North x Northwest

Lil carefully adjusted the tone of her voice as to not reveal her anxiety.

“How long do you think it will take until Linhardt comes?”

Ed was sitting on the floor leaning against the wall below the window. It was dangerous to leave the shutters open, but a patient like Ed needed to breathe clean air.

Ed muttered, squinting his closed eyes.

“…I was wondering when you would come in. It seems like three hours have already passed…”

Sunlight mixed with dust shimmered on the lashes of his sunken and quivering eyes. His upright sitting posture was undisturbed, but his neck and collarbones, glistening with cold sweat, revealed that he had been suffering from a high fever the whole time.

Lil moistened a towel with lukewarm water again and approached Ed. As she moved close to him, his hot body temperature clung to her skin.

“How long do you think it will take for Lindhardt to reach us?”

“If we’re only talking about time, then he should’ve reached us by now.”

“Then what’s keeping him? What’s going on?”

“He could be waiting for the Imperial Army.”

“No way. Linhardt’s face at that time looked like he would come running down straight away.”

“His face?”

“Before we fell. Linhardt was holding on to me.”

“I see.”

Lil opened his shirt and wiped his neck.

“He seemed very desperate. Like he thought you would never survive.”

“He always worries about unnecessary things.”

“I’ve seen quite a few relatives whose bond is pretty close, but I never thought you had a cousin like that.”

“…Our bond isn’t that close.”

“I believe Linhardt begs to differ.”

It came as a surprise to Lil as well.

‘I never realised that Ed has a family that openly expresses their affection. To me it always seemed like he had been living alone in this world… That was actually the reason why I so desperately wanted to express my affection for him, to tell him he wasn’t alone anymore… But now that I think about it, it makes sense that the person who is so natural at giving affection also receives it… In that sense, it also explains why whatever I was doing felt kinda awkward and maybe a bit forced…’

“After my grandfather died, Linhardt had tried to act as my older brother. But I found it annoying and useless.”

“Then there must be a reason for the delay in finding us…”

– Tap. Tap. –

Alarmed, Lil and Ed simultaneously turned their heads towards the ceiling. It sounded like either Alain or Jericho stomped their feet on the roof as a signal. Lil grabbed Ed’s shoulder and pressed him down as he was about to move his body. She then calmly drew her gun and placed her back next to the window.

She asked in a voice loud enough to reach the rooftop.

“From where?”

Alain responded in a very wary tone.

“The sea. A ship is coming.”

“Damn it.”

“I think it’s a smuggling ship as they sailed covertly along the cliff. I just saw it, but I can’t see it now. It’s difficult to get a broad view because of the trees.”

Lil looked down at Ed, who was leaning on the window sill.

“Is there any possibility that Linhardt will come via the waterway?”

“There is, but he wouldn’t have chosen a route along the coastline. That’s the route only smugglers use to reach this place.”

“If you know, why did you let the smuggling happen right in front of your territory? Isn’t this a merchant ship which was supposed to land in Roahn?”

Ed looked up at her as if asking why there was a need to be scolded by her in this very situation, but Lil’s threatening gaze alone conveyed her meaning.

‘What?’

“…The Navy isn’t obligated to protect merchant ships or taxes. Plus, it’s not my territory, and I don’t want to join forces with the Imperial Army and become entangled in matters that involve various powers.”

“Various powers?”

“Let’s just say it’s more complicated than it looks.”

‘In any case, criticising Ed here won’t make the smugglers disappear right away.’

Lil lowered her body with a sigh. She spoke while putting one of Ed’s arms around her shoulders.

“Get up now. We shouldn’t stay here any longer.”

“I don’t know the detailed geography of this forest…”

“Alain and Jericho have been hanging out here for a few weeks, so I’m sure they know where to take refuge. Let’s go.”

At that moment, Jericho suddenly jumped down in front of the window and spoke rapidly.

“We have to hurry. I noticed the incoming ship late because I was only looking at the path towards the forest…”

Alain came in through the entrance and tried to support Ed’s remaining arm. Lil took turns looking between Alain and Jericho, who was still standing beyond the window, before giving orders.

“Jericho will be best suited to help Ed. He’s the tallest among the three of us.”

“I can walk alone…”

Lil quickly punched Ed’s side after he tried to talk nonsense again.

“Jericho will support Ed. Alain, take the front, and I will be guarding the back. Grandpa will decide where to go and guide us.”

“Where to?”

“To the place where we were supposed to move to last night. Is there a problem with that now?”

“I can’t guarantee it. Still, the sea over there is about to turn into a smugglers’ dock, so anywhere will be better than here.”

“If today is the scheduled arrival date of that ship, is there a possibility that the rest of the smugglers waiting on land will also move?”

Ed, who was being passed from Alain to Jericho, answered.

“Of course there is.”

“Then that would be more chaotic. Linhardt might be late because of their movement.”

“Maybe.”

Lil swallowed her curses and gestured to Alain, who went out first through the wide-open front door. Lil quickly poured water into the fireplace, rummaged through the ashes, and followed. With their backs against the particularly loud sound of the waves, they went beyond the cabin and into the depths of the forest.

The fog that hung between the towering trees was humid, while the ground was still damp with traces of last night’s rain.

Lil sighed as she gave up on concealing their footprints in the mud and leaves.

‘It’s fortunate that Ed is able to walk. Although his thigh injury is just as critical as his high fever, moving is our best bet for now.’

Lil asked without being sure who she was talking to.

“Are you sure this is the way?”

Jericho, who was holding Ed’s arm tightly, glanced back.

“We’re sure. Where do you think we got the clean water and cloth?”

“What kind of place is it?”

“It’s a cabin used by smugglers, but they left a few days ago. They’re not going to Roahn but to a different village somewhere along the Great Trade Route.”

“And you’re positive they plan to be away for some time?”

“It seemed like they were going to sell something, so they probably won’t be in the cabin for a few weeks.”

“It looks like smuggled goods are being distributed along the Great Trade Route. I guess it’s a common phenomenon…”

After noticing that her thoughts were drifting off that far, Lil cut them off as they weren’t helpful for their survival at all.

‘Now that we’re out of the cabin, I need to think of a way to contact Linhardt and tell him where to meet…!’

“Hold on.”

As soon as Lil said that, their steps stopped. No one questioned it. Alain, holding a gun, slowly came close behind a tree. Jericho also pulled out a dagger, and Lil gripped her gun with both hands.

Ed, who was rummaging through his empty waistband, glanced at Lil.

“I don’t… You want me to die?”

Feeling sorry, Lil quickly handed him a gun.

Even though the wind cut through the branches like a rake, the fog didn’t move in the slightest.

– Tap, tap. –

Wind-blown fruit fell on the wet ground. Amidst the humid sounds of birds and insects, Lil listened for any human voices.

‘One, two, three…’

Ed whispered.

“…At least four at eleven o’clock. No, make that five or six…”

Lil nodded dryly and looked around.

‘This place has openings on all sides. Forests don’t have the same density as jungles, so our location is clearly visible from unlucky angles. We have no cover, and our fresh footprints remain vivid…’

“Are there any caves or tree stumps around?”

Alain shook his head.

“This land is flat.”

“How long will it take us to get to the cabin?”

“Even if we go quickly, it will take us more than 10 minutes.”

Jericho pressed her shoulder and whispered.

“…They’re coming this way…”

Voices could be heard beyond the fog.

‘There’s no other way.’

Without the need for an order, they each hid behind a tree.

Lil suppressed her laboured breathing. She craned her head, resting her shoulder against the rough wooden beam, desperately hoping that the approaching group belonged to Linhardt…

– – – – –