Behind him, I could see two people lying injured. One had relatively minor wounds, but the wound on the other’s leg didn’t look like it would heal easily.

“I’m glad you’re not hurt. Do they have potions?”

Just then, someone else approached and poured potions into the men’s mouths. However, while the bleeding from the leg had stopped, it was still a severe injury. I could hear the merchant group people talking with serious expressions.

“I’m worried about how to move Linden.”

“He doesn’t seem able to ride a horse. Linden, will you be alright?”

The man named Linden, who was injured in the leg, groaned and answered.

“Ugh. I’m fine.”

He didn’t look fine at all. After leaning my head against the doorframe and thinking for a moment, I stepped lightly out of the carriage. Then I walked toward where the injured were.

“I’ll lend you my carriage. Ride with my maid over there, but always keep the window open.”

“No, we couldn’t possibly use the young lady’s carriage…”

“I’m happy to be able to repay you in this way.”

“Then how will you travel, young lady?”

I went to an empty horse, stroked it once, and mounted it.

Swiftly-

“I’ll ride a horse.”

I was getting bored being in the carriage anyway, so this worked out well.

Sitting on the saddle with a fresh smile, people’s expressions became strange.

“Do you know how to ride a horse?”

“I can even ride fast. Don’t worry. I’m skilled enough not to be a burden.”

As I demonstrated by holding the reins, the leader, who was wiping blood and flesh from his sword in one corner, also turned his gaze toward me. Even with his subordinate injured, could his sword be that precious? As I was clicking my tongue, I heard the voices of surprised people.

“A noble young lady riding a horse… like that?”

Ah, right. I had forgotten. This wasn’t a common thing here.

Well, it wasn’t a common thing on Earth, either.

It was just a miscellaneous skill I had acquired because I was in a similar position to Lora in Korea and had learned various things when I was young.

“Where did you learn to ride a horse?”

Demian’s suspicious gaze flew toward me. He had been watching me since childhood, so he would naturally know that I had never learned. I decided to just brush it off.

“Hmm? I just watched you all do it and tried it a few times. Doesn’t everyone do this much?”

People’s expressions became strange at my nonchalant words. At that moment, a middle-aged man who had been continuously surprised spoke in a serious tone.

“Your flexibility and strength in mounting are remarkable. Have you ever considered learning swordsmanship?”

“No.”

“That’s a shame.”

Why would I do something so troublesome? I have magic scrolls and guards.

I firmly rejected it, but suddenly, my companions looked at me with sparkling eyes.

“Miss must be a genius!”

“Me?”

As I, feeling guilty, was about to deny it, Demian, who was nodding and stroking his chin, said.

“Your business methods and boldness are like that too. It seems somewhat true.”

“What do you mean by ‘somewhat’?”

“Usually, you’re a bit…”

“Haha. Come here, Demian.”

Just as I was raising my fist to finally give him a knock on the head, somehow the surroundings became quiet. Everyone was looking at me.

I lowered my hand obediently under the intense gazes focused on me.

Well, let’s just let it go.

Demian was really lucky.

***

“It would be good to rest here.”

As evening fell, we stopped moving and set up camp in an open space.

I dismounted and stretched my stiff body in various directions.

“Ugh. I’m tired.”

“Miss. Are you alright?”

“Yes. I’m a little sore, but I’m fine.”

In one corner of the open space, people were moving in an orderly fashion. They were preparing spaces for sleeping and meals. Sion and Lionel were also busy setting up the area.

As I watched them, someone who seemed to be second in command after the leader walked toward me.

“What is it?”

“Thank you for lending us your carriage. You should sleep in the carriage, and our injured subordinate will be moved to our camp.”

“Won’t it be difficult for him to move with his condition?”

He had been groaning and struggling when they moved him into the carriage. I asked, thinking that minimizing movement would be better for his wound healing, but the answer came from behind me.

“That’s already been more than enough consideration.”

When I turned around, the leader was there with a curved smile on his lips. As he appeared, the person who seemed to be second-in-command bowed his head slightly and took a step back. I looked at him with a displeased face.

“Whether it’s enough consideration should be determined by the patient, but since the authority to decide for a subordinate lies with the superior, do as you wish.”

With his superior saying that, it would only make things awkward if I insisted they continue using the carriage.

When I retorted, he laughed softly as if looking at a yapping Chihuahua. Then he ordered the man who had stepped back.

“Chris. Move Linden.”

“Yes.”

The man called Chris bowed his head and disappeared swiftly. It was an impressive speed.

After watching the patient being moved, I greeted the leader who was still standing beside me. Since there was nothing more I could do to help, I should go rest in the carriage.

“Then I’ll go rest as well.”

He nodded in response as a greeting.

After entering the carriage and receiving a massage from Irena while lying down, Demian brought me a steaming bowl of soup.

After taking one bite, a strange taste with unbalanced seasoning lingered on my tongue.

“They must have made it in bulk. It’s tasteless.”

“Miss. Please refrain from complaining about food in a battlefield-like situation.”

Demian started nagging again, and I shrugged with an indifferent expression.

Then, I made a suggestion that would immediately make him grab the back of his neck in frustration.

“Want to make a bet? If you can go a day without nagging, I’ll give you 1 Berk. But if you fail, you pay me 100 Berks.”

“Encouraging gambling,”

“Yes, you failed in 1 second.”

“Butler, you’ll have to pay 100 Berks.”

In our usual bickering, even Irena joined in from the side. Shocked by her support, Demian looked at her with a face full of betrayal, but she just chuckled.

As I viciously laughed beside them, demanding the hundred Berks, he opened the carriage door and fled.

“You two, what are you… I’m going out to check the carriage.”

Thud-

“But Sir Sion is the one who checks the carriage, Butler!”

“Ah, this is fun. It’s so good to have Demian around.”

As we were happily giggling, someone knocked on the carriage door.

Knock knock-

“Open up.”

“Yes.”

Creeak-

“Hmm? What brings you here?”

Opening the door revealed neither Sion nor Lionel, but the leader. Tilting my head in curiosity, I lowered my gaze and saw a magic lamp in his hand. He raised the lamp and held it out to me.

“You’ll need this. Keep it lit at night.”

“Ah. Thank you for your consideration.”

“Yes. Well then.”

Watching his back as he turned and disappeared, I muttered, “How thoughtful.”

“Could it be that he’s interested in you, Miss?”

I picked up a spoon and put a spoonful of bland soup in my mouth as I spoke.

“Well. Even if he is interested, we’ll have to observe what kind of interest it is.”

“In my opinion, he seems full of goodwill toward you, Miss. Wow! It’s so bright!”

Irena said as she hung the lamp the leader had given us on the carriage ceiling.