episode_0030

A different road than usual!

Inside a different carriage than usual!

This is my first trip since being reborn in another world!

To think that such an exciting event would come into my everyday life, which only consisted of going in and out of dungeons.

The unfamiliar scenery unfolding outside the window,

Warm sunlight and gentle breeze.

Unlike the cold air of the dungeon, the wind on this road was unusually warm and free.

My heart was unnecessarily fluttering, thump-thump.

A hum naturally came from within me.

The destination of this trip is a neighboring country!

It’s an expedition to conquer a newly discovered dungeon near the Satyr’s Forest.

The transportation is a carriage that Lilien borrowed by asking a junior knight.

Thanks to that, I was able to load the luggage early in the morning and leave the village with a full heart.

Before we departed, I even said hello to Wilmarina, who was morning jogging.

I thought she would just wave lightly, saying, “Yu An~ Have a good trip~!”

Jump!

“Ack?! Wilmarina?!!”

My heart almost stopped because she suddenly jumped and hugged me.

“Uh-huh! Please bring back delicious souvenirs when you come~?”

The Valkyrie laughed nonchalantly and went jogging back with a cheerful stride.

…Really, that older sister is always doing things at her own pace.

Anyway, right now, I’m running peacefully on the road like this.

“You said it takes a full day to get to the border, right?”

At my question, Arte, who was reading a book inside the carriage, raised her head.

“Yes. Considering the horses’ stamina consumption, we will have to camp out in the carriage tonight.”

Then Ellis, who was holding a bag of snacks next to me, shouted excitedly.

“Hehe~ Then let’s have a campfire! I want to eat late-night snacks made by Yu An while watching the night sky~!”

She tilted her body towards me, flapping her small wings.

Holding the snack bag, she looked up at me with sparkling eyes—

“Ellis, it’s almost lunchtime. Be patient with just that snack for now.”

“Ehehe~ I got caught~?”

She laughed playfully and started rubbing her cheek against my arm.

Then, Arte quietly closed her book and threw in a word.

“I’m also looking forward to the late-night snack Yu An makes. May I ask you for it tonight?”

“Well~ Just leave it to me! Let’s make s’mores. I know a special recipe.”

Saying that, I comfortably stretched out on the back seat of the carriage.

Outside the window, warm sunlight softly filtered into the carriage, and next to me, Ellis and Arte leaned slightly against me, with my arm between them.

It’s nice being peaceful. No attacks from bandit groups or monsters.

“Hehe, you three all look so happy? I’m almost jealous~ Yu An, when we arrive at the campsite tonight, I’ll join you, okay?”

Lilien’s voice driving the carriage from the front could be heard.

Arte said she would take turns later, but she must be bored alone.

I should go up to the front later.

“For now, let’s just close my eyes for a bit…”

“Heh heh, sleep well. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy watching your cute sleeping face to my heart’s content.”

I think I heard something, but I closed my eyes due to the drowsiness the sunlight brought.

I slowly opened my eyes again.

“Did I fall asleep in the meantime?”

The moment I turned my head to get up, I felt a warm presence.

Arte quietly gave her body to me and Ellis.

She lent her shoulder so I could rest comfortably and silently stayed in place, gazing out the window.

That calm face felt somehow more affectionate.

And in my arms.

Squirming, Ellis was curled up like a hamster and asleep.

She was holding a bag of snacks tightly in both hands, and her cheeks were covered in snack crumbs.

“You should have brushed the crumbs off before sleeping.”

I chuckled and gently tapped her cheek with my finger—

I carefully brushed off the crumbs on her cheek.

At that moment, Arte quietly turned her head and spoke in a low voice.

“Yu An, are you awake?”

Her fingertips naturally started to tidy my disheveled hair.

“You can sleep more. You’ve only slept for 30 minutes. And you looked… quite nice leaning on my back.”

“No. I’ve slept enough.”

I laughed awkwardly and stretched.

“If I sleep more, I won’t be able to sleep at night.”

Then Arte tilted her head slightly and asked.

“Yu An, perhaps… was it uncomfortable leaning on me?”

Saying that, her fingertips gently grasping the edge of my shirt felt somehow cute.

“No, thanks to it, I slept soundly. I didn’t know Arte’s shoulder pillow would be this comfortable.”

At those words, the tips of Arte’s ears seemed to turn faintly red.

“If so… I will provide it anytime. Because it’s alright if it’s Yu An.”

When she said that, why did my heart feel so ticklish?

“But, Arte. Aren’t you tired? Wasn’t it heavy?”

“Even combined, Yu An and Ellis barely exceed 100kg. For me, an Automata, it’s an infinitely light weight.”

“Haha, is that so? Thank you, really.”

I slowly got up and asked.

“By the way, where’s Lilien?”

“She is still driving the carriage. Yu An, would you keep Lilien company for a while before the changeover?”

“I was just thinking that myself. It must be boring driving alone. Can I go and visit for a bit?”

“Go ahead. Please leave Ellis to me.”

I cleared my throat unnecessarily and carefully put Ellis down from my arms.

“Then, I’ll leave this Demon Lord with Arte for a bit.”

“Yes. Please put her on my lap.”

As I gently laid Ellis on Arte’s lap, the Demon Lord completely curled up like a cat and snuggled in further.

Arte’s hands slowly stroking her head somehow… created a mother-daughter atmosphere.

