Ch.422The NPC Going to Haiti (1)

Two weeks after Ira’s networking party ended.

“This time it’s going to take really long. Will you be okay?”

“I told you not to worry. Normally, I’d want you to leave either Reina or Gore behind, but right now Neiti has Green Stone, Devil, and though I don’t like her, Avalitia too. If needed, we can also call on Luxuria who’s under contract. Plus, thanks to Ira’s friends, we’re not lacking in either combat power or skilled personnel. So leave this place to me and go.”

Standing in front of the Neiti gate, I express my concern about leaving Ragni behind again, but she reassures me with a light embrace that naturally leads to a kiss. I want to be happy that we’ve become comfortable with such skinship, but I can’t feel joy knowing it means a temporary farewell.

“If anything happens, make sure to contact me with the radio Mr. Owell gave you. I’ll come running faster than anyone else, I promise.”

“Hehe, I understand. Just knowing you’re worried about me gives me strength to carry on here. So lighten up your expression. Look, Ira is getting worried too, following your lead.”

“Unnie, you really need to be careful, okay? If the Theocracy does anything bad, you have to tell us right away!”

As Ira follows my lead and expresses concern for Ragni with drooping eyebrows, Ragni finds her cute and admirable, giving her an even deeper embrace than she gave me, kissing Ira on the cheek before answering with a bright smile.

Seriously. I know the Chancellor can’t come over from Ponia because she’s creating a warp, but I was hoping she’d visit at least once now that the Behemoth subjugation is over. Has she forgotten she’s the Chancellor of Neiti? It’s legendary that we still haven’t heard from her even after everything was resolved. After saying our goodbyes to Ragni, Ray, Miho, and Chikuyo at the gate, we picked up our light luggage and headed toward the magitech train.

Even from a distance, the change in the train’s appearance is obvious. Dozens of tons of materials from the Behemoth that Ray and I had cut down are firmly secured to the cargo car with thick wire-like fasteners. The craftsmen who were brought back to move this overflowing load will stay here, while only the train, the minister, and the escort party will proceed.

As I leisurely recall this while approaching the train, Ms. Owell greets us with her usual contemptuous gaze. It seems there are still plenty of opposition escorts left, and this act will likely continue inside the train. I think that she, who has to keep up this pretense, must be much more tired than us who are knowingly enduring it, as I board the train following her scornful guidance. Having visited several times over the past month, everyone in our party was familiar with the train’s interior. One of the escorts who had been introduced by the previous escort team leader Wigel began guiding us not to the minister’s room but somewhere else.

“Everyone in your party will use this car. We considered preparing separate cars for the female members since there are many, but showing too much consideration might raise suspicions about the minister’s secretary’s actions. We’ve installed a separate partition over there for the male to sleep in. Please understand.”

The escort who had previously taken my sword bows his head apologetically, but Ray and I just nod awkwardly, while Chikuyo and Miho, though looking slightly aloof, wag their tails as if they don’t mind. As for Ira, she immediately runs to the bed closest to my partition, declaring “I’m taking this bed!” and promptly puts her luggage on it.

Wait, I thought they’d make us share a car with the escort forces if things got complicated, but they’re giving us an entire train car? Won’t this cause problems? Somewhat confused, I ask a question to that effect, and he checks if anyone is listening before quietly answering.

“It’s actually the opposite. The female members of your party possess such strong magical power that the opposition escorts strongly insisted on separating you from us. The people of Aiti may not worship magical power, but they don’t ignore the fact that those with more magic are stronger. Besides…”

The male escort glances at Ira, who is already rolling up the blanket on the bed and gesturing for me to join her, saying it’s fluffy, then whispers so only I can hear, “Who would want to risk being crushed to death by accidentally bothering her?” Of course, I notice Miho and Chikuyo’s ears perking up, being beastkin.

What’s this? Is this Ira’s doing? As expected of my sister. Well done!

After explaining how to use the items in the room, the call bell, and the communication device that was clearly a wired telephone, the escort left. The train would depart in 30 minutes, and we should contact them via the communication device if anything came up. Hmm, if anything comes up.

“Everyone, did you forget anything?”

“Nope~”

“No, I didn’t.”

“No, I checked my luggage both yesterday evening and this morning.”

