43
Chapter 43
Aside from travel supplies, there was much more to consider when preparing for departure than expected.
I hadn't needed to worry much before since I just piggybacked on other people's requests, but it was different now.
The destination was set, but figuring out how to actually get there was daunting.
I did have a map.
However, it was closer to a hastily scrawled drawing, and I had no idea who drew it or where it came from.
It was at a level where you couldn't even distinguish a mountain from a hill, or a river from a shallow stream.
Such a map, which didn't show exact distances or routes, naturally couldn't serve as a guide.
In the end, there were only two options left.
Hiring a coachman or tagging along with someone else's party.
'It would be best if I could get involved in something like an escort mission...'
With that in mind, I stopped by the mercenary guild first.
As expected, given the timing, there were no requests heading to a village on the far west side like Riverton.
Most of them were either urgent supply transportations heading to areas where the clouds of war were gathering, or risky merchant guild requests that required passing through dangerous zones.
At least thanks to the hazard pay attached to them, the guild's notice board was plastered with such jobs.
A sigh naturally escaped my lips.
If Barret had still been in the city, I would have brought it up earlier, but he had already left, leaving only two people who were inexperienced in the ways of the world.
"Should we look for a coachman after all?"
Eileen asked cautiously.
"Yeah, let's head to the front of the gate."
There was a large stable near the gate on the outskirts of the city.
It was a place where carriages and horses came and went, and a gathering spot for outside coachmen.
I didn't know how it was run, but I had to go and see for myself first.
I adjusted my helmet and nodded to Eileen.
"Let's check out the stable first. It would be nice if we find something along the way."
"Yes, understood."
It was a bit cumbersome, but it was a process we had to go through at least once anyway.
Feeling the wind that had grown chilly, we directed our steps toward the gate.
The stable was bustling, just as expected.
The scene was reminiscent of a taxi stand in a busy street during the early hours of dawn.
The place was noisy with busy hands loading baggage onto luggage carts, merchants squabbling with coachmen, and peddlers preparing to leave.
Voices haggling while tying bags to saddlebags, the sound of horses anxiously stomping their hooves, and even the occasional shout.
The sounds of life pouring out from everywhere were intricately tangled up, filling the air.
"There really are a lot of people."
Eileen marveled softly as she looked around.
"I guess it's because it's right before the war."
"Does that mean there are that many people trying to leave?"
"It probably means there were that many outsiders here since it's a trade city."
Eileen quietly nodded her head.
When I realized that we were also one of them, a strange sense of reality set in.
I took a short breath and slowly scanned the surroundings.
Where the coachmen were gathered, and which carriage still had seats left.
A merchant clapping his hands after finishing a deal, and an elderly couple arguing with puffy faces over something.
Every single thing seemed trivial, but to me right now, they were necessary pieces of information.
"Excuse me, how about that person over there?"
In the direction Eileen pointed with her eyes, there was a man yawning while leaning against a carriage in a relatively less crowded area.
A middle-aged man who looked a bit old. He was impressive with his leather vest, rugged coat, wrinkled eyes, and tough jawline.
Seeing him silently combing the horse's mane, it seemed he at least had no customers right now.
"Let's go over there."
I immediately moved my steps.
The horse and carriage were still in good condition, and now was the right time to negotiate.
"Excuse me..."
"Hmm?"
"Are you a coachman?"
"Yeah. What's your business?"
"By any chance, are you heading to Riverton?"
"Riverton... Riverton... Ah, you mean the west village? Hmm."
He thought for a moment, then scanned our appearance.
"Do you have money? As you know, it's quite far."
Clink.
I silently pulled out a pouch full of silver coins and slightly lifted it.
I had spent quite a bit gathering supplies, but my funds were still ample.
The coachman's eyes sparkled for a moment.
It was the typical reaction of a seasoned merchant catching the scent of money.
"Hmm... You're more valuable guests than you look."
He rubbed his chin with one hand and fell into thought for a moment.
"Riverton... People don't really go in that direction these days. Since the frontline is to the east, everyone's flocking there."
"...So are you saying you can't go?"
"That's not it."
The coachman smirked and raised the corners of his mouth.
