Ch.153The Bumpy Carriage Journey

Year 82 of the Pioneering Era.

The New Continent Pioneering Headquarters, facing setbacks in western development due to the vast swamplands of Atlier’s western region, established a major project with full support from the Adventurers’ Guild.

At that time, this vast swampland was called the “Swamp of Wailing,” bringing frustration and despair to western pioneers.

From swamp trolls and mud men to troublesome swamp creatures and monsters threatening pioneers’ safety, no ley lines suitable for building barrier towers could be found in potentially arable lands.

Moreover, as the swamp became increasingly dangerous toward its interior, crossing it seemed utterly impossible. The future of western development depended entirely on the success of this plan.

The project had only one goal:

To discover a route, either north or south, that would bypass this cursed swampland and lead westward.

Even the smallest, most insignificant ley line would suffice—if found within a five-day journey from existing positions, a new base could be established to continue western development.

The two bases, Northern and Southern Fortress, were created precisely for this purpose.

They were vital lifelines established to save just one day of travel from Atlier.

“So if this Southern Fortress hadn’t been built, it would have been impossible to reach Paracelsus Grand Workshop within five days?”

“It’s not absolutely impossible. Paracelsus Grand Workshop is just over 90 kilometers away, so by increasing marching time or pace, you could arrive on the fourth day. Of course, that’s assuming no time is wasted dealing with monsters.”

“Time wasted due to monsters… ah, like poison or paralysis?”

“Yes. And swamp trolls appeared much more frequently back then, so for safe travel, it was common to move in groups of three or four parties.”

When large groups move together, the entire team’s mobility naturally decreases, and if members become poisoned or paralyzed during monster encounters, that causes further delays.

I want to applaud the tenacity of those who, after such hardships, finally completed the base and continued the western development project.

“Well, we’re traveling by carriage, so we don’t need to worry about time constraints.”

“That’s true.”

We’re riding in a covered wagon purchased from the carriage market, traveling across flatlands slightly removed from the swamp.

The distance from Southern Fortress to Paracelsus Grand Workshop is about 75 kilometers.

A normal carriage journey would take a full two days, but with an Ancestor who needs neither food nor rest, it’s possible to cover the distance in just one day.

‘Come to think of it, an Ancestor pulling a carriage is truly a cheat character.’

The average speed of carriages traveling through Grantis ranges from 4 to 8 kilometers per hour depending on terrain, which isn’t as fast as one might think.

Carriages as a mode of transportation have more merit in carrying capacity than speed.

Yet an Ancestor can run at speeds exceeding 10 km/h, even over 20 km/h on flat terrain, indefinitely—making high-speed transportation comparable to South Korean delivery services not just a dream.

Wait… Could I make a fortune if I quit being an adventurer and switched to the transportation business?

That might be worth serious consideration if adventuring ever becomes difficult to make a living from.

*Bump*

“Oops.”

“Eek?”

“Mr. Driver~ Please drive safely~”

“Sorry. Since this is my first time driving a carriage, I’m not quite used to it yet.”

Lost in thought, I ran over a protruding root, causing the carriage to shake violently.

Even with suspension, there are limits to the comfort of off-road travel.

Perhaps the biggest obstacle in long-distance carriage travel is the rapidly depleting durability of one’s backside.

“Ugh~ My back hurts…”

“Even with an Ancestor’s strength, there’s a limit to the speed we can maintain…”

“Still, we’ve covered over 50 kilometers in just one day. We should reach Paracelsus Grand Workshop before lunch tomorrow.”

As evening approached, we stopped the carriage and began preparing camp while rubbing our aching backs and bottoms.

“There are plenty of alchemy workshops in Atlier, so why build another one so far away?”

“Alchemy workshops within cities have restrictions on what they can handle. Items that are highly toxic, produce gas, or pose explosion risks directly affect the safety of the entire city.”

“So Paracelsus Grand Workshop deals with such dangerous and suspicious items? Is it safe for us to stay there…?”

“Don’t worry too much. The lodging facilities and research areas are separated, so there’s plenty of time to respond if something happens.”

I suppose if it’s an important facility used as a base for western development, they must have safety measures in place.

Let’s think of it as visiting a pharmaceutical company’s research facility.

After setting up the tent, building a campfire, and deploying a repellation field, it was time for the massage session everyone had been looking forward to.

Today, since we traveled by carriage, fatigue had accumulated in our backs and hips rather than our legs.

To receive a massage in those areas, one inevitably needs to be in underwear.

“Then, if you please?”

