Chapter 11: The Town of Rosalinde

After entering the country of Serenia,
Lydia and Leohart arrived at a town called Rosalinde.

It was a relaxed town lined with houses topped by cute brick-colored roofs and surrounded by a beautiful forest.
At first sight, Lydia fell in love with the town.

“I want to live in this town.”
“Then let’s do that.”

When they went to a small town hall in the center of town, decorated with red flowers by the windows, a young woman greeted them with a bright smile.

“Welcome to the town of Rosalinde.”

According to her, the town thrived on the production of processed goods such as magical tools and textiles, and many adventurers were active in gathering materials for those industries.

“Everyone here is polite, and public safety is very good.”

She said they would be grateful if Lydia could supply medicine to the town’s adventurers’ guild.

‘This might work.’

Lydia still did not know much about medicine for humans, and she also lacked the funds to open a shop.
She decided it would be best to study while supplying medicine and save money first.

When she consulted Leohart about it, he made a slightly uneasy face and said, “The adventurers’ guild, huh…”

According to him, it was a place frequented by many rough-tempered men.

“Letting Lydia go to a place like that…”
“It’s fine. I’ll make sure to carry eye-blinding medicine with me.”

When she said that,

“If you’re going to carry something that dangerous, then I’ll go with you.”

He replied with a serious face.
It seemed Leohart was quite the worrier.

After that, the two walked around town with the woman as their guide.
As for housing, they were told they could live in any vacant house they liked, and were shown several options.

Among them, Lydia especially liked a house located in the forest a short distance from town.
It was old and a little run-down, but spacious and seemed very comfortable to live in.
Despite it being her first time there, it somehow felt nostalgic.

“I want this place.”
“I was thinking the same.”

After deciding to live there, the two immediately began preparing the house.

First, they carried everything inside the house out into the yard.

While Lydia carried several books with a “heave-ho,” Leohart carried out more than ten times that amount over and over again.
By the time Lydia went in for her third trip, the inside of the house was already empty.

“Amazing, it’s already done.”

Lydia looked at Leohart with admiration.
He had rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt, revealing his thick arms.

She looked down at her own arms.
They were white, slender, and a little soft, and she accepted the difference in strength.

After that, Lydia took out her magic staff and used wind magic to blow all the dust out of the house.
She washed the entire interior with water magic, then dried it clean again with wind magic.

Leohart let out an impressed sound.

“That’s incredible skill.”
“Elves might be better at magic than humans.
But I feel like I’ve gotten better than I used to be.”

Ten years ago, because of her large amount of magical power, she had struggled with fine control.

‘Could it be because I lived above the magic spring?’

As she thought that, she lightly washed the exterior walls with water magic and dried them.
The white walls and orange roof regained their former appearance.

After that, they carried in the furniture they could use and went into town.

True to its reputation as a craft town, there were many shops.

The two went from shop to shop, discussing and purchasing furniture like tables they liked, as well as linens and fabric suitable for curtains.

—

And then, several days later, after working together to set up the house.

“It’s finished.”

At last, the house was complete.

Standing quietly in the forest bathed in the evening sun, the house had a nostalgic atmosphere.
Inside, green potted plants and wooden furniture welcomed them warmly.

The first floor held the living room, kitchen, and pharmacy workspace, while the second floor had their respective rooms.

Lydia looked around the house and let out a small wry smile.
Somehow, it felt similar to the home inside the giant tree.

‘I might have liked that place more than I realized.’

Lydia looked up at Leohart standing beside her.

“I really like it.
What about you, Leohart?”
“Of course.
Any place Lydia likes is a place I like.”

Lydia smiled.
She knew he was probably saying that to be considerate, and that thought made her very happy.

That day, the two had dinner at a small diner run by an elderly couple a short distance away.
To celebrate modestly, they ordered wine and made a toast.

With alcohol in her system, Lydia felt happier than ever.

“So you’re the type who gets cheerful when you drink, Lydia.”

She ate her meal cheerfully as she was told that.

Then, slightly tipsy and wobbling a little, she returned home supported by Leohart,
and wrapped herself in a new feather blanket, falling asleep in bliss.

Some time after Lydia had fallen asleep.

Leohart quietly went downstairs, sword in hand, and stepped outside.

Entering the slightly chilly forest, he drew his sword from its sheath and began swinging it.

Swish.
Swish.

The sound of the blade cutting through the air echoed through the quiet forest.

‘I’ve been getting too soft lately.
I need to stay sharp.’

After practicing for a while, Leohart stopped and looked up at the sky.
Between the trees, countless stars sparkled.

Gazing at them, he let out a small sigh.

“…This is bad.
I’m too happy.”

Working together with Lydia to build the house had been unimaginably happy.

Since losing his mother at the age of six, aside from the few months he spent with Lydia, he had rarely experienced human kindness.
He had been shunned in the royal palace, bullied harshly in the knight order, and constantly sent into deadly situations.

His room had been nothing more than a place to sleep.
Nothing more, nothing less.

For someone like him, building a home together with Lydia was a completely new experience.
Discussing furniture and working together to set the house in order.

That alone would have been enough to make him happy, but Lydia always cared about him.

When he worked, she asked, “Aren’t you tired?”
She suggested, “Let’s take a break,” and brewed tea for him.

That tea had been incredibly delicious.
He thought anything Lydia made would taste good, even muddy water, but that tea had been so good it nearly brought him to tears.

Remembering those days, he sighed again.

“…I’m too happy.”

His affection for Lydia kept growing.
Every time he thought he could not possibly love her more, the very next day he somehow loved her even more.

He could not imagine where it would end.

However, there was also something that concerned him.

‘…Just who is Lydia, really?’

Her magic was simply extraordinary.

He had once faced an elven mage on the battlefield, but had never felt anything like her overwhelming presence.
She might be the most powerful mage he had ever encountered.

He wanted to ask who she really was, but he hesitated.

Perhaps because she had not had good experiences in the Elven Kingdom, she often clearly avoided the topic.

‘…Well, it doesn’t matter who she is.’

No matter her past, Lydia was Lydia.

After swinging his sword a little longer while thinking that,
he quietly returned to the house.