A Visitor from the Past

“Have you come only now?”

Alfon, who was holding the horse’s reins, showed a bright face as Lien pulled the handcart full of goods.

Although he was a good cook, he had no talent at all for taking care of horses, so he needed Lien’s help in this part.

It seemed the knights had not gone straight to the inn on that road either, and he arrived at a timing that could be called ‘just right.’

“Did the guests arrive?”

“Four knights have come, so please take care of the horses. It seems they will all stay and eat.”

“I met them on the road a moment ago.”

“So there was someone who guided them.”

“But are there only four of them?”

“That’s right. They only said one more would come later, but there was no mention of servants.”

“How strange.”

Since he thought they wouldn’t send many knights, the number was larger than expected.

But to have no attendants at all? It was a strange situation where there were more knights than expected, but the total number of people was smaller.

Lien, tilting his head, took the horse’s reins from Alfon.

Just then, Alfon asked him carefully.

“By any chance, is there anything you remember?”

“No.”

As Lien shook his head, Alfon showed a complex expression.

It was a face mixed with disappointment and relief.

Lien, pretending not to notice his expression, spoke.

“Could it be someone related to me?”

“That’s true.”

The place where the couple saved Lien was a very long way from here.

Nevertheless, whenever a noble or a knight stopped by the inn, they would casually ask if his childhood memories had returned.

The reason they cared about Lien’s memory was because of his appearance when they first met.

Since the young boy was found in an extraordinary state right before death, they thought that his son’s situation must be very complicated.

The two guessed that their adopted son must be the son of some high-status noble.

Although the soaked clothes were torn here and there and dirty, Mona, who had worked as a maid in a noble’s mansion, noticed that the clothes were of extremely high quality.

In addition, every single piece of jewelry he was wearing was unusual.

At a glance, a boy who looked like a girl, wearing a dress and carrying unusual wounds, floated down along the valley, so anyone could see there was a story.

Even now, when his appearance had changed considerably, they were always worried that he might be harmed by someone who recognized him.

Lien, who fully understood their worry, never mentioned his past even by mistake.

And right now, he was very satisfied with living under the name of Lien.

“If there’s something that comes to mind, I’ll tell you.”

“Mmm.”

“Father, go do your work. I’ll go take care of the horses.”

“I will do so.”

At Lien’s words, Alfon nodded and went into the inn pulling the handcart instead of the reins.

Lien, who showed a warm smile looking at his back, led the horses to the backyard.

It was a good thing he built a stable even though it wasn’t large.

Perhaps because they were horses ridden by knights, the horses were all heavily built.

Still, since they were well-trained horses, it wasn’t troublesome until he tied them up in the stable.

He felt relieved inside, thinking that there would be nothing troublesome this time.

The black horse was uniquely affectionate toward him, which was tiring.

‘It’s completely different from the owner.’

Unlike its owner who wore a deep hood and didn’t even reveal his face, the horse seemed very social.

Since it was admirable, he fed it a carrot.

When he washed his hands outside and went into the kitchen, the inside was busier than expected.

They said no more guests would come, but contrary to those words, Alfon and Mona’s hands were moving very busily.

Seeing the pile of food ingredients stacked like a mountain, Lien hurriedly rolled up his sleeves.

“What’s this… Did more guests come in the meantime?”

“No, it’s all for those gentlemen.”

At Mona’s words, as he peeked his head out of the kitchen, four robust men were sitting in the hall eating.

Unlike the horses that ate fodder quite gracefully, the food was disappearing at a very fast speed.

He didn’t know who was a horse and who was a human.

It was no wonder the two people’s hands were busy.

“My goodness, they eat quite a lot.”

As he shook his head coming inside, Alfon spoke while carving meat.

“They asked me to prepare enough so that one person could eat three servings, so I did that, but it seems it was lacking after all.”

“Look at their physique. They look like they eat a lot.”

Mona spoke while scanning Lien’s body.

Mona, who was dissatisfied saying Lien was skinny, would usually point at their food when a large guest came, nagging that he should eat that much.

Since she didn’t seem to have any intention of sparing her nagging even in the midst of a busy time, Lien looked for the food to be moved to the tables.

“Beer for each one too.”

“It feels like ten people came instead of four.”

Since there wasn’t much service besides the meal, guests like this were rather good.

Lien went out to the hall, skillfully holding a tray in one hand and beer glasses in the other hand.

As the smell of freshly grilled meat drifted, the men immediately turned their heads and cheered.

Weren’t they knights? They behave exactly like miners or village men.

Since he was a knight who spoke so gently a moment ago, it was a little fascinating.

He recognized Lien and spoke affably.

