Chapter 40 A Real Journey
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The next morning, I woke up in bed without anyone waking me up, which is rare. Well, since we started traveling, I haven’t been training late at night… but that’s not it.
I actually couldn’t sleep much. I did fall asleep, but I kept waking up in the middle of the night.
”Ah… Hiroya… good morning…”
Kazumi, who was sleeping to my right, rubbed her eyes and sat up.
To my left, Martina was still asleep. And Rena was clinging to my right leg.
”…Why is everyone in my bed?”
Yeah, this has been the situation since I woke up in the middle of the night. At least Liz is sleeping properly in her own bed.
”I just wanted to cuddle while sleeping…”
Kazumi smiled cutely, “Ehe~♡.” It’s cute, but…
”So, this isn’t making you feel a certain way?”
She pointed at my groin.
”Ah, that’s just morning wood! …It’ll go back to normal after I pee!”
No, I’ve been like this since I woke up in the middle of the night. It’s not my fault I was surrounded by 3 beautiful girls. That’s why I couldn’t sleep until morning.
”Hmm. So, you didn’t get all excited because you were cuddled by me, Martina, and Rena?”
She poked me playfully through my pajamas.
”W-well, since everyone is sleeping next to me… let’s talk about that another time──.”
I tried to speak in a quiet voice so I wouldn’t wake everyone up, but Kazumi pressed her lips against mine.
”Mmchu…~♡ Good morning kiss!~♡.”
…Is it that fun to tease me and my lower half, Ms. Kazumi?
Feeling frustrated, I took Kazumi’s lips for myself.
”Mmnh…!? Kchu… muh… lick…”
As soon as I slipped my tongue in, Kazumi wrapped hers around mine.
”Ugh… H-Hiroya, that’s mean. You’re getting me all worked up this early…”
”Maybe next time.”
It’s tough for me too.
* * *
Kazumi and I quietly got out of bed and changed clothes. I went downstairs to wash my face and use the bathroom.
It was just past 6 AM. We planned to go to Ms. Sasha’s place by 8 to get ready and leave for the next town, Abil, by noon…
When I returned to the room after finishing up, the other 3 were finally awake, sitting on the bed and rubbing their eyes.
”Good morning… I’m going to the bathroom to wash my face…”
Rena got out of bed and sleepwalked out of the room.
”Good morning, everyone… I guess I’ll wash my face too…”
Liz also stood up and tried to leave the room, so I hurried to stop her.
”Liz! …Let’s fix your underwear first before you go.”
Maybe she had a bad sleeping position, but her underwear was twisted, showing her left breast, and she was only in her shorts, so at least wear a skirt.
”Huh? …Oh, yeah… that’s not good…”
Still half-asleep, she fixed her underwear and put on a skirt before leaving the room.
”…”
Martina was still sitting on the bed, looking dazed.
”I had a dream that Big Brother Hiroya and Big Sis Kazumi were kissing…”
””!””
”I want to kiss too!”
I held onto Kazumi, and Martina gave each of us a quick kiss on the cheek.
”I’ll go wash my face!”
Suddenly, Martina perked up and cheerfully left the room.
”Do you think… we were being watched?”
”N-no, she said it was a dream…”
We both held our cheeks, our faces bright red, as we waved goodbye to Martina.
* * *
After quickly finishing breakfast, we all headed to the inn where Ms. Sasha was staying.
It looked like a typical town, with people preparing for their journeys, getting on carriages, and leading horses through the streets.
”Looks like a lot of people are heading to the capital.”
Kazumi, walking beside me and holding my hand, said as she watched the flow of travelers. There were indeed many people heading toward the road to the capital.
I saw adventurers, merchants, and even elves and dwarves.
Rena, on my left, linked her arm with mine and looked around at the crowd.
”I wonder if our village will be this lively if the hot springs become famous?”
”Yeah. But for people to visit comfortably…”
”Right. It’s up to you guys.”
Liz added to my words.
”Yeah!”
We need to clear the dungeon quickly and eliminate the fear of powerful monsters appearing.
”Don’t worry! We can do it!”
Martina, who was walking behind me, grabbed my shoulders with both hands and then wrapped her arms around me.
”That’s why we need to get to the capital soon, Hiroya.”
Kazumi gently leaned her body against mine.
* * *
”Good morning! We’ve been waiting for you.”
When we arrived at the inn, Ms. Sasha rushed over, already working with a few men who seemed to be her subordinates to transfer the luggage.
”I gathered what I thought you might need…”
She showed me the items that were set apart from the other luggage.
