kscans

Chapter 45 - Levante and the Overland Journey

The caravan made its way along the forest road. We were in the rearmost wagon. The pace was slower than I'd expected, and the rest breaks were long. It felt like we could have moved faster on foot. Our wagon had two drivers, while me, Famu, Cecily, and Aira were on standby under the canvas cover. Mizuki and Myra were keeping watch at the rear. We were all on a rotation. More than anything, the wagon's rocking was awful. This road would take us all the way to the port town of Frucht. From there, the cargo would be transferred to a ship, and we'd sail down the Balis River to the city of Heilon. Then it would be back to the road for the final leg to Miglutt. The whole trip was scheduled to take about thirty days. Cecily's face was pale. Aira was rubbing her back. Why is it that seeing someone else feel sick makes you feel sick yourself? I wanted some motion sickness medicine, too.

"About that match earlier,"

I said, striking up a conversation with Famu beside me to distract myself.

"Yes?"

Famu nodded.

"Where did you learn that stance and those movements?"

It was the same during the Hekatonkheires fight. I wondered if Famu had practiced kendo, but I knew she was a complete amateur.

"I was watching your movements, Master."

"...You can learn just by doing that?"

It was unbelievable. Was she some kind of genius, even more so than Mizuki?

"When I take that stance, I feel like I can't lose. It's my invincible mode."

For some reason, she looked proud.

"That's just your imagination. You were losing completely."

I had to set her straight, because it was genuinely dangerous.

"What I do is called kendo in my world. It's a sport where you strike each other with swords made of bamboo to score points. It's not a real swordfight. To put it bluntly, it's an extension of play. I only do it because it's all I can do."

"When I use that stance, I somehow get a sense of how I should move. But I still can't move exactly as I picture it."

"...A guardian spirit?"

I remembered she'd told me before that a guardian spirit had taught her the name of a god of the end times.

"Probably. Do you know the phrase, 'First, the eyes; second, the feet; third, the spirit; fourth, the strength'? It came to mind while watching you move, Master."

It was a phrase one of my elderly instructors used to say at every opportunity—a saying that described the most important elements of swordsmanship and their order. Perhaps by watching me, she was seeing the fundamental form, the very archetype of what kendo was meant to be. First were the eyes. My teacher used to say, "As if gazing upon a distant mountain."

It was a warning against a fixed mind, a call for the insight to see all. It emphasized the importance of grasping the situation with your enemy and your surroundings. Second were the feet. "Footwork like the waves lapping upon a sandy shore,"

he'd say. This was a warning against swordsmanship that was nothing but swinging a sword. A strike only becomes true when accompanied by a stable core and proper footwork. In swordsmanship, the forward step is the foundation. Without it, the unity of spirit, sword, and body is impossible. It was connected to what Aidan had taught me. Third was spirit. "An unshakeable heart,"

my teacher called it. It meant courage, guts. A mind that remains unmoved no matter what happens. I'm always so aware that I lack this that I tend to forget everything else. It's a bit complicated, but an "unshakeable heart"

is a spirit that isn't perturbed by any situation, whereas a "fixed mind"

refers to a state where the mind is captivated by something. Lastly, strength. My teacher never said anything specific about this. It was the strength and skill forged through training, something that needed no explanation. It's also said that it's placed fourth as a warning against relying too much on power. I gave Famu a brief explanation.

"Master, I want you to teach me more. Did you notice anything else during our match earlier?"

"You fall for the enemy's feints too easily. There are sayings: 'seize the initiative' and 'strike after the initiative.' By acting just before your opponent begins to move, it becomes easier to suppress their momentum."

I felt a little embarrassed, talking so pretentiously to Famu. Anyone can talk the talk. I could never do it myself, but as I thought, the eyes are what's important.

"...Master. I thought you were someone who only ever thought about lewd things."

Famu said something incredibly harsh so casually. Was she turning into another Mizuki? Even now, I was suppressing the urge to grope Famu's breasts around the clock. I was trying really, really hard.