“Your mother’s skill is very good!”

“You were wrong this time too. It’s my father’s skill.”

“Haha, dear. I keep getting it wrong.”

The man with a neat appearance and brown hair neatly tied up had a face closer to a scholar than a knight.

It might look more so because of his light clothing.

He struck up a conversation with Lien in a friendly tone.

“I am eating deliciously after a long time.”

“Although it’s in a remote place, I, who grew up eating diligently, guarantee the taste of the food.”

“It gives confidence. I am Petrick.”

The attitude of the man who spoke freely saying he would stay for a few days was far from making a fuss.

Looking at his polite speech or attitude, he didn’t seem to be a bad-tempered guest, so there wouldn’t be much of a problem while staying.

But as expected, the worrying point was.

‘That part is a bit off.’

The man wearing a deep black hood was the definition of suspicious itself to anyone who looked.

He looked like he had a large build even when he was on the horse, but he looked even larger sitting on a chair.

Since most people who hide their faces while traveling didn’t have good intentions, he couldn’t help but mind.

Petrick, who noticed his gaze, spoke calmly even while showing an embarrassed expression.

“He is not a suspicious person. He just has some circumstances.”

“I see.”

Well, since he is a person who came with a knight, could he possibly do something.

A knight with a clear identity guarantees his identity.

As the conversation grew longer, he felt the man casting a look toward him, but Lien didn’t mind and set up the food on the table.

Petrick’s other companion began to talk to him.

“Oh, you are the daughter of this house.”

“I am a son.”

“Oh dear, excuse me.”

“Perhaps because you are companions, what you say is exactly the same.”

The large man smiled awkwardly.

Honestly, this kind of misunderstanding was a common thing, so he didn’t even feel hurt.

The misunderstanding wasn’t a problem, but the subsequent attitude was what was important, and they were quite gentle among the people he had experienced.

It was just when he was about to say something.

“……You.”

The man wearing a hood lifted his head and was looking at him.

It felt like a blue light flashed beneath the shadow.

The moment his eyes met with his, he stood up abruptly from his seat.

Since he was suspicious anyway, it was when he thought he should avoid the place before being picked on.

The sound of a chair falling over with a rattle was heard, and then his front view was filled with black.

“Ah!”

“…Why like this…….”

“What is it?! Let go of this!”

As his wrist was suddenly grabbed, Lien screamed without realizing it.

Because the man’s grip strength was enormous, he couldn’t even escape, and it was due to being flustered by the sudden pain he faced.

Petrick and his companions were also flustered and stood up from their seats.

“Commander!”

“He is a civilian. Please calm down.”

There seemed to be no one to explain why this man was wielding violence against him.

Although his companions were flustered and stopped him, the man called commander did not let go of his arm.

Lien struggled to escape, pulling his hand backward, but his body was helplessly dragged toward him.

“You……!”

You crazy bastard!

No matter how high a person he was, the moment he clenched his teeth thinking he should kick his shin, the man pulled back his hood.

In an instant, the world stopped.

Calix Lofston!

Why are you here?

The man’s freezing cold blue eyes stared at Lien.

Lien’s face turned pale.

“Why are you in a place like this…….”

At Calix’s gaze looking as if searching him, he suddenly snapped out of it.

He realized anew how much his current appearance had changed from before.

If it wasn’t for his hair and eye color, there were almost no traces of the past.

He must be probing just in case.

He must not be involved with him.

Lien, who tried hard to sober up, showed a troubled expression and pushed the man’s hand away again.

Although he didn’t seem to have any intention of being pushed away at all.

Lien spoke, making the expression of a kind innkeeper’s son who fell into a difficult situation.

“……Guest, if there is something uncomfortable, please let go of this hand and speak in words.”

But contrary to his expectation, Calix seemed to have some certainty.

He looked at Lien with his eyes sparkling as if he saw something very surprising, no, as if he saw a miracle.

“Truly…….”

“Guest!”

“I have truly looked around for a very long time.”

As if he had nothing to do with the chaotic situation and me, he made a very soft expression, gathered Lien’s hands together to wrap around them, and then lifted them up.

Calix pressed his lips onto the back of his hand that was dragged powerlessly.

“I missed you.”

The unwelcome guest who came from the past brought the name he had tried hard to erase from the world to this place right now, in a voice soaked with overwhelming emotion.

“My princess.”

However, there was only one thing the current Lien could say to the ‘unwelcome guest from the past.’

“Guest, excuse me, but…….”

Lien spoke, smiling as if it was absurd.

“Are you crazy?”

At Lien’s answer, Calix smiled, and the knights were horrified.