Chapter 92

※As requested before, I have uploaded a map for reference.

I will only post the link to avoid any inconvenience.

Please take a look if you are interested.

http://12440.mitemin.net/i160016/

Please note that this is just a memo, so please do not take it too seriously.

It should cover all the locations mentioned in the story.

3

The next day, as declared, Hanano left us.

According to the plan, she would return to the city of Seratta in the territory of the Earl of Lawrence in the empire, confront Lewis, a subordinate of the Margrave MacLaurin, and then join the exploration team that is being summoned to the capital.

We have no reason to waste time here any longer.

In the opposite direction of Hanano's return to the empire, we began our journey toward the small country of Aker, the homeland of Shiran and Kai.

The Kitrus Mountains where we are now are a rugged mountain range that embraces one of the tributaries of the great river Aralia.

The steep mountains that pierce the sky separate the territory of the Earl of Lawrence in the southern part of the empire from Kedros, one of the Five Northern Territories to its southwest.

To the west of the territory of the Earl of Lawrence and Kedros, there are the territory of the Earl of Long and Aker, respectively.

So far, we have been walking along the Kitrus Mountains, which extend to the northwest, on the border between the territory of the Earl of Lawrence and Kedros.

We are about to reach the border between the territory of the Earl of Long and Aker.

To put it very roughly, imagine a cross on the map, with the center being our current position.

To the east is the territory of the Earl of Lawrence, to the west is our destination, Aker, to the north is the territory of the Earl of Long, and to the south is Kedros.

If we continue northwest along the border between the territory of the Earl of Long and Aker, the tributary of the great river Aralia will become the border instead of the Kitrus Mountains.

There, the 'Twilight Forest,' a remnant of the forest that has been left behind, divides the territory of the Earl of Long and Aker.

The Twilight Forest is home to powerful monsters that are the cause of why the forest cannot be cleared.

This means we might encounter monsters that can become our familiars, such as Rare Monsters, Queen Monsters, or High Monsters.

It would be nice to explore it, but as the encounter with Garbela shows, interacting with powerful monsters carries some risk.

It would be better to settle in Aker first and then go there with full preparation.

For now, our top priority is to reach Aker.

Fortunately, our journey has been smooth.

There have been no major weather changes or unexpected incidents like an attack by the 'Vedaten.'

...Well, it would be troublesome if such things happened often.

The exploration team is also fine since there is no more hostility from Hanano.

We no longer have to deal with someone like Jun Takaya, who had a grudge against us.

If we must mention someone, it would be Riku Kudo, who is also a 'Monster Tamer' like me, but from the last time we met, it doesn't seem like he will attack me anytime soon.

In fact, the monsters that attacked us on the way were all ordinary ones.

The frequency of encounters is a bit high, but this is because the mountain paths in the Kitrus Mountains are not well-used and are close to the forest, where many monsters live.

As for dealing with them, the recovered Garbela is enthusiastic, so there is no problem.

...When I see her being so enthusiastic, I worry that she might make a mistake, but so far, the mountain paths have not collapsed.

For vigilance, we have Shilan, who has a high detection ability as a spirit, and Ayame, who has a keen sense of smell.

With no immediate danger on our journey, it is time to start thinking about the future.

＊＊＊

After Shilan gave me a sword practice session in the early morning.

When Rose, who had been my sparring partner, left, I took the opportunity to talk to Shilan alone.

"Split up and go down the mountain to the town...?"

Shilan, who had put on her knight's armor early in the morning, opened her single eye in surprise.

"Yes. When we get closer to Aker, I think we should split up. Or rather, we have to. We don't have a vehicle right now."

"…I see."

Shilan nodded thoughtfully.

"Indeed. Without a vehicle, Garbela and Ayame cannot avoid being seen by people. It would be impossible to use the main road, let alone enter a town."

"Also, Lily still needs time to recover. In any case, we need to get a vehicle with the members who can enter the town without any problems."

"That's why we should split up after making some progress."

"It will be faster this way. We can also gather supplies."

We recovered some of the supplies that were washed away by the river, but the food situation is quite tight.

We are currently back to a survival lifestyle.

Moreover, Lily has not fully recovered from the aftereffects of the battle with the mad beasts and can only use her mimicry ability to a limited extent.

As a slime, her normal movement speed is very slow, so she is currently riding in a makeshift cart made by Rose, which Garbela pulls.

Even so, the speed is not very fast.

So, we plan to split up, and the ones who go ahead will get a vehicle and return.

