episode_0105

On the morning of the day of departure, the gathered party members all seemed thoroughly prepared in many ways.

Friede was wearing a metal-lined fur coat over his uniform, just like I had seen before.

Beneath the hem of the coat, a large saw and a chained throwing ax hanging from both waists sway continuously.

“Chain axe? He came out with an unusual weapon again.”

“Well, since we don’t know what kind of monsters there will be, we should at least prepare a means to attack enemies that don’t approach, right? Flying guys and such.”

Friede laughed, clicking his chains.

“Can’t I just jump up and cut it down?”

Damian asked her a question.

“You want to fight in the air against a winged enemy? Courage is virtual.”

“Oh, now that I think about it, that’s right.”

Damien nodded after hearing Friede’s answer.

It seems like he remembered the last time he got hit and fell.

Damian, you still haven’t let go of your attachment to the leap attack.

That leap attack doesn’t have much effect unless the opponent is a medium or large monster.

You might find out later when you reach a higher level, so please exercise restraint now.

Damian was not wearing the academy uniform, but armor he had purchased with his own money.

Perhaps realizing the need for armor these days, he was wearing a sturdy steel breastplate and pauldrons on top of the quilted armor.

The limbs were also covered with thin iron plates, and the newly forged black iron greatsword was tied with a leather belt and carried on the back.

“In the first place, there is someone else who can deal with flying guys, right? Your childhood friend.”

“Uh, you mean me?”

Milia, who was adjusting her clothes, looked up.

In contrast to the heavily armed Damian, he was dressed in fairly light clothes.

A white shirt made of tough fabric and black pants. Gloves and boots made of brown leather.

The leather strap of the quiver on his back cut diagonally between his chest, as if weighing him down, making the shape of his chest stand out above his top.

In fact, Millia herself was constantly fiddling with the leather strap with a slightly red face, as if she had not wanted this type of appeal.

In reality, it looked like a bare body.

If you get hit right, you’ll go straight to the underworld.

Are you going to trust your colleague in charge of the vanguard?

At least his right shoulder was well protected by a metal pauldron.

Of course, if that part is injured, you won’t be able to draw the bow at all, so it’s natural.

Although he still wears a rapier on his waist in case of close combat…

I wonder if there will ever be a time in the future when that sword will be useful.

I don’t know. It seemed like it was already half-decorated.

“Okay. You have to deal with those that attack from a distance or those that fly. That’s the bow you’re holding, right?”

“Ah, yes! I’ll work hard!”

“Please take care of me, Millia.”

Millia nodded happily at Damian’s words.

Is it that good? If it had a tail, it would have waved it left and right.

A tail for Millia… I think it’s kind of cute…

no. Come to think of it, if it had a tail, Friede would beat it to death.

For the first time in a long time, I was fully armed.

On his waist is a black iron long sword and Durandal. He wears a case of frost on his hip, and a bow and arrows on his back.

Plus a dozen throwing daggers.

A subtle noise rings out every time you walk.

The sound of the black iron barbs on the armor hitting each other.

Boris’s shiny fur was soft and warm to the touch, unlike when he was alive.

—-

There was only one change from the original plan.

Nigel couldn’t keep up.

That wasn’t her intention. It was an order from Marquis Ludwig.

According to the letter sent by the Marquis, the troops under the 1st Prince are dispatched to deal with the evil spirits that are rampant in the western part of the Einfeld Territory.

The request I had put on hold.

I don’t know if the 1st prince volunteered for the purpose of increasing his reputation, or if it was Isabella’s order to reduce his power, as it is not written down.

Anyway, because of that, Marquis Ludwig also decided to join the war with his own guard and several private soldiers.

Well, if the 1st prince’s army were defeated or even the prince suddenly died, the marquis would also be in quite a bit of trouble.

Therefore, Nigel was also scheduled to head to Einfeld with the Marquis.

If this were Landenburg, the Marquis, who was on a temporary visit to the islands, did not have much power to immediately mobilize, so he would not have been able to make fun of a single master.

Nigel, who bowed his head saying he had no shame, was willing to let him go.

—-

“Then let’s leave quickly, right? Damian, do you know how to drive a carriage?”

“Huh? I know that, but was I in charge of the driver?”

Damien pointed at himself.

As if it was a little absurd.

Then who else will do it besides you?

Friede is of course excluded since she is the owner of the water.

Hiring another coachman is a waste of money, and the destination itself is like a horse race, so who would want to follow?

