Chapter 93

"Ryuya! I'm coming too!"

Noem pleaded with me, who was about to go in alone.

I had expected this.

"If Ryuya is going, I want to go with you! I want to be of help to Ryuya!"

"…I don’t really want you to come this time."

The purpose of this journey is fundamentally different from the previous ones.

I am going to war.

While I have set out on journeys with the aim of fighting before, those were battles against individuals, like demons—powerful, but still just individuals.

This time is different.

I am going to war against a nation, an entity of unknown nature.

Especially against a slave nation, a particularly suspicious opponent, I can't even imagine what kind of battle will unfold.

I am truly hesitant about bringing Noem, a cute girl, into such a battlefield.

Moreover, the existence of slave traders should remind Noem of her past, which is more than just unpleasant for her.

"…Ryuya. Don’t worry about my past."

Noem said, as if reading my mind.

"I understand. I was once captured by slave traders. If Ryuya hadn’t saved me, I might have spent my entire life as a slave, with everything taken from me."

Perhaps due to the trauma from that experience, Noem was initially very timid and fearful.

She was always on edge, flinching at the slightest provocation, a result of being treated as a slave and having her identity completely negated.

Being treated as an object, not allowed to have her own will, and punished with beatings and kicks for any defiance—such treatment could easily shatter a person’s spirit.

"Surely the place we are going will bring back unpleasant memories for Noem. You should wait here."

"Thank you for your concern. The reason I can live with such confidence and not become a slave is all thanks to Ryuya."

But…, Noem continued.

"That’s why I want to go. In a country with many slaves, there are many people like me who haven’t been saved by Ryuya. People who were kidnapped and had their will taken away. …I want to help those people!"

‘This is something you can’t avoid, Master.’

A flickering spirit form.

The demon spirit Abinion spoke with a mocking tone.

‘Noem has become quite strong-willed. Once she has made up her mind, there’s no moving her. You have no choice but to take her along, Master.’

"Easy for you to say…!?"

‘What, you invincible and strongest Master needs our support. I’ll handle the complicated stuff with my versatile abilities as usual.’

"Ugh…!?"

That’s a weak point for me.

Indeed, no matter how high my level, without skills, all I can do is punch the guy in front of me.

I’m a man who can only do that.

However, violence doesn’t solve everything. In the past, the problems that couldn’t be solved by just punching and kicking were always resolved with the help of Noem and Abinion.

Noem with her alchemy.

Abinion with his transcendent abilities.

They solved various troublesome issues.

I’m sure this time will be no different.

Thinking about it, I had no choice but to accept.

"Lord Ryuya, I…!"

The next person to speak was the knight and future queen, Resliza.

She looked genuinely apologetic…

"I wanted to be of help this time, but I cannot go with you."

"It’s fine, it was my decision after all."

The journey to the slave nation is not a war between nations but a personal assault by me, as agreed with the king.

Therefore, Resliza, as a formal knight of the kingdom and the next queen, should not be involved.

If she were to get involved, it would instantly become a war between the Centaurian Kingdom and the slave nation.

"You’ll have to look after things here again. No matter what happens, this is where I will return. If you can protect it, I can go to war with peace of mind."

"There’s no other way… It’s the wife’s duty to take care of the household while her husband is away."

Resliza understood.

After various discussions, we ultimately decided to go to the slave nation with the usual group.

◆

Me, Noem, and Abinion, the three of us.

After leaving the Centaurian capital, we arrived near the border of the slave nation, Bluebalm, after about five days.

Let me clarify, this was not a normal travel speed.

This time, due to the need for swift action, I ran at the speed of a beast with my level eight million leg strength, carrying Noem.

This significantly reduced the travel time.

Our home, the Centaurian Kingdom, does not share a border with the slave nation Bluebalm, and the distance is so great that we had to pass through several other countries to reach it.

What would normally take several weeks, we completed in five days, which can be considered a god-like speed.

"Are you okay, Noem…?"

"I’m fine…! Ugh…!?"

The problem was Noem, who had to keep up with that speed and was now covering her mouth.

Apparently, compressing several weeks into five days was too much for a normal human body, and Noem was exhausted from the wind pressure, weight, and intense shaking.

"Let’s stop here for the night. Noem has reached her limit."

"I’m sorry…! If I hadn’t given up, we could have moved faster…!"

Indeed, over the past five days, the only reason we stopped was because Noem’s physical limits were reached, and she was about to vomit.

"It’s fine. I know Noem is reliable. I might be a burden to you in the field, so please bear with me."

"Of course not! I’ll do anything for Ryuya!"

Girls shouldn’t say ‘anything’ so lightly.

I feel guilty for bringing Noem on such a forced march.

The slave nation Bluebalm, from its nature, might use any despicable means.

To suppress them, I needed to act as quickly as possible.

That’s why I came at the fastest speed possible.

Even if they learned about the events in the Centaurian Kingdom, it would take time for the information to reach them, given the distance.

By the time it reached them, we should have already bypassed their information network.

At this rate, it should be easy to launch a surprise attack on the slave nation Bluebalm.

Therefore, there was no need to push Noem beyond her limits, and it was fine to stop here for the night.

"Besides, we should take a break for another reason."

"?"

Before attacking the slave nation Bluebalm, we had already gathered the necessary information.

Our current location is on the outskirts of the Saveterra Kingdom, near the border with the slave nation Bluebalm.

In other words, our destination is right in front of us.

It would be better to rest and regain our strength before rushing into enemy territory.

"We should take a room, rest fully, and prepare to crush Bluebalm. Tomorrow will be their day of reckoning."

"Understood! Let’s find an inn… Ugh!?"

"Whoa, don’t push yourself yet! I’ll find the inn!"

From the geography I had researched, I knew this was the village closest to the Bluebalm border, essentially a point of no return.

From here on, it’s all about the battle.

"…This village seems quite desolate, doesn’t it?"

"Yeah. I thought the border towns would be more prosperous…!"

After all, people from two countries pass through here.

But perhaps it depends on the relationship with the neighboring country. The slave-trading Republic of Bluebalm is probably not a welcome neighbor to this country.

In any case, this is just a transit point for us.

We decided to take a room and rest for the night, preparing for tomorrow.

However, we didn’t realize it yet.

The slave nation, which tramples on human dignity without a second thought, had already begun to encircle us with a cunning far beyond our imagination…!