Chapter 673: Method of Travel
At Kanum’s House, the members gathered to visit Chris’s family home.
“This is my first time crossing the sea to an island nation in the west.”
Dean was sparkling.
“We went to the Land of Ruin, didn’t we?”
“Don’t count that as a country! I mean a country of living humans!!”
My retort to Dean was shot down.
After coordinating Guild requests, personal jobs, and national work, everyone managed to gather safely. Retze was also busy with various small things, and Dean and Chris, who had only recently become Gold Rank, seemed busy with nominated requests pouring in.
“They say there are lots of sheep! I’m excited!”
“They’re all fluffy, right?”
“Super soft, aren’t they?”
Tina, En, and Baku seemed to be looking forward to the sheep.
Chris’s hometown, which we’re about to visit, is an island nation near the Land of Ruin sea region. Fishing and animal husbandry seem to be its main industries? Also, I hear Demon Beasts drop pretty good quality gems there.
King Wolf Balmoa-san is too much of a legend, so the Guild can’t easily make requests of him, it seems. So, even though he’s also Gold Rank, he had plenty of room in his schedule. Naturally, Shiva and the children were okay too; the family’s schedule pretty much revolves around raising the kids.
“Are you really sure a Bear pelt is fine for a souvenir?”
“Of course! Bears don’t appear in my hometown, you know, so they’re really expensive. The pelt from the Bear Demon Beast Ash hunted has few blemishes and is perfect!”
Chris replied to Ash’s question and gave a thumbs-up.
Ash and Butler also had no problems, as they only needed to coordinate requests from the Guild. It seems letters come from Lilith about various things at his family home, but it’s basically part of an exchange between friends—though coming from that Lilith, there might be some unsettling things written—and it doesn’t seem like there are any “come back and help” demands.
“If Ash-sama were to return, that would cause other problems in itself,” was Butler’s comment. The various affairs of nobles seem troublesome, so I’m the type who doesn’t want to get close.
I’m just a free spirit who occasionally delivers medicine to the Guild and wanders around, so I’m pretty much fine anytime!
We had Haulon sit this one out.
“Should this be enough for souvenirs?”
Besides a box containing a tea set, there were several food items.
We’re visiting with a large group, you know, so we have to bring at least as much as we’ll eat ourselves. Considering the food situation over there, aside from Demon Beast meat, they probably can’t just go out and buy more of other things right away.
“It’s more than enough!”
Chris said.
“Isn’t that too much? We can’t show them your [Storage], so we’ll have to divide it up and carry it. —When Haulon isn’t around, make sure you properly select and pack things for a long journey, okay?”
“I’ll be careful.”
I nodded at Retze’s warning.
The plan is to make it seem like we visited using Great Sage Haulon’s secret art. Otherwise, crossing Nakahara with this many people would be too suspicious. The vegetables too, though.
Haulon had a somewhat distant look in her eyes.
“…I feel like my name is increasingly taking on a life of its own. The [Teleportation] I can do is only to a few places.”
“I’ll look into [Teleportation] magic later.”
I received my [Teleportation] right at the beginning, so I have no idea how it works as magic.
Well, even those other things I became able to use later, Haulon says, “They’re not magic!” though.
I understand that just saying, “I asked a Spirit, and it worked,” probably isn’t good enough. —No, wait, if I ask a Spirit capable of teleportation to respond to Haulon’s summons, that would solve it!
Alright, I’ll look for a Spirit when we get back. My [Teleportation] seems to involve Spirits at the destination too, so there might be multiple ones.
Retze was giving me a sidelong, reproachful look.
“Hey. You’re thinking something weird right now, aren’t you?”
“‘You had an ‘I’ve got an idea!’ kind of look on your face,” Dinoss remarked, his voice tinged with a sigh.
“I just realized it’s okay to approach the problem from a different angle, you know?”
It’s no big deal.
“Wait a minute. What we were just talking about was [Teleportation], right? And mine, specifically.”
“Yeah.”
I nodded back at Haulon, who asked anxiously.
“May I ask what you’re thinking?”
“I was thinking it would be good for both of us if Haulon could use the same [Teleportation] as me.”
It would make travel more convenient for Haulon, right?
“…”
Silence fell upon Haulon, Retze, and Dinoss. Ash was quiet by nature, and Butler also remained silent with his usual smile.
Behind them, Chris, Tina, and the others were chattering and seemed to be having fun.
“Don’t say such unreasonable things!!!!”
Haulon suddenly shouted.
“‘It’s better if your cover can do the same things, sure, but give her a bit of a break.”
Retze sounded exasperated.
“—What will become of the Great Sage clan’s secret art, I wonder.”
“Isn’t this pretty harsh even before we’ve left?”
Butler and Dinoss.