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Chapter 2 ~ Journey ① Leaving

The first day of the trip, I’m chatting while practicing Earth Magic.

On the second day, I’ve gotten a complaint that my Earth Magic is making the coach dusty.

“If you really want to practice then do it on the roof.”

Practicing Earth Magic is necessary, but truthfully, it’s just for killing time for now. That’s still not a reason to not do it.

“Don’t want to. It’s cold up there.”

I replied to Ellie while hugging Sati from the back.

It’s cold outside, so I hold Sati to warm myself up, but both of us are fully equipped. It’s hard to fool around when the armor keeps clattering, and there is no sex appeal at all.

Besides, even if we get our own dedicated horse-drawn wagon, there’s not much things that can be done compared to usual time. Ellie is currently teaching magic to Ann and Tilika, so she is busier than me.

Since there is nothing to do, I just watch the outside scenery together with Sati, peering out from inside the coach.

“I thought there are going to be many dangerous moments in this trip.”

I already anticipated that this trip will likely be less dangerous than the time we were in the forest, but this is a little too boring. Aside from the occasional passing carriages or other travelers, nothing comes into the view.

A peaceful country view is laid in front of my view. Now that we’re at the second day, there are more towns, villages and some fields, compared to the grassland devoid of things in our first day. This area in particular has many wheat plantations.

“That is because the community will search for a safe area before moving. Like that, they ensure a more secured livelihood. Siory Town and Gorbas Fortress are special cases.”

Because there are many towns and villages near the vicinity, there is a lesser risk of getting raided by demons compared to Siory Town. Nevertheless, they still get invaded by demons.

The fields are left open, but each village and towns that we’ve passed by are covered either by fences or walls. In addition to that, gate keepers are employed to guard the entrance. Even the farmers are carrying weapons.

“There is no need to worry for now, but soon we’ll enter the danger zone. For now, let’s relax first.”

On the first day, we stayed inside the town. For today and tomorrow, we’re going to get the proper accommodations. Moreover, the expenses for this day is included within the negotiation with the merchants group.

“Until when?”

“The fourth day. From fifth day onwards we’re going to camp.”

Wow, I don’t want that. Compared to that, boredom is nothing.

“If you’re that bored then let’s read some books!”

Sati……that is the worst option there is.

The roads are paved with stones, but it’s still far from being comfortable, and the coach is rattling all the time. The wheels are made of wood. Seems like they are not coated with rubber. Fortunately, I never have car sickness or something remotely like that, but this is still unpleasant situation to read.

“You feel sick?”

Looks like Sati never experienced it before. She tilted her necks and looks at me.

When I went to the Gorbas Fortress I took the carriage as well, but mine was the second one, and the inside was packed full with people. Plus, the situation didn’t let me have this kind of thought.

“I don’t know? I feel fine though.”

“I’m fine.”

“It’s impossible for me.”

“I think I’m not good too. Plus, Recovery Magic won’t help much in curing the nauseated feeling from motion sickness.”

It basically heals the sickness, but sensations like your semicircular canal getting shaken remains.

“You still want to read them?”

I took out a book from my Item Box and handed it to Sati. Recently, I found out that she can read the book herself. Whether she can read them or not, only time will tell.

“Yes!”

Thirty minutes later, Sati becomes completely limp. She really can’t handle it, reading the book.

“My head……it’s spinning…”

“I’ll heal you, then why don’t you try continue reading.”

“It’s fine to take off your armor. We’re reaching the next town soon.”

“Onee-chan let me help you take them off.”

“I’m sorry, I really had troubled you……”

I tried healing her for couple of times, but they are not that effective. I hope that she will at least not vomit.

“We’re going to reach the next town, soon right? How long will it take?”

I ask the coachmen. That person is the oldest among the other merchants. As expected, he has some affection towards the girls who are pretty much around the age of his grandchildren. That might be his reason for choosing our coach.

“Yeah. Another 30 minutes or so.”

Still some time, huh.

“We’re already near the town, I’ll take Sati there myself. Hey Sati, we’re getting off.”

“Good idea. This neighborhood is not that dangerous too.”

“I’m going with you.”

“You stay here, Tilika. I’m going to Fly there.”

“Masaru, me too! Me too!”

Can I hold both of them?

“Sati at my front, and Tilika at my back. Careful not to fall.”

In an event if they really did fall, it’s still going to be fine because both of them can use Levitation.

“Then, I’m going ahead.”

“Please inform Norman-san before you go.”

Norman-san, who is the head of this merchant group, should be at the first carriage.

I activated [Fly], and flew towards the front carriage. I reverse my position along the top of the carriage, and tell them that I’m going ahead and will wait for them at the entrance of the town. Afterwards, I slowly rise my flight while increasing the speed.

Norman-san, what’s with your strange face. Two girls just come and meet him, I guess that was something.

“Sati, how are you feeling?”

“The wind feels nice.”