While we are gone, Lily and the others can follow at their own pace.

"…We have the military funds provided by the commander, so I think we can get a vehicle."

Shiran's tone was cautious.

"However, it might be difficult to get something as large and sturdy as the one the commander provided. That vehicle was a military one. Also, Aker is more rural compared to the empire, so most of the vehicles available are old and used."

"It's fine. If necessary, we don't even need to get a vehicle. According to Rose, as long as we have the specialized magic stone as the power source, the rest can be adjusted and built to a certain extent, as the analysis has progressed that far."

"That's... impressive."

"Rose was disappointed that she couldn't build one from scratch, though."

Rose, encouraged by my words, was determined to build something that could reach the same speed as the cars in our world.

She clenched her fist, saying that she would make a car that wouldn't break even if Garbela swung it around.

I find Rose cute in such moments.

I almost forgot to say that a car is not a blunt weapon.

"I understand your thoughts, Kousuke."

Shiran, who had been looking down in thought, raised her face.

"So, are you asking me to go with you?"

"Yes, I need your help. Otherwise, I won't be able to communicate properly with the people in the town."

It's easy to forget, but this is a different world. Without a magic stone, we can't communicate in this foreign land.

We have been learning how to use the 'Translation Magic Stone' recently, but it's uncertain whether we will be able to use it in time.

"Also, I need your help to arrange for the magic stones in Aker."

Customs can change drastically from one country to another, especially in a different world.

With Shiran's knowledge, everything will be much easier.

During our travels within the empire, she has taught us about proper behavior in towns, among other things.

So, it is natural to seek her help for various aspects of the human society in this different world.

"Can I count on you?"

"That's..."

However, Shiran's response was not what I expected.

She looked troubled and avoided my gaze.

To be honest, I was somewhat surprised that she would refuse.

"Are you against it?"

"No, it's not that..."

Shiran's response was vague.

It seems she is not against it.

If she were, she would try to persuade me directly.

But this made it even more confusing.

If she is not against my idea, there is no reason for her to have such an indecisive attitude.

...Is there some problem?

While looking at Shiran's pale face, I naturally recalled a few days ago.

＊＊＊

"Shiran-nee-sama is acting strange."

Kai's concern was about Shiran, whom she looked up to like a sister.

"I'm worried... So I want to ask Kousuke to take care of Nee-sama!"

"Wait, hold on."

I held Kai's shoulder as she pressed forward.

Garbela and the others, who were washing clothes by the river, looked over to see what was happening.

I waved to them to indicate everything was fine, then turned back to Kai, who I was still holding by the shoulder.

"Wait, Kai. We can't do anything without hearing what you have to say first."

"Yes, sorry. I got carried away."

"Take a deep breath and tell me what you mean by 'strange.'"

"It's... hard to explain."

Kai lowered her eyebrows and mumbled.

"How should I put it? Recently, Nee-sama doesn't seem like herself... You know, Nee-sama is usually so reliable."

"Yes, more so than anyone her age."

"That's right."

Kai made a small fist in front of her chest and nodded, changing her expression to a thoughtful one.

"But lately, she seems absent-minded. It's like her mind is elsewhere. She seems to be thinking a lot too."

She slumped her shoulders in disappointment.

"Hmm."

Seeing the dejected girl, I decided to think about it.

There could be several reasons for Shiran's strange behavior.

- She was killed once at Cheria Fort.

- She became a demi-rich after overcoming death.

- She lost the knight order she belonged to.

Especially after the commander was detained and we had to flee from Seratta, she seemed to be overworking herself.

At that time, she would rush out to fight monsters as soon as she detected them with her innate ability.

I was also worried about her and kept an eye on her.

However, I don't see that side of her now.

She had calmed down by the time we entered the Kitrus Mountains and started letting Garbela, who could move freely, take over the fighting.

Her unwavering resistance to unjust violence while becoming an undead monster at Cheria Fort was not in vain.

Shiran is strong, not just physically but mentally.

Her pride as a knight, cultivated over the years, supports her.

Still... if Kai says she is acting strange, it must be true.

Is there some other factor I haven't considered?

If I have overlooked something...

"Kousuke."

Kai called out to me as I was deep in thought.

"Can you help Nee-sama?"

Her pleading eyes looked up at me.

"I can't get Nee-sama to show her weakness... When I ask her, she just dodges the question. But I think Kousuke can do something... I..."

"Alright."

I couldn't bear to hear her trembling voice.

