85. Departure and New Companions
The walls encircling the city of Niren receded into the distance.
Once again, I found myself riding atop the wagon. We pressed on through endless grasslands, passing wheat fields and cresting hill after hill.
I pulled out my smartphone and gazed at the photo I'd snapped right before departure.
It was a group shot with Momoka and the others. Momoka had her index finger to her cheek, grinning ear to ear. She'd begged me to take it, and when Fam, Mizuki, Myra, Cecily, and Ira noticed, they demanded their own pics too. Karupana and Chihiro, who happened to be watching nearby, jumped in for a big group photo.
Next time this crew assembled would be in Migurut. Still a long way off.
Riley crossed my mind. Had she been freed from Ito's slavery yet? I'd figured she'd catch up quick. Where the hell was she now? Sucked that I couldn't just shoot her a casual text.
The caravan barreled toward our next stop: the city of Fulft.
I'd been on rear guard, but with Myra and Ira taking over watch, I headed back inside the wagon.
Fam and Mizuki were there, along with Fang and Doris, whom we'd picked up from the jail that morning. Those two belonged to Aver's Altail party, so their usual spot was the lead wagon—but to get the scoop on Izark, they'd hopped on ours at the tail end.
Cecily had taken their place, riding ahead on horseback to scout the front.
Doris was now my slave; Fang belonged to Mizuki. Doris hunched her shoulders like she didn't belong, while Fang sprawled with legs wide and arms crossed, acting like he owned the damn caravan.
Mizuki and Fam sat opposite them. I squeezed in between the girls.
"Mizuki, do something about Fang's cocky attitude," I whispered in her ear.
"Ehh... it's fine, isn't it?"
I'd been hearing their chatter nonstop. Mizuki's laughter every now and then made it clear they were already hitting it off. Damn, her people skills are top-tier. Wish she'd unleash some of that on me.
"Doris, you were Izark's slave, right?"
I addressed her directly.
"Before that."
Fang cut in.
"What?"
"We were slated for execution with Mii and Kei. Figured we owe you thanks."
Fang bowed his head. Doris hurriedly followed suit. If they'd felt that way, they could've shown some humility back in the underground jail.
I hadn't stuck around for Mii and Kei's executions, but they got a token trial a few days later before public hanging. If things had gone south, the city might've been overrun by monsters. No helping it.
"Like I said in the jail—you guys aren't to blame. But I wanna avoid any more bullshit drama. Don't set foot in that city again."
Fang nodded at my words.
"We wanna repay you. Come visit our werewolf village sometime."
"Wait—you got kidnapped and turned into a slave too?"
"Yeah. We nomads roam between villages, hunting as we go. One got raided. Me and Task fought to let the others escape, but we got captured."
"...Those guys in the red hoods?"
"Right. The Red Brigade."
The bastards who'd hit Fam's village. I wondered what her face looked like right now, but I didn't wanna draw everyone's eyes her way. As that thought crossed my mind, Fam's hand rested on mine. I glanced down at her small palm. Rage bubbled up inside me.
"We got a ritual for our guardian deity. Would love for Levante folks to join."
"...Guardian deity, huh. Outsiders cool with that?"
Another guardian god thing. Those rituals were usually super exclusive and secretive.
"Yeah, but it's more like festival entertainment. Basically, participants become 'villagers' in a werewolf village. But hidden among 'em are terrifying 'humans.' Each night, the 'humans' secretly kill one innocent 'villager.' By day, the 'villagers' debate and exile one suspect. Repeat night and day till either side wins: 'humans' if numbers even out, 'villagers' if they purge 'em all."
"...That's just Werewolf, isn't it?"
Mizuki muttered, shooting me a look. Humans and werewolves swapped, but yeah—straight-up Werewolf game. No clue what joke led to isekai folks' party game becoming werewolf clan tradition.
"We'll be there."
Mizuki answered. She a fan of the game or something? Fang nodded, looking pleased as he eyed her.
Back to business.
"So Fang and Task got bought by Mii and Kei at a slave auction?"
"Yep. About half a year back, in a city called Heiron. After that, we dungeon-dived in Fulft."
Heiron was downstream from Fulft by boat—meaning they'd backtracked the exact route we were taking.
"That's where Izark approached us about raiding Niren's church."
Izark was the one who'd pitched it.
"You know anything about Izark's backstory?"
