Chapter 21

I woke up to the sound of the evening bell. However, there are quite a few inns along the way, so there's no need to reverse my day and night schedule.

I could continue sleeping, but I'm hungry and want to see the town, so I decide to go outside.

Occasionally, it's nice to enter a shop that catches my eye without asking anyone.

So, I decide to have a meal at a place that looks like a tavern near the inn.

This shop has a tavern-like atmosphere, different from the ones I've been to before.

I go to the owner and order a dish called "Estard," which caught my eye first.

Although not as fast as in Ein's restaurants, the food still comes out right away. It's quieter here than in Ein, despite the noise. Strangely, I feel more relaxed in a crowded train than in a room with only two people.

Perhaps the difference in speed is due to the variety of the menu?

I sit down at a random table and start eating a stew that's neither good nor bad. Suddenly, the surroundings become noisy.

I wonder if I did something wrong, but it seems the commotion isn't centered around me.

Two muscular men who were sitting diagonally behind me are glaring at each other. I wish they wouldn't disturb my peaceful meal.

Suddenly, one of the men punches the other. The other man blocks it, but both lose their balance and fall towards me.

I can't let them fall on me, so I push them back while still sitting. Using magic would be inappropriate.

As I push, both men are sent flying to the opposite side, though not horizontally like in a comic. They just fall about a meter away.

I stand up and say to the men,

"Hey, you're causing a disturbance. Can't you take your fight outside?"

"What the hell, you!"

"Don't interfere in our fight!"

...Are they angry at me? Why are they directing their anger at me?

Ah, it's because I pushed them. That's a nuisance. Should I just let them crush me by falling on me?

Talking to drunk people won't help...

"Ah, if you want to fight, go ahead, but please do it outside."

As I say this, one of the men punches me. But he's slow. He's a sluggish worm compared to a Green Wolf.

I grab his fist and twist his arm. I can't use ancient martial arts, but this is enough to subdue a drunk.

Just as I think this, the other man also attacks. The rule "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" doesn't seem to apply here.

Thinking about it, this rule might not have a wide application even on Earth.

In any case, with my arm occupied, I have no choice but to kick. I aim for his stomach before he can punch me.

"Ugh... gah..."

The man falls to the ground. The crowd around me cheers and murmurs. A crowd has gathered.

While I'm thinking about what to do, the crowd parts, and a guard in the same uniform as the one earlier comes and takes the two men away.

"Can you come with us to the station?"

"What? Isn't this self-defense?"

I was just a bystander and now I'm being taken away. How unfair is that?

"I think it's self-defense, but I didn't see the situation, so I need you to come with me."

"No, this customer was just eating and got involved. I saw it clearly."

The owner defends me, and the crowd agrees.

"Alright, then show me your guild card. I need to check if you're a thief."

Guild cards are convenient. The adventurers who were fighting might become thieves.

The guard checks my guild card, writes down my name, and leaves.

"Hey, you're pretty strong for someone with that build. Are you an adventurer or something?"

"Yes, I'm an E-rank adventurer. I left my equipment at the inn, thinking I wouldn't need it in town."

"E-rank with that strength and speed? You have a bright future. As a thank you, I'll give you a free dish. What would you like?"

"Thank you. Do you have any recommendations?"

The recommended dish is called "Homedo." The name is straightforward and simple.

I ordered it, and it was quite good. However, it tasted like a slightly modified version of Ein's Gargon set, and I didn't feel much difference between the towns.

Considering the distance is about three days by horse, it's understandable.

My stomach is full, and I feel a bit sleepy, so I decide to go back to the inn and sleep.

I wake up to the morning bell. I thought there might be some negative effects from switching back to a normal schedule, but there were none. It seems my body has adapted well since coming to this world.

After eating breakfast, I ask a guard for directions. He says to go straight from the north gate, turn left at the end, and follow the road to Eleara. Eleara is on a mountain, so it's not a straight path, but it's a single road.

