kscans

Chapter 34 - Talk of the Caravan and the Remnants of a Duel

"Wh-what the heck is this?!"

That was Cecily's reaction after I gave her a full-body wash with water magic.

"To be honest, this might feel even better than sex! So this is why Mizuki and dog-ears were always so clean."

"Hey, don't be so blunt! And don't say that right after. It hurts, you know."

"Hey, hey, how are you controlling it? Teach me, too!"

Of course. Cecily had taught me how to ride Mizuki—I mean, the horse. While teaching her, I had her wash my body in return. With her intermediate-level magic, she could expand a water sphere into a barrel shape and wash my entire body at once. A considerable amount of time had passed. It was past noon. I was worried about Famu. We'd never spent this much time apart since we'd been together. I hoped she hadn't been tricked and forced to ride on top of some instructor. I wondered if she was worried about me, too. We started on our way back. Once again, we were on horseback, riding side-by-side. My inner thighs were a little sore, maybe from muscle strain or chafing.

"Mash, there's something I need to say, and it's a bit awkward, but I feel like now's the only time I can say it,"

Cecily said.

"Is it about your period?"

"No! It's about the caravan escort! I didn't think you'd take a quest like that."

"Why not?"

"Mash, what do you think you'll be guarding the caravan from?"

"Monsters, right?"

Cecily shook her head.

"It's not monsters that attack caravans, it's people. We'll be fighting bandits."

"Really?"

Now that I thought about it, that made sense. Monsters probably wouldn't go out of their way to attack a large group of people. Our opponents would be groups with enough strength to raid a caravan.

"You're taking this so lightly. Weren't you just arguing with dog-ears? You have a problem with killing people, right? Mizuki and dog-ears are going to end up killing bandits."

I felt like it would be okay if the opponents were hardened criminals, but I shook my head. I still had reservations. I didn't know how my feelings would change when I actually confronted them. And I couldn't let Famu and Mizuki kill people again.

"Couldn't we just capture them and hand them over to the knights at the next town?"

"Don't tell me you're thinking of putting captured bandits on the wagons. We have cargo. And don't say we should tie them up and make them walk. They'd need to be watched, the journey would take longer, and we'd have to think about food. You might think we should just be better prepared, but if there's no profit, what's the point of a caravan?"

"Letting them go or leaving them behind... is not an option, huh."

Cecily nodded. Freed bandits would just attack the next caravan or traveler. My irresponsible selfishness couldn't be permitted.

"Besides, you already knew there was information about a city on our route preparing for war, didn't you?"

I had simply thought it was a warning to avoid getting caught up in a war. I needed to reconsider.

"...Mercenaries?"

Cecily nodded.

"They move for money. Of course, there are mercenary groups that don't engage in banditry, but depending on the situation, they can become soldiers or bandits."

She was right. Before I accepted the caravan escort, Mateo had told me. He had been honest; it was me who hadn't understood anything. He'd said it would be fine because I had Goddess Summon. That could be rephrased as: the power of Goddess Summon would be necessary. The scent of war attracts mercenaries. I had foolishly thought we could just avoid that city.

"Well, against a mercenary group, it'll mostly be negotiations under the guise of intimidation."

If they attacked a caravan and were identified, it would lead to a conflict with the trading company behind it. For them, fighting a company that could be a potential client is like cutting off their own lifeline. It's more convenient for them to brandish their weapons, negotiate to take the bare minimum of supplies, and make the caravan swallow the loss.

"It's strange that you're a drifter, a free man, yet you know nothing about the world. Myra was the one who recommended this to you, wasn't she? She doesn't understand your feelings or how the world works. She must have seen you arguing with dog-ears, hating the idea of killing people."

Had Mizuki not told them that she was a transmigrator?

"...You're really twisting the knife, aren't you?"

"It means you can count me as an ally, someone you can talk to. If you don't want to do it, I'll deliver the final blow."

"Wait, that's the same thing. ...Let me think about it for a bit."

I said it, but nothing came to mind. And I couldn't just back out of the caravan escort now.

"Right. It's not like caravans are always attacked by bandits, and most of the time it ends up being a baseless fear. Just don't get too worked up about it. Talk to me, okay?"

