Volume 4 Chapter 1 Bridge Inspection
After they arrived in Bridge Village and finished unpacking, Cain, Barvish, and Gardy went to see the bridge. Lala stayed behind to watch the house.
They borrowed two horses from the soldiers' post and set out. Gardy rode alone. Cain rode with Barvish. The path to the bridge sloped gently and was lined with trees. It felt peaceful.
At the top of the slope, the view opened. A river came into sight, and a single bridge crossed it. A wagon was moving across.
The river was wide—maybe twenty meters—with embankments about five or six meters high on both sides.
"That's a pretty big river. That's the current bridge."
Barvish said above Cain's head.
"Yeah. For a town road, the bridge is narrow. Even from here, you can tell it's old."
"Should we get closer?"
Barvish asked. Cain said, "Yes," and they headed toward the bridge on horseback.
A few wagons waited to cross. The bridge was too narrow for wagons to pass each other, so they had to go one at a time.
"The space before the bridge and on the other bank is pretty wide. Why's that?"
Instead of going straight onto the road, there was a flat open area—about the size of a baseball field—in front of the bridge.
"I'm not sure. Maybe it's a waiting area for crossing."
Gardy said while looking at the people and wagons lined up.
"Hey, how long do we have to wait!? If you don't hurry, it'll be dark!"
A young man—he looked like an adventurer—started yelling at the soldiers managing traffic.
"Wait quietly! This bridge is old and weak. It's dangerous to cross all at once, so we're doing it one by one. If you want to complain, don't cross!"
A middle-aged soldier snapped back.
"I paid the toll, so I have the right to cross!"
"Huh? What are you talking about? The toll is only for wagons with cargo. This bridge is getting replaced soon, so the fee helps with repairs. We don't charge pedestrians or traveling merchants."
The young adventurers fell quiet and looked down.
"You'll die early if you can't read a situation. Just wait your turn."
The soldier was strict, but Cain thought he was doing a good job.
"As expected of a soldier from Margrave Shield's territory. Well trained. We sometimes check troop strength by looking at soldiers posted in places like this. Keep that in mind."
Barvish said.
"Thanks, Barvish. I'll remember that. I want to rebuild the bridge soon, but I also want to see the other side. Is that okay?"
"Yes, Gardy. I'll go to the other side, wait in line, and show Sir Will's letter to the soldiers."
Gardy nodded and started walking.
"Oh, Gardy! Follow the rules. I don't want to attract too much attention, so tell them that too!"
Gardy stopped, gave a small bow at Cain, and rode off.
He seemed flustered earlier but got his meaning. When the soldier saw the letter and understood, he nodded and showed Gardy to the end of the line.
After waiting about thirty minutes, they crossed with the other pedestrians. The bridge stood about five meters above the river. From horseback, it looked scary, so Cain kept his eyes on the bridge while crossing.
Parts had been repaired, but the bridge creaked as they went over. Cain felt uneasy, but it still seemed safe enough for foot traffic.
The other bank had a plaza like Bridge Village. That side looked lower, and when looking back, the plaza on Bridge Village's side wasn't visible.
"That side's a bit higher. If you look close, there's a small embankment raising it. We'll need to check, but there might be a reason."
Barvish said.
After a quick look around the other bank, Cain crossed back to Bridge Village. He felt satisfied with the inspection. He had seen the site, confirmed the risks, and could now judge how soon and how big the rebuild should be.
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