TGS - Chapter 76
Chapter 76: Old Acquaintance
Alyuin wasn't sure if it was some sort of grandmotherly concern.
Adhering to the principle of not wasting food, she ate the dry rations sprinkled with the cookie crumbs. Then she retrieved a jar of sweet wine from the carriage, carefully poured a few drops into her water flask, and gave it a few shakes.
Looking through the mouth of the flask, she could see the clear water had turned a pale honey color.
When Lotus took a sip, the mellow sweetness of honey blended with the crisp sweetness of fruit. Perhaps it was even infused with some spice unknown to the mortal realm. The flavor was unique, sweet, and delightful.
And this was the effect of just a few drops of sweet wine mixed into a flask of water.
Lotus thought again of the box.
She silently revised her mental label from "culinary disaster" to "rare worldly condiment."
Alyuin's enthusiasm for the snack box—or rather, the condiment box—had cooled considerably.
Perhaps the knowing smile of the Goddess of Love's messenger had given her the unsettling feeling that her secret thoughts had been laid bare. The Princess now harbored a certain wariness toward Lotus's divine colleagues.
Adia, the goddess who governed love and desire, had clearly noticed something. Had she told the other gods?
Was the excessive sweetness of the dessert from the Earth Goddess some kind of hint or metaphor?
The Princess couldn't help but read into things.
However, once she confirmed from Lotus that Suojia's creations were always like that, she discarded her second theory.
After a necessary meal, the caravan rested for an hour before packing up and pressing on.
The closer they drew to Disimeng City, the more horrifying the sights became.
The ground was no longer merely uneven; it was now scarred with random fissures and deep pits. Piles of gravel and earth at the base of some slopes were clear evidence of landslides caused by the tremor.
Ahead, the thick trunk of a withered tree lay across the road.
The caravan detoured around it in silence.
This was not a densely populated region, but one of scattered villages and farms. The villagers were typically self-sufficient, traveling to the city only on special market days and festivals to trade surplus grain and cloth for money and other necessities.
Now, however, most of the villages had suffered greatly. The farmland had buckled and sunk, livestock were dead or had fled, and while some houses still stood defiantly, others had collapsed into rubble.
The villagers dared not enter their homes. A few had likely risked returning for essential supplies, but most were now huddled in blankets, cooking over bonfires in open spaces.
One village had been especially unlucky, buried by a rockslide. Only broken walls and ruins were visible amidst the debris. There was no sign of survivors nearby; it was impossible to know if anyone had escaped or if they had simply moved on.
The caravan passed through these areas in somber silence.
Occasionally, they encountered villagers asking for a ride to a nearby city, and Alyuin would nod her assent before the caravan master even had a chance to look to her for permission.
However, when the villagers learned their destination was Disimeng City, they would exchange uneasy glances and decline the offer.
Though the main tremor had passed days ago, small aftershocks still occurred from time to time. The villagers had seen families fleeing from the opposite direction; they all knew Disimeng had been hit the hardest.
An elderly man asked, his voice trembling, "It's too dangerous there. Are you certain you must go?"
The merchant replied, "It's on our trade route, after all. Even if it's not a good time for business, we can at least see if we can lend a hand. Think of it as accumulating virtues for when our souls stand before Emute, the God of Death."
The old man sighed. "May the great Goddess of the Yilu River protect you."
This old man was one of Lotus's faithful.
The merchant had someone fetch some thick clothing and placed it before the old man.
A child immediately cried out in delight and ran over to hold the clothes up for size.
The old man quickly stopped the child and was about to refuse, but the merchant said, "We've passed several villages, and yours is most in need of warm clothes. The weather is freezing. Please, you must accept them."
The old man expressed his thanks and watched the caravan depart.
As the caravan moved on, the merchant approached Alyuin's side. "Your Highness," he said respectfully.
"Have all those supplies been distributed?" Alyuin asked.
"Yes, just as planned. What remains are the supplies for Disimeng City."
"Then pick up the pace. We must reach Disimeng before sunset."
Before their departure, Alyuin had instructed the merchant to reorganize the cargo space in the wagons and purchase a stock of supplies in the capital.
Dry rations, medicine, and thick clothing and bedding.
Disaster relief supplies should always be distributed by personnel from the royal city in coordination with local officials. The Princess had no intention of overstepping her authority for now.
If she were to arrive with a caravan full of supplies and start competing with the officials, not only would Horst become suspicious, but the efficiency of the relief effort would suffer, and the local populace would be the ones to bear the consequences.
A single caravan could only carry so much. She could spare some for relief along the way, but once in the city, the entire stock would be handed over to the relief officials for them to distribute.
Alyuin did not intend to interfere in other matters either, not just the distribution of supplies.
—Provided, of course, that they were handling things properly.
Lotus rode her gray horse, her grip on the reins relaxed but firm.
"You've done very well, Alyu."
Alyuin replied, "...Thank you."
It would have been better if the praise had been delivered in a different tone.
