After leaving Trier, Charlotte felt relaxed for the first time in ages on the journey back to Suhit City.
The feeling did not come from the journey itself. The four-wheeled carriage had been traveling along the post road for days, and even the suspension beneath its cabin could not fully absorb the jolts from the uneven surface. Sitting in it from morning until night, she felt everything below her waist and above her knees go numb again, as though every bone in her body had been rattled apart.
But now she no longer had to worry about running into Miss N of the Aurora Order after she sneaked back into Trier, watch for new attacks by cultists who worshipped the True Creator, or wonder whether passersby were royal spies. Nor did she need to think about what sort of investigation she would face if the Inquisition discovered her involvement in the Gray Fog gatherings.
Even with plenty still weighing on her mind, this was far less stressful than staying in Trier.
Of course, now that she had actually left, Charlotte occasionally missed the city.
The dishes prepared by their temporarily hired cook had been far more refined than those in Sushit. Its proper police system, broad streets, and ubiquitous public amenities also gave it the distinctive sense of order found in a large city.
But I came from twenty-first-century Earth. Modern skyscrapers, neon lights, and traffic that never stops, day or night, are surely more impressive than Trier, where the tallest building is just a church. Comforting herself with that thought, Charlotte shifted against the side of the carriage and looked at Lila opposite her.
The maid had still been excited when they first left Trier, frequently lifting the curtain to gaze at the estates, vineyards, and towns along the