Upon seeing the person's appearance, Hero blinked in surprise.
Guarded by four sword-bearing attendants was, unexpectedly, a little girl even younger than herself.
Not even a young lady, but an immature, unripe flower bud.
Sitting in the corner, she was almost completely blocked by the tall Guards; if not for their gaze and the protective wall they intentionally formed, it would have actually highlighted the Little Girl's presence and Hero might not have noticed her at first glance.
But after confirming her existence, as a Noble, Hero subconsciously perceived her unusualness.
Her appearance, temperament, attire...
Although young in age, she possessed a presence that was simply exceptional, not conceding even to the most esteemed Nobles Hero had encountered.
"Such a person is renting a carriage?"
Having forgotten that she herself was also a Noble, Hero was inwardly astonished while greeting the group.
"It's rare to travel together, so please take good care of me from now on."
Regardless, coming across a girl of similar age on the carriage was something that could relax one's mind.
Hero's mood brightened a bit, and with a smile, she turned to the Little Girl sitting furthest in and spoke.
[Little Girl's attitude (towards opposite sex Charm /2+15, if Luck meets the standard +15)]
Yet the Little Girl's response was somewhat cool. She glanced at Hero's attire, squeezed out two words, and then closed her eyes to rest again.
The other Guards also nodded slightly towards Hero, but their gazes carried a barely noticeable wariness.
They were not much older; if not for their dress, the group with the Little Girl appeared like siblings on a trip.
Both sides were merely strangers temporarily sharing the same carriage, and realizing that neither had the intention to converse, Hero said No More and silently bowed her head.
Considering how guarded they were towards her, a Solo young girl, this Little Girl must have a quite prestigious Identity; best not to pry too much.
Even though, in terms of Identity, Hero was herself a genuine young miss, even if currently akin to being cast out from her home, she had never been very conscious of such stature.
The journey continued smoothly, with only the sound of the carriage wheels, the footsteps of the Chocobo, and occasional calls from the coachman filling the carriage.
In this unchanging rhythm, Hero, hugging her backpack, found her eyelids growing heavy as the carriage swayed and vibrated.
"All right, ladies and gentlemen! It's about time we take a break here!"
When the coachman's shout awoke Hero, it was already midday outside.
"We've made good progress today; at this pace, we should arrive the day after tomorrow morning."
The coachman released the reins of the Chocobo and casually ruffled their feathers, patting their necks to let them feed and rest.
Even for a robust Chocobo, they could not be made to run for three days and nights without rest; the strong midday Sun called for a break in the shade to cool off.
Hero nibbled on two pieces of bread and drank a pot of hot Water for lunch on the carriage.
The Little Girl, on the other hand, had thoroughly prepared an outdoor meal box, laid out a waterproof blanket, and picnicked outside the carriage, surrounded by her Guards as if she were on an outing.
After the lunch break, the coachman called everyone back into the carriage, gave a shout, and the Chocobo dashed off, bringing the carriage's interior back to a sleep-inducing rhythm.
Soon, it was evening.
[Hero's Luck (4+ No incident occurs)]
Note: Traveling with a Noble, two Luck checks are required each day. The requirement on the first day is 3, in the evening 4; on the second day, 5, and in the evening 6. If Luck meets the standard in all four checks over two days, then the third day only requires 3, and then they will reach the rural destination.
After another half day of travel, Hero and her companions arrived at an inn as the sky began to Darken.
On the official road, such inns were set up at intervals, where travelers would rest at night and continue on once the Sun rose.
No coachman would travel at night; only some unregistered black carriages would choose to press on through the Dark.
It's said that those Bird Carriages, which race silently like ghosts in the dead of night, would vanish come Dawn, along with all their passengers, never to be seen again anywhere.
"Then someone might find some long-rotted skeletons at the end of a secluded broken road~~"
On the other side of the inn, other travelers were sharing various terrifying tales with their companions in hushed voices; set against the backdrop of a dark and windy night outside, this created quite a thrilling atmosphere.
Hero listened to the stories while eating her dinner, finding herself rather content at the moment.
The inn's dinner could hardly be called delicious, but it was sufficient in quantity, and by comparison to dry rations of bread, it was quite a feast.
Hero devoured her meal with gusto, and after emptying her plate, she comfortably set aside the now-empty dish.
Although she had only been sitting in the carriage all day, a rough journey was naturally far from comfortable, but with Hero's constitution, of course, there were no issues.
She slept soundly on the road, her appetite now splendid, and the scary stories even made for good dining companions.
Regardless of encountering any sad or distressing events, each meal always made her feel very much alive.
The thought of possibly losing that sensation without knowing when made Hero cherish her food all the more.
If only there was dessert after dinner, it would be even better.