‘What’s wrong with them now?’ Satin thought as he arrived at the meeting spot with Cain.
He immediately grew suspicious. For some reason, Rita and Edward seemed more distant than before. The two, who had been getting along well, were suddenly acting awkwardly. There must be a reason for this change in behavior. Perhaps they had done something embarrassing.
‘Did they hold hands or something?’ Satin wondered, but he had no way to confirm his suspicions. Truthfully, he no longer cared if they were flirting or doing something else.
‘It’s none of my business,’ he thought.
Cain, standing two steps away from Satin, scanned the area with a sullen expression. He seemed displeased by the unexpectedly large crowd. After surveying the surroundings, Cain warned Satin, “Don’t talk to anyone unnecessarily.”
“Okay,” Satin replied, too tired to argue about overprotection or to point out that these people weren’t enemies.
Rita noticed their arrival and scolded them, “Why are you just standing there? Say something if you’ve arrived.”
“There are so many people,” Satin replied, trying to change the subject. “How many are there?”
Edward, standing next to Rita, answered, “Twenty-eight. Fortunately, we should have enough carriages.”
“That makes thirty-two with us,” Satin noted, looking around at the gathered crowd. The individuals, though diverse in appearance, shared a common air of preparation for a long journey rather than a short trip. Satin wondered if his group appeared the same to them. He checked his own attire, feeling somewhat inadequate despite his efforts to dress appropriately. Rita, on the other hand, looked quite prepared.
As the departure time approached, a woman clapped her hands and called out, “Everyone, gather around!” She was a robust staff member from the Adventurers’ Union, hired to lead the group to the next city. Though she had no experience leading a group of travelers, she had guided mercenaries for various caravans.
“The journey won’t be long, so I’ll keep the rules simple,” she announced. “No fighting, no stealing, and no cutting in line.” The rules were straightforward and essential for a group of strangers traveling together.
“In case of a monster attack, stay with your group and don’t interfere with others. Intentional disruption resulting in harm will be reported to the Bureau of Order,” she added, emphasizing the importance of cooperation without forcing interaction.
The groups boarded their respective carriages, which had been readily provided by eager coachmen. As Satin’s group entered their carriage, the guide exchanged a nod with Rita, who acknowledged it with a dismissive wave.
Once the carriage door closed, Rita sighed and said, “Human nature is so fickle.”
“What do you mean?” Edward asked, pausing as he set down his bag. Satin also turned to look at Rita, curious about her sudden philosophical remark.
Rita scratched her neck and explained, “I mean, we gathered all these people to stay safe, but now I’m thinking, ‘What if nothing happens?’ It feels like it would be a waste.”
“That is quite fickle,” Edward agreed, causing Rita to blush slightly.
“It’s just a thought,” she clarified. “Thinking about it won’t actually cause anything to happen.”
***
Satin’s group, along with the guide, totaling thirty-three people, were headed to Pinehill, a city just north of Midland. The road between Midland and Pinehill was almost straight, making it difficult to get lost. However, the lack of villages along the way made the journey less appealing to travelers. Edward briefly explained the reason for this.
“The land around here isn’t suitable for farming, so it’s been mostly vacant since ancient times. It was only twenty years ago that a road was built, allowing people to travel through,” Edward explained.
“Oh…” Rita murmured, impressed, before narrowing her eyes. “Where did you hear that?”
“I heard it before we left. While you suddenly rushed off to buy socks,” Edward replied.
“Ah, right.” Rita nodded, remembering.
“But you didn’t end up buying any socks,” Edward pointed out.
“Well, I realized I already had plenty of socks…” Rita admitted.
Satin noticed the tension between them but decided not to pry. Instead, he changed the subject. “Will there be a place to camp along the way?”
Edward, calm and composed, answered, “Probably. People tend to rest in the same spots, naturally turning them into campsites.”
“I see,” Satin replied.
“Since the nights are mild now, camping should be comfortable,” Edward added.
Cain chuckled, drawing Satin and Edward’s attention. “You sound like you’ve camped out a lot,” Cain remarked.
Though it sounded sarcastic, Edward didn’t take offense and just smiled wryly. Satin, however, smacked Cain’s arm in response. The sound of skin hitting skin was loud since Cain had taken off his robe.
“Ow, why’d you hit me?” Cain complained.
“You were being rude. Don’t talk to your friend like that,” Satin scolded.
“He’s not my friend,” Cain muttered, but his tone was more sulky than harsh. Satin gave him a stern look, and Cain fell silent, turning away with a pout.
Satin wasn’t too concerned. He knew Cain’s mood wouldn’t last long. If Cain were the type to hold grudges, they wouldn’t still be together.
‘We’ve gotten too close,’ Satin thought. At first, he had wanted to part ways quickly, but now he felt differently. Life was unpredictable.
As expected, by the time the carriage reached the campsite, Cain was back to his usual self, sticking close to Satin and offering advice. “Don’t talk to strangers,” he warned.
“We can talk a little. We’re all traveling together to help each other,” Satin reasoned.
“Didn’t you hear the rules? No fighting, no stealing, no cutting in line. Humans have a habit of doing all three,” Cain reminded him.
“Fine, fine,” Satin sighed, stepping out of the carriage. Cain followed, putting his robe back on.
Around them, people were stretching and setting up camp. Some had already made friends and combined their groups.
“Looks like some people are cooking,” Satin observed, seeing someone with a small pot.
“Don’t even think about cooking,” Cain warned.
“Why not?” Satin asked.
“We don’t have any tools,” Cain pointed out.
“True, but we can at least think about it,” Satin replied. He used to think camping and glamping were pointlessly uncomfortable, but seeing everyone prepare for the night, he understood the appeal.
Cooking over a campfire, sleeping under the stars—it seemed romantic. And with no mosquitoes to bother them, it would be even better.
As Satin daydreamed, Cain interrupted, “Remember the rules: no fighting, no stealing, no cutting in line.”
“I know, I know…” Satin sighed.
***
After dinner, Satin settled into his makeshift bed under Cain’s watchful eye. It was just a few blankets on the ground, but it was cozy enough in the mild night air. Cain lay down right next to him, close enough to touch.
Edward watched them and asked, “Won’t that be too crowded?” But Cain ignored him, and Satin just smiled, feeling content despite the circumstances.
“Feeling a bit embarrassed, Edward awkwardly smiled and began cleaning his sword. Without any special equipment, he could only wipe the blade clean.
“We must stay vigilant, especially when it’s peaceful like this,” he said.
“Yeah, you’re right,” Satin agreed, though he doubted that cleaning an already clean blade would increase its effectiveness. But if it made Edward feel better, Satin saw no harm in it.
Rita, who had been mingling with the other travelers after dinner, returned to their group. She casually spread her blanket next to Edward and said, “I heard some rumors about Cloverland.”
“What kind of rumors? About the Demon King’s castle incident?” Edward asked, pausing his sword cleaning.
Rita nodded. “Well, specifically, rumors about the reward for defeating the Demon King.”
“Reward?” Satin asked, tilting his head.
Rita shrugged. “You know, the huge reward they gave to those who defeated the Demon King. Word about that has spread.”
It seemed that news about money traveled fast. No one in the group was particularly surprised by this revelation.
But Rita’s story didn’t end there. “And it seems to have sparked some strange rumors as well,” she added.
“Strange rumors? What do you mean?” Satin asked, intrigued.”
