episode_0033

“… Is it not there after all?”

I hurriedly packed my bags and went out, but the carriage had already left.

Nothing really works! I really didn’t think it would work.

But is it really true that I can’t go? Could it be… something?

I harbored a vain hope that perhaps the Commander had prepared something for people like me. But I was chosen anyway, so I guess he really wouldn’t have let me go.

I wanted to believe that.

I kept circling the same spot and looked around several times, but as always, any hope had long since faded away.

I feel a sense of emptiness and a loss of trust in myself in real time.

Gulp…

“… ”

If it was going to be like this, I should have just eaten something. I’m exhausted from struggling for nothing.

“Oh my… I didn’t even plan on going in the first place.”

Let’s just think of it as fate. It was never my place to begin with.

I fell to the floor. Let’s rest for a bit.

Anyway, no one is coming today. No one will say anything about lying down like this.

“… What should I eat?”

“You’re thinking about eating when it’s so late?”

“… ?”

… Wait, there was no sound.

I slowly turned my gaze towards the direction where the voice came from. There, the commander was looking down at me alone.

“Get up!”

“Yes, yes!”

“A nobleman is lying on the floor and talking about food. And you are a student at the academy!”

“I’m sorry.”

“… So, you’re Logs Avant.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Yeah… Normally, I would send a latecomer like you back, but… ”

The commander paused for a moment, then sighed and shook his head.

“If you leave, there will definitely be some people who will make a fuss. You should consider yourself lucky.

“That means… ”

“I don’t have a carriage, but I’ll try to get one.”

“, thank you.”

“Okay. And if you’re really grateful, go and tell your teacher thank you. He’s annoying anyway…”

He mumbled his last words, holding the walkie-talkie on his chest as if he was giving instructions to someone. I don’t know what kind of magic tool it was, but his voice was completely inaudible even though it was right in front of me.

Still, judging by the atmosphere, I think I can go. That’s fortunate…

But who is the teacher?

After a few minutes, the commander opened his mouth.

“They said they found a carriage at an inn within an hour.”

“Thank you so much.”

“Yeah. Well, why were you late?”

“Yes?”

“You should know why I’m late.”

“That… oversleeping… ”

“… ”

“I’m sorry.”

“No. It’s already in the past and the problem has been solved. Follow me.”

“Yes?”

“Do you know where the inn is?”

“I don’t know.”

“You look so confident. Okay, I’ll take you there. It looks like you haven’t eaten yet.”

“Oh… Yes?”

I followed the commander without knowing English. And I got on his carriage without thinking and got off without thinking.

‘hmm…’

What the heck, why do I feel like I did when my professor told me to go to graduate school?

“Choose what you want to eat.”

“I’ll do this…”

“Is that enough? Give me the special menu for the lunch B set!”

“Okay!”

‘Special menu?’

Naturally, my eyes went to the special menu on the menu. And the words written on the menu made my heart pound.

? Extra Large Meat Set ?

Of course, it wasn’t because of excitement.

“… ”

“Logs.”

In the midst of the awkward atmosphere, the commander spoke to me first.

“Yes?”

“I heard you use a special weapon.”

“… Just ordinary upper-level swords.”

“I see. Can I see it once?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

I took Asbel’s sword and Kraberk’s fang out of my bag and showed them to him.

“It certainly looks exactly like a high-level sword. Can I try holding it?”

I nodded without saying anything and handed him the sword.

The commander took hold of the two swords and began to observe. The atmosphere became quiet again.

‘Why are you nervous?’

“Um… ”

I swallowed dry saliva. I didn’t do anything wrong, but all the things I did wrong kept coming to mind.

“These are the swords that are difficult to handle even among the higher grade ones. But their performance isn’t that good either… ”

The commander muttered, then smiled and handed over the sword.

“You sure could be a great guy.”

“Oh… Thank you.”

“I’m in a good mood! Here’s one more special menu!

“Okay!!”

“… ”

I looked at a clerk coming from afar without saying anything. He was holding an absurd amount of meat in his hands.

“Eat it all and enjoy it.”

“That seems impossible,” he said, swallowing the meat along with his words.

***

“I ate well… ”

“It’s nice to see you eating well. It’s service!”

‘S-Stop… Just wait!’

Please punish me instead! Please!!

“Ah, I guess it’s about time. Hmm… I guess I can’t help it.”

“Haha… ”

‘I almost died.’

“Before you go, write this.”

“What is this?”

The commander held a black robe in his hand.

“Wouldn’t people be surprised if a noble like you rode in a carriage? And our mission is top secret. There’s no disadvantage to hiding your appearance.”

“… Okay.”

I took the robe from him, put it on right away, and put my hat over it.

“Okay. No one will recognize you.”

Certainly, my reflection in the mirror hanging behind the commander definitely did not look like me.

Anyone who doesn’t look closely can tell… isn’t this an assassin?

Why is this atmosphere so ominous?

“Then, take care.”

“Okay.”

◦The %◦ sign is on the table, so use it… and don’t get hurt.”

“Yes!”

“Yeah.”

