45. East Wind and the Overland Journey
The caravan snaked its way through the forest path. We were riding in the wagon at the tail end.
Progress was slower than I'd imagined, and the breaks were long. I was even starting to think it might be faster to walk.
Our wagon had two drivers up front, while inside the canopy it was me on standby, along with Fam, Cecily, and Ira. Mizuki and Myra were on rear guard duty. We were rotating shifts.
But man, the wagon's shaking was brutal.
This route stretched all the way to the port town of Furufuto. From there, we'd transfer the cargo to a ship and sail down the Balis River to the city of Heiron. Then it was back to overland travel toward Migurut. The whole trip was slated to take about thirty days.
Cecily looked positively green. Ira was rubbing her back.
Why is it that watching someone else get motion sick makes me feel queasy too? I could really use some anti-nausea meds myself.
"About that sparring match earlier..."
To distract myself, I turned to Fam, who was sitting beside me.
"Yes?" She nodded.
"How'd you pick up that stance and those moves?"
It had been the same during the Hecatoncheir fight. Was Fam secretly a kendo practitioner? No, I knew for a fact she was a total beginner.
"I was watching you, Master."
"...You can learn that just by watching?"
I couldn't believe it. Was she some kind of genius even beyond Mizuki?
"When I take that stance, it feels like I can't lose. It's invincible mode!"
She looked weirdly proud about it.
"That's just in your head. You were getting totally crushed."
It had been really close, so I had to drive the point home.
"What I do comes from my old world—it's called kendo. You beat each other with bamboo swords and score points. It's not real sword fighting. Harsh as it sounds, it's basically an extension of play. I only do it because I can't handle anything else."
"When I take that stance, I kinda get a feel for how to move. But I still can't execute it perfectly like I imagine."
"...Your guardian deity?"
I recalled her mentioning once that her guardian deity had told her the name of the God of the End.
"Probably. Do you know the words 'one eye, two feet, three guts, four power'? They just popped into my head watching you."
They were words my elderly instructor used to repeat endlessly. They outlined the key elements of swordsmanship and their order of importance. Maybe through watching me, she was glimpsing the primal essence of kendo, its original form.
One: eye. The instructor said it was "like gazing at distant mountains." It meant calming the mind and seeing everything clearly—grasping the enemy and the surroundings. It stressed how crucial awareness was.
Two: feet. "Like waves crashing on the sand," he'd say. This warned against flailing your sword wildly. Only with a solid core and footwork could you commit to a strike. Stepping in was the root of swordsmanship. Without it, you couldn't unify spirit, sword, and body.
It tied right into what Aidan had taught me.
Three: guts. "Immovable mind," the instructor called it. Guts and courage. A heart unshaken by anything. I always felt like I lacked this, so I ended up neglecting the rest.
Tricky terms, but "immovable mind" meant a spirit unruffled by any situation, while "calm mind" was the opposite—being trapped by distractions.
Finally, power. The instructor never said much about it. It was the honed strength and technique that went without saying. Placing it fourth was partly to warn against relying on brute force.
I gave Fam a quick rundown.
"Master, teach me more. Did you notice anything else during our spar?"
"You're too eager to follow the enemy's lead. There's a saying: 'seize the initiative' and 'take the lead after they move.' Act just before they do, and you can suppress their momentum."
I felt a bit embarrassed lecturing Fam like some know-it-all. Anyone can talk the talk. I sure as hell couldn't walk the walk. Eyes really were key.
"...Master. I used to think you were just a guy obsessed with lewd stuff."
Fam dropped that bomb casually. Was she turning into Mizuki? Even now, I was fighting the urge to grope her boobs nonstop. I was trying really hard.
"...How can you call a perv like me 'Master' with a straight face?"
"N-No, you're still Master!"
"Fine. But if you ever call me 'Mash-kun' or 'Mash-chan,' we're done talking. Forever."
"Are you a kid?!"
I turned away with a huff. What else could I do? I was just a goofy adult with "nose" scrawled on my forehead, obsessed with nothing but pervy thoughts.
"Ma-M-M... Maaashhh!"
Fam poked my shoulder playfully. It didn't hurt at all.
"While we're on pervy topics, next inn stay, I'm summoning Rakushel."
"What about everyone else?"
She clearly planned to be there too. Craving some new panties, maybe?
"Too much hassle otherwise. Anyone who wants in gets to join."
"Will Big Sis's resistance really hold up against her?"
Myra claimed she could resist Rakushel's Charm field. But against a goddess? Whatever happens, happens.
"Dunno. But if Myra can call you 'Big Sis,' why can't you call me 'Master' like I asked?"
"Ugh... Master. I love you. That's why I can't say it right now... Is that no good?"
Saying "I love you" felt more embarrassing than her name to me, but apparently not for her. I knew she was hiding something. I wanted to pry it out, but ideally, she'd open up on her own.
Ira and Cecily, sitting across from us, had been shooting icy glares this whole time.
"You two... if you're gonna flirt, go do it somewhere else. Some of us feel like puking already..."
Cecily grumbled.
