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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Yuziro
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It wasn’t difficult to deal with the bandits within the forest’s reach.
Whether it was because they had a lot to resent about the bandits, or for some other reason, the forest spirits moved us with pinpoint accuracy, like a delivery driver whose motto was speed and precision.
The battles at the bandit hideouts we arrived at were far from difficult.
After we had smashed about three groups, our pockets were full even though we had only taken little money from each group, the bandits seemed to have vanished without a trace.
Not only could we make Count Bosha miserable, but we could also make money and make the world a slightly better place to live in.
It was truly the epitome of the creative economy, and I wanted to do it every day.
“But everything that has a beginning has an end.”
It was just a shame that it had to end today.
After annihilating the last bandit group and neatly collecting their money pouches, we left the hideout.
Asirye, who had been communicating with the spirits, spoke to me.
“I think they were the last ones. They’re just happy now and aren’t telling me the next location.”
“Then it’s time to go back.”
Chewing on jerky I found in the bandits’ food storage, I took out my pocket watch and checked the time.
It was just before 1 PM.
Excluding the travel time, it was amazing to think that we had destroyed a bandit group roughly every 30 minutes.
“Spirits, bless you. Please tell them I’m very grateful, sis.”
“They can’t speak, but the spirits can feel your emotions, so there’s no need to. They already know.”
After having a simple meal while laughing in the corpse-ridden ruins, we returned to the outskirts of the capital with the help of the spirits, about an hour and a half later.
I didn’t realize it when we were moving so quickly, but the distance had increased considerably since the first bandit camp.
We hadn’t heard specifically when the trial would end, so the first place we visited when we arrived in the capital was the courthouse.
However, the courthouse we arrived at with anticipation was no different from the last time we saw it, with its tightly closed doors announcing that the trial was still in progress.
We had to leave the place with a sense of disappointment.
“I thought the trial would end quickly since the outcome is obvious, but I guess that’s not the case.”
“I don’t know much about human trials either, so I can’t say for sure. I imagine it’s complicated since it involves nobles.”
We had filled up on cheap jerky, so we considered eating something hearty before going in, but neither of us was particularly hungry, so we decided to return to the Ogatorf mansion for now.
After experiencing the power of the fantasy version of a moving walkway thanks to the spirits, the distance, which wasn’t even that far, felt endlessly long.
When we arrived at the mansion, I was greeted by the sight of the wyvern transport carriage, which I had only seen once before while living there.
“What? Why is this here?”
“Ah, Eldmia. You’re back early today?”
As I was surprised by the carriage that was just entering the mansion, a familiar face of a guard greeted me.
“Jebel? Isn’t that a wyvern transport carriage?”
“It is. I didn’t hear the exact details, but the butler said he was an acquaintance of Margrave Levien. I heard he’s helping with this trial.”
Oh my god!
Then the person in that carriage must be my few dear comrades and a filial son of the century!
“Gies! Hey! You’re in the carriage, right?”
“Huh? Eldmia?”
When I jumped up and down in delight and approached the carriage, a familiar face popped out from the back of the carriage where the tarp was down.
I was glad to see him, but why was he coming out from there?
“You little rascal, you’ve been doing well!”
It was Gies, whose face looked much better than before.
He was also very happy to see me and hurriedly jumped out of the still-moving carriage and approached me.
“My goodness, how long has it been! You were still in the capital… Ah, Asirye is here too?”
Gies, whom Lagnis had been hiding outside the capital until the situation was resolved, seemed to have been treated well, as his skin seemed to glow.
I thought I would have a chance to see his face since he would be a key witness in this trial, but I didn’t expect to see him so soon.
“Haha! There were some troublesome things. It just happened that way. Anyway, look at your shiny skin. Did the wyvern refuse to carry you because you were too heavy?”
“I’m sure this guy gained more weight than me. By the way, it seems like you’ve grown even bigger in just over a year? How much bigger are you planning to get?”
“There’s nothing better than size when it comes to fighting, so the bigger the better.”
“Haha. You haven’t changed.”