*Rustle*

Jessica lies face down after removing her corset dress and bustier, leaving her topless, and I carefully begin to massage her.

“Mmm…haaah…”

I press firmly along her waist line from her back down to her pelvis, then knead her buttocks, causing Jessica to naturally let out moans.

I should talk about something to prevent any inappropriate feelings.

“It’s a shame we don’t have massage oil. I could give you a proper massage with that.”

“Massage oil?”

“It’s oil that’s harmless to the human body and reduces skin friction. That way, even if I rub a bit harder, it won’t hurt from friction.”

“If it’s something like that…mmm…at Paracelsus…aah, Grand Workshop…we might be able to buy some…”

“Oh, really?”

“They have slime mucus used for…haaah, burn treatment…it only retains viscosity and moisture, so there’s no smell…and no effect on the human body…mmm.”

Something like aloe gel that’s used in summer?

If it’s harmless to humans, viscous, and slippery, it could substitute for massage oil.

If it’s not too expensive, I should buy some for managing the party members’ condition.

It’s absolutely not because I want to enjoy the erotic sight of women covered in sticky massage oil. Really.

“Next is Seti.”

“Yes. I’m ready.”

Seti, wearing a tank top and spats, normally has her waist exposed, so she only needs to remove her bottoms to prepare for a massage.

Beast-folk women’s underwear necessarily has a hole for their tails to pass through, and in Seti’s case, she wears a T-back with strings extending in three directions from around her tail.

How many times have I been captivated by those beautifully exposed brown apple hips?

“Mmm…”

Seti doesn’t moan as much as Jessica or Phyllis when receiving a massage.

However, her ears and tail honestly react when I rub pleasurable spots, making it quite enjoyable for the person giving the massage.

And this is a technique I only use at night, but if I firmly press around the base of her tail—

“Nyaaahn!?”

She reacts intensely like this, trembling, which is unbearably cute.

However, I need to be careful not to abuse this technique, as it causes Seti to emit pheromone scents profusely.

“Hnyaaa…”

“Now, next is Phyllis.”

“U-um… I’ll be in your care.”

Phyllis, her face reddened at the sight of Seti panting, hesitantly pulled her tights down to below her knees.

“…Phyllis?”

“Well… I’m a bit embarrassed to completely undress in front of others.”

After saying that, Phyllis lifted her mini-skirt dress up to chest height and slowly lay down next to Seti.

The dress rolled up high and tights pulled down to below her knees… does Phyllis think this is less erotic than being completely undressed?

“Kuh…ngh…mmph…”

Phyllis closes her eyes tightly and desperately tries to suppress her moans as I massage her body through the lifted clothing.

I had to desperately suppress the sinful desire rising within me, feeling as if I were doing something indecent in a public place.

‘Think sad thoughts… Right. When I first got a job and my salary increased. National pension and health insurance premiums also increased, so my actual take-home pay…’

It was more infuriating than sad, but it was effective in calming my desires.

After finishing Phyllis’s massage, I turned my head and met eyes with Mina, who was sitting with a bright red face.

“Now, Mina, lie down with your clothes on.”

“Huh… is that okay?”

“You probably don’t want to show your underwear to a man who’s not your lover. And you probably wouldn’t want your bottom touched either, so I’ll just give your back a simple massage.”

“W-well then, I’ll take you up on that~ Ehehe.”

Mina lay down awkwardly, and as I pressed her back, satisfied exclamations immediately began to flow.

“Ohoho~ That’s nice, nice~”

“You sound like an old man…”

“Would you prefer I make sexier sounds? Mmm~hmm?”

*Smack*

“Don’t move. You’ll hurt your back.”

After lightly tapping the head of Mina, who was twisting her body while making detestable moans, I press her back firmly with the base of my palm.

Mina’s body is so small that I worry she might get hurt if I apply my weight incorrectly.

It’s amazing how such a small body can easily carry tens of kilograms.

“Alright, that’s it.”

“Ughhh~ I feel alive again…”

“Will, come sit over here too. I don’t know how to massage properly, but I can at least rub your shoulders.”

“No, you really don’t need to worry about me…”

“No way. You must be tired too, so you need a massage.”

Forced to sit down, I enjoyed the luxury of being massaged by four women surrounding me.

Jessica and Phyllis rubbed my arms, Seti my thighs, and Mina my shoulders—it felt like being in heaven, but—

‘Slime mucus from Paracelsus Grand Workshop, huh.’

Even in that moment, my mind couldn’t help but imagine giving and receiving erotic massages with my three lovers…