Unaccustomed Mode of Travelling

Sam POV;

"Are we on land yet?"

Seraphine, the Crowned Princess of this Empire, is experiencing boat sickness, we are riding a coastal vessel to reach the capital but Seraphine hasn't travelled on water yet, and this is her first time…

"Ugh…"

"We're almost t-there, Seraphine"

"Hang in there big sis"

"Let's buy citrus fruit for Seraphine when we land, and let her rest" I suggested

"...Heh"

"What?"

"Oh, nothing dear brother"

"You creep me out when you say that"

Seraphine felt nauseous the first twelve hours and then she collapsed, she felt her stomach churn and everything is beginning to spin, is what she says.

"It feels as though I took my fifteenth shot of liquor"

"...You drink?" I asked

"Not at the moment, but back on earth, where I came from, I drank like there's no tomorrow" She chuckled "I had a hangover every morning, sometimes it's mild, and sometimes I couldn't work, but that's a rare occurrence"

"Knowing you have work and you still drank, won't that hinder your ability to work?"

"No, it doesn't, it depends on how you are going to work whether you will let it affect you or not but sometimes it does, and besides, Max makes me a delicious soup to sober me up"

"...Max?"

"Maksimos Chrysanthemum White" She chuckles once again "his name sounds very flowery, but he is very manly, how cool is that?"

"You are talking about a man, despite being engaged"

"That man is one of my best friends...I have two guys best friends and they are very sweet and protective, I didn't hear a rule where I can't talk about my guy friends"

"There is no rule, but your fiancé will get jealous if he hears you talk about another man"

"He isn't here"

"We are just advising you"

"Is it an unspoken rule, or something?"

"No...but just take precautions, since rumours immediately fly especially you, being you know"

"Aster?" Seraphine looked at Aster questioningly, as if asking her if it's true.

"It's t-true, t-the n-nobles will look at you w-with displeasure i-if they hear you talking about a-another man while you are engaged, talking t-to a man openly is f-fine whether they be a Knight a Merchant or Mercenary, but…speaking fondly of s-someone like that is..."

"Huh…"

"T-They would t-think you are coveting"

Seraphine closed her eyes, she giggled then started laughing, all of us looked confused at the sudden reaction she showed.

"This world is so strange, when I wake up every single time and see you, I have to blink twice to make sure that I'm not dreaming"

"Is it really hard to accept that we are real? And this world is real?"

"Yes, from where I'm from, I'm still adjusting in this world hahahaha"

"Not just the people, the rules, the season and even the animals"

"The animals a-are strange..."

"I'm going to get some shut-eye for a moment"

"Alright"

"Good Night, big sis"

I shrugged and face-palmed, she decided to sleep when we were minutes away from landing.

"Y-You look, t-troubled Sir. Sam"

"I'm not"

"We're landing! All hands on deck!"

"Thought so"

I got up from my seat and carried Seraphine in my arms, I then laid her inside the bed of the vardo.

"Pft"

"Aden, I can hear you"

"How sweet of you, brother"

"Shut up!"

The coastal vessel lands and opens the back of the boat to unload cargo, we backed the vargo out of the boat towards the wharf, when we were finally out we went to the nearest inn at the port first so that Seraphine could rest.

We parked the cargo near the inn, and I took out Seraphine that's sleeping heavily already, we rented a room at the inn and laid her on the bed.

"She looks so pale" Ishana looked concerned

"The three of you go buy a citrus fruit for Seraphine, I'll watch over her"

"I-Is it o-okay?"

"I don't know how long you've been trapped in your Palace, Aster, but you should look around, on what the outside looks like"

"...Um"

"Is there something wrong?"

"You're surprised that Samuel is a sweetheart huh?"

"Go already!"

"Y-Yes!"

"Bye! Take care of big sis, brother"

"Don't do anything to her while we're gone"

"I'm not a jerk Aden"

The three left and I was left to watch the Crowned Princess, but something has been bothering me the moment we left Leviticus, it's as if we were being followed.

Am I being paranoid? But I've been to many situations before that this happened and my gut feeling has always been right…

I should've asked Ishana to use her aura reading just to be on the safe side, maybe later when she returns with the others.

"Ugh…" I looked towards the bed to find Seraphine stirring in her sleep.

I went towards the side of the bed and peered down, she slowly opened her eyes, I can't help but admire the beautiful shade of blue her eyes have…

Why am I thinking of this?

"Why are you peering at me like that?"

"Did I wake you?"

"No, but you slightly startled me"

"Sorry…"

"It's fine" 

Seraphine sat up holding her head, she was slightly swaying while sitting, it looks like the effect of travelling on water lingered.

"Are we on land already?"

"That's the fifteenth time you said that, and yes we are already on solid land"

"Can you do me a favour? Get me a glass of water and a bucket…"

"Alright"

I would've said to get it yourself, but she looks so pale that I'm pitying her right now.

