Ch.101Chapter 101 – I Ran Without Rest!

“Ughhhh…”

Was it because I drank too much beer last night?

My head is throbbing as I wake up in the morning.

Throbbing head, churning stomach.

These are the classic signs of a hangover…

“Urgh!”

As I try to get up from the bed, a sudden wave of nausea hits me.

Fortunately, there was a wooden bucket placed beside the bed, as if it was waiting for me to deal with my hangover-induced vomiting.

I leaned my head toward the bucket, sensing that the results of last night’s excessive drinking and eating were about to make their way up my throat.

“BLEEEEGH.”

As I positioned my head over the bucket, the vomit that had been teetering on the edge of my throat poured into the bucket.

After throwing up about twice, my stomach felt somewhat better.

“Ugh, I’m seriously dying here.”

I swear I’m never drinking with dwarves again.

You know how dwarves in fiction are always portrayed as heavy drinkers?

I thought that was a lie, but it’s actually true…

No, do dwarves as a race each carry a liquor storage in their stomachs or something?

“I’m never drinking with dwarves again…”

I got up from the bed, trying to soothe my dizzy head and burning stomach from the hangover.

Looking outside through the window of my lodging, the scene was quite a spectacle.

“…Looks like I’m not the only one suffering from a hangover.”

At the festival venue, dwarves were walking somewhere, leaning on each other for support.

Looking at where they were headed, I could see a group of dwarves making and distributing something.

Upon closer inspection, I noticed beardless, relatively delicate-looking dwarves handing out what appeared to be porridge under a tent, saying something as they did so.

“Do they eat porridge instead of hangover soup in this town?”

Any food that could soothe my burning stomach would be welcome.

I got dressed and went outside the lodging.

“Ugh… I’m dying here.”

“I drank too much for the first time in ages. Five barrels of alcohol, can you believe it?”

“I should be more careful next time. I partied too hard last night and got an earful from the wife this morning.”

…

So this town is just like any other place where people live.

Getting scolded after drinking too much—it has that familiar human touch to it.

“Oh, did you get back safely last night?”

“Hahaha! You held your liquor pretty well for a human! Worthy of being called the Guide of Flames!”

The dwarves who drank with me last night seemed to remember me and laughed heartily as we headed toward the porridge distribution area.

“Come on, come on! Form a line!”

“If you drank your fill, eat some honey porridge, get your wits back, and then go hammer away!”

At the porridge distribution site, female dwarves were dishing out “encouragement”—thinly veiled violence—to the staggering, hungover dwarves.

But strangely, the dwarves being hit didn’t seem to mind at all.

“Hey, give me a bit more.”

“Shut up, you. Hurry up and eat, then go swing your hammer.”

The dwarf receiving the honey porridge and the female dwarf seemed to know each other well.

“Come on, just a little more?”

“Has this old man lost his mind? Hurry up and eat! Don’t you see the line behind you?”

“Geez, you’re so stingy.”

They all seemed to be bickering, but they didn’t appear to be on bad terms.

By the way, all the female dwarves are quite formidable.

“Good… urgh, morning.”

“Oh my, it’s our benefactor! You drank quite a lot last night, I wonder if your stomach is alright?”

Hmm…? What’s this? Why is the reaction so different?

“Oh my, sister, quickly get him a bowl of porridge.”

“Oh dear, look at me. Just wait a moment. I’ll get you a warm one.”

Dwarf madam? Dwarf lady? Ah, what should I call them?

Anyway, the female dwarf in front of me spoke gently and handed me a steaming hot bowl of porridge.

“Thank you.”

“If you finish and want more, just come back and ask. I’ll give you as much as you want.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you. Well…”

I took my bowl of porridge and moved aside so other dwarves could get theirs.

The porridge the female dwarf gave me was… warm and sweet.

◈◇◈◇◈◇◈◇◈◇◈

After eating the porridge, my burning stomach felt somewhat calmer.

However, since my hangover wasn’t completely gone, I was resting in my lodging when suddenly there was a commotion outside.