From Ein to Tsuva, I was running lightly, but from here on, I plan to run at full speed, faster than when I fought the Metal Lizard, and even faster than I could on Earth, where I would quickly run out of stamina.

In my battles, I often need to buy time due to the limits of my magic. I can also buy time by casting spells during combat, but it's safer to run and escape. I've never been out of breath here, but it's important to know my limits.

It would be troublesome to run out of stamina when I need it, and it would be a waste to conserve too much and have less time to buy.

Fortunately, the road is relatively safe, and most dangerous monsters have been cleared. The grass around the road is about 30 cm tall, providing good visibility. So, I plan to run until I'm out of breath, then take a break, and repeat.

I keep running. The scenery flies by at an incredible speed, like being on a roller coaster, but I don't stop. I see merchants and their guards on horseback staring at me, but I ignore them. I run at a speed that would be dangerous even on a highway, and by noon, I discover something surprising.

I don't get tired.

In the endless grasslands, after finishing lunch, I think, "Maybe I'll get tired if I carry something." So, I put on armor, carry a sword, and hold a well-done, slightly overcooked Green Wolf and run.

My speed decreases, but even by evening, I'm still not tired. Since there's no point in slowing down, I put everything away.

It's getting dark, so I decide to stay at an inn I find about 30 minutes later. The inn looks similar to the ones I've seen along the way, a small two-story wooden building. It might be a chain.

There's a large fenced area next to the building, which is surprisingly big for its size, with one carriage parked inside.

The entrance reads "Tsuva-Eleara Inn No. 9." Given that it's on both ends of this road and has a number, it's likely a chain. It's more efficient than individual inns along the way.

Inside, an old man, who seems to be the owner, greets me.

"Welcome. What kind of room would you like?"

"What kind of room? How much does it cost?"

Is there a big room in this small inn? The old man points to a price list.

Price List

Private Room: 2000 Tel per night, includes two meals

Dormitory: 400 Tel per night, no meals

Meal: 150 Tel per meal

Parking: 500 Tel per night per vehicle

Ah, it doesn't have to be an inn. Maybe they just provide security.

At this price, it might be cheaper than hiring additional adventurers for night security.

It's convenient to be able to form a party with everyone awake during the day.

I'm not that short on money, so I choose a private room.

The meal consists of hard bread and smoked meat.

There's nothing to do at night in this world. I fall asleep, thinking about the healthy life of running all day and sleeping soundly. Whether it's healthy to run at a speed that surpasses cars and carry a charred six-legged wolf is debatable.

I wake up to a much higher bell sound than usual.

I hadn't thought about how to wake up in the morning, but the inn provides a bell.

After eating breakfast, which is the same as dinner, I leave the inn and start running again.

The road gradually becomes more wooded and slightly uphill.

It's not a mountain yet, but I can see the outline of mountains in the distance.

By lunchtime, the mountains are clearly visible.

After finishing lunch and starting to run again, a few hours later, the grasslands turn into a forest. The forest isn't dense, but it's different from the grasslands.

The road is clear of plants, though it's not paved with stones.

The slope becomes steeper, almost like a climb.

The road curves, running diagonally up the hill. This is likely to reduce the slope for transportation by carriage.

It would be a shortcut to leave the road, but there's no need to take unnecessary risks.

It's getting dark, so I search for an inn and find one after climbing for about an hour. It's Tsuva-Eleara Inn No. 20.

The meal is exactly the same as the one I had twice at No. 9. I wonder if people traveling by carriage eat this for 10 days straight.

I think about this while sleeping and wake up to start running again.

However, after about 30 minutes, my touch plate detects an unusual presence.

It's probably human. There are seven of them, but they're moving away from the road into the forest, which is unusual for adventurers.

The party composition is strange. Focusing on the touch plate, I get more information: six adults and one child, with the child being carried.

It's likely they are thieves.