Chapter 222: Escape (4)

A few more days passed.

Baran woke up early once again and surveyed the village.

He was doing his best to fill the void left by Berg.

Yet, the reality of it all hadn’t fully sunk in.

Losing someone precious in the blink of an eye wasn’t something anyone could easily grow accustomed to.

Every time he felt the absence in a space where they should have naturally been, the emptiness hit him harder than he expected.

Baran realized that, without even knowing it, he, too, had started to rely on Berg.

Perhaps that was why this felt even more difficult.

“…Haa.”

Baran let out a sigh.

Today, he was expecting more visitors than usual.

Rumors had reached him that even the Draigo royal family had set out on a journey to visit this place.

It would be the first time Baran faced the king without Adam or Berg by his side.

Even that felt like a weight pressing down on him.

If Gale hadn’t been around, it would have been even harder.

Gale, as per Berg’s request, had dedicated himself to protecting the people Berg held dear.

The wounds on his body had healed, and he was now handling more responsibilities than ever before.

The two of them looked down at the still-empty streets of Stockpin, which seemed lifeless.

Gale was the first to break the silence.

“…Baran, Lady Reiker stepped out of her room yesterday.”

“…”

Baran felt a sense of relief at the news and asked back.

“…Did she?”

Gale nodded and said, “Yes. And… she said she’d like to speak with you.”

“With me?”

In truth, Baran still didn’t have the courage to face Sien, Ner, or Arwin.

He carried a sense of guilt, feeling that failing to protect Berg was his fault.

If they were to break down in front of him and start blaming him, he wasn’t sure he could endure it.

Of course, they weren’t the kind of people to do that.

“It’s still early now, so go see her later.”

“…I will.”

Baran couldn’t even begin to guess what Sien wanted to say.

Feeling a faint tension, he looked back down at the street.

Creak… creak…

That’s when he saw a carriage entering the village gates.

“…?”

It wasn’t just one. Several carriages began to enter in succession.

“Are the guests here already?”

Baran asked Gale, but Gale simply shook his head, indicating he didn’t know either.

“There are no family crests… It doesn’t seem like that. It might just be another shipment of supplies.”

Without saying a word, the two began walking toward the carriages.

As they got closer, they could finally identify them.

The carriages belonged to the merchant guild led by Berg’s friend, Flint.

At the forefront, Flint dismounted his horse and said, “…I’ve brought supplies to honor my departed friend.”

Baran let out a long sigh and replied, “You didn’t have to do this.”

“I wanted to.”

Baran nodded and said, “…Thank you.”

Flint scratched his head awkwardly.

“Well, I won’t pretend there’s no ulterior motive. With so many people gathering here, the guild ordered me to sell some supplies while I’m at it. The four wagons in the back are gifts from me, but the three in the front are goods to be sold.”

Even though Flint mentioned selling goods, the sincerity of what he’d brought was more than enough.

Ultimately, those who survived had to keep living.

With such heartfelt efforts, Baran had no objections to Flint selling goods and leaving afterward.

“I understand.”

Flint signaled to his guild’s soldiers to unload the gift wagons.

After nodding a farewell to Baran and Gale, Flint passed by with his entourage.

The long line of carriages moved past them.

And with their passage, an unusual vitality seemed to breathe into Stockpin.

It felt as though time, which had frozen, was finally beginning to flow again.

The time for mourning had ended, and it was as if the carriages were urging them to return to their daily lives.

Baran clicked his tongue.

Perhaps the moment had come for them to move forward.

.

.

.

.

-Knock, knock.

Baran made time to meet with Sien.

After much deliberation over when would be the most appropriate time, he decided to visit her during lunchtime, bringing a meal resembling porridge.

Since she likely hadn’t been eating properly, he thought it best to ensure she had something nourishing.

Especially considering that Sien was pregnant, she needed to take better care of her health.

“Come in.”

“...”

Contrary to his expectations, Sien answered with a strong, steady voice.

Ever since the funeral, Baran had been confused by the composed demeanor of Sien, Ner, and Arwin.

Though they had stayed confined to their rooms, they appeared to be in relatively good condition.

Creak.

Baran stepped into the study, carrying the meal.

Perhaps searching for the lingering presence of Berg, Sien had secluded herself in his office.

“…Oh?”

But what he saw inside surprised him.

Sien was sitting at the desk, diligently working through a mountain of documents.

She seemed perfectly fine, her focus unwavering from the papers in front of her.

Eventually, Sien looked up from her work and gave a faint smile when she saw the meal Baran had brought.

“…I already ate.”

“...”

Baran felt a mix of relief and confusion upon hearing that she’d taken care of herself.

Awkwardly, he glanced at the food in his hands before setting it down nearby.

“…That’s good to hear.”

He approached her desk.

“I heard you wanted to see me.”

“Yes, that’s right. I have something I’d like to tell you. It’s not a long conversation—just a small request.”

Baran straightened up, mentally preparing to accept her request.

“Please, go ahead.”

Sien smiled softly before speaking.

