Chapter 118
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The day after being robbed by bandits.
I woke up feeling physically refreshed, and I decided to give a little something back to Iris and Seria for their help and company.
It wasn’t anything too grand, just something to make our journey a bit more comfortable: an IH stove, crafted with “Imitation.”
This made boiling water so much easier, and with the IH-compatible hot water bottles I made, even in the south, it’ll be more comfortable during this chilly season.
I could’ve gone with a gas stove, but I needed a decent reason for having kept it hidden all this time.
So, I decided to pass it off as a precious magic item, and thought I’d create something visibly unique to make it convincing.
That’s why I chose an IH stove, which seems incredibly mysterious since it can warm things up without fire.
I was worried about the battery, but just like with the voice changer, I managed to create something that could run for a long time while using a minimal amount of magic.
The magic consumption is significant, but as long as I can convert it back when it’s not needed, it shouldn’t be a problem.
As a result… using the hot water bottles for meals and grooming, and boiling water with it, was met with great joy from both of them.
Well,
”Now we can even go n*ked at night, won’t that be nice♡”
”And we can wipe off all that sweat so neatly♡”
They’d lean in and say things like that.
If it’s someone you like, there’s nothing wrong with a little fun, and as long as it doesn’t cause trouble on the journey, it’s all good.
* * *
Ten days later… we had entered Gavrett Territory, Iris’s homeland.
According to our plan, we managed to reach this point in about half the expected time, mainly because we tried to avoid populated areas as much as possible.
Considering Iris’s sister’s situation, it was crucial to keep her trip to Dungeon City as secret as possible, and having our faces checked at entry and exit points was less than ideal.
That’s why we had Ms. Wendy prepare a month’s worth of supplies, and when we did stop, it was in villages with lenient checks, just to replenish water and horse feed.
Moreover, by heading west before reaching Gavrett, we reduced the chances of being seen, and after the incident with the bandits, we picked up our pace even more.
So, here’s the plan.
We’ll levitate the carriage with transparent Magic Armor, which will seriously lighten the load on the horses.
That way, we’ll be just above the ground, so no risk of a crash.
And if things get too crowded, we can just drop it and move normally.
Sure, the mana consumption is a concern, but if we shorten the travel time, we won’t have to set up defensive walls all night during camping, so it’s a trade-off I can live with.
Well… now that Iris knows we’ll be camping less, she’s been all over me, since she knows she’ll have fewer *opportunities* to, you know, when we get home.
And then Seria’s been hitting on me too, trying to lower the chances of me actually marrying Iris!
Anyway, after all that, we’ve finally entered Gavrett territory, which, to put it mildly, is rural.
Just like they said, the only big town is the capital where Iris’s family lives, and even that town is small compared to other territories’ capitals.
After passing through a few villages, as we got closer to the capital, I checked with Iris.
”They’ll notice us at the gate, right?”
”Yeah, probably,” she sighed.
If Iris, who left the town disguised as part of a merchant caravan, just waltzes back in from the outside… it’s gonna be a huge mess.
They’d definitely want to know why she left in the first place, and it wouldn’t be a stretch for someone to start speculating about her sister.
Even worse, the person who cursed Iris’s sister, or one of their cronies, might be lurking around.
People could start spreading rumors that Iris left the town because of some problem she couldn’t solve, and then jump to the conclusion that her sister was cursed by someone.
In other words, her return could be the spark that sets off the whole ‘sister’s been cursed’ wildfire.
That would be bad for Iris’s whole family, so to avoid that, we need to keep Iris’s return a secret.
So, here’s the plan… I’m going to wrap Iris in Magic Armor and make her invisible as we sneak into town.
The problem is, how do we control the carriage?
Simple!
Invisible Iris will sit on My lap, grab My hands, and steer the horses.
She’s been practicing a bit on the road, but she’s still pretty clumsy.
As for getting Iris into her house…she said they used a traveling merchant when leaving, so it seems like she plans to ask that same merchant for help with getting in.
We were discussing all this as we made our way, and eventually arrived at Gavretta, the town that serves as Gavrett’s capital.
* * *
As we approached the town gate, a soldier checked us over.
”Adventurers and their companion, huh… what brings you to this town?”
”I belong to the Hooters merchant guild, and we’re here to conduct market research for potential expansion.”
I answered him, also presenting a prepared document.
It was made by Ms. Wendy, and it stated that Gavrett had commissioned a market survey.
Since Seria and I wouldn’t mind if it became known that we came from Dungeon City, we had her make this document for us.
This town might question us when we leave, but if we accomplish our goal and gather some evidence by investigating a few merchant guilds afterward, it should be fine.
”Hmm… just the two of you for that?”
”Yeah, well…”
The soldier checking us seemed like a seasoned veteran, and perhaps because of that, he looked at us with a hint of suspicion.
That reason must be Seria.
She’s playing the role of the companion in this town, so she’s dressed accordingly and trying to avoid looking like a Cleric.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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