"Let's go!"
At Raul's signal, the group slowly began to move, leaving the town of Soreina behind.
The women, now free, waved goodbye near the gate. Just as Torihite had said, even though they had gained their freedom, they still chose to work as prostitutes. However, Rose hoped that since they had the right to decide on a good brothel manager, their working conditions would improve under fair contracts.
Jawara got into his carriage and waved to the prostitutes near the gate. After all, they were his foster parents. Jawara was wearing brand new clothes, new shoes, and his hair had been neatly cut, which made him look completely different from when Rose first met him. As he sat in the carriage, his heart felt heavy; the excitement of leaving mingled with a pang of sadness. He thought of the countless nights he'd spent listening to their stories, learning about struggles and laughter, and the warmth they had extended to him. He felt a surge of gratitude but also a sense of loss. As they disappeared from view, he clung to the hope that he would return one day, not as a boy under their care, but as a man. Yet, a big smile and a childlike sparkle remained in his eyes as he said his goodbyes, masking the complex emotions swirling within him.
"Shit! Take care!"
"I'm Jawara now!"
There was a moment when everyone turned to Jawara and tilted their heads in confusion. However, it didn't seem to matter to him.
As the last carriage passed through the gates of Soreina, the voices of the people faded away, and the journey returned to silence. The Revolutionary Army members were chatting, the goat Noi sat quietly in the carriage, and the chickens were groaning as they ate their food. Rose felt a sense of relief as life returned to normal. In fact, Rose and Raul, who were confined to the mansion, would sneak out every day to buy snacks at the market. Being confined to their luxurious cages had caused them stress. So when the notice of their departure came from Torihite, they both danced for joy.
"Why did Rose ride a horse?"
Jawara asked, staring at Rose, who was riding the horse nearby. The captain of the cook staff group, riding beside him on horseback, looked frightened.
"Call her Lady Rose or Doctor Rose! She's a senior person, so don't say anything rude to her."
"Senior? Is Rose strong?"
"Call her the Doctor!"
The cook staff captain yelled again.
"Is Doctor Rose strong?"
Jawara corrected himself and asked the same question.
"She's strong. And she's a medic, so she's important to us."
"A medic?"
"Someone who can cure illnesses."
"The same as Ali?"
"You should call him Lord Ali... This is bad... We'll have to teach him manners and common sense."
Raul, stepping back, laughed as he listened to the conversation.
"Well, take your time. Jawara, Rose is a skilled medic, and she's teaching Ali and the other magicians how to treat the patients. Her magic is amazing, too."
"Is that so?"
"If you work hard, you'll get stronger, little by little."
"So I can ride a horse?"
"Haha, a horse... Yeah, you can. Anyway, Rose’s horse is special. Torro is the horse that chose its master, so please don't make the mistake of riding on Torro's back. It's a ferocious horse, so it's dangerous. You could get hurt, or even die if you're unlucky."
"Yes."
Jawara glared at Torro, then nodded.
"Once you've grown a little, I'll teach you how to ride a horse. You can also ask the others to teach you how to drive a carriage. I want you to do your best, especially in work, study, and practice. Of course, I want you to get along with everyone. I want you to listen to and obey Captain Opal's orders."
"Yes."
Captain Opal is the commander of the staff squad. Rose merely laughed at Raul's words.
"Don't you have a tail, Doctor?"
Jawara couldn't help but ask when he saw Rose.
"Yeah, I don't have one to begin with. Maybe it's a little different from yours?"
"I have a tail. Huh? I think Doctor Rose had a tail that time..."
"It's a fake tail. I had the artisans make it for me. It doesn't look strange, does it?"
"Yes. That's amazing!"
"Do you like making things, Jawara?"
"I don't know."
"I see. It's good to learn from everyone little by little and master the things you're interested in. Everyone here is your family, after all."
"Family? Everyone here is my dad?"
"Boo!"
Rose couldn't help but laugh. Raul and the others chuckled. Spending time with prostitutes raises the possibility, and it can't be denied. But there's no way to confirm it.
"I don't know if everyone feels that way, but I think it's okay to think that way. I won't be your father, but I can teach you how to read and write."
"Well, the Doctor is a woman, after all."
"Yes."
