The moon changes, Day 1 of the Moon of Azure.
Having conquered the Central Hive and bid farewell to Brigit with tears, we entered Parthia. We were to revisit the town of Hiram.
“Oh, Lord Chrono! I never expected to see you again so soon!”
After greeting, we headed towards the lord’s mansion, where Kei soon welcomed us.
It has been nearly two months since we crushed the Thunder and the Order’s Mechanized Knights in Hiram, but in this world, reuniting with someone who travels abroad in such a short time seems quick.
From my perspective, it almost makes me want to say it’s been a while.
“You were in Hiram. I thought you had already returned to the royal capital.”
“While the threat to the town has passed, it is also true that we lost many soldiers in the initial battle. Given the dire situation at home, I had no choice but to stay.”
Indeed, lost soldiers cannot be easily replenished. As the lord’s son and a knight, Kei is needed in Hiram now.
“So, how have things been since then? Has there been any movement from the Order?”
“No, Hiram has been completely peaceful since then. From what I’ve heard from nearby towns and other lords, there have been no rumors of the human tribe in white robes engaging in missionary activities.”
It seems they are still holding back from making any moves after being severely beaten.
“I see, it’s good to know that things are peaceful for now.”
“Indeed, let’s discuss the details inside at our leisure.”
Being treated like honored guests, we listened to the lord of Hiram about the events in Hiram, the surrounding areas, and the guarding of the ruins.
As expected, there have not been any anomalies, and no signs of the Order have been felt. They regularly send soldiers to check and confirm that the monolith remains dark.
Furthermore, the incident in Hiram has been communicated to the royal capital and the surrounding lords, who are on heightened alert regarding the Order.
For the moment, it seems we can rest easy.
As soon as that was confirmed, we were detained by the lord and his son, excitedly discussing the situation in Fahren, and we ended up staying at the mansion for the night.
The next day, Day 2 of the Moon of Azure. As we set off from Hiram, Kei said:
“By the way, with the Thunder being destroyed, it seems that the Guren Buin have been rapidly expanding their power recently. If you happen to see a flashy group in red equipment on your way, please be cautious.”
Even without the Crusaders, it seems bad guys can thrive anywhere.
If we happen to be attacked, I’ll crush them again. This time, we have a full team with Fiona and Sariel, so against a group like that, we’d dispatch them in an instant.
Without worrying much about the road, we began our journey across the vast grasslands stretching beyond the horizon.
Thanks to this vast grassland, Parthia’s land area is comparable to Fahren. The endless green land is perfect for galloping horses, but it would take days to cross it completely.
Well, that’s fine; let’s enjoy a leisurely drive.
As we descended into the southern part of Parthia, the temperature gradually became milder. In Fahren, it was early autumn, refreshingly cool, but here, the heat of summer was returning.
They say that once we cross the Balrog Mountain Range of Adamantoria and reach the Valna Forest Sea, it becomes fully tropical. Well, none of our members are particularly affected by temperature changes, so whether it’s hot or cold, it’s not much of a concern.
Three days after leaving Hiram, our journey through Parthia was proceeding smoothly. The weather was fine, and we faced no monster or bandit attacks.
The southern part of Parthia is particularly rich in grassland, and compared to the north, human settlements are quite sparse. It seems there are more people living a traditional nomadic lifestyle in the south. We’ve occasionally seen nomads setting up tents.
To traverse this vast southern region, we essentially have two options: either follow the human settlements or travel with nomads.
However, as Rank 5 adventurers, we can move freely anywhere. So, relying solely on our own strength, we pushed straight through the grasslands via the shortest route possible.
Because of this, we rarely run into human settlements, so we’ve been living in the wild lately. Although I’ve come to reside in a mansion in the Noble District of Spada, I have no complaints about living in a tent as an adventurer. If I just wanted to live luxuriously, I’d retire. And I have no intention of doing that. As an active adventurer, I’m enjoying the experience of camping in the grasslands.