“Good. Then let’s rest for a while…”

“Oppa! But where’s Non-oppa?”

“…Huh?”

While checking if anyone had forgotten anything, Ira tilts her head and asks, causing my expression and everyone else’s to freeze. Wait, what? Oh no.

“Ray, do you know how to use the communication device?! I’ll go quickly…!!”

“Yes, yes!! Hurry back! How could we leave someone behind?!”

“What? Didn’t we talk about this? We told him several times we were leaving today!”

“Jack, should I come with you? It’ll be a disaster if you can’t find him!”

“No, I’ll use my skill to find him. Everyone stay here!”

We almost departed without one person right from the start.

*

-Tap tap tap tap!!

In front of the huge iron carriage from which a gray-haired man had just dashed away, two people were quietly hiding.

“Are we really doing this? Wouldn’t it be better to ask and follow them properly…”

“No way. If we get rejected, we’ll have no way to follow them at all.”

No one hears the voices of the two people quietly speaking in an empty space beside the train. More precisely, despite being close enough to be heard, no one could hear them.

“But I’ve never seen such a large iron carriage before. Is it safe?”

“It must be safe if they’re riding it. That person, whatever else, I learned from our conversations that he’d do anything for Ira’s safety.”

Speaking thus, the two people silently climbed the steps descending from the iron carriage without making a sound. Not knowing the internal layout, they moved quietly until they saw guards approaching from ahead and quickly hid against the wall.

“Tsk. Those bastards are on board?”

“Yeah, they just boarded. I don’t know what the minister is thinking. Entrusting guards to trash who rely on magical power, I really can’t believe it.”

“I know! Nine guards were taken down, and adding just three more magic users is supposed to make a difference? Plus, those beast bitches are on board too, right?”

“Don’t even mention it. The train already reeks of beast smell.”

“Ah, shit. They said they’re in the back car? I’m not going anywhere near there until we reach Aiti.”

“Me neither.”

“”……””

After confirming that the two men passing right in front of them didn’t notice them and moved to the next car, the two people looked at each other and swallowed dryly. They never imagined that people from Aiti would hate magic users this much. They were both mages, and it would be a disaster if they were discovered.

“…Grace, I really think we should properly talk to your brother and follow him. If we get caught following with invisibility magic or something…”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Besides, you just heard them. People from Aiti hate mages. That means they might harm Ira too, who has much stronger magical power than us. Latina, are you okay with that?”

“That’s definitely not okay, but…”

What does that have to do with following Jack’s group without telling them?

Originally, this plan was initiated when Grace, who had heard about the upcoming schedule from Ira on the night of the party, suggested secretly following them, but Latina couldn’t understand the point of sneaking along. However, Grace, unaware of Latina’s thoughts, began moving toward what she believed was the back car of the train. As they slowly explored the interior of the strange and massive iron carriage.

-Bump.

“Ow… Why did you stop so suddenly…”

“Wait a moment.”

Latina bumps into Grace who suddenly stopped, and as Grace seriously says to wait while slowly changing direction, Latina follows her lead. Could she have already found where Ira is? Grace’s feet moved toward.

-Sizzle! Whoosh! Clack clack clack clack!

“Alright, everyone! Today we have important guests who are the minister’s escorts! Everyone, stay sharp and cook well! No mistakes will be tolerated! Understood?!”

“””Yes!!”””

“…A restaurant? No, a kitchen?”

“Wow… there’s a kitchen inside the carriage?”

The dining car where people in white chef uniforms were busily cooking. Fragrant, savory, and somewhat spicy smells assaulted the two girls’ nostrils. Moreover, for the two who had never seen or even imagined a dining area being transported in even the largest caravans, the scene before them was incredibly fresh and also.

-Growl.

“…Latina, since we didn’t bring any food anyway, should we hide here for a while?”

“Yeah, that makes sense. They mentioned important guests and escorts earlier, so they must be talking about Ira’s group. If we stay here, it’ll be easier to meet up with Ira too.”

It was a hunger-inducing sight.

And so, two first-year elementary students from the academy, which had gone on indefinite hiatus due to the Behemoth, snuck into the dining car of the iron carriage—the magitech train—heading to Aiti.