CH 8

There Was a Flag?

We flew over the forest for more than two hours, and then we reached the meadow in about one minute.

This was after flying on a dragon’s back. You can see how vast the forest is.

I can imagine that the forest is probably the size of a whole country.

“Hahh~ We finally arrived!”

(Yes, we have. Let’s go down to a place a little away from the town.)

Richmond said, and as soon as he landed on the meadow, he humanized himself and cancelled the stealth spell.

“Alright, let’s go.”

It was about a five-minute walk from there.

I recalled the spectacle I saw earlier as I followed Richmond, who was walking with a steady gait, not unlike an elderly man at all.

The town I saw from above was surrounded by otherworldly outer walls and had the atmosphere of a foreign country’s town.

To be honest, I was excited, but I was also scared when after I heard Richmond’s explanation.

I heard that it is not very safe over here, and I was very weak, so I would be the first one to die if something happened. I must be careful not to get separated from Richmond.

The town was designed so that you have to pass through a gate to get inside the outer walls, and we were now standing in a queue to enter the town.

Many in the procession had horses, rode in carriages, or were traveling on foot like us.

There were not many people who looked like “locals”.

Maybe there is a separate gate where the townspeople can enter and exit.

Nevertheless, I was thrilled to see a fantasy scene that I could not see in my original world.

I have never seen so many horses and carriages before.

“So, what are you here for? Sightseeing? There’s nothing to see in this place… Do you have a pass? Oh, if you don’t have one, you’ll have to pay 5,000 dollars per person over there. Okay, next.”

Ooh. So noncommittal.

After passing through the streamlined town checkpoint, Richmond paid, and we entered the gate, which was truly a sight from a fantasy world.

Cobblestone-paved streets, houses made of whitish bricks and colorful walls of light green, sky blue, and yellow, horse-drawn carriages passing in the streets, people dressed in simple outfits, and adventurer-like figures striding about with swords slung at their waists.

“Amazing…”

“Is that so? The larger cities are much more crowded than this one. The skies and the land are crowded with dragons of all kinds in the land I have founded.”

“Wow.”

I chased after Richmond, thinking that one day I would like to visit the Land of Dragons, too.

I was afraid of losing him because it was so crowded.

“Richmond, wait for me.”

“Hm? What is it, Kanade?”

“Can I hold your hand, I don’t want to lose you.”

“Oh, yeah. Let’s join hands. Come on, give me your hand.”

From the outside, we must look like a grandfather and his granddaughter on an outing.

Both of them us were robed up and looking suspicious, though.

“Thank you!”

“Let’s go buy some booze.”

Ehh~ I wanted to take some time looking around the town, though. The moment I thought this…

“You bastard!! You just stole from my pocket!!”

“Ah? Do you have any evidence?”

Suddenly, I heard yelling voices behind me.

“Whoa, that startled me…”

“I told you it wasn’t very safe. Let’s quickly finish our business and go home.”

As I froze in surprise, Richmond took me by the hand, and we continued on our way through the crowd, and before I knew it, we were in front of a building that looked like a bar.

Wow~ Richmond seems like someone who would be able to navigate through the crowded streets of Tokyo with ease.

“They sell alcohol in places like this.”

“Heeh. So there are no Sakaya (liquor stores) in this world.”

“I don’t know what Sakaya is, but usually merchants sell their alcohol at these places, and people gather here to drink or bring containers to have it sold by weight.”

“Huh? But Richmond, we didn’t bring a container with us, did we?”

We can’t get them to sell by weight otherwise, can we?

“What, that’s not a problem.”

Since he can use spatial magic, can he store it using that?

“I’ll take three barrels of alcohol.”

I didn’t expect him to straight out buy barrels——!!

“S, sure thing. Can you please go around the back?”

The shopkeeper was a little startled too!?

“Richmond, is it alright to buy that much?”

“Hm? I can use spatial magic, so it’s not a problem.”

I did not mean that, I won’t ever use up three barrels for cooking, you know?

“Haha, alcohol can be stored for long, and I will also drink it. The more we have, the better.”

“Haah, is that so…?”

“That is so.”

“Well, we bought the alcohol, so let’s go back.”

Richmond, who had used spatial magic to store all three barrels of alcohol, immediately wanted to leave. I felt a little disappointed that I had come all this way, but my fear was stronger, so I decided to leave quietly.

My stay was short, but it was a good thing that I now had some idea of what this town was like.

If I wanted to come back, I could have him bring me here again.

With that in mind, I rode back to the forest on Richmond’s back, just as I had done before.

“Haah~ I’m just glad I didn’t get lost.”

I thought I was going to get flagged or something, but such manga-ish things won’t happen so promptly, right!

(Yeah. You seem like someone to get lost as soon as eyes are taken off of you, Kanade.)

“Ehe, but I’m glad we can get home without an incident!”

(Well……… I guess our trip won’t end that smoothly after all, Kanade.)

“Eh?”

Richmond urged me to look on the ground, and I saw a child near the entrance of the forest that was about to be attacked by a monster.