Chapter 10
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: The Princess's Carriage (1)
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I finally got to hear from the two of them the reason I'd ended up here—only after I asked.
Fortunately, it seemed Aria had heard my words and called in the village knight order. Since she was from a countess family, the knights must have jumped to help.
The knights had found me passed out alongside the griffon and were transporting me to Taifon when they ran into our ducal territory's knights and coachman, who were searching for me. They handed me over then.
After the explanation wrapped up, Sara left the room with a teary face, and Pablo followed with his usual inscrutable blank expression.
I immediately sat on the bed and began meditating.
Now that my dantian had been partially rebuilt, meditation was possible again. It would fuse mana into my body and speed up my recovery even more.
If I steadily took the Spirit Pills and kept up the meditation, I figured I could fully restore my rebuilt dantian to its original state.
That's how I spent the days until the academy's opening day—meditating and focusing only on light cardio and recovery.
I needed to recover quickly if I wanted to restart strength training and sword practice.
I holed up in my room for days like that.
And just like that, the day before opening day arrived in a flash.
To unpack at the dorms first, a carriage carrying me and Sara set off from the Brace Ducal Lands early that morning.
We had ten escort knights—all Sword Expert level.
Thump. Thump-!
"Don't you dare sit next to me. You stink of sweat."
Sara, riding in the carriage with me, glared and snapped.
In the past month, I'd slimmed down so much I was unrecognizable.
By my estimate, I was around 80kg now... Plump for my height, but not some greasy blob anymore.
Just typical sibling trash talk from a pair that didn't get along.
I wasn't hurt at all.... Really....
"I wasn't planning to anyway, so don't worry about it."
I propped my chin on my hand, feigning nonchalance in my reply, then gazed out the window at the scenery.
The Brace Ducal Lands were gradually fading into the distance.
Once we left the village behind, the landscape turned to barren earth and open plains.
We raced nonstop toward our destination: the prestigious Ariel Academy.
Thump, thump!
'The road from the Brace Ducal Lands to Ariel Academy is safe anyway. No need to worry.'
This route ran close to the imperial capital.
Even high-rank monsters got wiped out if they threatened the imperial family, so beasts weren't an issue.
And even if one showed up, our escorts were all Sword Experts or higher.
I could probably tag along for a subjugation without much risk.
From the griffon fight, I'd gauged my realm at three stars.
I hadn't pinned down my exact level yet, but being able to handle aura meant it wouldn't be a problem.
"Snore...."
As my thoughts reached that point, Sara had dozed off, leaning against the carriage wall.
Tired, huh. Well, yeah.
We'd rushed out early the day before opening. Plenty of reason to be wiped.
I was feeling it too, honestly....
'...Maybe just a quick nap.'
I was about to close my eyes for a bit.
-Drip, drip.
Pourrrrr-!
Raindrops began to patter, then suddenly—as if the sky had sprung a leak—a downpour hit.
The weather had been fine just moments ago, but dark clouds swallowed the sky in an instant, turning everything upside down like a lie.
'Feels ominous... Eh, whatever.'
Like I said: ten Sword Expert escorts, safe road.
Nothing to worry about.
With that, I shut my eyes without a care.
*
When I woke up.
The rain was still pouring like a waterfall, endless.
The carriage rattled fiercely over the wet road.
Looking around, we were on bumpy hills—the ride had slowed noticeably.
Clunk! Thump!
The carriage shook violently.
Continuing like this seemed dangerous....
"Halt-! Stop for now!!"
Right on cue.
A man who looked like the escort captain halted the carriage.
He must've judged pushing on too risky.
About ten minutes passed like that.
The escorts and coachman seemed to hold a quick meeting among themselves, then reformed ranks and got us moving again.
The carriage veered left.
'Detouring around Windrest Hill...?'
The direct path through the capital had too many irregular slopes, so they were bypassing.
The detour led through goblin territory.
Mere goblins were no match for the escorts.
Even if we ran into an upper-rank goblin shaman by bad luck, it'd be fine.
But why did this nagging sense of foreboding keep growing?
Four hours after the detour, the path evened out.
Weeds sprouted here and there amid sandy flats.
"What... Is this the right way?"
Sara had woken up and was rubbing one eye, mumbling in confusion.
She'd slept a solid six hours.
She peered out the carriage, trying to get her bearings—looking all dazed.
"Rain's heavy, so we're detouring."
"Ugh... Detouring? Over some rain?"
"Look at the sky. It's dumping buckets. Climbing those hills now risks slipping right off."
"Don't lecture me."
"......"
...Still a total pain in the ass.
