We had left the capital of Irelia as we headed Southwest, to Dragon's Jaw Forest. Our driver informing us that it will take 4 days to get there.

It was a very 'quiet and prickly' ride when the carriage started to head to our destination. I had wondered why they needed two carriages in the first place but when I looked back, it seemed that this carriage also carried luggages that took up some of the space. I wasn't really complaining to the rather closed space but I really wished that I wasn't in the same seat with a person glaring at me every now and then. With the person in question being very close to me, our shoulders almost touching.

'I've never been in a rollercoaster before in my life but this is how it must feel like huh' 

Its only been 1 and a half days after we departed and this situation has been going on for a while now, with her reading some book with a blank cover, sneaking some glares my way and I, just there, existing. I didn't want to deal with her right now since she probably still holds a grudge against me but alas I must break this atmosphere here since it is becoming very suffocating. I couldn't care less about my promise with her brother, I just wanted to keep my sanity in this journey.

'Like a certain muscle headed uncle, a father of twins once said, no pain no gain!' I pumped myself up.

"Hey~ princess what nice weather we're having today isn't it" I said as I looked outside the window.

"...." She glanced at me then proceeded to read her book, in silence.

'They say second time's a charm, here we go!'

"Say what is that book you're reading, mind telling me about it, I read books myself~" I said but said books were light novels.

"...." she ignored again, giving a glare for a second.

'Ok...third's time the last straw lady' irritation starting to well up in me.

"*Cough*, princess I think I haven't shown you my updated status yet, would you like to see?" I asked, feeling like what I was doing was futile but it seemed that she was listening since her head perked up when I said status.

'That actually worked?' I thought as she was glancing my way too often now, she wasn't even flipping the pages of the book anymore.

'Oho~got you now you little prick, let's see how you like it if I give your own medicine' I planned not realizing that I just bashed my original goal.

"Oh sorry about bothering you princess~ it seems I just can't seem to shut my mouth, well~ Im just going to mind my own business now" I said as I leaned towards the window yawning, silently watching the passing greeneries.

'This is nice~' I said grinning. I glanced to my seatmate squirming, holding her book tightly, still glancing my way but this time with eyes of curiosity.

The situation within the carriage continued on until we had to set up camp at night.

-----

""...."" Rea and Ben were silently eating their porridge, a great distance away from each other.

""...."" the princess and I were minding our own business, with Leyana cleaning her rapier while I was writing what my rune looked like as to not forget it although it didn't glow or anything since I was just writing it normally using a stick.

At a distance away was our drivers/instructors/superiors watching us with perplexed looks in their faces. It was obvious from the way we were all acting that we weren't getting along, except for me and the princess not getting along since we just met, the more confusing thing was that the twins were also included in the awkward group.

"Hey honey is it just me or are these kids not getting along?, well I expected it from those two but not from them" Harold pointed first at me and Leyana then to the twins.

"Hmmm dear.. it seems so" Nellie crossed her arms as she contemplated.

"I may have an idea how to break the ice from those two but I dont know about them. Honestly you're the one who should handle your passenger dear, we still have 2 days top before we get there " She pointed at her passengers then at the twins.

"Ughh..y-yeah I'll try.." said weakly by Harold.

-----

The next day as we got onto the carriage, still the same arrangement as before, I realized that I f**ked up my goal yesterday after I cooled off last night, assuring myself that I will be the bigger person in the next attempt..probably. 

I looked towards Leyana as the carriage started to move and as she caught me looking at her, she glanced at me with cold eyes.

'Seems like the difficulty just got higher huh~'

"Hey prin-" I tried to greet her but she immediately turned her head.

"Dont talk to me eavesdropper" she stated as she opened her book , completely ignoring me this time.

'This woman...' I mused, finally thinking of giving up when our driver spoke to us, still with her facing forward.

"Leyana dear~ Why don't you get to know each other more, you're going to be spending the next two months together so it'd better if you get along right" she said in a light tone.

"I have nothing to talk about with this man auntie" she argued still reading her book

'Touche' I thought, as I figured that they were related somehow.

"Ohhh~ are you sure about that L-e-y-a-n-a?" she said teasingly.

