/
“Um, it must be in the valuables cart right now. I haven’t unpacked it yet… … I don’t know how to get it out.”
Hearing the embarrassment in the reply, Damia was relieved inwardly. It was worthwhile to descend upon the inn early on purpose, aiming for this situation.
What’s more, Hemish was still flustered and tired from her long journey, and distracted. So she didn’t suspect Damia.
With big eyes Damia said she was waiting for it with bated breath.
“Oh, then what should we do? I came to get the present.”
“I know, right. I have quite a bit of luggage, so it would take a while to find it… … Can’t you come back tomorrow?”
Hemish asked apologetically.
Normally she would have said it would be fine, but now I can’t. Because it was almost certain that Hemish would show up with only a box tomorrow out of all of her luggage.
‘What should I do?’
Damia raking her head for a way behind her smiling face. Fortunately, she had an idea, noting that her gift was a ‘turquoise necklace’.
‘Usually turquoise is used with silver… … .’
So obviously the body part of the necklace would be made of silver. In particular, the main export of the Kingdom of Bedan was silver ore, so it was almost certain.
‘I hope my predictions are correct.’
Damia glanced out the window as if it was going to rain at any moment. And she asked in a worried tone.
“But, it is said that it will rain a lot from today… … What if the necklace rusts?”
“Oh, no. It is definitely cloudy.”
At her unexpected remark, Hemish furrowed her brows. As Damia said, silver was very vulnerable to moisture.
The desert kingdom of Bedan rarely had rain, and the weather was hot and dry. Therefore, there was no worry about rust even on their long journey.
‘Did I put a rust-preventing treatment on it?’
Hemish hesitated. Noticing this, Damia quickly stamped her feet, imitating an aristocratic lady who risked her life for jewelry.
“What should I do? I really wanted that turquoise necklace, so I asked her father for it. If it corrodes due to humidity, I would be very upset.”
Seeing Damia pleading with her sad face, Hemish let out a deep sigh. And she finally got the words she had been waiting for so long.
“I can’t. If it’s okay with you, let’s go to the warehouse together. I will find it myself.”
“Thank you so much, General Hemish!”
And I’m sorry. Damia followed her and quietly apologized to her inside.
She was sorry to deceive Hemish, but she couldn’t help it. Because this was all to save her father.
Hemish, who knew nothing, led Damie to a large, gloomy warehouse, a little far from the inn.
“This is it, lady.”
At the entrance, two workers were guarding the warehouse. It was probably a night watch.
“Are you here, Commander-in-Chief?”
They found Hemish and immediately bowed their heads.
“Yes, thank you for a job well done.”
Hemish dismissed the workers and opened the warehouse door with a big key. Then, a procession of wagons lined up in the darkness appeared.
“Miss, since it’s so dark you may fall, so here, please take this lamp with you.”
“Thank you.”
Damia readily accepted the lamp she had given her. And they stepped into the large warehouse.
As soon as she entered the room, a musty and acrid smell of dust rose. At this, Damia coughed involuntarily.
“Cough— Cough!”
Hemish chuckled and gave advice.
“Since we traveled across the desert, there is a lot of dirt in the luggage. So cover your nose and mouth with a handkerchief.”
Hemish, who took out her handkerchief, demonstrated how to tie it. Damia, who wore the handkerchief mask for the first time in her life, definitely felt a difference.
‘Looking around, there was no one in the large warehouse. Except for the guards at the door, everyone seemed to be unpacking or resting in the room.
Hemish at the forefront approached the row of wagons. And she inspected the carts one by one, with her lamp.
“Let’s see, the valuables wagon… … Oh! Here it is.”