CH 359

Even though it was in town, I’ve heard that it’s dangerous, so I’ve decided to take over the nighttime security and leave the daytime asking around to Makina and the others. As with camping, if you think that at night is the time where you’re most defenseless, then I would be the right person to be able to move around flexibly.

By the way, we’re staying in the plaza in the middle of town, sleeping on the back of the carriage.

“Zzzz …… Zzzz ……”

“You don’t have to sleep on my lap, though. Right, Sephiro.”

“!”

When I saw Ash breathing on my lap, I smiled and said to Sephiro, who patted me on the back with a branch as if to say, “Don’t worry about it”.

The only ones awake were Me, Sephiro, and Schneider, while Makina, Basleigh-sensei, and Fath-san slept in the back of the carriage. I’m lying outside, using Radia as a cushion to keep the horses from being stolen.

“It’s fluffy thanks to Nora’s brushing, so I’m getting sleepy ……”

“…… Grruuu ……”

As I yawned while stroking Radia’s fur, Schneider lifted his head and snorted. Now, are we expecting a disturbing visitor? There are four of them, judging from the footsteps in the gravel and the silence below rather than the presence.

“…… Schneider, you can attack them when they’re close enough. Don’t go for the neck, just the legs or wrists. Sephiro, if you see anyone heading for the carriage, hang them on a branch.”

“……”

“……!”

Schneider nodded and was ready to pounce, and Sephiro ducked under the back of the carriage.

I also gently lay Ash down on Radia’s back and floated with levitation as I lay down to prepare for the attack. Just when I thought my magic wasn’t a problem since I had rested through the night.

“Kuchoon! …… Kuoon?”

Ash sneezed loudly, probably because her nose was itching from Radia’s hair! He woke up from his own sneeze and scurried around his surroundings, unsure of what had happened. Damn …… He’s so cute ……

“Kuoon♪!”

The sound of the footsteps changed from creeping to running when they found me and ran up to me happily. So they noticed that we’re awake!

I grabbed Ash and floated away, looking down at the attackers and shouting. All four of them were heading straight for the back of the carriage …… That’s what I thought, but they were trying to come to where I was sleeping.

“! If you get any closer, I’ll shoot you with magic!”

“Grrrrr ……!”

“Hiiii ……!? I-I’m very sorry to bother you at this time of night ……! Travelers, could you please share some food and water with me ……”

“What?”

Without releasing the stance to shoot magic, a figure illuminated by the light immediately reacts to my words and gets down on its knees, and the remaining three people follow suit. 

“P-Please …… we’ll do anything ……”

“We don’t need anything …… But this girl at least.”

“Please. ……”

“Schneider, wait.”

“Arf.”

The first to speak was a man with hollow cheeks, followed by a small girl. I guess she’s about the same as Aina? Then an old woman who looked older than Fath-san, and a woman who looked like her mother. All of them had dirty clothes and skinny arms and legs.

They didn’t have any weapons, so I put Schneider down and thought that I should at least listen to what he has to say.

“Fuh, my friends are sleeping, so can you lower your voice?”

“Oh, ah, yes.”

The man told his companion to be quiet, and when the three of them nodded, I took a rice ball out of my bag and handed it to him, then filled a glass with water.

“This is all I have at the moment, but please eat it. I’ll make the water with magic, so after you drink it, can you pass the cup around?”

“……! Thank you very much! Thank you very much!”

“Wow ……!”

The four of them began to eat the rice balls at once, chewing in silence. They drank so much water that I don’t know how many times I used the “Water”. They seemed to be very hungry, so I gave them some more dried meat to roast, which they ate it up in no time.

“Uh, m-my stomach ……”

“That’s because you ate it all at once when you were hungry. Are you done drinking water now?”

“Yes, thank you, Big brother!”

The little girl smiled and bowed, while her mother and the old woman bowed to me, clasping their hands. Feeling uncomfortable, I decided to ask the man about the situation.

“So, why were you so hungry like that? And at this time of night?”

“Yes …… Oh, my name is Ornob. Did you know that there is a huge gap between the rich and the poor in this country? It’s especially hard for those who are slaves. It’s so hard to find a job. ……”

“I’ve heard that before, and I’ve learned it in class. Nevertheless, for you to get that hungry …… Ah, no, don’t tell me ……”

When I stammered, the man …… Ornob nodded slowly and lowered his eyes.

“That’s right, I’m a slave.”

He began to talk about the negative effects, both good and bad, of the change in the king.

◆ 　 ◇ 　 ◆

Unlike Lars and the others, Helena, Afmand and the others who were heading for the castle in a straight line had already arrived there.

“Seriously, will I really be able to see my dad ……? Mom, do you think Dad’s still alive?”

“…… I’m really hoping that he’s alive. To the extent that I want to show him the Helena I had in my belly, you know?”

Helena and her mother relaxed in the room they had been assigned, talking about this. Helena was annoyed because she had heard that her father was still alive, but she was actually skeptical.

“A week. We won’t stay longer than that, okay, Mom?”

“Of course. I want to see him, but Helena’s idol is also important! Should we have asked Lars-kun and the others to come with us at least?”

“You can’t do that. It’s our business. By the way, I’ve never heard my father’s name before.”

“Oh, yeah? I was working recklessly to get you into the academy that I didn’t have time to talk about your father. I hope he’s still alive …… Ornob ……”

(T/N: What a twist! It’s not really a twist, but I’m surprised that her father is that slave.)

It’s making my head hurt ……

Thank you for reading!

[Afterword Theater]

I’m going to bed ……

“Oh, wait a minute!? From who did you get your permission to sleep!?”

Isn’t that awful!?