The Beginning After The End novel Chapter 212

Chapter 212

Chapter 212: A Promise

Hugging Tess one more time, my bond headed up the Wall as we waved her off. The guards let her through the gate to the upper levels, and she walked out of sight.

‘Don’t think about other things and try to have some fun while you’re with her, Arthur,’ Sylvie sent.

“It’s surprisingly easy to get used to Sylvie in that form,” Tess said, turning to me.

I smirked. “Well, if it weren’t for those huge horns on the sides of her head, she’d just look like an unassuming little girl.”

“Those horns are pretty adorable though. But anyway”—Tess pointed in the direction of the merchant area and gave me a warm smile—“shall we head off as well?”

I smiled back. “Sure.”

It was an odd feeling as we walked through the crowds of people. My legs that had ached and felt so heavy without the aid of mana were light as I trotted alongside Tess. I watched as her head turned left and right and her expression changed from curiosity to amazement to delight as she took in the sight of the various booths and stands that merchants had set up along the street.

It was a rare feeling where, next to this girl that I had spent so many years of this life with, thoughts of my responsibilities as a lance and general in times of war weren’t priorities.

That was when it struck me.

This role that I had accepted for the sake of Dicathen had been slowly turning me back into the man I was back in my old world. There were some differences, of course. I had people I truly cared for, but in a sense, that made it worse. I felt like I had to be better—to make no mistakes—if I wanted to keep them alive as well.

“Has being apart from me for so long finally made you realize how pretty your childhood friend actually is?” Tess teased, snapping me out of my thoughts.

“Actually, yes,” I replied earnestly.

Not expecting that sort of reply, Tess blushed all the way to the tips of her ears.

“I-I see. Well, it’s good that you know now,” she said with a cough, her gaze avoiding me.

I surveyed the crowd around us, finding mostly adventurers garbed in chainmail or hard leather armor and the occasional off-duty soldier, still wearing the insignia of their rightful division. “Is it always this busy here?”

“Mhmm. Having so many mercenaries and adventurers here taking jobs and missions at the Wall brought about an influx of merchants and peddlers hoping to make money selling goods and services to them,” Tess explained quickly, grateful for the change in topic.

“This place really does have its own separate economy,” I uttered, admiring the bustling activities around us.

“Speaking of goods and services, there’s a place that I always wanted to try!” Tess pulled me by my arm and weaved through the tide of pedestrians until we arrived near the end of a line that wrapped around a single isolated cart.

Before I could even ask what could possibly warrant waiting in such a long line, a smoky scent crept up my nostrils. My stomach became almost as impatient as my watering mouth as the thick mixture of herbs and spices mingling alongside the savory aroma of grilled meat continued to bombard my senses.

“Doesn’t it smell fantastic?” Tess asked excitedly as she craned her neck to try and get a better view of the cart.

I nodded. “If it tastes as good as it smells, maybe I should make your grandfather hire him as a chef inside the Castle.”

“Tempting, but I’d feel bad for all the people here that look forward to eating here,” she replied.

That’s when I noticed the gazes of all the people around us. Some whispered to the friends they were waiting in line with while others saluted or bowed.

Thankfully a disturbance ahead in the line caught the attention of the people around us. It seemed like someone was trying to make their way to the back of the line.

“Out of the way! Move it!” a gruff voice boomed.

Finally, a man a head shorter than Tess appeared through the sea of people ahead of us. He was carrying a small paper bowl filled with a steaming stew of meat and vegetables in each of his hands.

Locking gazes with Tess and then me, the stout man held up the bowls toward us. “It’s not much, but here. Even a lance shouldn’t fight on an empty stomach.”

“Thank you,” I said, reaching down for the piping hot stew while Tess did the same. “But how did you know we were even back here?”

The stand owner jerked his thumb back to point at the line. “It didn’t take long for news to travel all the way up to the front of the line.”

I let out a chuckle. “Regardless, thank you for the treat.”

The portly old man clicked his heels and saluted, which brought up his shirt to reveal a bulging stomach. “No. Thank you.”

His actions had a chain effect, causing all the people in the line to salute. Tess stifled a giggle and joined them, shooting me a wink while saluting as well.

After returning my respects to the people waiting in line, Tess and I went on our way to our next undecided destination.

