Chapter 242 - Chapter 241: Chasing Mika
Deep within the forest.
Mika crouched at the base of a tree, hugging his knees.
Mika's body was tensed to the breaking point, his entire frame trembling violently.
"......k......guu......!"
Mika buried his face in his knees, desperately trying to hold himself back.
Himself—.
Unimaginable violence.
Destructive impulses.
If he didn't desperately try to keep his self intact, he would want to destroy everything he saw.
He would want to kill.
"......uuu......!"
Repeating in his head was himself, firing "Air Cutter" at Kistil.
When he looked at Kistil, he couldn't even recognize her as Kistil.
He had simply found something that could be broken.
He thought only that he had found something he could kill.
The tiny remnant of his self rang the alarm bell: 'That is Kistil.'
Do not break it.
He suddenly altered the trajectory of "Air Cutter," but he had already caused injury.
If he had been even a split second slower, Kistil's head would have fallen.
He had almost killed someone precious with his own hands.
It was chilling.
Mika had nearly killed Kistil, and his heart had surged with joy.
The joy of being able to break something precious with his own hands.
Mika had thought he did not want to break Kistil.
Come on, go back.
(I don't want to...)
It's not too late yet.
Break it with those hands.
Kill with those hands.
(I don't want to...)
You want to trample it with force, don't you?
(No...)
You want to crush it with brute strength, don't you?
(I don't want that.)
Punch, kick, twist, tear, slash, stab, rip—.
(That is not my wish!)
Seize, steal, rape, defile, break, violate, kill, humiliate—.
(I don't want to do that!)
Break it, break it, break it, break it, break it, break it, break it, break it, break it, break it, break it, break it!!!
Kill it, kill it, kill it, kill it, kill it, kill it, kill it, kill it, kill it, kill it, kill it, kill it!!!
(Uaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh......!)
His heart was crushed by overwhelming euphoria and absolute omnipotence.
It was being painted over.
Intense impulses.
Ruthless emotions.
While burying his face in his knees, Mika hugged them with all his might.
"......Please... stop............."
Mika's whisper dissolved into the quiet forest.
Without anyone hearing it—.
■■■■■■
Rattle-rattle-rattle-clatter, rattle-rattle-clatter rattle-rattle....
Inside the violently shaking carriage, Kistil supported Nerisfeene.
This carriage was bought by Sevvero.
Though, he would demand reimbursement from Kistil later as an expense.
Kistil had asked Sevvero to help find Mika.
Sevvero looked extremely reluctant, but he feared the name "Dispeller" even more than that.
If he refused, what kind of disaster might befall him later?
Thus, he agreed to take it as a commission, and Kistil explained the situation.
The town of Nuomono. A restaurant.
"They were kidnapped!?"
At Sevvero's raised voice, the Landlady of the restaurant frowned.
Kistil explained to Sevvero that they currently had no money and had been kidnapped from the capital.
Sevvero reluctantly agreed to the commission, but upon hearing the details, his expression grew even more reluctant.
"Damn... it's trouble after all... Yakuneta... Hey, I haven't been to the church recently..."
Since the church's corruption was exposed, he had stayed away from the church.
Until then, while not exactly devout, he had visited regularly and made donations.
While urging Nerisfeene, who wasn't touching her food, Kistil forced himself to eat something.
This meal had been ordered by Sevvero after he learned they had no money.
Well, not as a treat, but strictly as an advance.
Sevvero held his head and hung his shoulders.
But soon, he looked at Kistil with a serious expression.
"Haa... I already said I'd take it once. Trouble comes with being an adventurer... However, I'll be adding to the reward."
Kistil nodded without hesitation at Sevvero's negotiation.
That said, this money did not belong to Kistil.
It was earned by Mika.
Then, it didn't matter how much was spent for Mika's sake.
There was no time for haggling.
Sevvero raised one eyebrow, making a subtle expression.
"............Is there anything else you're hiding?"
