Chapter 29

After over an hour in the cart, we finally arrived at Coton Tessé. Although we reached Coton Tessé, Horatio circled around the town's perimeter. He said we would enter the town from the Yaunason side, not the Rish village side.

"Can't we go through the town?"

"Well, we can, but it's a busy time for both people and carts. It'll be faster this way, and safer too."

If we were to pass through the town from north to south, it would be faster to cut through the center. However, if we were to go from the south side where Rish village is to the west side where Yaunason is, the distance would be about the same whether we went through the town or around it.

So, we are now at what seems to be the entrance to the Yaunason side of the town, a place that looks like a square. It's more like a rotary, similar to those often found in front of train stations. From there, I can see a small, neat town, quite different from Rish village. Coton Tessé is the most developed town in the Linper barony, known as the "capital" of the barony where the lord resides. Unlike Rish village, which is entirely made of wooden buildings, Coton Tessé has some buildings that appear to use concrete in their walls. About 80% of the buildings are wooden, and 20% use concrete.

"Such a beautiful town."

"Yeah, it's the entrance, after all."

As Mika looked out from the cart, Ninetiana replied casually. Her tone made it seem like the rest of the town wasn't as beautiful. Indeed, the narrow alleys between buildings and the areas behind them looked neglected, with scattered garbage and a less pleasant atmosphere.

The morning in Coton Tessé was bustling with people, and the number of people in this square alone seemed to exceed the population of Rish village.

Horatio stopped the cart at the edge of the square, which resembled a rotary. There were a few other carts parked there, some luxurious and others similar to the one Mika and Ninetiana were in.

"Well, we're here."

As Horatio climbed down from the driver's seat, he lifted Mika down to the ground. Ninetiana got down from the back of the cart and handed Mika her satchel.

"I can only take you this far, Mika."

"Thank you, Horatio."

Mika bowed politely in gratitude.

"I don't know much about the magic academy, but do your best. Don't worry about your family. The village will support you, and if anything happens, we'll let you know."

"Thank you."

Then, Horatio turned his gaze to Ninetiana.

"…Don't overdo it."

"Don't worry, I'm with him."

"He's just a kid, you know."

"I know, geez. How much do you not trust me?"

They were probably talking about the journey to Sabendier. No matter how much Horatio tried to stop them here, the rest of the journey would be just Mika and Ninetiana. Even if he made them promise not to act like adventurers, he couldn't control what would happen after they parted ways. Horatio could only warn them not to do anything reckless.

"Alright, Mika. Let's start our adventure."

Ninetiana pulled Mika's hand and started to move away from the cart. Mika, being pulled along, turned back to wave at Horatio, who waved back and called out, "Be careful."

"Let's start with the basics."

Ninetiana pointed to a sign as they walked.

"Can you tell what kind of shop that is?"

The sign she pointed to had a shield and armor depicted on it.

"An armor shop?"

"Correct. By the way, in most towns, there's usually a weapon shop next to it."

Ninetiana pointed to the neighboring shop, which had a sign with a sword and spear crossed.

"Wow," Mika said, impressed.

"Mika, you shouldn't buy weapons or armor from shops near the town entrance. They generally don't have good quality items. They're often overpriced and of poor quality. It's not that you can't buy anything, but if you want something cheaper and of better quality, look for a blacksmith. In some towns, it's okay to use shops near the guild, but not in Coton Tessé."

Ninetiana explained that shops near the guild generally have good quality items but are a bit more expensive. It's like a convenience store—more expensive than discount shops but still a viable option for everyday purchases. In her original world, there were discount shops, but people often used convenience stores for convenience. In that sense, shops near the guild might be suitable for regular shopping. Thinking about this, Mika's mood lifted a bit.

"Alright, let's head to the shared cart stop."

Mika, still thinking about the guild, walked beside Ninetiana.

(…There's no point in looking away. This is reality. It was in a pretty rough state, but it's better to know than to be ignorant.)

It's normal for there to be a gap between dreams and reality. In fact, it was fortunate to learn this before getting too fixated on the dream. If Ninetiana hadn't suggested acting like an adventurer, Mika might have just headed to the shared cart stop.

As they circled the square, they saw a sign with a cart drawn on it, attached to a dilapidated wooden shack.

"This is the shared cart stop. Want to go inside?"