I look forward, the towns silhouette looks small. The place looks more like a village then a town to me, but from the amount of the people there, it might be a town. Just like the others, the town perimeter is fenced, and around it is fields as far as eyes can see.

Flying is fast, easy and fun. The consumption is insane, but currently I have nothing else to do. I really regretted it not using the skills for a long time.

“I wish I could fly forever.”

Sati mumbled. Tilika heard it too.

“We can rely on Drago.”

“Let’s not do that.”

I’m going to be in trouble if there’s another big fuss again.

“This is really pleasant.”

“Right~”

“Can we do this again tomorrow?”

No, we better not. If it’s Sati alone then there might be no problem.

“Let’s not do it. I won’t read a book tomorrow.”

“Is that so……”

“If you read a book another time, then you wouldn’t get car sick.”

“Yes……”

This is the first time I ever seen Sati get motion sickness. She looks like she is in pain.

“If you get sick after this, then I don’t mind flying again.”

“Yes!”

“Me too!”

“Yeah, yeah. Tilika too, okay.”

Sati seems to cheer up. Might be because I’ve comforted her.

As I approach the town, I slowly reduce my flight height.

They might get angry if I enter the town without permission. If they turned hostile, I still have my bow. Actually, one of the guard noticed me and currently staring over here.

I waved lightly at them. There is no harm showing them friendly attitude now. Not like they will suddenly start shooting their arrows, right?

“Get down.”

“Yes. Somehow, my stomach feels very empty now.”

“We’ll find the shop inside the town. Anything that you like to have?”

“Ramen.”

“I want Ramen too.”

Nise Ramen and pasta, huh. If it’s like that, once we reach the inn, I’ll need to borrow their kitchen or their yard. Time to make it again after long time.

 

 

The third day is the same with previous one, full with leisure’s.

“Today I didn’t get sick.”

Sati told me.

“Then it’s good.”

Today, Tilika acted as my body pillow, while Sati is sitting in front of us. Sati is gazing over here.

“Want to fly again?”

Tilika asked her.

Ah, I see. Our conversation from when she was sick yesterday.


“Scout. We’re going for scouting, Sati. Let’s fly.”

“Yes, let’s go!”

Sati’s face was brimming with delight.

“As for Tilika……”

“I’ll wait here.”

W stroll around on the sky for about 5 minutes or so, but Sati looks extremely satisfied.

After that, I came back and get Tilika, and proceed to fly same way like Sati. Ellie can fly by herself, as for Ann she is not really interested. Ann said that she is a bit scared of height.

 

 

Fourth day. We’ve finally leave the rural area landscape as the horse carriage entered the forest highway.

Now, there are three horse carriage, with total of 8 coaches. Our coach is the last one as usual.

“Why are the carriages increasing?”

“That’s because everyone is going for the same destination.”

“Somehow it feels like we’re escorting them.”

“It’s not your feeling, we really are working as their escorts right now.”

There is no payment received for this job, and now, it seems like there are more unnecessary work than ever, I don’t feel motivated at all.

“It’s important to have mutual respect. While we’re on it, they can act as additional fighting force as well.”

I frowned. Now after Ellie has explained it, I get the gist of the situation. Certainly, the other merchants are also properly armed. Some of them looks like newbie adventurers, but they are enough to be an addition to the overall fighting forces.

But our current formation, where everyone is aligned in one long formation is not good. My detection can’t reach until the front coaches. Same case for Sati, since her hearing sense is reduced to half due to the noisy carriages. We can’t rely on her so much.

“Sati, let’s go for reconnaissance.”

“Yes, Masaru sama.”

Unlike yesterday, today we’re going to scout for real. Sati understood that, and replied with a serious expression.

“There shouldn’t be anything, still, be careful, just in case.”

Ann told us worriedly.

I’m still reluctant to leave them behind, but both Ann and Ellie is capable of utilizing combat magic, and for Tilika she can use Summoning Magic. Everything should be alright.

Sati is going to help me by acting like a radar, and tell me if there is danger ahead.

Together with Sati, I leaped toward the front carriage. I tell them to help look for the carriage at the back.

“Next to that square point is the resting place. Can you see from this far?”

I’ve been flying regularly with my wives for the past few days, so now they are accustomed to us.

“Understood. If there is nothing, I’ll wait for you guys at that square, is it okay?”

They said there is no need to get back and report. That’s because they know that flying consume lots of magic power.

We arrived there after few minutes.

Usually it takes hours to reach by normal carriages, but, by flying, we can reach there in an instant.

“There is nothing here.”

“Yes.”

We’re still not that far yet from the previous town.

“We’re free now while waiting for them.”

Therefore, I’ve decided to practice my swordsmanship to kill some time. We’re using real sword.

Sati is strong. She is still weaker compared to Sergeant-dono, but she is definitely above me. That’s why, it’s okay if I’m being serious. Not to mention, I’m absolutely safe since she won’t harm me.

Still, we’re using real sword, so the tension is tad different.

Our clashing swords sound reverberates throughout the forest.

“The carriages, they are here.”

After a while, Sati notified me during our practice.