"Even if you say I'm hiding... I don't know what information an adventurer like you wants to know..."
Kistil poked Nerisfeene's arm, which had stopped moving.
Unless urged repeatedly like this, Nerisfeene wouldn't try to eat.
Kistil understood those feelings well.
"Then, the commission is to escort the two of you. You just need to get the two of them safely to that Rish Village, right?"
"Yes. Please find Mika-kun."
Kistil made the condition clear.
It was highly likely they were in Rish Village, but that was merely a guess.
He was only estimating based on direction.
Therefore, Kistil specified "until Mika is found."
Seemingly understanding this, Sevvero gave a bitter smile.
It seemed simply taking them to Rish Village wouldn't mean "Yes, that's it."
"Alright, that's fine. The reward is five million. Expenses are separate. It's quite expensive, but I won't let you complain."
Kistil nodded honestly at this as well.
It was a sudden commission, and they had no money now.
If you called it troublesome, it had a rather troublesome background.
An adventurer who would accept it despite swallowing all that was rare.
"Can we move by shared carriage? I don't think we can walk there."
"Um... how much does that cost?"
"How much... Well, about three days and a bit, isn't it? Depending on how far that village is from Kotontesse."
"Three days..."
Kistil frowned and pondered.
He had a plan to go to Rish Village, but he hadn't expected it to take three days.
According to Sevvero, they first had to go from this town of Nuomono to the domain capital of the Viscountcy of Braikosloa.
That would take one day.
Moreover, the shared carriage for the domain capital had already left today.
So, departure would be tomorrow morning.
Then, one day from the domain capital to Yaunasun.
One day from Yaunasun to Kotontesse.
In simple terms, that was three days, but since they couldn't move today, they would effectively arrive at Rish Village on the night of the fourth day.
"Um... is there no way to arrive sooner?"
"Sooner? Well, there is, but... Are you serious?"
Sevvero made a grim face, but Kistil pressed her lips together and nodded with serious eyes.
"Haa... I'm beaten."
Sevvero scratched his head vigorously, looked up at the ceiling, and thought.
Then, he suddenly stood up.
"Wait. I'll make arrangements. ...However, the reward will be increased. Six million."
Kistil's expression brightened, and she answered energetically, "Yes!"
After waiting for a while, Sevvero returned with a carriage.
It was a dilapidated cargo wagon, but it had a tarp over the cargo bed and two horses attached.
For this, eight million five hundred thousand Rats.
"If it's payment from the Dispeller, you can easily come up with this much money, right?"
Then, he explained the route to Yaunasun.
"We'll use a somewhat minor road. We'll go out to the Am-Tast Trade Alliance once and head for Yaunasun."
"Will we cross the border?"
Sevvero's shortest plan was to cross the border from here into the Am-Tast Trade Alliance.
From there, they would join the road connecting the Alliance's capital, Shaksara, and Yaunasun.
They would use that road to cross the border again and enter the Kingdom of Ektrem.
"In terms of distance, this route is far shorter. But no one uses such a route."
"Why?"
"Because it costs money. The toll for one carriage and three people is nearly twenty thousand Rats just for one crossing. Going to Yaunasun alone costs an extra forty thousand Rats. If you stay overnight at the domain capital, the accommodation fee is only a few thousand at most. Unless you're a real idiot, you'd normally use that route."
It seemed crossing a border personally incurred a significant tax.
Also, moving between domains also incurred taxes.
The amounts themselves didn't seem huge.
However, in the Hailhord Region, there were no taxes for moving between domains.
Normally, these taxes were paid in bulk at the departure point to obtain a permit, or if using a shared carriage, the tax was included in the fare.
For business travel, it seemed there was a different calculation method.
"Even doing this, the time saved is at most half a day. However, in your case, you won't need to waste an extra day. You can move somewhat faster than a shared carriage. That's the deal."
"Yes, thank you."
Thus, they bought necessary items like food in the town of Nuomono.
Sevvero advanced the cost for everything.