Mika looked up at the dilapidated shack, hesitated, but decided to go in. Opening the poorly fitted door, they found a space about 15 meters deep and 8 meters wide, with a wooden floor. There were about ten people inside.

A middle-aged couple, an elderly couple with two children, a group of three middle-aged men who looked suspicious, and a young man who looked like an adventurer. The young man, who didn't seem to be 20 yet, was wearing a metal chest plate and leather gauntlets, and holding a sword.

Mika hesitated to enter, but Ninetiana went in first. She sat in an open space by the wall and motioned for Mika to join her. When Mika sat down, Ninetiana whispered to him.

"Let's keep our voices down from here. It's a courtesy to avoid unnecessary trouble."

Mika nodded solemnly. It was similar to train etiquette, but the atmosphere was terrible. The three suspicious men in the back were whispering, but Mika couldn't make out what they were saying. They occasionally glanced around, making it seem like they were up to no good. The young man who looked like an adventurer was just sitting quietly with his eyes closed. The middle-aged couple, the elderly couple, and their children were also silent, creating a heavy atmosphere.

Ninetiana, seemingly unaffected, leaned against the wall with her eyes closed. Mika, unable to bear the atmosphere, considered stepping outside.

"…Don't stare too much."

Ninetiana opened one eye and whispered to Mika, making sure no one else could hear.

"…I can't relax."

"You'll get used to it. We'll be like this for three days, after all."

That's right. Even if he stepped outside to escape the heavy atmosphere, he couldn't run away from the reality. The discomfort would only be his own until he got used to it.

"Besides, once we're on the cart, you won't notice it anymore."

Would that be true? The cart would be even more cramped, wouldn't it be more suffocating? As Mika thought about this, the dilapidated shack's door suddenly opened.

"Sorry for the wait. The cart to Yaunason has arrived."

A chubby middle-aged man entered and announced to everyone. Ninetiana stood up quickly and led Mika outside. In the square, there were several carts, but they noticed a cart similar to Horatio's coming their way. It was a two-horse cart with a covered platform.

Ninetiana paid and received a wooden token from the chubby man.

"Keep this. Don't lose it."

It was an old, hand-sized wooden token. According to Ninetiana, it was like a ticket that needed to be returned upon arrival in Yaunason. Without it, one would have to pay again to get off, and it was sometimes stolen.

"Well, those who ride for free usually get off before the destination. Anyway, keep it safe."

Mika put the token in his satchel to avoid losing it.

"Whatever happens, don't let go of your belongings. Hold them in your lap on the cart."

There were apparently thefts. Mika imagined pickpockets and muggers, but it was also common for people to snatch items and jump off the cart. It was a no-go to make the thief think they could take it.

"…I'm not confident."

"Neither am I. Just do your best."

Ninetiana said it casually. To stay vigilant for a whole day without a break was too much to ask.

As Mika sighed, thinking about the journey ahead, he noticed something. Two bulky knives were attached to Ninetiana's waist, which she hadn't had when they left the village. She must have put them on during the cart ride with Horatio. Mika's gaze was fixed on the knives, and Ninetiana patted his head. Looking up, he saw that her left gauntlet had several thick needles attached to the forearm, secured by a belt.

(What's that? And she's fully armed. Is this for real?)

She wouldn't wear such things unless necessary. She had never seen anyone in the village wear such gear. This meant there was a reason to wear it now.

(Ninetiana is this cautious. How dangerous is this world?)

They weren't going into a forest or a cave, just a cart ride from town to town. Yet, it required this much caution. It was that dangerous. Whether the danger came from monsters or people, it was unknown, but...

As Mika was taken aback, the shared cart arrived at the dilapidated shack. It was the same cart they had seen earlier. Ninetiana helped Mika onto the platform first, then got on herself. She sat Mika at the back and sat next to him. The shared cart was completely empty, with no seats or places to put luggage. It was just a regular cart.

People started boarding one by one. There were a few people they hadn't seen in the shack, and eventually, about 14 people got on. The passengers sat in two rows of seven, facing each other. The last to board were the three suspicious men from the shack. Two sat next to Mika, and one sat across from him. The young man who looked like an adventurer also sat across from Mika, next to the suspicious men.

There was still some space, but the shared cart felt suffocating. As they waited, the cart started moving. The platform was covered, but the front and back were open. The cold morning air blew through, slightly easing the suffocating feeling. Mika stared blankly ahead, watching the cart leave Coton Tessé. He remembered what Ninetiana had said and clutched his satchel tightly.

