Byakuya Aldis heads from the Grand City of Gran to the city state of Leiting, accompanied by the members of the Mysterious Star.
The time is already before noon. The departure time was delayed because the Teds took some time to recover from Merrill's cooking damage. As expected, the mercenaries Ted did not seem to be able to move immediately afterwards.
The road running to the west runs endlessly against the horizon and the deep blue sky. A gentle breeze blows, and the sun shines on the Aldis, not too strong or too weak. Thanks to that, their steps are light.
"If it goes smoothly, it's about four days until rating, right?"
According to Orphelia's words, it takes four to five days to walk to Leiting. If there is no trouble on the way, we will arrive by noon on the fourth day.
Originally, the road between the royal city of Gran and the city state of Leiting was probably safe. There are no caravans of passing caravans or mercenaries passing by, from time to time, without being attacked by beasts or robbers.
It changed about two days after the change. It was sunset on the third day after leaving the Imperial City. Aurora At the moment when the sun is about to set and become "", Norris notices an anomaly ahead.
"Hey. Haven't you been attacked?"
"An?"
In Norris' words, Ted squints with his hand.
"I'm sure you're being attacked ... Caravans?"
"It looks like. What is attacking ... a beast? What's that?"
In the eyes of Aldis, three carriages and around ten guards surround them. And it was the shadow, the assailant. The number of assailants is one. The size and shape clearly indicate that he is not a human, but the silhouette was unfamiliar on the plains.
"It seems like there is an escort, do you need a hand?"
"No, not at all."
Aldis immediately rejects Norris' words that she saw as a escort and found no problem. There seems to be armed escorts, but their abilities are probably not very high. Two escorts had fallen shortly after being attacked by assailants.
"Shane, do you lend me?"
When Ted rushes with the words, the other three follow immediately. As the distance shrank, one escort victim increased.
"Hey ... that is ... maybe, Lactor?"
When the distance to the caravans is halved and the situation is clearly visible, Orphelia breathes out and speaks.
"Huh? Lactor? That's why ... looks like a lactor."
Immediately denying Ted changes his words.
Confronting the escorts trying to protect the caravans' carriages is a giant light purple snake. The body is slightly smaller than the diameter of the barrel, but its length is longer than three carriages connected. It was a huge carnivore lactor that was familiar in the Caucasus forest.
"Why, where is the Lactor?"
Norris opens his mouth next to the questioning Orphelia.
"I don't know why, but whatever you do, it's the same."
Although Ted's sword is not reachable, it is a good target for the archer Norris.
When Norris stopped, holding his bow and changing the arrow, he aimed and released. Norris's arrow pierces a straight line past Led Ted, passing by Ted.
"Shaaaaaaaa!"
The power is low due to the distance. It would not have been so deeply wounded.
However, it seems at least successful to divert Lactor's consciousness away from the caravans. Although the expression of Lactor cannot be discerned by Aldis, the movement of the neck turning slowly seemed to express the irritation of the large snake.
"Aldis! Ask for help!"
Ted shouts with his face facing forward, pulls his sword and plunges into Lactor.
Fireball “The burning flame is proof of my power and pride.
A small fireball glowed at Aldis's fingertips, along with a short chant for camouflage purposes. The moment the finger is pointed at the Lactor, the fireball expands explosively and flies at a high speed while changing its size to about 50 cm.
Lactor makes a threatening sound while turning his head at a new enemy suddenly appearing and looking into his elongated tongue.
Aldis's fireball attacks mercilessly there. In order to keep the confronting escorts unaffected, a striking shot landed behind Lactor's fuselage while the light purple body surface was wrapped in flames.
"Gishaaaaa!"
Lactor twists his burned body.
He turned his invisible eyes toward the Aldis and others, as the prey in front of him was no longer needed. Perhaps four Aldiss were more dangerous than the mercenaries surrounding the carriage.
That decision is never wrong. However, it was too late to dare say.
The next moment Lactor changed his aim, Ted, who lifted his bastard sword, was approaching very close to cut his neck.
"Let's go!"
Ted strikes down a lump of heavy iron, with a light shout as if he were chopping wood.
"Gya!"
The head, which was cut off by Ted, together with the screams of the deadly devil, hit the ground with a heavy noise.
"Trouble"
Aldis has caught up and Ted's effort has been forgiven.