"You could flaunt it right back, y'know."
"Shut up!"
"They say lack of sleep causes motion sickness too."
She'd probably been up all night getting freaky with Ira.
"..."
Cecily clammed up. I felt a twinge of pity, but then I remembered the "nose" on her forehead, and it soured the mood. Ira, stroking her back worriedly, had one too. I wanted to laugh, but it'd probably piss them off for real.
I needed to scrub these off before nightfall. Maybe try that assorted slime oil later.
"Someone brought a spare horse for riding, right? Swap with them. You won't get sick on horseback."
"...Yeah, I'll do that."
Cecily nodded.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Night fell.
We were camping out tonight. The stone pillar barrier couldn't hold everyone, so we formed a ring around the wagons. Mateo Merchant Company handled cooking and distributed meals to all.
We split into groups around campfires to eat.
Summer days were hot, but nights got chilly.
I'd been invited by Claire, so I grabbed my food and headed to where the Mateo crew gathered. But they led me to a spot that felt like a private couple's seat—just for me and Claire. Should've brought Fam. Being watched from afar by the others was awkward as hell.
Fam had wanted to tag along, but Myra was even more insistent, so I'd ended up playing referee.
Anyway, chug this hearty stew and bail. But if this happens every day...?
"..."
"..."
I had no idea what to say, so we sat in silence. Claire seemed just as lost. I could respond if someone started talking, but with dead air, I had nothing.
"The stars are beautiful, aren't they?"
Claire gazed up at the night sky.
A crescent moon hung in the eastern sky. The Milky Way shone clear as ever. Brighter stars flanked both riverbanks, forming one corner of the Summer Triangle. If my smartphone date was right, it was July 5th.
Couldn't help but hunt for the North Star.
Like before, I scanned for the Big Dipper and Cassiopeia but came up empty. Were the constellations different from my world? Or just too many stars to pick them out?
"The stars look like a river."
"Yes." Claire nodded.
"See those super bright ones on both banks?"
"...Too many; I can't tell."
Yeah, figured. I'd planned a Tanabata story but scrapped it. Instead, I chatted about stars, the speed of light—time passed okay. I'd save the good stuff for Fam later.
"What will you do after arriving in Migurut, Mash-sama?"
"Drop the 'sama.' Just Mash. For now, dungeon dives while gathering info."
Easier said than done, though.
"Info?"
"Yeah. On otherworld transfers, the Demon King... and the Red Brigade too."
"The Red Brigade started as mercenaries. Now they're into every shady gig—thieves, you name it. Slave trading too."
Did she know about Fam? It felt pointed.
"Big outfit?"
"Not sure on current size, but they used to have about five hundred mercs."
Hard to picture if that was a lot or not.
"Could we handle the investigation for you?"
"Sorry, but anything flashy could trace back."
"Leave it to us. Discreetly, of course."
Claire smiled.
"How much?"
Gonna cost a fortune.
"Free might raise flags. Two Mana Seeds? Plus one more depending on the intel. One-year term?"
"Deal. Keep it quiet that I'm looking into the Red Brigade."
In this world, that'd run up huge labor costs. Bargain price, probably.
"Hee hee, our little secret."
She still had some from the Mana Seed rush. I pulled two from Storage and handed them over.
"...So you do have them."
"Testing me?"
"No, sorry. One more—plans during our Migurut stay?"
"Inn talk? I'm a freeman; gotta stay somewhere."
Only citizens could own homes in town.
"How about a whole house?"
"For real?"
"One gold coin per month?"
Inns ran seven silver per solo night. Hundred silver to a gold, so cheap. But cleaning and cooking? I'd end up doing it all eventually.
"Lemme see the place first."
"Of course."
Claire nodded.
Then silence again.
"...Father told me. You sure?"
"...I'm ready. That's how I was raised. If you don't... take me, Mash-sama—no, Mash—my position gets awkward."
Heavy. Never thought I'd end up in this spot.
"Look at my forehead. This old perv?"
"Were you waiting for me to say no?"
Busted.
"Turning a girl who hates it into one who loves me—that's my dream."
"Hee hee, then I'll play hard to get on night one."
Claire was an enigma. I'd expected Fam- or Mizuki-level freakouts, but she brushed it off. What was she feeling, sharing a meal with me?
"Got a boyfriend?"
"As if. Who's your party girlfriend?"
"All of 'em."
"..."
Yeah, figures. A guy scribbling "nose" on foreheads for laughs wasn't exactly stud material.
"Myra-sama too?"
"Yup."
No clue her angle, but Myra was special in Rishel. Claire clutched her chest and sighed deeply.
"I can't join adventures. That okay?"
"Adventuring together isn't a girlfriend requirement."
"True. But I'd like us to chat more casually."
Claire leaned against my shoulder. I pulled her close gently.
She gazed up at me.
"I always wondered what kind of man Father would bring. Never imagined kissing someone with writing on his forehead."
"Just close your eyes."
"I will."
Claire smiled mischievously and shut her eyes.
I leaned in and lightly pressed my lips to hers.
Thank you for reading.
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