“Little one. Do your legs really not hurt?”

Bale whispered this while carrying the enormous load of all the squad members’ clothing.

Tie nodded briskly, showing that everything was fine.

But contrary to her behavior, sweat was already quietly running down her forehead.

In the end, Tie asked softly:

“Oppa, how much longer to Tie’s house......?”

Bale looked around and answered:

“Mm, about an hour......?”

Tie almost swayed, but she tightened her legs.

Then she took a deep breath and pulled up her slipping trousers.

“Yeah! Tie is fine.”

She turned back again cheerfully.

And noticed that several people walking behind them hurriedly hid again.

Some behind the nearest building, others behind a pile of trash by the roadside.

“Captain. Maybe you should at least sit on this cart?”

Enzo asked again from the side, pulling the cart loaded with magic beast cores.

But Tie shook her head.

“Tie will walk to the end.”

If she decided something, she had to see it through.

Otherwise, people remembered only the ending.

Breathing heavily, Tie looked around.

The street Agavert was walking on was a medium-sized alley, quite far from the main road.

It was impossible to pass along the main road—too many people celebrating the festival.

“Waaah—!”

An excited shout came from the main street.

Groups of lanterns floated into the sky above the rooftops.

Tie, staring at them—

“Uaang!”

suddenly stumbled and fell to the ground with a dull thud.

She had been walking while looking at the sky instead of her feet and tripped over a stone.

Basto ran over. Bale crouched beside her.

Lucarion asked worriedly:

“Are you alright?”

Tie glanced once more at the informants behind them and stubbornly nodded.

“Y-yes, I’m fine.”

In truth, it hurt—enough to bring tears.

But she could not act spoiled in front of those watching......

She inhaled deeply, exhaled, and stood up.

“Where are you headed.”

Out of nowhere, a luxurious carriage stopped beside Agavert.

Tie stared in surprise at the face that appeared in the opened window.

“I see a child and elderly members in your group. If you wish, I can take you to your destination.”

Hair like white moonlight.

And eyes almost the same color as Tie’s.

An adult who seemed to glow from within, dressed in black formal attire, stepped out of the carriage.

Tie whispered in Bale’s ear:

“Oppa. Carriages are not allowed, so why is this one moving?”

Bale replied just as quietly:

“Can’t you tell by the look? Because he’s a noble. And a very wealthy, high-ranking noble at that.”

Tie swallowed and shifted her gaze.

‘I see.......’

Indeed—the inside of the carriage was three times more spacious than Agavert’s.

Seats upholstered in red velvet, golden tassels at the windows.

The man sitting opposite with one leg crossed truly did look like an extremely wealthy aristocrat.

But still.

“A little bit discrimination, no?”

Other carriages were not allowed to cross the river.

This one was.

Bale pressed a finger to his lips.

“We are riding at his expense anyway. Shh.”

Tie nodded reluctantly.

It was true. Agavert was now riding in this carriage by the owner’s grace.

Having nothing more to say, Tie began fiddling with the bag on her lap.

“I heard carriage traffic was prohibited because of the Lantern Festival.”

The man opposite, who had been silent until now, spoke in a gentle voice.

He looked at Tie with a faint smile.

“Sometimes the paladin knights can be excessively inflexible. Cargo is one thing. But carriages with children and elderly passengers should be allowed through according to regulations.”

Bale cautiously examined the man.

“Well...... yes.”

But the man smiled kindly and asked Tie:

“You did not hurt yourself, did you?”

Tie froze.

She had not expected him to address her specifically.

She lowered her gaze to her knee and answered brightly:

“No! I’m fine!”

“May I take a look?”

Tie’s eyes widened.

She looked at Bale and Basto, then without much hesitation replied:

“Yees.”

The man immediately leaned forward.

He carefully examined her knee and frowned.

“There is blood seeping through your trousers.”

It was true.

When the fabric was rolled up, a scrape was visible on the small knee.

“Ow.......”

As soon as the wound touched the air, it stung.

Tie squeaked softly, and the man’s expression darkened slightly.

He lifted the lid of an empty seat beside him.

Inside was a neatly organized compartment.

He took out ointment, a bottle of disinfectant, and clean gauze.

“May I treat it?”

Tie nodded hesitantly.

“When you reach your destination, disinfect it again. For any wound, large or small, disinfection is most ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ important.”

“Disinfection, yes!”

The man smiled and dampened the gauze.

Carefully, so as not to cause pain, he cleaned the wound, then applied ointment and placed fresh gauze over it.

“All done.”

Tie opened her mouth wide, astonished by his quick and skillful movements.

Meanwhile, the man was already gently lowering her trouser leg.

With very careful, soft hands.

Tie found herself staring at his face.

‘This mister is very kind!’

She had thought he was just cunning—riding alone in a carriage.

And also.

When he smiled, he strangely reminded her of Father.

‘Father also treated Tie so carefully when she got hurt.’

With a strange feeling in her chest, Tie stole glances at the man.

“Commander, we have arrived.”

The coachman’s voice came from the front seat.

At the same time, Enzo by the window pointed outside.

“It seems to be here!”

Tie jumped up and ran to the window.

Indeed—by the roadside where the carriage had stopped stood a brightly illuminated mansion.

“This is Tie’s house......?”

The garden looked like ten kindergarten playgrounds combined.

And the majestic building at the end of the stone path.

“Isn’t this a princess’s castle......?”

Honestly, she had expected something like a high-rise building across from Gold Apartments.

But the building radiated elegance.

White stone walls entwined with ivy, a graceful blue roof with sharp edges.

‘So beautiful......!’

And the enormous arched windows on each floor were clean and gleaming.

Through them, warm interiors and expensive furniture could be seen.

“Please step out.”

The coachman opened the door, and Tie quickly jumped down onto the road.

She stood with her mouth open, staring through the gates.

“Thank you. We arrived comfortably thanks to you.”

Behind her, the squad members dismounted one by one and took the baggage.

Nordix bowed politely to the man in the carriage.

“Thank you.”

The man smiled warmly.

“I wish you a peaceful night.”

The coachman was about to close the door.

“Ah! Wait!”

Tie, who had been staring at the mansion, suddenly ran back to the carriage.

With effort, she opened her bag and took something out.

“Mister, Tie will give you this.”

It was a local product from Kaldenbein Ridge.

More precisely, homemade honey caramel made by the innkeeper grandmother.

A special treat that Tie had carefully saved for four days without eating.

“Kaldenbein special product! There are three, but I give one.”

Smiling, she took the man’s hand without hesitation and placed the candy into it.

“Then bye-bye!”

And immediately turned away without regret.

As the cheerful girl ran toward the mansion, the gates opened at once.

“Oh my, you have finally arrived! Lady Adeline informed us!”

A woman who looked like a housekeeper welcomed them joyfully.

“Commander, shall we depart?”

The coachman asked.

Only then did the man withdraw his gaze from Tie.

Unconsciously squeezing the candy in his hand, he replied:

“......Yes, let us go.”

“Will you dine at the estate?”

“No...... To the central medical headquarters. There is something I must check.”

“Understood. Departing.”

The wheels of the carriage began to roll again.

The man turned the candy over in his palm and looked out the window.

In the distance, he saw the girl running through the garden.

“......Running again. She just fell.”

His name was Alexander.

Commander of the Central Medical Corps of the Capital Paladin Order, and the third son of House Luminel.