■ Reverse Charm □
The bandit group, startled by Vanessa’s overwhelming divine power, stopped fighting the adventurers and retreated, leaving behind the corpses of their comrades.
After all, more than ten people had been slaughtered in the blink of an eye, so it was understandable that they were terrified.
Interestingly, the one who caused such chaos seemed to have no particular thoughts about it.
Anyway, I felt we should join back before it got any later, so I returned with Dorothea to the base camp, now a scene of utter chaos.
“Thank you!”
After the incident, the first person to rush over and bow deeply was the head of the caravan.
Vanessa, after all, had single-handedly forced the bandits to retreat, so it wasn’t surprising that he approached her with such humility.
There were no significant casualties because the bandit attack was suppressed early on.
A few caravan employees hit by stray arrows had collapsed, but it seemed their injuries were only minor.
From his perspective, it must have felt like dodging a decade’s worth of bad luck.
Judging by the scale of the bandits, it seemed they had planned the attack from the start, yet it ended without much damage.
However, Barnett, who had just finished packing up the tents, casually waved it off as nothing while the caravan leader insisted on inviting us to lunch, claiming he couldn’t let the savior of their lives go unrewarded.
“Aah, I’ll eat.”
When Vanessa unexpectedly accepted the invitation without hesitation, the caravan leader then turned to us.
“Please, all of you come along.”
At this, Dorothea, who had been listening nearby, gleamed with excitement and asked,
“Is there alcohol?”
“If you wish, I’ll also provide the wine I brought for personal use.”
“Yay! Free booze!”
…As someone traveling with them, I feel awkward saying this, but aren’t they too weak when it comes to food? Typically, the diet of hired hands is quite modest.
Yesterday’s turnip soup with rock-hard rye bread we ate is a good example.
However, someone at the level of a caravan leader would be in a relatively high position, and it was unlikely their meals would be the same as those below them.
True to form, right after promising during the morning’s bandit repulsion, the caravan leader invited us to his table when lunchtime came during our journey.
“This way, please.”
Following the guidance of what appeared to be a staff member, we entered a tent set up temporarily, where a fairly lavish meal was laid out on the table.
Of course, it wasn’t on par with the feasts we had at the Demon King’s Castle.
But as they say, even simple dishes count as delicacies here. You wouldn’t find this kind of food easily on the road.
It seems they have a dedicated chef.
“Wow.”
Dorothea, entering the tent first with excitement, couldn’t hide her excitement upon seeing the table laden with various dishes.
Or rather, she exclaimed in awe upon spotting the bottles of wine placed in the corner.
On the other hand, Vanessa, who takes dining as a hobby, gave a light nod of approval.
By her standards, it seemed to meet her expectations.
She was once nobility during the Empire era, so it makes sense that her palate is quite refined.
As we took our seats one by one, the caravan leader sitting at the head of the table greeted us with a broad smile.
“There isn’t much, but please help yourselves.”
It was clear that effort had been put into preparing the meal, but we’ll pretend not to notice here. That’s how adults behave.
‘Still, there are quite a variety.’
It was the second day since departing from Hamburg.
Perhaps because the ingredients purchased there still remained plentiful, the table was adorned with a diverse selection of meats and vegetables.
Ordinarily, eating such food during a journey would be considered a luxury.
Typically, travelers prioritize volume and preservation, focusing on dried goods, making it difficult to enjoy sumptuous meals.
But this caravan, dealing primarily in food supplies, seemed relatively free from such concerns.
The steak made from premium salmon found locally melted in your mouth.
The Coq au Vin, chicken braised in wine, or the sausages and grilled lamb chops made from sheep commonly raised in the area were all delicious, free from any gamy taste.
Eventually, it seemed Dorothea, who hadn’t eaten breakfast and was starving, began hastily devouring the food.
Seeing this, I smirked slightly as the caravan leader, who hadn’t taken many bites himself like Vanessa and I, gently inquired,
“If it’s not too much trouble, may I inquire about the name of our benefactor? A swordsman with such skill must surely be renowned.”
At this, Vanessa glanced at me instead of answering immediately.
I leaned in slightly and whispered to her,
“Use a suitable alias.”
Vanessa is the captain of the Demon King’s personal guard, unknown to humans unlike the Four Heavenly Kings whose names and appearances are well-known.
Still, it’s better to use an alias just in case.
Understanding my meaning, Vanessa responded as she removed her helmet.
“My name is Janet.”
The caravan leader looked surprised and said,
“Our benefactor is a woman.”
Even though Vanessa dresses less covered than usual, wearing a helmet can still make her gender ambiguous.
Realizing his mistake, he cleared his throat and changed the topic by asking us our names.
I swallowed the mutton in my mouth and replied,
“I am Partarth.”
“Mr. Partarth. And this lady?”
At this, Dorothea, who hadn’t paid attention to our conversation and was busy stuffing herself with alcohol and meat, pushed up her sunglasses and said,
“Quattro Virginia.”
“Shall I call you Ms. Quattro Virginia?”
“Do as you please.”
In response to the man’s question, Dorothea curtly answered and began wielding two swords using the lamb chop bones.
It’s slightly suspicious how such a small body can consume so much.
Anyone could see that she came purely for the food, causing the caravan leader to laugh nervously and wave us on urgently.
“Please, don’t let me interrupt your meal.”
Only then did lunch resume.
Probably due to her noble origins, watching Vanessa eat silently was quite the sight.
Both myself and Dorothea are originally from lower-class backgrounds.
We may have some etiquette drilled into us, but it always feels like wearing clothes that don’t quite fit.
On the other hand, watching Vanessa eat felt like she was showing us what true grace looks like.
Since we rarely get the chance to eat together, her mannerisms seem unfamiliar.
‘Is this what they mean by reverse charm?’
After about an hour of eating, as we enjoyed the desserts meant to cleanse our palates, the caravan leader praised Vanessa.
“The refinement of our benefactor left me lost in admiration. Could you perhaps be the daughter of a prestigious noble family?”
To which Vanessa replied, wiping her mouth with a napkin,
“I abandoned the name of my family long ago.”
“Ah…”
The caravan leader let out an admiring sigh.
To a third party, it might seem like Vanessa has a complicated backstory, but knowing the truth, it was somewhat amusing.
All sorts of imaginings must be forming in his mind right now.
Once dessert was finished, concluding the meal, as we prepared to leave the tent and return to the caravan, the caravan leader personally greeted us.
“We kindly request your continued protection for the rest of the journey. And if you need anything in the future, please don’t hesitate to ask. Our caravan wishes to maintain a good relationship with you.”
Perhaps this entire elaborate setup was just to say these words.
Well, when someone gives away expensive meals for free, there’s usually an ulterior motive.
The man probably wants to recruit Vanessa, who displayed overwhelmingly superior martial prowess beyond what a typical Sword Expert could offer, but unfortunately for him, we’re not ordinary adventurers.
“Thank you for the meal.”
Still, thanks to his grand misstep, we got a proper meal, so I decided to simply enjoy the moment.
Gulp-[[#]] The caravan, which had been moving nonstop since morning, finally stopped in the evening at a village called Widel.
Widel was a name I’d heard before.
If I recall correctly, it was famous for its apple pie festival.
After arriving at the village, the caravan members and adventurers scattered appropriately to settle into their accommodations.
This applied to us as well. Normally, we’d share a room to save money, but perhaps due to the events of the morning, they specially arranged two rooms for us, allowing me to have my own.
After unpacking, I headed straight to the sauna located behind the inn.
I wanted to freshen up properly before sleeping.
