𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒𝟗: 𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫

Milene stayed in Piran for two days, then returned to the Kingdom of Masrur.

We also followed her into Masrur, to meet with Demon King Ingral.

[Hope] and Zachalant. A total of six people.

Everyone was shocked by the casual attitude of the current Lord of Piran.

This old man intends to meet the Demon King alone, without any attendants or guards.

“I’m not so senile that I need someone to take care of me, and it would be pointless to bring a hundred guards. If Masrur wanted to kill me.”

That’s his reason.

He’s beyond resolute and bold.

So, the six of us ended up serving as his guards.

Yeah. One more person than expected.

“I’m the extra one.”

“Who are you talking to? You.”

The temporary member is Salieri.

The five of us from [Hope] were requested by the caretakers left behind at Piran Castle, and Salieri was ordered by her superior, Milene, to guard Zachalant.

Of course, it would be pointless if we acted separately, so Salieri also falls under my command.

At first, Asuka, Miliaria, Meisha, and Meg seemed to have some reservations about her, but they warmed up to her during our time together at Piran Castle. There should be no problem with our coordination.

If you eat from the same pot for nearly twenty days, your affinity will certainly increase.

By the way, Salieri’s talent is “Hero,” and her job is a magic swordsman. It’s a versatile job that is perfect for her talent, which excels in various areas, allowing her to handle close combat and use magic.

If an ordinary person tried to become a magic swordsman, they would undoubtedly end up being mediocre at everything.

It’s probably because of her talent for versatility that she was able to succeed in such a difficult job.

Anyway, with Salieri joining us, the range of strategies I can use has greatly expanded.

It would be good to have her form a two-top with Asuka, and I can focus on commanding from the middle.

Or, she could form a double wizard formation with Miliaria.

Furthermore, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have two guerrillas with Meg.

She’s expected to be a utility player.

“Don’t I get to pair up with you, Mama Nel?”

“Meisha’s position is fixed. Because she’s essential.”

I laughed at the question asked while walking through the forest.

This area is only accessible on foot because the roads are too narrow for carriages. When we reach the border fort, we’ll arrange for a carriage there, and it seems that the driver will be a soldier from the Kingdom of Masrur.

We are, after all, treated as guests, so we just sit in the passenger carriage.

Even the inns where we stay and the food and drinks provided are not charged to us.

Everything is covered by the Kingdom of Masrur.

“A free trip! It’s the best!”

Asuka is happy, and I agree.

Every time we go on an expedition, it’s a headache.

If we want good accommodations and food, the balance with the reward amount will be lost.

Don’t call me stingy. It’s quite sad to complete a request but end up in the red, you know?

A strange smell wafts through the air.

It’s an indescribable stench, like rotten eggs.

If we hadn’t been briefed beforehand, we might have been on guard for poison gas.

There seems to be a hot spring.

Apparently, hot water springs from the ground.

I’m told it’s because there’s a volcano, but I don’t really understand why a hot spring would appear where there’s a volcano.

“What a strong smell! Mommy Nel!”

Asuka said cheerfully, pinching her nose exaggeratedly.

A girl who seems born to charge ahead with reckless abandon and an aggressive style, she loves anything unusual.

Miliaria, who has a strong desire to learn, is also curious, and Meisha, who heard about the local specialty, hot spring eggs, has her eyes gleaming like a hungry beast.

“The smell makes it hard to sense anything. We might not notice if a monster approaches.”

The only one who is cautious, scanning the surroundings from inside the carriage, is Meg.

Salieri is just lazing around, and Milene is chatting with Zachalant.

It feels like they’re just sightseeing.

“Don’t be too tense, Meg.”

When I pat her shoulder, she returns the words as if it’s in her nature.

She used to be a thief.

So it seems she can’t fully relax.

She’s been living a life where she never knows when she’ll be surrounded by the authorities.

“You’ll get tired!”

Asuka squishes Meg’s cheek, but in her case, it would be better to have a little more tension.

Meg, who is too tense, and Asuka, who is too careless.

・・・

『”𝘈𝘸𝘦𝘣𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴.𝘤𝘰𝘮” – 𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦, 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 “𝘥𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘶𝘱𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴” 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘭u𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘰 “𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴”.』

・・・

It would be just right if you add them up and divide by five.

Huh? The calculation doesn’t add up?

What are you talking about? You can’t drink it if you don’t dilute it a bit. It’s pure sake.

Anyway, tonight’s lodging seems to be one of the inns attached to the hot springs.

It seems that the hot spring town of Apple River is a place where various inns are built, from high-grade ones to more common ones.

In other words, it’s a resort like Mikasa Lakeside City, where we went to clean the general’s villa.

“You can also enjoy an open-air bath.”

Salieri tells us, but the girls’ reaction was lukewarm.

Well, they were originally people who washed their bodies in the river. Even the current bath, the roof was added quite recently.

They have plenty of experience with the openness of an open-air bath.

Being poor is tough.

---