After a few days of resting, I finally got back to my feet. People said time slowly passed by when you wait for it and those few days of resting, I got a taste of it. Not that I was impatient but I hated laying and doing nothing.

Merry told me everything they had done since I started recovering.

First, after I defeated the Mother Slane, they brought me back to the town. They take me to the temple where the devotees of Shaina took care of me. As Kihana told me, she helped the devotees of taking care of me while Merry and Risa both had to deal with my meals and hygiene. I thought intensively what she meant by hygiene but since I woke up after three days, they only cleaned and washed the upper parts of my body.

Second, they took a couple of wanderers with them to retrieve the Mother Slane’s body. While Mother Slanes were dangerous and difficult to kill, groups of wanderers had taken them down. In fact, the guild had received many corpses in other towns, they essentially knew every part of the Mother Slane, the drawing of its bounty proving the case. Well, it made only sense since a weak person like me could defeat a monster like that.

We received a bounty of two gold coins. They also reported the ‘poison’ the Mother Slane inflicted upon me. I didn’t want to report any false information at the guild but it was better than explaining what truly happened.

Lastly, Elird proved that his training wasn’t a waste of time. During their battle, Elird performed well. He prioritized the others before himself and was able to think rationally and logically on what to do. Personally, since I didn’t see it, I find it hard to believe but Merry told me and she hadn’t lied to me once. Also, I thanked Fiss for protecting Risa the entire time. Without her, Kihana would have had a hard time focusing on which role to take.

“You’re going to the capital, right?” Fiss wistfully smiled as Elird held an umbrella for her. This was Elird’s way of thanking her.

“Yeah,” I nodded, sweat fell down on my cheeks.

“You don’t have to look so sad, Fiss!” Fuyuki came close to Fiss. She pinched her cheeks and stretched it as far as she could. Typical of Fuyuki but it did bring a smile on my face. “You’re going to the capital, too, right?”

“Yes,” Elird responded for Fiss as she gently touched her reddish cheeks. “Although it might take weeks, if not, a month.”

Takana approached Elird. “I’m going to miss you, too, buddy.” My mouth opened and hanged itself. Was Takana about to cry?

“Yeah, me too…” Elird succumbed to Takana, Elird must have felt the weight of Takana’s arm on his shoulder.

Fuyuki came to the rescue. “Don’t listen to him, Elird. That guy just wants your beer!” Fuyuki’s finger pointed at him as if he was a criminal. It provoked Takana.

“I’m not, you dumb woman!”

“You are, you monkey!”

As the two bickered, crushing Elird in the middle of it all, Kihana approached Fiss. “Well, we’ll be on our way…” Kihana then take two away, leaving their noisy argument fading in the background.

“You’re going to the capital, too?” that was the first time I heard of it.

“Yes,” Fiss slightly nodded. “Remember the Wilden Tournament? It’s starts next month and Elird’s going to participate in it.”

“Well, I have to attract those noble ladies, you know.”

I blinked twice in thought. “What?” Elird asked, seemingly confused.

“Why find another lady when you have F—“as I was about to say those words, Fiss hurriedly put both of her hand on my mouth. This caused a chain of different expressions.

“What was that?” Elird asked.

Fiss slowly removed her hands from my mouth. “…There was a fly going on his mouth…right, Terrin?” she looked at me.

As a wanderer, I had seen and smelled death. I had looked at the eyes of dying people and monsters while dying. That was why I instinctively agreed to what Fiss said. “T-Thanks for saving me…”

He shrugged it off. “Our fathers still have other businesses to attend to before we make it to the capital. How about you? Would you be staying long enough?”

“I’m not sure,” I looked over Chance, who was tending the wagon and Sray. “It depends on our coachman.”

Fiss looked at all of us. “May Shaina guide you in your travels,” that was the first time I heard of that. Fiss looked at Merry. “And I must apologize to you, Merry.”

Merry kindly smiled at her. “What for?”

“I have always looked at your kind to be inferior to us,” Fiss turned her hands into a fist while looking down. “But seeing you take care of Terrin makes me change my perspective against your race. From now on, I’m going to end my prejudice to your race.”

“As well as I,” Elird smiled. “You’re a wonderful beast, Merry.”

Both of them then bowed respectably towards Merry. Well, this was a sight to remember. Nobody had bowed to Merry before, even if they did, those were nothing but a façade, a gesture of shallowness.

“You don’t have to apologize,” Merry beautifully smiled. I didn’t know why but seeing Merry smile like that made my face hot, beating the sun at its games. “Those things were taught to you, that’s why it’s not your fault but I would love it if you treat my people right, both humans and beasts.” They both agreed.