The commander quickly finished his calculations and left the inn.

‘…’

I feel a bit embarrassed. He was such a good person that I felt bad comparing him to the professor.

Phew… I won’t let you betray my trust anymore.

“Come to your senses.”

Now is the beginning.

I picked up the sign on the table and checked my watch. There were 10 minutes left.

I also quickly packed my bags, left the inn, and walked towards the carriage.

The carriage was not far away.

A child holding hands with his mother. An old couple waiting for a carriage.

People of all ages were waiting for the carriage for their own purposes.

‘But, I guess it’s a holiday after all.’

I thought that there would be no problem getting there, but that either my back or my head would definitely hurt when I got there.

There seemed to be that many people waiting for the carriage.

As I approached among those people, the noisy atmosphere around me quickly became quiet.

‘…Is it because of me?’

Did I get caught?

I looked around quietly.

But no one realized that I was a logger. If they had known, they would have run away a long time ago.

Then why?

I asked, but there was no answer. I kept thinking about the reason.

I saw a carriage in the distance. I think that’s it.

‘Okay, there’s nothing I can do now.’

Taking off your robe here isn’t going to solve anything.

Let’s just think of it as an opportunity to go quietly.

The carriage soon stopped in front of us.

Contrary to common sense, this carriage had no glass. Not only that, but the horses were all wearing unusual saddles.

Even countries that couldn’t read the ancient language written on the magic tools could see that they could travel straight ahead without stopping thanks to that.

After the carriage came to a complete stop, the crew member who had already been inside opened the door and came out.

“Just give me your ticket and get on right away!”

People, one by one, handed their tickets to the conductor as if they were used to it and boarded the carriage.

I’ve always wanted to try something like this.

I also confidently handed my ticket to the flight attendant.

“…”

“What is this? Isn’t this it?”

Why won’t you accept it?

The crew remained frozen in that state for several seconds.

And then he spoke with trembling fingertips and voice.

“Ha, I confirmed it.”

“…”

“Yeah, this would be a valuable experience too.”

…Isn’t that right? This might sound familiar.

anyway.

Once everyone was on board the carriage, the attendant came inside and checked the number of people.

“All aboard, sir.”

“Then let’s go.”

Here—!

As the carriage started off, a tremendous shaking was felt.

‘…crazy.’

I haven’t ridden in a carriage much, but this was the first time I had a reaction right after getting on one.

“Wow…just sleep.”

I want to talk to myself, who used to grumble every time I rode in a carriage.

You’ve never experienced anything ‘real’.

I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep in this condition. No, I absolutely won’t be able to sleep.

This is not a good idea unless you are really close to death.

I looked around, clutching my head as the headache grew worse.

Everyone had relaxed faces. Is riding a carriage also a talent?

Rattling!

‘Ugh…’

Just sleep.

This is really making me want to throw up. I’ve been looking for a solution, but the only answer is to escape from this carriage.

Unfortunately, the catch is that it can’t be the right answer.

The shaking continued incessantly. Each time, I had to endure several crises.

At the same time, my lifespan was shortened.

How many hours passed like that?

My eyes barely began to close amidst my exhausted body and persistent headache.

I know that even if I wake up, it won’t be a happy day.

But if I can’t sleep here now, I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep any longer.

I closed my eyes, leaning my body against the wall, exhausted from fatigue.

‘Now… I can sleep…!’

bang!

The carriage shook violently as if a huge tank had hit it.

Fortunately, no one was hurt, but everyone’s eyes opened wide as the impact occurred.

“What, what! What’s going on!”

“Mom? Mom, I’m scared.”

‘What’s going on?’

Are they monsters?

Fortunately, it hasn’t fallen over just now, but if there’s any more impact from here, it definitely will fall over.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

As I expected, the mysterious monster didn’t stop at just one hit, but continued to hit the same spot repeatedly.

Then the passengers screamed and fell into confusion. Let’s escape for now.

If we stay here any longer, we’ll all die.

I quickly took the sword out of my bag and opened the door forcefully.

As I came out like that, my eyes met the mysterious tank.

“He’s already out there, and I haven’t even knocked him down yet.”

“It went a little off-plan, but hey, man, he kills.”

“… ”

“Ahahaha! Captain! That kid seems to have been crushed by the captain’s energy.”

“Of course! How could a third-rate assassin like that defeat our bandits!”

The bandits looked at each other and laughed at me.

‘It wasn’t a monster? It was a person?’

The man next to the person who appeared to be the captain approached me.

“Hey! You assassin over there. Our captain is a generous man. So I’ll give him a chance. We don’t like men either. We’d rather have a woman.”

“… ”

“How dare this kid ignore us?”

“Hey.”

“Don’t talk to me informally, you little shit!”

Okay!

Bam…

The man’s head separated from his body and fell to the ground. It rolled around a few times before the subordinate’s eyes met the captain’s.

“If it was a monster, I was just trying to scare it… ”

The thieves were momentarily taken aback by the sight, but immediately grabbed their swords.

We maintain a brief silence.

“Kill him!!”

“Kill.”