Steel Eyed Faker

Chapter 17: Save the Selfless Part 2

Beta read by Shigiya and Paragon of Awesomeness

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The path to the Capital stretched all along the countryside, well-worn by the passage of countless boots, hooves, and wagon wheels. It wound like a snake between sparse forests and open plains, linking far-flung provinces to the Empire’s heart. Somewhere along this desolate stretch, just a few paces from the roadside, stood a lonely tavern — wooden, weather-beaten, and stubborn against the wind. A place not bothered to be recorded in any maps but known by every merchant, scout, and wanderer who had ever passed through these parts whilst craving a warm meal with a stiff drink and a roof overhead. It was there that the former prime minister and his escort decided to rest, bodies aching from the last battle, nerves wound too tight to go on without a breath.

“Hah! Now that hit the spot!” Leone declared, downing a mug of ale and slamming it down on the table with such force that it groaned in protest. She was grinning like a child who’d just won a prize at the carnival.

“Watch it, lass!” barked the barkeep from behind the counter — a grey-bearded man with a scar across one cheek and the look of someone who once knew how to handle a crossbow. “Put any more muscle into that and I’ll be charging you for repairs!”

The tavern, though simple in build, looked to be in overall decent condition for something found in the middle of nowhere. Wooden beams lined with old hunting trophies of different kinds of low class Danger Beasts, a fireplace crackling softly in the corner, and the faint clatter of dishes from the back room. A somewhat peaceful lull hung in the air — though Emiya knew well that such quiet never lasted long once the ale flowed and men loosened their belts.

“Don’t worry, boss!” Leone waved him off with a carefree smirk. “We’re just here for a quick drink and a good night’s rest. Then it’s back to the road. You better give us your best room while you’re at it!”

“So long as you’ve got the coin to cover it, the room is yours,” the old man replied without even glancing back, arms full of mugs as he moved toward a waiting table.

She grinned, took another swig, and leaned back in her chair, visibly relaxing.

Emiya, however, remained standing for a moment longer, casting a glance through the window at the fading daylight. “We shouldn’t linger too long,” he said at last, being the first one of them to actually address the other directly since before they came in here. “Our main objective is still to get the former minister to the Capital. That hasn’t changed.”

Leone groaned, rolling her eyes. “Again with the mission talk? You’re worse than the boss. It’s already getting dark — no way we’re reaching the Capital before dawn even if we push the horses so hard it’d risk killing them. Or would you rather try to run the rest of the way? Because I’m telling you now, we both know that the old man could never make such a journey, and while his daughter’s tough, she’s nowhere near as strong as us — and I am not carrying anyone that far.”

“Spear can manage the distance if she paces herself well. I’ll take the old man.”

She threw him a sidelong look. “Oh? And I suppose I’ll deal with any and all Danger Beasts that cross our path? You know, the ones that come out specifically at night? Maybe you can throw in a little sword magic from the sidelines while I fight for my life, yeah?” She scoffed and leaned forward, jabbing a finger into the table. “It’s better if we rest here for a few hours, recover our strength, then hit the road again when it’s safer. Won’t kill us.”