Lastly, Fiss crouched down for Risa. “I’m going to miss you, Risa.”

“Good riddance,” She turned around and pulled my hand. “Let’s go.”

“Well, I’m sorry about that. I’m sure she will open up to you the next you meet.” Fiss was about to cry. I never knew the reason why she wanted to be liked by Risa.

“It’s fine. Fuyuki said a little nudge and Risa would break down!”

“Hey, Risa’s not that weak!”

After a couple of laughs, we went to our wagon. Sray started to pull the wagon and in no time, we started moving. As we did, we waved goodbye from the two.

*

“I’m going to miss them,” Fuyuki, with seemingly real tears in her eyes, went to Merry for comfort. She rubbed her face to Merry.

“Don’t worry, we’ll see them again.” Kihana smiled.

“Yeah, I’d like to see Elird again.” Takana said, his mouth opened.

“So,” Chance’s voice rang out in the front of the wagon. “What are you people going to do in the capital?”

“What do you mean?” I replied, my voice loud enough.

“It’s the capital, I don’t think there’s much job for you there.”

He still didn’t make any sense. No job? Why would there be no job for us in the capital? Also, not like we need any money right now but money was money and if I could have more, I would gladly do anything but not any life-threatening.

“Yeah, now that I think about it, the capital is mostly peaceful. It’s the capital for a reason.” Fuyuki said, enjoying the lap of Merry. Then her eyes bulged. She must be thoroughly enjoying Merry’s laps. “Why don’t we visit William?”

William?

Takana was fast to reject the idea. “That bastard? I’d rather die than meet him again, to be honest. His face makes my blood boil.”

“Don’t call him like that, Takana,” Kihana chastised. “But it would be lovely to meet him again after such a long time…”

Kihana is okay with meeting someone? That’s news to my ears.

“William? Who’s William?” Merry finally asked.

“You don’t remember, Merry?” Merry shook her head. “William is the mage who summoned us from this world.”

“Oh yeah, you did mention that.” I recalled her talking about their origins at Roq.

“William is a kind person,” Fuyuki smiled while talking about him. “He’s the first person we’ve met that didn’t have any slave with him. He’s a noble but a true one, you know? I think you would like him when you get to know him, Terrin.”

“…Yes, I think William is an excellent person.” Kihana praised him. Kihana usually didn’t talk about other people like this, so it was a bit surprising.

“Well, I’m not the one you should convince.” I took a glance at Takana. He lazily seated in the corner of the wagon with his face already saying no.

“Come on, Takana!” Fuyuki went to him and shook his entire body. If I would describe Fuyuki, her persistence to her goals was absolutely terrifying. “He might have good beer, you know!? I know you like a good alcohol, so accept it already!”

“Fine, fine!” Takana shouted. I was surprised Fuyuki didn’t block her ear by the sheer volume Takana could make. “Stop it already! Stop the wagon, I’m going to throw up!” Takana went outside and just like he said, he did throw up.

“That wasn’t a bad deal, right, Takana?”

“You dumb bitch! You made me threw up my breakfast!”

“For a big guy, you’re such a weak person, Takana.” Fuyuki waggled her finger. Takana looked at her angrily but he knew he wouldn’t win at Fuyuki, so he just let it go. A wise move. Never punch a wall, you’d always lose.

“How about Risa? Doesn’t Risa have a say to this?”

“Well, if you want to be like what happen to Takana, be my guest.”

Risa looked at Fuyuki. Fuyuki smiled at her warmly. “On second thought, Risa’s fine.” as I said, never punch a wall.

“But seriously,” Fuyuki eyes pleaded. “Are you guys okay with it? I don’t want to cause trouble to you.”

“You should have asked seriously first before asking seriously! And don’t look at me with those eyes, they don’t work at me!” Takana then pointed his finger at me. “Unlike that wimp, my heart is as tough as my shield.” He puffed in satisfaction.

Why me?

“Yeah, you’re opinion doesn’t count.” Fuyuki said coldly.

“Yeah, nobody cares about you.” Takana returned fire.

This two really doesn’t get along.

“Well, it wouldn’t hurt to check at an old friend, right?” I said.

“Yehey!” Fuyuki celebrated by jumping on the wagon. That William guy must be a great person for Fuyuki and Kihana to be like that.

After the conversation, they talked about our meal. I stared at the trees we passed by, thinking about what would happen in the capital.

It’s the capital, there shouldn’t be any monster there, right?