While Gies and I were patting each other on the shoulders and greeting each other, the wyvern, following Gies, stuck its head out.
No, it wasn’t that it had gained weight, but its face seemed to have become more vicious.
“Is it… in its growth period too? Its face looks a bit different.”
“It’s still a young wyvern. You’ve only seen it once, but you have a good eye.”
Of the two wyverns I had seen in my life, I had split the head of one with my own hands, and the other was this one, so it was only natural that it would remain in my memory.
I didn’t know if wyverns were good at remembering human faces, but from my point of view, it was just as welcome as Gies.
“Now that you’re in the capital, does that mean that loan shark is also going to be dealt with through this trial?”
“I think so. We packed up everything, including the guards who were staying with me in the village where I was hiding.”
“But why did you arrive so early? When did you leave?”
“Us? We left three days ago.”
Unlike Gies, who answered casually with a smile, I couldn’t help but freeze, unable to control my expression.
We were still in the Empire at that time.
“Who told you to come?”
“The royal family contacted us directly.”
Gies tilted his head, noticing something strange in my expression, but I was too emotionally overwhelmed to explain it to him right now, so I kept my mouth shut.
Lagnis’ anxiety and bewilderment were real.
Lord Ekaf’s too, and Cheryl’s.
If their reactions were an act to deceive me, it should have been recorded as a performance for the ages.
There was only one conclusion that could be drawn in my head.
The conclusion was that the royal family was currently using the people involved without any prior notice, according to their own taste.
“I see! I didn’t know because I hadn’t heard anything. Anyway, it’s good, man. You can finally live proudly.”
However, there was no reason to plant anxiety by informing the innocent Gies, so I managed my expression and returned to the conversation.
“Honestly, I was treated so well that life there wasn’t bad either, but I guess a wyvern and its pilot belong in the sky. I’m excited to be able to fly without being self-conscious.
Even if it was just a temporary stay, we couldn’t continue the conversation because the wyvern needed to be looked after so it could adjust.
When Gies and I parted ways, promising to meet again in the evening, Asirye, who had been listening to the conversation with a smile, changed her expression to a very serious one.
“Eldi. You’re not thinking of making a rash decision and acting on it, are you?”
“I don’t make rash decisions, but I almost acted on one.”
To deceive your enemies, you must first deceive your allies.
I thought it was a very reasonable and valid theory, and a very cautious and desirable attitude.
But f*ck, thinking about it and accepting it were always different things.
“It pisses me off to think that they left the anxious girl in the dark without a single word, while they were probably happy that everything was going according to plan.”
There was no consideration whatsoever.
It was just a plan that only considered the gains and losses on the chessboard and moved the pieces accordingly.
The fact that the person who established the plan had no penalty for moving the pieces was a very blatant act.
If the royal family had given Lagnis even a single assurance that they were on her side, I wouldn’t have felt this way.
The fact that they were preparing for the trial until dawn by gathering people was, to be honest, a feeling of moving in a hurry.
Far from the feeling of staying up all night for perfection, you know?
“Just pissed off?”
“…For now. It’s something I’ll have to decide based on what they do later.”
Apologizing after the fact might not be the best, but if there’s a valid reason for the action to ensure that the enemy is surely dealt with, and if the apology is accompanied by reasonable compensation, it could even be seen in a positive light.
This was a reality fantasy world.
Not everything went as planned.
Still, I couldn’t let go of my displeasure, and my expression remained sullen.
Asirye, smiling, wrapped her arm around mine.
“Yes. Eldi should try to remain calm even in emotional situations.”
“You are absolutely right. But it’s also true that I was momentarily enraged, and now I’m hungry.”
“Is that how it works…?”
“I guess so.”
I didn’t know that’s how I worked either.
Anyway, the fact that I was hungry was true, so before going up to my room, I went to the kitchen first to get some leftover food.
But the chef didn’t just give me leftovers, he prepared a whole meal for me.
As I ate the delicious food, my mood improved, and I couldn’t help but show Asirye my simpleton side.
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[Fatass wyvern]
Wyverns deserve their meals, especially after getting PTSD from Eldi falling out the sky and killing their companion