Volume 3 Chapter 43 To Frontier Count Shield territory
In front of the Lord Sanroze's manor, a covered wagon stood still. Men were loading various items, though it wasn't clear if they had finished packing. Originally, it was supposed to be a cargo wagon, but Lydia, worried about the rain, had it changed to a covered one.
"Cain, be careful. If Margrave Shield asks too much, come back immediately."
Lydia, who was originally supposed to accompany him, spoke while holding him close.
"Mother Lydia, I'll be fine. Besides, Grandfather will be my superior, so I can't refuse his commands."
He didn't want her to worry too much.
"I see. But Mother has asked to include a note of caution in the letter, so please be at ease."
Her words were reassuring, and Cain could only respond with, "Yes."
"Cain, be careful on the way. Even though Barvish and Gardy are with you, take enough precautions."
"Father Luke, thank you. I will be careful."
He expressed his gratitude for Luke's advice.
"Sir Cain, here is a letter from Sir Luke to Margrave Shield. Please give it to him during the audience upon arrival. It concerns the progress of building the new town."
Randolph handed Cain a letter in a long, thin box.
"Certainly, Randolph. Thank you for arranging Lala's accompaniment. I thought it might be too much for just Barvish and Gardy to handle escorting and looking after me."
Cain said after confirming the letter was sealed with beeswax. He appreciated Lala's presence, especially after checking the seal.
"No, Lala's accompaniment was at Lady Lydia's instruction. Sir Luke also readily agreed."
"Father Luke, Mother Lydia, thank you very much."
Cain said loudly. The two nodded with smiles.
With the farewells done, Cain boarded the covered wagon, signaling their departure. As Barvish shook the reins, the wagon began moving slowly. Cain moved to the back and shouted, "Well then, we're off!"
Cain's wagon smoothly passed through the town gate of the new city. Visibility was good, and there were no signs of monsters or bandits, so the journey was progressing smoothly. Barvish and Gardy sat on the driver's seat, while Cain and Lala sat in the cargo area.
"Sir Cain, this cushion and futon are warm."
Lala commented, referring to the items Cain had prepared and placed on the table.
After hearing about the wagon journey, Cain had set up a cushion, futon, and a small table—a makeshift "kotatsu." Predicting it would be cold, unlike a box wagon, he had prepared these items.
He had also made similar arrangements for Barvish and Gardy. Since a kotatsu wasn't possible on the driver's seat, he modified it by enclosing the foot area with boards and placing a small brazier for warmth.
"Is it? I thought it would be shaky, so when I was walking through the market during sewer construction, I found wild boar fur and decided to make it."
Cain explained, patting the cushion.
"But what's inside this cushion? It doesn't seem to be straw."
Lala asked, checking its comfort.
"Yes, I stuffed it with wheat chaff. It's quite nice, isn't it?"
Cain replied.
"It's another interesting idea. And this *kotatsu*? It really is warm."
"I'm glad you like it. Though, adding charcoal and the chimney is a bit cumbersome."
He had also crafted a small brazier and air intake/exhaust pipes using [Earth magic] to prevent incomplete combustion inside the kotatsu.
"But still, if we get too cozy, won't it slow us down when we need to act quickly?"
Cain remarked, hinting at potential issues.
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