CH 20

Escape from the Hellish Carriage

“It seems that you have no concept of self-control, Young lady. We won’t be able to get you to the Royal Capital of Orthoa safely. It might be inconvenient, but your self-control is lacking, so please bear with this.”

“Hmmmh… hnhhg… ngggh.”

I can’t reply.

“Ohh, how… ahem. There was no need to cover your mouth as well.”

“Puhaa!! You knew that from the beginning. Besides, this is a treason qualifying under the harm of one’s master. I demand an immediate release.”

“According to the Queen’s letter of permission, this is acceptable enough, so I am not guilty. It means my regular conduct is very good. You could say it’s the difference in trust.”

Ngggh. No matter what I say, Aletheia won’t release me. It’s really hard to move. There’s a handkerchief wrapped around the bottom of the bindings to keep the ends from sticking, and while the rope is not too tight, it’s not loose enough for me to escape. I don’t think there’s anything I can do about it. Coote can’t help me because he’s too big to fit in the carriage, and magic is hard to control, so I don’t want to use it without my wand. Maybe I can heal myself afterward, but I don’t have the masochistic tendencies to burn the rope around my hands with fire.

It can’t be helped since things reached to this. I will l have to make a last ditch effort to get out and get Aletheia obedient.

“I’m sorry, I won’t do anything bad again (lie). I won’t say a word or move until we get to Orthoa.”

“Eh!”

Aletheia panicked when I suddenly become quiet and unmoving, but I don’t say a word. I was sitting obediently. I’m not that fond of moving in the first place, so I should just sit and wait for later.

“U… umm, Young lady? You don’t have to go that far, okay? You can talk to me about something… please talk about something~”

“……”

I’m not going to respond to anything until Aletheia breaks down and releases me.

And after about 30 minutes of silence, Aletheia broke. Easy.

“Understood. I get it already, so please say something. I will untie the rope too~!!”

“Will you forgive me?”

“Of course. Please don’t do anything like that again, though.”

When I finally spoke up, Aletheia released me with a smile on her face… gotcha!

“Sleep.”

“Eh?…”

As soon as I was untied, I promptly reached for my wand (Aletheia couldn’t move it elsewhere because it would attack the moment she touched it) and I put her to sleep with sleeping magic.

“Sleep” is just a spell that puts your opponent to sleep, so it’s not particularly harmful. I’ve heard that even if you make a mistake, it only prolongs the sleep, so there’s no problem.

“I don’t want to live in an uncomfortable carriage anymore. So please be obedient for a while.”

Having succeeded in silencing Aletheia, I slowly laid her down. This was surprisingly difficult because I’m a child, and if the adult Aletheia had fallen out of her chair, I wouldn’t have been able to lift her back onto it.

“Everyone stop!!”

I looked out the window and told the guards to stop. The purpose of the stop was to modify this carriage. I can’t stand riding in this unpleasant vehicle any longer, so I’m going to modify it to my liking.

“Princess? What is the matter?”

The captain of the guard asked me as he kneeled down. They are currently in the working mode… I’m sure the sudden attack has thrown them for a loop, because they’re normal people.

“Is there anyone good at tempering with carriages?”

“Yes. There are two engineer soldiers. Is there something wrong?”

“We are going to remodel the carriage now. I made Aletheia sleep, so please get her carefully off the carriage. Also, please unbuckle the horses from the straps.”

I thought it was common for carriages to break down in this era, and as I thought, there were engineers among the soldiers. This means it won’t take much longer than planned.

The guards seemed to understand my usual behavior, and without saying a word, they got Aletheia out of the carriage, laid her down in the shade of a nearby tree, and unbuckled the horses from the carriage. They didn’t seem to have any intention of stopping me as there was no particular danger. If it was dangerous, they would mist likely forced me back in the carriage.

“What do you intend to do with the carriage?”

The captain asked me as he reported the completion of the task.

“I will transform it into a floating carriage.”

“What?”

I pointed my wand at the carriage and used the magic spell “Fly” to make the carriage float. Then I turned the carriage on its side and use the Windcutter to cut through the connection between the wheels and the body of the carriage, and slowly lowered the carriage.

“Please bring the dragon bones and four magic spheres from the wagon.”

“Eh?… Ah! Yes.”

It’s not something to ask a nearby knight to do, but the bones are too big for me to carry. Originally, I was going to use them up a little at a time, but they are surprisingly useless, so let’s use them all at once.

I went over to the people who were watching with their mouths open wide as the carriage broke down in front of them, and told them about my wishes and hopes.

Escape from the Hellish Carriage

“Can… can you do it?”

