103 - Mei
I didn't seem to fully understand the city of Beim yet.
This was because the preparations, which I thought would take several days before departure, were completed in just one day.
As we loaded the luggage onto the porter, we once again learned the true capability of Beim, the city known as the capital of adventurers.
Miranda checked the luggage as she spoke.
"Two weeks' worth of food, and about the same for water? I know we got a contract period of nearly a month, but aren't you spending too much time on this?"
It wasn't that I had bought supplies with excessive leisure.
I had some food from before entering Beim, but that alone wasn't enough.
While checking the luggage, I looked at the equipment I had purchased.
"I don't know how many Grey Wolves there are, and more than anything, I've decided not to go all out."
Miranda seemed to find this amusing, as she looked at me with a smirk.
"Heh, and the reason for that?"
I replied with a laugh.
"Because there's no need to show them my full power."
That was all.
"It's a test, isn't it?"
Miranda seemed to have realized, but she appeared to be enjoying the conversation with me. I continued talking without any dislike.
"Exactly because it's a test. It would be a pain if the guild accurately grasped our movement speed and true abilities by having us go all out. I have no intention of being used up and discarded."
Whether it was a satisfying answer or not, Miranda leaned her upper body on a wooden box packed inside the porter and looked at me with a smile.
"What?"
When I asked,
"Nothing. I just thought, 'Liel is a bad guy.' Oops, I prefer that side of people, so I don't mean it in a bad way."
Miranda dislikes actions that bring no benefit to herself. Or rather than disliking them, she seems to believe there is absolutely always a hidden motive.
When I first met her in Alamsars, she was such a helpful older sister, so I wondered how she had become like this. While thinking that, I glanced at Shannon, who was nearby loading luggage onto the porter.
(It's definitely because Shannon did something unnecessary, but I wonder which version was better for her...)
"Is something wrong with Shannon?"
Just by shifting my gaze toward Shannon for a moment, Miranda reacted immediately.
From within the Jewel Orb, the Third Generation's voice spoke.
'How scary. A love so heavy that not even a single glance from Liel goes unnoticed!'
Thinking that this guy was definitely enjoying this,
"I was just thinking she's working hard. Well, though her performance up until now has been terrible."
Shannon, trembling as she carried luggage and brought it to the porter, breathed heavily once she finished, as if she had been enduring it until then.
Sweat beaded on her forehead.
"Is that all?"
At my voice, she glared back at me.
"Carrying heavy things is a man's job!"
I put my hand to my forehead and deliberately showed an exasperated gesture.
"But the contents of that one are light, aren't they?"
Shannon seemed to want to say something back while trembling. But in the end, she gave up.
The next morning, Novem and I went to submit the documents to announce our departure.
I wrote and submitted that the planned period was around two weeks, and since the receptionist wasn't Tanya-san, I wasn't asked too deeply about it.
After submitting the documents, I stored the porter using the Seventh Generation's skill [Box], went outside, and decided to bring it out and board it a few hours later.
The porter reborn in Central was over two meters high and probably about the same in width.
Even with a total length of six meters, the porter's head was firmly equipped on the front right side.
It had changed from the type where lanterns were hung to being embeddable in the front armor plate. The armor plates on both sides could be deployed, and this time it had arms that could be freely extended.
And above all, the wheels were the highlight this time.
Rubber tires filled with air, wheels with both width and size, firmly supported the porter.
"This is my power! Did you see that, you chicken coward!"
Monica, standing on top of the porter with her arms wide open, laughed loudly.
Her skirt swayed in the wind, and she looked down at me in a state where it looked like she might show something, but didn't.
(What on earth does this girl want to do?)
Before that, I wanted to press the person who made her on what they were thinking.
She doesn't take off the maid outfit. Furthermore, it's strange that she's equipped with construction functions that are clearly unnecessary for a maid.
Since Monica can even handle combat, is she in this state because she's broken? Or was this the basic state even before she broke...
Just thinking about it gave me a headache.
"No, I've seen it before. I mean, we were riding in it before we came to Beim."
In terms of size, the porter would be difficult to use inside a labyrinth without significant modifications.
However, right now, we had no need to carry the porter into the labyrinth to move around.
This was because I could use the Seventh Generation's skill [Box], its storage capacity had expanded significantly, and the usage limit had almost disappeared due to the increase in my magical power.
"Porter, I'll give you arms next time!"
Monica, stroking the porter's head affectionately, was planning to add arms to the porter.
Hearing that, Clara spoke up.
"Any further increase in weight will be difficult. Or rather, I won't be able to operate it, so could you please refrain?"
She sounded apologetic, but Clara, who could operate a porter in this state with golem magic, was excellent.
I also added,
"Isn't the porter fine as it is? If you want to do something, make a separate one. Oh, I also need to prepare the mini-porter."
Mini-porter.
That was the miniaturized golem version of the porter that I had sold in Alamsars.
Basically, it was miniaturized, prioritizing the ability to carry luggage and move within a labyrinth.
Aria, looking exasperated, asked me.
