Volume 6 Chapter 9
Volume 6 Chapter 9: As Usual
「…Eh?」
Did they use some sort of construction magic?
Lorie blinked in confusion as she took in the scene—then Axel and Daisy seemed to notice her.
「Oh, Lorie. You finished setting up the tent?」
「Y-Yes. Over there…」
As Lorie pointed back toward the place, Axel and Daisy turned to look and their eyes widened.
「Whoa, that’s huge. Looks like we’ll be able to rest up real nice in there.」
「Plenty of space to stretch out, too. Thanks, Princess.」
They looked genuinely pleased as they spoke.
Lorie, however, felt like they’d stolen the words right out of her mouth.
「Th-Thank you. B-but, still… that’s quite the amount of supplies you’ve got. Is this… really all meant for just one day?」
「Huh? No, even if we used all of this, it wouldn’t cover half a day’s worth.」
The answer was completely unexpected.
「This much? …Wait, hold on. Just how many days’ worth of supplies did you bring?」
Axel touched his transport bag, somewhat struggling with the answer.
「Well, just to be safe, I’ve packed enough to last a while plus some extra, so around two month worth of supplies for four people, I guess.」
「Four people, for two months!?」
He said he was bringing extra supplies.
Back when she was preparing on her own, Parum had appeared to help pack Axel’s bag and had seemed oddly stunned—muttering things like 「He’s really taking all of that…?」
…So this was why.
They’d brought even more than she’d imagined.
「Parum told me to bring as much as I could to avoid any issues with food, shelter, or clothing. And since the trial allows up to four people, I brought for one more than necessary. But in the end it’s just the three of us, so right now I’ve only unpacked a small portion.」
As he explained this, Axel kept cooking.
「I-I see…」
「Anyway, dinner’s just this for now. But if you’re still hungry, we can make more.」
Daisy kept placing dishes on the table, but it barely had space left for new dishes already.
Soup, bread, roasted meat—there were even drinks.
It looked less like a wilderness camp and more like a proper restaurant.
「N-No, this is… more than enough.」
「Alright. Then I’ll stop here for tonight. If you want a bath later, just say so. I brought some hot spring water along too.」
「Wait, hot springs!? You brought that too!?」
At Lorie’s surprised cry, Axel nodded like it was the most normal thing in the world.
「Yeah. They said the hot springs here are good for recovery, right? So I figured it’d be useful. I’ve also got towels and changes of clothes. Parum packed the whole set for me.」
「And I’ll make the tub using alchemy.」 Daisy added cheerfully. 「Just let me know what shape or material you’d like—it depends on what we’ve got around, but I’ll figure it out.」
「…R-Right. Okay, I’ll keep that in mind.」
Honestly, Lorie was overwhelmed.
…No, she had known they were strong.
They’d defeated the Ouroboros—that alone had proven they were powerful enough to be her escorts.
She had also expected they’d make reliable travel companions..
But at the same time, she’d assumed that the living conditions along the way would be harsh.
She had expected to sleep rough or at best camp in barely adequate conditions.
Sure, she could manage protective barriers and tents on her own, but there were still limits to their supplies.
Still, she had believed that if it meant having their strength on her side, it was a price worth paying.
…So she had been prepared for hardship.
But now that she’d seen the reality—
Everything had been completely beyond her expectations.
Even hot springs? Spare clothing? Meals like these?
…It felt like she was traveling with an entire supply unit.
It was almost like a picnic. Warm. Comfortable.
…This might turn out to be the most stable, most safe journey she’d ever taken.
Lorie found herself gently wrapped in a mood completely different from the grueling travels she’d expected until now.
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