Chapter 29 - Chapter 28: Pseudo-Experience Trip 1: The Adventurer Plan
After being shaken in a horse-drawn carriage for over an hour from Rish Village, they finally arrived at Kotontesse.
They had arrived at Kotontesse, but Horatio drove the carriage all the way around the town's outer perimeter.
It seemed they were entering the town from the direction of Yaunasun, not from the direction of Rish Village.
"Can't we just go through the middle of the town?"
"No, you can. It's just that it's a busy time for both people and carriages. It will be faster to go this way. And safer."
If they were passing through the town from north to south, going straight through the middle would be faster.
But if they were going from the south side where Rish Village was to the west side where Yaunasun was, it seemed the distance was almost the same whether they went through the town or around it.
And so, they were now at a place that looked like the entrance to the town from the Yaunasun direction, a spot that resembled a square.
Perhaps it was closer to a rotary often found at train stations rather than a square?
The scenery visible from there was a neat town completely different from Rish Village.
Kotontesse was the most developed town in the Limpēre domain, the so-called "Capital of the Domain" where the lord resided.
Unlike Rish Village, which was full of wooden buildings, Kotontesse also had buildings that seemed to use concrete on walls and such.
Perhaps about 80% were wooden, and 20% used concrete?
"What a beautiful town."
"Well, it is the entrance to the town."
As Mika looked at the scenery from the carriage, Ninetiana replied lightly.
With that phrasing, it felt like she was saying everything outside the entrance wasn't beautiful.
Indeed, judging from the narrow alleys between buildings and what could be seen deep within them, there was no denying the feeling that only the easily visible parts were being patched up.
Trash was scattered everywhere, and the atmosphere certainly wasn't good.
Morning Kotontesse was overflowing with people, with many walking back and forth on the roads.
Just the number of people in this square alone seemed to exceed the population of Rish Village.
Horatio stopped the carriage at the edge of the square, which was like a rotary.
Several other carriages were parked there; some were luxurious, while others looked like the same kind of cargo carriage as Mika's group.
"Alright, we've arrived."
When Horatio got down from the driver's seat, he lifted Mika up and set him on the ground.
Ninetiana got down from the back of the cargo bed and handed Mika his small bag.
"I can only see you off this far. Mika-kun."
"Thank you very much, Horatio-san."
Mika politely thanked him and bowed his head.
"I don't know anything about the Magic Academy, but please do your best. Don't worry about your family. The whole village will pitch in, and if anything happens, we'll let you know."
"Please take care."
Then Horatio turned his gaze toward Ninetiana.
"...Don't go too far."
"Don't worry. I'm with him."
"They're children, after all."
"I know, already. How little do you trust me?"
It was probably about the journey to Sarbengeal.
No matter where they stopped here, from now on it would just be Mika and Ninetiana.
Even if he made them promise verbally to "not act like adventurers," he couldn't know what would happen after parting with Horatio.
For Horatio, offering advice not to do anything reckless was probably all he could do.
"Come on, Mika-kun. Let's start our fun trip."
Ninetiana pulled Mika's hand and tried to move away from the carriage.
Even while being pulled, Mika turned around and waved to Horatio.
Horatio waved back and called out, "Be careful now."
"Alright, let's start with the basics."
Saying that, Ninetiana pointed at a shop sign while walking.
"Do you know what kind of shop that is?"
In the direction Ninetiana pointed, there was a sign depicting a shield and armor.
"Is it an armor shop?"
"Correct. By the way, in most towns, there's also a weapon shop next door."
When Ninetiana pointed to the shop next door, there was a sign there making an X shape with a sword and a spear.
"Huh," Mika admired it, and then—
"Mika-kun, you shouldn't buy weapons or things like that at shops like this, okay?"
"Huh?"
What are you saying after telling me that?
"Shops for weapons and armor located near the town entrance basically don't carry good items. They are much more expensive than the market price, or the quality is poor. It's not that you absolutely shouldn't buy them, but if you want something cheaper and better quality, you should look for places where blacksmiths gather. People who don't make fighting their livelihood buy from these kinds of places."
I see.
Probably for self-defense by townspeople and merchants.
"Well, it depends on the town, but it's best to think of it that way generally. If there's only one shop in town, there's no choice. But, depending on the situation, dealing directly with a blacksmith is also an option. You'll get used to this area gradually. Anyway, don't just jump at something just because it's right in front of you."
While walking, Ninetiana explained the mindset of an adventurer.
"Do you know what that sign over there is?"
She pointed to a sign a little further ahead, depicting a picture of bottled candy and grass-like plants.
"Is it a tool shop?"
