Volume 2 Chapter 4

Volume 2 Chapter 4: Different Sensations of Different Cities

Is that the City of Water?」

The City of Water Sylvesta, facing the sea and rivers, had a very conspicuous monument of a giant anchor placed at the center of it.

I got off from Berzelia when it entered my sight.

Then, I put the transpiration bag on the ground, which I was wearing on my back, then called out.

「Heey, are you okay, Marion? We have arrived.」

「S-stopped…?　B-but, my, my head is… Spinning…」

A trembling voice came from the inside. For the time being, it seems that she is conscious.

「Marion, you can come out after you calm down. When you come out the City of Water will be right in front of you.」

After announcing that, I stretch.

It smells of a sea breeze.

Since the sea was visible from here it was natural, but that was a very different sensation from the City of Stars.

It really feels like we arrived to a city of a completely different nature.

And while I was thinking how nice it was that my first rather long distance journey as a carrier went so well—

「Phew… Yeah, my hands and legs are bursting after all」

I shook my stiffened limbs.

「As expected, lengthy travel is impossible with just one riding skill.」

When I was a dragon knight, I had several passive skills which allowed me to continuously ride Berzelia with her super speed.

However, now that I have become a carrier, I basically cling to her with the raw power of my attributes.

Thanks to the past transportation, various skills can now be used and the riding time has increased. However, there seems to be a limit, I thought, shaking my arms.

「Sorry, Master. If only I could adjust my movements better…」

Berzelia, who returned to her human form, said a bit dejected.

With her power being too large, she gained a lot of speed with one flutter of her wings.

For floating, magic can be used to rise slowly, but to move forward the use of wings becomes necessary. So in a way, that’s unavoidable—

「I still lack practice. When we take such things into account, I really lack growth after all.」

Berzelia, with a dark face, made a strained smile.

Usually very lively, she sometimes has such moments. It also happened in the days of the Great war with the Demon Lord.

And so, I patted her head with a bit of a nostalgic feeling.

「It’s okay, Berzelia. There are no complaints about your strength and speed. Besides, you no longer shake down everything you have on you like you did in the past, so you did grow. There is no need to be sad.」

Then, Berzelia rubbed her cheek on my hand and nodded.

「Yes… Thank you, Master. Then, this time, I’ll stop despairing at this!」

「Good, good, that’s the spirit.」

After confirming that Berzelia regained her energy I look at the transportation bag that I put on the ground. Some of Marion already peeked outside.

「T-The sea, it’s really right in front of us already—— It’s the City of Water… Just a moment ago we were on the other side of the mountains……」

Appearing somewhat amazed she looked at the sea.

「Didn’t I just say that we arrived?」

「N-no, it’s not like I was doubting you. It’s the feeling, that we instantly covered the distance that should have taken several days, has finally caught up with me, so I’m just excited, or rather, wondering if maybe those are hallucinations caused by excessive shaking… Yes, it hurts, so it’s not a dream.」

Marion kept muttering that while pinching her cheek. And she is a bit unsteady, is she actually fine?

After all, with this way of transportation, it may be safest to use restorative potion immediately after landing.

While thinking that, I waited for Marion to regain her strength—

「T-then, let’s go?」

「Yes. I’m looking forward to seeing the City of Water, Sylvestre!」

「Yup! I’m very excited thinking about what we might be able to taste there!」

And so we go into the City of Water.

●

Immediately after entering the City of Water we went to the heart of the city. Because—

…Well, first of all, we had to complete the request we undertook at the City of Stars.

The request is the escort of Marion to this city and delivery of Dort’s package to a branch of the merchant’s guild of this city.

That’s why I went straight through the center of the city and came to the branch of the merchant’s guild.

「So this is the branch’s building… It’s quite huge.」

The branch is a two-story building with magical protection preventing inconveniences that might come with the sea breeze. It’s a pretty sturdy looking and large building.

