Chapter 18

As the sun began to set behind the mountains, in the central square of the village dyed by the sunset, a large wagon bed was being assembled.

This wagon, known for its large canopy, had its canopy replaced with tin, giving it a small hut-like structure. To reduce the burden on the horses, the tin was made using a special metal, thin, light, and sturdy. The village children, taking over from the busy craftsmen, explained various details, and I learned a bit more as a result.

Finally, under the watchful eyes of the villagers, Mr. Dorf attached the large wheels.

To celebrate its completion, a barrel of wine was brought in, and the craftsmen cheered.

"Come on, Flora, Gilbert, why don't you take a look inside since we're here?"

At Barbara's invitation, I approached the door at the back of the wagon. With a fluttering heart, I opened the door...

"Wh-what...!?"

"What is this...!?"

Gilbert and I were both taken aback.

Dorf, Barbara, the craftsmen, and even the village children looked very pleased, as if their prank had succeeded.

The wagon, which looked like a small hut from the outside, was more than twice as large inside. Clearly, the exterior and interior sizes did not match. On the driver's side, there were bunk beds, and in the corner to the right of the entrance, there was even a small stove.

"Is this... magic...?"

I could think of no other explanation. My head couldn't keep up, but Barbara nodded with a broad smile, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Dorf let out his loudest laugh of the day.

It turns out that there are several other magicians in the village besides Barbara, and this custom-made wagon was a collaboration between the craftsmen and the magicians. Perhaps this village is a special and amazing place.

"Well, it's still a bit cramped for four adults. We'll have to take turns driving anyway, so it should be fine."

"Can the horses pull this...?"

Gilbert asked.

Indeed, looking at the sturdy walls made of wood inside, one would be concerned about the weight during travel.

"The weight is no different from a regular canopy wagon."

Dorf's answer made me recall the leather tool bag made earlier in the day. Gilbert still looked puzzled.

After that, we celebrated the completion of the wagon and thanked all the craftsmen involved with a dinner party under the stars in the center of the village.

At the enthusiastic request of the village children, I made duck soup again tonight.

The main dish of the feast was prepared together with everyone. On a large iron plate as wide as my arms, we arranged a lot of meat, fish, peeled potatoes, and vegetables, and stuffed the gaps with rice, which is rare in this country. We added a little water, seasoned with spices and rock salt, and covered it with fuki leaves that had been blanched. We then layered more oak and yamomomo leaves on top.

The iron plate had a rim about as deep as a hand, which served as a lid when covered with the leaves. As a final touch, we placed a round iron plate on top as a weight.

A shallow hole was dug in the ground, and charcoal collected from the blast furnace was laid out, then covered with more leaves to steam cook the food. The leaves, which contain a lot of water and little oil, do not burn easily. This is a bold cooking method unique to a village of blacksmiths.

Once steamed, the charcoal on top was removed, and the large oak leaves, which had not burned, were rinsed with water and used as plates to serve the food.

The craftsmen, already tipsy, were in high spirits, singing foreign songs, and the children were dancing around them.

"It's lively, isn't it? This is a celebration for a safe journey and a send-off feast."

"Are you celebrating in advance?"

"Sure. If we celebrate in advance, it's bound to be safe—like a superstitious wish. But it's not bad, right?"

I smiled and nodded at Barbara's grin.

Since coming to this village, I've had nothing but fun, and the bitter memories of leaving the capital seem like a distant past.

After the feast, we loaded the luggage onto the wagon. It seems we will depart in the middle of the night.

"Hey, aren't you in a hurry? We can leave in the morning, you know..."

"What are you talking about, Gilbert? Don't you want to catch up with Lionel as soon as possible?"

"That's... true. Sorry, Mr. Dorf, I'm grateful for everything."

"You should thank us after everything goes well. Earn some money for the drinks, will you?"

Hearing this conversation between Gilbert and Dorf, I steeled myself. Our destination is the northern part of the kingdom, and we are heading to a war zone. I can't just be carefree.

As I straightened my back and carried the luggage, Dorf patted my shoulder.

"Flora, don't stress yourself. Whether you enjoy the moment or look serious, the result will be the same. It's better to have some leeway in your mind."

With that, Dorf smiled and returned to the loading work. Watching his back, I took a deep breath.

I may not be able to do much, but I want to be useful to the people I've grown to care for in just two days.

Before we left, the village children brought gifts. It was a small wooden statue of a goddess.

"Today, I got a nice piece of wood from the lumberjack and tried to make it!"

The proud smile came from a boy around 10 years old. He aspires to be a sculptor. Despite its small size, it was exquisitely crafted and beautifully made.

"I helped too! Look here!"

The little girl pointed to the small ceramic base at the goddess's feet, decorated with tiny flowers. The slightly misshapen flowers, typical of a child's work, were all the more endearing.

"Big sister, make soup again when you come back!"

"If we name it, it should be the Goddess of Soup Prayers!"

The boy, the creator of the goddess statue, said this with a proud face. I was delighted that it was so well-received, and the thought that this statue carried the children's prayers warmed my heart.

Before coming to the village, I had nothing but the travel money given by Chelsea and a few belongings. Unexpectedly, I gained a beautiful treasure here.