“Let’s charge through the Great Main Gate, hold on tight, Nel!”
“Okay, Chrono-kun!”
The pitch-black steed Merry galloped down the main street of Spada with fierce momentum and dove through the massive Great Main Gate.
I feel like the sentinels are shouting something, but since the princess of Avalon is my passenger, I should be able to get through without any issues.
Well, if I were mistaken for a kidnapper, that might not be the case… but I won’t dwell on that right now; I need to hurry.
Finally, we break through the bustling Spada City, and the route shifts to a well-maintained wide highway. From here, it’s time to give it my all and speed up Merry.
I feel like a driver who just got onto the highway after a congested road, cracking the whip instead of pressing an accelerator.
“Run for your master!”
By the way, the whip is utilizing the tentacles of the ‘Black Hair Curse “Coffin”‘ that I reattached.
I thought I heard the voice of a rather overbearing maid, but anyway, along with Merry’s determined whinny, the sturdy gears of her four legs revved up.
However, the speed increase doesn’t stop here.
“Alright then, Nel, I’m counting on you.”
“Yes!”
Behind me, just like during that date when Fiona rode with me, Nel is mounted.
I can feel her soft and warm body against my back, but right now, it’s not just that feeling;
“Make it faster by harnessing the speed of your feet!”
A melodious incantation flows smoothly, and the dense magical power wraps around me—no, it envelops both me and Merry.
“— Speed Enhancement”
The completed enhancement magic takes effect, meaning Merry’s speed has doubled.
“……Amazing.”
I mutter involuntarily, feeling cold sweat at just how much the speed has increased beyond my expectations. I could definitely outrun Marie, who has the same running speed as Merry, in this enhanced state.
I wonder what speed we are actually reaching. Unfortunately, this living horse doesn’t come with a speedometer or any sophisticated features, so I can only say it feels “fast.”
Just until a moment ago, when we were racing down the main street, we were already close to top speed, but now I have enough leeway and skill to maneuver without colliding with pedestrians, given I’ve gotten somewhat used to horseback riding.
However, with this kind of speed, I can mostly only maintain a straight line; I’m not confident in making fine adjustments. In other words, if I cut through the city at this speed, I would definitely class up to a hit-and-run criminal.
It was fortunate that I held off on Nel’s enhancement until we got to a road where we could run full speed.
“Hehe, thank you.”
That was Nel’s response to my comment about how amazing it is. She whispered softly in my ear, sounding a bit pleased.
For a moment, I felt a shiver run down my spine. She was so close, her breath almost touching me.
But at this speed on horseback, it’s only natural for us to be in such close contact.
My black coat, worn during the fierce battles in the Great Arena, is a bit bloodstained, but considering the risk of falling, I can’t do anything but have Nel hold on tightly.
Thanks to that, I feel a bit guilty for getting all excited while I’m the one riding.
I’m really sorry; it’s just a physiological reaction of a man.
Thinking of Nel as pure and innocent despite her not being a little girl like Lily only makes me feel more guilty.
“No, I should be the one thanking you. At this rate, we’ll probably reach Iskia much sooner than planned.”
Shaking off those inappropriate feelings, I replied seriously.
Nel’s class is Healer; she healed my right arm and is also a supportive role that enhances my allies with magic.
Moreover, her Rank 5 title is not just for show. Nel has not only demonstrated her healing magic, but now she is also showing her prowess in enhancement magic.
The activated ‘Speed Enhancement’ is a mid-tier enhancement spell, but it feels like it’s delivering a power that is almost one tier higher in effect.
Even the same magic can have a significant difference in effectiveness depending on the user. It’s like when Fiona casts attack magic.
Well, in Fiona’s case, it’s more of an uncontrolled explosion due to excess magical power, while Nel’s is purely enhanced by precise magical control and a meticulous spell structure, making a qualitative difference.
“Can we make it in three days, or rather two days?”
“I’m sorry. If it were just you, Chrono-kun, we might have gotten there even faster.”
Nel replied apologetically, and at the same time, I felt her arms wrapped around my waist tighten a bit.
“True, if it were just me, I could go non-stop—”
I have enough stamina and physical strength to last a week without food or water. I feel a surge of rage at those masks for trying to use me so much… but let’s set that aside for now.
“—Either way, Merry needs rest too, so having Nek support me with enhancement magic will definitely get us there much faster.”
“But, um… it’s heavy…”
What kind of maidenly response is that?
I feel like a fool for taking it seriously. But since she’s cute, I really have no choice but to forgive her.
“It’s not a bothersome weight.”
Unlike Fairy Lily, and compared to Fiona’s physique, it’s evident at a glance that Nel has that curvier body type—she probably surpasses the average build for a 17-year-old Spadan girl, wings included.
But I won’t say that. I know that’s a massive landmine waiting to go off.
“Yes… If you say so, Chrono-kun, I won’t mind.”
Nel’s voice, sounding just a bit happy, indicates I made the right choice of words.
