I Became a Barbarian's Bride - Chapter 11
The penetrating gaze and the subtly clinging voice made it hard for her to take her next step.
He had already turned his head away indifferently, lighting a cigarette with an idle expression.
Just moments ago, he seemed like a curious traveler, but now… Right.
There was a confidence that everything would go his way. It felt so natural for him to look down on others.
More like someone who rules over others rather than a mere traveler…
‘…tun?’
The vaguely familiar word made her frown slightly. She nodded lightly in greeting and left the tavern.
She intended to inform Mary, Rad, and Mesh and then leave the country.
Since they were leaving in a hurry, she couldn’t create a fake identity, but that could be handled once they entered the neighboring empire.
Fortunately, Nisha knew a way to cross into the empire without going through the border.
As she stepped outside, she saw people forming a long line in the late-night hours, unable to sleep, waiting to receive food.
“……”
Her face twisted slightly.
There was still plenty of food in the imperial palace, enough to rot away, yet in the capital, supposedly the most prosperous part of the country, so many were starving.
Those who had somehow survived the war often bore many scars.
There were families who had lost their sole breadwinner.
If she were to leave, these people would have nowhere else to turn and would perish in despair.
However, she couldn’t tell those who had lived their whole lives on this land to abandon it.
Whether they died on the road or in their hometown, she wasn’t sure which was better.
As she ran her hand over her face in frustration, she suddenly paused, looking at her palm.
‘…But who exactly is that man?’
All her life force had been drained.
Normally, when Nisha ‘charged’ her life force, she could heal a considerable number of people.
Even this time, she had treated many patients in the tavern and still had about half of her life force left… That man was the last one.
“…It didn’t seem like he was lying about being in pain.”
Her life force was consumed more rapidly the greater the pain or severity of the injury.
‘…I had planned to use the remaining life force to earn a bit of money for the journey.’
She looked down at her palm with a perplexed expression, falling silent.
“Ah, Prin… I mean, Saintess.”
“Mary.”
“I’ve given out everything we had!”
Mary, sweating profusely but with a satisfied smile, exclaimed.
Seeing Mary clench her fist tightly, Nisha gave a faint smile and nodded.
“You’ve worked hard today. Also… I have something important to tell you…”
Before she could finish her sentence, Mary led her down a deserted alleyway with Mesh and Rad and handed her a large, stuffed cloth bag she had been carrying on her back.
The girl with freckled cheeks spoke with an unusually bright and spirited face.
“And this is for you, Pri… I mean, Saintess.”
“…Mary?”
“Of course, this bag includes me too!”
Understanding Mary’s words instantly, Nisha widened her eyes and then fell silent.
“The carriage m-may be old and worn o-out, but it’s b-better than both of you wa-walking. I’ve also re-repaired it myself…!”
“…Mary, Mesh, what on earth are you two talking about?”
“We want you to live freely, Princess.”
“Rad.”
Seeing the three gathered in the alleyway, Nisha frowned, a rare expression for her.
“…So, you all knew.”
She rubbed her face with both hands, feeling a bit defeated.
“Even if you decided not to leave, we were prepared to make you go, even by force if necessary.”
Rad, the red-haired man, took her hand and bowed, lightly kissing her hand.
As she inhaled deeply, she recalled the day she had started this endeavor, under the red moon, giving food to a child who had now grown tall enough for her to look up to meet his eyes.
