The first day was fairly boring. After we set off nothing much happened and the constant shaking of the carriage was making me sleepy. I tried to distract myself from the sleepiness by talking to whoever was next to me but there were no good topics. In the end, I drifted into sleep and woke up when the carriage stopped. Looking outside it was already night and so we had to get ready to camp. The ticket was quite a bit expensive but that is because everything needed would be provided by the transportation company. From the tents to the food everything was provided, however, it’s a given it was the bare minimum. The food was hard and tasteless as for the tents they were tiny. Well, it doesn’t really bother me, I lived naked in a forest for around a week. Bad food and poor bedding will do nothing to me.

After everything had been set up, we had our meal that consisted of though bread and dried salted meat. With a soup so bland it might as well be plain water. Looking around at the group of people I could see in their faces slight dissatisfaction however no one voiced it. Then again what use would it be complaining right now? It’s not like they can pull a banquet out nowhere. While eating some chatted to try and distract themselves from the bland food. However, no one talked to me. It can’t be helped, after all, my aura is quite intimidating even if I don’t want it to be. I could suppress it but that’s a bother in itself.

Thinking about my aura I realized something crucial. I can’t enter the academy with my aura like this, it would cause a lot of trouble. I should buy a magic artefact that helps in concealing the aura, there must exist one right? If not I will have to be constantly surprising my aura and that will become extremely annoying. With a sigh, I looked around once more before walking towards my tent. I think I am ready to go to sleep again. I had forgotten how much I could sleep thanks to how chaotic things had been. Truly being lazy and sleeping a lot is bliss.

The next day I was woken up by the sound of footsteps and rustling. Looking outside the tent there were people already picking up their tents as well as distributing soup. I quickly shook off the remains of my sleepiness and got up. Ate the lame soup I was offered and picked up the tent I was provided. Soon after we were back on the road. Once again the constant shaking of the carriage was lulling me to sleep. Before long I had fallen asleep once again.

I was suddenly woken up by the sound of swords clashing as well as shouts coming from the surroundings. Looking outside I saw the adventurers fighting against what I presume were bandits. Their numbers were enough to fight the adventurers three to one. Looking at the size of the bandit’s group I could tell they were the well-organised type as they completely surprised the adventurers. Soon enough a group of bandits reached one of the carriages and began taking out the passengers as hostages. Suddenly the fighting stopped as the adventurers were afraid for the passenger’s safety.

Way to naive. After a long sigh, I jumped off my carriage and stretched while ignoring the warnings from the adventurers, passengers, and coachmen. I was having such a nice nap and it got ruined by all this ruckus, because of this I am in a bit of a foul mood. Before I could finish stretching a bandit dashed towards me, presumably with the intention to hold me as a hostage as well. Big mistake, in a fluid motion I gave a kick to the man on the head with enough force to crush his skull while sending the poor fellow at least ten meters away.

“Listen here missy, surrender or we will kill these people”

“I don’t know any of them so their safety isn’t my problem you know? Moreover, I came out to kill all of you because you woke me up from my nap. But I guess I should at least save them otherwise I might get blamed for their deaths, what a bother”

As I finished speaking I threw Pyrka attached to my bandages towards the man’s skull. A booming sound resonated throughout the place as Pyrka broke the sound barrier and pierced the man’s cranium with no resistance. He was only one of the people that had taken hostages, there were still another four more. Before they could react I dashed towards the next one while retracting my bandages retrieving Pyrka. In the next instant, the head of another bandit was flying through the air. However, by now the others had managed to get out of their stupor.

Their blades moved in an attempt to kill the hostages. However, before they could absolute terror grasped their hearts as I released my aura at full power. The next moment clanging sound could be heard as the petrified bandits dropped their weapons in fear while walking backwards slowly. As I approached a sense of slight deja vu struck me as I saw the heads of a few bandits explode. Then the screams of pain and death filled my ears as a large explosion occurred in the middle of another group killing them. This level of magic is at least A-class, because of this, I turned around to look for its owner.

There stood a girl no older than me, her brownish hair seemed to glow orange as if it had been set ablaze. Her amber eyes shone with a dangerous light as she held a fireball in her hand. With a smirk, she sent the ball of fire towards another group of bandits annihilating them as well. As of now only ten or so bandits remained. In a desperate attempt, they began disorderly running towards the forest. However, I wouldn’t let them go and neither did that magician. With lightning-fast movements, I cut them down while she set them ablaze.

“You are not half bad”

“Heh, I could say the same for you. My name is Amelia Bellevie but please call me Lia”

I smiled and offered my hand for a handshake. The way she mercilessly killed the bandits has left quite a good impression on me. If possible I would like to have a good relationship with this person.

“Nice to meet you, I am Sophia Calorignis but please call me Sophy”

She gave me a wide and slightly wild grin one that I returned. I don’t know what it is but I feel like we can be friends easily. After the cleanup, we set off once again. However, this time Sophy had climbed on my carriage and changed places with another passenger. Not long after that, we began talking about this and that. Telling stories about or encounters with monsters among other things. Because of this, I came to learn Sophie is in fact A+ rank and extremely close to climbing into the S rank. She also refused to believe I am C rank until I showed her my card.

Funnily enough, she spent quite an amount of time complaining about my rank since my strength far exceeded it. I just laughed at her antics and had a good time. Finally, a question that I am surprised didn’t appear at the beginning came.

“So, why are you travelling to the capital?”

“I am planning on entering the royal academy”

I answered truthfully since I had no reason to lie about it. In the next instant, her eyes widened as she took my hands in her with such a wide smile I though her face muscles would tear themselves apart.

“I am also going to apply to the academy! What a coincidence! Let’s apply together!”

I was confused for a second and asked her why she wanted to apply despite being an A+ ranker. She explained to me that her mentor was a teacher in the academy. In the past, her village had been completely decimated by bandits and only her and a few others survived. Back then she became an orphan. However, her mentor who was also the one that killed the bandits back then took her in. He taught her everything she knew about magic and other stuff.

He also wanted her to join the academy but before that told her become an adventurer and see the world. Now that she has done just that she will be going to the academy and meet her mentor once again. I also told her the reason behind me wanting to go to the academy however I sugar-coated it a bit. I told her I was somewhat of a country bumpkin and wanted to learn more about the world.

Soon enough the soon disappeared behind the horizon and once again we ate the bland rations and prepared our tents. However, this time Sophy placed her tent right next to mine and we chatted well into the night. She is an energetic girl and reminds me of Lizz a bit. Remembering the good times I had with Lizz made my chest hurt but I also don’t want to forget her, it's the least I could do for her.

The night went by without any major trouble. Some monsters did attack but the adventurers that were standing guard dealt with them. In the morning after picking everything up and eating we went back to the road. Unlike yesterday Sophy and I didn’t talk as much. We were really tired since we talked well into the night and the carriage’s shaking sent us into sleep. She fell first as her head lied against my shoulder. Her soft breathing was calming and soon I also couldn’t resist the call to sleep and fell as well.

We were woken up by the other passengers’ voices as they admired the walls of the capital. Sophy and I also peaked out of the carriage to look. Far away about a kilometre or so I could see massive walls stretching in the prairie. I estimate them to be about fifty meters tall, with such height their with most be amazing too and let’s not mention the length. If I had to guess it must have diameter of around a kilometre or so. Truly a monstrously big wall. Let’s see what awaits for me in this capital city.