"Cecily, have you ever killed someone?"

"You... haven't, have you? I have. I took a quest to eliminate bandits."

What did it feel like? I almost said it out loud but stopped myself.

We arrived back at the ranch. Mizuki and Famu rode over to meet us.

"You're late!"

Mizuki said.

"Master..."

Famu's face turned grim. Her sense of smell must have given it away. She knew everything. Cecily passed by us with a nonchalant look and rode her horse towards Aira.

"We caught up to it right away, but we went to the pond up north and back for practice."

"We were worried!"

There was no way to contact each other in situations like this. When we leave the city, we might get separated. We needed to figure out a way to meet up.

"Sorry. More importantly, have you gotten the hang of riding?"

"Yeah, Famu and I are fine. Myra's struggling. Aira is watching over her,"

Mizuki answered. Maybe her boobs are too heavy and the horse is getting tired.

"...I see."

Famu wouldn't meet my eyes.

"So, when did you two start fighting?"

Even Mizuki noticed Famu's attitude.

"We're not. I'm going to check on my big sister."

Famu galloped away.

"...Something happened with Cecily, didn't it? You should have told me first."

Before I could stop her, Mizuki left too. As I was practicing my riding, lonely and by myself, Mizuki returned.

"Famu and Cecily are going to have a race."

"Huh? Why? Weren't you all helping Myra?"

"It turned into a discussion about whose room you'll be sleeping in tonight, mine and Famu's, or Cecily and Aira's."

I'd become quite the popular guy without realizing it. Even though I was the one who sowed the seeds, I didn't want any conflict.

"I'm not going anywhere without Famu. What if I look away for a second and she turns into a delinquent with a nose piercing, going 'Wassup!' or something?"

"..."

I continued my own practice while also watching the other members. I'm not bragging, but right now, I'm the best. Mizuki was riding normally. Famu was next, and Myra was far behind. There was no way Famu could beat Cecily, who was far more skilled and experienced than me. Besides, even when they tried to gallop, they could only manage a canter. I've seen horse racing. The posture and form for running fast are completely different.

"There's a handicap, right?"

"Famu refused it."

I could practically see the situation: Cecily kept provoking Famu until she got irritated.

"Mash, you need to understand Famu's feelings. She got angry because she kept hearing you being badmouthed."

I thought as much. I was glad I wasn't just being conceited.

"...Mizuki, you need to join too. Take the handicap. Please."

"Alright. But there's no way we can win. I think the best thing would be for you to use the Slave Mark."

"I don't want to use it. I thought you, of all people, would understand, Mizuki."

"Y-yeah. I do, but... at least make her stop calling Famu 'dog-ears'."

I thought she only called her that in front of me, but she's saying it to her face? Is Aira doing it too?

"Alright. I'll do something about that."

"Okay."

Mizuki nodded.

"Have you ever seen a horse race?"

"I have, but you don't seriously expect me to ride like that from a vague memory, do you?"

"I'll try it too. The saddle shape is different, so it might be difficult, but let's try raising the stirrups and see if we can get into a kneeling stance. We'll practice in secret, and whoever gets better at it will join the race."

Kneeling, was that right? It was a riding style where you lift your hips and lean forward. I wonder if Mizuki understood.

"I have a feeling we're both going to get injured and end up in Myra's care..."

That seemed likely for me, but Mizuki would probably be fine. I had a feeling.

"Mizuki, I couldn't ride at all at first either. But I had an awakening when I got the advice to 'think of the horse as Mizuki.' If you can handle Mizuki, a horse is no problem. I'm the man who tamed Mizuki, after all. I was scared of horses, but now I find them cute. Right now, I think of the horse as Mizuki, and Mizuki as the horse."

"...Stop with the advice that makes me lose my mind. Besides, that advice is psychological; it's meaningless without being taught the technique first. We don't know the technique."