Rose smiled and nodded. Riding on Torro's back, she began singing a song from Renetta's people that the farmers had taught her. It was a beautiful song, a song about waiting for a loved one's return. Raul and the others listened quietly. After that song, she sang a rhythmic, upbeat folk song from the Parala region, and Jawara's eyes lit up. It was the first time he'd heard a foreign language, and it seemed refreshing. He asked to learn how to sing, so Rose gave him singing lessons along the way. For some reason, Rose thought, he might have a talent for singing, just like her fallen guard, Jawara. By the time they reached the lunch break, he'd already mastered the song perfectly.
Rose and the others ate a delicious lunch prepared by the staff group and took a short break. Raul and the others discussed their route while checking the map. Tod and Jawara practiced singing while washing dishes and pots in the river. Rose suddenly noticed that Tod had become like an older brother, taking great care of little Jawara.
After cleaning up, the group set off again. They stopped at a village they came across along the way. They’re selling medicine and offering free medical care before continuing their journey. There was a large amount of vegetables and meat in the back of the staff group's wagon, and Rose was excited to see that they would have tonight's dinner. Lopez was eating an apple he had bought in the village and chatting with the other members of the merchant group. Raul laughed and said that Lopez loved apples and might eat an entire basket by himself if someone didn't stop him. Jawara was sitting drowsily next to the goat and fell asleep. His first long journey had been stimulating and exciting, which is why he was tired and fell asleep. Opal, the cook's commander, draped a blanket over Jawara from his horse and stroked the goat's head. The goat is currently pregnant. It will give birth in a few weeks.
"So what happened to the Soreina military base? What about the soldiers who were there?"
"We liberated them. They're necessary for the defense of Soreina, so if we lost them, the town would be attacked by bandits."
"Are there bandits around here?"
"Yes. Renetta has many mountains, so there are plenty of places to hide. That's why there are so many bandits."
"I see."
"I've often heard stories of small settlements and villages without self-defense groups being attacked by bandits and destroyed."
Raul took some dried meat from Rose's bag and stuffed it into his mouth.
"This is delicious."
"Yeah."
"You bought it?"
"I bought it at the Soreina market. You see, the day I first met Jawara, it was when I was wandering around the market by myself."
"I see. But next time, please speak to me. I don't mind taking you to the market, so feel free to ask me for advice."
"Okay. Sorry."
"I was the one who didn't realize you were feeling cramped. But after we were there together for a few days, I really understood the meaning of the birdcage."
Raul gave a wry smile.
"Hmm."
"I used to be interested in the lives of aristocrats, but not anymore. I prefer an ordinary life. I find a little less than luxury more meaningful."
"You understand how I feel."
"Yeah."
Raul nodded.
"A small house for just the two of us would be fine, right?"
"Yeah. But I think it'd be better if we had a courtyard or a field. I love growing potatoes, and I'd like to plant some."
"Potatoes?"
"They're delicious... and they serve as emergency food. So potatoes are important."
"Haha, that's true. A potato field is better than a pretty garden. I can't wait for the day I can live with you."
"Yes."
Rose wasn't sure if she could live with him in this country. But probably not, Rose thought. She had intended to sneak away from Raul after meeting Miraiya, but recently, Rose realized that that thought had faded away. Rose noticed that she felt very comfortable around Raul. Somewhere in her heart, she might have accepted Raul... as a romantic interest.
"Captain! We can see tonight's campsite, but it's earlier than we thought. What do you think? Should we continue on, or prepare for camp? Which do you think is better?"
Tobia stepped back and asked Raul.
"We'll camp. We're not in a rush, so we can take it easy. Even if we hurry, there's no river ahead, so it'll be even more dangerous if it gets dark."
"Understood."
Tobia galloped his horse back to the front. The procession slowly entered the forest, heading for their planned location. They found an open area with a small river and prepared for camp. It had been a long time since they'd last lived in a tent, and Raul was feeling very lively. He set up his tent and placed Rose's sleeping bag and the three-eyed monkey fur inside.
The farmers took the horses to the river and gave them water to drink. Following the instructions of the head of the cook group, Tod and the others wandered around the area to gather branches for firewood. Of course, it would be dangerous for just the two children, so several members of the Archery Squad and the farmers also came with baskets and accompanied them. After a few minutes, they returned with some wild hares and some potatoes. Since the cooks' work would be from here on out, the children, Tod and Jawara, decided to study reading and writing with the farmers.
