Chapter 92, Take It Easy

Translator: Barnnn

 

“Oh my, Ize, did you change your hairstyle? It looks so fresh — you seem a little more mature now.”

“Thank you, Miss Etta. Do I look my age now? Or maybe older?” Ize asked, eyes sparkling with anticipation.

“Umm…” Etta faltered, her gaze flitting uncertainly under Ize’s expectant stare.

 

Her eyes darted past Ize’s shoulder to where Hal and Fieda had just entered the dining hall.

Hal, quick on the uptake, caught the SOS immediately. With the air of someone faithfully fulfilling his duty, he delivered the truth.

 

“C’mon, Ize, a haircut won’t make you look THAT much older. You used to look about twelve — now you might pass for… let’s say, thirteen.”

“Wh-what!?”

“S-speaking of which, it’s getting a bit warm today, so I made a lighter soup! Go ahead and take your seats!” Etta announced abruptly before fleeing toward the kitchen.

“And there she goes…” Fieda observed under his breath as he watched Etta’s retreating back.

 

Ize shot a sharp glare upward at Hal before heading to her usual seat.

Just as Etta had said, the days were growing warmer. It would be wise to start traveling again while the weather was still mild.

 

“So — what’s the plan for today?” Fieda asked.

“How are the travel preparations coming along?” Ize added.

“The tacks for Hiro and Take are ready, and the Crafters’ Guild gave us a fantastic deal on the horsebus itself.” Fieda, cracking a pleased smile. “I really owe you two for that one.”

 

Fieda had always been particular about horsebuses and harnesses — he’d spent a good portion of his life on the road, after all. So for him to be satisfied, the Guild must have really gone above and beyond.

 

“Did Hiro and Take like the setup?” Ize asked.

“They seemed comfortable when we hitched them up at the stables,” Fieda replied. “Actually… why don’t we try taking it out for a spin beyond the city walls?”

“Wait, really? We can?” Hal’s eyes lit up.

“Of course. You’ll want to test the ride quality too, right? So? What do you think?”

 

He already knew the answer — one look at their eager faces made it clear.

 

“Let’s pick up some picnic ingredients in town,” Ize said.

“Did we ever get cushions for the seats?” Hal asked.

“I did get blankets, but… ah, I completely overlooked that part,” Ize admitted. “Oh, and Fieda — dress a little nicer than usual, please. Nothing too rugged. It is a picnic, after all.”

“Wait, since when did this turn into a picnic?”

“Huh? Isn’t it?”

“I mean, if we’re going out to the countryside, a picnic is kind of standard,” Ize said, tilting her head.

“That’s YOUR world’s logic, isn’t it?” Fieda muttered.

 

Both Ize and Hal tilted their heads in perfect sync, their expressions matching.

 

“When nobles head outside the city in a horsebus, it’s usually for a picnic, right?” said Hal.

“Or a long ride in the countryside,” Ize added enthusiastically.

“So THAT’s where you’re coming from…” Fieda sighed. “Well, I understand now. A little one-sided, but fine. Let’s go with what you two want today.”

 

At that, Ize and Hal threw their hands up high and gave each other a victorious high-five.

 

◆

 

The gate Ize and Hal had entered Jasted through was the western one — commonly referred to as the West Gate. For their upcoming journey, they’d be departing through the East Gate.

But today was different – rather than either of those, they chose the North Gate, where an open plain stretched far and wide beyond the city walls.

As they passed beneath the towering ten-meter-thick walls, the city gave way to a vast, vivid landscape that pulled a collective sigh of wonder from the group.

 

“Wow… it really feels like spring now,” Hal breathed.

“When we first arrived, everything was brown,” Ize said, her eyes scanning the fields.

“It was all white for me,” Fieda added. “Seasons sure changed fast.”

 

Fieda had arrived in the cold of winter, and neither he nor Ize and Hal had left the city once. But now, with a single step beyond the gates, they found themselves surrounded by the colors of early summer.

 

“How far out should we go?” Ize asked.

“An hour out, and an hour back,” Fieda replied, counting on his fingers. “That should be enough to test the horses’ balance, wear on the tacks, the horsebus’s suspension, and how the wheels hold up.”

 

Since they’d all be traveling together, Fieda couldn’t shoulder all the responsibility for the horsebus. Ize and Hal had started learning the names and functions of its various parts.

 

“Hiro and Take are built a little differently. Is that going to be an issue?” Hal asked.

“Not at all. The difference isn’t extreme, and they’re both breeds built for long-distance hauling. It’d be impossible if they were warhorses or racehorses, though.”