I got a bucket and a glass of water for her along with a pitcher of water just in case she needed more, of course, I'm bot going to go down and up again, that's just stupid.

"Here you go, Princess"

"I sense the sarcasm in your tone of voice"

"It doesn't"

She shrugged and took the bucket first, she held her hand up, I tilt my head curiously at what she was gesturing, she then twirls her index finger.

"Huh?"

"Turn around," She says annoyed

"Ah…"

After I turned around, I heard unpleasant noises from her, the sound of puking to be exact, it lasted for three minutes...I was beginning to be concerned.

"Are you alright?"

"..."

I turned around to see her face-palming, I went towards her and she held her hand up again, a sign to stop approaching her.

"My vision is spinning, I need to rest more"

"I see…"

"Can you hand me the glass of water, I feel like I'm going to puke my guts out if I see my vision spin again"

"Here"

I hand her the glass of water, she drinks all of it, puts the bucket down, her eyes still closed and lies down.

"I can't sleep...maybe you can chat with me to tire me out"

This is a perfect opportunity to ask her if someone followed her and Aster here in Terra Queendom.

"Did anyone follow you when you got washed up at Caladium Forest?"

"...I don't think so, since first of all, I think Zeno killed the guy that kidnapped us"

"Zeno?"

"My butler"

"So where is this Zeno?"

"I have no idea, this giant shadow bird monster caught my waist when he was about to catch me, we needed to get off the carriage since the horses doesn't obey anyone other than the one Zeno killed"

"Then what happened?"

"The shadow monster bird carried Aster and me away, Aster was already unconscious at that time, I didn't hear her side of the story why she got knocked out, but she was out cold and was very unresponsive, Thankfully Fries, the Knight and Shining Holy Beast saved us, we fell at the pink river, and you already know what happened next"

"Right...but there's still a possibility someone followed you or is following"

"Aren't you just being paranoid?"

"I'm an experienced Mercenary, Paranoia is a preventive measure for both you and Aster, as well as my little sister"

"Alright, Alright, it's not Paranoia it's a precaution, I get you"

"As long as you have understanding"

"..."

She became silent, her soft breathing indicated she is already asleep, I pulled the covers for her and sat on a nearby chair.

I closed my eyes listening attentively at the surroundings, I heard Aden, Ishana and Aster returning from their short shopping trip.

"Hm"

I hummed nothing is out of the ordinary.

A knock diverted my attention to the door, I stood up from where I was sitting and opened the door.

"We're back!" Ishana shouted

"Sh…" I shushed

"Oh…" She closes her mouth immediately

"Did you have fun spending time with the Princess?" Aden teased

"Watching over someone is fun?"

"Well, since you-"

"Aster go with Aden and ask the innkeeper to squeeze the citrus fruit on a glass, so that Seraphine can drink it later"

"You're seriously ordering a Crowned Princess to get another Crowned Princess a citrus juice?"

"Yes, with you"

"Aren't you going to say anything?"

"U-Um, currently I-I am n-not in my P-Palace, as Sir. Sam mentioned…"

"Well yes but-"

"A Princess must become a commoner in order to experience what being a commoner is like, and besides you and Seraphine are incognito, you can't prance around knowing that you'd be in danger once you're exposed to the people you are crowned princesses, it's like putting a signboard on your heads so that enemies can locate you"

"Sir. Sam i-is right, besides, i-it is interesting what commoners do, it is...h-how do you say i-it?" Aster puts her hand on her chin looking thoughtful "f-finding a different perspective"

"You heard the princess, now both of you go do what I asked you to do"

"Such a slave driver"

The two exited once again fulfilling what I asked, I turned towards Ishana who was looking curiously at Seraphine.

"Ishana, it's rude to stare, you know?"

"I'm not staring…"

"Then what are you-"

Seraphine's body became ablaze, I got startled and immediately grabbed my sister that was standing beside the bed.

"Meow!"

Fries the little cub suddenly appeared out of nowhere, I reckoned it teleported, it then sat on the princess's chest, and absorbed the blue flame that suddenly ignited, after a while the blue flame dissipated.

"Meow!"

The cub mewed, and circled Seraphine's chest, it then went to sleep.

"So that's what the thing is for…"

"What just happened brother?"

"I don't know" I answered looking curiously at Seraphine and the lion cub "but it's best to keep our distance from the princess, don't approach her"

"Okay…"

"Ishana, can I make you do something for me?"

"What is it, big brother?"

"Use your aura reading to see if someone bad is trying to harm us, can you do that?"

"Okay"

"Good girl"

I pat her head, she concentrates closing her eyes, she hums for a minute before she opens her eyes again.

"I don't see anyone that has bad intentions"

"...I see"

Maybe I was wrong? But better be safe than sorry, especially on what happened earlier, if I wasn't mistaken it was psych energy that formed from Seraphine's chest making her ablaze, before the lion cub absorbed it…

What an interesting human she is…