81. Heart of the Realm
It has already been the third day since we rode the wagon from Harman.
As usual, I tidied up the campsite, brushed the purring mane, and inhaled the still cool morning air. The fresh morning air refreshed my drowsy head a little bit after waking up.
“Ahhh….”
“Brother. It is over.”
“Uh, um…. Okay. Let’s start slowly.”
Royman retrieved the tent, loaded it onto the wagon, and settled into the wagon. Royman had done the hard work of driving the wagon in the scorching sun for the past two days, so I decided to drive the wagon today.
“Okay… ! Oh, Austin… ! I’m powerless… !”
“Ahh. Sifal really…. Madame! Don’t procrastinate and get on quickly!”
“… What? Madame?”
“No, that…. hahahaha…. I’ll push ruler.”
While pushing Adrien’s hips, who complained that her arms were weak because it was morning, she managed to somehow get her party, who hadn’t woken up yet, into the carriage. Although it was closer to loading luggage than burning it.
“… Is it because of your mood?”
… I don’t think anyone burned anyone?
“One, two, three, four…. Whose arm is that?”
I tried counting the people spread out in the wagon, but the foggy head of the early morning desperately interfered.
I don’t know. I’m sure it’s all gone, what
Unlike Royman, who sat silently and read the scriptures, everyone was on the floor, on the seats, and all over the place. After sleeping on a soft bed at a luxury inn in Harman for several days, he was sleeping on the bare floor, so it was understandable that his body was tired. With a deep sigh, I closed the carriage door and climbed into the driver’s seat.
“Wow… !”
“Austin. Are you ready?”
“Yes. I think it’s almost burnt out. As long as no one seems to be on board…. Wait for a sec.”
When I turned my head away, frowning, Gracie, who had been sitting next to me naturally, her eyes twinkling, tilted her head.
“Hmm? Is there any problem?”
“No. Why are you sitting next to me casually?”
For some reason, it seemed like no one was there. Gracie was sitting next to the driver’s seat.
“Isn’t it okay if I sit down?”
“It’s not impossible, didn’t Robin originally decide to sit down?”
“In such a state, what should I do if I fall off the driver’s seat?”
Following Gracie’s fingers, I peered into the wagon through the driver’s window and saw Robin, lying on the floor, smacking his lips.
“… Tsk. That’s right.”
“Don’t worry, Austin. Because I have decided to change.”
The long reins were slapped down, and the wagon began to roll slowly. I asked Gracie, holding the reins and adjusting my pace.
“Oh ho. How does it change?”
“I thought about it yesterday, but the old me…. Austin, I think I’ve been too cold to you.”
“Oh. Do you know so?”
“Kuhmm…. Even though I didn’t recognize Austin, she said I would have a chance if I tried from now on.”
“It’s an opportunity….”
I don’t know what kind of opportunity he’s talking about, but he said he decided to change anyway, so I decided to think in a good way.
“Yes. To work hard. I will cheer you on.”
“Ugh, cheering…. After all, I still have a chance….”
That’s how the short conversation ended. As I drove the wagon along the road, I heard birds chirping in the woods on my right. It was not too hot in the morning, and the wind was cool, so the weather was pleasant.
It looks like we’ll be arriving in Mettelheim by the end of the day, so we’ll have to move as quickly as possible before the gates close. I slammed the reins again, speeding up the wagon a bit more.
Because it was near the capital, the roads were generally evenly paved. Since there were no cobblestones or other obstacles, the natural enemy of wagon wheels, it seemed that there would be no need to use a spare wheel if there were no problems.
After driving the carriage quietly for a while, I became quite bored and lonely. I rolled my eyes and glanced at the seat next to me.
Gracie had taken out a book and was reading. It was not difficult to guess what kind of book it was by looking at the cover, as I was watching from a fairly close distance.
[ A field manual that assumes monsters. / Author – Bennett Baldwin ]
“… ….”
Bennet Baldwin. Marquis Baldwin. As far as I know, the nobleman is already retired. Maybe… Was he a former knight commander of the Royal Knights?
The Royal Knights, the official name of which is the Royal Knights of the Kingdom of Maetel. The Knights of the Kingdom of Maetel are not the only Royal Knights, so they are called the Royal Knights to distinguish them.
It has a slightly different role than the Royal Guard, to which Gracie belongs, but since Gracie is also a knight, she can read at least the field manual of the Royal Knights.
“Is it fun?”
“Hmm? You mean this?”
“Then what is that? I’m bored to death, so don’t just read books, talk to me.”
“That, is it okay though… ?”
For some reason, Gracie had a slightly thrilled expression on her face. No, no matter how much we fought, I’m not that bad after all.
“There’s nothing wrong with that. You can just treat it like before. I am not that young.”
“Hmm. That, then…. I get it. I will take heed.”
After the awkward answer, static again.
I asked him to talk for a while, and then he sat down with his mouth shut again. I let out a deep sigh in frustration.
“Haa…. Did you wake up a little early today? Are not you tired?”
“It’s okay. As the captain of the royal guard, I used to get up earlier than this to train the guards.”
“… No, that was me too.”
“I don’t know the daily routine of a ranger.”
“… ….”
The forced conversation was interrupted again by Gracie’s devastating communication skills. Gracie wasn’t originally such a sensible kid.
Gracie must have noticed the awkward atmosphere as well, so he began to notice me while sweating.
“… If you don’t want to talk to me, just read a book. I won’t even talk.”
“Oh, no…. It’s not like that!”
“Yai. If not, what are we going to do….”
“Hyat?!”
