Chapter 93: Blessed Side Quest 3
TL/Editor: Raei
Schedule: 5/Week Wed-Sun
Illustrations: Posted in discord.
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A carriage sped along the well-maintained road, the horses leading it were racing beside a muscular giant of a man.
In this unique way, we made our way to the blessed Obernu forest near the capital.
Although the carriage was soundproofed, I could still make out the rhythmic gallop of horse hooves and the heavy thudding of someone's footsteps outside.
It made it hard to focus on internet browsing.
Of course, the carriage had been prepared for our group, so there was no space for the muscular James.
Not that we particularly wanted to squeeze in such an intimidating figure, to begin with.
Thus, the peculiar journey of a man and a horse-driven carriage running side by side continued.
"We have arrived."
Came the announcement.
"Hmm, we arrived earlier than I thought."
The driver, looking slightly drainedperhaps due to the unconventional journeytapped gently on the carriage door to signal our arrival.
Though he was skilled enough to be employed by the Knights Division, he probably hadn't experienced something like this before.
Having mindlessly watched bird feeding videos in the park to pass the time, I felt refreshed.
Stepping out of the carriage first, I was greeted by the vast expanse of the forest.
From the outside, it was an undeniably stunning sight.
Every tree, despite its colossal stature, seemed pristinely maintained, with sunlight streaming through, casting dappled light below.
[Han Se-ah has started streaming!]
[Han Se-ah_Excited! A side quest in the blessed forest]
"Wow... just seeing from outside, it's astonishing."
"You can feel the warmth all the way here; truly a magnificent forest."
Following behind me were Han Se-ah, who had quietly started her stream, and Grace.
Soon after, Kaiden and Irene descended, all of us gazing at the forest with admiration.
Though the carriage stopped near what looked like a checkpoint at the forest's entrance, the refreshing air tickling our noses cooled our minds.
There seems to be military patrolling the area, to prevent unauthorized entry.
Considering the divine energy seeping out even to the forest's perimeter, such precautions seemed justified.
"We're the party of adventurer Hanna, here on a request for the Knights Division."
"Confirmed. This way... Sir James?"
"Yeah, that's me. You handle the check, I'll guide them in."
"Understood. But you... came running alongside the carriage?"
As our group gathered around the carriage, soaking in the fresh air, soldiers with long spears approached us, their faces showing surprise.
It was understandable: James hadn't exited the carriage but seemed to materialize from its side.
The soldiers, unaccustomed to a man running alongside a carriage, looked around hesitantly, probably searching for James' horse.
They just couldn't believe he'd run here.
Leaving behind the puzzled soldiers, James led us into the military-styled checkpoint of the forest.
Following him inside, we saw several makeshift buildings, giving off a true military base vibe.
-Damn, I can feel the tension.!
-Went to Nonsan* for a side quest
-I never thought I'd see a military base in another world LOL
-Thought we were heading to a forest?
-The stream just started, why is there a military police inspection?
A soldier is like a private, and a knight is like an officer.
James casually chatting with the soldiers checking at the entrance kind of looks like an officer bypassing all entry procedures, doesn't it?
The viewers also mentioned feeling the tension the moment the stream started.
They preferred seeing the beautiful female characters rather than the stern-faced men.
The camera swiftly panned across the checkpoint's interior and settled on Grace and Irene stretching after disembarking from the carriage, earning cheers from the viewers.
"Come this way, Roland. The sun's setting, we should stay here tonight."
"True, we arrived at an awkward time."
"Probably best to start exploring tomorrow... the forest is quite large."
Grace murmured in agreement to James' words, her gaze sweeping horizontally over the vast forest.
Despite craning her neck as much as possible, trees stretched further than the eye could see.
Though the forest was near the capital, it was vast, with orcs possibly creating bases inside.
Exploring now late in the afternoon would mean we'd be up all night and still not finish.
"We were on the carriage for about two days, traveling from the city of adventurers to this forest near the capital. Nothing really happened... But that knight guiding the way is a friend of Roland's. And um, he ran alongside the carriage the whole way."