I turned to Doris. She shook her head.
"He bought me half a month ago."
"From a town east of Niren?"
Doris nodded.
"Yes, then we headed to Fulft."
"Never met him before that?"
"My old party was traveling from the eastern kingdoms toward the Demon Kingdom."
"What for, the Demon Kingdom?"
"Not exactly. We wanted to see the world's eastern edge. But we ran out of cash. Tried dungeon runs to earn more, but then two companions fell ill. Drew lots, and I got sold as a slave."
People became slaves over that? After hearing Fam and Fang's tales, it sounded way too flippant.
"...If we're ever broke, we sell Mizuki."
"Muuu!"
Just a joke, but she pinched my side hard. Ow.
"So Izark bought you?"
"Yes. I don't know much about him either."
"Don't know much, huh? Bet he did pervy stuff to you."
Doris flushed and looked down. Mizuki pinched me again.
"Whatever. Fang, Doris—if anything on Mii's crew or Izark pops into your heads, spill it."
"Hold up."
Fang stopped me as I tried wrapping up.
"You doubted her slave story, right?"
"Just seemed too casual."
"Why not use the Slave Crest to verify? Quick and foolproof."
He had a point. Didn't wanna, but if it kept Momoka's pursuit team safe... Better clear suspicions. For Doris's sake too. She nodded resignedly.
"I command you: Doris, tell me your past guy experience and all the lewd shit you did with Izark."
"Hey!" "Shu-sama..."
Mizuki got pissed; Fam looked exasperated.
"Don't interfere. Mizuki, this is important. You wanna know too, right? Next I'll ask her masturbation count."
"You're an idiot!" Mizuki yelled.
"...Should I answer?"
Doris asked timidly.
"Don't answer that crap!"
"Grr, Mizuki..."
With Mizuki butting in, Doris clammed up on her history. No Slave Crest kickback.
"You own slaves but never commanded via crest? For it to stick, avoid vague orders. And set penalties for defiance."
"...Like 'die if you don't obey'?"
Still hated that. Better not use it.
"Close, but 'die' is overkill. You'd be screwed if they actually croaked."
"Gotcha. Tricky balance."
I turned back to Doris.
"Mash, pull that weird command shit again, and I'm out. Heading to Momoka's."
"Shu-sama, make it super lewd next time. Kick Mizuki out!"
"Fam? What the hell? You've been cold to me lately."
Mizuki and Fam started bickering. Losing Mizuki for real would suck.
"...Doris, did Izark have other allies besides Mii's crew? Was he a transferree? Seen any others? Answer honestly—or say 'boobies' a hundred times."
I almost said "show your boobs," but caught Mizuki glaring.
"Dunno if Izark's a transferree. No clue on other allies. Never saw transfers... sorry."
Probably planned disposable pawns from the start—no traces. Like Lead, he must've had the cash to burn 'em.
That's when a warning whistle pierced from the caravan front.
The wagons halted.
As we hopped out, Myra and Ira joined from rear guard.
"Goblins swarming the lead wagons!"
They'd been hunkered in the grass. Battle already underway.
I spotted Cecily unleashing spells from horseback.
"Cecily!"
Ira shouted and bolted forward.
Then, from where Myra pointed, goblin archers rose and loosed arrows.
"Aren't monsters supposed to avoid groups?"
"Big Hopper fallout, probably. Their swarms wreck the local ecosystem."
"Makes sense. Desperate moves."
Charge ahead or guard the rear? As I pondered, Fam drew her sword; Fang readied his battle axe.
"Shu-sama. They're close."
Before Fam finished, nearly ten goblins burst from the brush, spears thrust forward. One speared straight at me.
I dodged, drew my knife, and cleaved it down.
While Fam and Fang fought, Mizuki and Myra grabbed weapons and joined. Our levels were up—could turn this around. Doris hung back for support.
Glancing around, goblins surged from grass everywhere. Drivers defended with weapons. The horde had planned an ambush, but coordination sucked. A full swarm would've been brutal. Needed tighter vigilance.
Rear looked secure. Time to protect Claire's crew and the horses.
Then more goblins emerged from the brush—archers. Indiscriminate shots, like they didn't care about friendly fire.
Spear rushers switched to daggers for melee chaos.
I fell back, nocked an arrow, and targeted rear archers. My shot pierced one clean.
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