"That can wait, but what are we doing? Is everyone boarding like this? Or are we proceeding while staying on guard?"
I gave instructions for everyone to board.
"No, I want you all to board. We'll take about five days to move, and we'll settle the request in the village in three to four days. We'll take about five days to return, and with that, we'll complete the request."
Whether she wasn't convinced or not, Aria was displeased.
"I wonder why the Grey Wolves aren't defeated when there are adventurers in the village. It could be settled without specifically paying money."
Aria's opinion was reasonable, but I thought there might be mutual benefits between the village and the guild.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have gone through the trouble of putting out a request.
"Well, we can think about that while we move. Come on, hurry up and get on."
Hurrying Aria along, once my companions boarded the porter, I looked around the surroundings.
The Fifth Generation said one word.
'Setting aside the area around Beim, there are many monsters once you get a bit away.'
I checked the destination by comparing the map floating in my head with the simple map in my hand.
Theoretically, it's three days by horse.
But that is strictly theoretical. If there are mountains, we need to detour, and if there are forests, there are cases where we cannot pass with the porter.
There will be timing for resting, and places where we should rest.
Checking the route to the destination, I let out a sigh.
(The request itself is simple, so why is everything so inconvenient?)
I climbed onto the roof of the porter and operated it to use a skill.
The Fourth Generation's skill [Speed] is a skill that increases movement speed.
Once the porter started moving, I sat on the roof and moved the porter toward the destination.
(With my current self, if I push it, I could arrive in a full day by moving with the porter.)
The porter does not need rest like a horse.
According to Monica, maintenance is necessary, but there was no doubt it was tough.
In other words, as long as my current magical power doesn't run out and I can operate it, I can keep it moving indefinitely.
(Well, there's no need to push myself, so I won't.)
Thinking that, I drove the porter while checking the surroundings.
It was an event on the second day.
Clara was operating the porter, and I was simply watching.
It was after we finished lunch and had some pointless conversation among companions.
Part of the roof was designed to open, and after stepping outside from there, I gave instructions to Clara in a loud voice.
"Clara, can you speed up?"
"Eh? Did something happen?"
On the map floating in my head, several red light points were appearing. There were many, but the opponents were Grey Wolves.
They weren't opponents I couldn't defeat; rather, they were a nuisance, so I wanted to defeat them here.
They were showing movements as if they were stalking us, so it would have been fine to wait for them, but...
(A blue reaction? And yet, it's chasing us... and the speed is...)
Behind the red light points that were chasing us, something was incredibly fast. It was chasing us at a speed faster than ours.
And it was erasing the red light points one after another.
The Fifth Generation gave me instructions from the Jewel Orb.
'The blue reaction is concerning. However, even Liel might be caught up to. Take a waiting stance.'
I didn't want to wait in a state where I didn't understand what the opponent was, but I had the porter stop and gave instructions to everyone.
"...Clara, stop the porter and standby. Deploy the armor plates. Something is coming from behind. Everyone, take your weapons and get outside. Something is chasing us."
Aria's voice came from inside the porter.
"What do you mean, 'something'?"
"Just hurry up!"
Clara stopped the porter, rotated it one hundred and eighty degrees, and deployed the armor plates.
I jumped down from the roof of the porter, stood in front of it, and drew my saber.
Looking at the map, the pack of Grey Wolves, noticing they were being chased, began to scatter and flee.
However, the red light points that were far from the blue light point were being erased one by one.
The Fifth Generation spoke.
'What is it? What's happening?'
The Third Generation said with dislike.
'Maybe a monster like Celes? Liel, didn't you attract it?'
I wanted to think it wasn't my fault.
However, a strong light occurred in the distance, followed by a light tremor in the ground.
"Magic? The enemy reactions... all disappeared?"
I increased my vigilance. The opponent's reaction remained blue, but it seemed to be checking the surroundings. All the red light points had vanished, and the blue light point was approaching us.
As I took a stance, everyone except Shannon, who was still in the porter, held their weapons and stood ready.
[Dimension].
Using the Fifth Generation's skill, which allows one to grasp the map three-dimensionally, I looked toward the sky.
"The sky?"
Raising my face slightly, a small dot-like thing was approaching us.
That creature, which had no wings, had a horn on its head.
As its form became gradually visible, the creature had white scales and a yellow mane.
A horse, a unicorn.
I thought so when I saw the horn, but the opponent was not such a thing.
Clara muttered, and Eva became excited.
"I've never seen one before. We should probably lower our weapons."
"A Kirin? Really!? Amazing, this is amazing!"
The divine beast, like a horse galloping through the sky, had sparkling light at its feet. Every time the Kirin stepped on the empty sky, the light shattered, as if it were galloping along an invisible path in the sky.
Since it seemed to be coming near us, we put away our weapons and waited for it to pass.
As I looked up at the sky and watched the Kirin, Novem approached me.
"Liel-sama, it's coming toward us."
Now that it was mentioned, the Kirin was slowing down and approaching the ground. No, from its perspective, was it descending?
The speed dropped, and I watched the divine beast as it came before our eyes.
