Ch.198To a Place Not on the Map

The preparations for searching the Dark Elf stronghold took three days.

From the sheriff’s office, we gathered information about the circumstances of Calliope’s capture and its specific location.

From the Pioneer Bureau branch, we collected terrain information about unexplored areas not shown on maps.

And from the Adventurer’s Guild, we gathered Dark Elf sightings from recent months and records of attacks on pioneers…

We scraped together whatever information we could find in Moon Lake, and even visited the Silver Wolf tribe’s village to ask if any mythril veins had been discovered in the surrounding valleys or mountains.

Beyond information gathering, there was much to prepare for the long journey.

We stocked sufficient food and emergency supplies, prepared detection and defense measures anticipating combat with Dark Elves, and crafted auxiliary equipment to keep Iris contained in the Stone House for an extended period.

The wagon also underwent minor modifications to allow us to approach as close as possible to our destination, even if it was rough terrain like forests or mountains.

And so, having completed all preparations, on the early morning of May 19th.

We drove our wagon toward the unexplored northwestern region not shown on any map.

As always, I sat in the driver’s seat while Jessica, Seti, and Phyllis rode in the cargo area. Mina, exhausted from working overnight, was snoring away on a thick mat laid out on the cargo floor.

“Somehow we managed to narrow down the possible locations…”

“The Silver Wolf tribe’s help was significant. They said they’ve completed reconnaissance up to the limits of the beastfolk’s activity south of Moon Lake.”

“Indeed. Though the accuracy of their maps couldn’t compare to those of the pioneers, they were sufficient to understand the southern terrain distribution.”

Two locations emerged as the most likely places for a Dark Elf stronghold.

One at the foothills approximately 250km north-northwest of Moon Lake, and another near a ravine about 280km to the northwest.

Both locations featured dense forests and high mountains, with river streams reportedly crossing through the forests from east to west, making them ideal hiding places for the Dark Elf tribe.

“250km to the nearest point… roughly how far is that in comparison?”

“The total distance from Atelier to Westpoint Trading Post along the southern bypass route is 244km. Using Mothertown as a reference, it would be like traveling to somewhere near Riverside.”

“Whew, that’s enormous.”

“Indeed… I understand why Calliope declared it absolutely unreachable for pioneers.”

“If they weren’t dealing with us, that is.”

In Grantis, people traveling on horseback consider a maximum of 60km per day as their limit.

This standard accounts for the horse’s stamina management and the dangers of night marches, but coincidentally, neither is an issue for our party.

Ancestor can carry five people in a covered wagon and travel 24 hours a day without stopping, and with Phyllis’s Night Vision, we can continue marching without problems even in the dead of night.

The remaining issues are the speed limitations imposed by terrain roughness and the fatigue of passengers during long wagon journeys…

“Even taking it easy, we should arrive comfortably in two days.”

Maintaining a speed of 10km per hour, traveling for 3 hours and resting for 1, repeating this cycle 3 times, then traveling for 4 hours and sleeping for 8 hours would allow us to cover about 130km per day.

If we can complete the investigation and rescue operation within a day, returning to Moon Lake by the evening of the fifth day is certainly possible.

Hang in there, Ancestor, you’re the real cheat character.

“…Or so I thought.”

“No matter how many breaks we take, a 13-hour march still takes a toll on the body.”

“I expected the ground to get bumpier as we moved away from the city, but I never imagined we’d be crossing gravel fields.”

On the first day of our long-distance march.

After completing four segments totaling 13 hours of travel, our waists and buttocks were absolutely wrecked.

Even traveling in a luxury sedan on well-paved roads would leave you sore after such a long journey, so it’s no wonder our bones and joints are screaming after bouncing around in a wagon.

What’s worse, apart from a group of goblins, we didn’t even have any significant battles today, and we took turns driving during breaks, yet we’re still in this condition.

“Ugh~ I don’t think reinforcing the chair cushions will solve this. Maybe completely rebuilding the suspension would help…”

“Either way, it’s not something we can fix right now, right? Even using the crafting tablet, there are limits to the scale of work we can do.”

“That’s true… Well, let’s just set up the tent and prepare for camping. Things should feel a bit better after some sleep.”

“Alright. I’ll prepare the Repellation Field, so Phyllis, could you please keep watch around the perimeter?”

“Oh, right. Take this.”

Saying that, Mina pulled out a flat, rectangular magical device from a storage box in the wagon.

It was a square magical device about 40cm on each side and 10cm thick, with a red gem protruding like a convex lens in the center.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a magical device that stores magical power to maintain fire magic for extended periods. If I had to name it, I’d call it a Magical Campfire? Place it on the ground with the gem facing up and cast a fire attribute enchantment on it.”

“Got it. Flame Lance, Break Enchant.”

Following Mina’s instructions, Jessica placed the device down and cast the enchantment, causing flames to burst from the red gem and blaze like a bonfire.

“Now just throw a barrier-enchanted magic stone into the fire as usual.”

“Okay… Repellation Field!”

After inscribing a barrier spell on a magic stone recovered from the goblins and throwing it into the fire, the fierce flames calmed down like a candle, and the familiar sight of magical letters floating in the center appeared.

“Good. It’s working properly. Now we won’t need to gather firewood every time we camp.”

“That’s a convenient device. When did you have time to make something like this?”

“I made it as a test while working on that other thing. Just place it on the supply, and it automatically charges with magical power. Once lit, it can maintain the fire for up to 12 hours, completely replacing a traditional campfire.”

Where Mina pointed, in the corner of the wagon’s cargo area, was a cylindrical object firmly secured that looked like a barrel.

The name of this object is Mana Supply.

It’s a magical device modified from the dwarven Crystal Mana Tank, a kind of magical battery that receives power from the Black Label and maintains a constant charge.

Although its efficiency is much lower than directly using the artifact inside the Black Label, it has the advantage of allowing us to use magical power without exposing the artifact to others’ eyes.

Except for the meticulously concealed magical circuit, its design is almost identical to a Crystal Mana Tank, making it perfect for deceiving the eyes of city guards and magical craftsmen.

“An ancient automaton pulling a wagon with a magical battery… at this point, we might as well consider using the wagon itself as a mobile base camp.”

“The wagon? How?”

“In my homeland, there was something called a camper van…”

While setting up the tent with Seti, I briefly explained the structure and functions of camper vans I had seen on Earth.

The women showed interest in the structure where the vehicle, equivalent to a horse, provides mobility and power, while people eat and sleep in the caravan attached like a wagon.

Especially when I mentioned that some luxury camper vans have caravans that transform to expand the interior space, Mina snorted with excitement.

“…That’s roughly how it works.”

“That sounds amazing! It’s like a mobile hotel!”

“With beds, a kitchen, and even a shower, traveling in such a wagon would make journeys so much more comfortable.”

“But if the entire wagon is made of metal, and then filled with furniture, I doubt even Ancestor could pull it.”

“We’ll find a solution somehow! Great, once this mission is over, I’ll make creating a camper van our next goal! Do you know any specifics about the internal structure? What about the transformation mechanism? How do they solve the problem of furniture tipping over when the wagon shakes?”

“You’re really fired up about this… I’ll explain what I know, but be patient. Everyone had a light lunch and dinner, aren’t you hungry?”

“Now that you mention it, I am a bit peckish.”

“Me too.”

Having only eaten sandwiches during our third rest break because of the goblin attack, all five of us seem to be craving a late-night snack.

“Anyone up for dumplings?”

Four thumbs silently rise in agreement.

It’s best to consume perishable ingredients quickly to avoid regrets.

Ah… I really miss having a freezer.