“Let’s continue a bit more.”

I’m also aware of the approaching horse carriages, but the sweat feels pleasant on my body.

Training without getting hurt is enjoyable.

But the horse-drawn carriage stopped before the square point.

I can’t see anything that will make them stop. Is there any trouble?

Abruptly stopping our practice, I went to the carriages to see the situation, and few people get off from the carriage and come towards me. Among them is Fabio san.

“I heard there are people fighting. Anything happened?”

Fabio-san is quite old, probably in his middle age. However, he always addresses me with honorifics without fail. I already ask him not to do it few days ago……

“Err……I’m sorry. Since I have free time, I decided to have a sword practice.”

Of course, if a sword clashing sound is heard from the direction of your destination, people will get wary of it. After I explain it, Fabio-san returns to his carriage, relieved.

After we returned to our coach, we got scolded by Ellie.

“What were you guys thinking, suddenly practicing swordsmanship?”

“I thought it’ll be the best thing to do to kill some time……”

Sati is also sticking close beside me.

“Now, now, clam down a bit, Ellie. Did something happened that makes you worried like this?”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry.”

Nevertheless, since it was decided that scouting ahead is actually useful, they ask to continue. The merchants get pleased, and I can ease my boredom.

However, in this case, I thought that it will be bad if we don’t have any means of communication. So, I asked about it to Norman-san.

If safety is secured, raise a smoke at the resting point. If there is danger, go back and report, or inform them by unleashing a flashy magic, or battle sound. That’s how we decided.

We’re not a mercenary, so this degree is enough. The best way is by bringing along summoned beast together with me, but I’ve decided to hide that magic for now so it’s a no-no.

Then, I go for reconnaissance again, and yet I found nothing again. If we go further inside the woods, there are some monsters lurking, but the one near the road were eliminated.

During noon, Tilika replaced Sati. This is a real scouting, unlike that time when we’re strolling around the sky, but the feeling is about the same. Plus, I’m tired of riding on the carriage all the time.

Soon after noon, my detection manages to caught something.

It’s coming from one spot of the woods nearby the highway. Judging from the size, it’s either Orc or human. They are not moving from their spot.

I slowly fly towards the spot while lowering my altitude a bit as to not getting found out. There, I get six more reactions. All of them remains in that spot and not moving. What a strange place to take a break.

“What do you think?”

I asked Tilika for her opinion.

“Thieves.”

“Just seven of them?”

“Enough to rob a small merchant group or a walking traveler.”

“What to do now?”

There are only 30 minutes left before our carriages go through this road. That’s how much time I’ve got.

“Capture them, or kill.”

Want to kill them?……it’s better to catch them. Although it’s fine to kill demons, but for human, no matter how bad are them it’ll still leave a bad taste.

“Is there anything that can be done after catching them?”

“Let’s see. After investigating them, they can be turned into slaves. The money received after selling them will be returned back to us, about half of them. There are also cases where bounty is put on their head.”

Turning them into slave. Even if we only get half it’ll still make a good money.

“One way or another, let’s check them out first.”

Tilika approves of my plan. Even if we want to report back, we need to check first what are we dealing with first.

We get down inside the forest far enough not to alarmed them. I don’t want to get Tilika into trouble, so I asked her to wait and don’t follow me.

If they are demons, then it’s simple. I only need to blow them away with my magic.

But, as I approach, I saw silhouette of human being.

They are sitting under the tree’s big branch, about three meters away from the road. All of them are staring there. They are equipped with a sword on their waste and bow on their shoulder. Although they are wearing leather armor, the condition is horrible. It’s crazy to think someone from the Adventurer’s Guild will wear something like that.

There is no mistaking it, they are thieves. Normal civilian will never monitor the road, and if there is an organization somewhere that is doing it, there is no way they will employ such a suspicious looking people.

I go back and report to Tilika.

“We should capture and interrogate them.”

They are separated from each other so it’s not difficult to capture them. Either shooting them by using Thunder magic or soften the ground, the worst they will get is just some fractured bones.

We secretly went near them again.

Just to be sure, I used Earth Magic to turn the ground soft. Although I’m doing it quietly, I’m worried whether he will notice or not, but the guy just yawns without any care in the world. That’s quite irritating.

After striking him down with a lesser version of Thunder, he effortlessly sinks inside the ground without letting out loud sound.

My adjustment is perfect, all he can do is staring back at me, eyes wide open. He can’t move nor speak.

“Be a man. Don’t open your mouth. Won’t it be bad for you to get killed in a place like this?”

After I threaten him with my short sword, he completely goes silent.

I’m scared of what will happen if this guy turned out to be innocent, thankfully, he is a criminal. Well if that did happen then I’ll deal with it.

When I tried to bind him, I noticed bad smell emanating from his body.

This guy, he didn’t go for a bath……!?

I tried to clean him up first, then resume on binding him.

Just to be sure, I harden the soil from his lower part to his knee. Before that, I lifted up his upper body around Tilika’s height.



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