“Thinking about it again, spatial magic is incredible.”
“Is it?”
“If you can carry in a lot of supplies, camping would definitely be comfortable.”
While admiring Sariel roasting a lamb against the grand backdrop of a sunset that dyed the vast grassland red, I thought reflectively.
Being able to carry supplies means we can bring more food, and thus our meals can be more luxurious. The lamb, which was grilling and emitting a mouthwatering aroma, was purchased from nomads we encountered earlier in the day. By using pseudo-ice magic to freeze it and tossing it into shadow space, we can transport an entire sheep effortlessly.
Besides that, Sariel has various spices like pepper, along with homemade soy sauce and miso. Thanks to her, we always have delicious meals even while camping. Her inventory likely contains more cooking supplies than weapons.
“It seems both you and Lily had mastered advanced spatial magic from the beginning, so you’ve never struggled with supplies since becoming adventurers.”
“Indeed, typically, people experience such hardships.”
“Yes, I also underwent training to selectively gather necessary supplies for quests when I was young. However, once you master spatial magic yourself, you just start carrying as much as you can.”
Should I say we’re used to convenience or always thoroughly prepared? At the very least, newcomers who don’t benefit from spatial magic must think it’s unfair.
“By the way, how’s the ‘Infinite Embrace’?”
“I think it’s really good, but I feel like I’m still not mastering it fully.”
“If it’s you, utilizing shadows would be more convenient.”
“I’ll get used to it soon. I still have plenty of capacity left, and just having it on me is reassuring.”
At the very least, even if the enemy uses spatial magic disruption, either the shadows or the cloak will remain intact. I’m not about to present the foolishness of having both destroyed at the same time.
“I feel like I could make some improvements, but I can’t quite solidify any ideas.”
For the first time, Fiona seemed to be pondering with a “hmm.”
Even for a magical item boasting an exceptional capacity for spatial magic, she doesn’t seem satisfied yet. It’s surprising to see this artistic temperament from Fiona.
“When we get to Adamantoria, we might find something useful.”
The Dwarf country of Adamantoria we’re heading to has developed forging techniques as expected, and they have top-notch equipment such as swords, magic swords, and staves.
I’ve seen several weapons made in Adamantoria at the Mordred Weapon Trading Company. And generally, they were quite expensive. They have a kind of value that transforms them into a brand.
“Actually, I have something else on my mind, too.”
“What is it?”
“I want to enhance the ‘Ainsbloom.’”
It’s the long staff that Fiona, my main weapon, has been using since I first met her and continues to use even after the fierce battle with Lily.
Looking back, that staff has accompanied Fiona’s battles without breaking.
“Could it be that it’s finally showing signs of wear?”
“No, it’s still fully functional, but now that I’ve gained Endymion’s blessing, I feel it’s somewhat lacking in output. Plus, if I continue to use it while in demon transformation, it might break sooner than I think.”
“I see. You should address that as soon as possible.”
The chances of Fiona fully unleashing her transformation with the blessing are slim, unless she faces a Rank 5 Monster or an Apostle, but that moment could come unexpectedly. As an adventurer, having a reliable weapon that can withstand your full strength is the top priority.
“Then, let’s enhance the ‘Ainsbloom’ in Adamantoria.”
“It will take a bit of time, though.”
“Don’t worry about it, it’s important. While we might need to hurry on ahead, it’s also meaningless unless we’re fully prepared.”
It’s good to hurry, but if we suddenly find ourselves in battle with an Apostle and the ‘Ainsbloom’ reaches its limit, that wouldn’t be a laughing matter.
Basically, the next time we face an Apostle, we plan to employ the formation ‘Inverse Cross.’ Fiona has to maintain the ‘Inferno Barrier’ to isolate the Apostle for as long as possible.
“Oh, by the way, how about trying the ‘Fist of Fury’?”
