CH 215

“So, where are we going today?”

Asks Leila, as I grab the luggage Taliyah is handing me. We’re going outside the city, so she’s dressed in her adventurer outfit.

This is all because of something Yor said three days ago. That said, I don’t know where we’re going either. It looks like the girls do, but not me.

We go to the southern gate, where Bloody Rose, Thousand Gold Coins, and Light of Hope are waiting. The guys are all carrying a lot of luggage… Including me.

“Let’s go, big sister!”

I don’t know who said that, but the girls are all excited as they walk, and the rest of us follow in silence.

“Thank you. It’s thanks to you that I got to see my fellow party members again, Sora.”

Says Totto. I think it’s incredible that he managed to make it all the way there on his own. I ask him if it wouldn’t have been safer for him to use a return stone, but he says he left it with Leila and the others just in case they managed to make it work.

Also, the adventurer that came running with Totto, the only survivor of the ones that tried to escape, is apparently from the Borsheil empire. I think his party was called Light sword.

I hear he was imprisoned because he was the one who activated the trap, and later ‘passed on’ monsters to Totto in order to get away, among other problematic behavior. He’s at risk of becoming a criminal slave.

And why did Totto do something so dangerous by himself? Because two of the people affected by the breath were his party members.

“And our Hino caused trouble for you… I’m sorry.”

It looks like he feels bad because Hino was one of the people at the center of the spread of information about the full potions.

Speaking of Hino, she can’t leave her house right now. Her mother was furious when she heard that whole mess started because she talked about it with a store’s employee, and the employee spread it even further.

Information is vital for a merchant, and apparently Totto was told to straighten her out because she carelessly went around talking about that.

After exiting through the southern gate, we follow a river further south.

There isn’t a proper road here, because it’s away from the main road, but a lot of people pass through here, so the ground is hard and easy to walk on.

We keep following the river, and eventually it goes into a forest. Naturally, we keep following it.

I pick up many small reactions with Presence Detection. There are a lot of small animals around here, but not any monsters.

The wind blows and shakes the trees, but doesn’t make that much noise. Maybe it’s because we’re not that close to them. I’m sure it would be really loud if we were actually in the forest, but the noises of the small animals sound pretty ominous too. I’m sure that would take a lot out of me mentally if I didn’t have Presence Detection.

Hearing but not seeing really fans up the sense of fear.

“By the way Hikari, where are we going?”

I ask Hikari, who is walking next to me. All I heard was that we’d be staying the night there.

“Look forward to seeing it when we get there. I’m sure you’ll be surprised, master.”

“That just makes me more curious.”

Ah, she’s just laughing it away. Hikari is always quiet at times like these, so I guess I’ll silently walk too. But it’s pretty moving to see that she can now laugh naturally like that.

This isn’t a dungeon, so we can take it easy. We have a lot of people here too.

But the girls are happily chatting as they walk, while the guys have to carry heavy luggage, and it doesn’t look easy for them. When I ask them if they want me to carry something, they say it’s fine, but they really look like they’re struggling.

By the time we reach our destination, a few people look completely spent. Are you really fine?

“We really worked hard.”

“We sure did.”

There’s a really great feeling of accomplishment hanging over the guys. I feel out of place because I’m not tired at all.

Then I take a good look around. This is the river’s estuary, a large lake that’s shining as it reflects the light from the sun. It’s relaxing… The girls are also excited looking at this scenery. All except one.

“Is this our destination?”

“Yes, here.”

I ask, and Hikari responds.

“So what are we doing here?”

“Taking a mental break, because everyone was worried about Leila.”

Chris then comes over and explains how this happened.

The students in the academy couldn’t bear to watch Leila worry about Casey. And so they wanted her to go somewhere she could relax, and that somewhere is here.

This place is in the outskirts of Majolica, and a secret yet popular spot among students.

Well, taking it easy and watching nature is nice. The water is pretty, and soaking my feet in cold water in this nice weather will probably feel good too.

“Master, the luggage.”

I take an item bag out of the Item Box and give it to Hikari.

There’s a simple cabin, so the girls take turns going inside. The guys get fidgety watching that, but everyone starts working on setting up tents.

And of course, I’m asked to cook.

My position doesn’t change even here. I knew what was up when people started handing me a lot of ingredients.

I use Earth Magic to make a simple cooking space, and take out stuff like an iron plate and a pot.

Everyone came prepared with their own lunch and ate it, but now I’m making soup, and meat… I could also make it barbecue style and put it on skewers with vegetables.

Well, if I start now it’s going to be ready way too soon, so I’m only making preparations to cook later.

“Sora, do you need help?”

I hear from behind me when I start heating up the pot.

I casually turn around, but my mind stops.

…

……

………Underwear?

No, swimsuit?

“H-hum, I’m going to get embarrassed if you look at me with that serious face…”

Says Chris, bringing me back.

“Y-yes. I was just a bit, very surprised.”

She’s also wearing something like a shawl, but that’s still more skin exposed than usual.

“Master, are you cooking?”

The girls start coming out of the cabin one after the other wearing swimsuits.

All the guys stop what they’re doing, but I don’t think they can help it.

“Is this the real reason why we’re here?”

“Yes, to play in the water? I guess?”

Hikari sounds like she doesn’t really understand it.

I see. I didn’t understand why we came all the way out here, but the cool water will feel nice in this warm weather.