Chapter 95 – Road to the Capital
After that, the number of people somehow gathered, and the ascending to the capital began.
It took about a year to reach the Devil’s Castle from the previous departure from the capital.
Of course, it was thanks to fighting the Demon King’s army on the way or being caught by the hero’s unique Ojirabyeong, but because it was basically moved on foot, it had to take twice as long as the normal travel time.
On the other hand, not only did we fly from the Devil’s Castle to the border by riding a wyvern, but we also rode horses, so we were able to shorten the time considerably.
Even more so, unlike the time when the Demon King’s army interfered, we are now disguised as humans and infiltrated.
It’s funny that I, who was originally a human, said this in itself, but since there’s no reason to be chased unless I openly say that I’m the Demon King, it’s probably going to be a leisurely trip.
The setting of two mage-level wizards and one sword expert.
Originally, we were high-class personnel who couldn’t apply for chores like ascending escorts that cost only 20 silver per person, so unlike other adventurer parties, we received special treatment.
Not to mention, since he brought his own personal horse, he had nothing to do with other adventurers.
Damn dag dag dag dag.
Listening to the rhythmic footsteps unique to horses’ hooves, I look over the horizon.
The Hamburg area is located in the west of the kingdom’s territory, but it is located in the north of the continent as a whole, so it has maintained cold weather all year round.
Except for the huge Vulkan Mountains, most of the land was made up of snow-covered plains, so looking at it for a long time could affect your eyesight.
These sunglasses were prepared for such a time.
Chuck!
The sunglasses he had previously made when defeating Little Boy in the Vulcan Mountains were still useful.
Dorothea, who had already been wearing sunglasses in her long-awaited work, saw me wearing sunglasses and let out a snort, “Hoo-heung,” Showing that she was subtly happy.
Seeing the two of us wearing sunglasses, Vanessa, who was next to us, said in a cheeky voice.
“Don’t you have mine?”
“If you have the materials, you can make it as much as you like.”
As I said that, I held out my empty hand to Vanessa.
Then, Vanessa, who looked at me dumbfounded, slapped my palm and said curtly.
“That’s all right.”
“I thought it would.”
When I pushed up my sunglasses, saying that so brazenly, Vanessa shut him up to stop talking.
Has it been about 4 hours since I rode a horse along the top?
We ate near a large river that rippled through the fields.
It is very important to secure drinking water while traveling.
Even more so, if there were dozens of people flocking around, a drop of water was even more precious.
I looked around while filling the half-remaining canteen, and you and I were both busy drinking water.
It seems common in all countries that drinking water immediately after a long march tastes like honey.
When he filled the canteen and returned to the place where he had tied his horse, Dorothea spread his arms like a baby bird begging for food.
“Water.”
“Old.”
I tossed her full bucket of water at her and sat her comfortably against the back of her tree.
Vanessa, who was using her spare time to sharpen her sword, asked.
“What’s for lunch today?”
“Looking at it on the way, it seemed like turnip soup and a few slices of bread were all.”
“Geek- I’d rather not eat.”
“It’s free food, so there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Originally, it is standard for meals served at small merchants to have no tops.
It’s tasteless because only cheap ingredients are used to save a penny, but there were even more tasteless dishes because non-professionals cook them.
The only way to get a good meal on a trip like this is to pay the upper end and buy groceries, which was likely to make your belly button bigger than your stomach.
Earth! Earth! Earth! Earth!
The food was served just in time, and the sound of pot knocking was heard.
“Dorotea, let’s go.”
“Ugh, that’s annoying.”
“This is a fixed-rate meal, so I won’t give it to you if you don’t go.”
“Write it, there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Unlike Vanessa, who is an undead and doesn’t have to eat, Dorothea and I can eat anything to move.
So when I dragged the reluctant Dorothea to the distribution center, there were already many people waiting in line.
Standing at the back of the long line, a man who seemed to be an adventurer started talking to me.
“These are faces you haven’t seen around here, are you new?”
