“Lua-chan, hurry up! The ship is leaving!”
“Don’t rush me so much!”
I let my guard down. I had never overslept before, but here I was, doing it for the first time. Perhaps the fatigue from the battles against the Demon Lord Army and the incident with Ritta had caught up with me. Now that I think about it, ever since we left the Abyss Cave, I’ve felt a lack of tension. I need to pull myself together once more. I have to muster all my strength and make it in time, no matter what.
I scooped up Roel and sprinted with all my might. I had done the same when heading to the registration for the Combat Tournament, but this time, the attention was on a whole different level. It seemed that winning the tournament had made me quite famous, as nearly everyone in town was staring at us. I even received some strange catcalls and jeers that I couldn’t quite understand. Roel hid her face with her hands, closing up like a shell. I understood her embarrassment, but it was better than missing the ship.
“We made it!”
“Yay! I’m so glad! Put me down!”
She must have been really embarrassed, as she said that the moment we arrived. The dock was lined with several ships, and just from looking at them, I couldn’t tell which one we were supposed to board. It seemed crowded, not just with passengers but also with people seeing them off. I checked the number on the ticket and began searching for our designated ship.
“If you want to go to the Wizard Kingdom, it’s that ship over there!”
The cheerful voice that called out to us was Ritta. I wondered if she was on her day off, or if she was okay to be moving around. More importantly, how did she know we were headed to the Wizard Kingdom?
“I’m sorry, I was looking for you to say thank you. Then Gantetsu-san pointed me in your direction…”
“You didn’t have to go that far… I didn’t do anything worthy of thanks.”
“No, really, I’m so sorry. I assumed you were just a weak girl without knowing your circumstances… You must have gone through a lot, too, Lua-san.”
To be honest, I was a little annoyed at that time. Just a little, though. I, too, have felt the despair of powerlessness. There were times in the Abyss Cave when I couldn’t progress and ended up in tears. I’ve escaped with my life after sustaining serious injuries. I thought I had grown stronger, but when the Demon Lord Army attacked, many people died. Even now, there are things I can’t do. If I were to lose something precious because I couldn’t protect it, I might end up like Ritta.
That spear might have been the cause, but I believe that was Ritta’s true feeling. There might have been something in that spear that preyed on her weakness.
“Oh, it seems like we’re about to set sail. I’m sorry for holding you up…”
“Right, we need to hurry… Ritta, take care!”
“Yes! When you and Lua-san come back, I’ll be a fine soldier!”
◆ Regular Ship to Port Platz, Day 1 ◆
As I waved goodbye to Ritta from the port, the ship began to move. I had thought it was made of wood, but it seemed to be iron. I’m not well-versed in ships, but it looked quite sturdy. At first glance, it seemed slow, but it was picking up speed, and before I knew it, the port of Avangarde Castle Town disappeared from view.
Now, all I could see was the vast ocean. The sound of the waves was somehow soothing.
“Roel, this is iron, right? It feels like we’re going off to battle on this ship.”
“Haha, that’s such a Lua-chan way of thinking. This ship is one thing, but some of the supplies are made in the Kingdom of Metallica. A lot of the everyday items we use are made with their advanced technology.”
“The Kingdom of Metallica… I’ve heard that name before. They can create such amazing things?”
“The Wizard Kingdom we’re heading to is known for magic, while the Kingdom of Metallica is known for its advancements in science.”
Yes, there are many countries and towns in this world. Each has its own unique culture that we are about to explore. Just the two of us, Roel and I. It’s strange, but being here like this makes me feel incredibly at ease.
“It’s just ocean as far as the eye can see. I might be getting bored already.”
“Yeah, it is a ship journey after all.”
“I wonder how the others are passing the time.”
“Maybe they’re looking at the sea?”
“Sounds boring.”
As I yawned and looked around, I noticed quite a few people relaxing on the deck. Some were clearly adventurers, while others were unrecognizable in terms of their usual occupations. Watching a family together made me remember that I used to spend time like that until ten years ago.
The happy laughter of the parents and their excited children echoed in my heart. Roel looked at me with a troubled expression.
“Lua-chan?”
“Hmm? No, it’s nothing.”
As I got lost in thought, the door leading to the passenger cabin opened. A group of middle-aged men stepped out. I wondered what was going on, but it quickly became clear.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we will be guarding this ship until we reach Port Platz. Please relax and enjoy your comfortable journey.”
The man in the middle, with a black beard covering his mouth and round eyes, smiled warmly at us, exuding confidence. They were indeed the hired guards for this ship.
“It seems there are some soldiers from the kingdom as well, but they also hire people like that. I wish I could have done that.”
“I’ve seen requests for guarding regular ships at the Guild. But if you take that job, you’ll have to return to the Kingdom of Avangarde after reaching Platz.”
“Oh, right…”
The bearded man was carrying a spear. One of the other two was a wizard, while the remaining one had a bow, all dressed in light shirts that looked quite cool. The other two stood with serious expressions, arms crossed behind their backs. Only the bearded man seemed lively.
As soon as he noticed me, he exclaimed in surprise, “Oh! Could it be the girl who won the Combat Tournament?”
“Y-Yeah, that’s me.”
