15 Chapter 15: Travels
"Hi!" I said as he faced me
"What the!?" He shouted
Ah, sorry..
"Sorry for the jumpscare.. Is everything alright?"
"Everything Alright..? I Have a kid on my carriage and i didn't even notice!"
"Yeah.. about that.. 2 kids actually"
I pointed at Ariel who had been staring at her new necklace and she waved at him
"W-when did you 2 get on..?" The man asked with a perplexed expression
"That's not important, sir. Why don't you have any adventurers guarding your carriage?"
"No, i think that is important."
The man let out a sigh before continuing. "I'm a merchant kid. I made a request in the guild to be accompanied but no one accepted. I couldn't wait any longer so i decided to leave everything to luck."
"I see.."
"Look kid, Carriages without adventurers protecting them usually get targetted by bandits. They're uncommon in this area but they still appear. If we're lucky, they won't appear. If they do i'm afraid i won't be able to help you. They'll capture you and your friend and sell you off to slave traders"
"Mhm.. Hey sir, what's the reward for that quest?" I Asked
"10 Silver coins" He replied.
"Hmm.. Then since i'm already here, i might aswell accept it. I also get a free ride so."
"Wait a minute. You kids are adventurers?"
"How do you think we got on without anyone noticing? We're both F rank adventurers"
"F?! That's pretty low. I don't think you'll be able to handle bandits."
"Ah.. About that.. Don't worry, look. Glacies"
I pointed up and an ice spike had been formed slightly above my finger
"Magic?!"
"Mhm. She can use it too"
The man let out a laugh after he realised something. "I see., not to mention how you didn't use any chants. You're a strange kid, but you're hired. My names david, you are?"
David looked to be in his 60s, he had a long white beard. A sword on his waist and pony tail tied white hair. He was also slightly taller than me, around 165cm while i'm around 155cm.
"It would be rude not to properly introduce myself to my benefactor. My name is John Fox. And this here is my partner"
Ariel who realised that it was her cue, got up bowed her head and introduced herself. "My name is Ariel Rivera. I'm John's p-partner." With a smile on her face, she sat back down
"Nice to meet you john and Ariel." Said david
We both nodded at him
"That being said.. Aren't you the lucky guy? Travelling around with such a cute girl." David whispired
"Very!" I said as i nodded
"Wh I wasn't expecting that reaction.."
"But it's the truth?" I said with a perplexed expression
"Most people aren't able to admit it. We're still pretty far from where we're supposed to go, It's getting late and the horses are tired so let's get some rest"
It's been around 3 hours since the carriage left the kingdom and the sun set an hour ago. The reason that he didn't notice us all this time, is because kept 'Furtim' Activated between me and Ariel, and would occasionally use Silentium when he turned around.
I decided that it would have been best to tell him After we were moderately far from the kingdom, so that he wouldn't be able to go back.
"Alright. I replied
he moved the horses out of the road, onto a nearby plain with trees.
"This should be able to keep it out of sight.. The only problem is that monsters are quite common here." Said David
Next to the road we were in, there was the forest that i went to with Ariel for the goblin extermination and the Giant boar. Despite travelling for 3 hours by carriage, i still couldn't see the end of it.
The forest also looked much more deeper here compared to the entrance, apparently it was because people cut trees in the entrance of the forest to use for the kingdom.
"It'll be fine as long as we're not inside of the forest right? We're still out in the plain, we're just taking cover with the trees near them."
"No, i've travelled this path many times, there's always going to be a pack of wolves that will appear, i was planning on taking a short break then keep travelling by night, but that would be more dangerous. And since i hired adventurers, let's see what you're capable of."
"Agreed, i'll keep watch, you can get some rest along with the horses. Let's continue tomorrow morning. Wait.. I FORGOT! Where are we going again?" I asked
"Huh? You didn't even know that? Then why'd you hop on to my carriage..? You're pretty strange kid.. We're heading north to one of the ports where adventurers go to travel by boat to the kingdom of atlas"
Ah, that's right, kingdom of atlas was north of the kingdom that i was in
"I thought you guys got on my carriage because you knew that.. It's also quite a famous place for adventurers.. No, in fact, Many adventurers go there." Said david
"Why is that?" I curiously asked
"Well, there are 4 Dungeons surrounding it."
"Dungeons.. Can you tell me more about dungeons?"
"Huh? You're an adventurer
I listened intently with dimly lit eyes as the man continued to explain the origins
"In an attempt to find out, what was the cause of all the monsters appearing. Humanity created exploration groups to explore the dungeon, Thousands of treasures and magical items were found inside and these helped strengthen humanity."
Wow.. I never realised history could be so interesting.
"The exploration groups resulted in the creation of the adventurers guild. It's an adventurers job to suppress monsters and explore dungeons. Because they explore, they're able to experience many new things. Each dungeon is different, so adventurers tend to travel around and see each one."
"Wow.. So that's what it means to be a true adventurer. You say they travel around to see each one, does that mean that they've completed the previous one? What happens when they do, does it reset?"
"Completed? Haha, you're funny kid. In history only 3 dungeons were recorded to have been completed. In order to complete it, you'd have to reach the final floor and beat the final boss. As a result you gain unimaginable riches and ancient loss scrolls containing powerful spells. Do you get it now kid?"
"Ah.. so the reason they travel around is to find an easy one which they'll be able to complete?"
