CH 32

Although there are some gentle up and downs, the main road heading to the harbour became a distance easy to walk.

As one might expect from an important highway from which foreign countries transport their goods to the royal capital, it was renovated at set intervals. Even if you look around now, you can see the sight of labourers, shaving off and fixing the part of the road which had a hole in it.

“Hey Dale. Chloe was worried about thieves and stuff. Are they here?”

“Well, since it is a passage for carriages full of valuables, of course there’ll be some. But, this area is still near Kroix so, there aren’t many”

“Is that how it is?”

“If they take measures to deal with them then, those adventurer fellows will gather at the blink of an eye you know? Although there are also thieves who were former adventurers… normally, the ones pursuing are the ones who have a hard time dealing with them”

With the clip clop of hooves as the BGM, the two of them talk as they walk.

“Ahead of the inn town that we’re staying in today, is a little bit dangerous I suppose…. I hear that those kind of people come out every now and then”

“Is it alright?”

“Ahh. Because I’ll properly protect Latina. Worried?”

“Latina is alright, since Dale is here”

As Dale smiles at Latina revealing her blooming smile, filled with trust from the bottom of her heart,

(To just kill them all, is actually a lot easier though sigh. I don’t really want to show Latina such a cruel scene)

He says that kind of dangerous monologue.

(Ahh. But if they turn their weapons to Latina then, I, might just flip shit)

As he thinks of such things, Dale was patting the nearby Latina with a lazy smiling face so, the things called humans, were unable to guess what he is thinking and the like, from the outside.

It seems Latina, who normally lived in the confined space called Kroix, felt that the outside world was extravagantly wide.

It’s as if she is seeing something entirely different, even the sights that Dale finds ordinary.

Climbing up the gentle slope of the main road, was also the moment that had widened her field of vision. Latina shouts in joy, looking over at her surroundings.

Far away, stretched a blue and hazy mountain range, whilst a forest and plains lay in front of it. And in front of that extended a crop region that had been growing wheat and such.

“So big! Wow!”

“Is that so? ….It might be so. Come on, Latina, you can see it off in the distance. That is the town we’re staying at today”

“Uwahhhh”

It appears as if Latina was trying to look even just a bit further with an excited appearance. Lining up her hand to her forehead like a roof, she lightly skipped around.

Even her platinum coloured hair, which had been arranged and parted into two parts, was shaking intensely as it reflected the light.

“Don’t frolic around too much ok? You’ll end up getting tired before reaching the town”

“Un!”

Replying energetically, She lines up next to Dale.

Taking breaks here and there, they arrive at the town before the sun goes down as planned.

The inn town 『Haaz』 is a small town which couldn’t even be compared with Kroix.

As if you can see just by looking at the surrounding crop regions, the main industry is agriculture and it’s this type of town which also supports the abundance of Kroix.

It also prospers as a place to stop by, as it is, at the same time, along the main road.

There are even a variety of inns, from high class one targeted for wealthy merchants, to cheap inns where several people are crammed into one room.

Dale bribes the gate keeper who protect the wall surrounding the town with a little money and asked him.

If this was him normally then, there’s no problem with any inn as long as he can sleep. However, this time he is bringing along Latina. Which is why he wants to request for a certain level of security installed.

“It’s different to Kroix huh. The atmosphere of the homes are different too”

“However this area is still on the more lively side. Places like my hometown is too far out into the countryside, Latina will be surprised I think…”

Haaz’s buildings are on the whole, quite plain.

You wouldn’t be able to see walls plastered with mortar or paints like in Kroix. The colours of the roofs too, were red, similar to the style in Raband but, maybe the paints are different, it was a dull, depressing red.

However, you could say that in some ways, that landscape is the grace of the countryside.

The one Dale had chosen, was a mid-rank inn that held a stable.

He unloads the luggage from the horse he was pulling along, and enters inside. Latina couldn’t seem to calm down, looking around restlessly.

He went and approached the Okami tending the store, who had a rather good figure. (TL: a female innkeeper)

“Is there a room available?”

“Ahh. Is one room alright?”

“No problem. Also, I’ll be using the stable. I’ll leave the water and fodder to you”

“It’ll cost extra”

“I understand”

Looking at the key that the Okami handed over, he calls Latina over. Even during that exchange of Dale’s, she was only observing the surroundings eagerly, as if she was possessed.

This inn was similar to 『Dancing Ocelot』, and was made so that the first floor is a dining room and the second floor are the guest rooms.

Dale and Latina’s room was the corner room on the far end of the second floor.

Opening the windows, you can look out over all the way to the wall on the other side of town; if you desire a view then it was not a bad room. If it’s safety though, then the inner rooms are better. However after seeing the joyous face on Latina’s face, he stopped worrying about such trivial things.

The manners of the Okami is another thing but, the room has a sense of cleanliness which was not bad at all.

In between the two lined up beds, maintained a certain amount of space and the wideness was also enough.

Dale drops the luggage in the corner and uninstalled his gauntlet then, took off his coat.

Latina too, seeing him do that, drops the luggage on her back and removes her knife. Having become lighter she jumped around, like a rabbit.

“Um, you know (anone), Dale….)

“If you want to stroll around, don’t. Because there’ll be plenty of walking to do tomorrow”

Having the words she wanted to say be beaten to the punch, Latina made a shocked face.

