CH 46

[On the Journey]

The wagon proceeds on the highway in the hilly area while making clattering sounds.

We left the city of Youg Hannotes and headed for the city of Inbahanes where many beastmen lives.

The weather was nice, the sunlight was warm, and the wind that came through the hill and hit my face felt nice.

After leaving Youg Hannotes, we can only see places abundant with trees for a while.

However, that was until yesterday, and from today, the third day of the journey, it has changed to a hilly area.

Occasionally, we passed by caravans that seemed to be carrying goods from Inbahanes and adventurers who were heading for Youg Hannotes.

We were in a rush journey to confirm the sightings of Abyss Walkers in various places, but if we moved on poorly paved road with deep furrow carved everywhere, I’m afraid that in the worst case, our wagon will be damaged.

Therefore, it became difficult to increase the speed of the wagon.

“It sure is peaceful…”

“It is peaceful, isn’t it?”

Noelia who was in the luggage compartment, responded to the my muttering, sitting in the coachman’s seat in preparation of monster attack.

Although this is a frontier area and the traffic of people is less than that of the Royal Capital, there are almost no monsters around the highway.

There was a reason why there were few monsters on the highway.

The highway connecting each city is a very important place to transport goods, so the Adventurer’s Guild in each city regularly put up requests to subdue monsters around the highway.

Therefore, the chance of encountering monster on the highway is low.

“Kuee!”

Dimol, who was flying over the sky, might have found a monster to prey on, he cried and plunged into the meadow.

To prevent him from being mistaken for a wild Wyvern and being shot by adventurers and city guards, Dimol is equipped with a horse blanket with a big Henestrosa family crest drawn on it.

By having the crest of a frontier count, a great noble, there was no sudden arrow shot from adventurers and caravans who had passed the road.

“It seems like Dimol has found his own food. Still, I didn’t think that Wyvern was a creature that can be emotionally attached to human like that. Even Lloyd-sama seemed to be very interested in him.”

Suzana, who holds the reins as a coachman, looked at Dimol’s figure admiringly.

She was a maid of the Henestrosa family who had been asked by Lloyd to accompany Noelia as a chaperon for the journey.

When Lloyd asked her, a maid, to accompany me on this journey, I felt worried about how it would turn out, but she seems to be accustomed to handling wagon and outdoor activities. When I saw how everything went smoothly, I felt that I was worrying needlessly.

“Come to think of it, Frontier Count-sama really liked Dimol. He even made horse blanket and horse saddle for Dimol’s exclusively.”

Lloyd repeatedly praised the speed at which I was able to get to the Demon Forest riding Dimol at the time when Abyss Walker was sighted.

I’m sure that the fact that it can move faster than a horse and that it can perform a wide range scout from the sky touched the heartstrings of Lloyd who was preparing for the Great Invasion.

“Father must have realized the usefulness of Wyverns. By this time, he might have taken Gawain-shishou to the Yasuba’s hunting ground to catch his own Wyvern. When we finished our journey and return to Youg Hannotes, I wouldn’t be surprised if all the knights have turned into Wyvern rider.”

“That’s true. If it’s Lloyd-sama, that’s what he would do.”

“Ah~, certainly, if it’s Frontier Count-sama, it wouldn’t be weird if he would do that.”

As Noelia said, if it’s Lloyd, it wouldn’t be weird if he ordered his knights to catch Wyverns.

However, I heard that I was the first one who succeeded in using Wyvern taming method that Gawain found, so I hope that it won’t end with many people injured…

However, if the knights of the Frontier Count-sama became Wyvern riders, their movement speed would increase dramatically.

If they fly day and night, they can even go to the Abyss Hole immediately.

“But there sure are various problems in traveling with Wyvern…”

Dimol’s physique is better than normal, so he can fly even if he is carrying heavy objects, but with the physique of the Wyvern like the one Gawain was riding, I felt that it is only possible to carry one heavily armed knight.

In addition, traveling with a Wyvern is a lot more taxing for the rider than traveling with a horse.

If I were asked if I could travel a long distance and then fight immediately, I have to say that it is impossible unless I enhance my body with Body Enhancement magic.

Therefore, on this journey, learning from the lesson I got from the day and night flight, I gave up on long-distance travel with Dimol and traveled using a wagon.

“Yes, I’ve also been riding Dimol with Frick-sama several times, so I’ve already warned father about the problems. Even so, I’m sure that he would still catch them.”