"For horses, I've still got two left, and the carriage is big. But... it's a bit dangerous to go alone. It would be nice to have an escort."
"We can provide that for you."
At my words, Eileen subtly turned her head and looked at me.
The coachman snorted and asked.
"An escort? Including that small young lady?"
"...I may not look like it, but I am confident in my skills."
"...Really?"
He scanned us up and down once again.
A hint of caution mixed in his eyes after checking my equipment.
It didn't seem to sound like simple empty boasting to him.
"Well, it doesn't seem like a lie. Still, Riverton is quite a distance. It takes at least a week just to go one way, not round trip."
"I'm taking that into account."
"Hmm... Fine. Then let's do this."
The coachman counted on his fingers and said.
"You two can ride in the back of the carriage. But you'll have to make some room for luggage along the way, and you might have to use some strength since the road is rough. And fifteen silver coins. If you pay now, we can leave immediately."
"Fifteen?"
I asked back, acting surprised. It was cheaper than expected. I thought he would ask for at least twenty coins.
"If a war breaks out, that area might be closed off. I'm on my way to dispose of some luggage in advance, and it's a waste to just take the horses. You're the escort, and I'm the porter. It's not a losing trade for either of us."
At those words, I took the silver coins out of my pouch and started counting.
Eileen quietly approached and asked.
"Will you be okay?"
"Yeah. It might actually be a good thing. The fact that we can depart at this timing."
Like that, we handed over fifteen silver coins and decided to board the carriage heading to Riverton.
"Let's meet here tomorrow at sunrise."
"Understood."
***
The carriage departed before sunrise.
The road was better than expected.
It was bumpy at first because of the many rocks, but after a while, it turned into a dirt road and the vibrations lessened.
Thanks to the open-top carriage, the slowly blowing dawn air touched us directly.
"...."
Sitting next to me, Eileen was quiet.
She didn't usually have a quiet personality, but right now she seemed lost in sentiment while looking at the scenery.
Seeing her like that, I didn't bother to start a conversation.
The back of the carriage was nicer than I thought.
There was a lot of luggage, but there was enough space to lean back and sit.
Leaning slightly against the carriage wall and feeling the vibrations coming up from the wooden board, I quietly closed my eyes.
The coachman's humming from the front tickled my ears.
It wasn't a familiar tune, but it was rather cheerful thanks to its steady beat.
The horses were running without difficulty, and so far it was a smooth road with no particular problems.
"This is my first time on such a quiet trip."
Eileen said quietly.
I just nodded my head and didn't bother adding any words.
The brush continued on both sides, and a mountain ridge could be seen far in the distance.
...I suppose we are heading in the right direction?
I wasn't entirely sure, but fortunately, the surroundings didn't differ much from what was marked on the map.
'He definitely said it would take about a week.'
It was only the first day.
Hoping for an uneventful long journey was asking too much.
Still, it would be enough if just today passed without any issues.
"Riv... do you have a goal in life?"
Eileen, who had been blankly staring at the scenery, turned her head and asked.
Seeing her faint expression, she seemed to still be lost in sentiment.
A goal... I did have one I had been constantly thinking about.
"...I need to return home."
I answered briefly.
"...Home?"
Perhaps it was an unexpected answer, as she made a puzzled expression.
"Where is your home...?"
"...."
A brief silence flowed, and after seeing my expression, Eileen quietly averted her gaze.
"...Let's do our best together."
At her soft voice, I silently nodded.
There wasn't a single cloud in the blue sky, but oddly enough, its clarity didn't catch my eye.
***
The third day since we set off on our journey.
Eventually, the first problem occurred.
"Hah, this is..."
Fortunately, it wasn't a thief or a monster.
The problem was the carriage wheel.
The wheel was stuck in the mud, refusing to budge.
The three of us clung to it and tried to push, but the mud was deeper than expected.
The wheel slipped further, and the mire gradually swallowed the carriage deeper.
"It's stuck deeper than I thought."
Eileen said, brushing the dirt off her hands.
"I thought about pulling it, but this... I don't think it'll come out even if we drag it."
The coachman scratched the back of his head and sighed.
I looked around the wheel.
The ground was squishy and thoroughly soaked with water.