"Yes. Tool shops are the same. The selection and prices vary from shop to shop. Remember the market prices for goods properly, and then make your purchase. Well, there are some minor exceptions."
Saying that, Ninetiana pointed to an alley a little further ahead.
"There is an Adventurer's Guild in Kotontesse, just inside that alley."
"An Adventurer's Guild! It exists!?"
Amazingly, it seemed there was an Adventurer's Guild in Kotontesse.
"It's the Capital of the Domain. Of course there's a Guild."
As they approached the entrance to the alley, an atmosphere that looked clearly like bad security hung there.
While the square was overflowing with people, the alley was deserted, trash was scattered, and broken barrels and shattered bottles rolled along the edges of the road.
Seeing that, Mika's high spirits cooled down instantly.
"That's the Adventurer's Guild. In Kotontesse, it's attached to a tavern."
Looking in the direction she pointed, two signs were hanging.
The top one depicted a bottle thought to be alcohol and a dish of meat on the bone.
The bottom one depicted a full-face helmet turned sideways and a picture of a sword stuck into the ground.
"The top is the tavern, the bottom is the Adventurer's Guild sign."
Ninetiana explained, but Mika's mood was sinking.
He felt as though the reality of the adventurer he had admired was being shown to him vividly.
"This is what the Guild in Kotontesse is like? It's not that big of a town. There are few people, so there are few requests. Therefore, there are few adventurers. The quality of adventurers like those smoldering in a town like this is obvious."
Ninetiana patted Mika's head, who looked dejected.
"The exception I mentioned earlier means that shops near the Guild, like weapon shops, aren't bad quality. Well, they might be a little expensive. There isn't one in Kotontesse, but in some towns, using such shops is also an option."
According to Ninetiana's explanation, shops near the Guild were fine in quality, but seemed a bit more expensive compared to cheap shops.
It was like comparing them to a convenience store.
Even though they were expensive, it wasn't exactly gouging prices; they were just higher than the cheap shops.
In his previous world, there were discount shops that were cheap, but it was often the case that people just settled for the nearby convenience store.
Thinking of it that way, shops near the Guild might be suitable for daily shopping.
Ninetiana pulled Mika's hand, who was lost in thought, and started walking.
"Alright, let's go to the shared carriage station soon."
Mika walked beside Ninetiana, calmly thinking about the Guild he had just seen.
(...It's no use looking away. That is reality. It was terribly rough, but it's far better than not knowing.)
It was natural for there to be a gap between dreams and reality.
Rather, it should be considered a stroke of luck to have learned this before getting stuck in the dream.
If Ninetiana hadn't proposed "acting like an adventurer," he might have just headed straight for the shared carriage.
Going around the square, he saw a sign with a carriage drawn on it.
That sign was attached to a dilapidated shack built of wood.
"This is the shared carriage stop. Shall we go inside?"
Mika looked up at the shack that looked utterly tattered, wasn't eager to go in, but decided to enter anyway.
Opening the poorly fitted door and peeking inside, the interior was of decent size, about 15 meters deep and 8 meters wide, with a wooden floor.
There were about ten people inside.
A middle-aged man and woman who looked like a couple.
An elderly couple with two children.
Three middle-aged men who looked like troublemakers.
And one young man who looked like an adventurer.
This adventurer-looking man didn't seem to be even 20 years old yet.
As Mika hesitated to enter, Ninetiana went in first.
She sat down casually in an open space by the wall and beckoned to Mika.
When Mika sat next to her, she spoke in a low voice.
"From now on, keep it low voice for now. It's probably a matter of etiquette to avoid unnecessary trouble."
Mika nodded with a solemn expression.
It was close to etiquette on a train, but the atmosphere was terrible.
The three troublemaker men stationed at the back were muttering something, but he couldn't make out what they were saying.
However, they kept glancing around occasionally, and it seemed they were plotting something bad.
The young man who looked like an adventurer wore a metal chest plate and leather bracers, and held a sword, so he looked like an adventurer, but it was unclear if he actually was one.
He was just sitting with his eyes closed.
The middle-aged couple, the elderly couple, and the accompanying children were all looking down in silence, creating a heavy atmosphere.
Ninetiana didn't seem to care, closing her eyes and leaning against the wall while sitting.
Mika couldn't stand this atmosphere and considered going outside for a moment.
"...Don't stare too much."
Ninetiana opened only one eye and whispered so no one else could hear.
"...It's unsettling."
"You'll get used to it soon. It's going to be like this for three days anyway."
That was right.
Even if he went outside unable to bear the heavy atmosphere, there was a reality he couldn't escape.
