NOVEL NEXT Chapter 52
“Looks like we need to hold out until Lady Karina arrives… but riding seems to be making her condition tank fast.”
Renny’s voice, filled with worry, sliced through the wind.
“If we had gone with the main group, it would have taken so long that our situation would have been just as bad. Those guys even went so far as to blow up bridges to stop us from getting to the Academy.”
When they destroyed the bridge leading to our checkpoint, Monte Village, leaving nothing but the roots behind, I couldn’t help but curse uncontrollably. They obliterated what looked like a bridge wide enough for ten people to walk side by side.
Had I not dragged some nearby stones to fix the bridge, I would’ve been forced to take a ridiculously longer route.
If I hadn’t managed to fix the bridge, it might have taken us an extra week to reach the Academy, leaving me no choice but to accept the offer I had been holding back from Carbonaro—no, Carbonaro.
“…That’s true.”
Renny nodded in agreement to my words.
The suggestion I made to Carbonaro was simple.
To split the expeditionary force and use different routes to send them to the Academy.
Our goal wasn’t just to get the whole expedition there, but to sneak Karina into the Academy, drawing attention away from us while we ride fast to get her there.
There’s no way we could afford delays, surrounded by an expedition. Besides, Karina was getting worse under the influence of the curse.
A few days ago, she could at least engage in a few conversations and eat something, but now she couldn’t even open her eyes and was just gasping for breath.
If we couldn’t break the curse quickly, we might lose her.
That was the worst outcome none of us wanted.
Thus, Carbonaro had no choice but to accept my proposal.
After parting ways with the expedition at the bridge, we put a wig we had acquired from the village on Karina’s head and mounted a sturdy warhorse tied to Renny’s back.
And it’s already been fifteen days. Whether it was due to our quick decisions or sheer luck, we hadn’t been entangled in any incidents yet.
“Johann, I can ride alone, so let’s buy one more horse in the next town!”
Yikes.
Millia, who was sitting in front of me, suddenly shouted.
Her face was crimson, flailing her legs like a little kid. She was particularly rebellious today. Does she dislike sitting in front of me that much? I put her in front to keep her from falling off while she fidgeted and, after fifteen days, isn’t it about time she stopped this?
If she keeps acting up, I might have to slap her one.
“…Have you forgotten that you almost fell off the horse a few days ago?”
“But that’s just so embarrassing! I’m not a kid!”
Don’t throw a tantrum. You’ll scare the horse.
“Do you want me to treat you like a lady?”
“Isn’t that only natural? I’m a lady!”
“I can’t call someone a lady when they’re running around with jerky in their mouth.”
“Catching a beetle to brag about isn’t exactly ladylike either.”
Without anyone saying it first, Renny and I stifled our laughter. There was a hilarious episode where Millia puffed her cheeks and pinched my thigh, but this wasn’t even anything. I ruffled Millia’s hair roughly and tightened my grip on the reins.
Millia was trying to lighten the mood, intentionally or not.
“Such good friends.”
“You’re not too bad either.”
“Maybe not as much as you…?”
What, why, what?
As I made eye contact with Renny, who was looking at me with a lukewarm gaze, she abruptly turned her head and wrapped her arms around the now loosened arms of Karina behind her. Though we tied her down, Renny kept looking back, worried about Karina’s state. If that’s how it was, I should have carried her. I could’ve just handed Millia over to Renny.
…But there’s no way Renny would allow that.
“Renny, how much longer until the next town?”
“We’re almost there. The next city is a large one, so we should be able to buy some extra supplies. If we push hard, we can get there in a few days.”
Definitely faster than the carriage.
When we executed the operation, we had about 1300 km to cover, and now it was down to just over 500. I’ve had to pace ourselves considering the horses were tiring, but we’d covered much more distance than riding in the carriage for a month.
“This tedious journey finally seems to have an end in sight.”
“I hope so. What a nightmare this is thanks to those damn Harpas bastards. What did Lady Karina do to deserve this…”
It feels utterly ridiculous to be getting ambushed in real-time.
So when we run into the Halphas Cult next, I planned to unleash all the pent-up rage from this journey on them. Those damned bastards.
We crossed the plains, simmering in anger at the Halphas Cult.
————–
“Carbonaro, we have traps laid ahead again.”
“Hah.”
Carbonaro pressed his fingers against his temples, gazing down the road.
As per Johann’s suggestion, we had divided the expeditionary force into four squads. Every time we got reports of attacks from the messengers stationed at the various squads, Carbonaro’s head throbbed.
‘If we hadn’t sent Lady Karina secretly, we would’ve been stuck for ages.’
In fifteen days, we had only covered 150 km. This was already the fifth ambush, and the checkpoint village had become a ruin, severely hampering our supplies. Because of this, the soldiers and the priests were barely dragging themselves forward, exhausted.
“Send the soldiers to dismantle it. Also, send scouts around to check who’s lurking nearby.”
“Yes! Understood!”
Carbonaro briefly watched a soldier who saluted and then darted off into the distance. He sighed, looking up at the sky.
“What on earth is going on?”
The suddenly rampaging Halphas Cult. Their elusive motives. It was impossible to grasp what they were after—why target Lady Karina?
Carbonaro felt his head spinning with confusion.
“General Carbonaro! We’re under attack!”
“…Well, here it comes. Soldiers! Prepare the defensive formation!”
He unsheathed his beloved sword, one he had wielded for half a lifetime.
—————
“What’s with the atmosphere in this city?”
As soon as we entered the city, Renny remarked casually. I tilted my head to scan the surroundings at her words.
Countless people passed by in the streets, each with a grim expression. Did something terrible happen in the city?
I need information.
“Let’s get a tavern first.”
“Yeah. Let’s hit up the tavern first. We can worry about supplies later…”
With our weary bodies, we entered an ornately designed tavern. After stabling the horses and paying a hefty sum for a room, we laid Karina down inside.
“Go eat first. I’ll eat when you get back.”
“Got it! Renny! You got this!”
“Yeah, yeah.”
A small smile crept onto Renny’s face.
We left Renny and Karina behind and took a seat in a corner of the tavern’s dining area.
“Do you think Karina will be okay?”
“We have to hope so.”
It would truly sadden me if Karina died, both personally and publicly. I absentmindedly tapped my fingers on the table while scanning the surroundings. There were quite a few people. There might be some decent information floating around.
“Millia, I’m going to eavesdrop on the people around us, so stay quiet for a bit.”
Millia nodded seriously, resting her chin on her hand and staring out the window.
I really hope we hear some good information.
“When will the travel ban on the trade routes be lifted?”
“Yeah, right?”
The trade routes are blocked? No travel. I subtly turned my head to eavesdrop on the other side.
“Damn it. It’s been a week already. Those bastards have blocked the trade route, and we can’t get our stuff in on time! At this rate, I’ll be skin and bones.”
“We have tons of stuff to sell at the Academy, and why are there so many monsters popping out these days? The Academy needs to send a hunting party, but why is it so quiet?”
“Don’t even mention it. I heard rumors that the Academy has been attacked.”
“As if that could be true.”
“No, seriously? I heard it from some Hans guy who was coming from the Academy.”
“It’s the end times indeed. How long has it been since you got married…”
As countless sighs filled the air, the gathered information made me furrow my brow. I had just heard something I couldn’t afford to ignore.
The Academy… is rumored to have been attacked?
The revered Kalon Academy?
How is that even possible…
Oh.
Damn it.
A fragment of memory that belatedly surfaced, mocking me.
A memory I had completely forgotten.
An early fixed event at the Survival Academy.
The Hellhound incident.