Chapter 123

As I was changing into my travel attire in my room at Amida Trading, Leo Schleich came to visit me.

Leo was a companion who had officially become Lady Clara’s vassal back in Romanburg.

“Sergeant Major—sorry, I mean Lord Hinoharu, the river transit permit has been approved.”

Due to residual habits from his military days, Leo still accidentally addressed me by rank.

Since I was scheduled to be officially invested as a Knight Bachelor in five days, I was no longer a Sergeant Major.

“Thank you, Leo. With this, I can use the Reinga Road river.”

My plan from here was to head toward Ebba-berg.

Thinking ahead, I intended to install a portal at the Ansbach mansion in Ebba-berg.

As long as we had a portal, Lady Clara could comfortably visit her hometown whenever she wanted.

Furthermore, I had heard that her new territory would be located in a completely different area from Ebba-berg.

Connecting each distinct point would make managing her territory exceptionally efficient.

The number of portals I could set up had also increased from two to three.

If I kept using the skill, the limit would likely grow even further.

For the time being, my Home remained at Amida Trading, while one portal was still left in Salt Lake City, Gary’s hometown.

Since I had two left to spare, I figured I would place one in Ebba-berg and the other in Lady Clara’s new territory.

While making the trip to Ebba-berg, I also planned to meet up with Fiene and bring her back with me.

Since Lady Clara was about to become a Baron, I wanted to celebrate alongside a companion who had shared our hardships.

Personally, I loved watching Fiene happily stuff her face with delicious food.

Now that the river transit permit had been granted, I was allowed to ride my motorcycle along the surface of the Reinga Road river.

If I maintained a pace of just under four hundred kilometers a day, I should be able to arrive in four to five days.

“Lord Hinoharu, can that motorcycle vehicle of yours truly run on top of water?”

“Yeah. Though it’s not that the motorcycle itself has a feature to ride on water.”

By utilizing my Water Walking skill, I intended to drive along the surface of the Reinga Road river all the way to Lake Balden.

That route was completely free of obstacles, and since the Reinga Road river had a gentle flow, the surface was flat and exceptionally easy to ride on.

Oliver Bach and Emma Petersen came out to see me off as I prepared to depart.

In stark contrast to Bach, who displayed a bizarre amount of excitement over seeing the motorcycle for the first time, Emma carried a somber expression.

Emma was a devout member of the Elder Faction, a group that frowned upon the advancement of magical tools.

“Do you still feel a resistance toward the motorcycle, Emma?”

At my question, Emma faltered.

“No…”

Perhaps she harbored a suspicion that I was flatly rejecting the principles of the Elder Faction.

“Emma. I do not claim to understand the true will of the God of Space-Time or Lord Seraphim. However, I am by no means rejecting the worldview of the Elder Faction out of hand.”

Emma looked up at me with a startled expression.

“During the recent defense operation at Romanburg, I witnessed countless human beings mangled and killed by magic cannons. That is undoubtedly a tragic aspect of history brought about by the advancement of magical tools.”

In addition to that, I described how my own hometown suffered environmental destruction due to the exhaust gases produced by motorcycles and automobiles.

On the flip side, I also explained the reality that technological innovation had vastly improved food supplies and dramatically extended human lifespans.

“Ultimately, I believe it is a matter of balance. I get the feeling Lord Seraphim desires for different opinions to clash and refine one another. I interpret the purpose of our newspaper as a tool to achieve exactly that.”

“Lord Hinoharu…”

“Though, I also believe it is entirely impossible for a mere human to fully interpret a god. I have no idea what they are thinking. Even so, I intend to see Lord Seraphim’s request through to the end.”

The trace of fear that had consistently lingered in Emma’s eyes when she looked at me had vanished before I realized it.

Come to think of it, she had seemed afraid of me for a long time.

Perhaps to her, I represented an existence that threatened to shake her faith.

“When I return, please teach me more about the principles of the Elder Faction.”

“Yes.”

A unusually gentle smile bloomed across Emma’s face.

The Month of the Low Moon was already past its twentieth day, and the weather was warm enough to make one sweat.

Fiene unbuttoned the top collar of her military uniform to let some air hit her chest.

Twenty days had already passed since she departed from the royal capital, Dresden.

Every single day from morning until night had been spent being jolted inside a stagecoach.

Fiene thought to herself that if it hadn’t been for the memory foam cushion Kota had gifted her, her backside would have been in so much pain she might have thrown in the towel.

To alleviate the boredom of the stagecoach travel, she unwrapped a candy she had received from Kota and popped the light pink treat into her mouth.

This strawberry milk candy was among the very last of her stash, but she decided not to dwell on that for now.

Candy was meant to dissolve when sucked on, and it wouldn’t be delicious if it didn’t melt away.

I suppose this is what people refer to as a “sweet pain.”

Rolling the triangular candy around in her mouth, she looked up at the beautifully clear blue sky.

