The three of them crossed the rivers, mountains and the vast prairie. They didn't stop until the sun rose in the east sky.
They stopped by in a small village. Veronica disguised as a man. So, no one suspected three n traveling. They booked a triple room for themselves and rested there for a day. The horses needed so rest and so did they.
In the evening, they went to the local pub and ordered a few drinks.
"Should we drink alcohol?" Veronica was skeptical. "We need to move out tonight."
"We are going to the north. The closer we get, the colder it will beco. A mug of alcohol will keep you warm," Felix said. "If you cannot handle alcohol, one mug should be fine for you."
"Even a mug is too much..." Veronica muttered. She took a sip in the mug of beer and her mouth twisted in disgust. "So bitter..."
She found the locals were bustling in the pub. The musicians were playing local music. People were bursting into laughter. It had a completely different vibe than the Elven Realm. The lively atmosphere lifted her mood.
'The Human Realm is the best,' she thought. 'Nothing can be better than an energetic atmosphere. Sothing like this can never be found in the Elven Realm.'
She noticed Ironin and Felix drinking glass after glass and they were still sober. How they could stay all right after drinking a few mugs of alcohol was beyond her imagination. She wondered if she could do the sa and still be sober.
"The capital is going crazy. How can the blessed child act like that?" soone complained.
"I would rather say the Royal Family is crazy for supporting a blessed child like that." A person scoffed while speaking out loud.
"..."
Ironin and Felix exchanged glances. After speaking through their eyes, they ca to an agreent.
Felix stood up and got close to the locals who were expressing their dissatisfaction. "What's happening with the blessed child, folks?"
The locals looked at him and said, "Ahh, you must be a traveler. Where are you heading?"
"I'm going to Utahil," Felix answered.
"Ahh, I wouldn't recomnd that. That place is going crazy?"
"How can a holy nation where the blessed child resides can go crazy? You must be joking," Felix said, pretending not to believe their words.
"This brother doesn't know a thing. Where have you been living all this ti? In the cave?"
"Since he doesn't know, we should tell him."
"Listen, young traveler, the blessed child doesn't heal sick people anymore. Things weren't going well in the holy country, Utahill. It's not raining much. The crops weren't growing well. The Royal Family had to buy crops from the neighboring countries."
"People are also getting sick. Especially the newborn children. So are saying that the country is being cursed. That's why the Royal Family organized a nationwide festival."
"Two weeks ago, in the festival, the blessed child was supposed to show her appearance. It was said, she would bless everyone while going through precession."
"Rumors say, she was wearing extravagant clothes while people were suffering. She only healed people who gave her money or expensive gifts. In other words, aristocrats and rich rchants' family mbers."
"If this isn't crazy then what?"
"Tell him the rest."
"A cousin of mine ca from Utahil five days ago. He told that a sick commoner child wanted to be healed by the blessed child. But the blessed child actually kicked the sick child and ordered the temple to be closed for commoners!"
"That can't be possible. The Head Priest won't allow it," Felix said in disbelief. He also couldn't believe that the fake blessed child would do sothing like that and the Royal Family of Utahil would stay quiet.
"The Head Priest... you an the old folk? He's dead. He was sick for so ti now. He died last year, was it?"
"Doesn't matter when he died. The problem arose after the new priest was appointed as the Head Priest. He only likes money. He beca friends with all nobles and rich rchants. He doesn't care about the commoners."
"So say that he has a secret relationship with the Head Priest."
"That's blasphemous! How can you say such disgraceful words?!" The other local scolded his friend.
"But isn't this what's spreading among people?" the drunk local retorted. "There shouldn't be any smoke without a fire."
"You have entertained long enough. As a token of appreciation, I'll buy you folks so beer," Felix offered.
The locals celebrated.
After talking to them, Felix went back to the original place but Ironin and Veronica weren't there. He scanned the entire pub but they were nowhere to be found.
"Huh? Where did they go?"
While he was talking to the locals, Veronica and Ironin were quietly drinking. Although Ironin was with Veronica to guard her, his focus was on the locals surrounding them.
They were all drunk and talking to their hearts' content. He could hear all kinds of gossip and find out what was happening in the world. He had been in the Elven Realm for so long that he was completely detached from the Human Realm.
Burp!
He looked at the girl in front of him and saw that Veronica was drunk.
She had two mugs of beer!
Her right hand reached out for the third mug but he grabbed her wrist. "Don't drink anymore."
"No!" she protested. "I have to drink... burp!" Her face was flushed and her eyes were dropping. She was nearly sane. With his free left hand, she tried to hold the mug.
Ironin pushed away all the mugs and said, "That's enough." His usually curt tone
disappeared. His voice was low and soft, only for her to listen.
"No, no, no! I won't listen to you! How can you drink five mugs and still be okay and I can't? This isn't fair! I want to drink!"
Her voice was getting louder. The locals started looking at them. Ironin couldn't let them find out that she was a woman disguised as a man. He had to pull her out of the pub despite her
protest.
"No, no! I'm not going!"
Her complaints didn't reach his ears. Noticing that she dropped to the ground and hugged his
right thigh.
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