Chapter 28

The next morning.

Since Raphatalia also woke up early, we decided to visit the stables together.

“Gua!”

When we arrived, Phyllo came running up, making a joyful sound.

“Is your body fully grown now?”

It seems... a little bigger than yesterday, but it’s hard to tell.

“Probably, this is about average, right?”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

Phyllo looks almost the same as the Filorials we see in the town and on the roads. The color is white, with a hint of cherry blossom pink. It’s a beautiful shade. That slave trader did a good job.

“Are you not hungry today?”

“Gua?”

Phyllo tilts its head and makes a sound. Yeah, it seems like the growth spurt is over. Biki... It still makes that weird noise, but oh well.

After that, we finished breakfast and started thinking about what to do next. While we were discussing this,

“Gua…”

Phyllo was looking enviously at a wooden cart passing through the village.

“Do you really want to pull that?”

“Maybe...”

“What’s the matter, hero?”

As I pointed at the cart and chatted with Raphatalia, a villager approached and asked.

“Oh, my Filorial was looking at the cart, so we were talking about whether it wants to pull it.”

“Well... Filorials do have that tendency.”

The man nodded in understanding and looked at my Filorial.

“Right now, the buildings in the village are being repaired, and we’re short on hands. Hero, would you consider helping us in exchange for a cart?”

“Hmm...”

It’s not a bad deal. Since we have a Filorial that can pull a cart, it would be a waste not to use it. If it works out, we might be able to do other tasks while moving.

“What do I need to do?”

“We need you to bring wood from the nearby forest to the village.”

“The forest...”

Come to think of it, I haven’t been to that forest yet.

“Will it be okay if we return late?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, I’ll take the offer.”

So, I agreed to the villagers' proposal and received a cart. The wheels and the platform are all made of wood. It’s a bit cheap, but it’s free, so I can’t complain. It’s not brand new, but a bit old.

“Gua♪”

Phyllo was in a good mood and started pulling the cart. The villagers even provided reins, making it look like a carriage, at least in appearance.

“Alright! Let’s head to the forest today!”

“Hai!”

“Guaaaa!”

I pointed in the direction we were going, and Phyllo started pulling the cart energetically.

Clunk clunk! It was a leisurely start...

Clunk clunk clunk! Rattle rattle rattle!

Gradually, the wheels started making a loud noise, and the scenery passed by quickly, just like yesterday.

“Too fast! Too fast! Slow down!”

“Gua…”

Phyllo slowed down and walked unhappily.

“Ugh... I’m starting to feel sick...”

Raphatalia, who was lying in the cart, seemed to be suffering from motion sickness.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes... but don’t shake it so much...”

“I see, Raphatalia gets motion sickness.”

“...It seems so. Is it okay for you, Naofumi-sama?”

“I’ve never felt sick before...”

Not just with alcohol, but I’ve never experienced motion sickness. When I was in elementary school, on a school trip, I was reading manga and light novels in my backpack, and the guy next to me said I looked sick and made me switch seats. Also, during a one-day boat trip to visit relatives, while everyone else was seasick, I was playing games on my phone.

“Well, take it easy. Phyllo and I will get the job done.”

“I’ll take you up on that. I’ll rest...”

Raphatalia, who was lying in the cart, said weakly.

During the journey... I encountered someone I really didn’t want to see.

“Haha! What’s that! Haha, oh no, I can’t stop laughing! Hahaha!”

The moment he saw me, he started laughing, holding his stomach. The woman behind him was laughing too. I don’t know what set him off, but just being laughed at makes me angry.

“What’s the matter, Motokatsu?”

Motokatsu, who was with a woman, started laughing as soon as he saw us on the road.

“Because... it’s so lame!”

“What’s lame?”

“Are you starting a peddler business? You must be desperate for money. And that bird is so lame!”

Hmm... a peddler, huh! That’s not a bad idea. Depending on Phyllo’s abilities, it might be possible. I’ll think about it seriously.

“So lame! It’s not a horse, it’s a bird, and what’s with the color? It’s white, but with a hint of light pink. It should be pure white. And it’s so strong!”

“I don’t know what’s normal...”