After having them practice writing on the dirt, Rose had them write with the notebook and pencil she had bought. Paper is a very valuable commodity, so it is used carefully. Jawara also struggled with his first pencil and notebook, practicing writing her name. Yes, at the very least, Rose thought. Revite said it would be a great thing to be able to write, as signatures are essential for official documents. Revite also taught them how to read and write. Rose thought that Revite might be better suited to being an educator than a politician or a staff officer.
When the study session ended, Tod and Jawara returned to their work, preparing the meals. They were busy serving food and preparing meals, handing out hot water, and carrying plates. Despite his small size, Jawara brought some apples on a plate to Rose and the others. When Torihite gave his apple to Jawara, a big smile appeared on Jawara's face. Jawara, unaccustomed to other people's kindness, was sometimes taken aback, but little by little, he would understand. He'd learned to say thank you properly, and Rose thought they'd have no problems spending time together in the future.
"Thanks."
Raul said, and they gratefully ate dinner. Jawara's eyes widened as he tried the wild rabbit stew and thinly toasted bread for the first time. The stew was thick and creamy, thanks to the generous amount of cheese they'd bought in the previous village. Jawara cleaned the stew from his bowl with his fingers and licked the stew off his fingers. Then, Torihite signaled to Raul. Raul signaled to the staff member, and the captain took a large pot and poured piping hot stew into Jawara's empty bowl. He poured some into Tod’s bowl and Rose's bowl as well. Second helpings were free for the two children and Rose. Finally, when everyone had finished eating, Rose was the one to dispose of the leftovers. It would be a waste to throw them away, so Rose, who didn't feel full, ate them all up.
After dinner, it was time for everyone to take turns bathing. When Rose and Raul returned from their bath, Torihite and the others were standing in front of the campfire, and called them out. As they approached, Torihite handed Raul something. It was a painting of Rose's face, made by the embroiderer Miguel. It was so beautifully done. Seeing the finished piece, people started ordering from the embroiderer and queuing up for their turn.
"I'd like to have some, too."
Raul gave the embroidery to Rose.
"Wow... the fox ears are beautifully recreated."
"Yes, that's the face from back then. It's so beautifully done. I think I'll order some later."
Raul glanced at it.
"Shall I give it to you?"
"No, it's yours."
"I'll keep it later. I'll keep it as a talisman, and I hope you'll win the battle and return home safely..."
Rose wrote a wish in ancient characters on the back of the embroidery and placed it in a small leather pouch.
"Here, I'll give this to Raul. It's a good luck charm."
"Is it okay?"
"Yes."
"Thank you."
Raul gladly accepted it. He took the picture out of the bag, looked at the ancient characters written on the back, and tilted his head.
"I don't know what it says."
"Those are ancient characters. You saw them at the Fire Dragon Temple, right?"
"Ah, those characters."
"Yes. It says victory in battle and safe return."
"That's reassuring. Thank you."
Raul smiled and carefully placed the embroidery in the bag. Curious, Torihite asked to see it, so Raul handed it to him. As expected, they too showed great interest in the ancient characters. Revite copied them into his pocket notebook. However, Torihite scolded him because it didn't look like the original, so Revite ended up asking Rose to write it for him.
"Ancient characters?... That's interesting."
"Really?"
Rose answered while drinking hot water.
"You're very knowledgeable, Doctor. I remember hearing about ancient documents being kept in the Central Library. I'm not sure if they're still there, but I think it would be a good idea to stop by on your way to Lemona. They're documents that no one can understand, so I think you might find the key to solving the mystery."
"Is that library far from here?"
"It's not that far, but it's in a slightly different direction. Lemona is southeast of here, while the Central Library is north."
"I see."
"If you want to go there, Doctor, I think it's okay to take a slight detour."
"Are you sure?"
"I think it would be best, but what do you think, Lord Lau?"
Torihite nodded at Rose, then turned to Raul. Raul looked at Tobia and the others for confirmation. They nodded, and Raul nodded in return.
"That's fine. Tomorrow, we'll head north to the town of Soldova. But first, I want to get some supplies. It's a town full of scholars, so I think durable leather would sell well. What do you think, Lopez?"
Raul confirmed this with Lopez, who nodded in response.