“I see, I see! But you don’t need to worry too much. We are adventurers specialized in guarding regular ships. In the twenty years since we started this job, we have never once let a monster attack. So you can rest assured and enjoy your journey.”
He continued talking, seemingly satisfied with himself. Twenty years of guarding? That’s impressive. Had he been an adventurer since before I was born? He seemed younger than Gantetsu-san, but the other two looked to be about the same age as the bearded man.
“The two behind me are still B-Rank, but they have the potential to be A-Rank. I’d love to see them prove that in battle, but… well, it’s better if no monsters attack at all! Hahaha!”
I didn’t understand what was so funny, but the man laughed loudly, his voice booming. There are surely monsters in the sea, and I had thought it would be dangerous if we were attacked, but with these people around, maybe we’d be fine. To be honest, I wanted to see a sea monster, but as the man said, it would be better if they didn’t show up.
“Mommy, what’s that?”
“What’s wrong? Oh, that’s… could it be…”
A little girl from the family pointed excitedly at something. Something was protruding from the surface of the water, swimming alongside the ship. As it emerged from the water, two or three more appeared, and then they turned toward us, splashing water as they leaped out.
【Killer Sharks x3 have appeared! HP 190】
Before the passengers could scream in terror, the situation had already unfolded. Arrows rained down on the leaping sharks. Behind the man with the bow stood a wizard who had finished casting a spell. Lightning magic was unleashed immediately.
【Silva’s attack! Dealt 84 damage to the Killer Shark! HP 106】
【Jijinia cast Thunderbolt! Dealt 111 damage to the Killer Shark!
Killer Shark defeated! HP 0/190】
The bearded man thrust his spear into the mouth of the approaching shark. He pulled it out swiftly and stabbed again. Finally, he kicked it back into the sea. The remaining shark was also pierced by an arrow and dispatched with the same efficiency using lightning magic.
【Silva and Jijinia’s combined attack! Dealt 193 damage to the Killer Shark!
Killer Shark defeated! HP 0/190】
【Bottom’s attack! Dealt 206 damage to the Killer Shark!
Killer Shark defeated! HP 0/190】
Before the passengers could feel fear, everything was over. It probably hadn’t even taken ten seconds. Their spell-casting speed and the swift transitions between attacks were impressive. Most of all, the bearded man’s strength as he kicked the shark’s corpse into the sea. His muscles bulged, clearly showing he was someone who trained regularly.
“What a peaceful ship journey, huh? Hahaha!”
As if nothing had happened, the man laughed. The passengers seemed to finally realize they were safe, peering over the deck to check the shark’s corpse that had been kicked out.
Watching the whole sequence unfold, I couldn’t stay silent. They certainly seemed experienced, but it felt wrong to just leave everything to them.
That day ended without any other incidents. Even at night, the ship continued to sail across the sea. Even if we were asleep, it meant someone was awake, steering the vessel. I felt a bit curious and went to check the control room, but they wouldn’t let me in.
It seemed that dinner was served properly on the ship, which was a relief. After finishing my meal, I gazed out at the sea from the deck, only to find everything shrouded in darkness. Up at the front, that uncle was keeping watch over the ocean. The others were nowhere to be seen. Not wanting to disturb him, I returned to my room.
“I wonder how long it will take to arrive? I should have been on guard too,” I mused.
“They say about four days. Apparently, older ships took around three months,” came the reply.
“Three months?! I might just die of boredom…”
“But from what I saw on the deck, this ship was moving pretty fast. Cutting down the travel time from three months to four days is impressive. The technology of the Kingdom of Metallica is astonishing.”
“Yeah, I’d like to visit someday.”
“Right? I’ve always wanted to travel the world with someone like this.”
Her words suddenly reminded me of a distant past when I had shared similar dreams with Kurinka. Two girls unaware of the outside world, believing they would see it someday. In the end, that dream never came true. Remembering that day when everything was taken from me, a dark emotion began to bubble up inside. I had never forgotten the One-Winged Demon. Yet, my days as an Adventurer helped me forget that hatred. Until I fell asleep on the cold, lifeless bed in the ship’s cabin, I kept thinking about those old memories.
◆ In the Dream ◆
“I see, you two have never left this village, huh?”
The swordsman brother often patted our heads. Kurinka and I looked forward to the stories he told about the outside world. There were many things we didn’t understand, but it was fun.
“Hey, teach me how to use a sword!”
“Lua-chan, I told you before that you can’t.”
“Hahaha! That’s right. More than anything, your parents have strictly forbidden it. I’m grateful to both of you and the villagers, so I can’t break that promise.”
“You’re such a cheapskate.”
It was the usual banter, and the brother always laughed. But the face I saw that time was like a different person. When I tried to talk to him as he stood alone in the corner of the village, his profile looked terrifying. But as soon as he noticed me, his smile returned. He was kind.
That brother was pierced through.
The One-Winged Demon.
Because he let me escape, he died.
Barefoot, the sharp ground of the mountain pierced my feet.
I didn’t even know where I was trying to run.
I just kept running.
A monster attacked. I ducked under the arm of a creature that was many times larger than me.
Even though I was desperately fleeing, the monster’s attacks never hit me.
Then, suddenly, my heart began to race.
I stopped running and gathered strength in my legs. And faced the approaching monster――――
When I woke from my usual dream, light was spilling through the small window of the ship’s cabin.