Book 15 Chapter 8
Episode 53
“It’s hot…”
“Gyuung…”
The southern part of the Holy Human Empire is called ‘the Land of Late Summer and Early Autumn’.
“I’m tired…”
“Gyuung, gyuung…”
This is because the late summer and early autumn climate of other regions continues all year round, and this climate has made the south the empire's best granary.
“My ankle hurts…”
“Gyuung, gyuung, gyuung…”
The golden wheat fields were bustling with harvesters. Military provisions for the Great Demon front lines were being levied across the entire continent. It was a nationwide state of martial law.
“So tired…”
“Gyuung, gyuung, gyuung, gyuung…”
Even with such circumstances…
“I wish I could drink a glass of Burgundy poured by a handsome oppa…”
The scenery that day, with birds flying low, kites held by children swaying in the sky, and sunlight dappling over scarecrows, looked simply humble and peaceful.
For a moment…
Forgetting that I had been reading a grimoire, I gazed at the scenery. As if the wind was leaving patterns on the world, the wheat fields were repeatedly swaying and rising.
“Dude, seriously, it’s too noisy. Can’t you just shut up and walk? I even lent you a broom because you said it was so hot.”
Friede bristled.
“Hey, you punk! I’m a priestess of the Republic! I get treated as a top-tier VIP wherever I go! Don’t you think it’s wrong of you to make me keep walking under the scorching sun in a backwater like this?!”
The people of the Republic, who had bloomed a civilization more brilliant than the Empire under the direct rule of dragons, often contemptuously called the entire Empire a backwater.
“Don’t worry at all, Friede! We are the hero’s party! If we advance without giving up, with hearts full of love for peace and justice in the world, we’ll reach our destination in no time!”
Lista clenched her fists in both hands and her eyes shone brightly. Friede made a face close to despair.
“Right, it’s my fault. It’s my fault for trying to have a decent conversation with monsters who have lost their humanity…”
Even though Friede, being a natural-born citizen of the Republic, should have had more resistance to the heat, she was still like this.
The summer at that time was strange.
Due to wicked changes in the seasons starting with the turmoil at the end of the world, heatwaves incomparable to previous summers were scorching.
Hmm…
This is why enchantment is necessary.
I thought my magic would be enough, but maintaining magic constantly consumes too much magical power, leading to the drawback of having no magical power to operate in emergencies. The reason Friede doesn't ride a broom is also the same.
“At this rate, Friede will go crazy. Let’s go to a nearby village and borrow at least a wagon.”
Lista said with a sigh.
Friede eventually collapsed onto the ground, thrashing like a child and refusing to go.
“It’ll probably just be a freight wagon, but do you have any money?”
“Friede earned a lot by doing business with Rin, didn’t she?”
“Ah, no! That’s money I carefully saved up to buy all the cool oppas expensive drinks and get spoiled by them!”
I looked down at Friede.
With the same sensation as when focusing magical power into magic, I focused the emotion of contempt entirely into my eyes.
Next to me, Lista also seemed to be making the same expression.
“Smell, smell, Pipi smelled something.”
Then, Pipi, who had been sitting on Lista’s head, glared somewhere and suddenly spread its wings and flew up. Soon, screams were heard.
“M-monsters!”
The harvesters started fleeing one by one in a hurry, and soon became a massive crowd, rushing towards them.
It was a monster I had never seen before.
Such a giant crow-shaped monster was definitely the first I had seen in the south. Since the children flying kites were the slowest to evacuate, it was a natural progression for them to become targets.
“The children are in danger…!”
Pipi spread its wings of flame and glided rapidly, instantly burning the one targeting the children from feather to skin, causing it to crash.
“Oh, I found a bunch of freight wagons over there. If we get enough points this time, we might be able to borrow a good one?”
Friede, wearing a sun hat, said.
Beyond the fields where the harvesters were fleeing, numerous freight wagons laden with harvests were scattered.
“I’ll lure them over here with my power.”
As Lista placed her hand on the hilt of her holy sword, Friede waved her hand in front of her.
“No. That power is too violent; it’ll cut everything down. There’s a risk of people getting caught up in it… And if you overuse it, your hair will turn pure white in an instant.”
“…But!”
“You have to live a little longer, don’t you? So, Rin, you’ll have to step up here.”
I flipped to the next page of the grimoire and answered briefly, like the hero’s party’s mage.
“Nope, I won’t.”