"...How can you call a guy like that 'Master' with a straight face?"

"M-Master is Master!"

"Fine. Until you start calling me 'Mash-kun' or 'Mash-chan,' I'm not speaking to you anymore!"

"Are you a child?!"

I turned my back on her. I'm just a pervy, ridiculous adult with the character for 'nose' written on his forehead, who only thinks about lewd things anyway.

"M-M-M... Maaaaash!"

Famu started patting my shoulder. Well, it didn't hurt at all.

"While we're on the subject of being pervy, the next time we stay at an inn, I'm calling Laciel."

"What about the others?"

Famu seemed to assume she'd be there, too. Did she want a new pair of underwear?

"It's a pain, so I'll just have everyone who wants to participate be there."

"Will my sister's resistance really work?"

Myra claimed she could resist the 'Charm' that Laciel projected, but could she really resist a god? I was at the point where I didn't care what happened.

"Who knows. More importantly, you'll call me 'big sister' at Myra's request, so why can't you grant your Master's request?"

"Ugh... Master. I love you very much. That's why I can't say it right now. ...Is that not okay?"

I'd think saying 'I love you' would be more embarrassing than calling me by a nickname, but maybe I'm wrong. I could tell she was hiding something. I wanted to draw it out of her, but I'd rather she tell me on her own. Aira and Cecily, sitting across from me, had been shooting icy glares our way for a while now.

"You two... if you're going to be all lovey-dovey, go somewhere else. I'm so nauseous I could puke..."

Cecily said.

"You two are welcome to show off, too, you know?"

"Shut up!"

"They say lack of sleep can also cause motion sickness, you know?"

I bet they were up all night doing pervy things together.

"..."

Cecily fell silent. I felt a little bad for her, but then I saw the 'nose' character on her forehead and felt conflicted. The 'nose' on Aira's forehead, who was rubbing her sister's back with a worried look, was also bugging me. I wanted to laugh, but I had a feeling they'd get genuinely angry if I did. I wanted to get the marks off their foreheads by the end of the day. I'd try out the various slime oils I'd collected tonight.

"Some of the others brought spare horses to ride, right? Ask to switch with one of them. You shouldn't get sick while you're riding."

"...I'll do that."

Cecily nodded.

Night fell. We were camping out tonight. We couldn't all fit inside the stone pillar barrier that protected against monster attacks, so we formed a circle of people around the wagons. The staff from the Mateo Trading Company handled the cooking and distributed meals to everyone. We split into several groups to eat around campfires. It was summer, so while the days were hot, the nights were cool. Claire had invited me, so after getting my food, I went to where the Mateo Trading Company members were gathered. I was then guided to a spot that felt like a couple's table, just for me and Claire. I should have brought Famu with me. Being watched by the other members from a distance was painful. It was incredibly awkward. Famu had actually tried to follow me, but Myra was even more determined to come along, so Famu ended up having to hold her back. For now, I'd just finish this hearty soup quickly and get it over with. But what was I supposed to do if this continued every day?

"..."

"..."

Not knowing what to say, we both fell silent. It seemed Claire felt the same way. I can respond to people who talk to me, but I can't say anything to someone who says nothing.

"The stars are beautiful, aren't they?"

Claire said, looking up at the night sky. A crescent moon hung in the eastern sky. The Milky Way was clearly visible again tonight. There were particularly bright stars on either side of it, looking like one corner of the Summer Triangle. If the date on my phone was correct, today was July 5th. As always, I found myself wanting to find the North Star. I looked for the Big Dipper and Cassiopeia like before, but couldn't find them. Were the star alignments different from my original world, or were there just too many stars to pick them out?

"The stars look like a river."

"Yes,"

Claire nodded.

"Do you see the especially bright stars on either side?"

"...There are too many, I can't tell."