"Haha, you didn't have to put it like that, adventurers have their pride you know. But yeah, that's the case. Anyways, We're continuing tomorrow morning. It'll take us a week to reach Atlas following this pattern, so try to get as much rest as possible"
"I see.. Thanks for the information! I'll be fine." I said as i made my way towards Ariel
It sounded a little ungrateful but i'm sure he understood why i was in a rush.
"Ariel, how are you?"
"I'm good and you?" She asked
"I'm good. I thought it'd be a good time to teach you magic strengthening."
With an excited expression she nodded
I explained the process to Ariel, how she had to imagine her magic power strenghthening her body and she got a hang of it quite easily. It's probably because she can use magic perception and cast a spell. Compared to that, magic Strengthening is basic.
"So how does it feel?"
"My body feels light and I feel faster."
"Interesting.. Why don't we test it?"
As i finished saying that, in an instant, i stretched out my arm to see how she would react and she grabbed it
"Looks like your senses and reaction speed increased as well"
"D-Don't just startle me like that! But.. I unconsciously reacted. I never imagined that i would be able to move that fast.."
"It's magic.. Anything is possible. That aside, get some rest for now. I'll be keeping watch with magic perception to make sure no monsters attack us."
"Alright, wake me up when it's my turn. I can use magic perception too."
"Yes, yes. Will do."
Shortly after that, Ariel laid down on the carriage and began to sleep. I checked on david and made sure that he was also asleep. The horses were fine too.
"Well then.. I guess it's time to try out this spell. deprehendere"
A pack of wolves in the forest within a 50 meter radius huh.. Just to make sure
"deprehendere"
No other humans within a 100 meter radius. It should be safe, if i go hunt some food for us.
"Meat easily spoils without being frozen. But with my ice magic, that doesn't matter"
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"Ariel, Good morning."
"Good morning.. Wait.. Didn't you say that you were going to wake me up when it's my turn!"
"Well, things happened and there wasn't really any need. Besides i can get some rest in the day while we travel, and you can just wake me up when anything happens."
"So you don't trust me to be able to protect us from the monsters at night.." She said with a saddened expression
"N-No! That's not it! Sorry, it's just because your cute face looked so comfortable when it was sleeping that i didn't want to wake it up.."
"C-cute..? F-Fine, but next time please rely on me a bit more.. If you don't it makes me feel useless as your partner." She said with a pouting face
"Understood."
I went over to David and woke him up.
"Good morning."
"Good morning, kid. Looks like we got fortunate. No wolves attacked us."
"No they did." I said as i pointed towards the frozen bodies of the wolves outside of the carriage
"W-What?! You dealt with them all on your own!?"
"Yep, and i froze them, so we'll be able to eat some meat" I replied with a smile
Ariel who hadn't realised either, looked surprised.
"Well done. Looks like i made the right choice hiring you. Not like i had any to begin with."
"Thank you, that being said. I don't know how to butcher animals, so do you mind teaching me?"
"... I don't even know what to think, at this point." David said with a dumbfounded expression
I unfroze one of the wolfs and with his help we butchered it. Now all that we needed was to cook it and eat.
"Hey kid, lend me a hand. i'm trying to set this wood on fire. Try to look for some flint"
"there's no need. Ignis" I replied
In an instant, after i muttered the word. The wood lit up in a blue flame.
"O-oi.. What's this?" He asked
"Fire? I replied"
He ignored what i said and began to cook the meat. To his surprise it managed to cook way faster than expected. That's because of the blue flame.
Last night, i practiced a few new spells. One of them was 'Ignis' a fire spell. At first i tried creating fire, but it didn't work. I thought i didn't have apt.i.tude with it, until i realised that fire is the process of the rapid oxidisation of material.
It's possible for Magic to create a material out of nothing, It can create Chemical compounds and elements of the periodic table, as long as you understand the formula and you can imagine it.
But creating a material like wood is a waste of energy, and i was never really interested in wood so i don't understand it's composition. Creating wood to use fire magic seems stupid, so i thought, why don't i just create the flame itself? And to my surprise, it worked.
A Flame is the visible, gaseous part of the fire. If i remember correctly, flames consist primarily of carbon dioxide, water vapour, oxygen and nitrogen.
Most of those, can be found in our atmosphere, so all i needed to do was gather them up with magic, After that with a spark. It ignites. The Area in which i concentrated The Carbon, nitrogen and oxygen is where the blue flame is formed. And after it's formed i can manipulate it in any way i want.
After we finished eating i asked David "What are we going to do with the remaining bodies?"
"Can you unfreeze them for me? I'd like to butcher them, i think you could keep the pelt and sell them for quite a few gold coins. and we could leave freeze the remaining meat and use them for food during the trip"
"That's a good idea!"
Just as he suggested, i unfroze the remaining bodies and he butchered them. Shortly after he finished, i created some water for the horses and after they were finished eating. We continued the trip.
*Yawn*
I let out a yawn and had a tired expression on my face as i sat on the carriage beside Ariel. David was the one controlling the carriage and remained focus throughout the whole time. He was also working hard in his own way.
Ariel who noticed that i was tired, grabbed my head and placed it on her lap.
"Um.. Ariel?" I asked
"Sleep, if you don't get enough rest, you'll slow us down." She said
"Alright.." I replied before closing my eyes
I'm excited to see the kingdom of atlas and experience new things from now on.. I don't know what the future has in store for me.. But i hope it's filled with exciting adventures.
Slowly but surely i'm becoming stronger. Stronger so that i won't ever lose to anyone. I've decided that once i reach Atlas i'll undergo heavy training.
And just like that, I fell asleep.
.