91. The City by the Riverside and the Adventurers Gazing Upon It
We'd left the castle in the mountains behind and returned to traveling by carriage.
We seemed to have passed through the mountainous region. Now the grassy plains stretched out ahead.
I was riding horseback alongside Cecily, tasked with guarding the caravan's perimeter.
"How's it feel? You can finally draw your bow from horseback."
I took aim at a rabbit peeking at us from the shadow of a rock. This area must be rich in food—the thing was nice and plump.
I loosed an arrow, but it veered way off course. The rabbit, realizing it had been spotted, ducked back into cover.
"There goes dinner..."
"Your riding's improved a ton. But if we're attacked, get off the horse pronto."
Cecily didn't seem too disappointed as she scanned our surroundings.
"It's all thanks to my great teacher."
"That teacher's a total beginner who got her ass handed to her by a couple of noobs."
Cecily replied with a self-deprecating laugh. I almost said "Your opponents were just too strong," but that wouldn't have helped, so I kept quiet.
Looking up at the sky, I saw two white clouds drifting eastward.
"You're my teacher, Cecily."
"...Yeah."
She sounded unenthused.
"I'll free you from slavery in Fulft."
"Yeah."
"You'll keep adventuring with me after that, right?"
I needed to confirm her intentions.
"As promised, I'll go with you to Migurutto."
"I'm asking about after that."
"Do you want me around, Mash?"
"Of course I do!"
She turned her face away.
"...I'm leaving the party."
She forced the words out.
"Why? Still mad about what happened before the Crystal Core?"
"I'll never forgive that!"
Whoops—poured fuel on the fire. She reined in her horse, and I did the same. A caravan wagon overtook us from behind.
"I'm crazy shy around people. I got no confidence in finding new members if you bail."
"Don't say pathetic stuff like that. You've got Doris, Fang, Karupana, Riley... Plenty of people who'd support you."
"Cecily, I want you."
"Think about it, Mash. I'm just your average adventurer. I can't go beyond that. I can't reach the heights you're aiming for."
"..."
"I've felt inadequate for a while now. Hecatoncheir, Men in Black, the castle dungeon in the mountains... I can't keep up."
She'd lost her confidence. Hell, I never had any to begin with—and I still had no clue what to do.
"But wasn't it the same during the 'Wind's Blade' mess?"
Leader Lead had been gunning for the dungeon's deepest depths. That had to have been even rougher.
"Mash, I can turn back. But you? Failure's not an option for you."
The last wagon passed us. Myra and Ira, on rear guard, spotted us and waved. I nudged my horse with my heels to get moving.
"Guess I'll study more magic after all. And besides, I..."
Cecily trailed off and clamped her mouth shut. I waited, but she wasn't saying more. Honestly, her silence felt more honest, but I had no idea how to pry it out of her.
I want to keep adventuring with her.
The caravan pressed on, cresting a gentle hill.
Wheat fields spread out before us. Far in the distance, a great river snaked across the land. Part of it gleamed white, reflecting the sun. Squinting, I could even make out the white sails of ships floating on its surface.
And on both banks sprawled the city of Fulft.
It looked bigger than Rishel or Niren.
"So that's Fulft. Finally a third of the way there..."
Cecily said.
"Events came thick and fast, huh."
"No kidding!"
The lead wagon halted. Looked like we were taking a break here.
Cecily and I dismounted. Some merchants brought over feed and water, so we let the horses rest right there.
Fam and Mizuki hopped down from the rear wagon, stretching big as they approached.
Mizuki paused on the wheat-lined road, taking in the view.
"Kinda like an anime ending scene."
"You mean that old one where a girl washes up on an island with a boy, after a spaceship crashes into it?"
Mizuki nodded. Ancient anime. I'd wondered if she was really a high schooler, but she must've caught it on some streaming site. Same as me.
"Looks happy, but there's this lonely vibe that makes me uneasy."
"I get it. Let's take a pic."
"No idea what you're getting at, but this pattern..."
Fam glanced around at Mizuki's words.
"No one's coming."
Fam confirmed.
"Alright, photo time. Cecily too."
"You're hyped way too much! It's embarrassing!"
We're taking nudes, and now she's shy? But if I said that, she'd delete 'em, so I shut up.
