Transport

For a while, neither of them spoke. Damien was unsure if he should ask about Cedran's sister and decided against it, while Theo seemed lost in his own thoughts, looking more subdued than usual. The heavy silence was broken only when Cedran who are re-entered the room.

"My lord, the carriage has arrived."

The tension in the room lifted at Cedran's words.

"Thank you," Theo said. Then, turning around to Damien, he asked, "Are you ready?"

"Yes. Cedran, thank you again for everything," Damien said earnestly. "You saved my life, and I owe you so much. I'm truly grateful."

He sat up in bed and bowed deeply. He wanted to promise to return and thank Cedran properly someday, but he had no idea if he'd ever have that kind of freedom again.

Cedran shook his head. "There's no need. This was part of my duty."

Suddenly, Cedran stepped closer and, to Damien's surprise, scooped him up in a princess hug.

"Shall we go, then?" Cedran said, without a hint of embarrassment.

"Wha—?" Damien managed to squeak, completely caught off guard.

"Yes, the carriage is parked not at the usual spot, but right outside the outpost," Theo explained as they began walking, Cedran following behind.

And there was Damien, still being carried in Cedran's arms like a princess.

As they passed by others, Damien noticed people casting curious glances their way. It made him want to wriggle free and walk on his own, but after hearing about Cedran's sister, he felt an odd sense of obligation to let him carry on. He figured he'd never see any of these onlookers again, so the embarrassment was something he could bear, for now.

Once they exited the outpost, two large carriages decorated with gold trimmings stood waiting. Each was pulled by two horses. Damien blinked. "Oh, so there are actual horses," he thought, considering Theo's apparent connection to beastmen. He wondered how that felt for him, especially if he had any ties to horse-like beastmen.

"Cedran, the second carriage is for Damien," Theo said, gesturing toward the carriage behind them. As they approached, a servant by the door bowed deeply and opened it.

"What... is this?" Cedran muttered softly as he glanced inside the carriage.

Curious, Damien leaned over to take a look. Inside, it was packed with cushions. The entire interior had been modified, the seats removed to make the space completely flat, with cushions covering every inch of the floor.

"How about it? You can travel while lying down this way," Theo said proudly, noticing the stunned expressions on both Cedran and Damien's faces.

It was certainly true that he could lie down comfortably for the journey, but it seemed like an over-the-top modification.

"You stripped the entire interior of the carriage?" Cedran asked, astonished. "It'll never be usable again. How much is this going to cost to repair?"

Clearly, it had been an even more drastic modification than Damien had thought.

Theo grinned, pleased with himself. "Now you see how serious I am? Come, Cedran, lay Damien down inside."