Volume 2 Chapter 3

Volume 2 Chapter 3: Talks at Drinking Party and the Real Thing are Pretty Different

We arrived at the post town much earlier than expected.

Perhaps due to the effects of the food buff, but mere walking had a jog-like speed.

「To think we would arrive just after noon. It actually was quite close.」

「…Axel-kun. Normally, one would leave in the morning and arrive only late at night.」

「Yes. It was thanks to the power of Axel-san’s cooking. Even though our pace was close to running, it wasn’t tiring in the slightest.」

Our breathing was not affected at all. It seems that magic strengthening is still in effect.

「Even so, it’s hard to tell when this enhancement will wear off, so it’s nice that we managed to arrive so fast.」

「Indeed. I really appreciate it, since our arrival while it’s still so bright makes business talks and collection of information a lot easier.」

「Business talks?　…Ah, I see. Uncle Dort, you are buying goods at this town?」

「Umu, though this town is used as a relay point between cities, there is a variety of other stores other than inns. There is also a branch of the guild, so it’s quite a convenient place.」

While saying so, Dort pointed to a large building in the center of the town.

A structure that stood out for its sturdy stone walls.

「For example, there is a warehouse owned by the City of Water’s Guild. Goods from the City of Water are placed there. Combined with stocking in the City of Winds, the procurement of supplies here makes it sufficient.」 「I see. Which means Uncle Dort will go back to the City of Stars after negotiations here?」

「Yes. That’s why I will be leaving you here. However, I will see you off until the… HM?」

In the middle of the sentence, Dort narrowed his eyes.

He was looking at a man in light armor, who was waving to us.

「Is that Uncle Dort’s acquaintance?」

「That is a guild’s employee that I dispatched here in advance… Looks like he has something to say. I’ll go, please wait here for a moment. While I’m at it, I will also check if he has any interesting information related to the City of Water.」

「Okay, got it.」

And after seeing off Dort who headed over to the waving man, I turn to Marion, who stood next to me.

「So, what are you going to do?　I suppose you are coming to the City of Water?」

「Yes, I have some business at the headquarters of one marine-related guild. I’ll accompany you until there.」

「Marine-related guild, huh. So there are such guilds at the City of Water.」

The City of Stars had headquarters for transportation and commercial guilds, and also had branches for magicians’ guilds, but I didn’t see any marine related guilds.

「Yes, because the City of Water faces rivers and the sea. It has fishery guilds and also the headquarters for the shipbuilding guild. Also, it’s a bit strange, but there is also a pirate guild.」

「Pirate’s? That’s strange indeed. Or rather, there is a lot of diversity among the cities.」

I had no particular concerns about the guilds during my dragon knight days, but there is a shocking amount of variety to them.

「Because a guild is made by a group of people with common jobs suitable for that region. So special characteristics of the land will influence it. By the way, I know a delicious seafood store, so I will introduce you when we get there.」

「Oh, that’s great.」

「Wow, so we will know a delicious store right away. Thank you, Marion.」

「Fufu, Something like introducing you to a store I can do as much as you want, just ask me.」

And, as I was asking Marion about the City of Water, Dort returned.

He had a pretty grim face, could it be that there are troubles looming in his negotiations, were my thoughts when—

「——Axel-kun. Looks like something a little troublesome happened on the road ahead.」

That was the very first thing he said after coming back.

「A little troublesome? Did some kind of big magical beast appear?」

「It’s not a magical beast, but recently, a mysterious flood seems to have happened in the valley ahead. Which destroyed the bridge. There also was an announcement that it will take more than a dozen days to rebuild it.」

Marion immediately responded to Dort’s words with a frown.

「Eh? That’s harsh, Kaufmann-san. To go to the City of Water you need to go through the mountains and then walk for a few days after crossing the valley. For that route to be blocked…」

「Nevertheless, there is no doubt that the bridge collapsed. There is another roundabout route, but… But I was told that there is a lot of monsters on it and safety couldn’t be guaranteed.」

「I see…If possible, I would like to take a safe route…」

And so, Marion and Dort had troubled expressions on their faces.

Certainly, it’s a problem that an important road between the cities has become unusable.

However, as for me, I didn’t see any particular issue. Because—

「This much isn’t a matter for concern. —— Because I originally was planning to fly from this post town.」

When I say so, Dort and Marion both looked at my face at the same time. Then, a sudden realization seems to have dawned on them.

「…I see. Axel-san is a former dragon knight, and Berzelia is a dragon. You can ride her if you want.」

「Yes, yes. To begin with, I was planning to ride Berzelia from here.」

I planned on coming to this post town on foot only because it was the most reliable way to get to the City of Water.

……Using the past transportation, I now can increase the time I’m able to hold onto Berzelia.

But it didn’t mean that I could fly indefinitely.

