At ten past noon the next day, the two carriages sped onward through whistling wind and rolling dust toward the Acropolis of Athens, whose outline was already coming into view.
Still leading the way were Queen Gorgo of Sparta and Helen, High Priestess of the Temple of the Moon.
But the second carriage, driven by Samael and following close behind, was much lighter than it had been two days earlier, and now had only a single passenger left.
The unfortunate women rescued from the bandits' den had all been left in towns along the road.
With the money they had been given for the journey, they would forget those unbearable memories, take new names, bury their pasts, and, if all went well, begin new lives.
Suffering would always exist. However rotten the world and fate might be, life still had to be lived one day at a time.
As for why they had not simply taken those women straight to Athens and settled them there, there were two reasons.
On one hand, Samael and the two Spartans were already overwhelmed with matters at hand. Naturally, they had no time to play the hero and take responsibility for everything.
On the other hand, with the bandits along the road acting so brazenly, who knew which Athenian nobles might be secretly involved in something shady? Bringing that many people into the city would never go unnoticed. By then, those women might lose their lives without ever understanding why.
Of course, not everyone was willing to quietly hole up in some small place and live in peace.
For example, a certain utterly shameless trash fox.
Just as Samael was grumbling inwardly, two soft, jade-like hands lifted the curtain. Pink little fists gently tapped at the Ancient Serpent's shoulders and the back of his neck, kneading and massaging him.
Mmm... this feels good... This is the feeling of a top-tier full-service massage...
As Tamamo-no-Mae's fingers and palms moved over him in alternating pressure, tapping and kneading along the lines of his muscles with perfect force, his stagnant blood and energy began to flow, and his stiff joints started to loosen. Even his internal organs seemed to come alive.
After that full-body treatment, which loosened his channels, smoothed his joints, and adjusted his organs, Samael felt as though he were soaking in warm water. A pleasant numbness spread from the crown of his head all the way down to his tailbone, and every pore in his body seemed to open wide, refreshed by the breeze from every direction.
But because he was enjoying it too much and his focus slipped, Samael nearly drove the carriage into a tree.
Inside the carriage, Tamamo-no-Mae blinked her watery golden eyes and stepped forward with eager attentiveness, speaking in a sweet, soft, syrupy voice.
"Ezio-sama, you've been on the road for half the day already. Let me take over. You should come inside and get some proper rest for a while, and have a little water too."
There was something distinctly virtuous-wife-and-loving-mother about that thoughtful concern.
Sorry, I take it back. When you're not causing trouble, you really are a good fox!
Hearing such considerate comfort, Samael felt a trace of guilt. He immediately went along with it, handed over the reins, retreated into the carriage, and leaned comfortably against one side. With his eyes closed, he picked up the teacup on the table, still faintly warm, and took a sip.
"That's strange. It's sweet. Did you add sugar? It also smells a little like roses... or maybe honey?"
As the warm tea flowed across his tongue and bloomed into a distinctly unusual taste, Samael could not help opening his eyes and asking curiously.
"Hehe, do you like it? If not, there are other varieties too. Safflower, gardenia, rouge flower, and more for you to choose from."
Tamamo-no-Mae replied with a beaming smile, the corners of her lips curving up in delight, her mouth vivid as flower petals.
Samael lowered his head and looked at the cup. The faint reddish tint spreading from the rim down into the tea made his eyelid twitch.
Safflower... gardenia... rouge flower... Aren't those the ingredients Chinese women use to make rouge?
"You used this cup before, didn't you?"
"Oh my, so without realizing it, I've been forcibly kissed. Ezio-sama, you're awfully bold."
Tamamo-no-Mae lifted a hand to cradle her cheek, turning her face slightly toward Samael with a bashful look. But deep in those golden eyes was a teasing glint, the sort of wicked amusement one might show while toying with a pet.
You were the one who secretly slipped something into it, so what the hell are you acting shy for? Even if it counts as an indirect forced kiss, you're the one forcing me, all right?
As the hand holding the cup trembled slightly, the liquid inside seemed to shimmer with a suspicious gleam. Samael's expression stiffened, and his face darkened.
"Besides rouge, what else did you put in this?"
"Oh my, you found out. Naturally, it was a secret love potion meant to steal both your body and soul. A special little bonus, so please accept it with peace of mind.
Come now, as thanks, tell me something in secret. On a scale of one hundred, how many points would you give your current infatuation with me?"
That trash fox showed not a shred of guilt. Instead, she cupped her face in delight and asked with bright-eyed curiosity.
Thwack!
Samael flicked a finger against Tamamo-no-Mae's forehead, a vein throbbing at his temple.
"Scoring my ass. Be serious."
The trash fox across from him immediately straightened up, back ramrod straight, her pretty face going solemn with exaggerated seriousness.
"After what happened last night, I've discovered a very serious problem!"
"Huh? What problem?"
"A fox spirit has infiltrated the group and is plotting something improper against you, and there's more than one! Especially that blonde one with the huge chest. Her sinister intentions are practically written on her face!"
"..."
The corner of Samael's mouth twitched instinctively, and he stared ahead with a strange expression. Before slandering Quetzalcoatl behind her back, could she at least try touching her own smaller conscience first?
Yet the shameless fox, completely overtaken by her own performance and thick-skinned enough to make even the Ancient Serpent feel inferior, clenched her little fists and waved them furiously in the air, righteous indignation written all over her face.
"To prevent any accidents, this tea has already marked you with my scent. Those other fox spirits can forget about seducing you! Rest easy. As long as I'm here, those fox spirits will never get their way. I swear I'll protect your chastity with my life!"
"So what exactly does this stuff do?"
"It lets you keep a clear head in the face of temptation, so you won't start lusting after those scheming fox spirits."
"Thanks so damn much..."
"No need to thank me. You, after all, are a top-tier source of entertainment that never gets boring no matter how many times I savor it, and a premium meal ticket that would be hard to find even after searching the whole world. With competition this fierce, of course I had to put my mark on you early and claim you properly."
"You said 'entertainment' and 'meal ticket' just now, didn't you?"
"Ahaha, no, not at all. You must have misheard. What I meant was that you're wonderfully interesting, understanding, and absolutely a high-value good man!"
The trash fox declared this with complete conviction. Then, eyes closed in bliss, she softly inhaled. Behind her, several nearly invisible bands of iridescent light flickered in and out of sight, and the corners of her lips slowly curled upward.
Mm-hm. The scent of a mystery. The scent of lies. The chaotic scent that even fate itself cannot bind.
I really am curious where the end of these endless possibilities will lead.
My, my. If my dear benefactor were to tumble from a great height all the way into the abyss, the sight of him rolling down would surely be very entertaining.
And a being like that, the less he has, the more likely fate is to bloom into something unbelievable.
So, to repay your kindness, I absolutely will not abandon you. When that time comes, do remember to take my hand.
Looking down from above at someone struggling upward from the bottom of a valley has always been my favorite sight.
After all, whether someone throws everything they have into reaching the summit of happiness, or sinks in sorrow into an even deeper abyss after a painful struggle, the despair and hope woven together between them make the perfect melody.