-Are you drinking on steam?
-Do you mean Roland's muscular friend was pulling the carriage?
-What does that mean? He didn't ride in the carriage but ran alongside it?
-We'll remember that character lol
-What the hell happened off-stream?
We proceeded under the watchful eyes of the soldiers.
With the vastness of the forest and the presence of not only the Knights Division but also regular soldiers, it feels no different from an actual military base.
Although there are female knights present, they are in the minority.
The majority are ordinary soldiers without any stars.
With so many rugged men around, it's natural that our beautiful party attracts attention.
But, given that these soldiers guard the blessed forest near the Royal Palace, they maintain discipline.
They wouldn't dare challenge adventurers escorted by a knight.
"You can use this barrack. It's a place maintained for guests, so feel free to use the facilities inside. There's a kitchen for preparing meals, but if you prefer, you can join us in the dining hall."
"We have our own provisions, so we'll handle our meals."
Amidst the intense stares, we arrived at a two-story wooden building.
From the outside, it looked like a simple wooden cabin, but inside, it had a fireplace, bedrooms, and even a shower.
True to its description as a building for guests, the neatly organized interior evoked sighs of relief.
Considering the surrounding area was teeming with soldiers, there had been concerns about possibly spending the night in military tents.
"You have food?"
"Our mage is quite skilled, you know."
In response to James's question, I naturally mentioned Han Se-ah's inventory.
A kind of unconditional reflex, perhaps?
Teasing her about it always amused me.
I noticed Han Se-ah attempting to subtly slip away towards the bedroom, likely feeling embarrassed.
But wanting to show off Han Se-ah's genius mage status isn't a desire unique to me.
Grace, like a cop catching a pickpocket, smoothly linked with Han Se-ah's arm.
She grinned widely and bumped Han Se-ah, saying,
"Hanna! Why not prepare and take out some ingredients from the kitchen?"
"Ah..."
"Let's fetch dinner from that magical place called the 'inventory'."
Grace pronounced the word 'inventory' deliberately, syllable by syllable, emphasizing it for James to hear.
Her playful tone naturally made me chuckle.
Now that I think about it, teasing Han Se-ah must be similar to the incessant praise I get from the Knights.
Han Se-ah receives acclaim as a genius for the system's inventory function, I for Roland's muscular physique; both are equally embarrassing.
"Wow, this, what's...?"
"How is it, isn't it amazing?"
"It's really amazing! If this magic spreads, we wouldn't have to worry about supplies. Hey, Roland! Where did you find such a mage?"
James, with perhaps the most enthusiastic reaction I've seen yet, left Han Se-ah's cheeks flushed red.
Grace and James, standing on either side of her, began spouting words like 'genius', 'innovator', and 'goddess of supplies'.
Goddess of Supplies?
James, you've been spending too much time with bards in the capital, haven't you?
His flattery was over the top.
Overwhelmed by the barrage of compliments, Han Se-ah sought refuge in the kitchen.
Of course, to Grace, this retreat probably just looked like the modesty of a genius mage.
"Hanna seems a bit timid compared to her talents and abilities."
"She probably doesn't want to brag about her magic."
"A modest mage, you've found a good companion, Roland."
"You two, carry on. I should go help with organizing the ingredients."
Grace, ever playful, darted to the kitchen, Irene in tow.
Left behind were me, James, and Kaiden, who seemed lost in her own world.
Since the conversation earlier, Kaiden's stoic demeanor has crumbled, looking like a cat with tape on its paw.
I thought she was cold and calculative, but maybe she's just lacking in social skills.
Ah, and the shower facilities in the barracks aren't for individual use but communal. Talk about it with your party before using it. Even if there's someone you want to go in with, show some restraint. We don't have any soundproofing magic tools here."
"...What are you saying?"
"You two can go in together. Some previous guests were quite... passionate, I guess? At night, you could hear the beds creaking. The beds here aren't exactly high-end."
Seeing Kaiden's face turn beet-red at the casual jest, James bursts into raucous laughter.
Maybe she's just socially awkward...?
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