Chapter 28

In the center of a round wooden disc with a hole, cotton threads and thin iron wires are alternately woven in a radial pattern to create a braided cord.

We have been traveling day and night towards the north for five days now. The scenery has changed quite a bit.

At the villages and towns we stop at, we exchange horses and replenish food and supplies. Inside the carriage, which moves without rest, I am making various tools to assist Gilbert, who is heading into battle.

The sunlight streams in through the skylight, and the sound of the wind running through the wheat fields fills the air. Barbara is spinning thread with a spindle, and I am braiding the cord. Dorf is driving the carriage, and Gilbert, unusually, is working with chisels, knives, and files, processing some wood.

"Alright! It's done. Flora, this is a token of my gratitude for the meals. Would you like to have it?"

Held in his palm was a wooden brooch carved with several flowers. It was so intricately and beautifully crafted that it was hard to believe it was made from a piece of wood. I was amazed.

"Wow...! Thank you so much! You are very skilled, Gilbert."

After I thanked him, Gilbert suddenly became nervous and went to a corner of the carriage.

"What's the matter, Gilbert? I thought you were unusually quiet, but you're doing something quite fancy."

"Well, this turns out to be a good rehabilitation exercise."

While saying this, Gilbert was looking at his hand, clenching and unclenching it. He doesn't seem to have an injured dominant hand, but apparently, he has a problem with his grip strength.

The braided cord I am making now is intended to help with this. It will be threaded with wire and attached to the axe in a decorative manner. When the axe is deeply embedded in the ground, it requires more grip strength to pull it out. I don't know exactly how the cord will be used, but I will braid it firmly so that it doesn't easily break.

"Recently, I've been feeling lighter and in better shape."

This time, Gilbert started doing pull-ups on a beam that runs through the ceiling.

"Of course, you're eating more than three meals a day, all made by Flora. It's only natural."

"Indeed, the delicious meals have been a great benefit, and I feel in top condition."

Since we are on a journey, I can't make elaborate dishes, but I get enthusiastic when I see people enjoy them, so cooking is mainly my responsibility.

"It's not just the delicious food; it's full of blessings."

"Blessings...?"

Hearing this, I looked up. Did I do something special while cooking?

"We call it a blessing when we offer prayers and receive blessings for others. Flora, you always pray."

"Prayers... for cooking?"

Barbara smiled gently.

"You may not be aware of it, but everyone is like that. Prayer isn't just about praying to a statue of a goddess."

Saying this, Barbara opened the window. Beyond the warm breeze, I could see a farmer weeding in a distant field. In the flowing scenery, there were small houses, and a woman sitting on a porch was knitting.

"Whether a farmer or a craftsman, when they create something, they unconsciously have something in their hearts. They want the recipient to be happy or to find it useful. There are various thoughts, and when making a meal, you might say you put love or heart into it."

Barbara smiled softly.

"All of these things, done for others, are formless prayers. We have long called the act of receiving blessings through these prayers 'selfless blessings.' When blessings gather, sometimes a little bit of something mysterious happens."

Then Barbara turned to Gilbert with a grin.

"The brooch you made is the same."

"Eh...?"

"Because you made it thinking about Flora, right?"

"Well, of course, but..."

Gilbert and I made eye contact, and I saw his face turn red. I felt a bit warm myself, a mix of happiness and ticklishness, and the brooch in my hand felt warm too.

"But, in addition to that, Flora must surely—"

Barbara was about to say something when the carriage stopped with the sound of a horse's neigh.

Dorf's face appeared at the small window on the driver's seat.

"We're approaching the next town, but something seems off."

Through the open window, I could see a walled town, still small in the distance. But beyond it, several black plumes of smoke were rising.

Further back, away from the black smoke, thin white smoke was visible. The smoke seemed to contain something, or it was reflecting sunlight, as it occasionally flickered.

"That looks like... the signal flares often used by the knights..."

Gilbert muttered, picked up his battle axe, and immediately headed to the driver's seat.

"Barbara, Flora, we're going to speed up, hold on tight."

With Dorf's voice, the carriage started moving with a loud noise.