In fact, the total outlay was nearly nine million Rats, including the carriage purchase and border tolls.
"I'm sorry."
"Heh... now that it's come to this, I'm desperate. I'll stick with you to the end. Worst case, I'll rip it off Yaroibarov."
Once they returned to the capital, there was the Magic Bag Mika had bought, and inside it was a bank card.
Mika had taken Kistil to the bank and deposited money, saying "Just in case," but Kistil no longer knew how much was in the account.
Before that, she had already been given ten million Rats in cash, so she had said she didn't need a bank account.
Sevvero put Kistil and Nerisfeene on the cargo bed and sat on the driver's seat himself.
"I got the entry/exit permits. Bought what was needed. Well, let's go. If you talk nonsense, I'll bite your tongue off."
Saying that, he lashed the horse, and the carriage began to move with Kistil and the others aboard.
■■■■■■
They had already left the town of Nuomono, and nearly two days had passed.
With sunset approaching soon, they decided to rest at a makeshift rest stop on the road connecting Yaunasun and Kotontesse.
They had pushed themselves hard on the first day, moving even at night, so the horses needed rest.
It had been a very strenuous march.
But thanks to that, they expected to reach Rish Village by tomorrow noon at the earliest.
Kistil's body was screaming from the unfamiliar carriage ride.
Thanks to Nerisfeene using "Heal," she felt much better, but the fatigue remained.
Still, Kistil didn't complain and encouraged Nerisfeene.
Nerisfeene had become extremely quiet since that time.
She seemed to be worrying about something constantly, but she wouldn't talk about it.
■■■■■■
Rattle-rattle-clatter, rattle-rattle....
Arriving at Rish Village, they slowed the carriage slightly.
Kistil felt nostalgia for the long-lost Rish Village, even though it wasn't her hometown.
Kistil had Fee possess her and confirmed the direction where Mika was.
"Go straight from here."
"Okay. But how do you know that?"
Kistil didn't answer that, just floating a vague smile.
"We'll be meeting Mika-kun soon, Nerisfeene."
Kistil turned around and called out to Nerisfeene.
But Nerisfeene hung her head and didn't reply.
The carriage moved straight on, passing through the Central Plaza of the village.
Continuing forward, they finally bumped into the South Gate.
"Hey, the gate is closed..."
"But Mika-kun is beyond this."
As Sevvero frowned and made a troubled face, a voice came down.
"Are you from out of town? This road is closed."
The source of the voice seemed to be on the watchtower next to the gate.
Sevvero looked up at the watchtower.
"Hey! Why is the gate closed?"
"Why? This gate is always closed except when there's a reason."
Hearing the guard's reply, Sevvero turned to Kistil once.
When Kistil nodded, Sevvero shrugged and looked up at the watchtower.
"Open it! We have business!"
"Open it, huh... We can't open it. Tell the Village Head."
It seemed permission from the Village Head was required to open the gate.
"Well, what are we going to do?"
Asked by Sevvero, Kistil pondered.
She had met the Village Head before and spoken with him.
He was normally a nice-looking old man.
But precisely because of that, he wouldn't open it.
Because wild beasts came out of the forest.
It wasn't just about gathering firewood or working near the forest.
Even if they said they wanted to search for Mika, he probably wouldn't give permission.
It was dangerous, and because he was kind, he wouldn't allow the choice to go searching.
Seeing Kistil pondering, Sevvero let out a soft sigh.
Then, he got down from the driver's seat.
"Hey. Can I break this gate?"
"............Huh?"
The guard was stunned by Sevvero's casual suggestion of a tough measure.
"Hey, you! Are you joking!?"
The guard climbed down the watchtower and confronted Sevvero.
But the height difference was immense.
Sevvero was about a head taller than the guard.
"I'll catch you and turn you over to the Domain Army! Understand? Get lost quickly!"
Threatened by the guard, Sevvero just scratched his head irritably.
The guard seemed annoyed by this, and his face gradually turned red.
