Volume 1 Chapter 77 Chaser
After dinner, it was already late in the night, and the area was completely covered in darkness.
The only people outside are Edward and I, who take turns resting and keeping watch. Edward wasn't my choice, but he volunteered because he needed to keep an eye on the horses from time to time.
This offer came as a bit of a surprise, as Edward had been working with horses during the day, so he was probably the most fatigued, and I had thought that Edward was the type of person who didn't want to take on any tedious work.
Mel and Fatina are asleep in the carriage.
At first, Fatina said that she would also join the watch, but then Mel started saying that she couldn't just rest peacefully, and as she was undecided on what to do, Edward said, " I thought it would be a good idea for the ladies to improve their cooking skills before they take their turn on watch," and the conversation ended.
"..."
As I sit, I stare at the flickering flames of the bonfire in front of me.
All I can hear is the sound of insects and the occasional crackling of the burning wood.
At this late hour, there's no one passing through the road. They must be camping somewhere, resting just like us.
There are creatures with good night vision among the monsters. That's why it's risky to be attacked by them in the dark, even if there are adventurers guarding. When we moved from Voltana to Trasverum before, we spent the time just like we're doing now.
"It's your turn."
Before I knew it, Edward, who was sleeping under the blanket, had woken up. I didn't realize it, but it seemed like quite some time had passed since he started his watch.
Edward poured water from a leather bag into the iron pot and placed it over the campfire. He's probably going to drink the tea that Chester had packed and spend the night. Then he sat down facing me, across the fire.
"Why are you an adventurer?"
Edward asked as he gazed into the fire.
"Why do you ask?"
"Well, it's just out of curiosity. To me, being an adventurer seems too dangerous to do willingly, so I don't expect you to answer if you don't want to."
"I want to become stronger. That's why I'm taking action."
"Oh, really?"
Edward looked strangely intrigued by my response.
"Become stronger, huh. I've heard you're already quite strong, but what will you do after becoming even stronger? Do you have something you want to do?"
"At that time, I will find a way to become even stronger."
"That sounds like a never-ending story."
Edward didn't seem very convinced.
It's true, aiming to be the strongest is vague, without any clear goals. Apart from that, I also think I have to resolve the matter involving the key that has involved many people.
Suddenly, during dinner, I remembered something Edward talked about in his dream.
"By the way, you said your dream was about 'living a long life,' but what does that mean?"
"Well, it pretty much means what it sounds like. When a person dies, it's the end. It's a clear and easy-to-understand goal, right?"
"Then why did you decide to take up this job?"
"Simply because my father was a coachman, so I followed in his footsteps. I'm earning money to make a living. It's the same routine every day."
"Don't you have any interest in doing other jobs?"
Edward fell silent in response to the question, and after a while, he spoke again.
"Other jobs... Well, I did consider it at one point. But in the end, I never took action. And before I knew it, I'm this age. Clow Merchant Guild pays me enough, so I'm not struggling for money. Plus, our competitors, the Wiol Merchant Guild, made a mistake and disappeared because of this recent incident. I won't be out of work for a while, I guess."
Certainly, now that their major business rival has disappeared, there will be no decrease in the work of the coachman at the Clow Merchant guild. It is necessary to transport many goods to distant places using carriages. Teleportation Magic has many limitations, and there are hardly any people who possess the skill, so it is unlikely to become widespread.
"Well, I apologize for keeping you company. It would be good for you to sleep until the shift change."
Edward ended the conversation and didn't say anything else.
I felt like there might still be something he wanted to say, but maybe it was just my imagination.
* * *
Five days have passed since we started traveling by carriage.
So far, there haven't been any major problems. Edward takes care of the meals, and while watching him, Mel and Fatina have been gradually learning and improving. Now, they can properly make enough soup for everyone, with a taste that is enjoyable to eat.
Our journey on the road is going well, and we've already passed more than half of the distance. Edward's horses are still energetic and our speed hasn't decreased. We should be able to exit the long forested area soon.
"By the way, it's strange that we haven't encountered any monsters at all, isn't it? We are quite far from Trasverum now."
"Yes, it is. It wouldn't be surprising to see at least a few. Could it be because we defeated the guardian of Aquaflow Cavern?"