It feels like her hold around my waist has tightened a little more, but it’s probably not a sign that she’s angry.
The tightness of her embrace feels especially strong at this speed, likelier to be due to the need to hold on tight to avoid danger.
I feel bad for Nel, but for now, I can’t slow down. I’ll charge through to Iskia at full speed!
“Umm… Chrono-kun… hehe.”
It seems that even in her dreams, Nel is looking after me. I can’t help but be in awe of the unwavering kindness of the devoted princess.
Without her, I would still be running down the highway with bloodshot eyes.
And that’s not all. Nel possesses effective ‘magic’ against the Monster Legion. She’s a much better battle asset than if I were to go it alone.
“Thanks for running so well.”
Merry is sleeping soundly.
Thanks to not just speed enhancement but also fatigue recovery and weight reduction support magic, there’s no unnecessary strain put on her.
If I were alone, I would have surely failed to rest Merry properly and would have burned her out along the way.
Right now, my calmness is rather lacking.
“It’ll be alright; we’ll definitely make it on time… this time for sure…”
It’s been exactly one day since we broke out of Spada. The current date is the 27th of the Platinum Moon, in the evening.
Almost a full day of non-stop running actually got us to halfway to Iskia Village.
As I expected, we’re truly on pace to arrive in two days.
I completely bypassed the villages along the way. Of course, my current rest doesn’t involve a bed in an inn, but rather camping in a thick forest that stretches alongside the highway.
Merry, folding her tired legs, has sat down and fallen asleep, while Nel, wrapped in a blanket, is reclining against her large body, breathing quietly with sweet murmurs.
Naturally, the watch duty falls on me. At the same time, I use this break to arrange my equipment.
The right sleeve of my ‘Devil’s Embrace’ is still torn, and it’ll take some more time to regenerate.
I can’t go around exposing my bare hands, and since I have a full suit of armor purchased specifically for combat against Greedg, I’ll be using that.
The crucial torso part is still with the Stratos Blacksmith Shop for repairs to the hole made by Rudra, so I won’t be fully equipped.
Of course, I’ll dress my torn right arm in a gauntlet, and I’ll put leg armors on both legs for better defense of my limbs.
Having the high-class magical robe ‘Devil’s Embrace’ means that outfitting the entire black armor would be less effective than just partially wearing the arm and leg protection, likely leading to overall better performance.
With my current equipment, this combination seems to be the best.
“The night is still long.”
Having just battled fiercely in the ‘Cursed Weapon Gladiatorial Tournament,’ I am not devoid of fatigue.
But anyway, I’ll reach Ischia Castle the day after tomorrow, and I’ll save Simon, Wil, and all the students. Sleeping soundly can wait until after that.
I tighten my resolve, but deep down beneath my composure swirls an immense sense of anxiety.
I’ll probably be late again, or it’ll be too late—no, besides, can I really defeat Greedg and the Monster Legion all by myself?
Lily and Fiona, my two reliable companions, are conspicuously absent right now.
The plan to defeat Greedg was formed on the premise that those two would be with me, and if it’s just me, I have no option but to face them head-on…
As I quietly mull this over, anxiety continues to bubble up.
“Still, I will manage this alone. Besides, they say this is the trial meant for me, oh Demon King.”
With Greedg appearing at this very moment when my party isn’t here, it’s only reasonable I suspect divine intervention at play.
Is this trial orchestrated by the Demon King? Or, as I’ve said before, is it merely a coincidence that has stacked up to be a natural phenomenon? Either way, it’s abundantly clear that there’s a trial for me to receive the second blessing.
The evidence of that is shining bright in this crimson left eye bestowed upon me by the gods, with a clear red dot reflecting within it right now.
January 21, 2013
I have not been able to reply to the typo reports in the comments, but I am making amendments little by little in my spare time. Please continue to support me.
Also, I would like to take this opportunity to answer some questions and comments.
Q: In chapter 16, Celia said, “This is still an unofficial quest not passed through the guild,” but in chapter 17, she submits a request form. Isn’t that a contradiction?
A: The request form addressed to Chrono from Wil is indeed an official rescue request, and in both cases, it can be said to be “passed” only once a formal quest has been issued. It arrived at Chrono just after submission, so strictly speaking, it was a situation where it hadn’t been “passed.” I apologize for the confusing phrasing.
Q: In episode 320, “A Useless Man,” isn’t it contradictory for Sue’s core to have fallen at Chrono’s feet in his memories?
A: Yes, in reality, Simon had it, but in Chrono’s memory and mental landscape at that moment, the image of his “fallen comrades” is being reproduced, thus the depiction of Sue’s corpse.
Q: What’s the rank designation for dungeons?
A: Like monsters, it’s set according to danger level. This danger level is defined by various conditions such as the existence of powerful monsters, terrain, weather, and the presence of traps in ruins. However, it’s not entirely zero that you could encounter a Rank 5 monster in a Rank 1 dungeon depending on the situation; hence, all dungeons are inherently dangerous regardless.