We passed through Fulft's city gates.
The wide, well-maintained road from the gate to the riverbank bustled with traffic, full of life.
Buildings lining the streets were often tall—low stories of stone, higher ones extended with wood.
Mateo Merchant Company's branch was right on the riverbank. From there, we could see numerous ships moored on the water: sailing ships and galleys, I figured, with oars sticking out like centipede legs.
They'd load cargo onto those and float downriver.
Damn, what a wide river. Looked like the sea. But no salty tide scent.
The water was blue, the current gentle. Breezes rippled the surface into tiny waves that sparkled in the sunlight. Kids played in the shallows far downriver; some dashed off a pier and dove in.
There was an island in the middle, and the city spread across the far bank too—but no bridge. Guess ferries were the way.
"The city's walled, but what if enemies attack from the river?"
"They use defense chains—stretch chains across to block ships."
Myra pointed. A lighthouse-like structure stood there; a matching one on the opposite shore. They'd string the chains between 'em, probably. No clue what kind, but could they really stop an invasion?
"See you tomorrow. At the boat pier!"
Myra beamed. She was staying at the church tonight. The caravan disbanded here; next muster in three days, after reloading.
"I'll ask the church to free Lead. You sure?"
"Cecily and Ira are precious comrades now. They want to forgive him, so I will too. But if the city's rules judge him, no complaints from me."
Wordy way to put it—for their sake, so no grudges stuck to them. Myra got it and nodded. Freeing Cecily and Ira from slavery. Keeping just him chained felt unfair to them. His slave treatment bugged me, but nobles couldn't keep that up forever, and it stemmed from dungeon failures. That was his limit. Repeat it, and he'd crash and burn.
Fam looked unconvinced but said nothing.
Claire approached.
"Mine's the day after tomorrow," Claire said.
"Muu!"
Fam, Mizuki, Myra, Cecily, and Ira all glared at me in unison.
"W-wait! This is... uh..."
Tried for something clever. Nothing. Claire sidled up beside me and bowed politely to them.
"Just one day of Mash's time, please!"
"..."
They weren't thrilled, but no one griped at Claire.
Then Aver approached.
"Date slots are booked solid."
"Too bad. But I wanna talk morning training. Arena's open mornings—I'll drill ya there."
"Hold up. Not in town. I'm out."
I got she meant well. But I hated drawing eyes or grueling workouts.
"Can I join?"
Fam asked Aver.
"Fine. We'll switch it up then."
Aver grinned at Fam. Mizuki too, but Fam especially seemed to click with her. Why me specifically her punching bag?
I was at the slave trader's mansion with Fam, Mizuki, Cecily, Ira, Doris, and Fang.
Not as grand as a noble's estate, but the interior was lavishly decorated.
Opulent rugs and ornaments on the walls screamed class. In the hall's center stood a burly man with a little mustache— the slave trader himself, dressed in heavy but unflashy clothes.
I shook the hand he offered.
"What can I do for you today?"
"I want to free these four slaves. That cool, Mizuki?"
She hadn't expected to be asked; she nodded frantically.
"You sure? Doris was Izark's slave. Might betray you."
Fang said.
"Why go back to Izark as a slave when you could be free?"
I glanced at Doris.
"I won't."
She shook her head tensely.
"Either way, Mizuki and I never planned to treat you like slaves."
I turned back to the trader.
"That's the deal."
"...Bold move. Fee's one gold coin per head, then."
Steep. I pulled four gold coins from Storage.
"Wait, I'll pay my own."
Cecily said; the others reached too, but I stopped them.
"Nah. Especially Fang and Doris—you'll need gold after freeing."
"Um..."
Doris piped up.
"What?"
"Could we keep escorting the caravan? To Migurutto?"
"Me too. I owe you. Wanna tag along."
Fang followed. Right—Beers volunteered too. Popular quest, huh.
"...Got it. But Mateo Merchant Company decides. I'll put in a word."
"What kinda slaves you handle here?"
I asked out of curiosity.
"Mostly adventurers or nobility-grade."
"Slaves for nobles?"
"Yeah—educated ones, etiquette-trained servants, gardeners, cooks. Specialized skills."
"Not all types, then?"
