Okay, here’s the real story~

Enjoy~

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Laura rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as she woke up when the cart came to a stop. It had safely arrived at the town gate. Briar also stirred besides her, also having fallen asleep.

Somehow, Laura felt strangely as if she had done this before, but…surely not? It reminded her a bit about the dream she had just awoken from, but, when Laura tried to remember what she had dreamt, her memory was like a fog.

There had been no bandits or wild animal attacks upon the lonesome cart, carrying its small load. But the two girls could only wait until the cart had passed through the gates, hoping that they weren’t discovered.

After the cart driver paid the toll, the soldiers checked one of the dummy barrels that had actual cider inside it, before sending the cart on inside.

Helen indicated where the barrels were meant to be dropped off, leaving the heavy lifting to the cart driver.

After Laura got over her motion sickness, Briar thought it was the perfect time to get out, and motioned for Laura to remove the lid.

Laura was about to get up, but then she realized something dreadful.

It was easy enough getting into the barrel, but after sitting for several hours side by side inside a rather cramped space, her legs had become stiff.

...in other words: she couldn't move.

"What's the matter, Laura? Just open the barrel, already, I need some fresh air!" Briar said, nudging Laura a bit.

"What's the rush? Don't you want to stay and savor this moment of accomplishment?" Laura asked.

"I would rather 'savor' this moment outside where I can have some fresh air." Briar replied sarcastically. "What's wrong? Have your arms turned to noodles?"

"...Okay. If you want out so much, then how about you get up first? You're the one who wants the fresh air so much. I'd rather smell the refreshing scent of cider that lingers here." Laura said, acting as if Briar was being unreasonable.

Then, Briar suddenly smiled as she realized something.

"...Laura?" She asked, slowly.

"...Yes? What is it?" Laura replied, trying to hide her discomfort.

"Is it possible that your legs are numb right now?"

Laura felt sweat starting to collect on her brow.

"What gave you that idea? Even though we've arrived in town like smuggled goods, and are uncertain of whether or not someone is watching, you're the one who wants to get some fresh air. What if someone sees you climbing out of the barrel? How are you going to explain that to the town guards?"

A knock came from above, and Helen said. "No one's watching anymore. You can come out, now."

Briar's smile spread into a grin.

"Did you hear that? No one's watching~ Isn't that great? Now we can finish this oh-so-brilliant plan of mine with the final step."

Laura said nothing. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that something like this had happened before…

"Oh well, if you're going to be a stick in the mud about it, then I'll go first~!" Briar said as she pushed her hands against the bottom of the barrel, slowly standing up like a four legged cat. Then, she reached up and popped the top off the barrel in one fluid motion.

"There! Isn't that fresh air good against your face?" Briar stretched her arms out and took in a deep breath, enjoying the feeling of moving after a long time.

Laura remained sitting, and didn't look up.

Briar lithely hopped out of the barrel, and began doing some stretches to get the ache out of her limbs from the bumpy ride.

"Why isn't she getting out?" Helen pointed to Laura, who was still inside the barrel.

"Oh her? Actually, come here, I have something to tell you." Briar pulled Helen to a spot far enough that even Laura's hearing couldn't catch what she was saying, especially with the surrounding noises from the nearby market and the blacksmith shop across the street. Laura began to have a strong feeling of deja vu.

Then, she heard their footsteps returning after about five minutes, standing outside the barrel without saying anything.

Just when she was about to ask what they were doing, a stick came through a small hole in the bottom of the barrel, poking her leg.

"ACK! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!!!" Laura cried out, as her leg started tingling something awful.

Briar's laughter could be heard from the outside.

"Good! Good! Now it’s time to get the other leg!"

Helen dutifully poked at a different angle, managing to land a hit on the aforementioned leg, because Laura couldn't move at the time.

"AUGH! Bri-Briar, I'll get you for this!" Laura warned, but the poking came through all the more.

“What are you talking about? I said I’d get you back for earlier, didn’t I?” Briar smirked with a devilish grin.

Laura had no idea what Briar was talking about, but she still felt a tinge of regret for something that she couldn’t quite remember.

-------------------------------------------------------

When Briar finally released Laura from the tingly torture of stiff legs, Laura had no energy to move.

“What do you mean you said you’d get me back? I don’t get it!” Laura muttered, puffing out her cheeks like a sulking child.

