Calm Waters (2)
Our journey by carriage went rather smoothly.
Most of our time was spent killing boredom with card games and idle chatter, but with occasional stops at villages, ambushes by monsters, and run-ins with bandits, it proved to be a fairly colorful experience. The combat encounters were especially entertaining, offering a proper spectacle as I watched Muriel, Rebecca, and the ducal knight Lira in action. All three women possessed entirely different fighting styles.
Lira moved strictly within the rigid forms and patterns etched into her body, fighting like an absolute slaughter machine. In stark contrast to her rustic, wholesome beauty, she carved through monsters and men without a flicker of hesitation. The sheer elegance, precision, and mechanical repetition of her strikes bordered on the eerie and grotesque.
Rebecca was the complete opposite. Untethered by form or discipline, she was a wild beast in battle—exhilarating, feral, and utterly unpredictable. The moment combat began, a fierce grin would split her face as she swung her twin swords, carving up enemies like a miniature hurricane unleashed. It was an absolute thrill to watch.
Muriel, however, was by far the quietest and most uncanny. To be entirely honest, I had never once seen her engage in a proper fight. Before the clash even began, she would slip seamlessly into the shadows, vanishing without a trace. By the time she reemerged, death had already been delivered to every enemy in sight.
While Rebecca and Lira caught the eye, it was undoubtedly Muriel who instilled the deepest terror in our foes. Honestly, I couldn't blame them. What you can't see is always far more terrifying than what you can.
Spectacle aside, soothing a traumatized Vivian proved to be quite the chore. The revelation that the bandits were former citizens of Terabaon had evidently shaken her to the core.
"Orabeoni. Why did they abandon Terabaon and become bandits?"
"They probably lost their homes during the last demonic invasion. When ordinary people lose everything in a single instant, it's easy for them to lose their minds."
"...Then was it really necessary to kill them? If we had persuaded them and brought them back to Terabaon as citizens..."
"Vivian. That's impossible. And you should think before you say things like that."
"Did I say something wrong?"
Taking a swig from my bottle, I rested a hand on Vivian's shoulder, my expression turning serious.
"Becoming bandits was entirely their own choice. They decided, of their own free will, to harm others and steal from them. But a character like that isn't forged in a single instant. In other words, that's simply who they were deep down. Even if we took them back to Terabaon, they'd just end up as criminals."
"That's just your opinion, Orabeoni. If we persuaded and reformed them one by one, maybe someone could—"
"Sure, not everyone is the same. I might even be wrong. But they've already hurt people and plundered their livelihoods. That can never be undone. Even under the laws of Terabaon, such men face the death penalty. You know that, don't you?"
"..."
Judging by the way her lips pouted in silence, she had no rebuttal, yet hated admitting it.
"Vivian. If you take that stance, what does that make the people who endured the exact same horrors, yet continue to work diligently and live honestly back in Terabaon?"
"...!"
"Do you think there wasn't anyone more unfortunate than the bandits we killed? Anyone who fell into deeper despair? Anyone who suffered greater sorrow?"
"Th-that's..."
"And yet, the people remaining in Terabaon chose to hold onto hope and rebuild their lives rather than harm and rob others. If we have help to offer, shouldn't it go to people like that first?"
"..."
Hearing my words, Vivian lapsed into deep, solemn contemplation. Not wanting to disturb her thoughts, I gave her shoulder a gentle pat, then climbed up to the driver's bench and took another swig.
Rebecca was sitting beside me. After sneaking a glance in my direction, she urged the horses into motion and casually spoke up.
"You're stricter than I expected."
"Am I? Didn't think it was that harsh."
"No, you're plenty strict. If it were me, I could never speak to Leona like that."
"Isn't that just because you're a hopelessly doting sister...?"
"Oh, come now~ I love my little sister, of course, but I'm not that bad."
"..."
Her blissful grin while thinking about her sister completely destroyed any shred of credibility.
"Just focus on driving."
"Heheh. Are you embarrassed?"
