Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 389: The Bridal Procession Departs
The day of departure finally arrived.
During the previous two days, Tauro had explained the escort procedures to the villagers and travelers who would serve under Black-Gold Wings’ command.
The procession consisted of three carriages.
The first carried fifteen-year-old Sita, her parents Alimar and his wife, and one attendant. The second held the wedding gifts prepared for the bride, while the third carried expensive presents for Wasan’s mayor and his family.
The journey to Wasan was expected to take two days.
Tauro had suggested storing the gifts in [Magic Storage] and letting the escorts ride in the emptied carriages. That would have made the journey faster and safer.
Alimar refused.
“The procession must look impressive. We’ll keep the carriages exactly as they are.”
He wanted every traveler and village they passed to witness the grandeur of Zenyu’s chief sending his daughter to her wedding.
“If he insists on attracting attention, what happens when bandits decide the procession is worth robbing?” Ankh whispered to Tauro.
“That’s why he hired us,” Tauro replied with a quiet laugh.
“For a village chief, displaying his settlement’s prosperity may be important,” Ragune said. “He’s probably boasting about his daughter as well.”
After Alimar delivered a farewell speech to the villagers, the procession departed.
Black-Gold Wings walked beside the three carriages.
Tauro, Ragune, Ankh, and Zion were accustomed to moving quickly for long periods. The village escorts weren’t.
Before long, the villagers began falling behind and gasping for breath. Each time that happened, the entire procession had to stop.
“This is going to take forever,” Ankh muttered.
“I’ll speak with the chief again.”
Tauro approached Alimar during one of the breaks. The village chief had climbed down from the carriage and was drinking water.
“Chief, at this pace we’ll lose a great deal of time. Please reconsider. I can place the luggage in [Magic Storage] and let the guards ride in the empty carriages.”
“No. This wedding is an opportunity to display Zenyu’s prosperity. I won’t compromise on that.”
Alimar remained stubborn.
“Understood. We’ll continue for now, but if your decision begins interfering with the safety of the escort, I’ll raise the matter again.”
Tauro returned to his companions.
“We’ll be fine,” Ragune said, watching the exhausted villagers sit beside the road, “but at this rate they’ll be unable to walk tomorrow.”
“I’ll speak to the chief again in the morning. For today, they’ll have to endure.”
“It’s only noon,” Zion observed. “Can they last until evening?”
“If necessary, we’ll support them with your light magic and my stamina-restoration potions. I’d rather not waste those resources on a problem this avoidable, but we can’t let the schedule collapse.”
“Understood! I’ll help everyone who becomes exhausted!”
Zion brightened at being relied upon.
“Hahaha. That’s our last resort,” Tauro said. “For now, let them manage on their own.”
By evening, the repeated breaks had put the procession far behind schedule. They could no longer reach the village where they had intended to spend the night.
Rather than continue traveling in darkness, Tauro ordered everyone to establish camp early.
“Just as expected, we’ve fallen behind, Leader,” Ankh complained as the villagers began unpacking.
“The delay isn’t disastrous yet. Let’s prepare camp. Ragune and Zion, remain with the chief’s family and guard them. Ankh, help me set up.”
Tauro removed a tent, a magic lantern, a compact stove, firewood, cooking utensils, tableware, and ingredients from [Magic Storage].
Ankh began pitching the tent while Tauro lit the stove with fire-spirit magic and prepared dinner.
The villagers watched his practiced movements with admiration.
“Adventurers really are skilled at traveling.”
“We should hurry too!”
“Someone gather branches for the fire!”
“Get the tents up!”
The villagers stumbled about in confusion while Tauro rapidly began cooking. Before long, the smell of food filled the campsite.
The aroma made Alimar’s family even more impatient, and they urged the villagers to work faster.
“Come on! Hurry!”
The villagers could barely respond. They had exhausted themselves trying to keep pace with the carriages all day.
Tauro, meanwhile, finished preparing food for his companions.
Unable to endure the smell any longer, Alimar approached him.
“Tauro-san, would you sell some of that meal to us?”
“I only prepared enough for my party…”
“Please. I’ll pay. Could you spare enough for four people?”
The hungry village chief immediately offered several silver coins.
The escort was still underway, and antagonizing the client over dinner would accomplish nothing.
“All right. I have freshly cooked rice, ginger-fried orc meat, and vegetable soup made with broth from orc bones.”
Tauro handed the food to Alimar, then took out more ingredients and began cooking a replacement meal for Black-Gold Wings.