Chapter 26: The Night Before Departure

After finishing packing most of our belongings into the backpack, I sat down on the bed and let out a small breath.

Rowena, meanwhile, had spread several of the clothes we had bought earlier across the bed and was standing there with her arms folded, wearing a very serious expression.

Apparently, she was trying to decide what to wear for tomorrow’s journey.

(Clothes for the city and clothes for traveling… Maybe I should have her keep them properly separated.)

As I absentmindedly thought about that, my gaze naturally fell on the old notebook in my hands.

It was the precious notebook the magistrate knight had given me.

I flipped through the pages.

It hadn’t even been a month since I left the capital.

And yet, the events written in this notebook already felt incredibly dense.

The Blackleaf Forest.

The fierce battle with the massive drake.

And—meeting Rowena.

Not to mention becoming an adventurer.

As I thought back on everything, a quiet chuckle escaped me.

This journey was supposed to be a carefree trip alone.

How had it turned out like this?

(…Well, it’s not bad.)

I picked up my pen and began writing down the events of the day in the notebook.

Then, a thought suddenly came to me.

(That’s right. I should get another new notebook.)

This notebook was meant to serve as a guide—recording plans and information to fulfill my promise to the knight.

But for recording travel memories—days spent with Rowena—it might be better to have a separate one.

As I sat there smiling to myself, I noticed Rowena staring at me curiously.

“What is it?”

When I asked, she simply tilted her head slightly.

When it was time for dinner, we headed down to the inn’s dining hall.

The events at the guild earlier must have already spread around.

When we appeared, a faint murmur ran through the room.

Ignoring the attention, I found an empty table and sat down.

I asked a passing server to bring two portions of the day’s meal.

Then I told Rowena, “Wait here a moment,” before heading over to the innkeeper at the counter.

“Innkeeper, may I have a moment?”

When I called out, he turned toward me with a friendly smile.

“Hey there, Edwin. What’s up?”

“I’m planning to leave for the Adel Hills tomorrow. So I’d like to settle my lodging bill for now, and… could you prepare about four days’ worth of travel rations for when we depart in the morning?”

At my words, the innkeeper looked a little disappointed, but he nodded right away.

“What, you’re leaving already? That’s a shame. Well, alright then—leave the payment and the food preparations to me!”

“Thank you. And while I’m here, one more thing.”

Just before leaving the counter, I asked something that had been on my mind.

“Do the members of ‘Black Dagger’ often stay here?”

“Oh, you mean Fiona and her group? When they come back to town, they usually stay here. They’re skilled, and they’ve got good spirit.”

I see.

Perhaps I might run into them again someday.

After thanking him, I returned to the table.

By the time I got back, our warm dinner had already been set out.

Rowena had not touched the food yet.

She had been quietly waiting for me to return.

“Thanks. Come on, let’s eat.”

We ate quietly, savoring the warm meal together.

After finishing dinner and returning to the room, I ended up helping Rowena choose her clothes.

“Hm… If we’re going to see a waterfall, these might be easier to move in.”

When I pointed to the sturdy trousers and tunic, Rowena nodded and seemed to settle on that choice.

We folded the clothes she would wear tomorrow and packed the rest into her small backpack.

Once everything was ready, we climbed into bed.

The softness of the sheets felt comforting.

Beside me, I could hear Rowena’s calm breathing as she slept.

From tomorrow on, we would probably spend many nights sleeping on the ground again.

But that too was part of the journey.

I quietly closed my eyes.