[CHAPTER 58]
Because the number of people had suddenly increased, the only issue was that not everyone could fit into the carriage.
The carriage seated four people.
Theo and Jahar had poor stamina, so they absolutely had to ride in the carriage, while Noah Aiden and Ifrit did not mind traveling on horseback.
Sian would probably ride a horse as well.
Ratia had transformed recently anyway, so whether she rode in the carriage or on a horse did not matter since she could just sit on someone’s shoulder.
Then that leaves Seria and me.
Me, Theo, Jahar, and Seria in the carriage?
I’d suffocate.
Since I wanted to avoid being in the same space as Seria, I strongly felt like volunteering to ride a horse instead.
But then again… leaving Theo and Seria together?
With only the oblivious Jahar between them?
Absolutely not.
After letting out a deep sigh that felt like it could cave the ground in, I stood by the carriage door.
Just then, I met eyes with Sian as he turned his head.
“I’ll ride in the carriage. That’s fine, right?”
“Do so.”
Sian nodded without any particular comment.
It seemed he had planned to have me ride in it from the start.
Then I noticed him casually stepping toward Seria, who was standing near the horses.
It looked like he had assumed Seria would be the last one to board the carriage.
So I really was going to end up riding with Seria after all.
I squeezed my eyes shut.
Soon, Sian’s voice reached my ears.
“Lady Seria, wouldn’t it be more comfortable for you to travel by carriage?”
“I’m fine. I came here on horseback too. I’m more comfortable riding.”
That’s unexpected.
Given Seria’s personality of never wanting to lose out, I had assumed she would fake being unwell just to claim a seat in the carriage.
The way she smiled gently while responding to Sian’s concern was no different from how she had once tried to win my favor before betraying me in the previous cycle.
It makes me sick.
I turned my gaze away from them and climbed into the carriage first.
“Wow, there are a lot of people. Why’s the guild master here?”
Jahar asked me as he arrived late and climbed into the carriage with a look of amazement.
“He said he’s coming with us. To the capital.”
“Huh?”
“Then what about Ratia? Aren’t we bringing her too?”
“Ah, she’s outside right now. She said she’d fly while getting some fresh air. If she gets tired, she’ll just sit on Ifrit’s shoulder or something.”
I see.
Hearing that she would be flying made me a little worried, but since Ifrit was with her, I figured it would be fine.
As a fire spirit who was practically family to her, Ifrit would take good care of her.
After telling me where Ratia was, Jahar briefly glanced outside, then sat down across from me with a blank expression.
“How long will it take to reach the capital?”
“As far as I know, about—”
“If we go only by carriage, it will take about two days.”
The voice that cut in at the end was neither mine nor Jahar’s.
Sian was standing there, one hand on the carriage door, looking at the two of us.
“What, two days? There’s a Mage Tower teleportation gate nearby. Why don’t we just use that and teleport—”
“We can’t. Lady Seria said she has a mana allergy.”
“……Then why don’t we use the tower and send just that woman separately?”
“Would that be acceptable?”
Sian shook his head as if the suggestion were absurd.
Jahar, who likely had not been serious either, quickly gave up.
“So we’re really stuck riding in a carriage for two whole days? I already feel stiff.”
“That’s why we’re traveling together with them.”
Sian extended his thumb and pointed behind his shoulder.
Where he indicated, Ifrit and Noah Aiden were standing and speaking to Theo as if giving him instructions.
“The guild master and his group? Why them?”
“He said that about halfway there, someone will come to meet us. That person will move us instantly.”
“Really? Instantly, huh. Is the person coming to meet us a wind mage? Or… since they’re Spirit Kings, maybe they can summon wind spirits.”
“That would make sense. Using wind spirits would certainly be fast—”
“W-wait, hold on.”
I hurriedly cut off the two of them, who were continuing the conversation as if nothing were strange.
It had passed so naturally that I almost missed it.
Something huge had just been said.
I don’t remember ever telling Jahar or Sian about those two’s true identities.
Since when did they know?
Those two had said they were in the middle of a diversion.
Beings in diversion disliked having their identities known more than necessary.
Am I going to get blamed for this?
It’s not like I told them… right?
Or did I?
Lately I’d been so distracted that maybe I said it and forgot.
Even if I hadn’t said anything outright, maybe it had shown somehow.
Thinking that way made a chill run down my spine.
“How did you know?”
“Huh… know what? Oh, that they’re Spirit Kings?”
Jahar looked at me like he was thinking, ‘Isn’t it a little late to ask that?’
“They’re radiating the same aura as Ratia. How could I not notice? Especially when I’m a genius.”
“……So they’re not even hiding it right now?”
“Yeah.”
Relieved that it wasn’t my fault, I immediately felt dumbfounded instead.
When I first met them, they had hidden themselves so thoroughly they even covered their faces with black veils.
And now they were openly broadcasting it to the world?
“After meeting you, they didn’t seem to bother hiding it anymore. Anyone with a decent level of skill probably noticed.”
“Ha……”
I had thought they were carefully concealing themselves while in diversion.
As that shock settled, a new question surfaced.
Then why didn’t I notice?
If they were walking around without hiding their aura enough for Sian and Jahar to notice, I should have at least wondered why they were not concealing it.
But I… had noticed nothing at all.
Perhaps my sudden serious expression seemed odd, because Jahar poked my arm and asked,
“What’s wrong? Oh, were you surprised that I knew? Wouldn’t it be stranger if a genius like me didn’t?”
“……You sound incredibly annoying when you call yourself a genius.”
“Being annoying is the fate of a genius.”
He never lets anything slide.
Anyway, I should ask them once we get there. If I get down now and—
Ifrit and Noah Aiden were not far from the carriage.
If I got down now and asked quickly, it would be perfect.
But—
While I was chatting idly with Jahar, Theo climbed into the carriage.
After briefly darting his eyes between Jahar and me as if debating, Theo chose the seat next to me and climbed up.
With Theo aboard, everyone who would be riding in the carriage was now inside.
“Then let’s depart.”
With Sian’s words as the final cue, the door closed before I had a chance to get down and clear up my questions.
…It can’t be helped. It’s not urgent anyway. I’ll ask later.
Giving up, I cast my gaze out the small window in the carriage.
And at the same time—
“Ah, really?”
I saw Seria riding alongside Sian, laughing brightly as they moved together on horseback.
Her smiling face looked utterly innocent.
I had been deceived so thoroughly by that angelic face.
Remembering my foolish past made my mood sink.
I shouldn’t have looked outside for no reason.
I yanked the carriage curtain shut, crossed my arms, and leaned my head against the wall.
“Going to sleep?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm… all right.”
After giving that flat response, Jahar pulled a book out of a small bag he had brought separately.
…He reads books too? I thought he solved everything through research.
I looked at Jahar with surprise, then glanced at Theo sitting beside me.
Theo seemed awkward in the situation, fidgeting with his hands and lightly swinging his feet that did not reach the carriage floor.
It must be tough for a kid this young to travel long hours by carriage.
I watched Theo with a worried expression, then shook my head and looked away.
I can barely take care of myself. Who am I to worry about others?
The fact that Seria had appeared before me again could not be a good sign.
I had a feeling that on this trip to the capital, I would inevitably clash with her in some way.
All I could do was consider as many possibilities as I could and prepare, and if things escalated badly…
…Steel myself.
Thinking that, I closed my eyes.