"Laborers or whores. Want those, I can refer ya."
That matched my mental image: prisoners, kidnappees, folks sold off to cut mouths to feed—huddled in cages, pleading desperately. But these seemed different.
"Gotcha. So adventurers too—warriors, mages?"
"Yup. Whatcha after?"
"Nah, not shopping. Figure they're 100 gold plus anyway."
"Warriors, yeah."
He nodded, a hint of ruthlessness in his eyes.
He snapped his fingers. A maid-dressed woman entered; he whispered, she nodded and left.
"She's one of those noble-grade. 50 gold."
Affordable. But no job for her.
She returned soon. The trader jerked his chin at me. I followed, Fam too.
He led us to the next room.
Smaller than the last.
Four young women lined up. No shackles, but skimpy clothes showed their figures. One had a warrior's muscled build; the rest, unclear. All tense. These were the merchandise.
"Thought they might suit your tastes. Brought 'em out."
The trader said. I eyed them. The dog-eared girl stood out—about Fam's age. Fam stared too.
"No way—you know her?"
"N-no. Nothing."
I whispered, but they all heard. Fam shook her head.
"That dog-ear? Thief class now. 90 gold."
Thief didn't mean actual crook—traps, stealth, party support. Perfect for dog-ears.
"Whaddya think?"
"Tempting, but party's full."
"Fair. Swing by if ya change your mind. Or special order—anytime."
He backed off easy.
Walking riverside from the slave trader's to the inn. Stalls everywhere sold fresh-caught fish—fishy, but crowded and lively. Salmon-like fish hung out front. We strolled, admiring.
Cecily, Ira, Doris, and Fang's Slave Crests were gone from their arms.
Just Fam and Mizuki with me now.
Cecily split to crash at her apothecary aunt's—small place, refused my tag-along. Ira went too.
Fang and Doris took another inn—theirs overlapped with another boat-waiting group, so couldn't bunk together.
"You didn't seem too into slaves."
Fam recalled the mansion.
"Blame my old world's norms. Remember Mizuki's reaction when we met with you in tow? I don't deny it, but yeah, I share her distaste a bit."
I wanted control over the opposite sex, sure. But free spirits like Fam and Mizuki? Cuter.
"But in Rishel, weren't you gonna buy some?"
"Not denying I'd buy good ones—as comrades. If they fit."
Different from Fam's case. No need now.
"I figured Shu-sama'd take anything for the ecchi stuff. Trader probably did too."
Fam dropped poison casually.
"If you refuse, sure."
"I won't!"
"Tonight it is!"
"B-bring it!"
Fam shot back.
"Hey, no weird talk in public!"
Mizuki cut in.
"You too, Mizuki. Be ready tonight."
"Uh... yeah..."
Mizuki blushed beet-red, nodding.
"If you wanted slaves, you wouldn't free me. Or Cecily and them—saw it as temporary. Different from me."
Fam steered back. Did she plan lifelong slavery for them? Norm here, maybe.
"Yeah, complicated feelings there."
Nice smell hit. Stall had ayu-like fish on skewers. Myra wanted with ale, so tomorrow.
But Mizuki and Fam drifted over, lured.
"Want some, Mash?"
"N-nope."
Lied to Mizuki. Looked delish. They chomped, cheeks bulging. My mouth watered, but I held.
"Back to the mansion—there was a dog-ear like me, and one like Mizuki. For Shu-sama's tastes?"
The dog-ear girl, yeah. Same race, similar age.
"Remember the dog-ear. No Mizuki lookalike, though. Woulda asked price."
"What're you saying?"
Mizuki bristled, skewer pointed. Tempted to snatch and eat, but no.
"Don't wanna know your value?"
"Hell no!"
She fumed.
"You stared at that dog-ear girl forever, Fam. Something up?"
"Shu-sama did too."
Fam dodged, kinda.
"Hard to say, but seeing her like that... imagining you sold that way? Gut punch."
"I was always caged. But the village..."
She trailed off.
I'd seen Fam in that dog-ear girl; she'd seen village kin in her.
Thank you for reading.
Thanks to everyone who hit like, bookmark, or rated.
Means a lot. I'll keep pushing.
Thanks always for typo reports.