It seems that Noelia had already informed Lloyd of the problems in traveling on Wyvern.

She might have felt the same as I did during the day and night flight.

“Well, Lloyd-sama who seems to be out of control in regard to Wyvern will be stopped by the Knight Commander Meiss. Rather, while waiting for Dimol catch his prey and return, how about we take a lunch break?”

Suzana, who was holding the reins, suggested that we take a lunch break.

The sun was already right over our heads, telling us that it was lunch time.

“That’s right. Let’s take a lunch break soon.”

“Let’s do so. Suzana, I think the shade over there is a good place to rest.”

“Understood. I’ll drive the wagon there immediately, so please wait for a moment.”

At the place indicated by Noelia, a tree of just the right size grew blocking the sunlight and providing enough shade for us.

The wagon was drove there, and then we decided to start preparing lunch.

Dimol, who came down to us, handed the Spring Gazelle that he had caught.

“Dimol doesn’t eat without permission, isn’t he? I heard that wild Wyverns eating prey as they please though.”

Suzana, who had begun preparing lunch, was impressed again when she saw Dimol who was handing his prey and waiting for me.

“Ahh, for Dimol, I’m the absolute superior, so even if he gets the prey himself, he won’t eat it until he get my permission.”

“Hee~, Wyverns had such a trait.”

“That seems to be the case. Moreover, he even understands when I told him to not attack, he’s a smart guy, right?”

“Kuee!!”

Dimol seems to understand that he was complimented, and is crying with joy.

Wyvern is categorized as weak among the strongest species, dragon, but they are still dragon species; their physical strength and intelligence are incomparably higher than other wild animals.

Due to this, it is said that dragon species are hard to be turned into monsters by mana mist.

However, it doesn’t mean that they can’t turned into monster, if they are turned into monsters, they will transform into an extremely troublesome monster called demonic dragon.

I remembered that the demonic dragon that Alfine and I subjugated was originally an old dragon that lived in a mountain near the Royal Capital, but by transforming into a demonic dragon, it became a monster as strong as the Demon Beast Cerberus.

It has become my daily routine recently to observe Dimol’s state in order to prevent him from transforming into such a demonic dragon.

“Frick-sama really cares about Dimol, isn’t he? He even takes care of him himself, honestly, I’m envious…”

Noelia’s hand that was preparing lunch stopped and she looked at Dimol and me.

Come to think of it, Noelia said that she also wanted to try to take care of Dimol.

She also likes Dimol, it should be fine for her to wipe his body and feed him.

In case I wasn’t around, should I let Noelia take care of Dimol this time?

“Then, do you want to try it too, Noelia?”

I think that Noelia’s face stiffened when she heard my words, her gaze became dazed, and her cheeks were suddenly dyed red.

S-she is really that excited to take care of Dimol.

If she wanted to do it that much, I should have asked her sooner.

“U-u-umm, I still, haven’t prepare my heart…if you suddenly ask that…”

Noelia’s cheeks became more blushed, the way she spoke became incoherent, which was far different from her usual monotonousness.

“No, it’s also my fault. I didn’t know that Noelia want it that much…I’m sorry for being late.”

“Eh? Eh? R-really, right now, in this place…”

“Ahh, let’s do it right away. I think that kind of thing should be done immediately.”

I myself really understand that holding yourself back from doing what you want to do is the worst thing to do to yourself.

If you are interested in something, you should try it immediately.

Thanks to that, I can use magic after all.

“Eh? Eh? Seriously?”

“Ahh, let’s start by processing this Spring Gazelle. Dimol has a surprisingly weak biting force, so he can’t swallow it unless you cut it into small pieces.”

I put the body of the Spring Gazelle handed by Dimol in front of Noelia.

“Eh?”

Noelia tilted her head at my action.

“After all, Noelia can’t help but want to take care of Dimol, right?”

Noelia stiffened while her head tilted.

After a while, she started to move.

“Y-yes! I really want to do it! T-that’s right. Dimol’s food must be cut into small pieces, right? I’ll try it.”

Taking out a hunting knife, Noelia skillfully peeled the skin of the Spring Gazelle.

“Huh, this may be difficult. I have to do my best.”

From behind us who were preparing Dimol’s food, I heard Suzana sighed for some reason.

“Kuee!!”

I feel like Dimol was responding to Suzana’s sigh.

The two seems to have a common understanding, but I think that the way Noelia handling the prey is very skillful.

With that in mind, I decided to concentrate on making Dimol’s food and our own lunch.