Chapter 43 Rock Golem ▲
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
[Part 2/2]
(Hiroya’s POV)
It was a refreshing morning, probably because I was able to take a bath last night for the first time in a while.
I quickly got ready and tied the luggage to the horse.
During the journey from Borg to Abil, I realized that one wooden bucket was not enough, so I asked the innkeeper, who provided me with five foldable leather buckets.
I paid Liz for them and tied them to the horse.
Liz was watching me work with a smile.
”What’s up?”
”You know, it’s funny how the cute boy, who had his face buried in my chest when he woke up, becomes a handsome man when he’s serious about his work.”
Liz laughed.
”…You were looking at my face all morning. You could have woken me up.”
”But you don’t only have to enjoy Kazumi, right? You were in a special seat when you woke up.”
Saying that, she helped me with a smile.
* * *
We left early in the morning and galloped down the road on our horses.
Behind us was a merchant caravan consisting of five horse-drawn carriages. It seemed that two merchant groups were traveling together. Most likely, they would maintain this distance until they reached the capital.
”Hiroya! I realized something!”
Kazumi, who was leaning against my back, spoke to me.
”What is it?”
”You know…”
Saying this, Kazumi pressed her lower body against my butt.
”Hey!”
”No, it’s not like that! I didn’t mean to press against you like that!”
As my butt moved, Kazumi’s waist, pressed against mine, moved in the same way.
”I’m doing this to remember the rhythm from your movements.”
”I see. So, how is it?”
”Yeah. If I keep my waist up, my knees hurt, and if I don’t, my butt hurts, but if I move the same way as you, my knees don’t hurt, and my butt doesn’t hurt either.”
”I’m glad to hear that. Let’s try to speed up a bit.”
I lightly applied the spurs.
”Liz! Kazumi is getting used to it, so let’s increase the speed a bit!”
I caught up with Liz, who was leading the way, and called out to her.
”Okay! I’ll speed up!”
Liz spurred her horse, and they galloped ahead.
”Hmm. That’s naughty.”
Rena whispered this next to me.
”It’s not like that!”
I said, and Rena grinned, then accelerated to catch up with Liz.
”…Next time, I’ll ride on Big Brother Hiroya…”
Martina, who said this with a pout, also passed me by.
”…Those guys…”
I turned to Kazumi with a troubled look, and…
”I’m sorry… I’m starting to feel a bit strange…”
Kazumi, who was pressing her entire body against my back, let out a sweet voice. She was pressing her lower body against me more than necessary.
”I want… to be thrust like this by Hiroya…♡.”
Kazumi whispered in my ear. Her hand reached inside my coat, caressing my crotch and left chest.
”Hey, be careful!”
To calm down the reckless Kazumi, I turned my head and gave her lips a light kiss.
”Ah…♡.”
”Next time we have a chance.”
I calmed Kazumi down and increased my speed to catch up with everyone.
* * *
Along the way, we took a break for the horses to rest and eat. I tried to soothe Martina, who wanted to ride behind me, saying,
”Kazumi still can’t ride alone.”
After that, we set off again.
I adjusted our pace while watching the horses’ fatigue as we approached sunset.
”Once we cross this mountain, the royal capital will be just ahead. We’ve made better progress than I thought.”
We decided to camp a bit after climbing a narrow mountain path from the wide road.
”This kind of mountain path will continue for a while. Should we set up the tent a little deeper in the forest?”
With Liz leading, we entered the forest and quickly prepared for camping in a clearing.
Since it was our second time, we set up the tent quickly. By the time we finished preparing, it was completely dark.
Looking up through the trees, I could see the light of a campfire.
”This area has some mines. The people up there are probably miners or something.”
”It feels like we’re getting closer to the royal capital.”
Kazumi replied excitedly to Liz, who was adding wood to the campfire.
”I fed the horses.”
Rena said as she returned, and we all gathered around the fire.
”We made good time, so it seems the merchant group couldn’t keep up.”
After lightly heating some dried meat, I chopped it into small pieces and stir-fried it in a pan.
I mixed in some herbs and sprinkled salt and pepper, finishing our dinner for the night.
”I’m done over here too!”
Martina was doing something a little further away, and it looked like she was making soup with the heating plate Ms. Sasha gave us.
She brought over a pot of vegetables and dried meat, smiling.
We shared it into our kuksa-style cups and distributed bread, getting ready to eat.
”Alright… let’s eat!”
”Let’s eat!”
* * *
After finishing our meal, we sat around the campfire chatting for a while when we heard some commotion from above. There were rumbling sounds and impacts.
”!”
I grabbed my Ōwakizashi and strapped it to my waist.
”…It sounds like a monster. Someone is fighting up there.”
Liz stood up, holding her composite bow and quiver.
”I’m going!”
I dashed off first.
* * *
When I arrived, I saw 3 small girls glaring at a large rock with a big hammer in their hands.
(No, it’s not just a rock.)
The giant humanoid figure swung its right arm down hard.
”Boom!”
With a rumble, dust flew up. The girl targeted barely managed to dodge.
The other 2 struck the arm with their hammers.
The arm shattered into pieces from the two powerful hits.
”It’s a rock golem! Our weapons aren’t good against it…”
Liz muttered, looking frustrated as she readied her composite bow.
”Don’t worry! Aim! Pierce!”
Rena shouted, pointing at Liz, and the arrow already nocked in Liz’s bow began to glow.
”Thanks!”
Liz released the glowing arrow from her composite bow, piercing the rock monster’s throat.
However, the golem didn’t stop moving and raised its left arm to target the small girls.
”Damn! Did I miss? Hiroya! The rock golem’s magic core is at the back of its neck! If we destroy that, it will stop moving!”
Liz took an arrow from her quiver and nocked it to her bow.
(That height is out of reach…)
Even if I could jump to reach it, aiming accurately would be tough.
(It’s the legs, huh)
The golem swings its raised left arm down, but then changes its path to strike at the girls with hammers.
One girl, unable to follow the golem’s movement, freezes in place.
”Watch out!”
From my position, I can’t make it in time. Just as I think that, I see Martina leap in from outside my view to the frozen girl.
”!”
Martina scoops up the small girl and barely dodges the golem’s attack.
”Go for the legs!”
I call out to the two remaining girls and dash toward the golem’s legs.
”Physical Boost!”
(Can I… cut through the rock…?)
I’ve heard that there was a sword that could cut stone lanterns in the past. Maybe this blade can do it.
(It’s all up to my skill now)
I shake off the weak thoughts that try to creep in.
”Go! Hiroya!”
”Pierce!”
Liz shouts and releases an arrow infused with Rena’s magic.
A beam of light crosses in front of me and hits the golem’s leg.
(That’s it!)
I aim for the spot the arrow pierced and slash with my sword.
I feel a solid impact and sheathe my sword.
The other leg is blown away by the two girls’ hammers.
With both legs gone, the golem slowly tips forward──
──Thud!
Kazumi, who jumped out from behind Rena, leaps onto the fallen golem’s back and raises her hands to its neck.
”Blast!”
The spot where Kazumi raised her hands explodes from the inside.
I can see shining stone-like fragments bursting out among the debris.
”We did it!”
Kazumi strikes a small victory pose on the golem’s back. So cute (I love it).
”Martina! Are you okay?”
I rush over to the collapsed Martina.
”I’m fine. Are you hurt?”
The girl who was called by Martina looks confused. It seems she’s not hurt either.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.