I figured as much. I'd been planning to tell her the story of Tanabata, but I gave up. I could have also talked about fixed stars and the speed of light, which would have passed a decent amount of time. Oh well, I'd just have to tell Famu this story instead.

"Mash-sama, what do you plan to do after you arrive in Miglutt?"

"The '-sama' isn't necessary. Mash is fine. For now, I plan to explore dungeons and gather information."

Even as I said it, I felt like I was at a dead end.

"Information, you say?"

"Yeah. Information about otherworlders, information about the Demon Lord... and I also want to look into the Crimson Brigade."

"The Crimson Brigade was originally a mercenary company. Now they're involved in all sorts of illegal activities, like thievery. They also deal in slaves."

Did she know about Famu? It felt like she'd added that last part deliberately.

"Is it a large organization?"

"Their current overall strength is unknown, but they were once a mercenary company of about five hundred."

I couldn't imagine if five hundred was a lot or a little.

"Would you be willing to entrust the investigation to our company?"

"Sorry, but I can't have you doing it too openly and leaving a trail."

"Please, leave it to me. We will be discreet, of course."

Claire smiled.

"How much?"

It sounded like it would cost a considerable amount.

"It would feel like pressure if I said it was free, wouldn't it? How about two Mana Seeds? An additional Mana Seed depending on the information we find. For a period of one year, how does that sound?"

"Alright. I'm counting on you. Also, I'd like you to keep it a secret that I'm investigating the Crimson Brigade."

The labor costs in this world must be significant. This was probably a bargain price.

"Hehe, it'll be our little secret."

I still had plenty from the recent Mana Seed fever. I took two Mana Seeds from my storage and handed them to her.

"...So you really did have them."

"Were you testing me?"

"No, my apologies. Now, one more thing. What do you plan to do for lodging in Miglutt?"

"Are you talking about an inn? I'm a freeman, so I'll have to stay at an inn, right?"

Only citizens could own residences in the city.

"Would you be interested in a house?"

"Really?"

"How about one gold coin per month?"

An inn cost seven silver coins a night for a single room. Since one hundred silver coins equal one gold coin, this was cheap. But the hassle of cleaning and cooking seemed like a pain. I could easily imagine us starting with a chore rotation, only for me to end up doing everything in the end.

"Well, I'll decide after I see the place."

"Of course."

Claire nodded. And then, the conversation died again.

"...I heard from Mateo. Are you really okay with this?"

"...I am prepared. It is how I was raised. If you do not embrace me, Mash-sama—I mean, Mash—my position will become rather delicate."

This was heavy. I never thought I'd be in this kind of position.

"Look at the character on my forehead. I'm just some weird old guy, you know?"

"Are you perhaps waiting for me to say I don't want to?"

I felt like she'd seen right through me.

"My dream is to do lewd things with a woman who says she doesn't want it and make her fall for me."

"Hehe, well then, I'll try to act a little reluctant on our first night."

I couldn't figure Claire out. I'd expected an extreme reaction like Famu's or Mizuki's, but she'd brushed it off lightly. What was she thinking as she ate this meal with me?

"Do you have a lover?"

"Of course not. Which of your party members are you in love with, Mash?"

"All of them."

"..."

Yeah, I figured as much. A guy who gets a kick out of writing 'nose' on his forehead for no good reason probably doesn't have that much charm.

"Myra-sama as well?"

"That's right."

I wasn't sure what her intention was in asking, but it was probably because Myra was a special figure in Richel. Claire placed a hand on her chest and let out a deep sigh.

"I cannot join you on your adventures. Will that be alright?"

"Going on adventures together isn't a condition for being lovers."

"I see. But I would like for us to have a relationship where we can talk more casually."

Claire leaned her shoulder against me. I gently pulled her closer. She gazed up at me.

"I spent so much time wondering what kind of person my father would bring. But I never imagined I'd end up kissing a man with a character written on his forehead."

"Just close your eyes."

"I will."

Claire smiled mischievously and closed her eyelids. I lightly pressed my lips to hers.