“Fifty-eight, fifty-nine, sixty…”
On the swaying cart, Celia counted the gold coins in her pouch over and over again under the moonlight.
This time, it was finally not Hero himself pulling the cart, but an old horse they’d rented from the post station.
Though the bumpy ride made her rear ache, and the old horse moved even slower than Elent, Celia felt as if her heart could take flight with joy.
This was an entire bag of gold coins.
Enough for her to completely renovate the chapel, and still have plenty left to fill her beloved Alchemical Freezer with several rounds of Happy Water ingredients.
“Priestess, are we really not staying at an inn tonight?”
Elent, sitting at the front and driving the cart, glanced back.
“I heard the luxury inns in Baker City have Velvet Beds and hot baths.”
“Hero Candidate.”
Celia tightened the drawstring of the pouch, carefully tucked it into her chest, and replied in a tone full of exasperated discipline:
“Even though we’ve earned some money, we can’t just splurge. Thrift and frugality are virtues.”
“Besides, if we don’t run away overnight, tomorrow those Adventurers who couldn’t buy any Happy Water might swallow us whole.”
The side effect of hunger marketing was the tendency to provoke mass frenzy.
To avoid being surrounded by people banging on their door for stock, fleeing in the night was the wisest choice.
“But…”
Elent looked up at the sky.
At some point, the clear night had gathered clouds, and the moon was now completely hidden.
“Looks like it’s going to rain.”
“It’s fine. The horse may be old, but it’s got decent stamina. We’ll make it to the woods up ahead before the downpour hits.”
Celia waved her hand dismissively, as if she didn’t care at all.
But reality quickly proved that you should never set up a flag so lightly.
Rumble——
A flash of lightning tore through the night sky, and in the next instant, rain came pelting down.
With no warning at all, a torrential downpour swept over them.
This makeshift cart only had four wheels and a few planks of wood—not to mention a roof, it didn’t even have rails for shelter.
Within seconds, both of them were drenched like wet chickens.
“So cold!”
Celia hunched her shoulders as rainwater seeped through the gaps in her clothes, the icy touch making her shiver.
“Hyah! Hyah!”
Elent frantically waved the reins, trying to make the old horse move faster.
But the old horse, who had spent its whole life hauling goods in the city, clearly had its own pace.
No matter the rain or the urging, it kept plodding along unhurriedly.
Suddenly, the cart jolted and tilted to the side.
The wheel had sunk into a mud pit.
The old horse struggled twice, but it didn’t budge an inch. It simply gave up, standing still in the rain.
“…”
Celia wiped the rain from her face, looking at the old horse that had completely given up, and felt her blood pressure rise.
“Priestess, hold on tight. I’ll get down and push!”
Elent leapt off the cart, his boots sinking into the mud.
The rain grew heavier, and visibility blurred. Elent made his way to the back of the cart, trying to lift the wheel out of the pit.
“Rrgh!”
The youth’s muscles tensed, veins bulging in his arms. The cart shook and lifted a little, but soon slipped back into the mud.
The pit was too deep, and with the rain, the ground was so slick he couldn’t get a grip.
“No good, it’s too slippery!” Elent shouted over the downpour. “Priestess, I might need you to get down to lighten the load!”
Are you saying I’m heavy?
But now was not the time to argue.
Celia jumped down, and as soon as her feet hit the ground, her boots sank into the muck.
“Damn this weather.”
Celia grumbled, moving to the other side to help push.
“One, two, three—push!”
The two of them worked together, and with the old horse finally cooperating a bit, the wheel popped out of the mud.
Before Celia could breathe a sigh of relief, her foot slipped, her balance lost, and she fell backwards.
“Careful!”
With quick reflexes, Elent grabbed Celia’s arm and pulled her back.
With the force of inertia, Celia crashed straight into Elent’s arms.
Rainwater dripped from both their hair, mingling together.
Celia looked up and met Elent’s gaze.
Right now, Celia’s nun habit was completely soaked, clinging tightly to her body. The white fabric, now half-transparent, outlined her slender waist and, though flat, still soft and feminine curves.
You could even faintly see the color of her undergarments.
Elent froze for a moment, then turned away as if burned.
“S-sorry!”
His voice trembled in the rain, his ears red as if bleeding.
Celia glanced down at herself.
Was this considered a bonus for him?
Luckily, she was always bundled up, so there wasn’t much to see anyway.
“Don’t just stand there. Get back on the cart.”
Celia was shivering all over. This kind of rain, with its bone-chilling cold, was nothing short of torture for her as a Priestess.
They both clambered back onto the cart.
Though the wheel was out, the rain showed no signs of letting up—if anything, it was getting heavier.
Traveling in weather like this was too dangerous. If they got stuck in another pit, the consequences would be unimaginable.
“There’s a rocky outcrop ahead—we can take shelter there.”
Elent pointed to a protruding boulder not far off.
The cart trudged with difficulty to the base of the rock.
Though the wind and rain still reached them, at least they were no longer directly exposed to the downpour.
Celia curled up in a corner of the cart, hugging her knees to her chest, trying to hold onto the last bit of warmth in her body.
But it was useless.
Her soaked clothes stuck to her skin, constantly leeching away her body heat.
“Achoo!”
Celia sneezed, feeling a little dizzy.
It seemed like she was about to catch a cold.
If only she hadn’t been so greedy—they could’ve just stayed at an inn.
At that moment, a warm cloak was draped over her shoulders.
“Priestess, put this on, you’ll feel better.”
Elent crouched in front of her, worry written all over his face.
“Aren’t you cold?” Celia looked at Elent, who was only wearing a shirt.
“I’m not cold. I’m a Hero Candidate—I’m sturdy.”
Although Elent’s lips were a bit blue, he still insisted stubbornly.
“Besides, I can do this.”
Elent held out his palm, conjuring a small flame.
Though it couldn’t dry their clothes like a fireball, it was enough as a makeshift hand-warmer.
Celia looked at the little flame, then at the awkward youth trying to keep her warm.
“Come here,” Celia said softly.
“Huh?”
“I said come here—why are you dawdling?”
Celia reached out, pulled Elent over, and lifted one side of the cloak to cover his shoulders as well.
On the cramped cart, the two squeezed close together.
“It’s warmer with two people.”
Celia leaned against Elent’s shoulder, soaking in the continuous heat from his body.
“Don’t move, just stay like this.”
“I want to sleep for a bit.”
The weight of the girl pressed on Elent’s shoulder, her unique scent and the fresh smell of rain lingering at the tip of his nose.
The sound of their heartbeats was clear in the rainy night.
“Alright.”
The youth answered softly, and the small flame in his palm burned a little brighter.
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Well, aint this cute