Chapter 78

Farewell, Alessa

Everything was solved. The matter was settled by adding to the sentence of the escaped slaves. I definitely had some opinions about the neglect that led to all of this, but Backus was unable to do anything about it. And we were on our way out, so there little point in saying anything. I was the victim, but also an outsider.

Asagi Kamiyashiro would stay cool and leave.

“Well then, thank you for everything.”

“You have my thanks for taking care of my partner.”

We left the room and bowed. Everything had been resolved nicely, thanks to Backus.

“No, I am terribly sorry about what happened. You are welcome back here any time. Of course, it will be safer then.”

I believed that he could do it. Even those men who had fallen into slavery, they would surely strive to change. I’d like to think that they would see what I had done for them.

Well, probably not…

“We’ll be going now.”

“Ah, but did you not have one other person with you…”

“Oh.”

I had completely forgotten about her ever since Daniela arrived. She was also a victim that had become involved in this because of me. Just as I started looking around, she came out of a different door and our eyes met.

“Asagi.”

She called and approached us. Without a pause, she wrapped herself around my arm and pressed her chest into my body.

“Ohh, it was so frightening… Come on, let us return. Those slaves didn’t do anything to me directly, so I had nothing to say. Quite generous of me, huh?”

She said with a self-satisfied grin and managed to press herself into me even harder. I felt a chill crawl up my spine. My back was sweating.

“Uh…Lisa. Could you get off of me?”

“Oh? But why? Don’t you like what you see?”

I won’t say no. But, just stop. And stop moving so much. I was susceptible to such attacks.

“You two seem to get along very well, Asagi.”

“No, we don’t. I’d be grateful if she’d let me go.”

“What are you saying! You don’t look like you want to get away?”

“Oh? Is that so, Asagi?”

“Let me go!”

Backus pulled me out of there before it got out of hand. Stay away from that bust. Yeah, that would be my new motto. And with that thought, we returned to the inn.

□　　　□　　　□　　　□

“Thank you for a pleasant stay.”

“Yes.”

We returned our keys and listened to the innkeeper’s indifferent reply. Well, I suppose we would stay here again if we ever came back. We knew one of his employees after all.

“Asagi, you just had a wicked thought, did you not?”

“Daniela, whatever could you be talking about?”

I ignored the piercing glare as we left the inn behind us. Lisa had other affairs to attend to, so we had already said farewell to her at the guard house.

“I’m sorry that you got involved in our mess.”

“Oh, it is nothing to be so concerned about. You do have some rotten luck, though.”

“Well, it’s all finished now. I’ll just think of it as the pesky homework that suddenly appears near the end of summer vacation.”

“I don’t understand that analogy at all. But you take care. As for you miss. Maybe you’d like to sleep with me next time you visit? I can swing both ways you know.”

“Let’s go, Daniela.”

“Aye, lets.”

“Come back soon!”

With that being settled, we had no reason to stay here for another second. But I had the feeling that I’d forgotten something. Well, it couldn’t be important if it slipped my mind.

It was just as I was thinking this, and walking with Daniela down the southern road, that a voice called out to us.

“Mister Asagi! Miss Daniela!”

“Hm?”

I looked in the direction the voice was coming from, and saw a man standing by a horse-drawn carriage. Ahh, that’s right. Forgot all about him. Nick, from the Paw Armor Shop. I think we arrived in town with him? The slave incident made me forget everything else.

“I heard all about it. You’ve been rolling slaves in the dirt?”

“I’m not some sadist playing with his toys. No. I just neutralized them after being attacked!”

“I don’t see the difference.”

“There is a huge difference.”

My protestation did little to persuade him. I sighed. Apparently, he now saw me as some kind of cruel tyrant.

“Ah, are you leaving then?”

“Yeah, we’re headed to the southern empire.”

“Is that so! Well, I would be much obliged if you continue to advertise my store, in your new location!”

“Leave it to me.”

I couldn’t tell him that I had forgotten all about that. So I make a show of knocking on my ice dragon breastplate. Nick smiles with much satisfaction, and I feel a pang of guilt. But hey, there was no point in advertising here. I’m sure I’ll remember to do it in the empire, which would be much more effective anyway. Yes.

After that forced justification, we said our farewells and went our separate ways.

We told the guard at the southern mountain gate that we were leaving, and a small door to the side was opened for us.

“Eh? They opened the large gates for us when we came in.”

“Ah, that. That was the captain acting all grandiose. This gate is just about the only impressive sight in this town, and he likes to make a show of it to newcomers.”

“Ah…well, it is a mining town…”

“Exactly. Have a pleasant journey!”

A gate that is only opened for him to show off, huh… Maybe it’ll become a famous landmark one day…

□ □ □ □

We traveled along a valley path that was much like the one we crossed when coming here. These mountains would take a week to pass usually, but it was nothing when you just had to follow the straight beaten path. Other than being wary of the cliff eagles, anyway. It only took us a few hours to get through.

When we were through the Alexia mountain ranges, we would be on the opposite side of Spiris…in other words, the Lambrusen Republic. We were on the side of the Flugelnia Empire now. There were forests here, offering only an obstructed view of the sky. While the road here wasn’t paved, it was hardened earth, and yet the trees grew through it as it were normal soil.

According to Daniela, these trees were called berulu, and they grew so as to cast shadows everywhere. This prevented grass and other plants from growing, making them sound somewhat dangerous. But the trees were good for harvesting a very sweet sap. In fact, berulu sap was synonymous with sweetness in the empire. An empire of parades and sweets? Talk about slacking off. Was this empire’s military filled with a bunch of cowards?

Daniela suddenly stopped as I was silently insulting the empire and military that I had yet to actually see. In the same moment, Presence Detection told me that a monster was nearby.

“What kind of monsters lives in this area?”

“I do not know. It is my first time in this region as well. And I have never felt this presence before.”

Daniela unsheathed her sword, and I took out my sword that was made from the assault kobold’s fangs and claws. We slowly moved towards the place where the monster should be.

It would be harder to hide in a forest with no grass or bushes. Moreso for the monster, as we soon found it between two trees. It was licking the trunk of the tree that was bleeding sap. Even the monsters loved it, eh? Was it taking some home?

“It looks like a goblin.”

“It is too dark to tell for sure… But I do remember reading about them once. It is likely a forest goblin.”

“Sounds like an accurate description… Anything we should be wary of?”

“They are supposed to have claws that allow them to climb trees. And they double as weapons.”

So they don’t use swords? Then I won’t be able to sell them. Useless shits!

“Alright, let’s get a little closer and kill it. This will be the first of our prey after entering Flugelnia. Let’s be careful.”

“Aye, watch your feet, Asagi.”

“What’s that? As if this veteran would make such a mista-”

SNAP!

“…-I had such delusions once.”

“Oh, you stupid bastard.”

Daniela dashed forward, and I frantically chased after her.

I am Asagi Kamiyashiro. Silvergreen.

And I’m doing my best.

Thank you.