"There are a lot of bag makers here, so I think we could sell deer hides or boar hides."
"Deer or boar... I'd have to do some serious hunting to get many."
Raul thought deeply.
"I can summon a giant boar that would be difficult to kill, but... I think we'd have quite a lot of just one of those."
Rose blurted out. There was a reason I didn't really want to summon it. It's strong... and far more ferocious than a fire bear. She once defeated it during her training with Darga, but she has a bad memory of nearly dying.
"Even Rose has a hard time defeating it?"
"Yeah. I nearly died."
"I'm curious."
Raul was fascinated.
"Well, I think it'd be a good idea to try taking it down with multiple people. I'll use support magic to make sure it doesn't die, so I think a few people who are confident in their skills won't be a problem."
When Rose spoke, for some reason, Raul and the others' eyes sparkled. Even Ali approached, listening with interest.
"I'd like to fight him,"
Raul said.
"Me too,"
Martin agreed. Pele and Ali nodded.
"Is the meat good?"
Gordon asked with a laugh.
"It was pretty tasty. My master loved stewed meat like that, and always enjoyed it with wine."
"It's good with wine..."
The men reacted strongly at the mention of wine. Even the usually cool Lumiere's eyes lit up.
"Wow..." Rose laughed, "These Red Fox men are really showing their true instincts."
Or rather, their eyes were now fully those of a predator.
"Can you summon it out now?"
Raul asked.
"Please don't. I need time to draw the card. Besides, he's nocturnal, so if you fight him at night, no matter how much support magic I have, you'll end up dying."
Rose replied with a dumbfounded look on her face. Torihite nodded in agreement.
"Everyone can get up early tomorrow. You're all tired today, so let's get some rest."
Torihite said as he sipped his hot water. The captains nodded in agreement.
"That's right. Let's get some rest tonight. I'll have that ready tomorrow after breakfast."
Raul said to Rose.
"Good. I'll get it ready, so be prepared."
"Excellent."
Raul said with a laugh. He didn't know it, but that thing was a wild beast, far bigger than even the Three-Eyed Monkey. And that thing was Fariz's favorite food, too, Rose thought with a wry smile.
The next morning.
After staying up all night, the summoning spell paper was finally complete. While eating breakfast, Rose checked each character of the spell to make sure there were no mistakes. It would be a disaster if she'd made the same mistake as Efergan that time. When she tried to summon a ferocious tiger, it was Hyo, Rose's bodyguard, Linka’s father. Hyo and Linka were father and daughter, but they didn't get along, so the two of them unleashed their murderous aura and fought. They managed to keep things together, and no one was killed... Still, Rose had to be careful, she thought, as she rechecked the paper.
After breakfast, a few of the more skilled warriors accompanied Rose to a location a little distance from the campsite. They cut down the surrounding trees and leveled the ground, then surrounded the area with a wide barrier spell. After casting careful support spells on Raul and the others inside the barrier, Rose took out the paper.
"Are you ready?"
"Yes."
Raul and the others nodded. A red aura emanated from their bodies. Torihite and the others watched from a safe location, and for safety's sake, they decided to protect them and the camp with a large barrier. It would be a good idea to double up on insurance. The goat and chickens, perhaps sensing a bad premonition, remained quietly in the carriage.
"Come forth! Giant Thunder Boar!"
As Rose poured magical power into the summoning spell and activated it, she instantly felt a murderous aura that froze her. A huge boar appeared before her, twice the size of the Giant Three-Eyed Monkey. This boar was even bigger than the one Rose had fought as a child. True to its name, the boar was imbued with thunder. It had a single horn on its head, from which it generated lightning. Its tusks were very long and impressive. Rose thought this boar was probably male. Covered in black fur, it exuded a terrifying, murderous aura. Perhaps the boar was angry because it had been summoned while asleep, Rose thought with a wry smile.
"This is..."
Raul gasped. It was the first time he had ever seen such a beast.
"It's a Thunder Boar. It has thunder, and it's gigantic."
"Have you fought it?"
"Yes. I was still young at the time, so my master summoned a slightly smaller one. He told me to defeat it with just a dagger, without using any magic, and I nearly died. Hahaha."
Rose replied in amazement, saying that Darga's request back then had been unreasonable.
"If Rose can do it, so can we. Let's go!"
