Night had arrived.
The three of them decided to stop for now, since it was getting late.
Their distance from the elf village was still considered not too far, since they had left the village in the late afternoon.
Norm-san's husband suggested moving to Ulvur, the city closest to the elf village compared to the other cities.
Moreover, Norm-san came from a family that lived in Ulvur.
Since Norm-san was already confused about where to go, she decided to follow her husband's advice.
——
That night, they chose to sleep near a large rock.
The rock looked very old, and its massive size added to its presence.
They placed their big bag on the rock, then opened it and began searching for some cloth.
Norm-san's husband put one cloth on the rock as a cushion so that its surface would not be too hard, and used another one as a mat for them on the ground.
"Norm, I'll go look for firewood. Will you be okay waiting here, just the two of you?" asked Norm-san's husband.
Norm-san had no other choice.
"Don't take too long," said Norm-san softly.
Although it felt heavy, Norm-san decided to surrender and trust her husband.
Her husband immediately left, jogging a little to look for twigs or small branches.
Feeling weary throughout her body, Norm-san leaned her body against the rock.
A little soft, but more rough and hard. Norm-san immediately pulled her child onto her lap.
The child quickly sat down and leaned against Norm-san's body.
Norm-san didn't want her child to sleep in an uncomfortable condition, like now.
——
A while later, her husband returned carrying some tree branches in his hands.
His hands and face looked dirty, covered with spots of soil.
"Don't worry about me," said Norm-san's husband, who felt that Norm-san pitied him.
KLOTAK
The branches were immediately placed on the ground and arranged into a cone shape.
"Fireball"
Norm-san's husband had a little magic within him, and that ability could be used now.
Now, with the presence of this small bonfire, the three of them could feel a bit of warmth.
Her husband sat down on the ground and rubbed his face while cleaning off the dirt.
"Norm, weren't you worried when I said I'd go look for firewood?" asked her husband.
Perhaps he thought Norm-san might assume that he was leaving her.
And this assumption was reasonable, especially after today's incident in the village, which made him feel uneasy.
Norm-san only smiled slightly while stroking the head of her child, who was already fast asleep.
"I trust you... we both made a promise, right? To always be together," said Norm-san softly.
Her husband began smiling while staring at the smoke of the bonfire rising into the sky.
"If only I hadn't suggested living in your village... maybe our child wouldn't have gone through something like this," said her husband.
Those words were true. From the beginning, Norm-san chose to live in Ulvur, instead of her hometown village.
Because she felt something unpleasant would happen if her family lived there.
"That was our decision together, wasn't it? Besides, that's all in the past," said Norm-san.
"I don't care where we live, who we live with... I just want the three of us to always be together," said Norm-san with a warm smile.
Her husband looked at Norm-san, slightly surprised, and his cheeks turned a little red.
"I'm grateful I chose to be with you, Norm," he said.
——
The two of them decided to take turns keeping watch.
In the first hour, Norm-san would sleep, and afterward it would be her husband's turn.
This cycle continued to repeat until the sun was about to rise and show its light.
——
After eating the bread they had packed in their bag, the three of them continued their journey to Ulvur with renewed spirit for the new day.
"Father, how much longer until we arrive?" asked their child cheerfully.
"Just a little longer," said Norm-san's husband.
They looked at the road ahead, a little uphill, after which nothing could be seen.
"After this, we'll see a beautiful view," said her husband.
The three of them walked a little faster and reached the top of the hill.
After the hill, the road curved to the right and then went straight down toward the main road to Ulvur.
The view from the top was so beautiful—the sun had just risen, along with the rooftops of the city houses neatly lined up.
The chirping of birds could be heard very loudly, as if welcoming this morning. Fresh air enveloped their entire bodies.
They continued their journey after pausing for a moment to enjoy the morning scenery.
——
At last, they arrived at the large gate leading into the city of Ulvur.
Since long ago, Ulvur had been the city with the strongest fortress in the Necvalion kingdom. For hundreds of years, no one had ever conquered this city.
Even the gate itself was enormous, along with the carvings on the walls that added a sense of beauty.
The three of them were stopped temporarily at the gate post to check their identity.
"Who are you?" asked a man blocking their way.
He wore a full suit of iron armor, as if ready at any moment in case of trouble.
Norm-san's husband immediately took out a card and handed it to the man.
"You three are family, right? Go on in," said the man, returning the card given by Norm-san's husband.
The three of them passed through the gate and entered Ulvur.
——
A large city with many merchants selling here and there, houses neatly arranged and multistoried.
It made the city feel very busy and lively.
Horse-drawn carriages bustled along the city streets, and knights in armor could also be seen at several corners of the city, as if they were watching over it.
After passing through the gate, there was a large market located nearby.
The smell of food reached the three of them, making their stomachs crave something to eat.
Norm-san's husband looked toward his wife and child, who looked hungry.
"Let's buy some food first, shall we?" he suggested.
——
With limited money that had to be saved, they only bought soup filled with boiled potatoes.
Even though it was just this, for them it was more than enough.
Suddenly, Norm-san's child asked—
"Father, what was that amazing card just now?" asked their child excitedly.
Her husband immediately took out the card again and handed it to their child.
"This is a merchant guild membership card," said her husband.
Their child immediately held the card with both hands and looked at it closely. Their eyes sparkled—
"This card is amazing, right, Father!? Even that knight let you pass... could it be that this card can defeat monsters too!?" asked their child.
Her husband only smiled, while Norm-san chuckled a little.
"Why not try... for just one day, you could become a hero in this city~" said Norm-san's husband, teasing their child.
"I want to be a hero!" said their child.
Norm-san rested her chin on her right hand while looking at their child.
"Hmm, if you become a hero... will you still take Mother and Father along on adventures?" asked Norm-san.
"Of course!" replied their child, cheerfully with a wide smile on their face.