The next morning; Souta, Dina, and Antgar were in front of the city gate. It was said that there were many monsters not only in the mine, but also in the surrounding area, so they decided to leave Ed in the inn this time.
「Is the mine we’re going to close?」
「No, it’s quite a distance away. By foot, we should arrive at evening.」
Antgar answered Souta’s question, but hearing the answer, Souta frowned.
「No, wait. That’s only if we go by foot. I’ve made some preparation, we will go with THAT as our means of transportation.」
Looking at the direction Antgar pointed, Souta and Dina could see a dwarf taking along three horses approaching the gate.
「He’s from my acquaintance’s rental stable, we will use these until we reach the area. We will be going back on foot, but……」
The man from the rental stable bowed at Souta and Dina when he came close.
「I already get the payment yesterday, so all you need to do is to give a signal to the horses once you reach your destination. Then they will come back to the town by themselves as they were trained.」
「Ahh, right, the usual, right, right. It’s fine, I know those already.」
The man from the rental stable tried to explain to Souta and Dina, but Antgar cut him off, and so, he stopped talking. Without looking dissatisfied, the man bowed at Souta and Dina again and then returned to where he came from.
「Heheh, actually, after I went to the castle yesterday, I stopped by the rental stable and made an arrangement. We still need to go back on foot, but this alone will make it easier. I used it too occasionally.」
Antgar proudly said, rubbing his nose with his index finger.
「Well, even if it’s just to go there, it’s already quite helpful. On the way back, with my reinforcement magic and as long as we take a break, we should be able to manage.」
「Right, let’s set up and rest in the tent if it got quite late.」
「O-O-Oi, it’s my idea that get us horses right? Can’t you praise me a bit?」
Antgar felt like he was ignored as Souta and Dina talked about going back.
「Ahh, my bad, my bad. Thanks for the arrangement, as expected, it would take too long if we go and return by foot.」
「Yes, yes, thank you.」
「O-Ou. As long as you understand.」
When they responded at him obediently, Antgar became perplexed.
「Well, why not leave now? I’ll ride this one.」
「Then, I choose this horse.」
Souta chose a black-haired, more rugged horse, while Dina chose a slightly fluffier, more feminine horse. This meant Antgar would ride the last horse, but that horse didn’t look quite orderly.
「…So I will ride this guy, huh? W-Well, a horse is not judged by its face, please take care of me.」
Feeling insulted, the horse pocked Antgar’s face with its mouth.
「O-Oi, stop that!」
While Antgar and his horse playing around, Souta and Dina set off with their respective horse.
「Ahh, w-wait for me! Don’t leave me!」
With Antgar’s shout as background, they leave to the mine. It was 10 minutes later that Antgar managed to mount his horse and caught up with the two.
After a few hours on the mountainous road, the sign of animals and the singing of the birds they could still heard a while ago disappeared.
「It’s proof that we’re getting closer to the mine, the monsters should start to show up soon.」
Antgar got off the horse while saying so. Souta and Dina, judging the same from the situation around, also got off their horse.
「Around here is also the limit for the horses. It’s too dangerous for them past here.」
「I see…… So, what should we do to make these horse return on their own?」
Recalling what the person from rental stable said, Souta asked that to Antgar.
「Ahh, this is horse whistle, blowing this is the signal for the horses to return to the town.」
After confirming that Souta and Dina nodded to his explanation, he blew the whistle. The horses’ ears appeared to twitch a bit, and then they went back the way they came originally.
「Hmmm, that’s cool. They really go back alone.」
Seeing that, Souta was impressed.
「Hey, the test is soon. Don’t get distracted.」
As Antgar pointed at the direction he was walking, the checkpoint appeared.
「That’s it, huh?」
「Yes, that’s it.」
「I see, so it’s that……」
Dina alone was nervous while that silly exchange happened. Souta noticed that and put his hand on Dina’s shoulder.
「It’s okay. If you lose, I will be that person opponent next.」
「……Right!」
Hearing Souta’s encouragement, Dina was still nervous, but smile bloomed on her face.
Once at the checkpoint, Antgar went in to talk to the guards. While talking, Antgar and the other person were looking at Souta and Dina. After talking for a while, Antgar beckoned Souta and Dina.
「The test will be held inside, so, let’s go.」
「Alright……. Dina, let’s go!」
「Yes!」
Dina’s expression as she walked into the checkpoint was firm and enthusiastic.
When the three entered, the first thing they saw was a square. There were a few knights in armor in that square. Among them, the one with the most luxurious armor stepped forward.
「Are you people Antgar-dono’s escorts? At a glance, both of you look unreliable.」
The surrounding knights nodded to the man’s words and mocked the two of them.
「But, the presence I feel from both of you is one of the strong…… Quite interesting.」
After saying that, the man glared at the knights around. After being pointed out and realizing that their mockery was off the mark, the knights looked awkward.
「Now then, who will be my opponent?」
「I will be happy to be your opponent.」
In response to the man’s question, Dina stepped forward and introduced herself.
「I see, it’s a woman, huh… I won’t hold back, alright? Though it doesn’t seem like I need to say that.」
The man seemed to feel something from the standing figure of Dina, he smiled as if it was interesting.
「Sorry for rushing you, but can we start the test right away?」
Dina nodded, giving permission to the man.
「Now, all of the escorts, step back. All of you too, step back.」
Following the man’s words; Souta, Antgar, and the knights took some distance away behind their respective side.
