When he woke up from his slumber, Leia was looking at Satoru with a smile on her face.
「Oh, you're awake. My Lord, take a look at this.」
Without so much as a morning greeting, Leia confidently showed him a tunic and pants. The mood she had been in last night, when she had her first anal sex, was not there. He doesn't know if it's the quick changeover or what, but in Satoru foggy head he's still thinking about how Leia has been sewing ever since he went to bed.
「How about this? I'd say it's not bad.」
With a half-asleep mind, he checked the clothes Leia had shown him.
The color is the same as the original flax cloth material, without any sense of sophistication. It's probably the most common type of clothing he has seen in this town. The design is not outlandish, and he doesn't have much resistance to wearing it.
It made Satoru feel more comfortable. He is aware of the need to be as inconspicuous as possible. He was also slightly relieved that it was not an actual medieval garment, and He was glad that he wasn't wearing fluttery cloth or pumpkin pants, which were too tacky for modern people.
The size is a bit large.
「I prioritized ease of movement. If the clothes were too tight, they would get pulled around.」
It was well thought out. Leia's sewing skills seemed to be in a good place, as the thread marks were clean.
She also gave me a pair of socks made of woven wool.
「When I go to another town, I want to consider leather or cotton. I need a leather, sleeveless jacket.」
Satoru is basically indifferent when it comes to clothing, so he leave it up to Leia to put together the outfit.
She put Satoru's clothes away in Leia's shadow. But only his jacket and pants. When she complained about the underwear, she complained that her Lord's clothes in the original world were too expensive. To be honest, though, all of them are cheap.
「If I had to say, I would say that the clothes sold in this town might be too tight for direct contact with the skin. If I could find silk, linen, or cotton, I would use it as underwear. For the time being, I think it would be better to wear the underwear of your world that you are currently wearing. It's underwear, after all. It's not like you're going to show it to anyone.」
「I agree.」
Until he get a replacement, he'll have to be a worn-out sparrow. He'll have to wash it often and rely on magic to dry it. He wore a long-sleeved white t-shirt with English letters on it and boxer shorts. The smell was better than yesterday. While Satoru was sleeping, Leia had washed them in hot water prepared by magic and dried them for him.
He thought it was a shame to have the immortal king, who is said to be one of the higher beings in this world, do something like housekeeping, but surprisingly, she seems to be enjoying it.
「You see, I did not become a wife ...... well, after many twists and turns, I became the [Immortal King]. Although it is just a imitation, I have always longed to work like a human wife.」
So Satoru took care of her as much as he could - not in a sexual way, but in a cute way.
Immediately, He put on the garment that Leia had sewn for him. The size is just right. She said that she had measured and sewn the garment many times while he was sleeping, so there were no leaks.
As he went downstairs to get ready for his trip, the innkeeper turned to me with a cheerful face. There was a woman with him, and she greeted Satoru - she said she was the lady of the inn. She was a homely beauty, not unlike the innkeeper, and he was a bit surprised.
She offered us a larger-than-usual breakfast, and even prepared a black bread sandwich for him to pick up on the way. He accepted with gratitude.
「Take care, my friend. When you challenge the deepest labyrinth in the future, please come by.」
As he shook the oldman's hand, Satoru felt a surge of emotion. He didn't show his tears, because he felt that tears were not something a man should show.
「Ahh, I'll see you again, I promise. Take care, you too.」
he said, and parted.
* * * * * * *
At the entrance of the town, he handed a wooden tag to the guard as a proof of his stay, and received a refund of 5 silver coins and 10 copper coins, for a total of 70d, before leaving the town of Aletta.
It was only two nights, and it was a small rural town, but the people were kind and warm. It was the first town Satoru had ever touched in this world, and it would remain in his memory.
After an koku's walk from the town of Aletta, He returned Minerva to her original flying dragon form.
He decided to go slowly to Galhassan. He didn't want to push Minerva too hard. Considering Minerva's speed, if he hurried her to fly and left early in the morning, they would arrive just in time for the evening, but that would leave too much room.
The flying dragon tribe is big enough to carry a person, so its size is not ridiculous. Minerva, in particular, is Nushi-class, three times larger than any other flying dragon. With its wings spread, its total length is probably close to 20 meters. Of course, it also has the physique to match. He was amazed at how she could fly at such a size, and Leia added that it seems she has a mixed magic of "flying" and "gliding" that Leia cast on Satoru when he went down the mountain. It is said that non-human species have magic and skills that are characteristic of their race.
Rather than flapping her wings, Minerva seemed to be more comfortable gliding in the wind, so he told her to have fun while enjoying a leisurely gliding in the air.
On the other hand, he didn't want to meet too many people while riding the dragon, so they continued to fly without stopping at any of the scattered villages, taking three breaks in between, and chose a spot where no one seemed to be around to spend the night.
Of course, Satoru enjoyed Leia's body before bedtime that day.
