Day 33 – Border of Valtoria Forest and the Kingdom of Nothredam
"Uwahhh... how many more days, Charles?" I yawned out of sheer boredom.
"We'll reach the capital in two days. Just hang in there," Charles replied, sounding thoroughly fed up with my whining.
I turned to my side. Yup, there she was—Clarissa, fast asleep on my shoulder.
"Do you seriously have nothing better to do than sleep?"
Clarissa really did have a thing for sleeping. If I had to estimate, she probably slept about 14 hours a day. That means she was only awake for 10 hours. Basically, no different from a cat. Still, to be fair, she always took night watch while Charles and I slept like rocks. Although, sometimes, she'd end up dozing off with us anyway.
"Hey, Charles."
"What now?" he called back from the front seat.
"Why do people keep giving us weird looks whenever we say we're heading to Nothredam? What's going on over there?"
"Well, it's like this... that kingdom's dirt poor. So poor, even the Demon King couldn't be bothered conquering it."
"Wait, seriously? Is it really that bad?"
"Pretty much. The only things they have are chalk, tin, bronze, and iron. Oh, right—their iron mine is controlled by Heden now."
"Heden took over the mine?"
"Exactly. It's located on the northern coast, right near the border with the Kingdom of Abreville. That mine is the largest source of iron on the entire continent. Most of the iron swords used in Heden come from there."
How ironic. They keep preaching peace and equality, but in reality, they're just colonizing another country. So how are they any better than the Demon Kingdom?
Our carriage kept rolling forward. In the distance, a golden patch of sunlight peeked through the trees—something we hadn't seen in weeks. Looked like we were finally entering the territory of Nothredam.
"I'm getting a bad feeling about this," Charles muttered with concern.
"What's wrong, Charles?" I asked, lowering my voice.
"Nothing… yet. But just in case, stay sharp. Wake Clarissa too," he warned.
I could feel it now. Was this what Charles sensed? A surge of magical energy was lingering in the air. Someone was fighting nearby.
"Clarissa, wake up!" I shook her shoulder urgently.
Clarissa rubbed her eyes, her eyelids slowly opening—then widening in an instant. She felt it too.
"Who?!" she hissed, gripping the sword always at her side.
"Charles, what's going on?"
Before I could get an answer, a thunderous voice shouted in the distance.
"STOP THEM!!" Definitely a grown man's voice.
Charles grabbed a spyglass from his satchel. "Damn it—bandits!" he said sharply. The carriage came to a screeching halt.
"They've stopped and attacked another carriage up ahead. We need to help them. If not, we might be next," he said, peering through the spyglass again.
"There's someone fighting them," he added.
"Alright. Clarissa, flank them from the woods. I'll hit them from the front," Charles ordered. "Akira, you stay here. You're not exactly combat-ready right now."
Rude.
I grabbed a steel sword resting beside me. "Don't underestimate me. I was in the kendo club, okay? I'll protect you from the front, Charles!"
Charles just sighed but didn't argue.
The bandits had set the carriage on fire, trying to force its passengers out. One of the guards seemed to be a mage—not a swordsman. This could get ugly.
"Ice Spikes! Your Highness, please run!!"
As she turned around, a bandit suddenly appeared behind the noblewoman, sword raised. But—
"HAH!" Clarissa burst out of the trees, striking the bandit down with her blade.
Their formation crumbled under the surprise attack. I charged at two sword-wielding bandits up front and managed to knock them both down.
They got back up quickly—my strikes weren't strong enough. Just as one raised his blade again:
"Ignis Orbis!" Charles chanted, launching a fireball that exploded between the bandits, scattering their formation even further.
"Who are these guys?!" one of the bandits yelled.
"No idea! But if they're attacking us, treat them like royal guards!" another barked.
Clarissa and the noblewoman met in the middle of the chaos. They exchanged no words—just a firm nod. The noblewoman drew a dagger, her stance ready.
Charles, meanwhile, was fending off four bandits. He stomped the ground. "Fulmen Cinis!"
Lightning crackled through three of them. One dodged and lunged at Charles.
"Tera Tower!" the mage guard yelled, raising a wall of earth that smashed into the attacker just in time.
Another bandit tried to ambush Clarissa from behind—but the noblewoman struck him down first.
"You're fast," Clarissa said curtly.
Me? Honestly, my heart nearly gave out. But I managed to smack a bandit over the head with the flat side of my sword, knocking him out cold.
A few painfully long minutes passed before the battle was finally over. Bandit bodies littered the ground. Some were dead, but most were just unconscious.
"Is it... over?" I exhaled, relief washing over me.
Clarissa sheathed her sword and walked toward us. The noblewoman rushed to her guard.
She then turned to us, her gaze warm and calm.
"Thank you for your help," she said. "May I ask who you are?"