Perhaps the heavy dew from the night before was the cause, as the ground had sunken completely.
"What should we do...?"
Eileen asked with a worried expression.
At first, I thought about absorbing the moisture to dry the mud, but looking closely, it seemed it would be even more troublesome if it dried in this state.
If the mud hardened, the wheel could get stuck even more.
A situation where neither tools nor magic were freely available to us.
"Let's unload the cargo to reduce the weight first. Then, let's find something to lay on the ground."
"Yes, understood."
At times like this, it was best to keep the method simple.
We helped the coachman and started unloading the luggage one by one.
Moving the boxes and sacks next to the mire took quite a while on its own.
Our shoes slipped constantly, and the hems of our clothes quickly became covered in mud.
Only after exhausting all our energy did we barely succeed in pulling the wheel out.
"Damn it..."
The coachman cursed as he examined underneath the wheel.
The carriage we pulled from the ground wasn't in good condition.
The axle of the front wheel was noticeably bent.
"It seems it took a shock when it plunged into the mud. The axle is busted."
"Then we'll have to fix it."
"Yeah, we need to repair it here before moving on. If we just drive it, it could break."
"I guess it can't be helped."
I wonder if there's a place to wash up nearby?
Just as I was looking around for a moment, the sound of a carriage and horse hooves echoed from afar.
Raising my head at the sound to check, a sturdy-looking carriage was rushing toward the mud.
I quickly shouted out.
"Hey, excuse me! You need to stop because of the mud here!"
Did my shout reach them?
The sound of the wheels came to a halt.
There was a brief silence, and someone on the horse leaned forward to look ahead.
A man who looked like the coachman checked the mud, then took off his hat and nodded.
He soon turned his horse and got off the carriage.
He slowly walked to the back and carefully relayed something to the person riding inside the carriage.
Watching his attitude, I thought the person inside might be of quite high status.
A moment later, a figure pulled back the tent from inside the carriage and revealed themselves.
The person who came out was a man.
He was wearing a navy blue robe and was quite tall.
But the first thing that caught my eye wasn't his clothes or his pale skin.
It was his head.
To be exact, the crown of his head.
The center of his head was completely bare, almost like a plate.
It wasn't just shaved in a circle, but more like a gaping hole right in that spot.
The surrounding hair had grown out neatly, and only the crown was smooth and shiny.
It was too perfect to be considered natural hair loss, and if it was done on purpose, it was a style with an unknown motive.
I stared at him without a word.
My gaze kept being drawn to the crown of his head.
"I thank you for your help. I heard the road is blocked."
He was the first to speak.
His voice was low and calm.
"Yes. There is a mire ahead, so you have to turn back. We fell into that mud too and are currently doing repairs."
When I answered, he scanned my appearance once and quietly nodded his head.
"Is that so. That is a shame."
A distinct sense of pity could be felt in his tone.
It wasn't just a mere formality; his voice sounded like he truly felt that way.
"Do you perhaps need any help?"
He cautiously added.
I gave a small smile at those words and replied.
"It is fine. I can wait patiently. It is not an urgent trip anyway."
"If it happens to be an urgent trip... I could offer you a ride. May I ask where your destination is?"
He asked cautiously.
I hesitated for a moment before answering.
"...Riverton."
At those words, his eyebrows raised slightly.
"Oh, Riverton. What a coincidence. It seems God has forged a connection between us. I am also on my way to Riverton."
"Pardon? Really?"
It was a more surprising statement than expected.
Anyway, God... is he a priest?
"I have some matters to attend to in that village. If it is alright with you, would you like to travel together?"
"...Thank you for the offer, but we plan to just take our time."
I gently refused.
I had already paid the coachman, and the request wasn't particularly urgent.
There was no reason to go out of my way to have an uncomfortable journey with a stranger.
"I see. I understand."
He nodded and gave a light bow.
"Then I will be on my way first. It would be nice if we could meet in Riverton."
Having said that, he went back inside the carriage tent.
Soon, the coachman pulled the reins, and the carriage slowly changed direction to avoid the mud.
The sound of horse hooves gradually faded away, and the strangely impressive man also disappeared from sight.
It wasn't until nearly noon that we finished our repairs and were able to depart.