"Hey! Cut it out, you! I'm really going to turn you over to the Domain Army—!"
"What's all the noise, Yaskeri."
A man with scars on his left cheek and right jaw came along the wall surrounding the village.
It was Diego.
The guard's face relaxed upon seeing Diego.
"Diego-san, this guy—!"
"......Diego?"
Sevvero stared at Diego's face and twisted his neck.
"Oh?... Oh?... Hey, you're Diego, aren't you!?"
"Hm?"
The moment Diego, who had been called out, looked at Sevvero's face, his eyes widened.
"Eh!? Sevvero!?"
"Sure enough, it is Diego. Hahaha, nostalgic, hey!"
Unlike Sevvero, who wore a broad smile, Diego's face twitched.
"Why are you here...!"
"Why? It's work. Right?"
Saying that, Sevvero looked toward the cargo bed, and Diego looked there too.
"Huh? The young lady is the one with the buzz cut, right..."
"Long time no see, Diego-san."
Kistil got off the cargo bed and bowed lightly.
Then, she briefly explained the situation to Diego.
Just keeping it to the extent that "Mika is in the forest."
"............I see."
Diego, having heard the story, crossed his arms and pondered.
"I don't know how many wild beasts there are, but this village is safe, right? I don't think there's a big problem."
Diego made a grim face at Sevvero, who said it would be fine even if wild beasts appeared.
"You might be fine, but can you properly protect the young ladies?"
"That girl can use "Heal". Even if something happens, it should work out somehow."
Sevvero pointed at Nerisfeene, establishing a policy that minor injuries were no problem.
Hearing this, Diego's face grew even more grim.
"If anything happens to the young ladies, my honor is at stake."
"Why is your honor at stake?"
Sevvero asked with absolutely no ill intent.
"Now that I know, can I just leave it alone! Wait a moment! I'll get my equipment—."
"Hey, hey, stop. You can't protect that many people. I won't tolerate any more hindrances."
"What did you say...!?"
Diego glared at Sevvero, who shrugged and grimaced.
Sevvero looked at Diego with a chilling gaze that made one shiver.
"......Why did you quit being an adventurer? If you can't move properly, you shouldn't have quit, right? Huh?"
At Sevvero's words, Diego twisted his face in regret.
Sevvero continued speaking to such Diego.
"How many years since you retired? At first, I didn't even realize it was you when I saw you. You've gotten quite round after moving to the countryside. The sharp edge you used to have is gone, and you're just a good dad now. I heard from Yaroibarov that you have children, right?"
Diego clenched his teeth and continued glaring at Sevvero.
But unable to retort, he only trembled his clenched fists.
"Diego-san."
Kistil called out to such Diego.
"Thank you. Diego-san."
Then, she stood beside Diego and touched his trembling fist.
"I heard from Mika-kun that you were very brave. He said that if it weren't for you, this village would have been ruined. He said he wanted to become an amazing adventurer like you."
When Kistil said that, Diego closed his eyes tightly.
Then, he released his clenched fist and bowed his head to Sevvero.
".........Please. Help the boy and the young ladies."
Seeing such Diego, Sevvero's eyes widened slightly.
Sevvero relaxed the corners of his mouth slightly.
"I don't need you to tell me. Leave it to me."
Then Sevvero looked at Kistil.
When Kistil nodded, Sevvero nodded back.
"It's been a while. Open the gate, Diego."
"......Ah, I understand."
Diego decided to open the South Gate on his own authority.
"Sorry, but I'll have to close the gate once you leave. I'll open it again when you return, but please check that there are no wild beasts or animals around."
Diego had the responsibility to protect the village.
If beasts entered the village, the villagers would suffer.
"Ah, that's fine."
Thus, they entrusted the carriage to him and headed into the forest on foot.
Diego and the guard removed the gate's bolt and opened it just wide enough for one person to pass.
(I'm coming soon. Wait for me, Mika-kun.)
Looking at the forest spreading before her eyes, Kistil renewed her resolve.