Volume 12 - CH 2

The journey from the city of Premie to the royal capital, the second day.

Trailing on the covered wagon that was moving on the road was something that was not there until yesterday.

A cloth fluttered behind, matching the movement speed.

Kotarou who was running side by side with the wagon leaped upon it. What is this, it is luring me, isn’t it, she said, inevitably being interested in it, it seems.

The cloth’s true form was Yuuji’s loincloth.

“Uhm… won’t everyone be bothered by it?”

With a gloomy expression, Yuuji asked Kevin, who was on the coachman’s seat.

“I suppose, excessively so…”

It was the second day of their journey to the royal capital, but it had already been the sixth day since Yuuji had left the settlement. 

Last night, they had the inn town’s inn prepare hot water, and so he was able to wipe his body with a cloth. However, conversely, that was all he could do.

Though on a carriage, a trip is a trip. They were limited in the luggage they brought with them. Yuuji had brought with him three sets of clothes created in this world. He was already in the second cycle. Raised in modern era Japan, clothes that haven’t been washed for many days bothered Yuuji. Even if he could tolerate the clothes, he could not seem to stand his underwear.

With the remaining hot water that Yuuji used to wash his body, he washed the clothes and underwear he brought with him. However, it did not get dry in one night.

Moreover, in the covered wagon were Yuuji, Alice, Riese and the seamster Yurshelle. It was a group of girls except for Yuuji. The result of thinking he could not dry the loincloth in such a room was an undyed cloth trailing outside.

Incidentally, besides the loincloth, this world also has trunks-type underwear for men. It was the type tied not with rubber, but with a string, but that was the only difference. Well, the cloth material was on another level however. What the boxer shorts clique member Yuuji selected was the loincloth type. The fit sensation seemed to be indispensable.

Is that so… Uhm, look, it smells and all…?”

Although just a cloth when loosened, continuing with the underwear trailing it is embarrassing as expected. Yuuji was hanging his head.

“That is so, isn’t it? Even I would be bothered with it if I were to go to the royal capital as it is, but… The fourth inn town is large and has a river nearby. We plan to use the sauna there, you know? We will take our time to rest and leave behind the dirt and fatigue and then cross the mountains the next day”

“I see, the fourth inn town means… the day after tomorrow…”

“Besides, this cloak is made of cloth that erases odor”

“Eh?”

“What is this, that’s unfair” Yuuji said, opening his eyes wide.

Feigning ignorance, Kevin ignored Yuuji’s look.

“It has been made from the threads of the monsters called the earth spider. It is tough and has the effect of erasing odor. That is why the smell from dirt and your own body odor won’t leak outside. There is also the events of being attacked by monsters because of the smell after all”

“Mr Kevin, that! That mantle, I want one too!”

“Mr Yuuji, this is quite a valuable material. so valuable that even noble women could only obtain a little. It is also a popular commodity though…”

“Noble women? Aah, are they bothered by smell after all?”

“Yes, well, uhm, it’s a periodical thing, but… Ah, Mr Yuuji, it looks like Ms Kotarou has brought down something!”

“I’m saved,” as if saying so, Kevin looked at Kotarou.

Holding in Kotarou’s mouth as she returned after aimlessly running into the forest, was a mountain bird. She was the Death in the perspective of the mountain bird, but to Kevin she was a saving goddess.

In reality, behind the conversing Yuuji and Kevin, Yurshelle was sending a cold gaze. It seems it was a taboo topic in front of women, even in the other world.

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“Huh? Come to think of it, Mr Kevin, the river is connected from Premie city to the royal capital isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is. What is wrong, Mr Yuuji?”

The group handled the mountain bird that Kotarou had brought down and then had a simple soup with vegetables.

A stream flowed nearby the open space they had chosen for their second noon break. It was undrinkable as it was, but there was no problem giving it to the horses and using it for food by boiling it.

Perhaps recalling it by seeing that watering place, Yuuji raised the question to Kevin.

“The river is connecting and yet, there is a mountain pass in between?”