“Looks like coming with you does have its perks,” Tess said as she used a wooden pick to skewer one of the charred meat dripping with sauce. “That place is always so busy, even the captains here don’t get that kind of treatment.”

After taking a bite, her eyes closed and a smile pulled at her lips. “Mmm, so good!”

“You’re probably the only person who’d regard a lance as a ‘perk,’ Tess,” I said, taking a bite as well. Needless to say, the stew was delicious enough to make the extravagant dishes served in the Castle pale in comparison. Despite my restraints, the flood of flavors on my senses were strong enough that even Sylvie felt my delight.

‘I hope you’ve saved enough for me,’ she sent with a tingle of curiosity laced in her voice.

Sorry, I don’t think I can promise you that, I replied while taking another bite.

Despite the constant din of people around us, I felt more at peace now than I ever had these past few months.

I was grateful to Tess, who kept me engrossed in the present. She pulled me aside toward every stall that interested her without a second thought. She laughed and smiled at the smallest things, but I found myself constantly looking forward to her reactions.

In a way, her bright and sometimes childish personality seemed so admirable. She had the responsibility to look after an entire unit. She spent days, sometimes weeks, out in the Beast Glades in conditions far from desirable. Yet, she was able to produce such a radiant smile that it infected those around her.

Tess’ hand slowly approaching the stew that I was holding brought me back to reality. “If you’re not going to eat that...”

I snapped the dish out of her reach just as the skewer in her hand attempted to fish out one of the few remaining meat cubes I had been saving. “You wish.”

Tess let out a frown. “As expected of a lance.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yes, because it’s imperative for a lance to learn how to defend his or her own food from treacherous allies.”

Skewering a meat cube with the pick in my hand, I held it out for Tess. “Here.”

My childhood friend’s eyes visibly brightened as she got on her tippy toes to snatch the meat with her mouth. “Sho good!”

I blinked as I stared at the empty pick in my hand.

“What’s wrong?” she said. “You’re kind of red. Do you have a fever?”

“It’s nothing!” I said, quickly turning around. “My body hasn’t been in the best condition these days.”

We walked in silence for a while. Tess looked a bit guilty because of what I said, even though I just said it to cover up a lie. Hoping to lift her mood, I pointed at a confectionery where several colorful dough-like desserts were displayed. While the line wasn’t long, there were quite a few people holding or eating the dough nearby. “That seems like a popular stall. Do you want something from there?”

“Oh! That’s a pretty popular dessert stand,” she said. “I’m okay, but Caria loves these. I’ll go by myself; just wait here, okay?”

“Okay.”

I smiled, watching her struggle with deciding which flavors to get while the old lady waited patiently on the other side of the stand.

Suspecting it would take a bit longer, I walked over to a smaller booth a few yards away.

“Interested, I see. You have a good eye, Sir,” the little boy attending the stand exclaimed. “What can I get for you?”

“I’m just looking around,” I answered, not taking my eyes off the display of trinkets and accessories laid out on top of the white cloth. “Actually, can I purchase this?”

“Of course! It’ll come out to be one sil—ouch!” the kid yelped, looking back. “What gives, Mom?”

“What do you think you’re doing?” an older woman huffing for breath chided. She looked at me apologetically. “I’m so sorry, General. My boy here is a bit ignorant of the world.”

“General? You?” the boy said, dumbfounded. “But you’re like the same age as my brother!”

That earned him another smack from his mother before she handed me the item I wanted to purchase. “Please take this as an apology for my son’s rude behavior. Again, I’m so sorry.”

I let out a laugh. “No problem at all, and please let me pay.”

She waved her hand in dismissal. “Oh no! Please, how can I possibly take money from a lance!”

“Since it’s a present, I’d feel more confident in giving it to the person if I actually earned it,” I admitted.

“Is it that pretty lady over there with the silver—ouch! Mom!” The boy rubbed the spot on his shoulder where he’d gotten hit.

Chuckling, I tossed the kid a coin and thanked the two of them before walking back toward Tess.

“Wait! This is a gold coin!” the mother called from behind.

Looking back over my shoulder, I held up the charm that I had just bought. “I just paid what I thought this was worth. It’s very well-made, ma’am.”