A Group Flirt-Traveling

Even though Wataru got mobbed with enthusiasm in Draco Village, we sped through and made our way toward Pavuera.

But—we were on foot. Why? Because Wataru insisted walking was faster, and he normally didn't use carriages anyway.

We also usually didn't leave the village, and thanks to the dungeon installations and teleportation magic, we never really needed a carriage.

In short, we had completely forgotten about vehicles.

I only remembered while walking through the tunnel that cuts through Mount Tziah, suddenly thinking, "Wait, why are we walking again?"

… However! Now that I remembered, there's no way we're walking all the way to Pavuera!

"Alright, I think it's about time."

"Hm? What's wrong? Why'd you stop? Let's keep going."

"Wataru… What I'm about to show you is one of my trump cards. Don't tell anyone, okay?"

"Huh? This is so sudden… Ah, of course! I won't tell a soul!"

After saying that, I chanted a spell.

"—I summon thee, come forth now! Summon Carriage!!"

At the same time, I silently cast [Stone Pile] for just a second. It only produced some grains of sand, but the result was a glowing magic circle on the ground.

Then I opened my [Storage], secretly used DP while inside the tunnel, and pulled out a carriage (without horses) I had stashed in the dungeon.

Thanks to the spell and the VFX, it looked like I magically summoned a carriage!

"Whoa! A carriage summoning spell!? That's the first time I've seen one!"

"Yep. Leona taught me all kinds of stuff, remember? She really knew everything."

"I see, it was Leona then."

Wataru knows Leona and is aware she's no ordinary person.

In other words, if anything suspicious comes up, I can just say "Leona taught me" and all's good!

(*Of course, I never actually said Leona taught me.)

"Huh. This carriage doesn't have horses though?"

Well, I was being stingy, so yeah—no horses.

"You can pull it, Wataru. You're faster than a horse anyway, and you've got energy to spare."

"Oh! Got it. Behold—the birth of the Super Speed Hero Cart!"

"Then I'll drive! I've even got a whip~"

"Alright, thank you, Miss Nerune… Wait, a whip!?"

"Whoa, whoa—it's just a joke!"

I quickly stopped both Hero Wataru, who was all ready to pull the carriage, and his girlfriend, Nerune.

"Huh? It was a joke?"

"I'm not that heartless… I mean, we can't treat the Hero like a draft horse. Haku-sama already does enough of that."

"—[Create Golem]!"

I tossed a magic stone onto the ground off the path and summoned a normal clay golem. No special models here—gotta keep those secret.

With a "plop," a large hole formed and the golem emerged. I moved it into position where the horses should've been.

"Ahh, so we're having the golem pull it."

"Yeah, at our inn, using golems for labor is standard… Hey, why do you look so disappointed, Wataru? You wanted Nerune to be your coachwoman that badly?"

"Just a tiny bit."

… Okay, should I be impressed at how thoroughly Nerune has him wrapped around her finger?

"Nice job, Nerune. Keep training Wataru into a fine little underling."

"Yes ma'am! Leave it to me, Lady Rokuko~!"

… Rokuko beat me to praising her.

And hey, don't say stuff like "train him" right in front of him!

"Wataru… women from our village are strong. So, uh… good luck?"

"Yeah, let's both do our best. You're pretty whipped by Rokuko too, aren't you, Kehma-san?"

"N-No way! I'm totally in control of the relationship!"

"Come on, you two. Get in the carriage already!"

At Rokuko's call, Wataru and I climbed aboard the carriage.

"Since it's a golem, we don't really need a coachman. Still, I'll sit up front just to give it directions."

"Then I'll sit next to you. That's my seat next to Kehma."

"… Rokuko, if you sit here, that means Wataru and Nerune will be alone together inside the carriage."

"Exactly."

Then Rokuko scooted in right next to me, snug.

"Um, Rokuko-san? Could you scoot over a little? It's hard to use the reins."

"You don't need reins to control a golem, right?"

"Well, that's true, but still…"

She was so close our arms were touching. If I wasn't wearing long sleeves, I'd be a goner…!

"H-Hey Wataru, how's it going back there?"

"N-Not good! I can't take it anymore!! Save me, Kehma-san!!"

"Oh myyy~? What kind of Hero are you if you can't handle this level~?"

Ah. He's done for. I don't know what she's doing, but Nerune has him completely under control.

Rokuko just looked at me with a knowing grin when I glanced at her with a "the fuck did you tell her to do" sort of expression.

"Come on, Kehma. Let's enjoy ourselves until we get to Pavuera, shall we?"

"The coach seat's too exposed to do anything. Not happening."

"Hmph. Maybe I should've let Wataru and Nerune drive, and dragged you inside the carriage instead."

What the heck were you planning to do to me!?

And what are those two doing back there? It's a wholesome relationship, right!? … Right!? Say it is, Wataru!!

 

＊ ＊ ＊

 

And so, we safely arrived in Pavuera.

Technically, a deer showed up along the way, but the golem just swatted it aside and kept going, so it was basically a non-event.

"You know… now that I think about it, why didn't we just use the carriage from the start when we left Draco Village? They even had public ones running."

… Huh!? She's right!?

There were shared carriages! I slapped my forehead at my oversight.

"You're so naïve, Nerune. We wouldn't have been able to flirt in a public carriage."

"Ahh—I see! So my seduction of Wataru was all part of the Master's plan!"

I'm sorry… I actually didn't think that far ahead…

By the way, even in front of Wataru, Nerune still calls me "Master," but it's fine since it could just be taken as another way of saying "employer" or "mentor".

"Alright, next up is the boat! I've got tickets for all four of us!"

"There's a regular ferry to Wakoku or something?"

"Oh, no. It's a ship owned by a merchant I know from Wakoku. We promised to guard it, so he's probably eagerly waiting for us right now."

Guided by Wataru, we made our way toward the merchant in Pavuera.