The next morning; Souta, Dina, and Antgar were in front of the city gate. It was said that there were many monsters not only in the mine, but also in the surrounding area, so they decided to leave Ed in the inn this time.
「Is the mine we’re going to close?」
「No, it’s quite a distance away. By foot, we should arrive at evening.」
Antgar answered Souta’s question, but hearing the answer, Souta frowned.
「No, wait. That’s only if we go by foot. I’ve made some preparation, we will go with THAT as our means of transportation.」
Looking at the direction Antgar pointed, Souta and Dina could see a dwarf taking along three horses approaching the gate.
「He’s from my acquaintance’s rental stable, we will use these until we reach the area. We will be going back on foot, but……」
The man from the rental stable bowed at Souta and Dina when he came close.
「I already get the payment yesterday, so all you need to do is to give a signal to the horses once you reach your destination. Then they will come back to the town by themselves as they were trained.」
「Ahh, right, the usual, right, right. It’s fine, I know those already.」
The man from the rental stable tried to explain to Souta and Dina, but Antgar cut him off, and so, he stopped talking. Without looking dissatisfied, the man bowed at Souta and Dina again and then returned to where he came from.
「Heheh, actually, after I went to the castle yesterday, I stopped by the rental stable and made an arrangement. We still need to go back on foot, but this alone will make it easier. I used it too occasionally.」
Antgar proudly said, rubbing his nose with his index finger.
「Well, even if it’s just to go there, it’s already quite helpful. On the way back, with my reinforcement magic and as long as we take a break, we should be able to manage.」
「Right, let’s set up and rest in the tent if it got quite late.」
「O-O-Oi, it’s my idea that get us horses right? Can’t you praise me a bit?」
Antgar felt like he was ignored as Souta and Dina talked about going back.
「Ahh, my bad, my bad. Thanks for the arrangement, as expected, it would take too long if we go and return by foot.」
「Yes, yes, thank you.」
「O-Ou. As long as you understand.」
When they responded at him obediently, Antgar became perplexed.
「Well, why not leave now? I’ll ride this one.」
「Then, I choose this horse.」
Souta chose a black-haired, more rugged horse, while Dina chose a slightly fluffier, more feminine horse. This meant Antgar would ride the last horse, but that horse didn’t look quite orderly.
「…So I will ride this guy, huh? W-Well, a horse is not judged by its face, please take care of me.」
Feeling insulted, the horse pocked Antgar’s face with its mouth.
「O-Oi, stop that!」
While Antgar and his horse playing around, Souta and Dina set off with their respective horse.
「Ahh, w-wait for me! Don’t leave me!」
With Antgar’s shout as background, they leave to the mine. It was 10 minutes later that Antgar managed to mount his horse and caught up with the two.
After a few hours on the mountainous road, the sign of animals and the singing of the birds they could still heard a while ago disappeared.
「It’s proof that we’re getting closer to the mine, the monsters should start to show up soon.」
Antgar got off the horse while saying so. Souta and Dina, judging the same from the situation around, also got off their horse.
「Around here is also the limit for the horses. It’s too dangerous for them past here.」
「I see…… So, what should we do to make these horse return on their own?」
Recalling what the person from rental stable said, Souta asked that to Antgar.
「Ahh, this is horse whistle, blowing this is the signal for the horses to return to the town.」
After confirming that Souta and Dina nodded to his explanation, he blew the whistle. The horses’ ears appeared to twitch a bit, and then they went back the way they came originally.
「Hmmm, that’s cool. They really go back alone.」
Seeing that, Souta was impressed.
「Hey, the test is soon. Don’t get distracted.」
As Antgar pointed at the direction he was walking, the checkpoint appeared.
「That’s it, huh?」
「Yes, that’s it.」
「I see, so it’s that……」
Dina alone was nervous while that silly exchange happened. Souta noticed that and put his hand on Dina’s shoulder.
「It’s okay. If you lose, I will be that person opponent next.」
「……Right!」
Hearing Souta’s encouragement, Dina was still nervous, but smile bloomed on her face.
Once at the checkpoint, Antgar went in to talk to the guards. While talking, Antgar and the other person were looking at Souta and Dina. After talking for a while, Antgar beckoned Souta and Dina.
「The test will be held inside, so, let’s go.」
「Alright……. Dina, let’s go!」
「Yes!」
Dina’s expression as she walked into the checkpoint was firm and enthusiastic.
When the three entered, the first thing they saw was a square. There were a few knights in armor in that square. Among them, the one with the most luxurious armor stepped forward.
「Are you people Antgar-dono’s escorts? At a glance, both of you look unreliable.」
The surrounding knights nodded to the man’s words and mocked the two of them.
「But, the presence I feel from both of you is one of the strong…… Quite interesting.」
After saying that, the man glared at the knights around. After being pointed out and realizing that their mockery was off the mark, the knights looked awkward.
「Now then, who will be my opponent?」
「I will be happy to be your opponent.」
In response to the man’s question, Dina stepped forward and introduced herself.
「I see, it’s a woman, huh… I won’t hold back, alright? Though it doesn’t seem like I need to say that.」
The man seemed to feel something from the standing figure of Dina, he smiled as if it was interesting.
「Sorry for rushing you, but can we start the test right away?」
Dina nodded, giving permission to the man.
「Now, all of the escorts, step back. All of you too, step back.」
Following the man’s words; Souta, Antgar, and the knights took some distance away behind their respective side.
