompanied by distant birds and insects chirping. The cool night breeze against my flushed cheeks felt refreshing.
“I’ve been led into sharing a strange backstory by that old woman…”
Mr. Gilbert murmured, looking a bit awkward.
“I’m glad to know the reason you’re so determined to help, even if it means pushing yourself, Mr. Gilbert.”
In response, Mr. Gilbert wore that endearing smile that seemed to be a cover for his embarrassment once more.