I’m Not Doing This With A Friend Chapter 167 - Side Story 6

Being newlyweds, I figured everyone would excuse us for waking up late.

 

The next day, I was unable to leave my bedroom for the entire day.

 

I hope that’s where it ended. We didn’t leave the bedroom the next day, and the day after that, and the day after that.

 

We felt like animals in heat, not people.

 

The good news was, through it all, Carson made sure I was fed.

 

The only problem was, it was all part of the plan to enjoy our honeymoon… that I needed to eat well to be strong.

 

I enjoyed it so much that I don’t really have anything to say about it.

 

Anyway, after three days of such an eventful bedroom life, I was too embarrassed to face them. But fortunately, the servants didn’t seem to mind.

 

The Duke and Duchess were always so nice to me, I guess they were used to it and expected Carson to be the same.

 

As I pondered this, Carson, who had already finished preparing for the trip, approached me.

 

“Shall we go, Leen?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

I smiled and casually linked arms with him.

 

Aside from the time I went to Abascanthus to pick up a supply of quince, this was my first time traveling with someone, and I was excited.

 

Even though we were traveling with no set deadline, Caon and my luggage were as light as if we were going for a walk.

 

Thanks to Carson’s subspace.

 

This was what marrying a wizard tastes like.

 

I waved goodbye to the Duke and Duchess, whose faces were as bright as their light luggage.

 

“Goodbye, then.”

 

“Yes. It will be a trip of a lifetime, so have fun.”

 

“And come back with good news.”

 

I tilted my head at the Duke’s words, followed by the Duchess’s.

 

“Good news?”

 

“A honeymoon baby or something…”

 

“Honey!”

 

The Duchess pinched the Duke’s side as if to say, ‘Don’t be silly’. Then she laughed heartily and interrupted him.

 

“I didn’t mean to put any pressure on you, Leen, so enjoy your stay.”

 

That’s what I’d hoped for, but Carson was too thorough in that regard, and I doubt it would be possible.

 

I think he wants to enjoy a long, childless honeymoon.

 

I doubt whether that’s what he wants.

 

💫

 

Our first stop on our honeymoon was in Garir Abser.

 

After losing the house, I thought I’d never go back, but I don’t think anyone could have predicted that it would be so close again.

 

“Are you sure this is the right place, Leen?”

 

“Uh, yeah, I guess it is, but…”

 

Arriving in Garir Abser, we were struck by how quiet the town was.

 

It felt so different from the one time I visited before graduation. It was like looking at a ghost town where no one lives.

 

Sensing my unease, I turned my head to look at Carson.

 

“Caon, this can’t be…”

 

“Yeah. I think the people left town when my father bought up all the houses in the area.”

 

I sighed and scratched my forehead.

 

No wonder he’d bought dozens of houses in a small, remote town that wasn’t even on the map. Even the original residents had sold theirs.

 

“So what happened, Father, you wiped out a village.”

 

Carson, however, seemed to relish the situation.

 

“I like it, we can be alone together, without interruption.”

 

It was a very Carson thought. I shook my head and looked for the house I was going to move into after graduation.

 

“Anyway, we’re staying here for a few days, so let’s unpack and look around. If we look hard enough, we might find someone.”

 

That was it.

 

“Who’s there?”

 

The voice belonged to an old man with graying hair.

 

Oh, someone still lives here.

 

I glanced over at Carson and saw that his expression had turned sour, as if he’d been interrupted by a stranger.

 

Grinning, I put my arm around him in a gesture to make him feel better.

 

“Who are you, Grandpa?”

 

“The chief of this village, though I’m embarrassed to call myself that anymore…”

 

He glanced between me and Carson and tugged at his long beard.

 

“From the way you’re dressed, I’m guessing you were out in the mountains and got lost.”

 

“No, we’re not lost, we’re just…”

 

Before I could finish my sentence, he pointed to one side with his index finger.

 

“The other big town is about three hours’ walk in that direction, straight ahead. There’s nothing here.”

 

Nothing…

 

“Excuse me, but are you the only one who lives in this village?”

 

“Yes. Everyone else sold their houses and left for other villages.”

 

“I see.”

