Chapter 172: On the Move

We were now on our way to the Sandra domain.

Mother, El, Ashera, and I sat inside the carriage, poring over a map and racking our brains.

The royal envoy had lent us several things.

First was an accurate map showing Blue Ring and the Sandra domain.

We were told that we could leave it in tatters so long as we absolutely returned it.

Even after being told that, I wanted to handle it carefully. The Ice Witch, however, had immediately begun drawing all over it in search of shortcuts.

“M-Mother, is that really all right? Unlike during the goblin incident, this belongs to the royal family.”

“Hmm? They said it could be in tatters, so it’s fine. You’re fussy about the strangest things, Al.”

Was I the fussy one…? El appeared to be on my side, while Ashera seemed to be on hers.

Did this mean women were simply bolder…? A mystery.

Because we were riding in the carriage, Gar and Beret were leading our horses for us.

Apparently, it was impossible at a gallop, but at carriage speed a rider could lead a second horse without much difficulty.

I certainly couldn’t do it, but it seemed to be essential training for a knight.

After discussing it with Mother, we ultimately decided to follow the ordinary road.

During the goblin incident, we knew the land, and above all, it had been our own territory.

I felt sorry for the people of Sandra, but all our acquaintances from there should be in the capital.

Please forgive us for taking four days from Blue Ring instead of six from the capital.

Before long, it was time for lunch.

“Let’s stop for lunch soon.”

At my suggestion, we halted the carriage in a nearby place with a clear view and began our break.

There was no river, so we lowered a tub from the carriage roof and I filled it with water using magic.

“You really can do everything, Lord Aldo.”

“Taking care of the horses with you reminds me of when we chased after Ashera…”

As I watered the horses beside Tamei, memories of those days returned.

“How are things with the princess?”

“Going well… I think…”

“What kind of answer is that? Do I need to light another fire under you?”

“When the time comes, I’ll count on you.”

I left the horses to Tamei and turned to caring for the people who had been looking like hungry bears for some time.

I skewered the frankfurters we’d brought from the kitchen on branches gathered nearby, then grilled enough for everyone over the fire.

They’d already been boiled and could be eaten as they were, but they tasted better cooked.

While they browned, I sliced white bread and filled it with vegetables.

A soup of dried meat and vegetables was simmering.

About thirty minutes after we stopped, lunch was ready: soup with dried meat and vegetables, and hot dogs filled with frankfurters and vegetables.

“All right, dig in.”

At my words, everyone bit into a hot dog.

To my surprise, even Beret’s eyes shone as she opened her mouth wide and took a bite.

She must have noticed me staring in surprise, because her face turned red and she began taking tiny bites.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it. Eat however you like.”

Despite my apology, Beret’s bites grew smaller and smaller until she looked like a squirrel nibbling a walnut.

While I wondered what to do, Gar spoke to her.

“I like seeing you enjoy your food. So eat however you want.”

Beret looked at Gar and gave a small nod, then finally resumed eating her hot dog normally.

Something felt different about the distance between them.

“Were you and Beret always this close?”

“What kind of close?”

“I mean, were you always like a married couple?”

Gar and Beret smiled awkwardly. Tamei wore a thoroughly lecherous grin.

“You might as well confess.”

At Tamei’s words, Gar forced the admission out.

“We’re planning to marry after this year’s Harvest Festival…”

“Marry?”

“Yeah.”

“Who is?”

“I am!”

“To whom?”

“Beret, obviously! Did you think I was marrying Tamei?”

“…”

“…”

“…What? You and Beret…?”

“Yeah.”

“Beret! If you’re going to reconsider, now’s your chance!”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?! Take this!”

“I’m joking… I’m surprised, that’s all. Congratulations, Gar, Beret.”

“Thank you, Lord Aldo.”

“Honestly, Al-boy… Thanks.”

“Then we absolutely have to make it home alive.”

“Yeah.”

“Yes.”

I knew death flags didn’t exist in this world, yet an indescribable anxiety welled up inside me.

In any case, if fighting broke out, Gar, Beret, and Tamei wouldn’t be able to keep up with us.

I’d have them wait somewhere safe. I decided that silently.

The road from Blue Ring to the Sandra domain was called a highway, but it existed only for traveling merchants. There were no post towns, and it was hardly well maintained.

It had far more and deeper ruts than the road to the capital. At its worst, you could bite your tongue while talking.

Naturally, I began traveling on horseback instead of in the carriage.

Perhaps bored inside, Ashera often used Vernier to settle in front of me, enjoyed the scenery for a while, then returned to the carriage.

What surprised me was Mother, clad in her dragon armor, using Vernier to land behind me.

Until recently, she had fallen flat on her backside. As expected of an A-rank adventurer, she had improved enough that I could now watch without fear.

The three knights, however, knew nothing about the Vernier magic tool. They stared at Mother wide-eyed and openmouthed.

“Tamei! Ahead! Look ahead!”

Tamei desperately corrected the carriage as it veered to the right.

“Well, Al?”

“When did you get so good at it?”

“Heh-heh. I practiced with Naga.”

“I knew that, but…”

“Once you grasp the trick, it’s easy. Of course, I’m probably the only one who could master it this quickly.”

“I see…”

Anything I said would only come back tripled, so I let it pass.

At our next break, Gar, Beret, and Tamei cornered me.

There was little point hiding things from these three by now, so I told them about the Vernier magic tool.

“A magic tool like that exists…?”

“Yes. But Grandpa told me only to lend them out.”

“Well, of course he did…”

“I’ll ask him whether I can lend one to each of you.”

The three wore complicated expressions, torn between delight and the weight of the responsibility.

On the third night after our departure, we made camp and finished dinner.

Dinner, incidentally, was black bread with jam made from a fruit resembling figs. The dried meat went into soup, while a wild rabbit Ashera hunted served as the main course.