Unless he got used to it, only he would feel the pain.
Then, he should get used to this atmosphere as much as possible.
"Besides, once you get on the carriage, you won't mind it."
Was that so?
Rather, since the carriage was narrower, wouldn't it be even more suffocating?
As he was thinking that, suddenly the door of the dilapidated shack opened.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. The carriage to Yaunasun has arrived."
A short, middle-aged man entered and announced it so everyone could hear.
Ninetiana quickly stood up and led Mika outside.
There were many carriages in the square, and he couldn't tell which one was the shared carriage.
But he noticed a carriage very similar to Horatio's cargo carriage coming toward them.
It was a two-horse carriage pulling a cargo bed with a tarp.
Ninetiana paid the money and received a wooden tag from the short man.
"Keep this. Don't lose it."
It was an old wooden tag about the size of Mika's two hands.
According to Ninetiana's explanation, this was like a ticket and was supposed to be returned when they arrived at Yaunasun.
If they didn't have it, they would have to pay again to get off, and it could be stolen.
"Well, people who try to ride for free usually get off midway. Anyway, be careful holding onto it."
Mika put the wooden tag into his small bag so he wouldn't lose it.
"No matter what happens, never let go of your luggage with your hands. Hold it while inside the carriage."
It seemed theft was indeed a problem.
Mika imagined pickpocketing and snatching, but it seemed methods like forcibly snatching the luggage and jumping off the carriage were also common.
It seemed showing the opponent that you could be robbed was a no-go.
"............I don't have much confidence."
"That's natural. Well, try your best."
Ninetiana said it casually.
To tell him to be on guard for a whole day without relaxing for a second was impossible, no matter how you looked at it.
As Mika sighed thinking about the journey ahead, he suddenly noticed something.
Two thick knife-like objects were attached to Ninetiana's waist, staggered.
He was sure they weren't there when they left the village, so they must have been put on while traveling in Horatio's carriage.
As Mika's gaze was fixed on the knives, Ninetiana patted Mika's head.
Looking up, several thick needles like five-inch nails were fixed to the forearm part of her left bracer, secured with a belt along with the case.
(What are those? Wait, she's fully armed. Eh, seriously?)
If there was no need, she wouldn't wear such things.
He had never seen anyone wearing such things in the village.
In other words, there must be a reason she had to wear them now.
(If Ninetiana is this vigilant, how dangerous is this world!)
They weren't going into forests or caves.
It was a carriage journey on the highway from town to town.
Even so, there was a need to be this vigilant.
It was that dangerous.
He didn't know if the cause was magical beasts or humans, but...
As Mika was taken aback, the shared carriage arrived in front of the dilapidated shack.
It seemed to be the same cargo carriage he had seen earlier.
Ninetiana put Mika on the cargo bed first, then got on herself immediately.
She sat Mika in the very back, then sat next to him.
The inside of the shared carriage was completely empty.
There were no chairs, nor any place to put luggage.
It was just an ordinary cargo carriage with nothing special.
People began boarding the cargo bed one after another.
There were a few people he hadn't seen in the dilapidated shack, and eventually about 14 people boarded.
The passengers split into left and right, with seven people sitting in a row on each side, facing each other.
The last ones to board were the three troublemakers who had been in the dilapidated shack.
Two sat on Mika's side, and one sat on the opposite side.
The young man who looked like an adventurer also sat on the opposite side, next to the troublemaker.
Although there was still plenty of space, sitting quietly in the suffocating shared carriage, the carriage soon started moving.
A tarp was hung over the cargo bed, but the front and back were open.
The cold morning wind blew through the cargo bed, and he felt a little less suffocated.
He stared blankly ahead, watching the shared carriage leave Kotontesse.
At that moment, he remembered what Ninetiana had told him and hugged his small bag tightly.
(...I completely forgot to be on guard.)
Given the arrangement inside the carriage, he thought the possibility of Mika's luggage being targeted was low.
After all, stealing a small bag from such a child wouldn't yield much profit.
But that wasn't a reason to let his guard down.
Because an adventurer wouldn't let their guard down over something like that.
(She probably had a reason for putting me on first.)
Mika was not sitting next to strangers now.
This arrangement wasn't a coincidence.
Ninetiana had moved to make it so.
When Mika looked at Ninetiana, she opened one eye and looked at him.
"...Is there any rule about where to sit?"
When Mika asked in a low voice, Ninetiana closed her eyes and thought for a moment.
"It's not so much a rule as a preference. Adventurers tend to prefer the very back. Or the very front. Do you know why?"
"Because it's easier to get out if something happens?"
