FTA Ch 17
by winter<Chapter 17>
“Shall we head off, then?” Leonard said.
Leonard extended his hand toward Gloria.
Looking at that hand, Gloria thought it had been a long time since she’d been treated like a noble lady.
Perhaps that was why it felt odd and left her with a peculiar sensation.
After a brief hesitation, Gloria eventually took Leonard’s hand willingly.
Leonard helped her board the carriage comfortably and placed her bag inside.
Then, without delay, he got back off the carriage.
He would be the one driving the carriage until they switched to a commercial carriage after leaving the capital.
“Will you be alright? It’s been a while since you’ve driven a horse.” Gloria said.
Gloria spoke to Leonard through the small window separating the driver’s seat from the interior.
Leonard who had just settled on the driver’s seat, turned slightly to glance at her.
“Should I be asking if you’ll be alright? This is a cargo carriage with no proper seats. It might be uncomfortable.” Gloria said
“I’ll be fine.” Leonard replied.
Gloria shoved the wooden boxes filled with supplies to the side and plopped herself down in the space.
“Surprisingly comfortable, actually.” Gloria said.
“I see. That’s good, then.”
Still, Leonard couldn’t help but wonder.
‘Once the carriage started moving, would she still be able to say it was comfortable?’
Silently, he shifted his gaze back to the road ahead.
“This is my first time riding in a cargo carriage. Feels like it might be fun.”
Whether she grasped his concern or not, Gloria seemed entirely unbothered by the discomfort of sitting in the cargo hold.
* * *
As planned, the two switched to a commercial carriage midway.
It was a hired service carriage, arranged by offering a bit of extra payment for their journey.
“It’s already evening.” Gloria said.
Gloria gazed up at the reddened sky, tinged with the hues of the setting sun.
Time never waited for anyone and seemed to flow relentlessly.
“This feels strange.” Gloria said.
A low voice suddenly brushed past her ears.
“I never thought a day would come when I’d leave the capital.” Gloria said.
“Neither did I.”
Finally turning her gaze away from the window, Gloria looked at Leonard.
“I never imagined I’d actually leave the capital either.” Gloria said again.
That was the last line exchanged for a while.
The two silently shared a gaze filled with unspoken emotions for quite some time.
“There’s something I’ve wanted to tell you for a long time.”
The one who finally broke the silence was Leonard.
In that moment, the delicate atmosphere enveloping the quiet carriage was disrupted.
“Sure, go ahead.”
Gloria turned her body entirely toward Leonard, facing him.
He paused briefly to gather his thoughts, wetted his dry lips with his tongue and began speaking.
“I have a considerable amount of money deposited in the Empire’s bank.”
‘…Is he bragging about being rich?’
His words came so abruptly that Gloria couldn’t conceal her bewilderment.
Noticing her tilting her head in curiosity, Leonard continued his explanation slowly.
“It’s an inheritance from my mother. With that, it shouldn’t be difficult to maintain a stable life in the future.” Leonard explained.
With his next words, Gloria’s confusion was cleared up.
But still…
“That means you won’t have to go through the hardship of hunting monsters anymore.”
“…”
Upon hearing those words, Gloria’s mood plummeted straight to rock bottom.
“Do I look like someone eyeing another person’s inheritance? A complete scoundrel?”
“…What did you say?”
Gloria furrowed her brows more sharply than ever and glared at Leonard.
Her expression revealed raw, unfiltered emotion, something unlike her usual calm demeanor.
Leonard was taken a back and momentarily at a loss for words.
He hadn’t anticipated such a strong reaction from her.
“That’s the only thing your mother left behind in this world.” Gloria said.
“…”
“And it wasn’t left for just anyone, it was meant for you!” Gloria explained.
Gloria let out a sharp breath, seemingly overwhelmed by her emotions.
“I’d sooner end up homeless on the streets than even think about touching that money.”
She wasn’t desperate enough to use the inheritance left by someone else’s parent.
Even if she ever found herself in such dire straits, some lines simply shouldn’t be crossed.
“So keep it safe and use it for yourself when you need it.” Gloria ordered.
Gloria’s voice was firm and resolute as she hammered the point home.
“I have plenty of money myself. I just figure, since we’ll have lots to spend money on in the future, it’s good to save as much as possible while I can earn.” Gloria explained.
“…”
“So don’t even think about bringing up that inheritance in front of me again.” Gloria ordered.
“…”
“Got it?”
Leonard, caught off guard by her forceful tone, could only nod in agreement.
* * *
The carriage sped along relentlessly, and eventually, they arrived at the Baron Romenta’s territory.
To Gloria, the barony looked much the same as she remembered it—still quiet and peaceful.
‘It’s been quite a journey to get here.’
But the real beginning lay ahead.
The road they had yet to travel would be far longer and tougher.
Gloria glanced over her shoulder at Leonard, who followed her silently with her belongings in hand.
Feeling her gaze, Leonard turned his eyes slightly from the path ahead to meet hers.
“What do you think?” Gloria asked with a wide, satisfied smile.
Leonard shifted his gaze to the massive castle looming behind her.
‘Wasn’t it the baron’s castle, abandoned when the baron fled from monster attacks?’
Though it was a small domain, the lord’s castle was no minor structure.
Perched on high ground with a sweeping view of the territory, the castle was sizable.
Even with three visible above and ground floors.
It was more than large enough overkill, even for just the two of them to occupy.
Though it looked slightly worn, it was comparable in scale to the Imperial Grand Duke’s estate.
“Are you sure we won’t need to dip into my savings at the Imperial Bank…?” leonard said.
Leonard trailed off, unable to finish the thought.
Gloria’s sharp, deadly glare stopped him cold.
“…Ahem, it’s a magnificent castle.” Leonard said.
Leonard awkwardly shifted his focus, avoiding her gaze.
Though Gloria still looked displeased, she didn’t voice further objections.
Leonard quietly followed behind as she turned back toward the castle.
The baronial garden was much larger than the grand duke’s estate.
After walking silently for quite some time, they finally arrived at the main entrance.
Without hesitation, Gloria pushed open the large doors.
“Ah-choo!”
The stale, musty smell struck her nose instantly, triggering a sneeze.
The inside had been abandoned for so long that layers of thick dust billowed at the disturbance.
“Hmm…”
Leonard stifled a dry cough, holding his breath.
The castle, already worn on the outside, was in an even worse state within.
The interior’s dismal condition exceeded his expectations.
Gloria blinked in stunned disbelief, her eyes wide as she stared blankly.
“…”
“…”
Somehow, the air felt colder, as though a chill wind had crept in from nowhere.
Standing still in stunned silence, the two stared at the state of the castle’s interior.
“We’d better start with cleaning.” Leonard said.
Leonard regained his composure first, speaking in a low voice.
His words seemed to pull Gloria back to reality.
“Yeah… Looks like cleaning is our first order of business.” Leonard replied.
Exchanging awkward glances, they stood there for a while longer.
Eventually, Leonard moved first.
He strode across the hall and pulled off a dust-covered cloth, revealing a reasonably intact sofa beneath.
Placing Gloria’s bag on the sofa, Leonard turned back toward her.
“I’ll go check if there are any cleaning supplies.” Leonard said.
‘If not, they’d need to head into the village to buy some.’
As he scanned the area for a storage space, Leonard noticed a staircase leading to the basement.
He headed there immediately.
Watching his retreating figure, Gloria thought to herself.
‘Well…, this isn’t a bad start for a new beginning, all things considered.’