54. Mizuki's Feelings and the Wandering Folk
The carriage journey continued today as well.
The season should have been heading into summer, but the temperature had dropped compared to when they were in Rishel. They seemed to be gradually gaining altitude. Tonight, they'd camp outdoors. If nothing happened, they'd reach a city about the size of Rishel by tomorrow. Their destination, Migurut, was still far off.
Under the blue sky, a bird circled with wings spread wide.
The sunlight was harsh, but the breeze felt good. Sitting under the carriage's canopy made it quite comfortable.
Right now, he was on rear guard duty with Mizuki.
They sat side by side at the back of the carriage.
No changes. They kept advancing through the forest path as always.
Bored, he thought, and a yawn escaped him.
"Mu."
Mizuki shot him a glare.
"Wh-what?"
"Do it seriously."
"I am serious. Yawns just happen."
It was because of the night raid and morning skirmish with Fam. Mizuki probably suspected as much. She let out a sigh.
"And what was that this morning? I'm sorry for secretly asking Aver to train you, but stop saying pervy stuff in front of everyone. Save it for when we're alone!"
He had gone overboard that morning, it seemed.
"...So it's okay when we're alone?"
He made a kneading motion with his hands, like groping breasts, right in front of her.
"...If that's what you want, Mash."
She swatted his hand away.
"Then right now's perfect."
"You serious? You really think about nothing but sexy stuff all the time? Don't you get tired?"
"Simulating ways to make you cum in my head is the most fun I have."
"...That's why you lost to Aver and cried 'cause you couldn't get any."
It had been frustration from losing, but if she thought that, it was less embarrassing, so he'd let it slide.
"You must think about it a ton too, jerking off every day."
"I'm not doing it now!"
"For real?"
That was a shock.
"Yeah, ever since we started doing it, I haven't needed to. I'm really grateful for that."
A high school girl grateful to a middle-aged perv for banging her. Mizuki.
"...Wouldn't you rather masturbate than get assaulted?"
"The guilt was insane. I kept apologizing to Mom and Dad in my head. Mom caught me once and chewed me out big time. But I couldn't stop, couldn't talk to anyone, thought I was the only one—it was hell."
Which was worse for her parents: their daughter hooked on masturbation, or banging a sleazy old guy?
"What would your folks think if they knew our situation now?"
"Mu, that's on you, Mash. When we get back home, you better properly greet them and ask permission to date me!"
"...For real?"
"I'll back you up."
No way in hell her parents would approve him dating their daughter. He really didn't want to go back to the original world anymore.
"Anyway, that's why I don't do it alone anymore."
"Makes sense, I guess. I'd be fine with it, wouldn't stop you. Hell, I'd encourage it."
"Yeah, you'd say that... Sigh. I just want normal conversation."
Mizuki sighed.
The carriage jolted hard, probably from a wheel hitting a rock.
Thanks to yesterday's rain, the road was still muddy. Every time they crossed ruts or got stuck in the muck, the carriage shook. Luckily, it hadn't gotten completely bogged down yet.
"Then, can I ask something awkward?"
"Sure."
She nodded.
"Mizuki, what do you... think about it?"
"...That's too vague. Think about what?"
"People dying."
"Emma?"
"That's part of it, but it's only been about a month since we got here, and it feels like we've been involved in a ton of deaths."
The fortress village raided by goblins, Black Sky members, bandits. Up to there, he'd rationalized it as normal for this world. As long as he didn't have to do the killing himself, as long as it wasn't his friends, he could treat it like someone else's problem. But Emma's death was different. Riley's sobs echoed in his head, and he couldn't detach anymore.
"I try not to think about it, but am I weird for feeling this way? Beers... I mean, is it okay to say his name? I can't forget. My head feels messed up."
Mizuki murmured her answer.
"Me too."
"Aren't adults supposed to teach you how to deal with these feelings?"
She pouted and elbowed his side.
"No clue. I have no idea what to do."
Sorry for being such a worthless adult.
"We'll have to fight other transferrees from now on, and it might turn into real killing. I don't wanna kill, don't wanna be killed. I wanna go home."
Even without being special transferrees, thieves and robbers were everywhere. Death was close by. Remembering when he met Fam made his chest tighten.
"Our home world's the same. Especially our country—they just hide it so you don't notice. I don't wanna kill or be killed either."
Thinking back now, in the original world, death was tucked away out of sight. For family, sure, but strangers? Close your eyes and ignore it. But here, everything was raw and exposed.