“What a cute Demon Lord.”

The words flowed out like a whisper.

Smiling as I watched that scene, I quietly opened the carriage door and stepped outside.

A refreshing breeze brushed my face, and the silent road echoed with the rhythmic sound of horse hooves.

Stepping onto the footboard, I leaned and sat next to Lilien, who was sitting on the coachman’s seat.

“Oh, you woke up so quickly?”

Lilien glanced at me and smiled, then gently leaned her shoulder towards me.

Her white hair fluttered in the night breeze, brushing my cheek, and the warm body heat was transmitted through her lightly touching shoulder.

“Because I wanted to talk to the knight next to me quickly~”

Then Lilien chuckled and lightly tapped my head with the hand holding the reins—

“Heh heh, really. It’s a cheap pickup line, but—”

Her slightly shining red eyes.

“Since Yu An is doing it, it’s okay. It makes me even more excited?”

The sound of the wind, the sound of horse hooves,

And her faint breathing sounds.

“Alright.”

Lilien smiled slightly and leaned her head again.

“What story will you tell the bored knight, Adventurer?”

Drawn by that smile, I slightly placed my hand on the back of her hand and replied.

“Well, what story should we start with~ How about we talk about just you and me right now?”

On the running carriage.

In the road where the wind and sunlight mingled, our travel story quietly began to flow.

As I chatted and flirted with Lilien about this and that, I suddenly felt someone’s gaze from behind.

When I turned my head, Ellis and Arte were peeking their heads out of the carriage window side by side.

“Woah! When did you two wake up?”

“Hehe, because you two were talking so enjoyably! Let me and Arte join in too~”

In the end, both of them came out and climbed onto the coachman’s seat.

Fortunately, since the carriage was large and the coachman’s seat had a four-person structure, the four of us could sit huddled together.

As we chatted about trivial things and the plan for this dungeon conquest without much order—

Before we knew it, the sky was tinged with deep indigo.

The moment the stars began to appear one by one, we stopped the carriage and started preparing for camp.

“Yu An~ Lilien and I pitched the tent!”

Ellis ran over with a face full of excitement.

“Even I, a Demon Lord, can do it! How is it, how is it, praise me~”

“I did all the troublesome parts though~”

“Quiet~ Let’s just say we did it together, Lilien!”

I smiled and stroked Ellis’s head.

At that moment, Lilien leaned slightly next to me.

“Yu An, me too~ I want to be praised too?”

She pouted playfully, linking her arm through mine.

“Okay, okay. Our knight worked hard too~”

As I stroked Lilien’s white hair, she narrowed her eyes and gave a satisfied smile.

Then, Arte approached quietly carrying heavy luggage.

“Yu An, I have finished collecting all the water and firewood. I request head pats as well.”

A resolute yet somehow cute request.

I chuckled and gently placed my hand on her head.

“Okay, Arte, you worked hard too. The setting up is finished, so I’ll cook right away!”

Dinner was BBQ.

Since it was a long journey, instead of special monster meat, we prepared the most common and fresh pork.

But the real highlight of camping is something else, right?

Dessert time under the stars, when the flames are dying down!

“Okay~ Each of you take a cup!”

I poured steaming hot chocolate into three mugs, filling them up.

A sweet cocoa scent spread, and smiles appeared on all three faces at once.

And the real finale.

Spread a generous amount of peanut butter on a biscuit, top it with almonds and marshmallows, grill it slightly, and then cover it with another biscuit.

“Ta-da~ Today’s dessert, special S’mores complete!”

When the marshmallow softly spreads in your mouth, the savory peanut butter will sweetly wrap it.

There, the crispy biscuit will pop and crumble at the end, completing the perfect harmony.

The first one was Ellis.

Even while grilling, she had been staring blankly and drooling.

“Wow~ Unghuhu!! So sweet~!!”

Seeing her tail and wings flapping simultaneously, she seems to really like it.

Of course, I handed one to Lilien and Arte as well.

“Heh heh, Yu An, how much do you plan to make me gain weight~”

Arte also quietly took a bite, then slowly savored it with the hot chocolate.

“It is sweet. At this rate, my emotional circuit might overload.”

At that moment, Lilien quietly laughed next to me.

At first, I glanced at that smile without thinking much.

Suddenly, a chilling sensation ran down my spine.

That is… suspicious.

It’s too familiar.

That exact smile Lilien makes whenever she’s plotting something.

She made that expression when we caught the volcanic sheep the other day!

As expected, she slowly leaned her body towards me and whispered.

“Yu An, since it’s a rare camping trip… how about we play a truth game?”

[Eyecatch!]

A brief meeting between a junior and a senior knight

“In that sense, I’ll borrow the carriage, okay?”

“No. Even though you have the proper Captain’s permit, no, Senior!”

“Oh my, being unreasonable, Natasha.”

“Where are you going? Can’t I follow you too?”

“Unfortunately, this is a private trip this time. Besides, I already have a companion?”

“You mean that man? Why him, when he’s so weak!”

“Isn’t he cute-looking? He really stimulates my protective instincts.”

“Kuk… Senior, have you really fallen for that person? Not me, who is also younger?”

“I prefer the opposite sex~ And you have to consider the snow bears too~ They say the snow on the plains melts if same-sex couples date!”

“But~”