Strawberry milk suited the Month of the Low Moon perfectly.

As that particular Fiene-theory drifted through her head, she found her own self-indulgence somewhat amusing.

I’m sure strawberry milk tastes wonderful whether it’s spring, summer, autumn, or winter.

Still, she felt her “Month of the Low Moon Strawberry Milk Superiority Theory” wasn’t entirely off base.

It wasn’t too hot or too cold, the fresh greenery was stunning, the breeze felt lovely, and her mouth was filled with a sweet and tart flavor—it really put her in a delightful mood.

Even so, she was thoroughly sick of carriage travel by now.

Disregarding the sheer cost, she had been transferring between four-horse stagecoaches, so her current traveling speed was vastly faster than when she first arrived.

She was scheduled to reach Bremen by tomorrow.

From Bremen onward, she would have to veer off the main highway, making a stagecoach useless, but a three-day walk would bring her right to Kattenstrokt, her birthplace.

Everyone in the village would probably be shocked to see her dressed in a crisp, sharp military uniform.

Wearing this alongside her boots made her look slightly taller.

Her family would undoubtedly praise her for making something of herself.

The thought of returning home soon brought a wave of nostalgia, yet an equal dose of anxiety surfaced regarding whether Lady Clara and the others were safe.

Even as a supply unit, heading toward the front lines meant danger was a constant companion.

She knew there was no need to worry since Kota and Akito were by her side.

And yet, despite understanding that, she couldn’t help but feel anxious.

Crunch.

Ah, damn it.

In her attempt to bite down on her uncontrollable anxiety, she had accidentally crushed the strawberry milk candy.

She had intended to savor the last few pieces slowly until the very end…

Just as she let out a massive sigh, her sharp ears caught a peculiar noise.

No way…

No way, no way, no way!

Without thinking, she threw open the carriage window and stuck her head out.

There was absolutely no mistaking it.

That mechanical roar belonged strictly to Kota’s motorcycle!

Beneath the clear blue sky, the lime-green chassis looked like a grasshopper on wheels.

Stretching her tiny body out as far as she could, Fiene waved her hands with all her might.

Dresden, Grossel District, inside Juliana’s private drawing room at the mansion of Count Ceberai.

On this day, Juliana was dressed up to the absolute nines.

Naturally, this was all for the sake of going to see her beloved Kota Hinoharu.

Having heard that Kota was soon to be invested as a Knight Bachelor, she wanted to convey her congratulations in person and extend an invitation to dine together afterward.

As far as Juliana was concerned, every single obstacle preventing a relationship between herself and Hinoharu had now been utterly cleared away.

Troublesomely, she hadn’t given a single shred of consideration to Kota’s own feelings.

“Tell me, Karina, I believe we can finally begin formally courting each other now. To ensure that happens, I must have Mr. Hinoharu learn so much more about me.”

Her personal maid, Karina Angerer, tilted their head slightly.

“However, Lord Hinoharu appeared to be exceedingly busy. What shall we do?”

“Oh, but Lord Hinoharu has resigned from the military, hasn’t he? If that is the case, surely he has plenty of free time on his hands?”

“True. In that case, why not invite him to relax by the water, milady? The weather today is warm enough to make one sweat. I am certain he would find it highly enjoyable.”

“Karina, what a marvelous idea. I wonder if I should pull up my skirt slightly at the water’s edge and give him a glimpse of my legs.”

“My… how scandalous of you, milady. Resorting to feminine wiles like that.”

“Hehehe, are you jealous, Karina? You could always join in as well, you know.”

“Milady…”

“Are you not going to do it?”

“I will.”

Just as the two of them were happily mapping out their schedule for the day, her tutor, Lara Barbe, stepped into the room.

“Lady Juliana, this is rather difficult to convey, but it appears Lord Hinoharu departed toward the north a short while ago. The scout assigned to watch Lord Hinoharu has just returned with the report.”

Instantly, Juliana’s face froze over like a lifeless theater mask.

“What do you mean?”

Lara began her explanation with a thoroughly terrified demeanor.

“It appears he is heading toward Ebba-berg, the territory belonging to Clara Ansbach.”

“That woman is supposed to no longer be Mr. Hinoharu’s master!!”

Juliana’s exquisite features warped violently with pure jealousy and hatred.

“Mr. Hinoharu is a man appointed as a Knight Bachelor of the kingdom; under such circumstances, it is unacceptable for her to treat him as a retainer. Using him like a common servant is completely preposterous. What on earth does that woman think she is doing by orchestrating this…”

Juliana continued to mutter a stream of monologues to herself.

After spewing a relentless torrent of words, she suddenly fell entirely silent.

Growing deeply concerned, Lara called out to her.

“Milady… are you alright?”

Failing to offer any response to the question, Juliana maintained her absolute silence for a moment longer before flatly opening her mouth.

“Let’s just kill Clara Ansbach.”