I gently squeezed her shoulder.

"Don't make that face."

"Kousuke..."

Kai trusted me enough to bring up this concern.

I couldn't turn down her request.

Besides, if what she says is true, I was also worried about Shiran.

"I'll talk to her when I get the chance—"

＊＊＊

—Kai said Shiran was acting strange.

Having heard this beforehand, I might have been influenced by preconceptions, but her reaction does seem a bit off.

"Hey, Shiran."

I decided to probe a bit.

"Is there something wrong?"

"..."

Shiran's face, which had been turned away, faced me.

Her elf-like, clear and well-defined features were half-covered by an eye patch.

Only the bloodless left side of her face was visible.

In her expressionless face, her single blue eye stared at me.

After a moment, Shiran tilted her head slightly.

"Did Kai say something?"

"Well, that's... Yes, she did."

Caught off guard by her direct question, I hesitated, and Shiran sighed, bowing her head politely.

"It seems that child has caused you trouble. I apologize."

I couldn't let her apologize.

Feeling a bitter sense of failure, I still had to say what needed to be said.

"…Don't blame Kai. She was worried about you."

"I wasn't going to blame her..."

Shiran stopped speaking mid-sentence.

"No, you're right. I should reflect on myself for causing her worry."

She slowly shook her head, a gesture that seemed somewhat weary.

"Shiran...?"

"…In any case, it was about time we had this conversation. This might be a good opportunity."

When she spoke, Shiran had already changed her attitude.

Her usual sharp gaze was directed at me.

In a dignified, knight-like voice, she said:

"Actually, I haven't been feeling well physically."

"…What?"

I was momentarily stunned by Shiran's confession.

When I understood, I instinctively moved closer to her.

"Are you... Are you okay?"

"Yes, there's no need to worry."

In contrast to my flustered state, Shiran remained composed.

"It's not a big deal. However, since my body is in this state, there are some imbalances. I can still fight, but my combat abilities have declined somewhat."

Shiran clenched her fist tightly.

"However, there is a good chance that I will recover. So, I decided to observe my condition for a while. If I had mentioned it before confirming the situation, it might have caused unnecessary worry for you and the others. That's why I kept it to myself. I apologize."

"Is that what it was..."

I realized something.

"By the way, is the reason you haven't been taking the lead in battles recently related to this?"

"Yes. Although I can still fight on par with Rose, I was concerned about prolonged battles. So, I decided it was safer to stay back unless necessary."

Shiran's body, which was killed by a straight sword through the chest at Cheria Fort, is now that of an undead monster.

There were some malfunctions at the time.

For example, she lost her sanity and became a ghoul, and after regaining her mind, she couldn't handle spirits for a while.

So, it is plausible that her combat abilities have declined due to these issues.

In fact, it was a concern from the beginning that her body might experience some changes.

However, I hadn't noticed any signs of discomfort until now because Shiran didn't show any.

In other words, the discomfort, while affecting her combat abilities to some extent, does not significantly impact her daily life.

I know she doesn't lie about things that could cause problems in emergencies, and her statement about being able to fight on par with Rose is likely true.

There is no reason for her to lie about her condition.

I was relieved to know that her discomfort is not an immediate issue.

Of course, I will need to be more careful from now on, but it's fortunate that it's not something that requires immediate action.

"Thank you for telling me, Shiran. I understand the situation."

I let out a small sigh of relief.

"However, if there are any changes, no matter how small, please let me know. The power related to monsters is something only Kudo and I have in this world. We might be able to help."

"Thank you."

Shiran bowed deeply.

"By the way, Kousuke. What about the plan to go to the town? As I mentioned, my combat abilities have declined. I am a bit concerned about going with just me and Kai."

"Hmm? ...Oh, I see."

Her hesitant response earlier was due to this concern.

Understanding this, I pointed out a misunderstanding.

"Don't worry about that."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not just taking Shiran and Kai. I plan to have Rose and Kudo come along as well. I also intend to ask Berta to guard us on the way."

By the way, Berta, who has been guarding us, returned to her master, Kudo, when Garbela recovered.

She said she would come back.

Since she should be returning soon, we can split up after that.

If Kudo helps with the travel, the journey should progress much faster.

I am fairly confident that he will agree if I ask him.

"In that case, it should be fine."

Shiran looked relieved upon hearing about the additional companions.

"Then...?"

"Yes."

Shiran's face broke into a reassuring, warm smile.

"I will go with you to the town."