Before I left, they offered me a simple wagon and some horses. They insisted that the road would be long, and while I understood that, to me it only meant more trouble for the journey. I would have to care for animals that weren't mine, worry about feeding them, and draw more attention than necessary.
The only thing I accepted was a hooded cloak. It was enough to hide my sword and my worn-out clothes. I knew that in the capital, arriving looking like a vagrant wouldn't be well-received, so I didn't refuse.
The road was... too quiet.
"I just hope there aren't any problems..."
And I meant it. Just because monsters weren't appearing didn't mean other humans wouldn't. I had to be on guard not only for food but also for the possibility of a sudden attack from the trees.
Even more important than the wagon were the horses. I was certain that if anyone saw a "child" with a horse, they would think I was an easy target. Besides, in the event of an ambush, I could escape much more easily without having to leave anything behind.
Still... right now, I was getting bored.
[What do you want to know, Daiki?]
(Do you remember the book I read? There must be some information about the capital.)
[First, it is considered the most beautiful city. There were detailed descriptions of the Great White Palace floating on the lake and the magic towers.]
[Second, it is the headquarters of the Adventurers' Guild, so you could start there to earn money. Jobs pay much better than in other cities because the currency of Millis has high value. You could save up quite quickly.]
[Third, the guilds also have inns, bars, and specialized shops, so it won't be difficult for you to find a place to sleep and eat. Considering your skills and what you could earn from a few jobs, you would have a safe place to rest without worries within your first week. Also, consider buying new clothes. Not just for aesthetics, but also for your safet—]
(I already knew that... well, never mind.)
[You didn't read much of that book because you were more interested in training and in Eris. In fact, just when you were about to read further, she called you. It was that day... the day of the Mana Incident.]
I stopped for a moment.
[Daiki? I am sorry...]
(N-no, it's nothing...)
I felt tears sliding down my cheeks. It wasn't just because of Eris. It was because, for the first time since I arrived in this place, I was truly alone, speaking only with Ayam. That forced me to remember everything I had already lost... and everything I could still lose forever if I kept standing still.
So I resumed walking.
And so began the weeks on the road.
The first was a test of physical endurance. My body, although trained, had relaxed quite a bit in the Doldia village. Besides, I wasn't used to a constant trot for ten hours a day, which I only interrupted to hunt or drink water. All my muscles burned, even while I slept. And always, every time I woke up, I felt a deep ache in my bones.
Hunting became a necessity. It wasn't difficult for me to hunt a couple of rabbits or a few birds, as they weren't used to being attacked by a Saint Rank swordsman desperate to eat.
By the end of the week, I had quite a bit of meat hanging from my waist.
By the second and third weeks...
Occasionally, I would see the silhouette of a caravan or other travelers in the distance. My first instinct was always to hide. Not because I was in danger, but I knew that given my appearance, I might scare them or cause trouble for myself upon reaching Millis.
Besides... a lone child with a fine sword and a cloak was an invitation for trouble, and I wasn't in the mood to accept invitations.
It was during the fourth week that the loneliness began to truly weigh on me.
(Ayam, show me the memory of Eris trying to learn math while Rudy struggled to teach her properly.)
[Accessing memory file...]
...
(Thanks, Ayam.)
[You are welcome. Continuing with the travel routine is the most efficient course of action to reach the capital.]
Even so, replaying memories drained a lot of my mental energy, so I had to use it just before sleeping.
By the sixth week, the landscape began to change. The forest became less dense, and the Holy Sword Highway widened.
And then, one day, after almost two months of uninterrupted travel, I crested a hill.
I stopped dead in my tracks.
There it was, the capital of the Holy Country of Millis.
Millishion.
It was right there, in front of me.
I fell to my knees on the ground, not from exhaustion, but from relief. For a moment, I had thought I might have taken the wrong direction, that I was walking trapped in some illusion caused by hunger.
That would have been horrible...
I slammed the ground hard. I didn't know if it was out of desperation or happiness. To be honest, I couldn't describe it.
[We made it...]
I took a deep breath. For the first time, everything hit me at once: the accumulated fatigue, the despair, the thousands of insects trying to bite me while I slept... and Ayam, putting up with me all that time so I wouldn't lose my sanity.
I stood up, dusting off my knees, and descended without looking back. Straight toward whatever was waiting for me inside.