Chapter 60
Once they arrived in Noir, Maki and Chiharu learned that the soldiers would be going to the human territories by boat .
“We came by train because it was an emergency . But it’s cheaper to go by boat when you have over one hundred soldiers . ”
And so Paulo and the other cooks would accompany the soldiers and take the three-day voyage .
This meant that Maki and Chiharu would have no work to do for a while .
“I didn’t know they had boats . ”
Chiharu said as she looked at them longingly . They might not have been discovered had they escaped by boat in the first place . No, they would have been caught in Noir either way . So it was good that they had taken the train .
“In spite of the levitation stones, there is only so much you can carry by train . And so it gets expensive . ”
Edwy explained .
“Going by boat would be nice if we had the time, but we have to hurry to the elf lands, so it cannot be helped . As for whether you two will go to the elf lands as well, we can decide that after we return to Midland . ”
“Yes . ”
Maki replied . Maki had a thought . Chiharu was still staring at the boat as if she really wanted to ride it, but that’s not what Maki was thinking about . Train or boat . Which one would protect them from the merfolk? If this continued, Chiharu would start talking about taking the boat and going to some island . Chiharu underestimated the ease at which others found it to abduct her .
Indeed, the merfolk had saved Chiharu in the mirror lake at the perfect time . She was grateful for that and they intended to visit their country once things had settled down .
However, that was once things settled down . But only one of three lands had been settled . And so going by sea at a time like this would definitely result in her being abducted .
Maki was thinking about it seriously . It would be better to go through the merfolk island where they could stay for exactly one hour .
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That was what Maki thought, but the truth was that Chiharu had just happened to be closer . She had just happened to fall into the lake . The merfolk loved the two Saintesses equally . In other words, Maki was in as much danger as Chiharu .
“Hey, Maki-chan . About the boat…”
Chiharu started talking dreamily .
“Yeah, I know . You used to want to go to a far off island by boat back when you were a student, right?”
“How did you know? But yes, and speaking of kelp…”
She started to talk . Well, it was better that she talked about kelp than boats . Regardless, they would not be taking the boat . She nodded and listened to Chiharu, who was now talking about going to a sugar cane island . Maki still thought kelp and sugar cane would be too heavy for Chiharu to carry .
“We’ll be leaving soon . ”
“Okay . ”
“Okay . ”
They would be riding a private train . Grudo, Aeris, Edwy, and those related to the Saintesses were the only ones allowed on board .
“Huh, where’s Chiharu?”
Edwy said as he looked around . She had been there a moment ago, talking about sugar cane .
“Chiharu went to the store . ”
Sauro said . He had come to see them off . Sauro and Saikania were able to fly at the same speed as the train . And so they would head towards the merfolk island once the train left .
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“You might as well ride with us . ”
Edwy said .
“I’ve told you many times already . It’s not that I hate trains . I just don’t want to go underground . ”
Apparently, the birdfolk were very particular, and they did not like being underground . It made them uncomfortable .
“But more importantly, shouldn’t you help Chiharu? She’s being surrounded again . ”
“What! Say that first!”
Chiharu had just been out to buy some fruit juice, when she was surrounded by shouts of ‘It’s the Saintess!’
“Phew . That was crazy . ”
“We already had juice prepared for you . We know very well what you and Maki like . ”
“But, Edwy . Buying stuff at the station is part of the fun of traveling . ”
“Fine, but you should at least tell someone before going off . ”
“Yes, all right . ”
Chiharu looked a little smaller after being scolded by Edwy .
“Heh, Chiharu got in trouble . ”
Maki said jokingly .
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“Well, I got two bottles of juice, but I guess you won’t be needing any, Maki . Oh, well . It was freshly squeezed porapora fruit which only grows in the dwarf lands . ”
“Oh . They sell that in bottles now? Very interesting . ”
“Uh, Grudo . Is that a good thing?”
“It is, Maki . The porapora fruit is very nutritious but quite sour . Because of that, people didn’t eat it for a long time . But now sweeteners have become cheap, and it is sold like this as a delicious drink . ”
“Bu-but Edwy did say that juice was prepared for us…”
“Sorry, Maki . We didn’t prepare porapora juice . ”
Edwy said apologetically . Chiharu held up a bottle and waved it in front of Maki .
“Sorry for teasing you, Chiharu . Please give me that . ”
Maki apologized . There were some things that were more important to a woman than her pride . If you could get new juice with just a few words, then it was a bargain . Chiharu looked proud .
“Hehe . Oh, I suppose you can have it then . ”
However, Nyran and Aeris looked at them with exasperation and said,
“All this over juice…”
“Don’t wander off again . ”
They were both scolded .
They went inside the private train and saw that the interior was much the same as the last time they were on a train .
“I expected something a little more extravagant . ”
Chiharu said .
“Of course, such trains do exist, but we thought you two wouldn’t like it . After all, this is still work . ”
Said Edwy .
“I see . Yes, this is more relaxing . ”
“It really is . ”
After that, they told Edwy amusing stories about their last train ride .
“And then…by the time we arrived at the second clearing, I felt an eye on me . ”
“An eye . I see . That is interesting, Maki and Chiharu . I myself have never felt someone’s stare . ”
“Neither have I . ”
“I have been an Adventurer for many years, and it has yet to happen to me . It would make hunting so much easier…”
“Hmmm . Hunting, huh? Well, I guess it’s the system in this world . Hey, Maki-chan . Why are you looking down?”
“Chiharu? What is it? Why are you looking at Grudo all of a sudden? Is Maki sick?”
“No, it’s not that…”
Just then, Kaider and Nyran put their hands on their belts .
“I’m full of regret!”
“We should have known after watching every night! We’re so stupid!”
Outside of the train’s window, a gazer was looking in at them .