“No, I’m not particularly an adventurer, and I was on my way to the capital, so I joined the ascending route.”
“What are you going to the capital for?”
It was inconvenient to start talking to him in the first meeting, but he looked older than us, so I replied with a smile.
“I have business at the Emerald Tower. I belong there as a wizard.”
Saying that, I showed him the medallion he had taken out of his pocket, and the man looked back and forth between the medal and me with a startled expression.
“This, this, I didn’t know a great person. Take care of yourself.”
Saying so, he moved back to his seat.
“Tsk, annoying.”
Basically, wizards are in the minority.
Even more so, the level didn’t go up even after a long time, so there were a lot of people who couldn’t break the mage’s wall even if they studied all their lives.
In such a situation, a young man who appears to be in his 20s is carrying a gold medal that can only be worn by wizards of 4th tier (mage) or higher?
Of course, I couldn’t help it even if I misunderstood him as a high-ranking person.
Actually, my original status was the next heir to the Emerald Tower.
Even if I pretended not to listen, the gestures of the people around me became uncomfortable, as if they had overheard the conversation between me and the man.
With this, the annoying things on the way to the capital would have been greatly reduced.
It’s because he deliberately exposed his identity for that effect.
“Bon appetite.”
“Thank you.”
After receiving the ration in the bowl with Dorothea, it returns to its original position.
Vanessa was still sharpening her sword, so we ate lunch among ourselves.
“After- after-“
The first thing to eat is red turnip soup.
The soup was red because it was flavored with tomato paste, not red pepper powder.
Basically, all the ingredients inside were vegetables, so there wasn’t really anything to chew on.
So I scooped up the broth and took a bite.
‘Well.’
The refreshing taste unique to vegetable broth spreads in your mouth in an instant.
The market is said to be a side dish, and the basic seasoned turnip soup was surprisingly edible.
Should I say it tastes like oden soup eaten in cold weather?
There was a feeling that permeated my chest.
The expression of Dorothea, who was eating soup like me, wasn’t too bad.
Split the rye bread served with the soup in half.
Because of the cold weather, the already hard rye bread had completely turned to stone.
It is unreasonable to eat it as it is, so cut it into bite-size pieces and soak them in warm soup.
After waiting for a while in that state, the hardened bread turned a little soft.
When I put the bread floating with the soup with a spoon in my mouth, I felt the texture of the crunchy rye bread.
Maybe it was because they only ate bread made from wheat flour in the castle, but this texture felt strange.
After all, it seems that people are the scariest corporation when they feel the opposite.
In the past, I didn’t mind eating rye bread.
After eating like that, I was able to empty a bowl of turnip soup in one sitting.
Surprisingly, Dorothea’s bowl was completely empty, perhaps because she didn’t choose food.
To wash the dishes, simply scoop up the snow around you, put it in the bowl, and shake it.
I hadn’t eaten any particularly greasy food, so I didn’t need warm water.
After washing the dishes, we put the dishes aside for a while, and decided to chew on the beef jerky or snacks we had brought a lot just in case.
Jilggung! Jilggung!
It wasn’t cheap meat, but it was quite edible because it was high-quality jerky made from lamb properly slaughtered by a professional.
‘It means I have to eat this kind of meal for another week or so.’
I can already feel the vacancy of Camilla.
If nothing else, it was because her cooking skills as a perfect maid were truly excellent.
Even in a poor environment, the taste of her hands, serving three meals a day, reminded me of her mother’s cooking a long time ago.
‘Come to think of it, it’s been a long time since I went to my hometown.’
Decided.
When business in the capital is over, I should visit my hometown once.
No matter how much I was a filial son of fire attribute, I did not show my face in my hometown for too long.
Because I have to check if my father is alive and well.
With that thought in mind, I sat down alongside Dorothea and idly chewed the beef jerky.
Her jaw hurts.
It seems that the jerky, which still has a lot left in the pocket, must be consumed in a different way.
