Progress down the highway, we’re making progress. We’re heading towards the Royal Capital. We won’t get there if we don’t keep going. Yet, despite all thaat…

“Hey, Gusu-oyake.”
“This is impossible. I can’t walk anymore…”
“You, are you a freaking sheltered girl?!!”

We ain’t making any progress.

We’ll be camping out again today, just like we camped out yesterday. Ahre? Now that I think about it, haven’t I been camping out just about every night since coming to this world? Not like I got much money, so it works out…

“Hey, you.”
“Uugh, I’m a sheltered girl with no physical ability…”

Looks like we’re gonna need to reconsider how we’re doing this. Just, how’d this girl even make it out this far? She can’t ride carriages and there’s no way she walked. There’s no way for her to even be here.

“Say, how’d you even make it out to here?”
“Etto… I, at my own pace and with rest days, rode a horse.”
“A horse? What horse? I’ve never seen you leading around a horse.”
“Ah, about that…”
“You ate it?”
“I actually had it return home ahead… I did not eat it!”

Anyway, it looks like the horse is fine for the time being. Actually, if she were to try and eat it, I’m positive she’d turn it into charcoal.

“Seriously! I had it return home!”
“What were you planning to do for your trip back?”
“Uuh… I did not think about it.”
“Idiot.”
“Uu uu uuu! But, it’s not like we can’t walk back! Besides, I didn’t think a carriage would shake that much!”

Well, I guess so. For sure we’ll eventually walk our way there. Just, what did she mean by not knowing a carriage would shake that much. I’ve had to teach Gusu-oyake lots of stuff. Weird. She can ride a horse but didn’t know a horse drawn carriage would shake? The heck kinda life does this girl even live?

“Well, isn’t that fine? Not like you’re in a hurry to get back to the Royal Capital, right? Let’s just take our time.”
“That is correct. Shouldn’t journeys be enjoyed?! We should be reaching a town soon. From there, we will only be about a day’s travel from the Royal Capital. Everything is all right!”

So, that’s how it is. We can just take it easy as we walk. Still, for Gusu-oyake to say such a thing, she’s completely cleared up her doubts.

I whack Gusu-oyake over the head.

“Oww, what are you doing?!”
“You’re really something. Where’d all your caution run off to?”
“Eh? Zero-san, I have spoken about various things with you already. Is bothering you with more truly alright?”

This is about that? I’m trusted that much? For some reason, I’m starting to get fidgety. Chibi, what do you all think? Why’re you all covering your faces with your hands? You’re even turning a bit red. Are you copying Gusu-oyake?

“I don’t get it…[1]”

Even just some, I wish had common sense. To be a guy like that.[2]

We camp out as we’ve grown used to doing. In the morning, I teach Gusu-oyake how to prepare rice. I am shocked, this girl can actually be taught. Except, whenever I take my eyes off of her… How many times do I got to hit her on the head until she gets it?

And just like that, we start walking again. For now, we’re aiming for that town ahead of the Royal Capital. Just, we don’t walk much and end up covering just as much distance as yesterday.

“Zero-san, how about a short break?”
“……”
“Don’t you think breaks are important?”
“……”

I walk in silence. This is turning out exactly like yesterday.

“Ah! That looks like a walking stick!”
“……”
“Aww… it’s is no good…”
“……”
“Zero-saaaaaaaan!”
“Shaaaaad up!”

In the end, we take a short break. Today too, we barely make any progress. This time, the chibi make some sort of concoction. If these guys started some sort of pharmacy, wouldn’t they strike it rich? That’s an idea. I’ll think about it for the future.

“Uuugh, my legs hurt…”
“Hey, Gusu-oyake. Spread this over them.”
“Eh? Uwa, it smells horrible… What is this stuff?
“It’s for whenever you get tired. Suck it up and smear it on.”
“For real?! Understood!”

She rubs it on with a silly smile. Still, every now and then, her face scrunches up from the foul odor.

I said there’s no hurry, but traveling with others comes with tons of troubles. Those guys who hung out with me before must have had it rough.[3]

I’ve seriously had tons to think about ever since I came to this world. No, I probably just wasn’t thinking back in my original world. Still, I feel that changing like this is for the better.