“There are racehorses here too?” Ize said, intrigued.

“Playthings for the nobles,” Fieda said with a shrug.

 

Apparently, horse racing was a pastime reserved for the upper class, unlike on Earth.

They opened the box horsebus’s shutter windows wide, letting the wind pour in. Outside, the world was a rich green, completely unlike the browns and grays of Jasted’s stone walls.

 

“…The view goes on forever,” Ize murmured, leaning against the window frame, her eyes drinking in the scenery.

 

True, the Dungeon, being an interdimensional space, had skies and grasslands of its own. But with multiple light sources, the shadows always felt wrong, and the bugs flying through the air were all Mystic Beasts.

Here, the scenery flowed by like a living painting, offering a sense of freedom the Dungeon never could.

 

“Man, I can’t wait to start traveling,” said Hal.

“Yeah… it feels like I can finally breathe deeply again,” Ize said, smoothing her wind-blown hair.

 

Odelya had styled it recently, and just as Etta had pointed out, the neatness gave her a more mature air. The long strands framed her face with an elegance that hadn’t been there before.

 

“Oh, yeah… did Miss Odelya tell you anything about maintaining your hair?” Hal asked.

“She gave me a few elastic ties — like hair bands, kind of — and taught me a few basic styles, but I’ve got zero confidence I can manage them on my own.”

“I could help, if it’s a simple one,” he offered casually.

“What, showing off your feminine side now?”

“Nah. My little sister used to make me do her hair when she was small.”

“Oh right… you were a doting servant-brother…”

“Not that either. But hey, if you’re getting dressed up, I’ve got you covered.”

“Then I’ll be counting on you,” she said, smiling.

 

The two of them kept their eyes on the view outside, the conversation flowing gently with the rhythm of the road.

 

“Ize! We’ll stop by a creek two kilometers ahead. Any hostiles?” Fieda called out, his rough voice echoing from the driver’s seat.

“Nothing!” she shouted back just as loudly.

“I’m gonna go watch how he handles the reins,” Hal said, nimbly moving through the gently swaying horsebus.

 

He rolled up the canvas flap behind the driver’s bench, called out to Fieda, and slid outside.

Left alone in the cabin, Ize turned her gaze once more to the window — and smiled to herself.

 

◆

 

“Stay close, Sato,” Ize said gently. “There aren’t any Mystic Beasts around here, but it could still be dangerous if you wander off.”

“Kekyo.”

 

She set the little creature down onto the thick blanket spread out by the riverbank, her hands lingering just a moment longer as she offered the warning.

 

“Does Sato show up on Perception?” Fieda asked, glancing toward the water.

“Yes,” Ize replied. “Sato has magical energy, so it’s properly marked on the map.”

“What about the horses?”

“They show up too, but differently. I can’t tell individuals apart, though — they’re just marked in our allies’ color.”

 

She sighed, looking out toward the lazy flow of the river.

During their expedition through the Jasted Dungeon, Ize’s Perception skill had been steadily growing. At one point, she’d even felt it might evolve into a new skill entirely. But months had passed since then, and nothing had changed.

Fieda reached out and ruffled her hair with both hands, rough but not unkind.

 

“Give it time. You’ll hit the next breakthrough when the moment’s right.”

“You’re probably right.”

“Even as it is, your skill is more than good enough. I rely on it all the time.”

“That means a lot,” Ize said, smiling with renewed confidence.

 

Turning her gaze forward, she spotted Sato peering curiously into the sparkling river, fascinated by the glimmering water. Behind him, Hal knelt quietly, one hand on Sato’s back to keep it steady.

 

[So he’s always got that big brother instinct, no matter where he is…]

 

A soft chuckle escaped Ize’s lips.

 

“Kind of wish I’d brought some fishing gear,” Fieda said. “Though I guess you don’t really see that in inland places like Jasted.”

“They DO have fish inside the Dungeon, but no one really fishes for them, either…”

“If we’re near a big enough river, there might be a fishing town nearby.”

“With gear for river fish too?”

“Could be. Have you ever fished before, Ize?”

“Nope. You?”

“Not once.”

“Then we’ll just have to put our faith in Hal.”

“Right. We’ll pin all our hopes on him.”

 

They spoke in slow, unhurried tones as they picked at the light meal arranged on the blanket. For so long they’d been locked into the strict routine of Dungeon runs. Moments like this — peaceful, still, idle — felt like a luxury.

 

“Do you think every day will feel like this once we’re traveling again?” Ize asked dreamily.