She shot back with a very valid point. While we were talking, Famu, Cecily, Aira, and Myra gathered around. Just as Mizuki had said, they were going to have a race. The course was two laps around the perimeter of this ranch. I didn't know the exact distance, but it was probably around 2000 meters. The ranch included gentle hills, so it wasn't flat. The area outside the fence, which served as the course, had been leveled so they could tell if monsters approached, but it wasn't properly maintained like a racetrack. There were patches of dirt and areas with short grass. It certainly wasn't turf. Riding like a jockey might be dangerous. However, I didn't know the breed of the horses, but they looked tougher than thoroughbreds, so they might be fine on rough terrain.

"Mizuki is participating too. Is that okay?"

I asked Cecily.

"Fine. Mizuki, do you need a handicap?"

Mizuki nodded at Cecily.

"Then start half a lap ahead. If I win, Mash stays in my and Aira's room tonight, okay?"

"Not okay. I want to be with Famu."

"Master, I will win. This promise is meaningless,"

Famu said. I wish she'd tell me the basis for that confidence. Why was she being so combative?

"The race is in one hour."

A braided cord was lit. The race would begin when it burned out.

"Mizuki, Famu, we don't have time. Half of it for training, half for resting the horses."

"Wait."

Cecily stopped us as we were about to start practicing.

"I know you like Mizuki and dog-ears more than me, and I know they like you. But after spending today with you, Mash, I've started to like you too. I want you to know that my feelings are just as strong. So please, at least for today's race, I want you to be neutral."

Cecily had badmouthed Aira, told me to think of Mizuki as a horse, belittled Famu by calling her dog-ears, and said Myra was inconsiderate. It was a strategy of tell-all diplomacy to lower everyone else's standing, leaving herself at the top. Even I had noticed. But I wanted to believe that her words now were her honest feelings.

"Cecily, I can't stand Famu being called dog-ears."

"...Fine. I'll stop."

Then, let's have them fight fair and square.

"Mizuki... that horse racing thing, can you do it?"

"I'll try."

Mizuki took her feet out of the stirrups on the horse and got into a kneeling position. She lifted her hips, bent her body forward as if folding it, held the reins short, and made the horse run. And at a considerable speed. She was stable, without any wavering. A murmur of astonishment arose from the trainers. Cecily was surprised too. But I was the one who was most shocked. What was with her lack of confidence in our conversation just now? Was this like when students claim they didn't study or didn't sleep? I felt ashamed for thinking, even for a moment, that I was better at riding than Mizuki. This wasn't something you could do just by saying you'd try. It should have required a significant amount of practice. And she did it without stirrups. She had pulled it off just from the image of a jockey's riding style. Her forward-leaning posture was somewhat similar to a road racer's. She might have experience riding a motorcycle. But even so, could someone really do it that easily? She was an undeniable genius. I absolutely never wanted to make her an enemy. She made a U-turn and came back dashingly. Her hair, flowing in the wind, was beautiful. But if there was a helmet, I'd want her to wear it.

"Famu and I will win with this riding style. Cecily, do you need a handicap?"

"Mizuki, you little...!"

Mizuki responded to Cecily's furious expression with a fearless smile. Then she shifted her gaze to Aira.

"Aira, are you okay with this? Don't you want to get revenge on us?"

She goaded her with a mocking tone.

"...Fine. I'll do it too."

Mizuki had drawn Aira in as well. I pretty much understood what Mizuki wanted to do. She wanted them to vent the frustration from the unresolved duel here. And, if possible, for everyone to become friends before the caravan escort quest. Mizuki turned back to Famu.

"Famu, let's go. Let's adjust the stirrup positions and then practice while checking the course."

Mizuki and Famu left.

"Cecily, I have something to give you."

"Hm? What is it?"

I took out her shorts and underwear from my storage.

"Wha-!"

"I could see them sometimes, you know. I was planning to threaten you with them during the race to make you unable to run, but I'm giving them back."

"Jeez! No wonder it felt so breezy down there. I thought it was because I felt refreshed after you washed me."

She snatched them from my hand.

"...Cheer for me a little too, okay!"

Cecily also left, taking Aira with her.

"Um... I became your lover before Mizuki and Cecily, so when will my turn come around?"

Myra, who had been left behind, said to me. Come to think of it, I've also been keeping Laciel waiting. I'm drowning in my own popularity.