“I think this every time, but this isn’t camp food…”

Gar voiced the same astonishment for what must have been the umpteenth time.

“Then starting tomorrow, you get the demonic menu of black bread and dried meat alone.”

Gar’s eyes widened, and he hurriedly denied what he’d just said.

“Hey, I never said it was bad! I meant I’m glad Al-boy’s cooking skills let us eat so well.”

I shrugged back at him.

Mother, who had been watching, called out to bring the mood to order.

“All right, enough. We’ll reach the city of Sandra around noon tomorrow, so don’t forget your masks in the morning.”

“““““Yes.”””””

There was one more thing the royal envoy had given us.

Masks.

A large chest was packed with identical ones—at least fifty, by my estimate.

True to the name “Royal Shadows,” they were black masks with the mouth exposed, designed to conceal the upper half of the face.

They performed better than expected and barely restricted our vision.

We could fight while wearing them without issue.

The next morning, while preparing breakfast, I heard an odd sound.

I looked around. It seemed to come from deep within the forest.

“I’m using wide-area sonar. At worst, it may draw the enemy to us. Prepare for battle.”

I sent out a wide-area sonar pulse with a radius of one thousand medes.

Enemies… There was an uncountable horde of monsters in the direction of the forest.

“A horde in the woods. For now, we’re running. Get ready.”

If escape was possible, it was the better choice. There was no point fighting without information.

Everyone packed away the camp and stowed everything on the carriage roof.

All the while, the sound that had caught my attention grew louder and multiplied.

This sound… Now that it was this close, I could guess. It was probably the beating of wings—insect wings.

“We’re ready!”

“Understood. Move out.”

El and Beret took the lead, followed by the carriage, with Gar and me bringing up the rear.

Roughly five minutes after fleeing the campsite, I looked back. Countless insect monsters were pouring from the forest.

“They’re coming! Full speed!”

There were enough to swallow us whole if we tried fighting them one at a time.

Our best option was to burn them away in an open space as we’d done with the goblins.

But I had no territory here. Even using Condense Ray, El and I could only fire twice between us.

If we’d known the land, we might have been able to judge whether this was where we should make our stand… First we had to join up with Sandra’s forces and get information.

The insect monsters resembled mantises and moved faster than I had expected.

Granted, their speed was only about equal to a carriage at full tilt.

“Gar, do you know those insect monsters?”

“Yeah. Those are Mantises. They eat anything that moves.”

“Mantises…”

I looked back again. The distance was steadily shrinking.

“Ashera, can you pick them off?”

“Yeah. Easy.”

Ashera used Vernier to settle behind me.

From there, she began shooting down Mantises with Wind Bullet—the anti-monster version.

To my disgust, the other Mantises began eating those killed by her Wind Bullets.

“Ugh. Cannibalism? Don’t show me something that disgusting first thing in the morning…”

“Agreed…”

Ashera continued expertly shooting down those at the front.

The Mantises behind became absorbed in gnawing on what had once been their companions, and the horde quickly fell behind the carriage.

“Tamei, I think we’re clear. Let the horses rest.”

“Understood.”

Tamei slowed the carriage until it was moving at roughly a walking pace.

“Gar, do Mantises normally multiply in such numbers?”

“No. They aren’t supposed to swarm at all… They normally act alone and lie in wait for prey. They shouldn’t attack in a group like that.”

“I see…”

“I’ve got nothing but a bad feeling about this…”

“Agreed.”

Our conversation ended there.

Could this have something to do with a territory?

I wanted to ask Ao…

I drew my horse alongside the carriage and spoke to Mother.

“Mother, I want to ask Ao whether this incident is connected to a territory, but…”

“You mean Gar and the others would see him?”

“Yes.”

“Do as you please, Al.”

“That’s awfully casual…”

“You’re going to tell them someday, aren’t you? Then the only difference is whether it’s sooner or later. All that matters is whether you trust them, so do as you please.”

I felt completely talked around, but the Ice Witch had a point.

Ultimately, it depended on my judgment of people.

At this rate, we’d reach the city of Sandra in a few hours.

There probably wouldn’t be anywhere there where I could summon Ao.

I steeled myself and ordered the party to stop.

We watered the horses and everyone rested, but Gar, Beret, and Tamei looked plainly confused, as if asking, “Why here?”

“Uh… You all seem to be wondering why we’re stopping, but whatever you’re about to see must stay secret.”

“Hmm? Got it.”

Gar answered for the group, but his reply was far too casual…

I gathered my resolve and summoned Ao from the ring.

“Aldo. What is it? Hmm? This place… We’re near a territory.”

“I thought so. We encountered a swarm of Mantises nearby. Is that connected to the territory somehow?”

“A Mantis swarm? Insects that normally live alone only form swarms when an insect becomes the ‘lord.’”

“Then does that mean a Mantis is the lord?”

“How would I know? All I know is that when a solitary insect becomes a lord, its kind starts swarming.”

“I see. By the way, do you know where the nearest mana spot is?”

“Hmm… About five thousand medes in that direction.”

“Five thousand? That’s right nearby…”

“Yes.”

“Yet it doesn’t feel as though we’ve entered enemy territory…”

“This mana spot is much smaller than the one in the Demon Forest. We’re outside its territory here.”

“I see… So the size of the mana spot determines the size of the territory…”

“Exactly. Haven’t you grown clever lately, Aldo?”

I gave Ao a wry smile.

“Have I? Then I owe it to you…”

“You’d be a very good boy if you were always that honest.”

Apparently, sarcasm didn’t work on Ao.

Without any particularly new information, he returned to wherever he had come from.

At least we’d learned something.

Now for the next problem…

Wearing a strained smile, I turned toward Gar and the others.