Leia didn't seem to be averse to letting Satoru have her body. However, she does feel the pain of rupture every time she is penetrated, so Satoru has to be careful at that moment and until she gets used to the pain. It's also frustrating because, unlike anal play, he can't take long strokes or pull out shallowly to tease the entrance area with his glans. Embracing an eternal virgin also comes with its own set of challenges.
However, strangely enough, Leia's sexual organs, which are supposed to never grow, seem to be growing steadily. Satoru thought that since it had only been five days since they had come into contact with each other, it might be due to her own qualities. It would be ironic if the regeneration of her hymen prevented her from becoming a lecher.
To be honest, just playing with her was fun enough. Her smooth skin, the way she writhes in embarrassment, and the way she reacts are all of the highest quality. Satoru is not so childish as to think that sex means penetration, but Leia's feelings seem to be that penetration and ejaculation are the only things that matter. He's not sure which one is more lewd.
Minerva's gliding speed is neither slow nor fast; it's about 2 to 30 kilometers per hour. Of course, it was definitely faster than walking. Satoru's full speed is probably faster than that, but the footholds he flies to, his own stamina, and what happens when he is seen by others - the impact will be absorbed by magic power, but there is no end to his anxiety, so he avoids unnecessary actions.
So far, he only saw one other flying dragon flying around. It was a long way away from them. I wondered if it was because this was a rural area. If you don't see any flying dragon knights even after you've reached a certain level of human settlements, Satoru thought, maybe it's not a good idea to continue traveling on the Minerva just because it's easier.
This mixture of cautiousness and boldness is one of Satoru's characteristics.
On the whole, he is careless about himself, and tends to be cautious about the influence of his surroundings and when others are involved. The death of his parents is a big reason why he is a bit reluctant to take care of himself. Even if it is for the sake of his beloved sister, it is not something he can do with half-hearted determination, even if he has to endure a lot. Satoru's innate kindness played a big role in this.
The food situation on the trip was not bad. Their staple food was black bread that they bought in the town of Aletta. As a purely Japanese person, Satoru misses rice, but it is not unbearable. She didn't apply it this time because the journey was short, but Leia added that if you apply the magic of preservation, the black bread will last for years.
Leia, who was completely indifferent to everything but bread, was out of the question. In the mornings and evenings, Minerva would go out hunting, picking up some kind of meat and fruit. Minerva is also an excellent hunter.
Satoru knew that the problem was the vegetables, and what would come after that. Perhaps it was because the vegetation was different, but there were plants and trees that Satoru didn't recognize. He had no idea which ones were poisonous and which ones were good to eat. When he was in his original world, he knew a good deal about wild plants to support his impoverished life, but that knowledge is completely useless in this world. One time, he found a small apple-like fruit and was barked at by Minerva when he tried to eat it. He guess it Minerva can tell the difference between poisonous and non-poisonous. That's one of the things I'm really glad Minerva is around.
It's a good thing that they're in an area with a lot of trees and plants, but in deserts and wastelands, it's not so easy to get fruit even for Minerva. My only worry is that I might be vitamin deficient when that happens.
There are a lot of things he had learned about in the town of Aletta.
Basically, the level of culture of this world is at the level of medieval Europe, and printing is only now becoming a familiar thing. However, paper-making technology is low, and books and other materials are accordingly expensive. Parchment is still cheap, and papyrus is still in common use. He was hoping to find something like a botanical book, but he guess it that's not going to happen. Also, no gunpowder was found at the moment.
Even though he had gotten used to this world to some extent, there were still many things unknown to him. Every time he gets off for a break, he continues to read and practice his magic, but he still can't get used to the sensation of thinning the output. Whenever he wonder if he's doing the right thing, Leia points out that it's usually too strong.
Satoru understands that too much power can cause something bad to happen, so when he has time, he works hard on his training. The impossibly large amount of magic power is the one and only weapon given to Satoru in this world, so it is necessary for him to sharpen it.
「Guo!」
Minerva roared a single word. Ahead of them, the forest parted, and a shadow that looked like a town could be seen a little further on.
「So that's the town of Galhassan. It's pretty big.」
『Looks like it.』
A town with tall walls came into view. It is incomparably larger than the town of Aletta. The town was surrounded by wheat fields, and people could be seen working the fields.
Satoru was careful to stay out of sight of these people, and led Minerva to a less popular area.
* * * * * * *
He get off Minerva, and as he had done in Aletta, Leia "shrunk" Minerva and put it on his shoulders before he started walking down the street. The countryside in between is stunning. He can imagine the wheat, but the short bushes, about three meters tall, must be some kind of fruit. They were planted at quite a distance.
He walked for about two hours. Satoru had reached the town of Galhassan.
The town walls were about four meters high. The dull ochre-colored brick walls surrounding the town were crumbling in places when he looked closer. There are two gates. There was no sign of a line of people, and he entered the gate easily.
Three attendants responded. However, two of them were just standing there with spears, in front of a brusque guard who seemed to be doing paperwork.