”Let me take a look.”
Liz started checking.
”Two sets of tents, 5 canvas sheets, 5 sleeping bags… wait, these are down!”
”Is there a problem?”
Ms. Sasha asked with a worried look.
”No, they can be packed small, and they have great insulation and breathability. They’re amazing! Is it really okay to have such good stuff?”
Liz seemed a bit excited about how good it was. Ms. Sasha chuckled.
”Of course. Even when camping, a comfortable sleep is important.”
”Also… this cooking gear set looks useful.”
Liz opened what looked like a pot with a lid. Inside, there was a smaller pot, dishes, cutlery, and even a kettle.
”This lid can also be used as a frying pan.”
I picked up the pot lid. In my original world, there was a camping boom, so I had seen a similar mess kit a few times.
”Then there are 5 lanterns… wait, this lantern is a magic tool, right?”
Liz excitedly pulled out a small black oil lantern.
”Yes. If you add a little magical power, it will stay lit for a night.”
Ms. Sasha took the lantern from Liz and held her hand over it.
Then, it started to glow softly.
”It’s hard to tell now since it’s morning, but it will be brighter than an oil lantern when it gets dark. To turn it off, just twist this knob…”
As she squeezed the knob on the front of the lantern, it gradually dimmed.
”I’m grateful we don’t have to carry extra fuel.”
Liz continued checking.
”Five blankets, 5 cloaks…”
”These 3 are for kids, right?”
Rena put on a green poncho with a hood. It looked cute.
”All we need now are 2 hand axes and 2 machetes. With this, we should be able to travel just fine. Thank you!”
”I’m glad I could help. Oh, by the way…”
Ms. Sasha said this and ran over to the cart that was being loaded.
After a while, she returned quickly, holding something red and thin.
”This is a heating cooker.”
Ms. Sasha handed it to Liz. Liz looked at it closely.
”It’s based on the ‘Flame Stone Warmer’ that is very useful in the northern regions during winter. My father had it made by a magical tool researcher in the royal capital.”
The Flame Stone Warmer is a portable warmer that uses the properties of ‘Flame Stones,’ which generate heat when a little magical power is added.
”Since it’s made from high-purity Flame Stones, it can heat up to cooking temperatures. It’s really useful when you can’t start a campfire.”
That sounds convenient.
”One of the reasons my father visited Razia Village was to obtain those high-purity Flame Stones.”
Flame Stones are ores that can be found in volcanoes. I heard that there are deposits of Flame Stones in the mountains of Razia Village, which has hot springs.
”Although it’s still expensive and not commercially available yet, please do use it.”
* * *
We hugged our bags and wished Ms. Sasha a safe journey before parting ways.
It seems the horses are being kept at the stable of our inn, so we headed back to the inn.
”Now, the ones who can ride are… me, Martina, and Rena. Hiroya and Kazumi can practice on the way.”
Liz said so.
”I’ll ride with Big Brother Hiroya.”
”Then I’ll take Kazumi with me.”
”One horse is loaded with luggage, and Rena’s horse is pulling it.”
It seems like we can use the 4 horses efficiently.
* * *
After checking out of the inn, we load our luggage and the travel gear we received onto the horses.
”Next, we need to buy food. Let’s stop by some shops on the way to the capital.”
Liz takes the lead, holding the reins of her horse as she starts walking.
Martina and Rena follow, with another horse tied to Rena’s horse by a rope, smartly keeping up.
Kazumi and I hold hands and trail behind.
We stop at several shops to buy maps and food.
As we head toward the town exit, Kazumi suddenly stops and points at a product in front of a shop.
”That wooden cup looks like a ‘kuksa’ from our world, Hiroya.”
A ‘kuksa’… I think it was a cup from somewhere in Northern Europe that brings good luck to the user and the giver?
”Hey, Liz! Let’s buy matching cups for everyone!”
Kazumi calls out to Liz, who is at the front.
”Now that you mention it, we didn’t get any cups. Alright, which one is good?”
Kazumi points to a ‘kuksa’-like cup as Liz comes back.
”Hehe, that’s a cute cup, Liz.”
”I see. I heard that in some country, it brings good luck.”
”Then let’s all buy matching ones!”
Liz and Kazumi go into the shop.
When they come out, Kazumi quickly hands out the cups they bought to everyone.
”Alright, let’s pray for good luck on our journey!”
”Okay! Let’s set off!”
Liz raises her cup high toward the sky.
”””Oh!”””
Now, we set off toward the next town.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.