Chapter Sixteen: Departing With Sweets
“Come to think of it, what kind of place is Ellarge?”
“Well… among the cities on this continent, it’s a relatively large town, and there’s a diverse population with many races other than humans.”
“Races other than humans…”
“Oh, you wouldn’t know, right, Rin?”
Sitting on the sofa by the window in the living part of the cabin—it has seatbelts to allow use on the move—I listen to Mr. Ville talk about the town we’re heading to while savoring the portion of the first batch of spice cookies set aside for tasting. According to Mr. Ville, the place we are currently in, called "Riessfeld," is a relatively small continent. It is surrounded by an ocean, resulting in limited contact with foreign species. As a consequence, there were originally many races that evolved here, such as dragul. To add to that, long ago, elves and dwarves who were overwhelmingly outnumbered by humans in other regions fled and came to Riessfeld, along with humans who fell in love with them, creating the diverse nations we see today, where various races coexist.
Right now, although there is trade and other activities with regions where both human and non-human races coexist, there are still many discriminatory people, so there are few persons who travel between countries, despite some exchanges. Especially travel from Riessfeld to other regions… is rare it seems.
Taking that into consideration, the town of Ellarge, where we are heading, is a seaside port town and a bustling trade hub where various races and goods gather…
…
…
Um… somehow the talk has gotten bigger? When did we shift to discussing national history and world circumstances…?
With an inner sigh at the increasingly large-scale topic, I popped the last piece of the spice cookies into my mouth. The subtly sweet cookie, when crunched, releases the aroma of the trapped spices baked within, filling my mouth. The delicately sweet and fragrant cinnamon and nutmeg complement the lingering spiciness of ginger. The faint bitterness that occasionally emerges might be from allspice, perhaps? Sweet, spicy, slightly bitter… Just as the riot of flavors threatens to overwhelm, the spice queen cardamom consolidates everything.
Ahh… I want coffee…
I’ve been thinking about it since making the cookies, but now I really want coffee! I want to pour a slightly sweetened milk coffee into my mouth, where the lingering sweetness and spiciness remain!
“Hey, Mr. Ville, since it’s a port town, might they have coffee there? It’s a drink made by grinding and brewing dark, bitter roasted beans…”
“From your description, it sounds similar to ‘kafa’… Shops selling ‘fragrant tea’ should also have it, I think.”
“Fragrant tea? They have tea too!? Yay!”
“Since it’s imported from southern countries, the price is pretty high, though.”
Oh, oh I see… So imported stuff has that fancy, high-class feeling huh? I like coffee, but I love tea too…
Yup. Gotta save money… For my cultured diet!
Until then, I’ll manage with blended herbal tea made from halberry leaves and wild herbs around here. Each has a strong individual flavor, but mixed together the individuality blends away—that’s what Auntie said! Her homemade tea made from chameleon plants was nice and smooth.
“By the way, how long does it take to reach the town of Ellarge from here?”
“On foot, it would take about three days, I guess? Of course, it’d be faster with horses…”
“3 days!!!”
It takes quite a while, huh… Well, that’s understandable. It’s on foot after all. Let’s see… taking breaks and assuming you can walk at a speed of 4 kilometers per hour for about 8 hours a day, 8h × 4km/h × 3 days = 96km…! When you put it into numbers, it doesn’t seem like a considerable distance, but, you know, that’s because I’m used to riding in a car over there… Right!
“With Campy we could get there in like 3 hours even if it’s around 100km!”
“No way… 3 hours!?”
I couldn’t help jumping up from the sofa to yell that, but I have no regrets. Mr. Ville looks at me with a surprised expression, but I don’t mind!
Right… that’s right! Campy is here! It rode from where I got tossed to Rhielle Lake at a slow speed of about 30-40km/h, but Campy made it without any issues! If the road to Ellarge is like the one earlier—unpaved but trodden firm—or grassy plains with short vegetation that can be driven over, we could probably go around the same speed, right?
I can’t expect Campy to go at speeds like 70 or 80 kilometers per hour, but even so, I think it could be about 10 times faster than walking, right? And if road conditions are good we might manage 50km/h, possibly reaching our destination much sooner!
Mr. Ville exclaims in apparent disbelief but I think it’s possible! Calculating with an average speed of 35km/h, we should get there in under 3 hours!
“It’s around noon now, so if we leave now, I think we can get there while it’s still daylight!”
“Whoa, Rin! Where are you going!?”
“To the driver’s seat! I can’t drive from the cabin!”
“Driver’s seat… Like coachman’s perch…?”
“Want to sit in the passenger seat… next to me? I think the view will be good!”
“…Very well, let’s go!”
As if to say “strike while the iron is hot,” I rush out the door; Mr. Ville’s voice, sounding flustered or hurried, follows from behind. Campy is not self-driving or remote-controlled, so I can’t just leisurely stay in the cabin!
As for Mr. Ville, the environment will change, but maybe it’s best if he sits in the passenger seat beside me. After all, this will be his first time riding Campy; wouldn’t it be better for him to be in the same space as me, so at least his mind can be occupied. Chatting a little is probably better mentally than sitting alone watching scenery stream by unable to grasp what’s happening.
With those thoughts, when I proposed it to Mr. Ville, after some hesitation he nodded with a face showing anxiety yet curiosity about the unknown experience.
No need to be so nervous, I’ll drive safely!
I even got a gold license for not having an accident over five years!
As Mr. Ville, following me, descends from the cabin and I guide him to the passenger seat, my chest is swirling with expectations and excitement for the as-yet-unseen town.
I must avoid a road kill of monsters or beasts, though…! Even if something does get hit, let’s hope it won’t result in major damage to Campy!
Thinking so much about the key to my survival and future actions, it goes without saying that a traffic safety amulet is added to the list of things I want to buy in the town…
Thank you for the update!
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