Chapter 40

Chapter 41

「……Why are you raring to go……」

With the situation answering his predictions, Shion held his head in his hand and hung it down.

Maybe because it was unexpected even for Kain and Sharon, their eyes went round.

Nino was the only one that seemed to be composed.

That being said, Kain and Sharon’s reaction could be said to be understandable.

When they thought that a driver for them would be dispatched, they prepared their armaments for the adventure and looked forward to meeting them.

But it wasn’t someone like a classmate.

It was the Board Chairman who was the top of the Edius Adventurer’s School.

Her participating in a student’s adventure as part of the transportation had never been heard of before.

「H, Headmaster……Are you going to be coming along?」

「Kain-kun. I am not a Headmaster, I am a Board Chairman. Also, since this is outside of office hours, be sure to call me Luuty-san.」

「With the Headmas……no, I mean, with Luuty-san around, she’ll be a tremendous strength, won’t she, Kain!」

For some reason, seeing the peaceful atmosphere of the three of them, Shion got a headache.

「……So, Luuty……Why are you coming along?」

「There’s no real why to it. I just don’t want the Earthworm that I’m renting out to get involved in a terrible accident.」

That was a reasonable reason.

In other words, at the moment Kain and Sharon had the talk about Earthworms with Luuty, it was probably already decided that it would be like this in Luuty’s mind.

Thinking that, Shion noticed something.

「Hold on a second. Kain, did you know that Luuty possessed an Earthworm?」

「Eh? No, when Luuty-san came to us with this matter, we heard about it in the middle of the conversation……」

「Ahー……I see, I get it now.」

They were clearly guided into it.

Luuty probably guided the flow of her converation with Kain and Sharon so that it would go in that direction.

In a way where she herself didn’t say that she would be coming along, and in a form where she was asked by Kain and Sharon’s side……That’s the direction she made it go.

And then, most likely, there was no mistake that she planned on coming along for some sort of reason from the beginning, that’s what Shion thought.

Thinking about the contents of the request, it was hard even for Shion to refuse her.

Naturally, it would be fine for him to refuse her, but there was no reason to refuse.

With her not breaking her appearance as a good willed cooperative worker right to the very end, she was actually a opponent that was hard to deal with.

「……So, you use the bow.」

When Shion sent his gaze towards the bow that Luuty carried on her back, Luuty nodded.

「Yes, I often go out on the scene even now you know?」

Since Shion vaguely had a mental image of her using magic, he felt that she actually used that instead.

He could tell the truth if he were to use Status Confirmation Magic, but if he were to use it, he might be sensed with the movement of magical power.

Thinking that it would be safer to abstain from unnecessary things, he held his curiosity down and controlled himself.

「In any case, let’s go. Come on, get on.」

Seeing Luuty pat her hand down, Kain and Sharon looked flustered and rushed over to the Earthworm.

Shion looked up at the Earthworm once again.

It was a gigantic insect that possessed a carapace that shined purple as the light of the town shined upon it.

Something that seemed like a carriage box was installed on its back.

It was a truly splendid box, but he couldn’t see as far as the interior from here.

It seemed that a short rope ladder was used to climb into that box, and it was impressive how it hung from the box.

「Still, I see……To think that we would be getting on a box similar to a carriage.」

「If it were to be pulled and transported by an Earthworm, it would certainly get into a terrible accident after all.」

While somehow coming into agreement with this, Shion and Nino also got on board the Earthworm.

Inside of the box that they climbed the rope ladder into, it was decorated in a way that could be described as high class.

Spongy cushions.

Dark brown couches.

The place suitable for the coachman seat that was connected from there was covered in a circle with a transparent window that was made of polished crystal or something, and ensured a wide field of vision.

What was in front of that coachman seat was an sphere that emitted a faint radiance.

「With this magic sphere, I can connect my will with the Earthworm.」

The last one to get on board the Earthworm was Luuty, but she saw what was at the end of Shion’s gaze and told him about it.

「Did you finish the formalities and such?」

「Right, right, that.」

As she said that that, following after Luuty as she went to the coachman seat was a man wearing an iron helmet who popped up and showed his face.

That equipment, it was the standard equipment for the soldiers of the royal capital──In other words, he was probably a guard of the main gate.

「Erm……Right, it certainly is five people. Since Luuty-san’s part has already been checked, it’s a bit troublesome, but could the remaining ones please present cards that could act as identification?」

This was a necessary procedure for entering and leaving the town.

Those that do not possess one at the time of entering would be issued a temporary card, and those that did some sort of job inside would possess a card that indicated that they did so.

This couldn’t be said in too loud of a voice, but any random thug could possess an Adventurer card.

This meant that they would be identified by that, and it would be used at times of going in and out of the town or transactions that required trust.

「Right, everything is sound. Well then, have a safe journey.」

After the soldier that checked Shion and others’ Adventurer Cards said that with a smile, he descended the rope ladder.

When Nino collected that rope ladder, the voices of soldiers doing traffic control could be heard.

「And Earthworm is coming throughー!」

「Open up a path, a path! You won’t get off with just being stepped on and crushed!」

Abiding by the instructions of the soldiers that raised loud voices, the crowds of people split onto both sides of the path.

The area in front of the Earthworm that Shion and the others were riding no longer had even a single mouse there.

「There is no problem within viewable range on the gate’s inner side!」

「There is no problem within viewable range on the gate’s outer side!」

「Roger, no problems on the inner or outer sides of the gate! Send the signal for departure to the Earthworm!」

「Roger, signalling for departure! Calling for departure to Earthworm operator Luuty-shi! Requesting for the signal!」

Sharon raised an amazed voice at the lively voices and movements.

「Uwah……It’s amazing, it’s amazing, isn’t it, Nino-san!」

「Nino hates that sort of sultry procedure.」

Both of their impressions were correct, is what Shion thought.

By being like that and doing it so ceremoniously, it makes it hard for mistakes to happen.

In the case of dangerous methods of transportation like the Earthworm, this was just right.

Dangers should be prevented before they happen.

If it’s for that sake, it couldn’t be helped that it was sultry.

「Roger on the call for departure! Departing at the count of 5!」

「Roger with the count of 5! Commencing the count!」

Answering Luuty, the voice of the soldier doing the countdown resounded.

Count 5.

Count 4.

Count 3.

「There is going to be a splendid impact. Please make sure you don’t bite your tongues.」

Count 2.

Count 1.

Simultaneous with the count of 0, the Earthworm departed.

The so-called departure wasn’t as simple acceleration.

Making a roaring *don* sound, it was an intense departure.

While hearing Sharon’s scream that resounded from on top of the Earthworm, the soldiers that saw off their departure laughed.

「It’s speedy as usual.」

「Yeah. Even though they normally go much slower. I wonder if it’s because the compatibility between the Earthworm and that teacher is way too good?」

「Hahaha. She’s a person that bought an Earthworm because she said that she hated how slow horses were, you know? The only time that person safely drives the Earthworm is pretty much when she comes into the town!」

If Shion had heard those words, he would have definitely raised a complaint, but the Earthworm was already in the middle of a flat-out run to a place very distant from the town.

……Then again.

Even if he were to make a protest, there was a low possibility as to whether or not Luuty would accept it.

Chapter 41