Tobia and the others were moving under Raul's orders. Rose had left the barrier and was sitting next to Torihite, sipping hot water and watching Raul and the others fight. She occasionally cast healing or barrier spells.
"It looks like a lot of work..."
Torihite kept his eyes on Raul and the others.
"Yes. But it's not an opponent that can't be defeated. My brother defeated it with his bare hands, so I don't think it'll be a problem for Raul and the others with weapons."
"With... bare hands?!"
Torihite tilted her head, wondering if he'd misheard.
"Yeah. That boar is my brother's favorite food. Sometimes he goes hunting alone and makes roast pork."
"With his bare hands?"
"Yeah. He kills it with his bare hands and butchers it with the dagger he brought with him. To my brother, daggers are just cooking tools, so he doesn't use them in combat."
"..."
Rose cast a barrier spell on Raul and the others again. The thunder boar was rampaging quite dramatically. Raul was kicked multiple times and hit the barrier. She thought it was a good thing she'd tripled the barrier spell.
"Is Lady Rose's brother... a Demon?"
"Yes. He's a pure Demon, one of the Demons that came to this world with my father."
"I see... he seems strong."
"He is strong. And he is big. He's scary when he's angry, but he's very kind to me, and I treasure him."
She wants to meet Fariz again, Rose thought. She really misses him.
"I want to meet him. I've never met a male Demon."
"A male Demon is much larger than a female Demon, and the skin is a deep oat color."
"Is that so?"
"Female Demons have light skin, don't they?"
Cecilia, the head maid at the village mansion, is a pure female demon. She's a little larger than an average woman, but she's beautiful and has light skin.
"Yes, Princess Soraiya is also very beautiful, and her skin is, let’s say, a very light oat? She's the same height as an average woman."
"I want to meet her. I've never met Aunt Soraiya before."
"You can meet her... I promise you'll meet her."
"Yes."
Rose cast another support spell on Raul and the others. They managed to inflict a wound on the boar, but it wasn't fatal, so it looked like it would be a while before the match was decided. The Revolutionary Army members watching the fight were cheering loudly.
"Doctor."
Jawara pulled Rose's hand.
"Huh? What's wrong? Are you scared?"
"No."
Jawara shook his head.
"I saw smoke in the sky over there."
He gestured to a different abbot's chambers than Raul and the others. Rose and Torihite turned around and looked up at the sky. Sure enough, they could see black smoke.
"I'll just check."
Rose rose, concentrating on her flight, and gazed in the direction of the smoke. She could see a small town, and confirmed that fires were rising from it.
"Raul, Torihite, please reply."
Rose is sending links to Raul and Torihite.
(Yes)
Torihite connected.
(What's the matter?)
She also connected with Raul.
"Please play with that boar later."
(What happened?)
"A nearby town is under attack. A large army is clashing."
Rose broadcast the situation to Raul and Torihite.
(That's the flag of the Cassol family.)
Torihite replied.
"The Cassol family? Nobles?"
(Yes. They are the rulers of this region.)
"Who are they fighting?"
Rose continued watching the fighting armies from the sky.
(The Abin family.)
Torihite answered.
"Is this a fight between nobles?"
(I think so.)
"So, what should we do?"
(You've already decided, right?)
Torihite stood up and looked up at Rose, who was flying above him.
"Leave them alone?"
(No way... Let's crush them both.)
Torihite nodded. Rose understood what he meant, removed all of the barriers she had set up, and headed toward Raul and the others. The boar was still excited and alive.
"Sorry, boar, but our play is over."
Rose stared at the boar in front of her. Raul and the others were on guard, seeing the excited boar.
"Giga Deadly Rose!"
A sharp thorny branch emerged from the ground and pierced the boar's chin through its head. The boar died with a loud cry.
"One hit..."
Raul muttered.
"He was already weak, so I only finished him off. I'll let you fight at your leisure next time. Tell me anytime."
"Yeah."
"Multilock! Heal! Barrier! Speed-boosting enchantment! Attack-boosting enchantment!"
Raul and his companions' tired complexions brightened as they received support spells.
"I wish you good fortune in battle. May the Fire Dragon bless you."
Rose came to Raul's eye level and kissed his forehead. Raul nodded.
"I'll march."
Raul kissed Rose's hand. Then he mounted the horse Martin had brought and set off for the battlefield.