“Zero-saaaaaan.”

Yep, for the better. From now on, it won’t just be with the chibi. I’m gonna get along with loads of people. I’ll be the type of guy who always has a pal around.

“I said, ‘Zero-san’!”
“Shad uup! What do you want?!”
“No, that oji-san[4] said we could ride in his wagon.”
“Ah?”

From since who knows when, there’s an ossan with a horse and wagon. He looks like he’s heading back home after finishing his farm work or something. When did Gusu-oyake even get caught up with him? Should we just go with it?

We take him up on his offer and climb aboard. Seems like he’s on his way back to town.

“Excuse me, thank you very much.”
“No, no, at any rate, I was just on my way back. So, are you headed for the Royal Capital?”
“Yes, that is our plan.”

Somehow or another, they struck up a conversation. I completely missed the chance to join in. How am I supposed to say anything now that it’s like this? Shit, timing, timing…

“Is that gentleman over there your escort? Monsters have been pretty aggressive these days.”

Timing… It’s here!

“Yeah, tha-”
“Yes, that is just how it is. He’s just as strong as he looks.[5]”
“…Hey, Gusu-oyake! Wasn’t I answering that just now!?”
“Hii!”
“Eh? Ah, look, is the oji-san not already terrified? Zero-san, please refrain from shouting.”

I messed up? Eh? Just now, I messed up? What’s this aura I’m getting of Gusu-oyake telling me to read the situation? 

I messed up…?

“Although Zero-san’s eyes are scary, he is truthfully a very good person. Therefore, there is no need to be frightened?”
“Ah, is that how it is? Excuse me for that, but I’m still a bit scared.”

Darn it, Gusu-oyake is like an angel. She properly followed up on my blunder. Like I thought, I seriously need to practice on reading the mood. Just, how am I even supposed to do that?

The chibi place their hands on my shoulder. From their expressions, they seem to be encouraging me. Ahre? Maybe, out of all of us, I’m the inferior one?

Gusu-oyake and the ossan resume their lively conversation without any concern towards my feelings. The chibi comfort me. What is this?

Just like that, we reach the town. Thanks to the ossan, we get there quite fast.

“Thank you very much.”
“Ye- yeah, you were a big help.”
“Hahahaa, no, no, it wasn’t much. At any rate, it was on my way, so it worked out.”

I see Gusu-oyake hand the ossan some money as thanks. I think of doing the same, but I don’t have much. Still, I am able to give him the fatigue restoration salve the chibi made. He makes a face on sniffing it, but that’s all I got. Then, just like that, the ossan takes off.

“Well then, how about we find an inn for today and depart tomorrow morning?”
“Sounds great. It ain’t the outdoors, but inns ain’t too bad either.”
“I enjoy camping as well. Are the stars not beautiful?!”
“What if the weather sucks?”
“Please refrain from saying such terrible things!”

While having a random conversation, we head for an inn. Once there, we get some rooms and finish up with various stuff. I make some rice, finally take a bath after ages, and hit the sack.

I guess tomorrow’s the Royal Capital? I wonder if I can get a tour of the castle. Maybe I’ll get to see the treasury room. Do they keep an awesome weapon in there? My tension is spiking!

I’m completely looking forward to this.

–What ends up happening at the Royal Capital is nowhere near my expectations.

……

Manai Zero
Skill:  The Person Loved by Spirits
Special Feature: Intimidating Eyes
Items:   Stone Ax
              (Mithril) Pipe
              Light Armor
Objective: Have Gusu-oyake be recognized

---

T/N: Wow, I finally translated something after months. I’ve been super busy, sorry. Still, hopefully this is a sign of change. In other news, my time here in Japan is starting to show. Translating has become a bit easier.

~Gandire Alea

[1] 「わけわかんねぇな…」
[2] 何か、常識人が欲しいわ。俺みたいなやつな。
[3] 俺に着いて歩いてたあいつらも、大変だったのかもしれねぇなぁ。
[4] Uncle
[5] こう見えて強いんですよ」

<<11. …I can’t do anything more than listen.
13. I’m positive, you’re the daughter of a corrupt merchant!>>