Chapter 385 - Episode Thirty-One - Gizel's Attack (2)
After leaving Fage territory with Mea, Shame, Elia, and I had arrived safely in the port city of Radam.
On the day we arrived, with the help of Shame, I was able to talk to the person in charge of the merchant ship that was leaving tomorrow for our destination, and was able to be included as one of the sorcerers in the escort.
As I had heard from Shame, the voyage would be a long one, and there was a high risk of encountering troublesome magic beasts, but the number of sorcerers for the escort always fell below the minimum.
They were happy to put me in the frame.
I was told that I needed to have some sort of certificate from the Adventurer’s Support Center to know if my skills were up to par, but unfortunately I didn’t have such a handy certificate because I had been an adventurer in the city of Lomarn and had given my exploits to Gaston, and in the Fage territory I was working for Lark, who was more on the management side.
It was a bit of a tense situation, but in the end, I was able to get permission to board the ship after being seen shooting Abel balls into the ocean.
The next day, I went sightseeing around the port and enjoyed fishing on the beach for the first time in this life.
In my previous life, I had some experience of fishing when I was in junior high school.
I heard that a half-fish-like UMA had been caught in the Amazon, so I studied the basics of fishing on Saturdays and Sundays, and went on a trip for almost a month without permission from the school.
I was taken care of by someone who was apparently a friend of my father.
At that time, I spent everyday fishing, but in the end, I could not catch any half-fish or Kappa.
I have never fished since then.
There was an incident where Mea’s Guard Ortem reacted to the sea fogg that Elia caught and kicked the sea fogg over the horizon, but apart from that, it was a peaceful event.
At a restaurant called “Sea Bird Restaurant” in Radam, we enjoyed our last meal in the Dinrat Kingdom, cooked with the fish we had caught, and then headed for the port.
There was still a lot of time left before we would have to sail, but it would be better to move with plenty of time to spare.
“Ahh~, so I’m not going to see Mea-chan and Abel-chan for a while now, I’m going to miss you guys.”
Shame chuckled and hugged Mea back.
“Ngyuu~!”
“Sh-, Shame-san! Please let me go!”
Mea flails her hands in the air.
“What? Mea-chan is embarrassed! This is the last time, so I’m going to enjoy it!”
“N-No, it’s just that the guard Ortem that Abel gave Mea might react ……!”
Shame distances herself from Mea and holds her hand out in front of her.
“…… Are those two wooden dolls really that dangerous?”
“Don’t worry, they won’t react unless someone’s trying to harm Mea.”
“Huh, did I just hear something very approximately that makes it just like me!? I know that Abel-chan’s situation is complicated, so I won’t say anything unnecessary!”
Shame scratched her hair and let out a sigh.
“No, judging by the weapon, the speed, and the flow of magic, it should be highly believable!”
“It didn’t malfunction on this tiny, little Sea Fogg!? “
Shame wiggles two fingers.
But I’m afraid that Shame would easily reunite with me in another country.
Her energy is uncanny.
Shame was happy that she had finally been promoted from the bottom of the adventuring ranks, but I had a feeling that she would be better suited for something else.
“I’m going to miss you guys.”
Elia raises the eyebrows of her expressionless face slightly.
“Elia-san ……”
“Becase It was fun to watch from a few steps back.”
“I-, isn’t that a terrible thing to say?”
Elia looks at me, hides her mouth, and laughs, her shoulders shaking slightly.
When I first met her, I thought she was a cold-hearted person, but after a few words, I realized that she was just a little inarticulate without showing it on her face, and that she liked long conversations and jokes.
I vaguely remembered the time when Maizen and I were riding in her carriage to the Zeshum Ruins.
If I could afford it, I would have liked to meet Maizen.
I wondered if I would ever get the chance again?
“…… However, I just don’t want to be chased by a scary person with a whole carriage like when we moved from the royal capital.”
She had a completely straight face. This was the one that wasn’t joking.
I also kept a straight face.
“Oh, yes, I’m sorry ……”
I remembered the black rock-like figure of Brian the knight, a descendant of the Daldwarf, my pursuer at that time.
He could have crushed the carriage with a single tackle.
It’s getting awkward, so cleared my throat.
“…… So, since many of us haven’t been introduced yet, I think we should head to the ship. Shame, Elia, thank you so much for everything. If we meet again at some point, I’d like to thank you again then.”
We shook each other’s hands one last time.
When Shame laughed at me for looking at the guard Ortem when she held hands with Mea, I took a heavy hand strike to the stomach.
…… But the thought of leaving makes me feel more desolate.
In order for me to return to the Dinrat Kingdom, it is essential that the conflict between Kudor and Count Julem is over.
If we’re in the middle of a conflict, Kudor will want to get rid of Mea, and Count Julem will try to use her for something.
It would be nice if Kudor could easily get rid of Count Julem and still not hold such a grudge against me.
There are many people in Lomarn and in the Fage territory that I would like to meet again someday.
And because of my incompetence, Old Pen is still in captivity.
Peter is cunning, but he is not stupid.
Even if Count Julem’s turmoil dies down, he’ll probably choose to negotiate with me and use him as a bargaining chip rather than keep him in prison.
There will always be an opportunity to help him.
And as a result of my half-hearted and ill-considered rush, I caused an unnecessary commotion, and Gaston, who is still the princess’s knight, has turned into an unwanted court clown.
“No, Gaston is okay, I guess.”
“Abel, did you say something?”
“It’s nothing.”
It is all the Marren people who are most caught up in this.
I thought I might be able to go home soon, but it ended up like this.
But I will surely return one day.
That’s what I wrote in my letter, and that’s what I promised Firo again.
I wonder what Gizel is doing now?
I really did a terrible thing to Gizel. I wanted to meet her and talk to her before I left the country.
“…… it’s brother, right? I’m really glad we made it in time.”
I thought I heard Gizel’s voice.
No, it’s probably just another person’s likeness. Or maybe I was thinking about Gizel, and my brain took it upon itself to see the resemblance.
I look towards the voice.
There was Gizel, a Marren girl beside her, and behind her, out of sight of Gizel, was Shibi, busily making a cross.
Gizel’s large eyes were firmly fixed on me.
I quickly took Mea’s hand and ran in the opposite direction.
“S-, sir, the ship is that way! Not that way!”