“Hard to say,” Fieda replied. “So long as you two don’t go stirring up trouble, probably.”

“We don’t stir up trouble. We trigger events,” she said with a playful pout.

“And how exactly are those different?”

 

Fieda gave her a skeptical look. Ize opened her mouth to respond, then hesitated with a thoughtful groan. Before she could come up with an explanation, Hal returned, holding a dripping Sato who was still shaking water from its leaf.

 

“Trouble’s a problem,” Hal said, stepping in with a grin. “Events are things you’re supposed to enjoy. In this case, anyway.”

“But not always?” Fieda asked.

“Well, sometimes the word gets used like it means trouble,” Hal admitted. “Hopefully we never come across one of those times…”

“It’s fine,” Ize said confidently. “When things go wrong, King Turtle will dash in and save us!”

“Turtle? He’d be way too slow to dash anywhere,” Fieda deadpanned.

“Wow, harsh,” Ize said with a laugh. “Poor King Turtle.”

“What do you expect? He’s still just a turtle.”

“Hey, hey — don’t both of you start grinning like that. And Sato, stop flinging water! You’re getting it all over my face!”

 

Sato, nestled in Hal’s arms, was happily flapping its wet leaf around. Droplets splattered all over Hal’s face, soaking him without mercy. Still, he didn’t let go.

 

“Kekyo! Kekyo!”

“All right, all right, hang on. Ize, do you have that towel we use after Sato’s baths?”

“Right here,” she said, handing it over. “You should wipe your own face too, Hal.”

“Thanks. I tried to blow off most of the water with a little magic, but — hey, Sato, hold still so I can dry you.”

“Kekyokekyokekyo!”

“No way. You’re not getting back in the river. You’ll go floating downstream like a turnip!”

“Kyo?”

“Okay, fine. Just the leaf, then. But that’s it — wait, hey, give me something to eat too!”

“Kekyooo!”

“Don’t give me that ‘oh, I suppose I must share’ look.”

“Sato,” Ize called with a laugh, “come here.”

 

She reached over and took him from Hal’s arms, freeing his hands so he could grab a bite.

 

“Did you have fun in the river?”

“Kekyo! Kekekyo!”

 

Sato wiggled excitedly, still waving its leaf before giving a dramatic shiver, as if to say, “It’s cold!”

Ize giggled.

 

“River water’s chilly, huh? Not like your bath.”

“Kekyou…”

“We’ll have a warm bath later, okay?”

“Kekkyo.”

“You know…” Fieda said, watching them with amusement. “I never could figure out how you two manage to have full conversations with it.”

“Well, you talk to Hiro and Take too, don’t you?” Ize replied.

“I mean, yeah, but still…”

“It’s just a feeling, really,” Hal chimed in. “You kind of go with the vibe.”

“Huh, so you don’t ACTUALLY understand…?”

“Of course not. But here’s the interesting thing, Fieda,” Ize started, “…After we were summoned, I could understand and speak the language here perfectly, even read and write it. But Sato’s language — that’s still a mystery.”

 

Fieda raised an eyebrow.

 

“Wait. What do you mean?”

“I mean, we used a totally different language in our original world. And even now, it doesn’t feel like I’m speaking the local language — I just am.”

“Same here,” Hal added. “Even the written words — weird thing is, if I stare at them long enough, they look like this world’s language. But most of the time, I just see Japanese.”

“That’s… wild,” Fieda muttered.

“It IS strange,” Ize agreed. “I try not to think too hard about it. Feels like the kind of mystery that gets creepy if you dig too deep.”

“Eh. It’s not causing trouble, so I say just roll with it.”

“Exactly.”

 

They sipped their tea, steam curling in the warm air, leaving Fieda to sit with a furrowed brow while the other two looked perfectly content.

Even in early summer, sitting by the river for too long chilled the body. The tea warmed them from the core, and the sunlight filtering through the trees only added to the drowsiness settling over them.

 

“Mm… I’m getting sleepy,” Ize murmured.

“Want to nap inside the horsebus?” Hal suggested.

“I’d rather stay out here. You don’t get to feel the breeze or the sunlight in there.”

“True,” he said. “Maybe I’ll get you a noble-style parasol next time. Keep the sun off without hiding the sky.”

“Ooh, that sounds luxurious. I’ll be looking forward to it.”

 

With a giggle, Ize turned and buried her face in the blanket.

Just before her thoughts drifted away, she thought she heard Hal and Fieda whisper a quiet “Good night.”

And thus passed a gentle day of rest — one last breath of calm before they departed Jasted and the busy days began again.