Chapter 116 Leaving the empire 6 (1/2)
Mars woke up from the sound of movement nearby and looked over
”hmm..?”
it was Varvei, she was holding the trunk of a tree and walking around it with sweat on her forehead with some of her red hair sticking to it, from the looks of things she had clearly been at it for some time now, Mars gave a wry smile and got up and put on his boots before he picked up a water skin and walked over
”Varvei”
”ha... ha... oh... it's... you... Mars...”
”why don't you take a break for now”
”no... i'm... almost... done...”
”fine, but no more then another 2 times it's not good to overwork yourself”
Varvei gave a nod and walked the last two laps around the tree before she sat down on the ground
”here”
Mars handed the water skin to her and gave her a look over, while she was still thin it wasn't a bad as when he had saved her, her tail also looked a lot better with the scales regaining some of their former red color, seeing all this Mars could not help but praise
”you're doing good, give it another week and you will be able to walk on your own”
”ha... ha... you... think... so..?”
”definitely, so just endure a little longer”
”okay... thanks... Mars...”
”now let's get some food in you”
Mars quickly picked up Varvei and walked over to the campsite and put her down before he handed her a package of dried meat
”eat this for now”
”okay”
as Varvei ate Mars watched her, she certainly had gained a lot of appetite clear by the way she oh so elegantly stuffed the dried meat in her mouth, Mars activated his [energy: healing] skill with 25 units of energy as he put a hand on her shoulder, Varvei closed her eyes as the skill worked and opened them again and looked at Mars
”what did you just do?”
”I healed you”
”healed?”
Mars nodded
”yeah it's a healing skill, quiet a powerful one at that”
Varvei gave a nod and looked down at her legs that was feeling a lot better now
”I have never heard of healing skills, is it a bestowed skill?”
”you could say that it has to do with my status as a living god”
”...I see”
Varvei looked down at her legs again and slightly moved them while her tail lightly beat the ground in a rhythm Mars didn't know
”oh right what's bestowed skills?”
Varvei still looked down but begun explaining
”bestowed skills are bestowed by the 13, they are all extra powerful and mighty”
”I see...”
Mars thought for a bit
'in that case my [demon dreaming] is a bestowed skill... well it is pretty mighty being able to look into my past life and all'
Mars stood up and begun packing his stuff, this included the two sleeping bags that he and Varvei had been using and some other minor stuff before he pulled out some coffee from his backpack and sat down next to the campfire and re-lit it with his flame, Varvei looked at Mars' flame and suddenly blushed and looked away, Mars didn't notice this as he was occupied by making his morning coffee
”oh good morning Mars and miss Varvei good morning to you too”
Mars looked up form the fire and saw John had just stepped out of the carriage
”good morning mister Baker”
”...good morning John”
John looked up at the cloudless sky and gave a smile
”today seems to be a wonderful day for traveling, let's get going we should be able to reach Ely today”
”okay mister Baker”
Mars drank his coffee and helped Varvei into the carriage just as the two mercenaries were done packing up camp
”let's get going”
the carriage started moving inside Mars and John talked quite a lot with Varvei joining the conversation when she pleased which was not very often as the carriage slowly moved through the forest, there was a little problem with some goblins at noon but the two merchs and Victoria handled it perfectly with none of the goblin even reaching the carriage and late in the afternoon did the carriage reach Ely, as soon as the carriage entered town did John pay the two merchs for a job well done and after exchanging good byes did the two leave
”well no that's done with let me show you two to my branch store”
”please mister Baker, i'm looking forward to your personal chefs performance”
the carriage moved into the town and eventually stopped in front of a shop with people streaming in and out of clearly this was a very popular shop, John gave a smile and turned to Mars and Varvei
”welcome to my 12th branch shop, while it is nowhere as good as the one in the imperial capital I hope it suffices”
”no need to be so humble I'm sure this is a good shop”
Varvei was also feeling excited and asked John
”what do you sell?”
”mostly travel food, such as the newly invented freeze dried food the army uses among other products”
”okay”
”well then let's head in”
Mars picked up Varvei and followed after John into the shop all the way up to the 3rd floor which was John's private estate when he was in town after eating a luxurious meal John had a servant bring some nutrient pills for Varvei after witch Mars declined John's offer to stay in the shop and left with Varvei in his arms after they exchanged goodbyes with John