Volume 2 Chapter 1 (1/2)

Volume 2 Chapter 1: Properly Carry Out Carrier’s Work even During the Relaxed Trip

After leaving the City of Stars, I was walking at a fixed pace on a road going through a meadow for several hours since this morning.

Next to me was Berzelia, who was comfortably taking deep breaths.

「Hmmm. Flying would’ve been faster, but walking like this while tasting fresh air is also nice.」

「Well, once in a while. Marion and Uncle Dort are fine with this speed?」

I completed a number of requests as a carrier, but pace adjustments have to be done each time.

On the opposite side from Berzelia, next to me was Marion, who had a high-tier transportation job, and elderly Dort. So with those considerations in mind, I asked them. Then—

「Yes. It’s a bit fast to be called a simple walk but I’m fine. I’m used to such roads.」

「I’m the same. Through the old age is approaching, I still have endurance. No problem! Your pace-making is perfectly good!」

「I see. That’s great.」

Both of them were sweating a little, but they responded energetically.

It seems what that throwing out the idea of rushing right from the start and maintaining the same pace was a correct decision.

Looking at the map, I think, so far the road was extremely good, in part due to almost no attacks from the monsters.

The City of Water can be reached by crossing over this meadow and a small mountain, but I’m intending to spend the night at the trading post that serves as a relay point.

The trading post is supposed to be located just out of the grasslands, so considering the distance we already walked, we should be halfway there. In that case—

「I think we would be good to take a break around here.」

「Eh? We still can walk, you don’t have to worry about us so much, Axel-san.」

「Yea, well, I know that you still can keep going. But it’s around lunchtime, I think it would be better to take a little break.」

I say while showing a pocket watch that I carried in my transportation bag. Then, Berzelia and others agreed with me—

「Oh, it’s lunchtime already. No wonder I felt hungry.」

「…Right. We pretty much just kept walking all this time. Stamina-wise we are still fine, but it might be nice to replenish nutrients.」

「That is right. Nothing good will come from running around on an empty stomach.」

And so, after receiving approval from the three, I began preparations for lunch in the shade of the trees not so far away from the road.

I turned the transportation bag, that I was carrying, upside down.

And then, a bonfire of burning lumber fell from the inside.

Next, I pulled out a pan from the bag and put it to heat on the fire.

「Hmm, no matter how many times I see it, the usefulness of your transportation bag doesn’t cease to amaze me. Being able to store fire and frost, plus the ability to bring it out so easily is just impressive.」

Sighing, Marion says, looking at me cooking.

「Transportation-type jobs have amazing skills but Axel-san is one step above that…」

「Well, I was just lucky to get a good set of skills. I use them with much appreciation.」

Then, in one go I arrange raw meat, vegetables, and bread on the pan.

The ingredients I’m using this time were given to me by Dort when we were departing, but they are still perfectly fresh. This is also one of the functions of this transportation bag.

「To think we will be able to see such cooking despite having no carriage or storage equipment prepared. Even from the perception of the merchants guild, your bag has absolutely outrageous functions…」

「Indeed. Generally, during the travel, you would have to rely on preserved rations. Being able to have such cool and fresh ingredients is really amazing.」

While receiving such praise, I took out the baked meat from the transportation bag and also arrange it, and when I was about to serve it to the three—

「Hey, hey, Master. Did you notice?」

「Yes, there are signs of monsters lurking around.」

「Yup. Or rather, I can already see them.」

Despite her smiles, Berzelia was sharply monitoring surroundings.

A grass colored bipedal monsters with pig faces were standing there as if trying to hide in the surrounding grassland. Weed trolls. We were surrounded by a number of them—

In addition, each of them appeared to be armed with a bow or a club.

And we weren’t the only one to realize that. Marion and Dort were casually looking at the monsters.

「Hmm, I knew that something was approaching, but to think that there were monsters. Moreover, for them to be weed trolls, who are intelligent enough to hunt in a group. Even mid-tier adventurers would struggle with this bunch.」

「They may have come to attack us because of their smarts. At the moment it’s really easy to underestimate our party.」

Hearing Marion’s words I tilted my head.

「 Hm? Underestimate? What do you mean?」

「Looking objectively, at the moment we have two transportation-types, one elderly merchant and a girl that has no equipment whatsoever. They came lured by smell, found no guards, and I guess decided that it’s good to attack. Those monsters have enough brains for that.」

「I see. So if you want to travel safely, you should take care of your appearance as well.」