391 Watchdog
Thus the corpses turned into ashes, blown by a breeze of wind.
But the pile remained tall due to the amount.
"This should do. We won't arrive before it's dark out if we don't depart soon."
After saying that, the coachman checked the pile of ashes with a long stick and confirmed there were no embers left before boarding our stagecoach.
I thought to myself as we resumed our journey.
(No more of these thugs please. Heck, who'd want to run into bandits twice, thrice a day!)
I'm told this route is safe. And yet look at this encounter rate.
Wish this 'something' inside me could read the room.
Apparently that wish got answered, there was nothing but a peaceful scenery all the way through afterward.
Then after a while, we stopped by the roadside to have portable rations for lunch and immediately departed again.
The ladies had a sour look, which was understandable. They must be not used to salty dried jerky, bread burned black to extend its shelf life, and water only as beverage. Of course it tasted bad.
Why'd the kingdom decide on giving us poor food after all the preferential treatment? They could have prepared something more delectable yet the coachman gave us those rations instead.
(Not even a grumble, these ladies are pretty well adjusted...)
They must be aware that this is all for the sake of their survival. They're only here because they're not safe in the federation.
They won't last if they complain over a meal.
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >
"We will be arriving at the midpoint village soon."
Hearing the coachman, I looked outside and saw sprawling fields all around us.
I must have dozed off while I was lost in thought, the surroundings have been dyed orange by the evening sun.
There's a simple fence erected near the village entrance with two young men standing guard over in the distance. Their clothes seem rather high class.
They're holding wooden spears. We're gradually getting closer.
I leaned out of the stagecoach and spoke to them.
"Hello, we'd like to stay a night here. Can you lead the way to an inn? Preferably one that serves good food."
This village seems pretty big, I see plenty of houses.
It must be a bountiful village, both food-wise and financial-wise. There are fields everywhere the eyes can see around the village's perimeter with nicely growing crops.
This place is the halfway point to the commercial city. There must be a lot of merchants stopping by and doing business here.
The so called flow of money.
"We have two inns in our village. Which one's you like? The cheap or pricey one?"
One of the young men replied to me with an easily digestible explanation, seemingly used to it. I thus reply.
"The pricey one of course. Lead the way."
I fetched two silver coins and gave each of them one coin. Their tips, so to speak.
I gave both to avoid them quarreling later.
"Oh!? Are you sure! Thank you very much! Feel free to call me anytime you need something while you're in this village."
The two young men were elated at the sudden windfall, but I just want to get to that inn right now. The ladies must be tired from this trip they're not accustomed to and the toll it's taken on their mental health. I'd like to let them rest at an inn quickly.
"Just get us there. I'm hungry. It's almost nighttime too. Get to it."
"Yes sir, leave it to me. It's this way."
The coachman had a sour look as he saw me poking my head out of the stagecoach and doing all that.
Apparently this should have been his job as a coachman, but I don't have any obligation to follow that rule.
I dunno if he was annoyed because I took his job or because he had another duty to accomplish here.
This coachman being my 'watchdog', I wouldn't be surprised if he had been tasked with another mission.
(No point wasting time thinking about stuff I have no idea of. I won't get an answer anyway.)
I'm aware that I'm a blockhead who lives my life haphazardly, I shouldn't overthink this stuff.
Meanwhile, our stagecoach stopped at a relatively big two-story building.
Posts