Fatina and Mel were discussing this inside the carriage.
When we conquered the Emerald Green Dungeon, the number of monsters around Voltana significantly decreased. It's possible that a similar phenomenon occurred when we cleared Aquaflow Cavern, but our current location is closer to Metis. It wouldn't be surprising if monsters start appearing soon.
"If you hear rumors, be careful. It's serious business."
Suddenly, Edward said that.
Alongside the two who had tense expressions, he leaned out from the coachman's seat.
What came into view was a creature larger than a carriage, freely soaring through the air.
Its appearance resembled that of an eagle in the upper half, with enormous wings.
However, from the front legs down, it looked like a lion.
It was the famous monster known as the Griffin, as well-known as a dragon.
It was designated as an A-rank monster in the Adventurer's Guild.
The Griffin could fly through the sky at will and attack people with its large beak and hooked claws. Its speed in the air rivaled that of a dragon, and magic often missed its mark. It is said that adventurers who can handle a bow have an advantage in fighting it. If you simply compare stats, it should be possible to repel it, but it is a difficult opponent to fight as it constantly stays in the sky.
The Griffin ran through the air, moving its front and rear legs, repeatedly circling above the carriage. It could attack at any moment, so the situation was unpredictable.
"Okay, let's quickly chase it away... Huh?"
But then, the griffin suddenly left the carriage and disappeared into the forest beside the road.
It should have clearly noticed us, but...
"Huh? It's gone."
The three of us exchanged glances.
We didn't understand why the griffin let go of us, its prey, and disappeared.
--But soon after that, our questions were answered.
"Wha..."
While looking at the griffin that reappeared in the sky, Mel was speechless.
Attached to the griffin's front paw was a "monster".
The thing that the griffin had grabbed with its paw landed a little distance away from our carriage. Right after that, the carriage shook violently like never before.
What fell down was a gigantic, pitch-black wolf-like monster. It stood on all fours, as tall as a carriage, with its large eyes shining crimson red.
I've never heard of a monster carrying another monster before. Their appearance seems as though they are cooperating with each other, but it doesn't seem like the Griffin and this monster share that kind of sensation.
'Rrroooarrr!!'
The black monster that landed on the ground charges towards our carriage with a terrifying roar. Its speed is even faster than the Shadow Chimera we once fought.
It swiftly runs closer and suddenly lunges at us. If it lands a hit, the carriage would shatter into pieces.
"(Death)!!"
Standing on the coachman's seat, I confront the unidentified monster with (Death) carrying Quadruple.
However, (Death) disappears upon hitting a purple barrier that appeared in front of it. It's magic defense.
And in the next moment, a black miasma engulfed the front of the carriage, deflecting the attack. The ability called 'Miasma Wave' had been activated.
'Rrrooarr!!'
The monster's huge body was knocked back as it collided with the wall of miasma.
The monster took a moment to distance itself and then began chasing after us. The griffin was still flying overhead.
At this rate, they would catch up to us again soon. Maybe we should stop the carriage and fight.
"...?"
But then, I felt a slight loss of strength in my body. When I checked my status, I noticed that my magic power had decreased by 800. Considering the magic power that I lost when I was attacked by Allen, who had become a guardian, it was a significant decrease.
"This is getting out of hand."
Even in this situation, Edward calmly remarked. He held the reins firmly without any signs of panic.
Soon after, the carriage veered off the road and began racing through the forest.
The carriage skillfully zoomed through the gaps between the towering trees, swiftly navigating the pathless road. It was an incredible feat.
"Wow, this is amazing! With this, that big monster won't be able to catch up!"
As Fatina said, in the forest, it would be difficult for the monster to run effectively due to its size. The griffon in the sky won't be able to surprise attack us from above anymore.
"Ark, do you have any means to defeat it?"
If it has magic defense, the only method I can use for now is the Instant Death Magic spell (Ruin). In other words, if I can successfully cast (Ruin), I can instantly kill it.
"Yeah. It may take a bit of time, but if my magic hits, we can defeat it."
"Alright then, let's keep running. Once we reach the main road, take it down swiftly."
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