The first Raspun’s ‘Fist of Fury’ disappeared as a sacrifice, but the one created by Chaosgrim’s left arm remains intact.
This one, containing immense fire power, might be useful for enhancing the ‘Ainsbloom.’
“Really, is that okay?”
“I haven’t figured out how to use it properly yet. If it becomes Fiona’s staff, I think it’s perfect.”
“But isn’t it expensive?”
“Don’t be so uninhibited… I’ll give it to you as a present.”
“Chrono…”
With dreamy eyes, Fiona leaned closer to me.
“Boom!”
Suddenly, Lily lunged forward, canceling the wonderful kiss. She ran right into me.
“Mmm, Chrono, kiss.”
Lily, instead of Fiona, stuck to me and kissed. Despite being in little girl form, she seems to get jealous after all.
“…”
Then, Fiona, with a cold, expressionless face, pulled Lily away and mercilessly tossed her aside. The small body flew and rolled across the grassland.
As I vaguely watched Lily roll away, I was grabbed by Fiona, who pulled my face toward hers. Soon, an expression slightly irritated was right in front of me, and shortly after, her lips were pressed against mine.
“Mmm.”
I silently accepted her somewhat forceful kiss.
It was a bit long, but when I noticed, Sariel was standing right next to us, staring at us.
Ignoring the kiss, I glanced at Sariel feeling slightly awkward.
“The lamb is ready.”
That report could have come later?!
“Got it, let’s eat.”
“I want to eat too!”
“Just a moment, I’ll slice it up.”
And so begins a wild dinner of whole roasted lamb as if nothing had happened. Are we all a bit too laid-back about this?
But I suppose this is one page of the daily life I desired. Peaceful camping is enjoyable, like a picnic.
—
Day 7 of the Moon of Azure. Just as we were about to exit the grasslands of Parthia, they appeared.
“Fires of blazing heat roaring through the Parthia Great Grassland! I, Daniel Burnknuckle, the third generation leader of the Guren Buin, am here!!”
Wow, they really showed up, the rampaging bandits.
Dressed uniformly in red gear and clothing, and above all, they announced themselves, so they must be the ‘Guren Buin’ that Kei mentioned.
It seems we weren’t just coincidentally encountering them; they seemed to have been lying in wait for us. They appeared in an area of the grasslands where trees grew, resembling an oasis.
Blocking our path, hundreds of centaurs spread out in an encirclement. Indeed, they seem to have the numbers that justify the claims of rapid growth.
“We are Rank 5 adventurers, the Element Masters. If you attack, you won’t come away unscathed.”
From the moment they appear in front of us, I have no intention of letting them leave unscathed.
No, it’s not like I want to fight as a berserker. The Guren Buin, led by the leader and senior members, are a criminal organization with a bounty on their heads recognized officially. Since they decided to show their faces now, capturing them would be for the good of society. I have that much sense of justice.
“Ha, I know. You guys were the ones who defeated the Thunder, right?”
The red-haired man who claimed to be the leader, with a horse body and a tattoo of a dragon of fire, answered.
“You were rivals, right? You should be thankful to me.”
“Yeah. They’ve been our long-time enemies battling for supremacy over the grasslands… but it pisses me off that it was outsiders who defeated them! That little brat from Garrison was supposed to be taken down by me!”
Is this a kind of tsundere?
“You’ll take me down, no one else! Doesn’t it seem too much like a rival character who reluctantly ends up as an ally?”
“And moreover, to be beaten by an outsider like that, it would tarnish the name of Parthia’s rampaging bandits! Listen, we can’t be seen as anything less than the legends of the grasslands, the most fearsome rampaging bandits!!”
Woooaah! The bandits roared at their leader’s mention of legends. There’s an incredible sense of unity. Why is it that these bad guys have such excellent solidarity despite being criminals?
“In other words, attacking you is a battle fought on behalf of our burning pride. What’s a Rank 5 adventurer to us? Now, tremble before the scorching terror of the Guren Buin!!”