Even if pre-possession Sian was a debauched mess, wasn't this overkill?
I'm Jian now, possessing Sian's body...
Thirty minutes later, the carriage stopped.
Sky had darkened; they were prepping camp in a nearby forest.
Dense trees and thick underbrush everywhere.
We pitched tents under a big tree to dodge the rain a bit and settled in for the night.
Crackle. Crackle.
The sound of burning firewood drifted over.
Mingling with the pattering rain, the flames evoked a strangely sentimental mood.
"Good work, everyone! Time to rest!"
"Yeah!"
The escorts set out platters, sharing soup boiled in buckets.
No booze, but it felt like a company dinner.
If we weren't highborn brats under protection, they'd have been pounding drinks.
I didn't mind the vibe.
Back in my old life, I'd hit company dinners often. People griped about them, but free food's free food.
I never skipped. Maybe I was what they call an ace employee.
Handled work flawlessly, always showed for drinks.
"Gulp... Gulp...."
"Mmmnya...."
After eating, the exhausted escorts took shifts—two per group on watch—and crashed.
Sara slept in a separate tent from me.
'Not tired from the carriage nap... Maybe train a bit.'
A sweat would tire me out some.
I grabbed my longsword from the tent, slipped out of camp, and headed deep into the forest away from the sentries.
Rained a little, but less than daytime—tolerable.
Windrest Hill lived up to its name... Breezy forest.
As evening fell, cold gusts rose from below.
I looked up at the sky.
A full moon hid behind black rain clouds.
'Bright enough—perfect for training.'
I stopped in a clear spot, gripped my sword reverse, and assumed stance.
"Hoo...."
Cold breath fogged from my mouth in the chill air.
I swallowed it and pulled the sword overhead.
"Hup-!"
The moment I swung down for a vertical slash practice.
'......!'
...What?
Chills prickled over my entire body.
It was the first sensation like this since rebuilding my dantian.
'Mana presence...? Monster? Goblin? No, this strong... Shaman? Nah, doesn't feel right...'
Something was off.
First direct sense since arriving in this world—I couldn't judge properly.
Definitely not human...
Felt alien, oppressive.
'No wonder things felt too smooth... Tch.'
Ariel was never peaceful. World crawling with monsters—peace was a pipe dream.
Time to scout.
Worst case, call the escorts.
They'd thank me later for doing their job.
.
.
.
'...A carriage?'
Following the mana presence uphill through dense trees, something appeared at the path's end.
Looking down: a carriage and shadowy figures.
'Another group detouring this way besides us?'
High-end at a glance—fit for someone important.
Gemstones dangled everywhere; flashier than even our Brace carriage.
About twenty escorts in iron armor, shoulders bearing a familiar crest.
'...Violet Imperial Family crest.'
The crest of the Liana Empire's imperial Violet Family.
Imperial folk detouring this way at this hour meant...
'The 4th Princess?'
In the story, the youngest imperial child: Rozaria di Violet.
She was an Ariel Academy student like me.
Heading to the academy for opening day, caught in the downpour, ended up here?
That thought lasted a moment.
"Kieek!"
A non-human voice echoed from the opposite hill.
Startled, I looked over—and spotted a red goblin staring down at the imperial carriage, just like me.
'Goblin Shaman?!'
The presence had cut off here—how'd it hide?
The red goblin shaman aimed its battered staff at the imperial carriage.
"Kieek... Kieeeek...."
It chanted in guttural goblin tongue, and a red fire-attribute magic circle formed at the staff tip, aimed at the carriage.
"N-No! Gotta stop it...!"
I sprinted full-tilt up the 20-meter opposite hill.
A jump impossible without my rebuilt dantian.
Mana-enhanced body soared lightly through the air, landing right in the goblin shaman's face.
"Kieek?!"
It froze in shock at my sudden appearance, chant unfinished.
"Where do you get off, you freak-!"
-Slash.
"Kie...."
By a hair, I severed the goblin shaman's head before it finished casting.
If I'd been fatter, I'd never have blocked the spell.
Its face rolled near my feet.
Those eyes stared blankly, entranced, unfocused.
"What the hell...?"
That's when it hit.
"Gaaahhh!"
"Attack! It's an attack!!"
"Hurry—get Her Highness somewhere safe-! Graaaah!"
Sudden chaos.
I whipped my gaze down to the imperial carriage.
The peaceful rest spot from moments ago had erupted into frenzy, like a bad dream.
Goblins swarmed toward the fighting soldiers.
And an ogre—an upper-rank beast I never expected here—rampaged wildly, butchering soldiers indiscriminately.
"Groooaaarrr-!"