"Quit talking nonsense."
"Yes, yes~ As you wish~"
That sly, teasing smirk of hers was infuriatingly cheeky. Was Rebecca always like this...? Come to think of it, I had no idea what a 'Rebecca with a fully cured sister' was actually like. In every route of the game, Leona died without fail... Looked at that way, Leona was the most pitiful of all. I'm glad she's alive.
Vivian wrestled with those thoughts for days, yet as she gradually found her own answers through all the agonizing, her admirable growth even brought tears to the eyes of Weller and Lira. To my eyes, it was just excessive sentimentality, but whatever.
"Finally in sight."
"Yes. We should reach the foothills of the Wyrm Mountains in about a day."
"Whoa! Is that the Wyrm Mountains?! It really is squirming!"
Vivian poked her head out onto the driver's box, her exclamation ringing clear and bright. At her words, I cast my gaze toward the Wyrm Mountains sprawling across the horizon.
With mana and the arcane being tangible realities, this world had bizarre geography everywhere you looked, but even among them, the Wyrm Mountains were a special breed. The entire landscape produced an optical illusion—the whole colossal mountain range, in its entirety. A magnificent, polychromatic mountain range blended in every imaginable hue surged and undulated like waves in real time, slithering forward. Like a venomous caterpillar rippling along with immense vigor.
...At least, that was what the eyes perceived.
Yet the moment you focused, the mountains stood entirely motionless, rooted firmly in place. It was a disorienting spectacle that felt as though someone were kneading your brain.
"Good grief..."
Naturally, the setting compendium crammed with all sorts of trivial lore included an entry on the Wyrm Mountains, so I knew the cause behind this optical illusion. Still, the cause was so utterly absurd that I could hardly believe it. To think a phenomenon on such a staggering scale was caused by the dream of a single singular entity... It sounded straight out of myth.
"I see a town. Shall we make a stop?"
"Of course. We need to shake off all this built-up exhaustion before we tackle the dungeon."
Carriage travel was far more taxing and grueling than people thought. Rough, unpaved roads, a rock-hard carriage floor offering zero cushioning, and awful sleep. Even seasoned adventurers and mercenaries would groan in misery, so what chance did Vivian and Weller have after living lives of absolute luxury in the ducal estate? Though they didn't voice a single complaint, a closer look showed both of them visibly haggard, their hair grown dull and dry.
...Actually, to be completely frank, I had been sleeping like a baby ever since we started this trip. Back in the ducal castle, I would wake up soaked in cold sweat, writhing as my whole body ached with stiffness. But now, I sprang out of bed every morning feeling completely refreshed, light as a feather. Why on earth was that? Was my body simply built to sleep comfortably on carriage floorboards...?
"Remarkable... You possess an insight and discernment that's hard to believe coming from a noble, Lord Alzen."
"Are you mocking me?"
"No, I'm genuinely impressed. In most commissions escorting nobles, they're so obsessed with their goals that they're blind to everything else. Or they're so inexperienced they don't even think to consider it. Or worse, they see it and just don't care."
"Must have been rough on you."
"It truly was. Just hearing the word 'noble' makes me shudder."
"I'm a noble too, you know."
"Naturally, you're the exception, Lord Alzen."
Watching Rebecca flatter me with that sly yet hearty grin, I couldn't help but chuckle. Her intentions were transparent as glass, but the reason it didn't bother me was probably thanks to how stunningly attractive she was. Pretty people really know how to weaponize their faces.
"Your skin's quite thick, isn't it?"
"Basic survival skill for adventurers and mercenaries. And since I happen to be both, I pride myself on having a thicker hide than even Lord Urtega."
"Pwahaha! That's a high bar, don't you think? That old man didn't just wrap his face in hide—it's lined with iron plate."
"Oh... I've heard rumors, but is he really that bad?"
"It's not even worth describing. You'd think his facial muscles permanently froze in place."
"Really? You've never seen him smile?"