I don’t get what he finds so funny. This is a waste of time. I should just ignore them and move on. But then, Motokatsu pointed at Phyllo and came closer. Suddenly,

“Guaaaa!”

Phyllo kicked Motokatsu in the crotch with its powerful legs. I saw it. Motokatsu’s face, which was grinning, distorted from the impact and he flew backward, spinning and landing about five meters away.

“Ugh...”

“K-Kyaahhh! Motokatsu-sama!”

Ha, I bet his balls are crushed. What a great feeling. Just seeing that was worth buying Phyllo. My monster did a good job, taking revenge for me. I’ll treat Phyllo to something special tonight.

“Guaaaa!”

Phyllo flapped its wings and started running. In no time, Motokatsu and his group were out of sight. What a great moment. I never thought I’d witness something like this.

“Did something happen?”

Raphatalia, who was lying in the cart, lifted her head and asked.

“Huh? Nothing.”

“...You look happier than I’ve ever seen you.”

Oops, it must have shown on my face. But what a powerful kick. To send the Spear Hero flying like that...

“...Can you please slow down a bit?”

I was so happy that I didn’t even hear Raphatalia’s voice as I kept Phyllo running.

After that, Raphatalia vomited on the way, and by the time we reached the forest, she was at her limit.

“Ugh... ugh...”

Seeing Raphatalia, who was pale and groaning, I realized I had gone too far. It’s all Motokatsu’s fault. He made me feel so good.

“Sorry.”

“Gua…”

Phyllo also seemed apologetic and dejected.

“I’m... I’m okay...”

“You don’t look okay. We should find a place to rest.”

“Oh, you’re the Shield Hero, right?”

There was a hut near the forest, and a villager who looked like a lumberjack came out.

“Yes, I’m here to get wood as requested by the villagers.”

“Is... Is your companion okay?”

“I don’t think so. Can we find a place to rest?”

“Yes, we have a bed. Let’s get her to rest.”

The lumberjack led us to the hut, and I carried Raphatalia inside and laid her on the bed.

“Today, Phyllo will fight enemies within its range and help with transporting the wood.”

Since Raphatalia seems to be sensitive to motion, we’ll avoid high-speed runs for a while.

“So, can you load the wood onto the cart? I’ll come back in a bit.”

“Yes, sir.”

Phyllo detached the cart and watched from outside the hut.

“Let’s go.”

Since Phyllo kicked Motokatsu so hard, I’m expecting it to have a decent attack power. I’ll take a quick walk around the forest.

When we entered the forest, we surprisingly didn’t encounter any monsters. We walked in the quiet forest, and it felt like the air was clearer. Come to think of it, since coming to this world, I haven’t had a chance to enjoy the scenery like this. What’s the reason?

...No, it’s not that.

I think it’s because Raphatalia believed in me. She’s not here because of motion sickness, and it feels a bit lonely. We’ve only been together for about half a month, three weeks, but it already feels like we’ve been together for a long time.

“I wish there was some medicine for motion sickness.”

I started looking for and gathering nearby herbs.

“Still... no monsters around.”

After walking for a while, there were no signs of monsters.

“Gua?”

“Huh?”

Suddenly, I heard Phyllo’s voice from a distance. When I turned around, Phyllo was just about to eat something. ...Did I imagine it? It looked like a rabbit-like creature. Phyllo then swallowed it with a gulp.

“Gua!”

Phyllo came running back as if nothing happened.

EXP 34 gained.

...I’ll just ignore it. After about an hour of exploring and gathering, we returned to the lumberjack’s hut. The cart was already loaded with wood. Inside the hut, Raphatalia was still lying there, groggy.

This is a problem. Phyllo’s top speed is too much for Raphatalia. We might need some training. If Raphatalia doesn’t get used to it, we won’t be able to do tasks while moving.

“We need to train you to get used to the cart.”

“Ugh... ugh...”

Raphatalia groaned in response to my words. It must be tough.

“I’ve finished loading the wood. Can you take care of her while I deliver it to the village?”

“Yes! I’ll protect the Shield Hero’s companion with my life.”

I’m a bit worried, but I can’t just sit and wait.

“I’ll be back.”

I got on the cart and gave Phyllo the signal to start.

“Guaaa!”

Phyllo started running with a cheerful sound.