「Takato, over here!」
Panting and wheezing, I somehow managed to reach Bisha. A mountain at night is way too high difficulty, seriously.
「G-good work」
I should’ve brought a backpack with a hydration system. Big mistake.
「Yeah. It was small, so it was easy」
The Roselan lit by the light was about my height, covered in gray fur. A child? And people eat this? The isekai mindset is way too hardcore.
「Even so, that was impressive. You’ve got real talent」
It just makes me feel pathetic about my own lack of talent. Managing a group full of prodigies is going to give me stomach ulcers.
「Is there a magic stone?」
Young ones usually don’t have magic stones, but just in case, I cut it open. A pebble-sized one came out. It was deep navy blue. Was it a variant?
「Bisha. They say this thing’s edible. Want to eat it?」
If someone told me to eat it, I’d politely decline.
「I don’t want to. I like pork better」
Then I’ll just take the ears as proof of subjugation.
I cut off the ears with a machete, but… what now? Carry them by hand? That’s seriously gross.
「Bisha. I’m heading back to Home for a bit. Keep watch」
Saying that, I returned to Home.
「Takato-san」
Of course he was awake. Even if I told him to sleep, it’d be pointless, so I let him do as he likes.
「The Roselan pack has been taken care of. We’re cleaning up now」
I gave a brief explanation, put ice into a cooler box, and went back outside.
I placed the severed ears into the cooler box, wiped the blood off the magic stone with a rag, and slipped it into the pocket of my cargo pants.
「Alright. Let’s head back」
「Yeah」
「01, the Roselan that escaped has been taken down. We’re heading back now」
「00, understood. We’re done here too, heading back」
Going back was nothing but pain, but if I didn’t, I’d be stuck in the mountains forever. Hang in there, me!
And after thirty long minutes, we finally made it down.
Ahhh! I want to take a shower, drink a beer, and pass out cold! I swallowed those urges and gathered everyone, including Kainzel-san, for the end-of-operation briefing.
We had taken down six Roselans. I tossed the magic stones into my backpack, and the severed ears we’d cut off as proof went into the cooler box. Wait, do I really have to keep these until we get back to Koraus? I don’t want to carry them around, so I decided to store them in Home.
「I’ve left the rest to Mishinie and the others, but just in case, let’s take turns resting」
「You rest first, Takato. It’s written all over your face how exhausted you are. Ladarion, we’ll take watch. Bisha, you rest too. Mebi, protect Takato」
I must’ve looked awful. Kainzel-san, who’d been standing back to give me face, stepped forward and started giving orders.
I accepted gratefully. The moment I lay down in the front seat of the Pioneer, I lost consciousness, and when I woke up, it was morning…
「…I messed up…」
I never thought I’d feel that despair of oversleeping again. I honestly wanted to die right then.
「You’re awake」
When I sat up, Mishinie was leaning against the Pioneer, drinking canned coffee. Had he been watching over me?
「…How did it go?」
「No damage to the caravan. No injuries. The Roselan cleanup finished without issue, and we welcomed the morning without problems」
I see… thank goodness…
The drowsiness was gone, but sleeping in the Pioneer had left my body stiff and aching. Everything hurt.
「Why don’t you wash your face at the river? We’ve got time before departure」
If that’s the case, I’ll head back to Home and take a shower. I want hot water to loosen up this stiff body.
When I returned to Home, Miriel was asleep in her electric wheelchair.
I carried her to the mattress, covered her with a blanket, and let her sleep peacefully.
After showering, I bought Muroya rice balls, packed them into a basket, and went back outside.
When I headed to Pioneer One, Kainzel-san was asleep, having entrusted things to Ladarion, while Bisha and Mebi were eating the breakfast they’d bought themselves.
「Sorry about that. I’m the only one who slept. Were you two awake?」
「Yeah. But I’m not sleepy, so it’s fine. Grandpa Kain said we should sleep once we’re on the way to Rydand」
That’s true. Once we cross the pass, we’ll be in Count Rydand Territory, and there aren’t supposed to be any especially dangerous monsters there. Even if there are, it would probably just be wolves. Sleeping shouldn’t be a problem.
I handed the rice balls to Ladarion and headed over to Dyne-san.
Dyne-san was already awake, grilling and eating Roselan meat.
…The smell wasn’t bad, but meat in the morning? Just what kind of stomachs do people in isekai have…?
「Good morning. Did you stay up all night?」
「No, we slept in shifts. Pulling an all-nighter would be too rough」
The job of a peddler must be even harder than I imagine. Despite getting little sleep, there wasn’t a hint of drowsiness on his face.
「As discussed, please take the lead until we cross the pass. We’ll handle the rear」
Even though we’d defeated the Roselans, there was no guarantee there weren’t others. If we were attacked from behind, it would be bad, so we would take the rear guard. Of course, adventurers would still scout ahead as well.
I drank a can of coffee and went out to keep watch with the VHS-2 in hand.
Around seven o’clock, the caravan began preparing to depart, and just before eight, the main members gathered to review the route to Rydand.
「Then let’s proceed without letting our guard down until the end」
As the head of the escort, I closed things out and gave the signal to depart.
Once all the wagons had set off, Pioneer One followed. We, the Pioneer Two team, stayed behind at the campsite for a short while, and after judging that no ambush was coming, we set off as well.
TN: Sugi means something too much or excessive. Takato to takasugi for sleeping too much or something. Yeah, it’s pun using his name.
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