「Well, Kaufmann-san’s Gemini is especially big, even among the twelve cardinal guilds. Even branch buildings are pretty big and crowded everywhere.」

「I see…」

While saying that, I entered the guild.

Then, I walked towards the reception desk with a counter and signboard on it, but in the middle of it, I realized that people inside of the building kept glancing at me.

Or rather, the stares had a kind feeling to them.

「That man is carrying a transportation bag… So that’s a carrier, right…?」

「Right. Coming here with a starter job, how cute.」

Ah, that’s similar to what I happened in the City of Stars, but also slightly different. And while finding this situation somewhat fresh, I now stood in front of an elf woman at the reception desk.

「Good day, dear customer. What can we do for you today?」

「Yeah. It’s about work.」

Hearing those words, the receptionist scratched her cheek and with a slightly troubled face—

「Work, you say. I’m very sorry, but generally, our guild does not mediate requests for individuals with starter transportation jobs. In this case, I would recommend a branch of adventurer’s guild nearby, or the shipbuilding guild.」

She advised me in such fashion. Taking into account that they went as far as to recommend me something, this guild might be considerate to beginners, I thought, but since this time I didn’t come for that, I put the transportation bag on the counter and started to take out the contents.

「Ehmm, it’s this box and envelope. I came to deliver it at the request of Dort Kaufmann from the City of Stars.」

「Huh…?」

To my words, for a moment, the woman at the reception made an agape expression

「Eh… Mmm, please wait for a short while…」

For a few seconds the receptionist looked through some kind of papers under the desk and then looked at the baggage that I placed on the desk.

「This magic seal… T-There is no mistaking it, this crest belongs to this guilds… B-But!　This request was supposed to be commissioned only yesterday, and I think the bridge leading to the City of Stars was broken. Just how did you manage to get here……?!」

The receptionist asked.

However, explaining it in detail will take a while—

「How should I put it, I took a flight.」

I said briefly. For a second, the woman winced slightly.

「…Could it be, that you are the Flying Carrier, Axel-san?」

「Yeah. That’s right, so the way I’m called at the City of Stars is known here.」

In response, the eyes of the woman at the reception opened wide and—

「—Please, forgive my impoliteness!」

Suddenly bowed.

「Eeeh? What this all of a sudden?」

「W-Well, we often hear rumors about you. By no means was my response appropriate towards the person who made so many great achievements at the City of Stars. I humbly beg your pardon for what has happened.」

The woman at the reception bowed her head again, while firmly saying those words.

And after looking at the baggage on the counter, she shifted her gaze to me.

「And, thank you very much for the incredible speed at which you completed this request. To think that not only the fall of the bridge would not prevent you from delivering the package from the City of Stars in just one day but that you will also, actually fly to do it… That saved us a lot of trouble.」

As the female receptionist was energetically saying that, some notes of astonishment were mixed in her voice. Also, she was not alone speaking in such a tone.

The people around us, who seemed to hear our conversation, were the same as well.

「Are you serious… I thought that the flying carrier was nothing more than a sham, to think that he really exists. He came here even though the bridge has collapsed.」

「Eeh, Yeah. I heard that the submaster departed from the city only this morning. For him to already arrive here is abnormal… The rumors that he is faster than a shooting star might actually be true.」

I could hear the voices filled with amazement.

My name seems to be surprisingly well known. Though it seems that rumors have their share of exaggeration.

「Well, is it okay to consider the delivery completed?」

「Of course. We surely have accepted it. And——I sincerely apologize for my previous rudeness.」

「No, no. I wouldn’t call that rude. Don’t mind it.」

I simply look like a beginner so she interacted with me in good faith. I didn’t feel any ill intent, thus I replied so and saw the receptionist breathe a sigh of relief.

「Thank you very much. We look forward to your continued cooperation with the merchant’s guild Gemini.」

「Yes, same here.」

Thus, the long-distance transportation request we took this morning was successfully completed.