"My Lord, are we heading back tomorrow?"
Lucy asked Grizel who is caressing Levi's head, he is sleeping soundly after eating a lot since his last rotten bread 3 days ago, feeling afraid of being left behind if he sleeps in comfy, Grizel offered her hand to be held by him all night long.
It was a cute sight when an 8-year-old girl lulling a boy who is 6 years older than her, Lucy who was watching can't help but giggling at the warm atmosphere, her Lord did it even without Levi saying a word, his anxiety, and fear of being left alone again disappeared at the moment her Lord said he could sleep holding her hand, more than reassuring words or promises, her single action could calm the lonely boy.
Grizel glanced at the rough tiny hand holding her tightly as if afraid to be separated, the silver symbol just like on Lucy's hand has also appeared on Levi's, Athena once said that symbol is part of her.
'Should I make it as the emblem of our group?'
Grizel grinned inwardly lost in her train of thought ignoring Lucy who waits for her answer.
Grizel and her group are currently resting in a decent inn near the capital market area, in truth, the Von Belial family has the largest mansion in the noble residency district at the capital, unlike the majority of nobles who live lavishly at the capital and hand over their territorial duties to their vassals, Von Belial family was known for their rare visit to the capital unless summoned by the Emperor.
In the novel, Grizel moved to this large mansion after being chosen as the Crown Prince's fiancee to receive the imperial courses as the future Empress.
This time, her objective is to recruit Leviathan at the capital slums, the distance between the noble residency district and the slums is the farthest within the capital, thus, she chose a decent inn near the commoners market area which side to side with the slums.
"Huh? Yes, but tell the coachman and the knights we are taking the northern route to sightsee"
Grizel back to her consciousness after decided the things to do with the symbol.
"Is that alright? The Northern route will take more than a week compared to the straight Eastern route, My Lord"
Von Belial territory placed at the Eastern region of the empire, going straight to the east from the capital by taking the eastern route is the shortest way to return.
"Yes, I need to do something at the North"
Lucy tilted her head in confusion, rather than choosing the Southern region which is famous for its seafood and beautiful coast near the port town to sightsee, yet her lord prefers to go to the Northern region, the place full of mountains and maze of cliffs where the wind is blowing stronger than any other place.
But she is talking about her antique Lord here, a normal common sense won't apply to her taste.
"Aha!"
Lucy chirped suddenly as if managed to guess something.
"My Lord, are we going to mess with the Northern nobles treasury?"
"..."
Grizel frowned at Lucy, her eyebrows brought together upright hearing the stupid question.
"We robbed a tomb, stealing monsters and the precious high mana stones, manipulating the spies, and loot your parent's forgotten treasures, what are we going to do next at the North, My Lord?"
'What kind of existence did she think I am? Demon Lord?'
"You speak like I am a walking disaster"
'But you are indeed the source of other's misfortune, Master'
Athena said casually like pouring salt over Grizel's wound.
Grizel sighed in desperate need of a normal companion.
"I just want to find something, and it currently I owned, so practically, I am not stealing anything from anyone this time"
"Ah, what a shame..."
The dispirited Lucy throws herself onto the bed, grizel facepalmed to her behavior, it's obvious that Lucy was excited to see another mess.
'Master, the thing that you want to find in the North was one of the hidden treasures in the map provided by the First Emperor for his descendants, it has owner though'
'The same old rules. Finders, Keepers'
'That rule is lawless, an excuse to steal forgotten things'
'Who cares, all is well when the treasures remain unknown'
Grizel laugh inwardly doesn't want to wake the sleeping Levi which is still holding her hand tightly.
-â¢-
"Welcome to Horned Bear Inn"
A friendly middle-aged man greets Grizel and her group of people, they finally arrived at the biggest city of the northern territory after 8 days of passing through steep roads, most of the big towns in this territory are located on vast plateaus with a lot of windmills as their trademark, this territory is indeed windy.
"Do you have 6 vacant room available?"
One of Grizel's escorting Knights asked the friendly receptionist.
"I'm sorry, but our small inn has only 5 room left at service right now"
Their group is consisting of Grizel, Lucy as a maid, 2 escorting Knights, 1 coachman, and Levi as an addition to the trip.
"It's alright, I can sleep with Lucy"
Grizel added, she planned to stealthy hunt the treasure tonight, her room will be left empty anyway.
"No, How could I let our Miss stay in the same room with a maid"
The escorting Knight refused abruptly, he knows his Miss is a humble noble, but staying in the same room with her maid will make other nobles to look down at her, and the Knights didn't wish their beloved delicate Miss to be bullied by others.
"It's alright as long as it remains as our secret, I have a good rest in our comfortable carriage along the way, at least I want my escorting Knights Sir Volton and Sir William along with the coachman Sir Henry have a good rest at the tavern"
As always, Grizel would twist her words to trick others using her angelic face, with Lucy as her roommate it will make her easier to sneak out of the inn.
"Miss..."
The 2 escorting knights, the coachman, even the receptionist can not hide their admiration toward a little holy goddess.
"Please accept this little gratitude as a token for following my selfish wish to sightsee and take the northern route"
Grizel acted as if feeling guilty about her selfishness dragging the group to the north. The Knights and the coachman who is aware of her apathetic parents look down in sorry, they know neither of the Archduke nor the Archduchess ever bothered to bring the Miss to travel with them, they thought it's not her selfishness, more like happiness to finally able to travel.
They didn't know Grizel's happy face along the way is not because of their traveling towards the North, but what treasure awaits her ahead.
"We humbly accept your kindness, Miss"
More refusal to Grizel's kind offer can be considered as a rude manner towards her.
Grizel smiled and walked towards Lucy before whispering something.
"Tonight I'll go by myself, you stay here with Levi, I can't bring untrained subordinate like him"
"How about you, My Lord?"
"Who are you talking to?"
Grizel said with a smug grin, but for some reason, it reassuring to the worrisome Lucy.
"Unlike my private chamber in the mansion, this is a public tavern, stay alert and don't let anyone enter our room before dawn"
"Yes, My Liege. Ah! this is the northern region map you've asked for"
Lucy hand over a map of the northern territory to Grizel.
"Alright, it's time to loot the Northern land"
To be continued...