(I completely forgot to be vigilant.)

Given the seating arrangement, Mika's satchel was less likely to be targeted. Stealing a child's satchel wouldn't yield much. However, that wasn't a reason to let his guard down. An adventurer wouldn't let their guard down over such a thing.

(There must be a reason she made me sit here first.)

Mika wasn't sitting next to strangers. This wasn't a coincidence. Ninetiana had arranged it this way. When Mika looked at Ninetiana, she opened one eye and looked at him.

"…Is there a rule for where to sit?"

Mika asked in a low voice. Ninetiana closed her eyes and thought for a moment.

"Not really a rule, more of a preference. Adventurers often prefer the back or the front. Can you guess why?"

"To get out quickly if something happens?"

"Half right. You can get out from anywhere, really."

Ninetiana poked the cover. A piece of cloth wouldn't be much of a barrier with a knife or sword.

"…To have a clear view?"

"Exactly. To see the situation and then get out. If you break the cover and jump out, only to find yourself in the middle of an attack, you'd want to turn back."

If the attacker let you pass, they wouldn't be attacking in the first place.

"Well, it's a matter of preference. You don't need to worry too much about it."

Ninetiana patted Mika's head. She was impressed that he had thought it through. However, if Mika ever rode a shared cart alone, he should be cautious. Some adventurers might insist on sitting at the back or the front, and if their preferred spot was taken, it could lead to trouble.

(It's like seat-hogging on a commuter train.)

Mika usually gave up his seat when it was crowded. It might be a good idea to do the same on a shared cart.

After about three hours of riding, they stopped for a lunch break. They were at a rest stop along the road, apparently set up by the people who operated the shared carts. They rested the horses and sometimes changed them. Passengers could get off and eat the food they brought. Larger rest stops had shops, but there were none on the route between Coton Tessé and Yaunason, probably because there weren't enough customers.

"…My butt hurts…"

Sitting on a hard wooden floor for so long had pushed Mika's butt to its limit. The cart's constant jolting had only made it worse. His butt was already at zero health.

Mika understood why Ninetiana had said the cart's atmosphere wouldn't be a concern once they were on it. There was no time to worry about such things.

"Using a shared cart is convenient, but this is the worst part."

Unlike Mika, who had tears in his eyes, Ninetiana seemed unfazed. She stretched a bit, probably to relieve some tension.

"…I don't want to ride anymore."

"Then walk? I don't mind."

"………"

Ninetiana agreed easily. Mika had just complained, not expecting her to take him seriously.

"Is it a walkable distance?"

"For me."

"………………………………."

From her tone, Mika guessed she thought it would be too much for him. Complaining wouldn't help, so Mika decided to focus on recovery. He took out his lunch from his satchel and ate standing up. He couldn't bear to sit down. Ninetiana also took out her lunch. Mika had his usual hard bread, but Ninetiana had brought dried meat.

"Here, have some."

She gave Mika a piece of dried meat.

"Are you sure?"

"Sure. It's leftover from winter."

Ninetiana started eating the dried meat while standing, probably to match Mika.

(Dried meat. I might have never had it before.)

The Noisheim family's winter food was mostly beans and bread, with some dried fruits and vegetables. There was some smoked pork before winter, but it was scarce during the winter. This year, they had enough food, but the quality didn't improve. The "extra" was all in quantity, not quality.

Mika put the dried meat in his mouth, but he couldn't bite through it.

(Hard! What is this? Is it really meat?)

Ninetiana seemed to be eating it without much trouble, but her neck muscles were working hard. Her expression didn't change, but she was putting a lot of effort into it.

(I might break a tooth if I try too hard.)

Mika took a sip of water from his water bag and tried to soften it. The strong saltiness seeped out, and the meat's flavor spread in his mouth.

(If I put it in a soup, it might be quite tasty. Is this really meant to be chewed?)

Maybe he was eating it wrong. He decided to accept it as an adventurer's way.

After lunch, the hellish ride resumed. The seating arrangement was free, and some people changed their spots. Mika and Ninetiana got on first to sit in the same spot as before. The three suspicious men and the young adventurer were also in the same spots.

After another three hours of riding, they stopped at another rest stop. They rested for a bit, then rode for another three hours. After a total of nine hours of riding, just as Mika's butt was about to peel off, the shared cart finally arrived at the capital of the Allcoso viscounty, Yaunason.