“If you don’t remember, then I’m not going to remind you.” Briar replied, gazing unmercifully down upon her victim. “For you to so blatantly forget means that you don’t really regret anything.”

Just then, Helen’s stomach gurgled, luckily taking Briar’s attention away from scolding Laura.

“That’s right, I almost forgot.” Briar said, focusing on the child before her. “Why are you here? It’s quite obvious that you don’t really have anything like an aunt in this town.”

Helen stepped back in shock. “Huh?! Why? How could you know s-something like that!?”

Briar groaned. “It’s rather obvious. If you really had an aunt, then you would have been living with her instead of working for that old geezer running a tavern that is almost falling apart at the seams.”

“Are you talking about the tavern or the old geezer?” Laura asked.

“Who knows~” Briar replied, but then finished up. “Anyways, there’s just no way that a child who had living relatives would be allowed to stay in such a place.”

“Woow! Amazing..” Helen’s voice was small, but her eyes were starting to shine. “You’re right, mister. I don’t have a papa or a mama, ‘n Baruch only let me stay if’n I worked for him. Kept saying stuff about raising me into a barmaid, whatever that is. But I…but I..”

Helen took a deep breath and stood a little straighter, speaking with a more definite tone. “I don’t wanna be a bar maid! I wanna be an adventurer! I wanna go places I haven’t ever been to before!”

Briar had the unpleasant feeling that she knew where this was headed. Helen suddenly grabbed onto Briar’s sleeve. “So, please! Please, take me with you!”

“That request is rejected.” Briar smoothly and simply replied.

“Wha-WHY!?!” Helen asked, shocked.

“Because you’ll be a drag.” Briar said bluntly. “You’re eight years old, so there’s no way that you’ve been trained in self-defense, yet. That means that instead of just one person, I’ll have to protect and provide for two people.

Moreover, you are unskilled in camping outside at night, can’t stay awake for a night watch, can’t hunt or catch any kind of game to supplement meals, and aren’t wearing any gear appropriate for walking or traveling.

What will most likely happen is that you will get captured by bandits, and we will be forced into a hostage situation where we will have to surrender or else you will die.

Where did you get the idea that adventures were things that people WANTED to have? You are the greenest greenhorn when it comes to travelling, and you still want to ask me to take you on an adventure?”

“Guh!” Helen’s chin quivered as tears began appearing in her eyes.

Ah, Briar, you went too far. Laura was about to try and comfort Helen, but was stopped by a look from Briar.

Laura held her tongue. Travelling was dangerous. This was a world where the strong ruled over the weak.

To venture out into the world and expect for the best of experiences was simply a pipe dream. Adventurers had to travel through dangerous terrains and weathers, beating back the wild beasts that assailed them.

They had to endure hunger and weariness, pain and suffering, and near-constant danger for years on end. To bring a soft little girl like this out into a harsh world was foolhardy at best.

Briar continued to observe the small figure in front of her.

“Tha-that may be so…” Helen’s small voice quivered with her chin. “You-you’re right to say that I know nothing…”

Briar continued to watch Helen. Laura sighed, feeling that even though what Briar said was true, she could at least have broken it a bit more gently.

“…But.”

Helen lifted her head up.

“I don’t want to quit just because I don’t know!” Her eyes were strangely fierce through her tears.

“If I don’t know, I’ll learn! I-if I’m caught, I’ll deal with it by myself! An-and…if you don’t take me with you, then I’ll keep walking after you until I catch up!”

Laura was surprised at this timid girl’s tenacity. But Briar certainly wouldn’t allow it.

“Heh!”

Briar’s serious face broke into a grin.

“I like your attitude, kid.”

Here it comes! She’s going to say, ‘but the answer is still no!’ isn’t she? Laura thought, waiting for Briar to finish.

“It’ll be harder than anything you’ve ever done before. You’ll get hurt, your feet will ache, your arms will want to drop off. And you’re still certain that you want to go with us? It’ll be too late to stop after you’ve started.” Briar asked.

Eh?

“Even so…I still want to come!” Helen barked.

What?

“Is that so?...Then, let me see how strong your resolve is, personally.” Briar said.

“Wha-you mean?” Helen’s eyes began to sparkle.

“Huh?” Laura was confused by the turn of events.

“That’s right! I’ve decided to teach you until we reach the next town.” Briar said with finality.

“WHAAAAAAT?!?” Laura’s voice squealed from the side-alley they were in.