Frustrated and annoyed, he turned his head away, and Gracie’s flushed face was so close that the tip of his nose brushed against his cheek. My neck creaked like a wooden doll and I turned my head back to normal.
“… ….”
… It got more awkward. I don’t think it’s bad to just go quietly like this.
As I calmly drove the wagon, Gracie said in a voice that seemed like she was about to crawl in.
“That, just… I’m a little shy… It’s just that the words don’t come out well….”
“… I’m embarrassed?”
“Everyone, of course, it’s embarrassing! I reconciled with Austin, whom I had been wanting to meet so much, and finally we were alone….”
As if embarrassed, Gracie couldn’t speak any further. I hesitated for a moment, then nodded quietly.
I see. Gracie didn’t forget his old days.
“The weather is nice today.”
“… Hmm. Whoa, sure….”
“Haa…. There you are.”
“Uh, uh… ?”
As a few leaves fell from the forest on the right, a familiar scent tickled my nose. I snatched a leaf dancing in the air and placed it on top of Gracie’s book.
It was a plum tree leaf.
“The plum tree lady. Don’t be too awkward, I want you to be like before.”
“… Heeep.”
As Gracie dyed her face red and hiccupped, an involuntary laugh leaked out.
“Okay?”
“… Huh.”
In an atmosphere where the awkwardness eased a little, I drove the carriage like that.
* * *
“It’s f*cking hot. I will go crazy.”
After lunch, I wanted to kill myself for not accepting Royman’s offer to shift. The top of the head, where the heat was rising, was already so hot that if you put raw meat on it, it looked like it would turn into jerky right away.
“Huh…. You are too hot….”
“Whoa…. Be patient, Gracie. Because Maya says it will cool you down soon.”
Gracie was already limp like her corpse. It was so hot that the salt was white on Gracie’s pale face.
I thought I was going to die from the heat, wearing simple and light leather greaves, but Gracie, wearing heavy and thick heavy armor, was speechless. Confined in such shiny armor, he must be literally steaming up inside.
“I think the heavy armor is the problem, Gracie.”
“Ha, but…. In case of emergencies, armor must be worn at all times….”
“Even if you take off your armor, it would be nice if a thief could scratch you. Just take it off.”
“Austin, pervert…. But, if Austin wants that….”
Gracy started to take off her armor with a bang. His breastplate was removed, revealing a sleeveless shirt soaked in sweat that seeped through to his underwear.
“This is a good thing… ?”
“Uh, um….”
Looking away from Gracie, who was wafting off a strange smell of sweat, she shouted desperately toward the window on the driver’s seat.
“Maya! Not there yet? Gracie is starting to taste good!”
“Okay…. Hang on…. The portable magic circle hung on the staff ran out….”
This was the problem with magic. Shadowless chanting magic was like a miracle like a great wizard, so even so, other wizards, no matter how good they were, had to memorize chanting. They even say that shortening the chant determines the level of a wizard, so that’s all I said.
Even Maya, who has become a master mage in the field of wind magic, must chant at least one verse. Or draw a magic circle and inject magic power into it.
Since drawing a magic circle is overwhelmingly more efficient in mana, Maya continues to draw a magic circle on her staff to maintain wind magic.
“Um…. Is it that hot?”
“You are an elf. Adrien….”
As Adrien tilted her head, the sweaty Luna spoke in a weak voice.
“Huh…. I-I’m dying….”
“It’s almost done, princess. If you do this here…. Done!”
The moment Maya’s cane lightly tapped the carriage floor, the air became so cool that the heat quickly ran away in an instant, wrapping her whole body.
“Uh-gi-i-it….”
“Grunt…. Austin. Don’t make any weird noises.”
Gracie was wiping her body with a towel with a magic circle on it, as if she had come to her senses in the cool air. After wiping off some of the sweat, a refreshing scent wafted from Gracie’s body.
“Is that also drawn by Maya?”
“Hmm. Yes. Because Maya is capable.”
“This is why there should be a wizard in the party. Does your quality of life change?”
The heat must have been driven away. Unlike the awkward morning, Me and Gracie started chatting excitedly as if it was like that.
“So…. Oh, it’s a tombstone!”
“Uh, where are you? Where?!”
I pointed to the elongated tombstone announcing that we were approaching Mettelheim, and Robin and Isabelle pressed their faces to the coachman’s window.
Finally, the end of the long and long journey was right in front of us. Excited, I hit the reins vigorously to increase the wagon’s speed. Thanks to the two dark horses that ran off the ground with great force, the carriage did not slow down and quickly climbed the hill despite the steep uphill road.
“Abbabeob… ! Oh Austin! Just a little bit slower… !”
“If you cross this hill… !”
When I finally reached the top of the small hill, a wide, vast plain spread out in front of me.
The great Awl Mountains are visible in the distance, and a great river flows across the great plain. Along the river, a city much larger than Harman, a commercial city, lay majestically.
On a land of opportunity so fertile and livable that it is even called a land of God, the heart of the human race took root and was built.
“Wow….”
“That place, Mettelheim….”
Sylvia and Luna, who poked their heads out of the carriage, were also overwhelmed by the majestic appearance of Mettelheim, and their mouths were wide open.
Mattelheim, the capital of the Maetel Kingdom.
“Finally….”
It was long and long. How much did you struggle to get here? Looking at the large royal palace built in the middle of Mettelheim in the distance, he could not bear the tears in his eyes.
“Let’s go!”
I couldn’t hide my smile and lowered the reins, and the wagon we rode began to descend the hill vigorously.
It was a long trip. If nothing else happened, I really intended to stay at the inn and rest for the time being. That is if nothing happens.
What, is there anything special?