(The Fifth Generation also had a connection to Kirin. I wonder if it's really okay?)
The opponent's reaction remained blue, and I tried to show that I had no intention of resisting.
However, the Kirin brought its massive body close and looked down at me.
The Sixth Generation spoke.
'To think it would be such a magnificent Kirin... It's completely different from the Kirin we used to keep at home, Fifth Generation. ...Fifth Generation?'
The Fifth Generation, who had been brought into the conversation, remained silent.
And the Kirin, which was one or two sizes larger than a horse, had white, glowing scales.
Bringing its face close to me, it retracted the horn extending from its forehead and looked at me with blue eyes. Looking at my own reflection in those blue eyes, I gasped.
Then, the Kirin looked at Novem, who was standing next to me.
After tilting its head slightly, it moved downward toward Novem as if trying to approach.
At that moment, I noticed a scar on the left side of the base of the Kirin's neck. It was completely healed, but it seemed to be an old one.
As I watched that, the Fifth Generation inside the Jewel Orb—
'There's no mistake. You... why are you in a place like this?'
As the Fifth Generation's voice sounded, the Kirin turned its neck toward me.
It looked at my face with wide eyes.
"Eh, no way... but, it's been nearly eighty years."
As I let a voice leak out, the Kirin tilted its head.
The Fifth Generation spoke from the Jewel Orb.
'Mei... you... did you remember the promise?'
Then, the Kirin's eyes turned toward the Jewel Orb hanging from my neck. And then, it glared at me.
The horn extended from its forehead, and it turned from yellow to red as if showing hostility.
I immediately jumped back, and a blue light fell on that spot.
"What did you do!"
Aria shouted, but I denied it.
"How should I know! I didn't do anything!"
Novem jumped in front of me, readied her staff, and created a barrier with magic. The Kirin's cry was different from a horse's. As I was intimidated by that voice, which sounded almost like a dragon's, a shout was heard from within the Jewel Orb.
'That's enough! Mei, Liel is not an enemy!'
Hearing the voice, the Kirin kicked the ground and glared at me. Its reaction flickered between red and yellow, and I broke into a cold sweat.
The Kirin, glaring at Novem, looked frustrated and then ran off, ascending into the sky.
As everyone let out a deep sigh, a wave of exhaustion hit me as well.
Everyone's gaze gathered on me.
Novem asked,
"Liel-sama, what on earth did you do? A Kirin doesn't show that kind of reaction unless an attack is launched."
Eva asked,
"Hey, did you really do nothing? I'd hate to be targeted by a Kirin."
Clara said,
"Looking at it, it might have just reached adulthood, or perhaps it's not yet an adult. If it were an adult, everyone might have been blown away by the first attack."
In fact, a large number of Grey Wolves had been blown away in an instant.
I gripped the Jewel Orb.
(Did it hold back because of this? No way, did it hear the voice?)
While I was wondering, Aria looked at me.
"So, any idea why?"
Since everyone was directing suspicious gazes at me, I argued back.
"I put away my weapons. Did it look like I was attacking? Look, I'm not that stupid, and I'm not some battle maniac who wants to fight! I'm the one who wants to know why it attacked."
I had an idea, but explaining it would take time.
It might be time to tell them the truth, but the timing was just...
Shannon looked at me.
"You've been hated by a Kirin. Serves you right. By the way, why did that Kirin react when your Orb glowed? And only when a specific light reacted."
Miranda looked at Shannon and then at me.
The Fourth Generation spoke from the Jewel Orb.
'Ah, so this girl could see it after all.'
The Sixth Generation also added,
'It might be time to talk about it, but in this situation...'
Since Shannon said "it reacted again," and I responded, Miranda seemed convinced it wasn't a lie.
"You'll tell us, right, Liel?"
Surrounded by everyone, I backed away slowly, and Monica, who had moved behind my back,
"Do you know, you chicken coward... maids love secrets. Now, let's talk and make it easier on yourself."
Monica, grabbing both my shoulders to ensure I couldn't escape, was laughing.
"Y-you guys... did you really think I was hiding something? Couldn't you trust me a little more?"
I tried to escape with an ambiguous smile, but surrounded by my companions, I had nowhere to run.
Then, Novem spoke.
"Well, we have time, so shall we talk inside the porter, Liel-sama?"
Novem's smile was very beautiful today as well. The reason I felt it was a bit scary was that I had something to be ashamed of.
(Damn, I should probably talk and make it easier, but for some reason, I don't want to.)
I felt a bit embarrassed at the thought of them knowing I'm always accompanied by guardians.
The reason I couldn't talk was partly due to that small pride. However, the most important thing was—
'Now is definitely a bad time. There's also the matter of Celes, so they might be wary of the Jewel Orb. It would be troublesome if they misunderstood and thought Liel was being possessed. Right... let's get through this by explaining Liel's new skill. That one has a strong impact.'
The Third Generation said to me, but I hesitated to explain my own skill [Connection].
(...I guess I really have to explain it. But the timing is bad, so I have no choice but to get through this with the topic of skills... but still.)
I pondered how to get through this situation.