The Princess was all too familiar with that tone. It was the same one Lotus used in the dreamscape whenever she submitted a perfect test paper.
As a result, hearing the praise now didn't fill Alyuin with joy, but rather with visions of densely written exam questions.
"I have always remembered what I said," the Princess said, collecting her thoughts. Her voice was calm and measured. "Making life better for the people of Solancia can't just begin at the moment of my victory. I will do my best to fulfill that promise even before then."
"Yes, I believe you," Lotus said.
Alyuin smiled faintly. "And I believe you will be with me."
The River Goddess paused, her hand stilling on the golden bracelet she was turning.
"Yes."
As if she had received a reassuring promise, Alyuin let out a soft breath and turned her gaze toward the horizon.
As far as the eye could see, the landscape, altered by the tremor, looked as if it had undergone a massive, chaotic renovation.
"The myths say that the shaking of the earth is the wrath of the Earth Goddess. Is that true?"
"No," Lotus said gently. "The gods are the protectors of Solancia."
She considered for a moment before explaining, using the Earth Goddess's own words, "But on the other hand, natural disasters are necessary. It is a matter of balance."
"Is that so..." Alyuin murmured.
The Princess lowered her head slightly, a sudden realization dawning on her: she didn't actually want to hear Lotus speak of such things.
Perhaps she felt it was knowledge she wasn't meant to have, or perhaps it was because Lotus, in her calm explanation, seemed to suddenly grow distant.
The incarnation of a goddess was riding right beside her.
Yet she felt as distant as the Kingdom of the Gods from the mortal realm.
When Alyuin looked up again, her tone was light. "It seems the myths are distorted by more than just a little."
Lotus shook her head.
If one were to be precise about the order of things, human myths and legends came first. By that logic, it was the gods who were failing to live up to their established personas.
Except for the human-born gods—
For the human-born gods, the myths passed down through the ages were probably akin to legendary fanfiction about them.
Alyuin continued, "I had guessed that your true self must have met with the Earth Goddess in the Kingdom of the Gods. I figured you must have mentioned me in passing, and that's why she sent the dessert."
Lotus said nothing.
In truth, the Princess had been mentioned at the last banquet, and the River Goddess had every reason to suspect that Suojia had begun plotting to send snacks to "the human Lotus is raising" at that very moment.
"I'm a bit curious," Alyuin said. "How do your colleagues see me?"
They found it very interesting.
And, as if they hadn't had a fresh topic in centuries, "raising a human" had become a popular subject of discussion.
"They think very highly of you," Lotus said.
Alyuin's expression softened. "Really?"
"Absolutely," Lotus replied, her expression unchanging.
As they spoke, the silhouette of a city appeared on the horizon.
Disimeng City was of a moderate size. In the past, it had been an unremarkable but prosperous and growing city under the capital's jurisdiction.
This time, however, it was changed beyond recognition.
From a distance, the city walls seemed mostly intact, but the river levee on the far side of the city had collapsed.
Fortunately, it was winter. The river's flow was low, with ice floes even drifting on its surface, sparing the city from another catastrophe.
This safety was only temporary, however. If the levee wasn't repaired and reinforced before the high-water season next year, the area would surely be flooded.
As they drew closer, the mood of the party grew heavier.
The usual sight of people bustling before the city gates was nowhere to be seen. The farmland outside the city was buckled and sunken, bisected by a long, narrow fissure.
Wheat seedlings, planted less than a month ago, had withered with the ruined fields. It wasn't just the seedlings; Disimeng City itself seemed deathly still.
Only as they drew near did they see a dozen or so people standing just inside the city gate. They were respectably dressed, but their complexions were sallow, and the dark circles under their eyes suggested they hadn't slept all night.
Behind them stood a polished, gleaming carriage.
They were craning their necks, looking out expectantly.
Lotus didn't believe for a second they were there to welcome the Princess.
The local authorities, surely overwhelmed by the disaster, would have no time to track the Princess's movements, much less arrange a formal welcome.
And indeed, when the leader of the group, a man in an expensive fur cloak, saw the caravan, his eyes first lit up, then his brow furrowed.
"Who are you? Why would you come to Disimeng at a time like this?"
The Princess, riding in the midst of the cavalry, was not immediately noticeable.
Seeing that she had no intention of revealing herself, the caravan master stepped forward.
"We're a caravan from the border."
"The border?" The leader waved a dismissive hand. "You can see the situation here. There's no business to be done. You'd best take a detour, so as not to waste your time. Of course, if you intend to help with fundraising..."
The merchant cut straight to the point. "I've brought some supplies."
"Please, come in," the leader said at once.
Just then, someone behind the leader raised a hand and pointed into the distance. "They're here! They're here!"
Following his gesture, they saw a troop of riders galloping toward them. Their mounts navigated the pitted ground as if it were flat, clearly superior warhorses.
Leading the charge was a young man with shoulder-length, flaxen hair.
When they were close enough for his face to be seen clearly, Alyuin's expression sank.
Hatred suddenly flared in her golden eyes.
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