"What a big deal!"
In fact, if you have the abilities as Ted, you can be one or two lactors. Probably, Aldis will be able to afford it without needing assistance.
Of course, that's because Ted is a skilled mercenary, and for most mercenaries Lactor is a powerful enemy ready to die.
"Have you been saved ...?"
The sudden intrusion of a mercenary who barely recovered his life collapses.
"Are you injured?"
"I'm OK ... they're ..."
When Ted asked, the mercenary answered with a distorted face. The gaze is on the escort mercenaries who were the victims of Lactor. Those who have flank their side and those whose bites have been cut off. Several mercenaries were already dead.
You wouldn't have expected that they would be attacked by lactors. According to the story, escorting mercenaries were supposed to encounter beasts roaming the plains, but the battle with Lactor was unexpected.
Lactors that normally live in forests aren't usually the people you come across in such places. I don't know if he got lost in the forest or came here after chasing his prey, but it's definitely an irregular event.
"Glass wolf and coyote would work if there weren't many numbers ..."
Mercenaries who usually hunt for beasts around the town where they usually base to obtain daily supplies may occasionally be asked to escort caravans on the highways. Dangerous beasts and monsters rarely appear along the highways, and they often finish their jobs without pulling out their swords. It is a good request if you are careful about the existence of robbers.
According to the mercenary, this work was undertaken with such a light feeling.
"No way ...
It seems that his feelings were suppressed when his friends were sacrificed, but he did not seem to know him originally. Upon receiving this request, the mercenary said that he was a temporary partner.
"Well, he's a friend who worked together, albeit for a short time. I'm sorry ... I'm a mercenary.
"Of course"
Ted probably knows that too. The words I agreed with had bitter feelings.
After receiving a warm appreciation from the merchants leading the caravans, Aldis and his colleagues traveled on the road to Leiting.
"It's the same destination anyway, so it would be a lot of hassle to go escort, right?"
Nobody opposed Ted's words. The escort fee of three silver coins per person per day is an unsatisfactory amount for Aldis and Ted, but they will continue to walk the same distance the same way, whether or not they are escorted.
In addition, the beasts that appear on the plains do not pose any threat to the Ardis. As Ted put it, it was just an incident.
And because they are benefactors, the four Ardiss are riding carriages, unlike other escorts. You don't have to worry about walking, and you also get an escort fee. Not a bad story.
The Aldis and caravans, who revealed the night along the highway, went westward at dawn.
"Yes, did you come from the kingdom of Nagras?"
Aldis was relaxing in a carriage and talking to a merchant holding the reins of a horse at the seat of a boss.
"Where did you come from?"
If anything, Aldis is not good at talking about purposeless conversations. However, it is not easy to get a ride on a carriage and decide on a lot. From such a thought, we continue reluctant conversation.
The Ted and others were separated by other carriages. If Norris or Orphelia is on board, you can leave the conversation and sleep. Aldis is desperate to endure drowsiness, with the escort's serious thoughts in mind.
"We are a small town near the northern forest, where we have purchased."
"The load is lumber ... Is this smell a medicinal herb?"
"That's right.
The carriage is filled with timber as far as the eye can see. However, mixed with the unique aroma of timber, the smell of medicinal herbs that can be collected in the forest. The little odor that a small child can smell but cannot escape has stimulated Aldis's sense of smell.
Bulk “Aside from medicinal herbs, timber is heavy and heavy, and isn't it profitable?”
"That's usually the case, but now timber and medicinal plants can be sold at high prices in Leiting. If you take it to a company called Zimbaril, you will buy it at the usual double price."
I don't know what to use, the merchant continues.
"Timber around Laytin seems to have become scarce, and many merchants like us now bring in from a distance."
"Hmm, that's a tough time again."
Aldis does not try to hide the big yawn and wipes her tears with her fingers.
"Hahaha. The swaying of the carriage is sleepy."
Totally. Aldis was half asleep, agreeing in his head.
Unevenness Saw the boat as the carriage sways, waking up every time the wheel is jumped up on the highway. Replying to the merchant's story, he entrusts himself to slumber. While Aldis repeats it dozens of times, the carriages will surely continue west along the highway.
You will not be surrounded by robbers or attacked by beasts. The party arrived at Leiting that evening.