Chapter 140

Two days have passed since I separated from Asagi. That means he should be returning from his excavation today.

It has been quite a while since I traveled alone like this. From our campsite up until the start of the mountain road, I had this feeling as if Asagi was right next to me. But once I began to climb the mountain, my footing started to become slippery.

“Ah, this will not be an easy climb.”

I caught myself cautioning the usually clumsy Asagi. I could only sigh and laugh at myself then. It seems that I have become so used to traveling with him. It was odd since the times that I traveled alone were so much longer…

I suppose, in the end, I was rather lonely.

While the road was well trodden, there was no mountain cabin along the way, and so I was forced to pitch a tent and camp out in the open with a fire. Asagi had collected branches along the way, so I did not need for firewood. He was often very clumsy, yet he could be very perceptive as well. Now that I was alone, I could see that he did such things in order for our journey to be as comfortable as possible.

“Hahhh…”

I could not help but sigh when I thought of being alone another night. It was surprising just how much I missed him. Even my food seemed to lack flavor. It was the meat from Veigun’s stalls, it should be delicious… But perhaps it was now lacking the greatest spice of all. In the end, I only ate four skewers that night.

The next morning, I advanced through the thin mist. Not much was known about the mist goblins, but it was said that they did not appear in this level of mist. It had to be very thick for them to come out. But where were they usually?

I passed others who were climbing the mountain. We greeted each other and went on our ways. Asagi would have greeted them happily. I found that I did not talk much when he was not around. I had always traveled alone and spoke as little as possible. It was not that it pained me or that I disliked talking. No, it was not a fear of talking to strangers!

That was the last time I saw anyone, but it did remind me even more of his absence. I was that lonely. My old self would have seen this as a great weakness.

I was a weak person who now depended on someone else to live. I was codependent. Spoiled. I was so immature that being alone made me anxious.

Individual strength was important if you wanted to make it against the world. There was a time when I believed that was the only thing important for me to survive. But traveling with Asagi and depending on each other made me see that the world wasn’t only harsh, it was also gentle.

I did not see this as a ‘regression’ for myself. I saw it as growth. And I was happy when I realized that it was because of him.

“Ah, I had worked so hard up until now, so that we could meet.”

That was the feeling that seeped into my heart and enveloped me.

When I recalled that feeling, the lonely night became nothing at all. Asagi said that he would return. Then I would believe him and keep moving. I would bear the lonesome nights and dream of the moment that we would travel together again.

□ □ □ □

“…Well, such were my thoughts last night. It was how I made it through the cold.”

“…”

“And yet Asagi… To think you could feel joy by the sight of a naked machine. I am terribly disappointed in you.”

“I’m sorry.”

“What?”

“I’m sorry!!!”

Master Daniela had blown a fuse. The reason, clearly, the Automata.

“What a thing to bring with you!”

Such was our reunion. After that, Daniela told me of her feelings during the past few days. It was the most heartwarming story, but her eyes were not smiling in the least. I was sweating down my back.

She was furious.

It was as if my wild instincts, or sixth sense that I had cultivated since coming to this world had run away crying. Goodbye, sixth sense. Your sacrifice would likely end in vain.

“Huhhh…What do you mean to do with that…”

“I wanted to ask you…”

“Put it back where you found it. We do not have any time to spare for some automated doll.”

“Oh, but I’ll take care of it! I’ll recharge it!”

“You say that now, but clearly I will be taking care of it eventually! It is so obvious!”

“I will…”

“Hahhh…”

I complained, but it was no use. My efforts in retrieving the reactor cores were for nothing.

“…Perhaps we could auction it with the reactor cores in the imperial city. It should fetch quite a price.”

“That’s horrible!”

How could you sell such a cute doll!

“So what do you want to do? It would be very difficult to bring such a thing with us.”

“It could help us.”

“I can help myself.”

“Take the night watch…”

“It is best to do it yourself and keep your guard up.”

“Uh…”

It was no use… Daniela was strictly anti-Automata. Her opinion was a firm NO. I put her opinion and the doll on a scale. Tragically, the scale tipped heavily to Daniela’s favor. I would have to give up…

“Well, if you’re against it…”

“I would rather be with you alone. Even if it is an Automata, it will get in the way.”

“Sorry. Really, I’m sorry for leaving you.”

“Asagi…”

“Daniela…”

The distance between us began to shrink. I felt as if I were being pulled into her green eyes. Her eyelashes lowered over them, and I closed my eyes as if to follow her.

□ □ □ □

Now, the place that I had reunited with Daniela was slightly passed the mountain peak where the road began to go downward. It was still very high here, and very cold. However, Daniela and I realized that we would quickly become warm if we exercised, and so we did. We generally kept a rule to avoid exercising while on the move, but Daniela had been away from me for a while, which stirred something within her. Besides, we were so far up that no monsters would appear, and so we exercised a lot.

The next day. We wiped each other’s bodies with a cloth soaked in hot water as we prepared for the day’s journey. We just needed to climb down the mountain. Once that was passed, it was through the southeastern pass. And then we would reach the imperial city of Vellefrost.

“We must go south first. After a while, we turn east.”

“Just like when we went to Replant.”

“Yes.”

Would there be a place like Senka Village then? I hoped that Merica was well… I thought as I stroked the strap doll that hung on the hollow bag. Daniela saw this and immediately knew what I was thinking. She smiled.

“We already took down the tent. We should go now.”

“Yes, we’ll eat breakfast as we walk.”

We bit into our meat skewers as we started to move. It would not have been so leisurely if this was not a beaten path, but there were roads and even stairs in some places, which made it easy to walk.

As for the Automata that I’ve been avoiding bringing up until now, it was in the hollow bag. As a nonliving thing, I was able to store it just fine.

We had decided to auction it after reaching Vellefrost. It was an ancient elven artifact. A relic from the age of advanced magic. Surely that would ensure a hefty price for it. And we could sure use the money… Even if I didn’t intend on buying a new set of armor, it would need maintenance. My equipment had seen a lot of use… I’m sure there would be fine craftsmen in the imperial city. It would be nice to go on a new adventure with equipment that had been fully repaired.

“To be honest, Asagi…”

“Huh?”

“I do not want that Automata nearby, because of how rare it is.”

According to Daniela, such an Automata had been found in the past. It was over ten years ago, and the single automated doll had resulted in someone’s death.

“It would be for our own safety to let it go.”

“Even I wouldn’t…want to keep it around if it meant danger.”

“I understand the fascination.”

Daniela got it. She was an Adventurer, after all, and there was a sense of romanticism in the discovery. But she was also much more experienced than me, and her sense of reason was stronger. She was reliable because she thought before she acted, unlike me.

“You even took some reactor cores with you. They will definitely sell.”

“How much do think we’ll get for them?”

I asked. Daniela folded her arms while still biting on her skewer.

“Hmm….considering how much it sold for before…”

“Yeah?”

“Probably about five thousand.”

Five thousand? Gold pieces?

“Of course. You have the reactor cores, after all. The one that sold before was one thousand with one reactor core. Considering the condition it is in and the extra reactors cores and the rarity of it, the price should go way up.”

“Daniela, there was another one in good condition there.”

“Well, it is too late.”

Damn it. With a little more work, we could have made ten thousand in gold…!

I cursed my own foolishness as we descended the mountain. Daniela was just laughing as if with exasperation.

The mist eventually faded, and a soft, warm light shone down on us. It was as if it was blessing us, as we walked down a path that was so close to the clouds. …Yes, it really was great traveling together with Daniela. This was a good reminder.