CH 357

We were progressing well as we departed from the royal capital, Illuminate.

The road to Sandiola was in a different direction than the road to Oriola territory, where we had stopped before, and on the third day, we had crossed a forked road and stopped in the town where we would be staying today.

“…… I see, you’re a tamer. Be careful not to let them get out of control, okay? I’m sure you don’t want to be a criminal, after all.”

“Thanks. Here, Radia, put on your mouse cover and gloves.”

“Guruu.”

“The inn with the stables is around the corner. Take your time!”

A good-natured gatekeeper saw us off and drove the carriage forward. In order to show that there was no danger for now, I prepared Radia’s mouth and also my newly made gloves. It’s not hard to see why, since she obeys me so well, but I feel a bit sorry for Schneider, who looks not much different from a dog, since he didn’t do anything.

“Now, I’m going to do something else then. I know where the inn is, so please take your time.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to the carriage station. Oh, I’ll be back before dinner.”

“Oh, Basleigh-sensei, I’ll go–“

I thought she was probably going to investigate Helena, so I stopped her, but she got off Radia and quickly disappeared into the town.

“I’m grateful for that, but since she’s a minister, I think she should have at least one bodyguard.”

“Well, it’s a town within the territory, so it’s fine here. It will be a problem when we get to Sandiola, though.”

“She seemed to know this town, so I’ll trust her. Ash, we’re here.”

“Kuoon ……?”

I woke up Ash, who had been sleeping on Makina’s lap, and we checked into the inn. The owner of the inn’s eyes widen when he saw Radia and Schneider, but when he saw that they were quiet, he set up a straw bed in the stables.

“We haven’t seen any monsters in a long time, since the number of tamers has dwindled. Your horses are excellent too, are you a nobleman?”

“Well, something like that. I was thinking of going to Sandiola.”

“That’s where you’re going? I heard that the king changed recently, but he’s very curious. Well, with such powerful monsters, the thieves won’t be able to attack you, so I guess you’ll be fine”

With that, he hands me the key to the room and raises one hand to send me off. I’m in a separate room, and Makina and the other women are in the same room, so we have two keys. Everyone says it’s fine to be in the same room, but I’m embarrassed, so I decline.

“Kuoon♪!”

“!”

“Oh, you’re coming over here? Good boy, I guess I should play with you guys once in a while. Call me if you need me.”

“Yes! Master, since there’s a garden, shall we do some training?”

And as Makina made a clenched fist and put up a good fight, Fath-san thought for a moment and then headed to the room with Ash and Sephiro.

“Kuoon?”

“Huh? What’s wrong, Fath-san?”

“You two are lovers, so I and Basleigh will share a room, and Lars and Makina will be fine. I’ll take Ash and the others in and you can relax.”

“What!?”

I don’t remember the last time we spent time alone together. Especially since my brother and the others were there. Makina was surprised, but I decided to accept Fath-san’s consideration. 

“I guess you’re right. I feel bad for Makina because I should be the one to notice. Then, please take care of Ash and the others.”

“Yes. leave it to me. In exchange, make dinner extravagant, okay? Ho-ho-ho! Why don’t you play with this old lady for a change?”

“Kuoon!”

“♪!”

Ash and the others squealed happily at Fath-san’s words and disappeared into the next room. I held Makina’s hand as we entered the room.

“It’s quite spacious.”

“It’s true! The futon is soft too. We camped out last night, so I think I’ll sleep better.”

“Yeah. I’m really sorry, I didn’t realize until she told me that I hadn’t spent any time with Makina.”

When I said that while sitting on the bed, Makina said with a puzzled look on her face.

“What? You’re with me every day, and sometimes you accompany me with my training in the morning, right? We also eat together, so I don’t think I’ve ever thought of that? You know, they say that normal couples are so busy with work that they only see each other in the morning and at night, and that some guys cheat on their lover, right? Since we don’t have any of those things, I can stay with you with peace of mind.”

“What? Ah, Ahhhh, no, for example, going on dates ……”

“Hmm, we do a lot of shopping …… Maybe I’d like to go for a walk once in a while?”

She seemed surprisingly unconcerned, and opened her mouth in a thoughtful gesture, but there was no problem. But then she popped her hand and opened her mouth.

“But, I think we don’t often get to be alone together–“

“Uwah!?”

Makina smiled and dove at me sitting on the bed, and I quickly grabbed her, but she rolled over on the futon. When I meet Makina’s eyes, I blush and mutter to myself 

“…… It’s hard to find time to spoil you like this, and I’d like to k-kiss you or something sometimes ……”

“…… I see.”

This is certainly difficult to do unless it’s just the two of us. Fath-san is in the cabin, but Basleigh-sensei lives at the house, so if I try to do something like that, I’m sure Basleigh-sensei will weep tears of blood. 

…… But now it’s just the two of us, and Basleigh-sensei is out investigating the carriage stations. I should see this as an opportunity. This is what I thought, and I put my face close to Makina’s.

“……!”

When Makina realized that I was going to kiss her, she closed her eyes and our lips met. After a few moments of savoring the aftermath and slowly pulling away, I turn my attention to the door.

“I’m still nervous about the kiss …… What’s wrong ……?”

“No, usually, Basleigh-sensei is peeking in or coming in at the right time ……”

Makina says, “Oh”, with an exasperated look on her face. But this time, I don’t think she was there. 

“Fuh ……”

“Ahaha, Basleigh-sensei’s timing is so bad, so it’s unsettling, huh …… Hmm? Wait a minute.”

“What’s the matter?”

Makina, who had been smiling, suddenly turned serious, put her ear to the wall, and put her finger to her lips. I put my ear on it, too–

(Fath-san, Fath-san! Lars-kun and Makina were kissing! It was like Chuuu!]

“Basleigh-sensei ……!”

“Oh! Makina!”

The red-faced Makina jumped out of the way with great force, and Basleigh-sensei was hung.

“Kuh …… So I didn’t think I’ve been found out …… This is a lifelong mistake for me, Basleigh ……”

“No, you’ve always been found out, so it’s always a lifelong mistake, though?”

“No doubt. So, did you get any information?”

While being struck by Makina, whose face turned red, Basleigh-sensei, who was hung, opened her mouth with a mysterious look.

“…… Helena and what looked like her mother had arrived in town in a carriage that had arrived a short time ago. The ticket seller approached her because he thought they were a beautiful mother and daughter, and she told him that she was here for sightseeing.”

“Oh, I see. Oh, then, they’re really–“

I was just relieved when Basleigh-sensei interrupted me.

“If that was all, it would have been fine, but there was no sign of them staying at the inn after that. And they didn’t use the carriage either. However, they seem to have disappeared from this town, and Helena and her Mom are nowhere to be found in this town.”

“What did you say……?”

A mixture of good and bad information …… I didn’t expect to find that their footsteps would disappear from here …… Where the hell did they go?

We only stayed a day, looking for Helena, but we couldn’t find her, so we left heading for Sandiola. It seems that the gatekeepers did not see them, so they must have left the town by some means, but what was the point of doing so.

…… A little further on and we’ll be in Sandiola. In my mind, where Helena was headed had been replaced by what she wasn’t.

We camped and stayed for a little over two weeks. We entered the country of Sandiola.

Lars and the others finally set foot in Sandiola. What about then transfer magic? What happened to Helena?

Thank you for reading!

[Afterword Theater]

“They’re getting closer and closer, but Lars’s main focus is on learning transfer magic, after all.”

Yes, yes, but they’ll probably get caught up.