The princess shuddered, her face turning a little flushed, as her eyes darted around.

"W-what are you talking about I w-wonder.." she said stuttering, her hands holding the book was shaking.

"Ohh~ you dont?, I see then..Colt do you know the book she's reading right now?" she then turned to asking me.

"Huh? well..no I dont since it has a blank cover" I said as I wondered where she going with this conversation.

"Well its a little cute honestly but the title of that book is-" 

"Colt Pelter! What great weather we're having today right!?" the princess interjected as she looked at me with bloodshot eyes.

"Y-yeah! right!" I immediately replied, surprised by her sudden outburst.

"Huhuhu being stubborn won't get you anywhere dear~, now get along you two" she said as she proceeded driving, not talking to us anymore.

"Auntie.."

Leyana had become bright red as a tomato, both her hands closing the book shut and as she looked down, her platinum hair cascading over her face.

"...Don't ask about the book Colt Pelter or I will end you.." she said menacingly although it wasn't intimidating in the slightest with her curling up like a ball trying to hide her book.

"Uhuh sure~" I lightly said not wanting to push her buttons for a second time. Silence came afterwards, with both parties hesitating to start. 

'Damn it say it man!' I pumped myself 

"...Hey princess Leyana..I'm really sorry about getting you into this...It was my fault that I eavesdropped on you that your brother came up with the idea...I..I was being kinda full of myself when I blatantly did that that night..so..Im...really sorry" I confessed as I hunged my head low. 

After ruminating for 2 days, what happened couldn't really be entirely my fault but I still had a play in it and that resulted to her being forced into joining us for some reason. Being carefree is one thing but causing trouble for someone due to that is an a***ole move in my opinion hence why I needed to apologize even if she didn't forgive me in my own end. In some way I consider it a form of self-gratification.

The princess stayed silent, uncurling herself and hiding away her book inside her satchel. She then turned her head to the window, not speaking a word.

'Well I guess that's that huh' I mused, feeling a little forlorn seeing as to how she's still cold to me. 

"..Colt Pelter..It's not your fault, my brother would have still found a way to keep me away from the frontlines even if you didn't stumbled along us that night. In the first place, us arguing in that location would have made anyone eavesdrop on us either way..." softly said the princess as she still had her back turned. After pausing for a while, she then turned and looked me in the eye with a sorry look that I would have not expected from her stoic behavior.

"...I.. I also apologize to you too-no- Im sorry..really. I knew it was silly of me to hold a grudge on someone totally unrelated to my family's problem at the first day we travelled but I was too stubborn to admit that....please forgive me" she hunged her head as she apologized, letting out her inner thoughts to me.

'So she really was just being stubborn all this time..' I thought as I looked at her face struggling to open her eyes as she awaited my answer. It seemed that I wasn't really trying to talk to her properly all this time also as I couldn't see beyond her facade, seeing as her aunt was able to guess her issue with me right away.

"Then can I call you Leyana at least~ saying princess all the time is going to get exhausting in no time and you can just call me Colt since your brother also calls me that" I said looking her in the eyes. I was trying really hard to make a straight face as I said some really embarrassing lines just now.

'Talk woman! I cant handle this embarrassment!' I complained as she processed the implication of what I said. 

After a while, she looked up at me, her gloomy expression being replaced by a flushed face.

"....Then I s-shall allow you to call me by my name Colt Pelter- no, Colt" she said haughtily acting as if she didn't apologize earlier although her red face couldn't reveal the truth more than her words.

I became silent as I stared at her figure trying to hide her face

"Umm..So~ want to look at my status now L-Leyana?" I hurriedly said trying to hide a shade of red on my face

She stared at me her face verging to laughter.

"Pffft..." 

"...You.." I take back what I said

"Colt such words does not match your countenance whatsoever but I would be glad to if you want" she replied acting smug

"You know what nevermind~" I said as we argued inside the carriage

"Kids these days.." whispered our driver as she continued to guide us to our destination.

-----

In the other carriage, a bald man could be seen furrowing his brows.

'Is these how kids are these day!?' as he glanced at his two two passengers creating a heavy mood inside the cart.