Well, deep down, we all wanted to go to the royal city of Mulia. From the very beginning, the scales have been shifting in the balance of our minds.

　In the restarted dragon car, Mr. Kilt told me that about the persuasion he had just given me.

'There was a weight of 'life danger' riding on the other side of the balance that interfered with that. Walla Walla was named 'Kirto Amandes' and that's all that was left to reduce that weight. The rest of the balance of everyone's mind tilted on its own. --that's all there is to it.
Hmm?

　I nodded and said my honest opinion.

'But that time, Mr. Kilt, you looked kind of like a fraud.
How rude!

　Mr. Quilts, who looked out of his mind.
　The beautiful sisters in attendance blurted out a "pfft" and stared at me with golden eyes, flustered and unsuspecting.

(Haha, sorry.)

　But I'm still glad that we're going to King's Landing safely.
　I don't want to wait for two months to recover.
　I'm not afraid to risk a little bit, but I wanted to go from the old road to the capital city of Mulia.

Thank you for convincing everyone, Kilt-san.
Hmm. Bye.

　I thanked him, but Mr. Kilt sulked and turned away. Oops...?

　Chuckling bitterly, I opened the curtains and looked out the window.

　The dragon car carrying us had returned from the crumbling Wangdu Bridge a few dozen meters back to the old weed-covered street.

　At first, we didn't realize that it was a road.
　So much so that there was a lot of tall grass growing at the junction with the old road.
　In the grass was an old stone monument.

Othmuri and Medis.

　in the common language of Albac, and just below that, there was an arrow dug in to indicate our path.

(Yeah, yeah, I'm finally learning to read, too!)

　I can't slurp yet, but I'm glad I did.
　Also, in front of the stone monument, there was a big sign that said 'Kin Shitachi Iriki Ken'. Let's see, 'No Entry!　Danger! That's what you mean, right?　I think someone made the mistake of making it so that they wouldn't use the old road.

(I'm sure it was built around the time the Wangdu Bridge was built?)

　But now, buried in the grass, the old road and the signs seem to have been forgotten by the people.

　Rumble, rumble, rumble.

　The shaking of the Dragon Wheel is also much louder than ever before.

　Originally, it was a road leading to the royal capital, so the dirt road on the old road is as wide as three lanes of dirt. But now the road has broken through the soil, and there are many cracks and weeds growing on it.
　On either side of the road were a row of stone towers with the light off at the tips, many of which had collapsed and lay as stone wreckage.

(Sort of looks like a grave.)

　The wreckage of the stone reminds me of the six broken stone pedestals from that great Aldrian forest and deepest part of the world.

　The gray dragon that pulls the dragon-wheel powers its way through the old, unpopular road, ripping down its weeds. The wheels creak over the more bumps and bruises, and the vibrations are incessant and continue to push us up our asses.

'Are you alright, Merle?'
Yes.

　I show the water bottle in my hand to Illtimina, who is worried about getting drunk, and laugh.

　For now, I'm fine.
　If I get drunk, I was going to drink it right away. If you get drunk, you can have a drink too, okay?

　Outside the window, the rundown old road goes on forever.

(And yet...)

'Do you really think there's a bunch of wildcatters setting up a trap down the road?
I'm sure you are.

　At my muttering, Illtimina-san replied.　

''Destroying the bridge must have been aimed at stalling the knights of the King's Guard. If that's the case, then the thieves will surely be on the median side of the broken bridge.
"But we weren't attacked on the road from Medis to here.
'Yes, sir. That means the thieves are on the old road now.

　I see.

'Um ... it may not be possible, but isn't it possible that they won't 'attack' us?

　He gave up when he saw the escort adventurer........

　Illtimina-san laughed apologetically, shook her hair softly and shook her head.

''A 20-man wildebeest is essentially a group of people that would target a much larger merchant unit and so on. I don't think they would be scared of three vehicles and only five adventurers. And that number of wild thieves are always looking for prey to eat.''
So....

　I'm going to be attacked after all........
　As I nodded off, Illtimina-san smiled at me and hugged me encouragingly.

''It's okay, Marle. As I've said many times before, that level of wild thievery is not our enemy. What we have here are the Demon Hunters who defeated the Red Fang Dragon, right?
Yeah, I guess so.

　I don't want to make her worry too much, so I do my best to laugh.

　While looking at us, Solstice opened her mouth to say, "But.

"This time, isn't that party of five over there the main purpose of the escort?　As for us, how do we get around?
"Of course.

　Mr. Kilt thinks about it for a moment.

'Basically, we'll leave those two cars over there to Clay and his team. And the strawmen will only protect this dragon car.
Is that what you want?

　I dared you to protect everyone?
　At my expression, Mr. Kilt chuckled.

'I said basically, didn't I?　Let me explain this in order. --First, if there is an attack, I will evacuate you to the dragon carriage. Instead, Warauwa and Irna will be outside. Merle and Sol will be inside, right?
Yes.
Okay.
"Most often, field robbers will block the road and set up for their prey at a distance, first from surrounding heights or other places, with bows and so forth.

　Hmmm.

But unfortunately, the warrior is mainly a close combatant. The dragon's legs can't be killed if it is shot, so Warawa will concentrate on protecting the dragon by the dragon chariot, fighting off any fools who drop arrows or charge into it.
And me?
Kill anything that comes at you from a distance.

　A shiver ran down my spine at the bland 'kill' order.

　That's right........the opponent this time is not a monster.
　It's a human being.

　But Illtimina-san nodded her head, 'I understand,' as if it was a matter of course.
　So, I notice.

(................I've killed someone, you know.

　He still holds me in his arms, my hands, the life of someone I don't know.

"If Clay and his friends are struggling, help them out first. I will guard this dragon car for hours at a time.
Yes, sir.
"Sol, cast your magic from inside the Dragon Wheel. "Sol, use your magic from inside the dragon carriage. No need for great feats. Marle, you will stay here with the others until this is all over.
Hey.
Yes.

　I nodded, hiding my upset.
　But Illtimina-san said, "? He looks at me curiously.

'Merle, what's wrong?'
Nope.

　I know.
　You can't live in this world with just a pretty face.

I didn't hesitate to kill the evil tiger when I had the chance.

　I hugged her back, squeezing her tightly.
　Ms. Illtimina was surprised, and a faint tint to her cheeks.

　I shook my head.

'It's okay, I'm just getting a little nervous.'
Oh, really?
Oh, my God!　So I guess I'll have to change my name to Rags and b*tc*es, then, Kincho.

　I was grateful for Solstice's teasing now, too.
　By the way, thankfully she was punched in the brain by her own sister with a gottin.

　Mr. Kilt laughed in annoyance and slumped deeper into his seat.

''Well, I can't help it if it's about twenty wild thieves. I'm rather concerned about the man-eating ogre, though.
..........
It is a demon that does not belong in these parts. --I just hope it doesn't cause you any trouble.

　Then he looked up at the window behind him.
　Its golden eyes reflected the blue sky, and a troubled breath spilled out of its red lips - a troubled breath.