Chapter 49: Didn't Expect... It's That Man Again! (Patreon)

"Lady Liliru, the sky's getting dark..."

At that moment, Telisa — driving the ground dragon beneath the setting sun — brought the carriage to a slow stop and knocked on the partition window behind her.

But the answer that came back was—

"Please wait just a little longer, I'm about to close this deal!"

Liliru's words, tinged with something like obsession — in short, she'd gone completely off the deep end...

Heaven only knew what Telisa had been listening to all afternoon!

"Tell your big sister, how old are you, little sister?"

"Three hundred."

"You really do love your jokes, don't you, little sister!"

...

"How do you take care of your skin, little sister? It's outrageously good!"

"I don't actually do anything special."

"Is that so? Then would you let your big sister check for herself?"

"Sorry."

Telisa had to admit — she was certain this was both the first and the last time she'd ever meet a girl as flawlessly, impossibly perfect as Pandora. But...

She was equally certain that, since the day she'd become Liliru's "bodyguard," this was the first time she'd ever seen her mistress act like this...

Shaking her head to clear away thoughts she shouldn't be dwelling on, she hopped down from the driver's seat.

After sitting for most of the day, her back had started to ache...

Gazing at the towering tree far in the distance, its crown lost in the clouds, Telisa found herself thinking back to the first time she'd traveled this road...

*

"Um, Telisa."

Just as Telisa's thoughts had drifted far off, the sound of a door opening came from behind her, followed by a soft voice.

"Oh, Miss Pandora..." Turning to see who it was, Telisa offered a faint smile. "Looks like you managed to escape Lady Liliru's clutches."

Pandora shook her head helplessly. "She fell asleep."

(To be precise: sprawled face-down on the sofa...)

"I see... You really had it rough."

"It wasn't so bad. More importantly, were you looking at that tree just now?"

"Mm..." Telisa nodded and looked once more at the impossibly tall tree. "I'm sure you already know its name too, Miss Pandora."

At that, Pandora nodded. "The Great Flugel Tree — also known as the Sage's Tree."

"That's right. Legend says it was planted with his own hands by one of the Three Heroes who brought light to the world."

"Honestly, I've always wondered how it grew so tall..."

"I'm afraid you'd have to ask the Sage himself for that answer."

"Ha, I suppose so."

Pandora remembered — if she hadn't come to this world, a hundred years from now, this very tree was probably fated to be "cut" clean in two...

"Are you only a bodyguard, Miss Telisa?"

Telisa shook her head. "When we're not traveling, I'm simply Lady Liliru's maid. When we are, I serve as both maid and bodyguard."

"So... a combat maid?"

"More or less, I suppose. Though when it comes to fighting, I only know the bare basics."

"I see. Still, Miss Liliru trusts you a great deal."

"She does. Which is exactly why I can't afford to betray that trust."

"Fair enough. Judging by how smoothly you handle this road, Miss Liliru must travel it often."

"I suppose so. Though our usual destination is somewhere else entirely — not the Margrave's estate."

After this exchange, Pandora had a clearer sense of the relationship between the two of them — less mistress and servant, more like sisters. (Then again, Liliru probably treated everyone that way!)

"It's about time to get dinner ready."

Before long, Telisa spoke up out of nowhere.

Pandora tilted her head, puzzled. "There don't seem to be any usable ingredients around here, though?"

After all, aside from this road, and setting aside a few stunted trees, the land around here was essentially flat plains — hardly the kind of wide-open place where much wildlife would live.

At least, not once since leaving the royal capital had she spotted any...

Telisa shook her head. "I already stocked ingredients on the carriage."

"You did?"

"Yes."

How had she not noticed?

Telisa seemed to guess her thoughts. "I keep it in the rear compartment."

"Ah, I see."

In the carriage's rear compartment — no wonder she'd never spotted it...

Watching Telisa head toward the carriage, Pandora found herself guessing

— would it be meat, or something more like a noodle dish?

As it turned out, Telisa didn't keep her waiting long.

"Miss Pandora, just a moment, please. It'll be ready soon."

Pandora watched as Telisa pulled from a small case a few slices of — bread? A few strips of — ham? A few leaves of — lettuce? And then — a bottle of sauce? This... could it be...?

"There we go. It's a bit simple, but it'll have to do, Miss Pandora."

With that, Telisa held out the finished product to her.

"Is this... a sandwich?"

Pandora blinked at the little stacked "castle" in front of her.

Telisa nodded. "Yes — it's a quick meal handed down from my homeland, Kararagi."

Kararagi again... Hoshin of the wastelands... And Kararagi turns out to be Telisa's homeland too?

"So you already know what it's called. I remember Lady Liliru had no idea the first time she saw one — she spent ages studying it."

[Studying it? Liliru actually has that kind of hobby?]

"Yes, I do know a bit about this," Pandora said, nodding as she took the sandwich.

At that, Telisa smiled. "Mm-hm, well then—"

"Telisa! Is dinner ready yet? Is it sandwiches again?!"

But she was quickly cut off by an unexpectedly excited voice.

[She smelled it even while asleep? And besides — this sandwich barely has any smell! Even accounting for molecular diffusion, it shouldn't concentrate itself inside the carriage like that!]

Watching the figure emerge from the carriage, Pandora let out a sigh.

Liliru, utterly unbothered by the stare, huffed. "Oh, little sister, not even calling your big sister for dinner? How mean of you!"

"..." Pandora only shot her a glance and said nothing.

But Liliru suddenly leaned in close.

Pandora raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"