If I had a conscience, I wouldn’t be able to tell Millia to do it.

me?

I don’t know how to drive a carriage. I plan on not knowing in the future.

“Of course. So were you planning on staying in the carriage? All day long with two women on my left and right?”

“No, it’s not like that…”

Damian hesitated.

Well, if I said it like that, anyone would hesitate.

Unless you have a fairly thick face.

“Then, good luck. There is no one else I can entrust it to except you.”

From the outside, it looks like there are three women and only one man.

Originally, Cheongiljeom was meant to be used alone. Remember, don’t even dream of a harem.

In the end, Damien reluctantly nodded and sat down on the coach seat.

It wasn’t a very luxurious carriage.

After all, there was no need to spend a lot of money on a carriage that was only going to be rented for 15 days.

Inside a long wooden box front and back, long wooden boards protruding from the left and right to act as chairs.

At least there was a blanket on the chair. It seemed difficult to expect much of a buffering effect.

In the center of the wagon, sleeping bags, snacks, camping gear, and other supplies for 15 days of lodging and food were piled up.

There were three arch-shaped metal railings lined up at the top, and a thick tarpaulin covered them like a ceiling, blocking out the sunlight.

It is a semi-open structure with only the ceiling and both sides blocked, with the front and back open.

It reminded me of the luggage compartment of a 2.5-ton military truck I had driven in the past.

“Something is a bit…sloppy.”

“Is that so? Isn’t it ordinary?”

Millia asked back.

Well, this is probably an ordinary carriage. The ones I’ve ridden so far have only been top-of-the-line carriages.

“I chose this on purpose. You better get used to it, right? You can’t always travel in expensive travel carriages.”

Friede, who was getting into the carriage, looked back at me and said something.

“I’m used to it. It’s just that I haven’t seen you in a long time.”

“Well, the eastern barbarians probably have the ability to make carriages… right? Do you think there won’t be one?”

“Do you think Ka`har is some kind of monkey? Nothing like that.”

They are called barbarians because the things they do are barbaric, but their level of civilization is still at that of the Middle Ages.

Since we have no magic engineering technology, we will have to lag a little behind the Empire.

—-

The trip was more boring than I thought.

There were no bandits attacking me, and there were no peddlers I met while passing by.

Well, it’s always been that way.

I ride a carriage all day, endure the pain in my buttocks, and when it’s time to eat, I go to a nearby waterfront, get off the carriage for a moment, and cook a simple stew or something.

Then, I rested for about an hour and lightly warmed up, then got back on the carriage.

At night, we parked the carriage on one side of the road, made a bonfire, got into our sleeping bags, and went to sleep.

The four of us each took turns keeping watch for about an hour and a half.

We stopped at a small village once along the way to rest.

Enjoy a proper meal and replenish your used food.

I had to cover my face again though.

I think continuing to live like this is a bit more inconvenient than I thought, but I’ll have to look for a solution sometime.

“There are only two double rooms left now, is that okay?”

The innkeeper was a middle-aged man with a grumpy appearance.

There are only two double rooms. Well, that’s the case with all small town inns like this.

It was an embarrassing thing.

Which meant one of the three of us would have to sleep with Damien.

Well then, this is the only way.

“I will be sharing the same room with Damien, so Millia, you can share the same room with Friede.”

“Hashall…? No, wait…!”

“That would be better.”

The reactions of Millia and Friede were polarized.

Milia throws up her hand in confusion, and Friede nods as if it’s obvious.

“Uh…are you okay?”

Damian also seemed a little hesitant.

Of course that’s okay.

I’m planning on making you sleep on the floor anyway.

If you want to break your back, get on the bed.

“There’s nothing you can do, right? It’s probably better than Freeda or Millia. Well, it’s something I’m familiar with from my days in the grasslands. All of my subordinates were men.”

In reality, I stayed alone in a large tent, but if I were to say it this way, it would seem like that.

” Instead, you sleep on the floor. Unless you want to get hit to death by my sleep talking.”

“Of course I planned to sleep on the floor.”

Damien smiled slightly and nodded, probably thinking that the sleep-talking story was a joke.

“Friede senior…? Is this okay…?”

Millia, who was looking at Damien and me with a red face, carefully stretched out her head and whispered to Friede.

“Then you want me to sleep with him? I don’t want to come all the way to the inn and sleep on the floor, and I don’t want to die while sleeping in the bed.”

Friede’s intentions were firm.