"In this world, sometimes you gotta make choices yourself. What'll you do then, Mash?"
"Dunno. But I especially don't want you or Fam involved."
"'Cause you're an adult?"
"Yeah. Same as with booze."
They gripped weapons and lived. That day would come. But he'd kept putting off preparing for it. Did he need to steel himself? Once he did, he might swing to extremes, and that scared him. He didn't know what he'd become.
Mizuki leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder.
"Whatever choice you make, I'll be with you. The two of us can make it in this world, right?"
"Yeah, together we're good."
He pulled her waist close. He had to protect her.
"I wish these lazy carriage rides would go on forever."
Mizuki's soft-looking lips were close.
Forgetting about watch duty, he was drawn to them.
That's when Cecily rode back to their position at the rear.
"Mu," he voiced aloud again.
"What's with the 'mu' anyway?"
Cecily scowled.
"Nah, just a bug flew by. You like bugs, Cecily?"
"...Neither especially."
"Got it. Thinking of going stag beetle hunting next time. Wanna come?"
"...What for?"
Cecily asked. Mizuki listened silently, blushing. Probably embarrassed they'd been caught snuggling.
"Sell 'em to kids in town."
"Who'd buy? They'd just sit there."
Same as Ira. Guess folks in this world weren't into beetles, huh.
"Leftovers go to Ira."
"Huh? Ira? Never heard she liked stag beetles."
Perfect. Now Cecily would bring any she found to Ira. A petty punishment for interrupting his alone time with Mizuki, following Myra.
"Oh, right. Aver has a message."
Cecily said.
"...Sounds ominous."
Bad vibes only.
"Dunno. Looks like a bunch of carriages stopped ahead, blocking the road. Prep for battle, just in case."
"Battle prep, huh..."
"I'll tell Fam and the others."
Mizuki headed inside the canopy to relay to Fam and crew waiting in the carriage. The canopy separated inside from out, but vibrations and wheel noise drowned out surroundings anyway.
"You see it, Cecily?"
"Yeah, glimpsed the canopies through the trees. More than one."
Bandits ambushing wouldn't hide in plain sight, right?
Mizuki returned from inside.
Her face was tense, probably from their earlier talk.
The carriage halted. Cecily urged her horse forward to scout the front.
"Cecily, hold up. Let's all go together."
"Okay."
Cecily nodded. Mash and Mizuki hopped down, and Fam's group emerged from inside.
"Let's go?"
Everyone nodded. He headed toward the caravan's lead.
About twenty wagons were stopped there. Several goats too.
People in unfamiliar clothes had dismounted—around twenty of them.
Men in short tunics with colorful embroidery, loose loincloths, and shorts.
Women in short vests and long skirts, again vibrant fabrics with embroidery. No one in town walked around baring their midriffs like that.
"Caravan nomads. Called the Wandering Folk."
Aver called out. Oh yeah, the bare-midriff woman was here too.
Were the Wandering Folk treated like freemen?
"Not pastoral nomads? Wandering through forests like this? Common sight?"
He pictured pastoral nomads strolling vast plains.
"Nah, they don't herd livestock, so not nomads. You see 'em more in the southern grasslands, yeah."
"Huh. So what's their deal?"
"Wagon got stuck in the mud."
No fight then. He relaxed.
"I'll help. You guys rest."
He headed to the stuck wagon. For some reason, Fam and Mizuki followed.
Up close, the wheel was sunk about a third into the muck.
A few wagons had passed fine, but each churned it worse, leading to this.
The axle connecting the wheels looked snapped too. The whole thing tilted. Men pushed while horses pulled, but it wouldn't budge, tipping forward precariously.
"Mizuki, what to do here?"
"Leave it to experts."
Mizuki stated flatly.
"...Yeah, but can't we dominate with original world knowledge?"
"Not original world stuff, but... drain the mud's water?"
"Good idea. Fam, grab Cecily."
Fam nodded and fetched her.
"Can water magic suck the moisture out?"
"Got it. I'll try."
Cecily raised her staff, cast water magic, and formed a water orb from the mud's moisture.
Once the ground firmed up enough, they had the horses pull again.
The wagon lurched forward amid cheers.
"Nice one, Cecily!"
He called out—and got blasted by the water orb. Soaked.
"Cecily... why?"
"Found a stag beetle earlier. Took it to Ira, and she got pissed!"
His own seeds sown.
Thank you for reading.
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It motivates me. I'll keep at it.