「One person? A traveler, huh? Entry tariff is 150d. If you're staying for more than 10 days, go to the town hall and apply separately. Oh, and don't pay in gold (librium). There's no change.」
The guard who told him about the extra money in a standard sentence while sighing loudly - he didn't seem to be in high spirits. Satoru was a little annoyed, but he still took out 12 silver coins and 6 copper coins and placed them on a small plate. He counted the number of coins and tossed a wooden bill with the date branded on it in exchange.
As someone who grew up in Japan, where service is abundant, he was honestly annoyed by this response. However, this is a different country and a different world, and he had to be patient, thinking that this was the way it was supposed to be. Satoru had no experience of this, but he had heard from his friends who enjoy traveling abroad that this kind of appropriate response was commonplace in other countries.
Nevertheless, it still pissed him off. With a blue streak on his forehead, Satoru said the same thing he had heard in Aletta.
「I'd like you to introduce me to an inn.」
「Hmm? There's an information shop as soon as you enter, you can ask there. There's a fee, though.」
The angry muscles in his forehead thickened with a loud buzzing sound.
Leia, in the shadows, was on edge. To be honest, if Satoru were to get serious and go on a rampage, this town would be destroyed in a heartbeat, but that would cause some kind of commotion.
「Oh, is that right.」
He was able to endure it. He picked up the wooden bill, shoved it into a small bag, and quickly entered the town.
『Great, my Lord! You've endured!』
Leia shouted from the shadows.
「Well, I admit that I have a temper, but I'm not going to lose it over something like that.」
This is a foreign country, a foreign land, He keep telling that over and over again. As soon as he passed through the large gate, he saw a small building that looked like a tourist attraction's reception area. This seemed to be the information center.
He opened the door and went inside. The space inside was small, and it smelled vaguely of rotten food. There was a woman with a short toe, puffing on a cigarette with a kisser, looking very bored.
「W'come」
Again, she seemed unenthusiastic.
He wondered if this was a trend in this town. The entrance to a town is supposed to be the face of the town, and yet this was the way it was.
Satoru put his elbows on the counter, dumbfounded beyond anger.
「Can you introduce me to an inn? I'd like to stay at an inn of a certain size that has private rooms.」
「It's 1d.」
"Hmm" the woman said, thrusts out one hand with the cigarette in her mouth. He takes a copper coin out of his sachet and releases it. He doesn't even acknowledge the need to hand it over.
The woman takes it without a hint of concern and nods her head.
「All right. A place that's big enough and has private rooms. ...... the Eagle's Wing Pavilion or ...... the Honeycomb Pavilion. If it's you, brother.」
「Where is the location?」
「If you're asking verbally, it's 1d, and the map of the town is 10d.」
What a lordly response. Honestly, he's disappointed in this town. Disgusted by the difference between this town and the town of Aletta, Satoru placed 15d on the counter. "Ohhh," the woman's expression changed.
「Can I ask you about the features of the inn you recommended?」
The woman put a parchment map on the counter and pointed to each one.
「The Eagle's Wing Pavilion is for adventurers like you who are in the upper intermediate level and are making some money. The inn is sturdy, and the food is of good quality. The Honeypot Pavilion is a brothel next door to a boarding house. The quality of the food is mediocre, but the portions are generous, and above all, there is no prying.」
You need a woman, don't you? Satoru noticed the look of contempt in her eyes.
The woman added that of course the brothel had rooms for this purpose, but she didn't recommend them because they were dirty, the walls were thin, and there were thieves inside. He guess that's her way of serving her customer.
Satoru takes the map, rolls it up, and leaves the information desk.
It's a good thing he didn't curse her out.
As soon as he leaves, he sighs heavily and looks around.
「It's the royal capital, right?」
『Indeed. It's supposed to be the royal capital of the Galhassan Kingdom, the same as the town of Aletta where we first stopped.』
「I don't think it's a very safe place to be. There is a lot of activity, but I don't feel that people are motivated.」
There are certainly a lot of people. But there were beggars on the street, young men with bad manners occupying the middle of the street, and the expressions of the people on the street were somewhat gloomy. In the country town of Aletta, there were far fewer people, but it seemed to be full of life.
Leia interrupted him.
『My Lord. You know, you shouldn't open your mouth when you're talking to me in the shadows.』
Satoru thought, "Oya". He had always said it out loud because he was not used to communicating in that way, but now he was going to point it out.
However, when he thought about it, he had been in the countryside where there were few people. Now it's a town with many people. The things to keep in mind have also changed.
「Yeah……It's like you're talking to yourself.」
『It would be a shame if that made you suspicious. Even if you don't open your mouth and you think you're speaking in gibberish, I will still hear you.」
That's what they were talking about from the beginning. Satoru didn't open his mouth, but he would try.
「I'll do my best」
『I can hear you just fine.』
His sound was quite muffled, but as Leia had said from the beginning, it could still be heard. He was relieved. I'll be honest, I'm not used to it, but I guess I'll just have to wait and see.
Comparing the map with the location, Satoru headed for the inn.