 

A look of bitterness crossed Grandpa’s face. He was indeed the only one left in the village.

 

Was this because of the Duke who bought all the houses in the village…?

 

I rolled my eyes and wiped my sweaty hands on my skirt.

 

“I guess I’ll just have to say goodbye to you then, Grandpa. Take care of yourself in the future.”

 

“What, what do you mean, wish me well…”

 

“Well, we’re going to be staying here for a while, and we’re one of the few neighbors, so let’s get along.”

 

With that, I casually walked toward my house.

 

The old man, who was staring at me blankly, grabbed me by the sleeve.

 

“Wait a minute. There are a lot of empty houses around here, but they all have owners.”

 

“It’s okay, Grandpa.”

 

“Oh, no, it’s not okay! This house was bought by a great landlord for a lot of money, so there’s a good chance the owner is a nobleman. If you’re caught, there’s no telling what punishment you’ll face, young lady!”

 

“It’s… it’s all right, really. The houses are in our name.”

 

“…In?”

 

“Oh, they’re not in my name, I just happened to… no, I was given them as a gift…”

 

Feeling like I’d played a small part in turning this place into a ghost town, albeit unintentionally, I hung my head in shame.

 

“Well, let’s go pack up our things then!”

 

I left the bewildered old man behind and hurried into the house.

 

It was a cozy two-story house, big enough for one person, narrow enough for two.

 

I expected him to complain about the small space, but Carson didn’t seem too unhappy, perhaps because he’d spent so much time boarding at the Academy.

 

Of course, I think he was a little unhappy to have people in a town he thought was deserted.

 

“Leen, do you think we should buy a little island and build a honeymoon house there?”

 

“Don’t be silly, just unpack your stuff.”

 

“Yeah…”

 

With a grim expression, Carson opened a subspace and began to arrange the furniture in the empty house.

 

Soon, the house was filled with luxurious furniture.

 

“Ah, let’s put the bed in the second-floor bedroom.”

 

“Right.”

 

While they were still working on the arrangement, the old man from earlier burst through the door.

 

“You guys, whether it’s true that you’re landlords, there’s really nothing here, so you’ll be uncomfortable. If you want to stay, you can stay at my place…!”

 

The old man stammered, looking at the furniture that now filled the house.

 

“Wiz, you’re a wizard…”

 

Carson’s eyebrows knit together at the sudden intrusion.

 

“You should have put a spell on the weed…”

 

I sighed softly, understanding that the spell was lethal.

 

Perhaps for the sake of peaceful village life, both Grandpa and Carson would need to be careful.

 

💫

 

Later that night.

 

We were chatting about where to go next, when we jumped out of bed, startled by the sound of someone screaming.

 

“Aah!”

 

The only person who lives in this village was the old man we met during the day.

 

I quickly grabbed my herbal lantern for emergencies and rushed outside.

 

Of course, Carson was with me.

 

“Help, help!”

 

I ran into the house where I heard the panicked voice, and immediately saw the old man from the morning.

 

He was covered in a cold sweat.

 

“Grandpa!”

 

I shook him by the shoulders to wake him up, and he gasped, his heart racing.

 

“Whew! Huff, huff, huff…”

 

“Grandpa, are you okay?”

 

I asked, and he held out his hand in a familiar gesture.

 

“Eh, I’m fine. It’s just, that I’m having flashbacks to when I was forcibly conscripted into the Imperial War.”

 

“Ah…”

 

Post-traumatic stress disorder.

 

It was the disease most people of the generation that had lived through the Imperial War had.

 

I handed him a handkerchief and asked gently.

 

“Do you dream about it every night?”

 

“…Yes.”

 

He took a long drink from the bottle on his bedside table.

 

“I know I seem pathetic, Carisdenes Potitua, but no one who saw him on the battlefield, slitting the throats of his comrades, will ever forget.”

 

“What? Who…?”

 

I stared at him in disbelief, the name sounding familiar.

 

“Heh, don’t people even know Grand Duke Potitua these days, the murderer who slaughtered the soldiers of the Lagras Empire?”

 

I felt sweat trickle down my spine.

 

That’s my grandfather…?