It would be very easy if we could just fly directly from the City of Stars to the City of Water, but it’s unclear if we can make it.

That’s why I checked the map, and came to this post town, from where it was surely possible to reach the City of Water, with room to spare, considering our current possible flight time.

「Were we to arrive in the evening, the sky would be already dark, so I thought we would stay here overnight. But right now the sky is still bright, so I think we might just leave right now. But… Marion, what about your physical condition? Will you hold?」

「Will I hold? Ehmm, what might that mean?」

「Well, when you ride a dragon it will shake quite a bit, so I thought if you don’t feel that well, you can take a rest.」

One of the reasons for stopping at the post town was to confirm our state.

As one would expect, I cannot put a person in a bad condition on Berzelia, considering the violent shaking that will come with it. As I was wondering—

「T-that is, of course, I’m fine? As I said a while ago, thanks to Axel-san I have plenty of stamina left…」

Marion replied that she is fine.

In this case, I can take her along without any problem.

「Yeah. Okay… Then, it might be a bit hasty, but we will be going, Uncle Dort.」

Dort appeared to be dumbfounded until a while ago, but it seems he was able to regain his composure while I was talking with Marion—

「U-Umu. I see. It’s indeed a bit abrupt… But since we are going to meet again anyway, such sudden farewell might be just perfect. I will properly see you off until you takeoff.」

「Okay. We will take off a bit away from the town, so please follow after us.」

Thus, we left the post town and stepped into the deserted grasslands.

「Okay, Berzelia. Become a dragon.」

「Yes, yees. 【Transform]—」

Then, Berzelia turned into a dragon with beautiful glittering red and gold scales and lay down on the ground.

「So this is Berzelia-kun’s dragon form? It’s the first time seeing it in a while, but what a beautiful sight.」

「Yaay, scales that Master polished got praised! We did it!」

「Haha, well, though I think that Berzelia is beautiful even without that.」

While talking to Berzelia, who was flapping her tail, I patted her back. If I mount on this back… Or rather, grab onto it, I will be able to travel, but before that, I have to get Marion into the transportation bag.

While thinking that, I opened the transportation bag and pointed it towards Marion, then—

「You look kinda happy.」

I noticed that Marion was smiling a bit with the corners of her mouth.

If it isn’t my mistake, it looks like a happy excitement. That’s why I asked, and…

「Yes. Yes, I’m happy or actually, thrilled. A chance to ride on a dragon doesn’t come that often…!」

And so, she turned to me eyes filled with excitement.

「I asked people from Starlight about it as well, even if I have to get inside of a transportation bag, I’m grateful for such an opportunity.」

「Is riding a dragon something that unusual?」

「Of course!　Axel-san, you might have gotten numb to it because you were a dragon knight, but being able to ride such an incredibly strong magical creature like a dragon is an amazing thing!」

I was strongly told.

I was a dragon knight from the very beginning, and riding a dragon was something that I was doing for a job, so I never had such thoughts occurr to me, but I guess that’s how it was for her.

「Well, being excited is all good but please be careful during the travel. As I already said earlier, it’s pretty shaky.」

「Speaking of which, when I tried to ask people from Starlight about the ride they avoided the answer with『You will understand once you ride it…』. Does it mean that it shakes more than the carriage?」

「Probably. Still, the voices can travel outside of the transportation bag. If it gets bad, just say that you give up and I will stop. So don’t worry.」

「I understand.」

Replying with a smile, Marion went into the transportation bag.

After confirming that her whole body was inside, I put the bag on my shoulder and mount Berzelia, grabbed onto her back.

「Then, rise, Berzelia.」

「Yees!」

When I called out to Berzelia, she quickly spread her wings.

With that alone, the dragon gains enough lift to rise into the sky.

「How are you, Marion?」

When asked, a voice came out of the transportation bag.

「Eh, Yes. Yes, it’s pretty shaky, but this much I will manage somehow.」

Marion’s voice was trembling a little, but if she will manage, then there’s no problem. That’s why—

「I see. Well then, from now on we will begin acceleration, so it will shake even more. So, hang in there.」

When I said that, the voice from the transport bag went silent for a few seconds. And—

「Eh…?　It will shake, even more…?!」

「Well, yeah. Also, it seems that the pressure generated by speed is a bit mitigated inside of the transportation bag, but it still seems to be quite harsh, so be careful.」

「Eh, eh?　Pressure? And will shake even——」

「—Well. Takeoff.」

「Yes, Master…!」

Berzelia soared, following my order.

At the same time, we immediately accelerated.

「KYA, KYAAAAAAAAA——?!」

「This is… So this is the power of the wings of Dragon Monarch Berzelia-kun? Taking a proper look at it, that’s a tremendous speed…」

Leaving behind Marion’s screams and Dort’s mutter, we tore through the sky.

And thus we turned to zero the distance that originally would have taken several days to cover.