“…If I’m no longer here, Baran, please take care of this land.”

Baran froze.

Her words made it sound as if she were preparing for her own absence.

Even her resolute demeanor now seemed different, as if masking something darker.

It felt like a farewell, almost akin to a declaration of her own demise.

“That’s too much—”

“Calm down, Baran.”

Before Baran could raise his voice, Sien interrupted, speaking as if she could read his thoughts.

“…It’s not a suicide note or anything like that.”

“...”

“It’s just… my health isn’t perfect, you know? I’m saying this as a precaution.”

“...”

“I’ll have to give birth someday, too, and who knows what might happen then. That’s all I meant. Don’t worry. I wouldn’t be foolish enough to leave this world while my child is still here.”

Baran pressed his lips together, unable to respond to her reasoning.

Sien continued.

“Berg would have said the same thing. Right now, I’m only managing this territory because I was Berg’s wife. But the most suitable leader for this land has always been you, Baran.”

“...”

“Our desire to protect the people Berg cherished—it’s the same, isn’t it?”

“…Haa.”

Baran let out a sigh, unable to stop it, even though he knew it was impolite.

“…Don’t say things like that. You need to stay healthy. That’s what Captain Berg would’ve wanted too.”

“I’ll be fine. I told you, this is just in case.”

At her firm reassurance, Baran finally responded.

“I can help you. But anything beyond that—”

“No.”

Sien interrupted him again, her voice unwavering.

“Promise me, Baran. If I’m gone… take care of this land. Berg trusted you the most.”

“...”

“I’ve already spoken to Gale about this as well.”

It wasn’t that Baran didn’t want to accept her request.

In fact, from his perspective, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Berg had resolved all the major issues before his passing, leaving only the task of reaping the rewards.

Thanks to Berg’s efforts, the territory was now flourishing with the support of various noble families, and they had gained the skills to sustain their agriculture.

To govern such a prosperous land would secure not only Baran’s future but also that of his descendants.

However, Baran believed those rewards weren’t his to claim. They belonged to Berg—or at the very least, to Berg’s family.

Yet here was Sien, offering everything to him.

Baran didn’t know what to do.

He lifted his gaze to look at Sien.

“...”

And at that moment, Sien finally understood.

She realized that her words were delivered to Baran with an expression far too resolute.

She looked at him with a calm and relieved expression.

“…Baran, please promise me.”

Sien made her final request.

In that moment, Baran found himself at a loss for words.

He cast aside all prior hesitation.

Meeting her gaze directly, he made sure she could feel his sincerity.

With a firm expression, he nodded and replied.

“I promise.”

****

The moment Baran turned to leave, Sien finished her preparations.

She quickly changed into the plain clothes she had stashed under the desk.

Gone were the luxurious garments she usually wore, replaced by humble and nondescript attire.

She slipped out of the room through the window and into the forest behind the estate.

Now that she had secured Baran’s promise, there was no longer any need to wait here.

She knew well that her escape route had arrived early that morning.

Word had reached her that Berg had arranged for Flint’s help.

Being part of Flint’s merchant guild, it had been planned for her to hide in one of his carriages.

There was no risk of being seen, and the journey would be physically manageable.

Flint was someone who could discreetly take her wherever Berg wished her to be.

For days, Sien had been struggling with the pain of not seeing Berg.

Especially because he had returned from death, her longing to see him had only grown stronger.

She wanted to see him alive and well with her own eyes.

So the moment she completed her final preparations, she didn’t hesitate.

She carried no luggage.

Nothing was necessary.

Aside from the ring on her fourth finger, nothing else mattered.

All that was important was being by Berg’s side.

The estate, the title, and all the conveniences that came with them were meaningless to her without him.

Though it was early afternoon, Sien moved swiftly, keeping her body low.

Her actions were far from what one would expect of a noblewoman or a former saintess.

But Sien had never been bound by those roles.

Her truest self was the one who had grown alongside Berg.

Before long, she spotted a man waiting in the forest.

It was Flint.

Their eyes met briefly, and she nodded silently.

Flint handed her a large straw hat he had prepared.

Sien pulled the hat down low to conceal her face.

In her plain attire, no one would be able to recognize her true identity.

She soon reached one of the carriages.

Without hesitation, Sien climbed inside.

Likewise, Flint wasted no time tapping the carriage to signal its departure.

Everything unfolded smoothly, just as planned.

She had heard that Ner and Arwin would be traveling separately through another route.

For now, she would be traveling alone.

“...”

Sien looked back at the streets of Stockpin as they grew distant.

This would be the last time she would see them.

“...”

She clasped her hands together.

For the first time since marrying Berg, she offered a prayer.

Not directed at any specific deity, but to all the gods.

‘May this land be blessed.’

– – The End of The Chapter – –

 

[TL: Join Patreon to support the translation and to read up to 5 chapters ahead of the release: https://www.patreon.com/readingpia

 

Join Our Discord for regular updates and have fun with other community members: https://discord.com/invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ]