1-19 The Wall
The body of the fang dog that I'd blocked with my shield and sword was soon riddled with arrows.
Impressive marksmanship. Glancing back, I caught Trishiera lowering her bow.
Her job was Sex Warlock, but she had serious talent as an archer too. Our eyes met, so I flashed her my most refreshing smile, packed with admiration—but she shot me a suspicious look and averted her gaze.
My refreshing smile doesn't work on her, huh. Back on Earth, there was that one time a little girl stared at me on the way to school, so I smiled at her... and the next day, I was the suspicious creep making headlines. Same old story.
It had been about two days since we left that brutal campsite. We were still getting hit by fang dogs, bird-type monsters, goblins, and subhuman types, but the frequency and numbers seemed to be dropping off.
Instead, we were starting to run into other travelers.
Merchants in wagons, squads of wary warriors on alert, and ordinary folk trudging along on foot. Humans weren't any less dangerous, but some would greet us as we passed, which warmed the heart a bit. You see people like that in town and barely notice, but out here? It hits different.
Like how hikers get weirdly friendly with strangers.
Callwing was surprisingly polite to passersby too. Though with him, it felt less like hiker vibes and more like putting on a cat act... Or maybe he was just harsh on his own people?
Nah, I'm not one of them. Strict with family and mercs. That's more like it.
...Not that I care if the old man's fond of me or whatever.
The road sloped gently upward, with occasional trees lining the sides—plenty of open visibility.
Lush green stretched out left and right, and the sky was a cloudless blue, almost too hot. Picture-perfect scenery.
As I soaked it in, something like an outer wall caught my eye in the northern plains off to the left.
"What's that...?"
I'd meant it as a mutter to myself, but Marie, right behind me, picked it up with her sharp ears.
"What? The wall?"
"Yeah, Marie. A town?"
"Nah, no town."
Marie said it with a hint of a laugh.
Come to think of it, she'd once said she got a kick out of my newbie reactions, since everyone thought I'd just left Slagee for the first time. Teasing me again, huh.
"Then what? ...A fort?"
Walls around something? If not homes, then a military outpost.
"Good guess, but no."
"Hmm, got it."
Once she'd had her fun with my reaction, Marie finally spilled the answer with a dramatic flourish.
"That's a wall around farmland."
"...Farmland."
"Look close—it's way shorter and crappier than a city wall, right?"
"Huh... yeah, now that you mention it."
"Up close, you might spot some breaks here and there."
"I see... With monsters around, even farms need their own defenses."
What a tough world.
"This one's pretty solid, though. Usually, it's just cheap fences."
"Huh. So it's fancy 'cause we're near the capital?"
"Kinda? Not sure, though."
Marie wasn't exactly a walking encyclopedia. Probe too deep, and she started fumbling like this.
"Oh, yeah—it's crumbling a bit up close."
Stone base with wooden fencing on top, but stones had collapsed in spots, and vines choked the fence, giving it a wild look.
The west side seemed maintained, but heading south along the road, the southern wall was mostly wooden frames with barely any stones—like a half-assed job. Wonder if that even works.
"Can't afford to wall every field properly... No choice."
"Makes sense."
A bit farther, similar enclosures dotted the southern plains too, signs of human hands at work. That day, we barely saw monsters till dusk and reached a roadside village.
Apparently, the headman had ties to the Emond family, making it safer than an inn.
Inside, modest earthen-wall homes lined up—decent population. Kids chased each other in the open spaces. Peaceful vibe.
No fields in the village itself. Seemed like these spots were housing for farm workers from surrounding lands. Hence the crowd for a "village," and sturdy walls.
In safer areas, unwalled villages dotted around, but not here yet.
"Welcome."
We got a warm reception at the headman's—er, village chief's—mansion.
Thin cushions on a wooden floor; we sat cross-legged. Some knelt formal-style, men and women alike, but it wasn't etiquette or anything.
"Our thanks, Uoru-sama. Looks delicious."
"Indeed, most gracious."
Callwing and Aawinda praised the spread.
Brown rice, simmered fish, pickled wild veggies...?
Simple but hearty local fare.
Eating it with chopsticks felt like a trip to rural Japan—no monster bits either.
"Itadakimasu..."
Seated nearest the door, I kept a low profile, staying out of the bigwigs' chat while savoring the meal.
Mm, perfect saltiness—rice just vanishes. The wild veggie side dish had a nice bitter-sweet edge. Like butterbur with the green notes toned down and milder flavor? Hard to compare to Earth's stuff.
Gourmet reporters have it rough.
"This is good..."
Sasha beside me grinned unwittingly.
Food always got her like that.
For a dinner with the local bigshot, I'd worried, but the merc slaves got seats too.
This world didn't fuss much over it.
Slagee eateries never had "no slaves" signs.
Makes sense—leave 'em be, and masters spend on their share. No point shooing them.
Or maybe, with temporary slavery so normalized, folks figured "could be me tomorrow."
Temps were used for apprenticeships and such, woven into daily life—not total outcasts.
Kyures Kingdom even had laws protecting slave rights to a degree.
Still, guys like me or Elliott parading opposite-sex slaves (for that, obviously) drew side-eye.
"These wild veggies are great..."
"Wild veggies, huh. Can you tell edible weeds from the rest, Sasha?"
"Me? ...A little."
"Hmm. Gotcha."
"Why? For the trip back?"
"Yeah. Whatever we do next, that kinda knowledge would help."
Travel had taught me: foraging, tents, monsters, bandits—high bar.
Post-job, it'd be me and Sasha duo... Reckless.
Bandits midway? We'd be toast. Monsters? Dicey even subtracting the big group/horse bait factor.
"Travel here's brutal..."
After dinner, we took turns borrowing the chief's bath.
Bless him.
Wanna share with Sasha, but banging in the chief's place? Bad juju. Settled for a quick rinse.
Stepping out, Aawinda stood on the veranda.
Her guard lurked behind, presence muted. No escort visible—relaxing in safety?
"...Lady Aawinda?"
I spoke before thinking; she startled, turned with a stiff fake smile.
"Just felt like some breeze..."
"I see. Bath done?"
"Yes."
"Didn't expect hot water."
"Truly grateful... Must thank Uoru-sama again."
"The chief, right?"
"Yes. Officially, a deputy appointed by the king, I suppose."
"Huh... So this is royal land already?"
"Indeed. Direct territory."
"Huh..."
Oguri Kyuresu port and the capital Kyuresberuga were close geographically—not weird for royal direct control.
I'd figured checkpoints between territories, but no sign on this trip. Easy to slip into royal turf unnoticed.
In a monster-flooded world, policing borders? Nah.
"Um, Yoyo-san."
"Yes?"
"I heard you shone on this trip. You're strong."
"You think...?"
Magic gun cheat, Interferer job—and I'd still rank near the bottom of this escort squad.
No point denying; let it slide.
"Ever scared facing monsters?"
"Always."
"...Heard you're a goblin specialist."
"Specialist? Nah..."
I chuckled wryly. How'd it twist to that? Yeah, goblin-slaying streak lately, but just easy pickings.
"After killing subhuman-types like goblins... ever feel bad?"
Ah, that topic. Kinda meh, but after a beat...
"Nope."
"I see..."
"But."
"But?"
"If I were in a warrior squad... I'd want superiors who've felt that pain."
"...Why?"
Aawinda peered into my face, gazing outward before.
"Dunno... Folks who get pain end up strongest?"
"...I see."
Bit corny?
"You knew, huh."
"Eh?"
"About me joining the warriors."
"Oh... Kinda guessed from your talk."
Leaving home for near-capital. Self-sees as warrior fringe. Yeah, figured.
"Oguri Kyuresu has a warrior academy."
"Ah, got it."
"Good grades get you in the capital's squad."
"Impressive."
Like officer school? Doubt grunts are booksmart. Probably breeds central elites or special unit members.
"Not guaranteed yet."
"True."
"Fail entrance, might go solo merc."
"Haha."
Joke... right? Polite laugh.
"Honestly, losing confidence."
"Why?"
"Meant to fight on the trip... but relied on everyone."
"Escort gig, though..."
"Still, aspiring warrior just protected? Stings."
"Hm."
"But monster sounds, movements, shadows from all sides... body freezes."
"..."
"Sorry, you can't do much with that."
Yeah.
"...Trauma throws mind-body balance off. Normal."
"Is it?"
"Yeah. Don't expect too much of yourself."
"Expect...?"
"Me? Total dropout. Bail before body quits. Problematic, sure. But you're mentally tough—no quitting easy. Balance is key. Frustrating, but time to ease up maybe."
"..."
Off-the-cuff, but sounded wise. Good.
Her circle—Callwing etc.—seemed stiff types; she was driven. Hanging with a slacker like me? Lesson... maybe?
Silence hung.
"Back to Slagee, Yoyo-san?"
"Nah. Was gonna, but rethinking."
"Oh?"
"Just goblin-hunting there. Big city trip—wanna try something."
"We could hire you at our shop."
"Tempting, but org life ain't me."
"I see."
Nice to be valued.
But me under Callwing? He'd stroke out from hypertension.
Better keep distance—for both.
"Hit some fun spot maybe."
"Monster-hunting place?"
"Yeah."
"Heard south of Oguri Kyuresu there's a monster-hunting holy land."
"Holy land?"
"Ex-noble land lost to monsters, went royal. State-managed, supports hunters."
"Huh."
"Different monsters by area—some deadly, some just goblins."
"Sounds fun."
"Convenient for hunters—hence 'holy land.'"
"Far?"
"Dunno... Just rumors to me."
"Worth checking."
Aawinda gazed out again. I joined her. Just darkness and stars, though.
"Heard you push too hard. Take care."
"Sure."
"With Sasha too. Don't leave her high and dry."
"...Yeah. Lately in fights, tunnel vision hits. Kinda worried."
"Oh."
"How to fix?"
"Life experience?"
"What I lack most!"
"Fufu."
She smiled faintly—joke landed.
For charge-happy me, grind magic, go backline main?
Oguri Kyuresu: research magic too. Mental note.
"Little left—thanks in advance."
"Leave it to me, miss."
The night breeze brushed my cheek.