Chapter 6: Greatest Mistake

The town might eventually forgive Andric’s father, but the way Andric had caught Miss Erminhilt’s eye? That was unforgivable! Audovacar and his gang might act all meek around Miss Erminhilt, but once she was gone, they’d be back to their old selves in no time.

“What’s this ‘fun’ you’re talking about? Surrounding my Andric? Don’t think just because I’m a woman I don’t know what’s happening!” Miss Erminhilt snapped. In this time, people often underestimated women, assuming they couldn’t grasp what was going on. Some of the youths might have thought Miss Erminhilt was clueless about their hostility toward Andric, but they were wrong.

‘My Andric?’

Miss Erminhilt’s choice of words came out more personal than she intended, and her face turned beet red as soon as she realized it. She tried to backpedal, but it was too late. The remark just added fuel to the fire for the youths who were already jealous of Andric for winning Miss Erminhilt’s favor.

“Miss Erminhilt, I heard you baked a cake for Andric’s birthday. Is that true?” asked a girl from the sidelines.

In Einburg, where drama was a rare commodity, the townspeople loved stirring up trouble. Watching a confrontation was pure entertainment for them. A lot of the youths had been itching to see a fight between Audovacar and Andric.

“Uh, why bring that up now? It’s not really relevant,” Miss Erminhilt said, her cheeks still flushed.

Andric grinned and chimed in, “Yeah, it was a really good cake, too.”

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Since he was about to leave town anyway, Andric felt free to push Audovacar’s buttons as much as he could. With Miss Erminhilt around, Audovacar and his gang wouldn’t dare make a move. Andric had always known he could count on Miss Erminhilt to stand up for him, but his pride had kept him from asking for her help. Now, with her stepping in, it was a different story.

The plan to kick Andric out of town had clearly been in the works for a while. Whatever Audovacar wanted to do, he was on a tight clock. With Andric leaving soon, any attempt at retaliation from Audovacar would be futile. If he turned to his elders for help, they’d just remind him that Andric was leaving soon.

“You made him a cake?” Audovacar asked, disbelief in his voice. The idea of Miss Erminhilt and Andric being close didn’t sit well with him—it meant his own chances with her were pretty much nonexistent.

Miss Erminhilt ignored the question and walked through the crowd with Andric in tow. She guided him down the street, leaving the onlookers behind. Even if she’d defended Andric now, she wouldn’t be able to do so every day. Andric’s pride kept him from asking her for daily protection, even though he knew he could count on her if needed.

They eventually reached a metalworking shop. “Wait here,” Miss Erminhilt said, leaving Andric outside while she went inside. A few minutes later, she emerged with a sheet of paper.

“What’s that?” Andric asked, curious about her errand.

“It’s a log of all the weapons sold by the shop. The mayor’s reporting all weapon sales to the capital, and I need to collect sales logs from merchants who haven’t submitted theirs. Some of these old blacksmiths don’t like dealing with the mayor, so instead of sending guards, he sends me,” Miss Erminhilt explained as they walked back to the town hall.

The town hall was usually quiet during midday. Most visitors came in the morning or evening, and appointments were required unless it was a town meeting. Besides Miss Erminhilt and the mayor, his family also worked at the town hall, so there was no rush for Miss Erminhilt to return.

As they strolled, Miss Erminhilt chatted about the areas around Einburg. “You don’t know how tough it can be outside Einburg. Our town is surrounded by hamlets. It’s about two hundred miles to the next town, which takes around ten days to travel. Going all the way to Mahtzig will take you over fifty days!” she said.

She continued, “A lot can happen in fifty days. You might face wild animals or bandits. Bad weather, like storms, can make travel even more dangerous. Bandits often strike during heavy rain, so you always have to stay alert. Even if it’s not raining, bandits can still attack. Unless you're within a well-guarded town, you’re at risk.”

“Wow, Miss Erminhilt, you seem to know a lot about what’s outside Einburg. Have you ever traveled?” Andric asked.

“I haven’t left Einburg myself, but my fiancé used to send me letters from his travels across Hochland,” she said.

It was well-known that Miss Erminhilt once had a fiancé, but he had left Einburg over five years ago and ended their engagement less than a year after leaving. Despite their separation, there were no hard feelings. The mayor’s oldest son had been betrothed to Miss Erminhilt since they were children, but he discovered a talent for martial arts at fifteen and left town soon after.

Andric knew part of this story, but it was clear why Miss Erminhilt worked at the town hall and wasn’t married at nineteen.

As they neared the town hall, Miss Erminhilt continued sharing her knowledge. Though she’d never traveled herself, her job and interest in maps had given her plenty of insight into the world beyond Einburg.

“I’ve got a question. If there are martialists in the merchant caravan, do they still have to worry about bandits?” Andric asked.

“Of course. The bandits around Mahtzig aren’t very strong compared to the military, but they’re still martialists. Merchant caravans usually have only one guard for every ten merchants because hiring guards is expensive. Bandits, however, keep growing in number. You could run into a group of criminals working together or even remnants of destroyed sects turned bandits!” Miss Erminhilt explained.

In Hochland, sects of martialists controlled a large part of the land. Weaker sects paid tribute to the kingdom, while stronger ones defended it during wars. When sects expanded, they would attack and steal from others. Those left behind after a sect’s destruction often turned to banditry.

“There aren’t any sects near Einburg, but I’ve seen martialists traveling through before. They’re usually at least Novice level or higher,” Andric added.

“Don’t forget about spirit beasts! They stay away from towns but are common in the wilderness. Watch out for waldbars, waldschwein, steinbar, windspinne, and more!” Miss Erminhilt said, listing creatures Andric had only heard a little about.

“I’ve got it,” Andric said, trying to calm her as he waved his hand.

“Overconfidence is dangerous! Anything can happen on the road. What if all your food spoils and everyone around you turns out to be cannibals? You can’t predict the actions of those you travel with. Even a small mistake can lead to disaster,” Miss Erminhilt warned.

They arrived back at the town hall, and just as Andric was about to leave, Miss Erminhilt grabbed the back of his head. She muttered softly, “I’m going to regret this,” and then kissed him.

Andric stumbled backward, shocked by the unexpected kiss. His heart raced, but he quickly reminded himself of his situation. He couldn’t afford to get involved with Miss Erminhilt in that way, especially with his imminent departure.

He turned and walked away briskly, while Miss Erminhilt watched him go, her expression a mix of regret and sadness. Unbeknownst to them, a young boy had been watching from a distance, witnessing the moment.