Chapter 25: Mia Smacks at Delicious Hare Stew — Her Lips, That Is!

They followed Muzic through the forest, taking narrow animal trails whose winding courses were just as taxing as the rocky riverbank had been. Mia had long passed from the realm of weariness into total exhaustion, but she couldn't afford to be left behind. The dense leafy canopy blocked out the sun, leaving the whole forest in darkness. Every time she walked past a large tree, she couldn't help but wonder if a monster was hiding in its shadow. The thought gnawed at her already frayed nerves and made her tremble in fear.

Now, Mia didn't really believe in monsters and the like, but one did not earn the title of "Chicken-Hearted" by being selective about one's fears. Whether it be a ghost or a wolf, as long as it popped out, she'd react to it with equal and indiscriminate terror.

Which explained how she managed to keep her legs moving. Fatigue was one thing, being left behind in a forest where things could jump out at her from every shadow was another thing entirely. She was going to keep walking if it was the last thing she did. Unbeknownst to her, her display of willpower was the very thing that had doomed her to such prolonged agony.

Well, color me surprised, thought Sion as he glanced at Mia's plodding figure trailing behind him. I figured we'd need to take a break at some point, but she's surprisingly hardy. I know she said she joined the horsemanship club, but that is some impressive stamina. I swear, Mia... Every time I look at you, I'm reminded not to rest on my laurels.

"My, are those lights I see? They're terribly pretty... and they follow me wherever I look..."

Just as Mia began mumbling the sort of things that would make medical professionals concerned, the two forms in front of her stopped.

"We're 'ere."

She looked up to find the oppressing corridors of trees give way to a wide clearing dotted with about a dozen houses that made up the small village of Doni. They were all made of wood, and none were particularly fancy.

Mostly a gathering of hunters and loggers, it looks like... thought Sion as he scanned the village.

"My place is o'er there, see? That one with the round roof."

Muzic pointed at a modest shack no different from any of the others.

"The capital's gonna have to wait 'til tomorrow. It's already late. You can stay with me."

Sion let out a breath of relief at this offer. Good. We'll have a roof to sleep under tonight.

Then, it occurred to him that Mia might not share his relief. Having gone on hunting trips before, he was accustomed to spending nights in small shacks like these. Mia, Princess of the Tearmoon Empire, might not be as flexible. He glanced at her, expecting to see disappointment, or maybe even disgust, on her face...

"How do you eat hares? Do you roast them over a spit?"

"Sure, they taste great that way. But today, I'm thinking we use this 'ere pot to stew the thing. I've got some veggies I can put in, too."

"My! Stewed hare! That sounds wonderful! Oh, what if we also add some mushrooms ..."

"Whoa, hold on there, little lady. Mushrooms're a real devil to tell apart. Don't touch'em unless you really know what you're doin'. You'll regret it otherwise."

"Could you teach me which ones are edible, then? There's someone I very much wish to cook for."

Her eyes glowed with enthusiasm as she continued to discuss the nuances of cooking with Muzic. She barely even seemed to notice the poor quality of the shack, much less be bothered by it.

Well, so much for worrying about her delicate sensibilities. She didn't seem to mind camping out in the open either. I wonder if she's actually the hardy outdoors sort.

With a resigned smile, he watched her for a little longer. Then he turned to Muzic.

"Things are getting a little messy here, aren't they?"

"Hm? What things?"

"Isn't civil war about to break out?"

"Huh. You got good ears. Yeah, word is that some town somewhere is raising a ruckus o'er something stupid."

"...Something stupid? Has it not impacted this area?"

"Dunno. Haven't heard much 'round these parts. 'Sides, we're all country folk here. We got our hands full just looking after ourselves," he said, letting out a big laugh.

Sion furrowed his brow. This isn't matching what I read in the report... I was under the impression a revolution was consuming the whole kingdom.

According to the intelligence he'd received, the King of Remno had imposed heavy taxes to fund an expansion of military armaments, which pushed his people, unable to suffer more burden, to rise up in anger.

Is it because... this place is just too far? And the fires of revolution haven't reached this remote settlement along the border?

He pursed his lips, perplexed by the mismatch between what he'd heard and what he saw.

Mia, meanwhile, also pursed her lips. Except in her case, she was bringing a wooden bowl full of hare stew to them. She tipped it a little and felt the warm liquid flow over her tongue.

No wonder the book mentioned this. It's absolutely delicious!

A tender piece of meat rolled into her mouth and promptly melted into a wave of gamy savoriness that washed over her taste buds, which was soon complemented by the rich flavors of mountain vegetables. The experience was so satisfying that she smacked her lips in sheer scrumptious pleasure. As she drank down the stew, its heat spread throughout her body. With the burgeoning sense of warmth, however, came a realization.

"...Something's not right."

She stared at the hare stew in her bowl, studying it carefully.

"This is food. And there seems to be plenty of it..."

It was, perhaps, an obvious observation. The famine that would eventually sweep over the continent wasn't due to happen for another few years. There was no shortage of food right now, and therefore, nothing about this scene was out of the ordinary.

"But still... something's not right."

It might have been a fleeting feeling, a passing thought, but it left behind an unease— No, the seeds of unease, yet to sprout. Nevertheless, she couldn't seem to get it out of her mind.

"Ahh... I want some sweets," she murmured as she plopped another piece of hare meat into her mouth. "Mmm, delicious. But still, I want something sweet..."

Hardy or not, she was still a princess, and she was going to crave her sugar.