“This is very novel. We can do this much renovation anytime. However, I’ve never heard of such a use for dragon bones, and even if I had, the preciousness of dragon bones would make it impossible to realize. This is an honor for us. Not even my dad and others have ever done anything like this.”

The two successors of the most skilled craftsman in our country’s Workshop Guild seemed to be very excited and curious about the method that even their father had never tried. They said they would get right to work.

I have the magic spheres to process, and if I don’t finish the work before Aletheia wakes up… I’ll be in trouble. I’m sure Aletheia won’t leave it at scolding me severely, but if I show her what we have done, I’m sure she’ll realize that I was right, and she’ll cry and apologize for being so rude to me later. My heart was pounding, I have not yet forgiven her for tying me up. There is no mercy.

“I’m going to start working, so let me know when it’s done.”

“Roger that. I will finish it as quickly and thoroughly as possible!”

If my facial expressions were more flexible, I would have grinned like those guys, but alas, I have no facial expressions. Serves me right for not learning how to move my facial muscles more.

“Princess… are you sure it was all right not to restrict your maid? I have a feeling she won’t let us keep working when she wakes up. It would be better to keep her immobile until the work is finished…”

“I think it’s probably useless. She will get out even if we wrap her up in chains.”

“Just what kind of person is she…”

I’m not sure what Aletheia’s past is either. She told me she was in a party with my Father when he was an adventurer, but she wouldn’t tell me what she did before and after, and when I asked about her age, she attacked my cheeks hard, so I couldn’t find out anything. Moreover, she is quite capable and there is no way for me to avoid her. So restraints would be useless. I’m sure she wouldn’t tear off the chains like my Father, though.

“Can I ask you to do this?”

——Sure thing, I am ready anytime——

The two of us, the Wind Spirit and I, cast Fly into the magic spheres. Originally, it would be fine to use just one, but by using more than one, the consumption of magical power of each sphere would lessen, and by using four magic spheres with Fly on the bottom of the carriage, we can use all four in case of emergency. Up to this point, it’s all my job.

Of course, adjusting the balance after placement is the most difficult part, but the Spirits are usually floating, so they seem to be good at calculating that part… Don’t they occasionally charge into the walls, though?

“Hmm.”

“Princess… it, it’s… complete.”

When the work was finished and the magic spheres were inserted into the bottom of the carriage with magic, I heard the engineers behind me, but when I turned around, there was no one there. The hell that’s scary.

“Over… here.”

I heard them from below, and when I looked down, I saw the engineers lying on the ground. Of course, I could see them before because my point of view is low. I just wanted to have a little taste of adultness, since everyone treats me like a child.

“Is it… done?”

Both of them look enlightened. I wonder what happened to them in such a short time.

“I think we did a good job, but it was very difficult. This is the work I’m most satisfied in my entire life.”

They were apparently satisfied with their work and achieved enlightenment, but you guys, you still have to carry the furniture inside, so I will be troubled if you are this exhausted… I helped them with Heal and had them do their best for a little longer.

“It’s still not done yet. Install the furniture, please.”

“Hahaha… there are still things left for me to do… I still have a long way to go.I thought it was done once we finished this. Still… it’s not over yet.”

Then they staggered to work and finished all the work three and a half hours after Aletheia fell asleep.

“Perfect… this is what a carriage should strive to be.”

“We have done it.”

“Yeah, it’s perfect.”

“At first glance, it looks like a crate on top of sledge. What is this sledge part for?”

“It’s for attacking monsters when they come out from underneath, to prevent damage to the carriage, and to stabilize the whole thing when it can’t float for some reason.”

“Goblins would certainly be minced meat if they got ran over by this thing.”

The knights and the engineers seemed to be satisfied. The carriage will not shake regardless of the terrain… we have developed something wonderful. If we can mass produce it, we can live off of the royalties. Though I’m not short of money.

“With this, I got one step closer to being a Great Mage again.”

I unintentionally spilled my dream out loud. But this happy time came to an abrupt end.

“Young lady?”

Bloodthirst from behind! Guards, it’s enemy attack!

“You fools over there, take one more step and I’ll cut off your important pieces. If you don’t want that to happen, stay back.”

With that single comment, the guards turned pale and separated from me… eh?

“Abandoning your professional duties is a crime.”

“Forgive us, Princess. We… we are ordered to listen to Miss Maid’s instructions.”

“Now then, Princess~ please come to me.”

“Why! Why even after I made something so magnificent… just why!!

“R… run…”

“Caught you♪”

After that, my memory is vague. I think I just saw that fool Teth changing clothes in the white space and yelling on top of their lungs. I still couldn’t figure out their gender, though.