“What’s going on?”

When I opened the door and went outside, I saw dwarves on the wall holding weapons, facing off against someone.

“Hey! This is the kingdom of dwarves! No unauthorized entry!”

“Everyone, take up arms! Intruders!”

“Intruders?”

Hearing about intruders, I cautiously headed toward the wall.

“Oh? Isn’t it our benefactor? What brings you here?”

“Intruders have appeared, and we’re currently in a standoff. But don’t worry! We dwarves can fight against any formidable enemy.”

I met the guard captain at the wall, who seemed full of confidence that they could fight and win against the intruders.

“You don’t need to move, benefactor. We’ll handle this, so please stay somewhere safe.”

The guard captain showed a firm attitude, as if he couldn’t burden the clan’s benefactor.

Well, I welcome that if they say they don’t need my help.

It would be unreasonable for someone like me with zero combat ability to participate directly in battle.

“…sir!”

“Huh?”

Just then, a familiar voice reached my ears.

I climbed up the wall to follow the familiar voice, and there I found a welcome face.

“I am an Inquisitor of the Sun Order! I’ve come to escort Count Pathos Severio, so please open the gate!”

“Eterna?”

I had to doubt my eyes.

Because Eterna and Serin were standing in front of the wall.

Moreover, both were fully armed.

“Count Severio! Ah, by the Sun. Thank goodness. You’re alive!”

At that moment, Eterna showed relief upon seeing me.

“Benefactor, do you know these people?”

“They’re my companions. We were supposed to come here together, but due to an unexpected accident, I arrived here first.”

“Ah, I see. Hey! They say they’re the benefactor’s companions! Open the gate for them!”

Wow. Is it resolved this quickly?

When I introduced Eterna and Serin as my companions, the guard captain ordered the gate to be opened without a hint of suspicion.

Is this the dwarvish sense of loyalty? Truly impressive loyalty.

The gate opened, and Eterna and Serin entered the town.

Upon entering, the two immediately approached me.

“Serin, Eterna.”

“Ah, by the Sun. Thank goodness, Lord Pathos.”

“Hmm. You seem to be doing better than I expected. Was I worried for nothing?”

Eterna was relieved to see my face, while Serin seemed to think she might have worried unnecessarily.

“But how did you two get here?”

By the way, how did they get here?

The distance from Belsalem to here must be considerable, so how did they arrive so quickly?

“Inquisitor Eterna here kept casting buffs on us. Literally, we rode non-stop to get here.”

“That’s right, Lord Pathos. We really rode day and night without stopping!”

Serin and Eterna emphasized that they had ridden without rest.

Right. Since they truly rode a long distance, it’s not an exaggeration to emphasize that they rode all the way here.

“Aren’t you tired?”

But if it’s true that they rode without stopping, shouldn’t they be resting?

“Not at all!”

“That’s right. We’re not that tired. It would be shameful as knights to be exhausted from just that distance!”

Hmm, since they say they’re not tired, was I worried for nothing?

“I understand. Did you come here to take me back to the Empire?”

“We… came as quickly as possible in case you were harmed.”

“But if what I heard is true… the dwarves call you their benefactor, is that correct?”

Oh, it’s hard to decide which question to answer first when they both speak at once.

I decided to answer Eterna’s question first.

Why? Well, I’ve spent more time with Eterna.

“I wasn’t harmed. Rather, I received an apology from Ironbeard. And yes, you heard correctly.”

“Those proud dwarves called you their benefactor?”

What? Is that such a big deal?

“I fixed something they cherish, so isn’t it natural? Don’t you think?”

“Inquisitor, it’s not that simple. To be called a benefactor by dwarves means it must have been something far more significant!”

“But that’s not what’s important right now. What matters is escorting Lord Pathos back to the Empire.”

“That’s true, but…”

“Stop arguing and let’s rest before we move.”

Oh, watching these two bicker is making my stomach churn again.

In the end, I had to stay here for a few more days before returning to the Academy.