"Not once. I bet the man wore that exact same face when he made me. Mother must have felt so bizarre. Watching some wooden statue thrusting its hips so diligently over her."
"Pfft—?!"
Spitting in shock, Rebecca shot a panicked glance toward the interior of the carriage.
"A-are you really allowed to say things like that?!"
"Why not? They say even a king gets cursed behind his back."
I smirked and took another swig. Rebecca, clearly terrified out of her wits, kept stealing glances inside before clearing her throat and offering an awkward laugh.
"Sh-shall we talk about something else?"
"Why? I'm having fun."
"Lord Alzeeeen...!"
With Rebecca pleading so desperately, I chuckled and nodded. Beaming in relief, she launched into various bits of idle gossip while I relaxed, savoring my alcohol and cigarette.
A day's ride from the Wyrm Mountains lay a town called 'Illusion Tail,' named for its resemblance to the tip of the mountain range's tail. It was bustling and massive enough that one could easily call it a city.
"There are more people here than in any town we've visited so far. Why is that, Orabeoni?"
Having blabbered lore from the compendium at every turn throughout our journey, Vivian had developed a habit of tugging on my sleeve whenever she encountered something unfamiliar.
"Take a close look at what people are wearing, and you'll understand."
Taking a drink, I pointed toward a few groups walking past the carriage.
"People geared up in armor and weapons, roaming around in small groups—most of them are adventurer parties."
"Adventurers? Ah! Is it because there are a lot of monsters in the Wyrm Mountains?"
"Exactly. Monsters mean money. Process their bones and hides, and you get equipment. And the magic stones they drop occasionally fetch high prices from wizards and alchemists."
A trope common to practically every fantasy story out there.
"The Wyrm Mountains in particular boast an ecosystem so packed with creatures you could call it a sea of monsters. It's a place where you can make money steadily—or take massive risks for even bigger payouts."
"I see... Ah, then couldn't we be considered adventurers too? Since we're about to enter a dungeon—mph, mmmph?!"
"Pardon me, Lady Vivian."
Muriel swiftly clamped a hand over Vivian's mouth, gently pulling her into an embrace until she calmed down.
"Vivian. Don't go tossing words like that around. If those adventurer bastards caught wind of it, they'd lose their minds and swarm us."
At my warning, Vivian's shoulders drooped glumly. It was a slip of the tongue, sure, but she had been trying her best to think before speaking ever since the bandit incident.
"I'm sorry, Orabeoni."
"It's fine. Muriel caught you before any damage was done, didn't she? Besides, you learn these things through experience."
"Okay..."
After patting the shoulder of the girl still biting her lip in self-reproach, I led the way toward a luxury inn—we certainly weren't lacking in funds. Fortunately, just as adventurers flooded the streets, inns were equally plentiful, so there was no shortage of rooms.
Normally, loudmouthed, swaggering, drunken adventurers wouldn't dream of walking past the beauties in our party without making a scene... but every single one of them clamped their mouths shut and shrank back. Well, it was only natural. Very few fools possessed the guts to hit on someone who was so blatantly aristocratic.
"Whoo! Hey there, sweetheart! That's one hell of an ass! How about ditching that scrawny runt and coming over to me?!"
"..."
Well, there's always an exception.
"Muriel. Sounds like he's calling for you. Go deal with it and come back."
"Haah... I will handle it shortly."
"Right. Try not to kill him if you can help it."
"Understood."
Wearing an uncharacteristically irritated expression, Muriel gritted her teeth and strode toward the idiot who had just yelled. Meanwhile, the rest of us headed inside the inn to check out our rooms.
"Not bad."
Looking around at the spacious, upscale interior, it was definitely worth every coin.
—Gwaaaargh! Sp-spare m—!
Thud! Crunch! CRASH!
The outside erupted into a noisy commotion, but Vivian was the only one among us who paid any attention to the racket. That night, sinking into real beds for the first time in days, we finally enjoyed a comfortable, deeply satisfying slumber.