CH 5

Village Hercula (3)

“Anderson!”

The guide was startled and looked at Kyrie, but she smiled at him leisurely.

“What kind of warning is that?”

“…..”

The owner of the inn, who was about to go up to the second floor, stopped midway up the stairs.

The ceiling on the first floor was low, so his face was partly visible.

Due to this, Kyrie could not see what kind of facial expression he was wearing.

“It means don’t make a fuss here and there. ‘Cause then you’re going to be the one who’s in danger.”

“I beg your pardon…?”

“I’ll guide you to your room now.”

Valdir looked soberly at the guide’s expression and was about to cut in between their conversation, but Kyrie stopped him

Whatever it is, it’s an inn, and it’s enough to just stay quiet until the snow stops,

There is no need to make a fuss.

In addition to that, Kyrie could make out the faint fear of the guide and the words of the innkeeper.

‘What are you all afraid of?’

Kyrie let the knights and servants rest with a sigh, she shouldn’t wait for the snow to stop.

When she went into the best room of the inn, and sat on a run down wooden chair, it seemed as fatigue which was forgotten was then coming all at once.

“MaryAnne, could you brew me some tea?”, said Kyrie, pressing on the area on her head where the migraine began to grow again. But there was no answer from MaryAnne.

“MaryAnne?”

Kyrie looked to the place where MaryAnne stood and saw that her posture was stiff.

“My Lady-……”

She looked scared. Come to think of it, MaryAnne seemed to be very nervous from the moment they entered the village.

“MaryAnne, is something wrong?”

“My lady, MaryAnne….. is scared.”, she whispered, while moving her big eyes from one side to another. There was no sign of her usual cheerfulness.

“There is something frightening nearby, it’s a big one. My Lady, MaryAnne is scared, My lady……”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, MaryAnne. Why are you scared? Of what?”

“The scary thing is asleep right now, My lady. The lady has to get out of here quickly, MaryAnne can tell..!”

A thought flashed through Kyrie’s mind.

“That’s the ‘smell’, MaryAnne?”

MaryAnne nodded carefully.

MaryAnne had a better sixth sense than the average person, and was able to recognize the ‘smell’ of all kinds of magical as well as dangerous things.

The man who had MaryAnne said that she was of a non-human lineage, and that her non-human blood remained strong.

Kyrie doesn’t completely believe that, but now she’s sure that MaryAnne…..

“It smells really bad, My lady.”

If there is, something could happen.

Kirie’s face hardened.

“Is it very dangerous? Should we leave right away?”

“It’s not, it is sleeping but I am not sure if it really is, but when the world is covered with snow and quiet… I can hear better. So please be careful.”

MaryAnne murmured with a pale face, trembling. She soon dropped her shoulder.

“…I’m going to brew some tea, My lady! You must never come out of this room! MaryAnne will protect you!”

“MaryAnne?”

Before Kyrie could catch her, MaryAnne left the room like a flash.

In an instant, only Kyrie remained in the room. Perhaps because of the snow, but the surroundings were strangely quiet.

Kyrie muttered, staring blankly at the falling snow from the window.

“What are you talking about…MaryAnne?”

The innkeeper’s meaningful words filled her with an ominous feeling.

She turned her head away from the heavy snow falling as her anxious eyes finally closed.