Let's go our separate ways

Part 11

The next day, they participate in the townspeople's celebration.

"There have been casualties," an old man has no qualm in talking about it when asked, "But, thanks to you youngsters, we can be at ease now,"

Rhythm nods along as he asks another question, "How long has the bird been terrorising the town?"

"Hmm," the old man has to recall the timeline while a middle-aged man next to them inserts the answer, "More than 1 week,"

"Such a short time to inflict so much misery," an old lady sighs in sorrow

The immediate casualties are the guards who protected the Town. Although they had bravely protected the Town, the escort Knight still feels sad for their sacrifice. The city guards were just wounded, but half of the town guards are...

Flos sits quietly in the corner of the restaurant while leaning on the wall, leaving the fully armoured escort Knight and the recovered Rhythm to talk with the townspeople who come to thank them. As the person whose companions made the most contribution, Flos has already tasked the 2 idlers to entertain the townspeople when they come looking.

In such a way that she regains peace.

It's been a couple of days; when she thought the dream ended there, she has those dreams again. Comparing dream with reality; certainly, isn't her arrival to the Capital a bit sooner than expected? However, with these delays, maybe the time will match up in the end?

No, they won't match up at all. Because she has been clearing the obstacles in a couple of moves, which does not hold her back at all. But, seen from another angle, in the case of these variant beasts originally aimed to harass the cities and towns before unfortunately meeting her, it doesn't seem like she is being purposefully obstructed at all?

Thinking less, these seem like mere coincidences. Thinking more, these seem premeditated. Staring at the ceiling, Flos chooses to not be bothered by those thoughts and just do what she wants. After all, she is here to enjoy life, not to be bothered by nonsense.

Having made a decision, Flos nods her head. Okay, time to set off.

It's a bonus if she can bother this nonsense instead of being bothered by this nonsense.

Seeing Flos standing up from her seat, both Rhythm the escort Knight excuse themselves from the townspeople to regroup with Flos so they can continue on their journey to the Capital.

"Waaah, I'm beat!" Rhythm slumps on the seat inside the carriage, sweating a bit from the heat of being surrounded by a lot of people

"Congratulations, you are popular now," Flos says casually

"Haha," Rhythm gives a sarcastic look at his childhood friend, "Who would be happy to be popular in such a way,"

Still holding a grudge on being interrupted when taking a bathroom break? It's not entirely Flos's fault! They are a team; naturally, when in a fight, everyone must be present.

"You should be glad that I did not tell them how you took down the bird," Flos retorts as she thinks it's not fair of Rhythm to blame her so much

"How? Wasn't it because your Lashes sent me up?" Rhythm is still being a sarcastic little brat, "Do you know how scary it is to be thrown like that? If Lashes can send me up, can't it tie up the bird itself?"

"What do you think?" raising the hand with Lashes, Flos gives Rhythm a choice, "Wanna give it a try?"

"I think Lashes can't stop the bird in its flight without getting ripped apart," not wanting to challenge Flos's companion, Rhythm takes a big step back, "I understand. It's understandable. I am wrong, Lashes is right,"

Flos somehow can't understand why Rhythm just never learns from experience. Every time something happened, when Flos involved this young man in the task, it was all because she couldn't do it alone. If she could, what's the use of him?

~~~

The day passed peacefully, to their relief. Fortunately, it seems like the next town is a peaceful Town. Let's just hope there is no repeat of the attempted thievery.

"The people here seem peaceful," Flos says offhandedly

"It doesn't mean we can be careless," Rhythm ponders on how to protect the big vase that they can't casually move in and out of the carriage

Although it is meant well, the gift prepared by Rhythm's brothers-in-law gives them considerable headaches. In the end, just like the previous arrangement, Flos is tasked with watching the carriage. Flos has no issue with that, because she doesn't think there will be a problem in this Town. Also, Lashes and May-Day will catch the thieves if they dare to act when she sleeps.

As she thought, the night passed peacefully. After another day of not seeing the escort Knight's face in this journey, they set off for the Capital with optimism.

In this state of optimism that Flos notices how her body weakens slightly, which has nothing to do with her resistance training. Counting the days, Flos realises that the time of the month is now just around the corner. If she is rendered bedridden before they reach the Capital, this trip will really be delayed until the destined time.

Now, that won't do.

"What's wrong?" seeing Flos suddenly rummaging through her luggage, Rhythm asks in passing

"It's almost the time of the month," Flos informs him, as a person growing up surrounded by women, who understands her meaning just from that 1 sentence

"Aah," looking at Flos in pity, because she is the only 1 who gets bedridden from pain every month among the women he knows, Rhythm suggests, "Why don't we delay the journey so you can rest comfortably?"

"No," Flos shakes her head, "I want to reach the Capital before that,"

"Can we make it in time?" Rhythm has doubt, which is not unfounded

"We will have to," Flos smiles, taking out a vial of clear liquid and unscrews it without hesitation, "It's a bit of a waste, but this will be helpful,"

"What's that?" Rhythm asks whilst watching Flos sneaking open the door slightly to let Lashes brings the vial out to pour it on top of the carriage, without the escort Knight's knowledge

After receiving the empty vial back from Lashes, Flos closes the door of the moving carriage gently to not alert the Knight and replies, "Pesticide,"

Pesticide, Flos says. Rhythm knows that it's a highly concentrated toxin, super-effective towards beasts. Pouring this thing will surely keep even variant beasts away from their path.

If only Flos uses this pesticide from the start... Is not something Rhythm will ponder about. As Flos says, it's a waste to use this thing because this is hard to make, according to Flos, the producer.

"I didn't expect you to be so eager to reach the Capital, seeing as how reluctant you were before, when I gave you the invitation," without the intention of making fun of his childhood friend, Rhythm says so

"I just suddenly realise it's not so bad to go meet the Queen before something unfavourable happens to me," Flos replies absentmindedly, "Having the Queen as my backing might ensure my credibility,"

Rhythm hears Flos's words and is about to dismiss them as usual. However, for Flos's sudden change in attitude and her eagerness to reach the Capital quickly by using the pesticide, Rhythm decides to give it more thought and reaches a conclusion, "Why do I think you mean someone is out to get you?" Rhythm tilts his head with a frown

"Right," speaking about that, Flos is reminded to keep Rhythm in check, "When we reach the Capital, if you see someone whom you knew, such as my 'Mother'; don't react too much, okay? Don't let her recognise or remember us,"

"Your...Mother?" Flos's Mother, a term that Rhythm has not heard anyone mention in a long, long, long time. Flos's Mother, isn't that person the 1 who left the toddler Flos behind with nothing as she disappeared into who knows where?

"She did not give birth to me," Flos remedies, confounding Rhythm more, "She just...brought My Father and me back to her house and called us a family,"

The reason why Flos still calls her 'Mother' is so Rhythm can identify that person and knows who she means. That's all.