Charles wiped the sweat from his brow. "Just a humble merchant passing by, hahaha…"
"Is that so? Well, lucky us," the noblewoman said, placing a hand on her chest.
"I'm Laura van Norden, Princess of Nothredam. A pleasure to meet you."
"Oh! Your Highness." Charles tipped his hat respectfully.
"The one beside me is Lee Min Ji, my assistant," Princess Laura added, gesturing to a woman with long chestnut-brown hair.
"Nice to meet you," Min Ji said, giving a soft wave.
Her voice was calm and elegant—not loud, but graceful. She stood tall, yet poised, like a ballerina holding a blade.
"Wait a sec... did I hear that right?"
I stared at her for a moment. "Sorry... Lee Min Ji?" I asked in disbelief.
"That's... a Korean name, right? Not just similar?"
"How do you—" Min Ji froze, shocked.
She gave a small, faint smile. "Yes. I'm from Daegu, South Korea."
I froze. "...I'm from Tokyo, Japan."
Laura looked surprised. "So, you two are from the same world?"
I nodded slowly. Min Ji looked at me more gently now, her posture relaxing.
"It's strange, meeting someone from home... after so long," she said quietly, yet with deep meaning.
I hesitated. "How long have you been here?"
"Four years," she answered flatly, but there was a weariness behind her eyes. "I've stopped hoping to go back."
I wanted to say more, but Princess Laura spoke up, sensing this was the right time.
"Three days ago, we received a diplomatic note from the Kingdom of Heden," she said. "It mentioned the arrival of a 'visitor from another world'—you, Akira."
I fell silent.
Laura's voice turned serious. "But it wasn't a message of honor. It was an exile order. They've politely, but firmly, banished you from interfering with Heden's affairs."
Min Ji's gaze softened, understanding the pain I was swallowing.
"I know how it feels, Akira," she said. "To be sent to a strange world and forced to survive alone."
"Well... what can you do, hahaha..." I replied awkwardly, trying to lighten the mood.
Suddenly, Charles walked toward one of the bodies. "What's up, Charles?" I asked.
"Akira. Clarissa. Come here," he called shortly.
We walked over, Laura and Min Ji joining us.
Charles pointed to a tattoo on one of the bandits' wrists—a faded black design of a winged skull entangled in chains.
Min Ji narrowed her eyes. "Wait… that's—"
"—The mark of the Virates bandit group," Charles cut in, his tone grim. "They're infamous for robbing merchants and spilling blood without hesitation. I thought they were based up north, but now they're operating in the south too."
"This is bad," Laura said, visibly shaken. "They're known for vengeance. If we harmed any of their own, they'll surely retaliate."
"Exactly," Charles said. "And they won't come with just a few next time."
Min Ji stood stiff, hand on her sword. "We can't linger here."
Laura nodded. "We need to reach the capital. But it's still two days by horse, five days on foot."
Charles turned to Clarissa. "Our carriage is still in Valtoria Forest, right?"
"Yep," Clarissa confirmed.
"Go get it—now."
Clarissa immediately dashed off into the forest.
"What now, Charles? Got a plan?" I asked, running through strategies in my head.
"There's only one way..."
I tilted my head in confusion at his words. Soon, Clarissa returned with our carriage.
"Everyone gather close! Tight circle. I'm going to cast teleportation—"
Laura looked hesitant. "Are you sure—"
"Welcome to Nordesis, everyone. Transtelvia: Teleporta!" Charles chanted, slamming his hand on the ground.
The world spun. The air twisted. And in an instant—
---
We stood in a quiet open field.
Our carriage, and everyone inside, had safely teleported. In the distance, the white towers of Nordesis—the capital of Nothredam—stood tall, about two miles away.
But before anyone could cheer—
Thud.
Charles staggered and collapsed backward.
"Charles!" I caught him instinctively, but he fell like a sack of bricks.
"He's out of mana," Clarissa said quickly. "Teleporting a full team and carriage? That's crazy."
Min Ji helped lay him down gently in the carriage, resting his head on a pile of blankets and supplies.
Laura touched his forehead and nodded. "He needs rest. His mana's completely drained."
"I'll drive us to Nordesis," Clarissa said, climbing up to the driver's seat and taking the reins. "Hold on, everyone."
Our—well, Charles'—carriage rolled forward slowly, wooden wheels creaking along the rocky path. The sun was finally shining, and silence returned, broken only by hooves and rustling leaves.
I sat cross-legged beside Charles, right near his head. His face looked peaceful now. Cold sweat clung to his temples, but his breathing had stabilized.
"I can't believe you actually pulled it off, Charles," I murmured, dabbing his forehead with a handkerchief. "Teleporting a full party and a carriage? That's Saint Mage power. Who are you really are...?"