Chapter 92: This is quite surprising (Patreon)

…

Hearing that, Pandora jumped down from the Trekbear with Louliana in her arms. The two of them looked together at the flask lying in the snow beside the Trekbear's right side, not the least bit chilled by it.

After it was opened, the dry rations stacked inside made Pandora pause.

They kept it in a flask, of all things...

So her earlier guess had been completely wrong.

And besides...

Hearing the liquid slosh around underneath, she understood—it was a double-layered flask, one layer for holding food and the other for holding water.

"What's inside is something I made myself, a specialty from my hometown. I hope... I hope you won't mind, Miss."

Luluo explained at that moment.

He hadn't noticed Pandora's surprise at the flask. First impressions counted for a great deal, and the one she'd given him was that of an "enlightened lord" and a "kind master." Of course, even if he had noticed, in a situation like this he'd have brushed off any oddities in passing.

Pandora nodded and was about to take some of the grain granules out when Luluo called out to stop her: "Please wait!"

At those words, her hand froze at once.

"Please eat it under the cover of your clothes, or else it'll..."

Even though he didn't finish, Pandora understood what he meant.

"My lord..."

Just as she was about to move, Louliana, nestled in her arms, suddenly reached out a hand.

Thinking Louliana wanted to eat first, Pandora passed the flask to her.

But once Louliana had it, she held the granules up to Pandora's mouth. "My lord, please... please have some."

Pandora's eyebrow twitched.

Is it really all right to "feed" your own master this brazenly?

Even if Louliana felt no embarrassment, the one next to them... well, never mind.

Noticing that Luluo had already politely turned away, Pandora shook her head helplessly.

Hmm... it tastes like a big flatbread made from coarse grain...

It was hardly fine cuisine, but it was very filling.

And so, after an hour or so of rest, the three of them climbed back onto the Trekbear, now restored to full strength, and set off on the road again.

After another day of traveling alongside the snowy mountains, the storm finally cleared before their eyes, and a town glowing faintly in the night came into view. Unlike where they stood, there was no snow falling above the town...

"That's the center of Vestra Domain up ahead."

Luluo smiled as he said it.

In his view, Pandora surely knew already, but whether to say it was a matter of courtesy.

Pandora nodded. "Mm."

By now, the food and water they had left were running low. Pandora and Louliana didn't need to eat, but Luluo did (she hadn't applied her Authority to him), and over the past two days the two of them had also "helped" finish off some of it.

"Miss Hertz, you and your maid have had to put up with a lot these past few days."

At that moment Luluo suddenly scratched his head and spoke.

Pandora shook her head. "Why would you say that? Not at all."

Apart from the rather monotonous scenery, it had been a pretty good trip.

"Mm..."

Seeing that neither Pandora nor Louliana minded, Luluo looked a little conflicted.

Pandora: "All right, don't think so hard about it. Let's go."

Judging by its appearance, this Vestra Domain was much like Kenash Domain. But even from a distance, she could feel how desolate and lifeless it was. More striking still, there wasn't even a guard at the town's main gate.

While Pandora and Louliana looked around, Luluo didn't care in the slightest—or rather, he was long used to it. The three of them rode the Trekbear straight into town.

Whether it was because of the night or something else, every house had its doors and windows shut tight. If the streetlamps hadn't still been lit, it might have been mistaken for an abandoned ruin with not a soul left.

Come to think of it, Kenash Domain's nights were like this at first, too...

Just as Pandora's thoughts began to drift—

"Who are those two?"

With those cold words, a figure in black suddenly appeared at a corner not far from the three of them. Between the hood he wore and the weak light of the lamp overhead, neither side could see the other clearly.

Hearing this, Luluo reined the Trekbear to a stop.

"They're this round's monitoring targets."

"…"

At that, the man in black made some gesture with his hand, then nodded to Luluo.

"They're subordinates of the lord of Vestra Domain, stationed in the various towns on his orders."

Luluo quickly explained this to Pandora as well.

That made Pandora pause.

He said "they"... so there's more than one of them...

With that thought, she answered Luluo and instinctively turned her head. Sure enough, not far off, a woman was leaning against the wall of a house, idly twirling a short knife. Unlike the man ahead, she wore no black clothing or hood. She showed her face without a care, and judging by looks alone, the label "beautiful" would fit her well.

Seeing Pandora look back, the woman licked her lips.

"Little sister, staring at big sis so intently like that—do you have some ideas about me?"

"…"

So forward...

Pandora had no idea how to respond, so she simply turned her head away and said nothing.

That left the woman stunned. "Come on, little sis, don't be shy. Let big sis..."

Just as she was about to say more, she felt the man in black's gaze, grumbled something, and shut her mouth.

"Then please come this way. The master has been waiting for some time."

The master...

So that meant the lord of this place?

With that, the man in black said nothing more and led the way in front.

Only when he turned around did Pandora notice a long, slender curved blade strapped to his back.

As the Trekbear started moving, the woman at the rear followed along behind them, unhurried.

Looking at the scene, was it better to call this an "escort," or "surveillance"?

———————————————

[Author's Note: Thanks to reader "Hu Qian" for the monthly ticket support!]