Chapter 140
Two days have passed since I separated from Asagi . That means he should be returning from his excavation today .
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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 .
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“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!”
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“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 .