“I understand that you want to look all around but you know, we’ll be passing through a lot of towns from here on. Please rest properly when it’s time to rest.”

“….Un”

Looking at Latina, who nodded although she looked dejected, Dale let out a sigh.

Dale doesn’t want to make Latina have this kind of face either but, judging from this child’s high spirits, if he let her go then she would definitely want to look everywhere until she collapses.

Here it would be better if he warns her once.

“In exchange, once we reach the port town 『Cuvare』, let’s do a little sightseeing. Control yourself until then”

Latina brightens up at those words.

His reason probably being that he (Dale) is being himself (a doting parent), thus couldn’t leave her alone, having made her sad.

As one would expect from mid-rank inns, even bathing equipment had been prepared.

With her pleasantly warm expression after a bath, Latina came to the table. Taking a glance at the menu cheerfully.

“Latina, what do you want to eat?”

“Latina wants to eat something, Latina has never eaten before. Kenneth too, you know, said that eating different foods from different places is also studying”

“Ahh~…. That was indeed how Kenneth was…”

At any rate, I wonder if this girl is aiming to becoming a chef when she becomes of age.

Somehow it feels like she’s gradually becoming genuine regarding the path of cooking and meals though.

(Well… Kenneth too didn’t feel like he understood, even though he was an adventurer but, he was also a chef…. I guess she’s just like her master…)

As he remembers the face of the man who he treated as a brother, and her master, Dale drained the cup of ale, he rarely ordered.

“Nnnn…. Uun?”

Although, there wasn’t anything particularly novel on the menu. Hence because this region is near an agriculture field, Latina ordered various assortments of Grilled Vegetables and Fritters. Dale ordered a quite ordinary Grilled Chicken. The bread on the side were served in stacks, and it was a nice system where you could eat as much as you want, precisely because this area produces wheat.

“Nnnn…”

“What’s wrong? Latina”

“These vegetables… it would’ve been good if they fried it a little slower with a little more care”

When he asks a question to Latina who was tilting her head in doubt as she ate, the response that he got from her, exceeded Dale’s expectations.

“If it was done like that, it would have had a sweeter taste”

“Ohh…. you know the difference?”

“Because Kenneth taught Latina. This one here is tasty”

Looking at the freshly grown sprouts fritter which had a slightly bitter taste, Latina was nodding agreeably.

(Latina’s cooking skill…. might be greater than I had thought, naa….)

Looking at the figure of Latina, chewing the bread thoroughly and steadily, confirming the taste, Dale reconfirmed her high specs.

After he finishes with the bath, Dale returns to the room and, Latina, who he had let return back to the room earlier, was writing something inside a small note book.

As Dale tries to take a peek at it, she suddenly panics and tries to hide it.

He took notice of that.

(TL: 　その仕草で気付いた。)

“A diary?”

“Latina’s writing about the trip. It’s embarrassing so, you can’t look at it”

“I see. Sorry. Are you writing things which would worry me if I end up read it?”

“It’s embarrassing so you can’t look at it, nano”

It’s unusual to see the sight of Latina slightly shaking her head. When it comes to Dale, as long as it’s not something major, this girl wouldn’t say no.

(It sure makes me curious if you say that it’s no good…)

Be that as it may, he also thinks that is he keeps insisting, he might never be able to get back on his feet if he becomes hated by her.

Given that he had only napped last night, Dale is also aware that he has been accumulating fatigue.

He had told Latina as well but, it’s important to properly rest when it’s time to rest.

After he checks that the doors to the room are locked, he got into bed. At the sight of that, Latina makes a slightly panicked face.

Chasing after him, she gets onto the blanket covering Dale and wap wap, taps him.

“Dale, Dale. Um, you know (anone)…”

“Nn?”

“Is it no good, for Latina to sleep next to Dale?”

“…Is it because we usually sleep next to each other?”

When Dale returns the question at Latina’s remark, she thinks a little then,

“Waking up at an unknown place, Latina will be a little surprised. It’s safe, next to Dale”

“I see…. it’s an unfamiliar journey after all. You would be on edge”

After Dale agrees, he gets up slowly and looks at the surroundings.

The bed is made for one person so it’s slightly cramped for two people to sleep side by side. The bed placed in their bedroom at Kroix is quite wide.

“So, while we’re at it Latina. I’ll also teach you the spell for 《GravityReduction》. Listen carefully. Since it’s quite useful”

Saying that, Dale chants the spell, slower than he would normally.

“<Oh Black Darkness, Thy Origins of Thy Name commands Thou , Cut apart the binding of the stars  《Gravity Reduction》>”

Using the spell, he touches the other bed laying nearby. Under the effect of the weight manipulating spell, he was able to lift it easily.

Rearranging it so it lines up right next to the former. He moved it carefully so that it wouldn’t make too loud a sound.

“There’s a little difference in height but, is this fine?”

“Un. Thanks Dale”

Latina smiles happily, and slips into the next bed.

Dale smiles as well, as if attracted by that happy expression of hers.

(Maybe it’s not just Latina, I might also feel more at ease like this…)

At a distance where he can feel Latina’s body temperature, what Dale thought of right before he fell asleep, was something like that.

(Author’s note: Dale-san…. you sure won’t change… I think as I write this.

In the future Latina will leave her name in the world of cooking… maybe. … Etc etc, so won’t you please gently watch over her from hereon as well.

Thank you very much for reading)