Volume 2 Chapter 4 The Genderbent Female Traveler, Entering The Mountain Country
Under Victor's lead, Eleonora and the others stepped into the hidden cave and were surprised. The air inside wasn't as heavy as they'd expected.
The cavern stretched wide and tall. Even as Linker pulled the cart forward, there was space to spare above and around them. Victor said with a grin
"This is the caravan route. It's made big, since a long line of folks pass through here."
"Do you use horses?"
"Horses? At our size? We use pigs!"
The image of pigs pulling carts popped into her head. It should've looked silly, but instead, it made her feel warm inside.
While she wondered whether she should let the little boar pet the wall, bonk!—a jolt shot through her skull. She'd walked head-first into the low doorway while spacing out.
"No horses or wagons past here. Tie 'em tight, or they'll bolt."
They looped the reins around a thick wooden stake. Eleonora filled two buckets—one with water, the other with feed. No one knew how long they'd be inside the mountain, and it made sense to keep the animals from going hungry or thirsty.
"Hold up a sec."
With a grunt and a scratch at his nose, Linker turned his tired body sideways. The long haul had clearly worn him out.
"This is our kingdom. Nothing fancy. Just stone and fire."
He wasn't joking. Stone-built homes stood in neat lines, glowing under soft, orange torchlight. Flames flickered from wall sconces and ceiling grates, making the whole underground space brighter than anyone would expect from a mountain cave.
"Young ones check the air holes. Once they're grown, they train as smiths or soldiers."
"What's a floor chief, anyway?"
Someone askes. Victor puffed up a bit.
"Means I've got my own shop. I make nails and pots. Stuff folks use every day."
Georges had been glancing around, tense and unsure. Then, as if the thoughts burst out on their own, he spoke.
"I've heard the swords and spears made by the Miners are famous—even reached the Empire."
Victor nodded.
"Yeah, we've got good hands here. But what normal folks see? That's apprentice work."
He didn't seem to care that Georges looked annoyed.
"Most of those weapons were made for family. Once their soldier kin didn't need them, merchants came around. Traded salt or other goods for the extras."
Victor stopped in front of a wide wooden door and pushed it open.
Warm light spilled across the stone floor. Inside, the Miners dropped their gear at marked spots, one by one.
"This here's our workshop. After you grab food today, stay the night."
"It's just hard bread and cheese, isn't it?"
"Maybe they've got strong jaws from birth."
* * *
At the market, the visiting nobles stood out like oak trees in a wheat field. The Miners, barely five feet tall even at their tallest, had to tilt their heads way back to meet the eyes of the three travelers. The nobles' bigger frames and clear muscle tone only added to the contrast. After every trade, the Miners rubbed their necks as if trying to ease the ache from looking up.
"Don't you sell swords?"
Georges asked a nearby vendor.
"We've got axes and hammers," the shopkeeper said with a shrug.
François and Georges looked disappointed. They'd come expecting blades of high quality, but most of the market sold only axes, hammers, and, at best, a few battered shields.
On the way back, they discussed how much gear they could load onto the cart. That's when raised voices came from the workshop ahead.
One voice was clearly Victor's. The other—sharp and angry—belonged to someone new.
"Are you stupid!? Chasing some commoner all the way to the land of the long-ears—have you lost your mind!?"
"Calm down, Drahomir. There are some real interesting folks here."
Victor tried to keep his tone steady, but the man called Drahomir wasn't backing down.
"I never thought my own cousin would be this careless! Do you want our whole clan in chaos!?"
"Well... when you put it that way, I do sound kinda weak,"
Victor said, scratching the back of his head.
Then he noticed Eleonora and waved her over.
"Everyone, meet my cousin—Drahomir. He's part of the Steel Breakers, royal palace warriors."
Drahomir's eyes locked onto Eleonora the moment he saw her. His eyebrows furrowed, and he glared like his stare alone could burn through stone.
"You're the ones who tricked Victor!?"
He stormed toward her, radiating heat like a furnace. But his short legs made the approach more awkward than threatening.
"If you lot go into the land of the long-ears, you'll be full of arrows before you take five steps! If you want to die, do it without dragging anyone else down!"
Eleonora let out a long breath. She dropped her pack on the table and sat down on the floor, cross-legged.
"Listen closely," she said. "He chose to come. His will. His risk. That has nothing to do with me. We're doing this to get away from politics and control. We're not forcing anyone."
"How irresponsible—!"
"I told him not to come. I even said no. But your cousin insisted. So, he can look after himself. That's only fair."
Back then, that was the norm. Her logic was sound, and Drahomir had no good answer.
"...Then prove you're not the kind to get killed by the long-ears. Duel me tomorrow."
"Drahomir!"
Victor snapped.
"Quiet! It's our duty to make sure he doesn't die for nothing! If I lose, I'll come along to protect him."
"Hmph... and if I lose?"
Eleonora asked calmly.
"Then you leave Victor here. You can go get filled with arrows on your own. I won't stop you."
Eleonora didn't argue. Honestly, she didn't care either way. She had never planned on dragging an old man along. Letting him go wouldn't be a loss.
Character Notes:
• Linker - A large gray horse won by Eleonora in a tournament. He is friendly, enjoys apples, and is named by Eleonora. He will be kept at the academy for riding lessons.
• Georges - A rugged-faced knight and the only lower noble among the Twelve Sacred Blades. He volunteers to lead the cavalry, seeking promotion and recognition. He harbors ambitions to marry Princess Elodia.
• François - The fourth son of Baron Lanramoncie of the Loriengita Empire. The one who join the tournament before.
• Drahomir - A member of the royal palace warrior group, the Steel Breakers. He is short in stature (around 150 cm tall) but fierce and protective of his clan. His appearance includes miner attire, and he is quick to anger, especially when it comes to Victor's decisions. He challenges Eleonora to a duel to test her strength.
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