“Wait, wait… please stop… my thighs and butt hurt so much…!”
“Of course it hurts if you do that. Relax your body. Keep your back straight.”
Aileen’s hand embraced my waist and butt.
“Don’t tense up too much. Do you want to feel pain again?”
“Ugh… n-no…”
Her hand climbed from my waist and butt up to my shoulder.
“Since it’s your first time, let’s take it slow.”
“Slowly…”
Aileen’s breath brushed against my ear.
“Do it like this and try moving.”
“Like this…?”
Her hand that came down my arm wrapped around my hand.
“Don’t do it too hard; be gentle.”
“Mm…”
Aileen’s chest gently pressed against my neck.
“It’s okay, just go for it.”
Aileen’s scent.
Even though we used the same soap, a subtly different fragrance tickled my whole body.
“Ugh… I-I’ll do it…?”
“Yes.”
She slightly lifted and lowered the reins of the horse.
Purr-
I heard the horse sigh, and it started walking clop-clop-clop.
“Oh… ooh…”
“Getting your balance right is important. Got it? It’s fine since I’m behind you now, but when you ride alone, you have to be careful not to fall.”
“Yes…!”
Even yesterday and today, I’ve moved while riding, but driving felt entirely different.
Besides, I had put down my Great Sword… a complete blind spot!
It was super scary, but since Aileen was holding me from behind, it wasn’t too bad.
Had we gone for a while now?
“Sh-should we go a little faster…?”
I was getting used to the speed…
When I first started moving, it felt fast since I couldn’t see anything…
But now, it felt way too slow!
This was barely different from walking!
“Then I’ll get off, want to try it alone?”
“Ah, Aileen, you’re getting off…? Why…?!”
No way!
I’ll die without you!
“If you get hurt, I’ll heal you.”
That’s such a cold thing to say…
Sure, we’d only met a day ago, but still!
“Okay, I’ll get off… I’ll try alone…”
Pfft Haha… I was just kidding. Go ahead. If anything happens, I’ll catch you.”
Aileen’s hand gently patted my head.
“Um… okay. Then I’ll, I’ll give it a try…!”
“Yes. Remember what I told you earlier?”
I nodded.
I pulled the reins a bit harder, feeling like I was urging the horse with my butt…!
Huff!
Purr-
Clop-clop-clop-clop-
“Oh… oooh…!”
The rolling sensation in my body grew stronger, and the wind blew faster.
The clop-clop-clop sound changed to clop-clop-clop!
“How’s it…?”
“Yeah. You’re doing stable and well! Let’s keep going like this.”
“Yes!”
I couldn’t feel what was around me or what obstacles there might be.
But it seemed like this horse was quite smart!
It slightly moved left, then turned right.
Sometimes it walked a bit more broadly.
Is this how horses in a fantasy world behave?
Well, considering their size is different, their intelligence might vary too.
As I enjoyed the wind brushing against my cheek, I thought about the new Aileen, who was completely different from yesterday.
Yesterday, she kept talking all day, but this morning she suddenly said she’d clean me up.
Now she was teaching me cooking techniques and knife skills.
And now she’s teaching me horseback riding too.
Why the sudden change…?
Does she think there’s something useful in me after watching me hunt?
Well, even I admit I was useless…
But now that I finally found a place to be useful, has she become a bit kinder?
Um… It’s somewhat a sad thought, but I just accepted it.
This world is just that kind of place.
It can’t be helped.
For now, I’ll just clear my head and enjoy the moment.
A slightly damp earthy smell and the soft scent of two people’s soap wafted through the air.
*
“Alright, Noah. Now let’s stop.”
“Yes.”
Around the time when the smell began to change, I switched the reins with Aileen.
“I’ll take it from here since we’re almost there.”
I nodded and gripped the hilt of my sword.
A sharp pain coursed through me and information about my surroundings was etched into my mind.
Stone walls.
Stone fences.
Stone gate.
Just a moment ago, everything was wood, but now it’s stone.
It seemed like we were almost at the eastern ruins, just as Aileen said.
“Let’s slow down and go as slowly as possible. If we get surrounded by monsters, it’ll be a pain.”
Aileen whispered quietly in my ear.
Ugh, that tickles.
But… there’s no need for that.
“I can detect…”
“Huh? What can you detect?”
“Monsters… um… I think I can sense them roughly up to 30 meters away…?”
Aileen tilted her head and asked back.
“Really…? What can you sense up to 30 meters…?”
“…Detection… um… You know I can feel my surroundings, right…?”
“…Yeah.”
“That means… um, that much…!”
I waved my arms around in a circular motion.
“I can see…!”
“That much…?”
Aileen also waved her arms in a circular motion.
“No, 30 meters…!”
“How exactly…?”
Ugh, this is frustrating!
If I can see, I can just see!
“Anyway. So it’s fine. Um… if something comes close, I’ll handle it…”
Aileen continued to tilt her head, looking at me.
Ugh.
You only believe what you see, huh?
Alright, I’ll show you!
Focusing my mind, I widened my senses a bit more.
The information forming in my head increased.
I wouldn’t stop and pushed it more. More. More.
A dizzying sensation started from my crown and flowed throughout my body.
