A Wish to Grab Happiness

The owner of the orphanage, Ms. Ninz, greeted an unexpected visitor. She was surprised by this sudden visit. Her eyes looked like question marks.

「What’s wrong Lugis? I didn’t think you’d come here without Ariene. 」

This place is where the orphans, no, where the children could live and enjoy their leisure time before being sent away. I was moved by strange and nostalgic emotions every time I came here.

I opened my mouth.

「I think it’s quite normal for me to pay a visit to the person who raised me. Why are you so alerted in seeing me? You don’t have to be that rude, Ms. Ninz.」

「Don’t be that cheeky kiddo. I won’t mind if you came to see me and talk with me about anything. But, you always have other motives whenever you come here.」

Ms. Ninz invited me while spitting a big sigh. She looked closely at my face full with bruises and realized that I was not here just for chatting. She knew me too well. Of course, she raised me since I was a child. I spoke to her.

「I don’t have other motives. But I came here to tell you that I heard some rumors about wild robbers. Besides that, I heard that some people are using their power to subjugate the local priests. People say that the northwestern region is engulfed in chaos. It’s getting dangerous these days, so I came to warn you.」

「Hmm, I didn’t hear about any of that. If you came to warn me about my deeds, you don’t have to worry. I don’t care. I believe that I am a saint. 」

「No, I won’t. Okay then, I have a favor to ask you… Ms. Ninz, you have some connections on the autonomous city of the east, am I right? 」

—

The other day, the tavern was cheerfully noisy.

Everyone stretched their hands on various kinds of jars. The tavern owner opened a new barrel full of wine. Everybody was excited. The wine didn’t taste like it usually does. It had a strong fragrance and taste, perfect for our minds to go numb. Everybody was utterly enthusiastic by the taste of the alcohol.

I was in the middle of the tavern. I got my hands on a small barrel. Instead of my usual old clothes, I dressed with newly prepared clothes.

「Hi, please enjoy yourselves to the fullest today. It’s my treat! 」

「Your finances are good, Lugis! Hey, did you find a great job, no? 」

「…Yeah, I guess I found something. 」

Those men laughed freely at the free barrel of wine. More men surrounded and joined us. Everyone just wanted to have a great time as they drank some alcohol. It was very cheerful and welcoming. The atmosphere was very relaxing. f𝓇𝘦𝒆𝘄𝑒𝗯𝑛𝗼ѵ𝙚l.𝒄𝘰𝓶

Speaking of these men that gathered in the tavern. If I looked around I could find a lot of different people here. In other words, this tavern was where adventurers gathered. There were also a group of thieves, swindlers, and other types of adventures. When it came to alcohol, they got friendly and even became one single group.

Of course, I always managed to fit within these groups. Actually, I would fit easily if I treated them to some alcohol. After all, these people were greedy and materialistic. They won’t say no to a free barrel of wine.

「Hey, Lugis. Why don’t you tell us a cool story? I can’t believe we’re able to gather so cheerfully like this. So, tell us something entertaining. 」

「Yeah, of course. It’s always great when we gather together like this to talk and have some drinks, right? 」

These people were always with vulgar smiles. Such hypocrisy. These men were always trying to find some entertainment when they drank alcohol.

「I’ll have a nice job to do. When I finish it, we should gather in the next full moon for some entertainment. Just wait for me. 」

As I spoke, I opened a new barrel of wine for everyone to drink. A brand new wine. It smelled like gold. Great symbolism and nostalgia.

I was allowed to drink without worries for once in a while. Everyone was happy to have me around, even if it was for greedy purposes. Well, I was not that different from their hypocrisy. It was as if I came here to show them how good I was with my finances. Actually, I just wanted a brief of fresh air. No only that. I also wanted to keep up to date with the matters of this country.

—

The Burdnick family was once the ruler of the entire northwestern part of the country. They had vast territories as property owners and enjoyed of a senior nobility status.

However, after the Great War, the House went into disgrace. Due to the payment of debts from the war responsibilities, most of their territory was sold and deprived. As a Knight Class, the territory they currently possess wasn’t vast. Their current territory had small towns and villages in the northwestern part of the country. All centered around the rural town of Shifu Trixa.

「My Lady. If you need something, please call me immediately. 」

「Okay, I understand. You can go now. 」

Caria Burdnick was on her private room while one of the servants from the Burdnick House left the room.

Even if her room was her private space, she only had a very few personal belongings. Swords, armors, and history books were taken away. What remained in her room was poems and sculptures of little interest. They were the only remnants of the time when she was an aristocrat. Only old things were left in the house.

「Boring… 」

The word that she murmured was not that unreasonable.

Some days have passed since she was put under house arrest, but nothing happened during that time. There was nothing interesting, just decent meals and long sleeps every day. The days of being a Knight were meet with danger, excitement and a fresh joy and sense of accomplishment. Those days didn’t even compare with these.

Naturally speaking that is. Because, originally, this lifestyle belonged to the Aristocracy and Knight families.

…After all, all she had to do was to forcibly endure it.

These were dangerous times. Medium-sized robbery happened throughout the territory. Besides protecting it, loads of paper work had to be done as well. The economy got worse, and people became desperate.

The other day, her brother-in-law, who was acting as a feudal lord, took out his private soldiers to examine the territory. Caria Burdnick offered to accompany him, but she was dismissed right away. Well, she would go against her father’s orders if she really went with him.

Maybe for a brief moment she may have thought she could run away. But Caria didn’t let those unworthy feelings linger in her head. Besides, running away would be pointless. She was deprived of her sword and her father prohibited her from rejoining the Knight’s Order. Running away without backups or provisions would be arduous. She would return to her post immediately.

That’s why she didn’t have a choice to be there. She thought that her father would try to marry her to someone she barely knew. Marry a suitable man, give birth to a child and that’s it. And life ends.

Caria Burdnick spit a bored sigh as she thought about her future. On that moment, she remembered that man. She wondered what happened to him after he left the fort.

He was a foolish man, she thought. Not only did he recklessly charged against the hexenbiest with two rusty knives, but he also stood up against people of higher status. He was strange.

But he was a brave man. Those words appeared inside of Caria Burdnick’s mind unexpectedly. She wondered if there ever was a person who said those words to her father so aggressively but straightforwardly. She didn’t remember seeing such a presence before. Yet, she thought he truly was a foolish person. Still, she didn’t dislike his traits. He was not that bad. At least, he was a better than her, he took a stand in what he believed, while she stood there without doing anything. Such an Irritable man. She was envious.

She didn’t know if she felt admiration and respect for him or if she felt annoyance. Caria Burdnick didn’t understand her feelings. It was not clear what she thought of him. She felt either one way or another.

But no negative feelings whatsoever.

「If I think about his two best traits…I’ll have a reckless Lugis or a brave Lugis…Ah, which fool is better? 」

「…Maybe “cool person” would be the best way to describe it, don’t you think, Miss?」

A voice was heard from the window. Caria Burdnick looked at the window and her eyes became wide open.

「Your room was quite far to reach to be honest. I had to climb it like this. I didn’t want to look like Romeo in the first place. 」

This person was not supposed to be here. This person didn’t know this place as well. How did he find out? I saw the reckless, brave and fool Lugis standing by my window.