"Half correct. You can get out from anywhere if you just want to get out."
Saying that, Ninetiana poked the tarp with her finger.
With just a single piece of cloth, if there were knives or swords, it certainly wouldn't be an obstacle.
"...Because you can secure your field of vision?"
"Yes. More accurately, you can confirm the situation with your eyes. And from there, you can get out. If you tear the tarp and jump out, only to find yourself right in the middle of the attackers?"
"...I'd want to turn back."
If there was someone who would let you pass with a "Excuse me," they wouldn't be attacking in the first place.
"Well, this is just a matter of preference, so there's no need to worry about it that much."
Ninetiana patted Mika's head.
It was like saying, "Good job, you thought about it properly."
However, if it was just a matter of preference, he might need to be careful when riding the shared carriage alone in the future.
There might be adventurers who insisted on sitting at the very back or the very front.
If the spot they were targeting clashed, it might cause trouble if they didn't yield.
(It's like fighting for seats on a commuter train.)
Mika had decided to yield his seat whenever possible, except when it was full.
Maybe it was better to have the same feeling on the shared carriage.
After being shaken in the carriage for about three hours, they stopped for a lunch break.
They were now at a place like a roadside station set up in the middle of the highway.
It seemed the people operating the shared carriage prepared such rest stops.
They rested the horses, and in some cases, swapped them.
Passengers also got off here for a moment to eat the lunch they brought.
If it was a large rest stop, shops might appear, but there was nothing like that at the rest stop between Kotontesse and Yaunasun.
Probably too few customers to make a business viable.
"............My butt hurts...."
Because he had been sitting in a squatting position on the hard floorboards for so long, his butt had reached its limit.
The vibration of the carriage shaking rattlingly also greatly contributed to increasing the damage.
Thanks to that, Mika's butt's HP had long since reached zero.
Now he understood what Ninetiana meant when she said he wouldn't mind the atmosphere once on the carriage.
He didn't have the leisure to worry about such things.
"Using a shared carriage is annoying like this. It's comfortable and good."
Unlike Mika with tears in his eyes, Ninetiana was cheerful.
Still, there must be some accumulation, so she was lightly stretching her body.
"...I really don't want to ride anymore."
"Then walk? I don't mind."
"..................."
Ninetiana agreed readily.
Mika had just complained, but he never thought she would accept it.
"Can we walk there?"
"I can."
"....................................."
Judging from that phrasing, Ninetiana probably thought it was impossible for Mika.
Since whining was pointless, Mika gave up and decided to focus on recovery.
He took out the wrapped lunch he brought from his small bag and decided to eat while standing.
He simply couldn't bring himself to sit.
Ninetiana also took out her lunch from her small bag.
Mika had only his usual hard bread, but Ninetiana had brought dried meat as well.
"Here, I'll give some to you, Mika-kun."
She handed him a slice of dried meat.
"Is it okay?"
"It's fine. It's leftover winter food."
Ninetiana started gnawing on the dried meat while standing, matching Mika.
(Dried meat. Maybe this is my first time.)
The Noisheim family's winter food was mostly beans and bread.
Besides that, dried fruits and dried vegetables were used.
Before winter, there was smoked pork, but there was hardly any during winter.
Even so, this winter had a little margin, and they didn't run out of food, but the quality hadn't improved.
The "margin" part was all allocated to quantity, not quality.
Mika put the received dried meat in his mouth.
But he couldn't chew it at all.
(Hard! What is this!? Is this really meat?)
Ninetiana seemed to be eating it without much trouble, but looking closely, her neck muscles were bulging, and she was moving busily.
Her expression didn't change, but it seemed she was putting in quite a lot of force.
(If I force it, my teeth might break....)
Mika took a little water from his waterskin into his mouth and slowly softened it.
A strong saltiness seeped out, and the flavor of the meat spread in his mouth.
(If I put it as an ingredient in soup, it might be quite delicious. Is this really something to gnaw on?)
Wasn't the way of eating itself wrong?
Well, he decided to accept it as the adventurer's way.
And so, lunch ended, and the time of hell came again.
The order of boarding the carriage was free, and some people sat in different positions than before.
Mika and the others boarded first to sit in the same positions, and at the very back, the three troublemakers boarded again.
The young man who looked like an adventurer was next to them, unchanged.
After being shaken in the carriage for about three hours, they arrived at the rest stop again.
They rested a little there, then were shaken in the carriage for another three hours.
And so, after being shaken in the carriage for a total of nine hours, just as Mika's butt skin started peeling off, the shared carriage finally arrived at Yaunasun, the capital of the Viscountcy of Orcosa.