I’ll bear that in mind

We finally reached the village, and my role for the day came to an end.

"Hey, Yuri, Luca—are you guys hurt?" I asked.

"Not a scratch," Yuri replied with a confident grin. "We had it under control. Don't worry about us."

"Same here," Luca added with a reassuring smile. "The knights handled most of it. I barely broke a sweat."

"That's a relief," I said, exhaling. "It was hard not knowing what was happening from inside the carriage."

"Yeah, tough luck there," Yuri said with a chuckle.

Apparently, the attackers were mercenaries disguised as common bandits. The knights didn't go into too much detail, but Yuri and Luca decided it was best not to dig too deep into the politics of the situation. Getting involved in noble disputes wasn't worth the trouble.

"Oh, by the way," I said, "did you guys know the House of Ivaldi is a marquisate?"

"A marquisate?" Yuri raised an eyebrow. "Well, that explains why their knights were so disciplined. That girl's a real big shot, huh?"

"Right? There are only four marquisates in the entire kingdom. To think she's the daughter of one of them…"

The Four Great Marquis Houses were renowned for their service to the crown, with deep historical ties to the kingdom. Learning that Ulza belonged to one of these prestigious families was a revelation. It made me wonder: how close had my father really been to someone like Craig Alexis if he was tied to people in such high circles?

My thoughts were interrupted by Yuri's teasing laugh. "Well, just one more day, and this little ordeal is over."

"Apparently, the next town is the heart of the Ivaldi territory," Luca added. "It's even named after the family. Guess their young lady's trip will end there."

"So my time playing the noble's companion is almost over…" I muttered.

"Has it been that bad?" Luca asked with a giggle.

"Not really," I admitted. "She's not strict about etiquette or anything, but it's exhausting trying not to say anything stupid that might grab her attention."

Yuri smirked. "You think you're being careful, but you're already under her spotlight. Just riding in the same carriage is proof enough."

"Wait, really?" I groaned. "That's not good…"

We busied ourselves setting up camp, but I couldn't help noticing that Yuri was no longer carrying the broadsword he'd taken from the bandits' leader.

"Oh, Yuri, what happened to the broadsword?"

"Sold it off," he said nonchalantly. "One of the knights wanted it. Didn't ask questions, but they paid a good price for it. I'm not complaining."

"Probably some kind of evidence," Luca speculated. "If it ties the bandits to whoever sent them, it could be important."

"Maybe," I mused. Hopefully, it would help the knights unravel the truth about the attack.

The next day, I once again climbed into Ulza's carriage. This time, however, the conversation wasn't as exhausting as before. Instead of grilling me with questions, Ulza spoke about her homeland—the food stalls she loved to visit when sneaking out, the places she missed, and her excitement about seeing her family again.

The journey went smoothly, and we reached the capital of the Ivaldi territory without incident. The difference was clear the moment we approached the gates. While most travelers queued up to have their documents inspected, our carriage bypassed the line entirely. Watching the guards wave us through made the privileges of nobility unmistakable.

The carriage stopped in front of a grand mansion—the Ivaldi estate.

"Thank you for keeping me company on this journey, Matthew," Ulza said as she stepped down. "You made the trip much less dull."

"Thank you as well, Ulza," I replied, giving her a polite bow. "I'm glad to have met you. I won't say 'let's meet again' lightly, but… stay well."

"Do write me when you reach the capital," she said with a smile.

"I'll… keep that in mind."

We parted ways there, the farewell brief but meaningful. Ulza climbed the mansion steps, and I stood with Yuri and Luca, watching as her carriage disappeared into the estate.

"Well," Yuri said, clapping me on the shoulder, "time to find ourselves an inn."

"Agreed," Luca said. "After all that, we deserve a nice one. Let's splurge a little."

With the extra funds we received from the knights as thanks for assisting the young lady, they treated me to a stay at one of the finest inns in the city. The dinner was delicious, the rooms clean and comfortable. For once, I could truly relax.

"Ivaldi's capital really is impressive," I remarked as we settled in. "Maybe I'll explore tomorrow."

"We've got a day before we move on, so why not?" Yuri said. "Enjoy it while you can."

And so, another leg of my journey came to an end. But the road ahead still stretched far, and my quest was far from over.