Towards the Winter Cabin of Serenity and Madness, Cinderella Runs - Chapter 125
“What’s wrong?”
“There was a group of mercenaries chasing us. I dealt with them all, so there’s no need to worry.”
“Ugh, what a hassle. We don’t even have a horse to ride! Are we going to have to walk from now on?”
“Yes, that’s why I need you to hurry up.”
Pulling along the complaining Serley, they followed the waterway. Ron had mentioned that following the water would lead them to a village.
“If we head to that village, my home will be there. How about we get treatment there?”
Ron whispered as he cautiously observed Serley’s reactions. Kyden raised an eyebrow.
“Is your house this way?”
“Yes, I’m a mercenary deployed from this region.”
Since Ron was a mercenary pulled from a conflict zone, his home wasn’t far away. That was a stroke of luck. It would be convenient to assess the situation from his house and ask for help if needed.
“Young Lord, let’s stay at this man’s house for a bit.”
“What? You said we’d reach the village soon. We can just go straight to the village chief.”
“But we don’t know who orchestrated this. If the traitors hear that we’re hiding in that village first, it could become more dangerous.”
“Damn it! If it’s a mercenary’s house, it’s probably filthy. I hate dirtiness more than anything else!”
Serley tugged at his hair in frustration. It was no surprise that he was being fussy and sensitive; that was just his nature.
Following behind, Ron scratched his head.
“It shouldn’t be too dirty. My daughter is quite tidy and diligent.”
“Stop bragging about your daughter! Isn’t it tiring?”
“How can you tell me not to talk about my daughter when that’s my greatest joy? You’re being unreasonable, Young Lord.”
Kyden let the two of them chat comfortably while he quietly continued walking. The pain in his thigh left no room for playful banter.
They walked along the waterway for quite a while without encountering any enemies. It seemed they had successfully evaded pursuit. After several more hours of walking, they came across a small waterfall.
Seeing the waterfall, Ron brightened and walked ahead.
“It’s nearby! Just a bit further!”
As Ron led the way, Serley approached Kyden and whispered,
“Can we trust him? He’s not leading us into an enemy den, is he?”
“…I don’t think so.”
“I have a bad feeling about this. If we see the village, just kill that guy.”
Kyden’s face hardened as he glanced at Ron’s back. They were in a vulnerable position.
Could he really be the enemy? He had warned them of the danger and helped them. But what if he was helping them just to find out Serley’s location? For a moment, doubt crept in.
Suddenly reminded of the mercenary’s daughter he had been boasting about non-stop, Kyden felt a bit uncomfortable. He persuaded Serley,
“He warned us in advance of the dangers. Let’s trust him just this once. There’s no guarantee that the village is safe either, right?”
“…Tsk.”
Serley clicked his tongue, clearly displeased, but didn’t press the issue further. He chose to trust Kyden’s judgment.
In the distance, they could see a flock of sheep and small houses clustered together. Ron raised his hands and cheered,
“Oh! That’s our village!”
“Shh, let’s enter quietly. We don’t know who might be in the village.”
Kyden quickly covered Ron’s mouth. They moved silently to avoid drawing attention. There were no signs of outsiders in the quiet and peaceful village.
Ron’s house was on the outskirts of the village. The small, fenced home looked modest and charming. Inside the fence, chickens were pecking at the ground, and there was even a donkey.
Following Kyden’s instructions, Ron quietly opened the door. The inside of the house was still. The cozy little home had a fireplace, a dining table, and charming decorations scattered about.
“Come on in.”
Ron gestured for them to enter. Kyden stepped inside first to inspect the interior and then called for Serley. After surveying the house, Serley made a brief remark,
“It’s cramped.”
“Yes, it’s just me and my daughter living here.”
“It’s unimpressive.”
Serley snorted and plopped down on a chair in the living room. He chewed on his lip, his eyes darting from side to side. He looked quite anxious.
Having confirmed that it was safe, Kyden also took a seat and caught his breath. He unwrapped the cloth around his thigh to check the wound. It was deep, and it seemed like it would take time to heal.
“Do you have any herbs?”
“There should be some herbs around here somewhere…”
He rummaged through the pantry and the living room in search of herbs. Serley suddenly spoke up,
“Where’s your daughter? You mentioned you had a daughter.”
At those words, Kyden straightened up quietly. The mercenary who had said he had a daughter—if she wasn’t here, could there be someone else? He leaned forward, on alert for any potential threats.
Finally, unable to find any herbs, Ron scratched his head.
“I can’t find the herbs… I think Roel has gone out. She’s probably washing clothes by the water or doing some shopping.”
“…”
Serley looked at Kyden. His eyes were bloodshot, so much so that the whites were tinged red.