“I see, it was about that”

“So it’s like that after all right? Like, with a magic thingy the water climbs up the mountain pass?”

“…No”

With sparkling eyes Yuuji asked Kevin, but it was easily denied. The idea of a thirty four years old seemed to be merely a delusion.

However, both Alice and Riese who were next to Yuuji were looking at Kevin with eyes full of expectations. Well, Riese did not understand most of the words, so she could only wait for Yuuji’s translation however.

Incidentally, Kotarou was frolicking in the lower reaches of the watering places with splashes. She was a free woman who did not want to be put on a leash. Despite being a dog.

“The road veers away from the river on the fourth inntown. From there wetlands spread around the river for a while, you see. You won’t advance at all by carriage or foot. For that, a road seems to have been made on the mountain pass”

“Wetlands, you say…”

Yuuji did not seem to get the explanation.

But on Earth and, of course, Japan too there exists wetlands. There were wetlands that had succeeded in its development, but there were many untouched wetlands as of yet. Not only were there dangerous animals, maze-like water places block one’s path, and occasionally swamps and mires would make it difficult to escape.

“In the case you would go by boat, that place becomes the most perilous pass. People heading from the city of Premie to the royal capital would rest and make preparations for the perilous pass that is the wetlands or mountain pass in the fourth inn town. Those who heads to the city of Premie from the royal capital would pass through the perilous pass and take a rest in the inn town. That is why the fourth inn town is developed”

“Really, I see…”

Yuuji made a complex expression that appeared like he did and did not understand. 

It must have been difficult for him to understand that the wetlands, whose shallow water makes it difficult, and where there exists water and mud as well as natural traps like bottomless swamps and pitfalls when on foot, is a “perilous pass”.

Alice and Riese heard “perilous place” and could not hide their trembling for some reason. Aside 

from the two girls who were anticipating a story of adventures, the peaceful noon break was over.

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“That’s right, the both of you are good, that’s the way!”

“Hehe~, if Alice makes one well, then she will give it to Riese-chan!”

‘Riese, if this is made, will present it to Alice-chan!’

The words of the two girls were not understood to each other and yet, their ideas were synchronized.

Alice and Riese were being taught by the seamster Yurshelle to make a handkerchief.

They were dexterous inside the shaking wagon.

Yuuji was brushing Kotarou while absentmindedly viewing that state. When Yurshelle thought up something, he translated it and told those words to Riese.

It was a half-hearted brushing, but Kotarou was in a cheery state, wagging her tail. She would take it leisurely inside the confines of the covered wagon, run outside whenever she felt like it and occasionally hunt in the forest. The one who was enjoying this trip the most could likely be Kotarou.

“Everyone, it’s in sight. That over there is the second inn town. It’s today’s place of accommodation”

“Ooh! Ooh?”

Kevin, who was in the coachman’s seat, turned around and called out to inside the covered wagon.

Yuuji of course stopped his job and Alice and Riese moved to forward the wagon bed.

However, the glitters in their eyes easily clouded over.

The second inn town.

It was a small settlement that had ten buildings of various sizes, a wooden fence and farmland.

It seemed to have more buildings and a bigger farmland, but it wasn’t that much of a change for the better.

“Uhm… isn’t it kind of small? Not to mention it’s like it’s not really any different from the first inn town…”

“Mr Yuuji, the inn towns everywhere except the fourth inn town will be like this. It will be better not to expect too much from them”

Yuuji heard Kevin’s words and  dropped his shoulders in disappointment.

Behind him, Alice and Riese felt down as well.

Seeing Yuuji’s state, Kevin showed a bitter smile.

They arrived at the inn town without incident while the sun was up. To Kevin, or rather to the travelers of this world, that was the moment where one could feel relief.

Well, I do understand the feelings of Yuuji and the two girls though, muttered Kevin in soliloquy.

The second day of their trip towards the royal capital from the city of Premie.

The elven escort group have reached the second inn town safely today as well.

Aside from whether the escort group leader was “leading” them.