Ugh… this is my limit.
I sifted through the drawn information.
Ignoring the geographical features…
Just stones, dead animals… panties? What’s this?
Ah, no!
Focus!
Get rid of all the unnecessary stuff…
Oh, there it is.
“Left!”
“Um… got it.”
The horse slowly turned in that direction.
After about ten steps…
“This time to the right.”
The body leaned back to the left again.
“Now diagonal…”
“We’re blocked though?”
“Ah… wait a sec.”
I redrew the geographical features.
“Ah… not here. Again… left!”
Clop-clop-clop
“Um… now if we turn right, there’s a little dog… no, a ferret…!”
Aileen took a deep breath, tense with concern.
The ferret doesn’t need to be tense.
We reached the end of the pathway.
Beyond that lay…
Rrrr-
A dog walking on two legs,
growling and scanning the area while holding a hatchet.
“… It seems to have caught our scent… Should I go handle it?”
I subtly drew my Great Sword, preparing to dismount.
“It’s usually better to avoid it, but since it caught our scent, I guess there’s no helping it. This one’s on me.”
But Aileen’s hand stopped me.
“Uh…”
I wanted to handle it myself…
“I can take care of it quietly.”
Reluctantly, I nodded.
Aileen took a moment to steady her breath and extended her hand forward.
Then strange energy flowed from her body, concentrating in front of her palm.
I almost gasped in amazement but covered my mouth with both hands, afraid of ruining my focus.
What I found most fascinating about this world is the magic.
Sure, a cute girl wielding a Great Sword is impressive, but…
To me, that kind of magic is even more incredible…
“Watch closely, Noah. We’re a party now, so you should get to know my abilities too.”
I wanted to reply, “I can’t see!”, but…
Again, I could only nod to avoid breaking my concentration.
Probably held on for three more seconds.
The wobbling energy quickly transformed into the sharp shape of a spear and flew soundlessly toward the ferret.
Swish-
At the same time, the ferret’s head exploded into pieces.
Damn…!
That’s so cool…
Totally awesome…
I should become a wizard too…!
“Wow, wow…”
“What do you think? My skills are decent, right?”
For me, an eight-year veteran of nothingness… that was a lewd newbie’s statement I wanted to indulge in, but I held back my words.
I just nodded.
It was impressive, after all.
And it looked cool!
Even if it took 15 seconds to take down one ferret, that felt a bit excessive…
Though I look like this, I’m pretty strict when it comes to hunting. Hehe.
“By the way, you really did it. Detection…”
Aileen led the horse toward the ferret’s carcass as she spoke.
“Uh, how is it…!”
I puffed my chest out proudly.
“Pfft- Ah… Now that’s a bit more grown-up.”
“Right? I’m good at this kind of stuff… Just trust me and let’s go!”
I might have a slight headache, but… it’s better than rummaging around and waking Carpen up.
“Alright, I’ll trust only you.”
Aileen’s hand gently patted my head.
The atmosphere was definitely different from yesterday…
Did I do something wrong…?
Is she being nice to me on purpose to betray me?!
Could it be… could it be that she doesn’t have 15 gold?!
Is she trying to build a friendship because she doesn’t have money to give me!
Trying to get close!
I’m not that easy to fool, you know?
If that’s the case… then what…?!
Ugh, is there even legal action in this world?
“Why are you spaced out like that, Noah?”
Aileen tilted her head and looked at me.
Ah, no way…?
“Um… nothing… let’s, let’s get going…!”
“Hmm… okay.”
Aileen stopped patting and shook the reins of the horse.
Clop-clop-clop
Our bodies started moving, but my thoughts remained stuck in place.
Ugh… what if Aileen betrays me…?!
Should I at least take her to Alrbama Village and then ask her to betray me…?
I don’t know!
Let’s just ask!
I can just read her reaction!
If she was strange, I’d notice it!
“Ah, Aileen…”
“Yes?”
“Um… uh, you know…”
“Yes.”
But when it came time to say it, the words wouldn’t come out…
“Do you… have money…?”
“… Yes…?”
“Money…”
“… Why all of a sudden?”
“Uh… ah, no…”
I heard Aileen let out a deep sigh.
“Are you worried I won’t give you money?”
How did she know…
Why has she been reading my thoughts so well since last time?!
Is it related to that strange energy…?
“Ah, no… not that…!”
“It is, huh. Hah… don’t worry. I’ll definitely give it to you. I’m not like those other people. Got it?”
Aileen’s warm hand rested on my head.
And then the patting began…
Huh…?
Why isn’t she getting angry…?!
I had my doubts, right?!
She should have just gotten mad!
It’s uncomfortable!
Don’t make me feel like I’m the only trash!
Oh no, I already am trash.
I’m the one who had doubts, made judgments, and worried…
And now I’ve even dared to speak out loud…
“So what’s your answer?”
“Y-yes… I-I’m sorry…”
“Sigh I told you not to speak.”
“Ugh- uh- oh- ah- thank you…!”
“That’s right.”
Clop-clop-clop
My once stagnant thoughts began to catch up with our bodies because of just a few words.
And shortly after…
We arrived at the eastern ruins.
